Time is an unending circle of fate. Day and night, morning and evening, throughout the year it never rests.
In each turn of its cycle, there are always three possibilities.
Parallel, moving simultaneously.
I find myself sprawled on the ground, greeted by the intense gazes of three familiar women: Elaina, Amnesia, and Avilia.
"Could you all give me a bit of space? I need to recover here," I mutter, prompting them to cautiously step back. Pushing myself up, I stretch my limbs with a groan. "So, what's going on, ladies?"
"I think we should be asking you that," Elaina quips, still puzzled by my abrupt descent from the heavens.
"Arche, are you alright?" Amnesia's concern contrasts sharply with Elaina's bemusement.
"You scared me, Arche," Avilia adds with a sigh.
"Elaina, you could at least show some concern like Amnesia here. You criminal!" I retort, injecting a playful sarcasm that immediately irks her.
"You're the criminal!" She snaps back irritably.
I grin mischievously; if I didn't provoke her upon meeting, it just wouldn't feel right.
"Seriously, why did you fall from the sky like that?" Elaina probes.
"I was up late last night doing something, and I got really sleepy," I explain casually.
"Didn't I tell you to stop staying up so late, Arche?" Amnesia chides, a hint of annoyance in her voice, clearly not amused by my disregard for her earlier advice.
"Sorry, mom," I reply, feeling like a scolded child.
"I'm not your mom," she sighs, but there's a motherly vibe to her scolding.
Now, you might wonder why I was up late. Truth is, I tried to sneak a peek at a lady in the hot springs yesterday. Caught red-handed by the hot spring's owner, I was punished with an all-night cleaning marathon. Hence, the lack of sleep.
"There are matters of life and death I had to attend to, you know!" I defend myself dramatically.
"Life and death? That sounds serious," Avilia remarks, genuinely surprised.
"How about we continue this conversation over coffee? I'm in the mood for a café visit," Amnesia suggests warmly, always the peacemaker.
"Why do we have to drag him along?" Elaina protests.
"What's the harm?" Amnesia tries to persuade Elaina.
"What indeed?" I chuckle, feeling victorious.
As we headed towards the café, I overheard two women chatting animatedly behind us.
"That guy who peeked last night really infuriated me!"
"I heard he got punished with hot spring duty all night!"
"That's not enough! If I see him, I'm making him my punching bag!"
Their conversation, clearly about me, sends a nervous gulp down my throat. If they recognize me at the café, I might end up as their punching bag.
"Did you just gulp?" Avilia gives me a puzzled glance.
"Thanks for the invitation, but I've got things to do!" I hastily make an excuse to flee. "I'm really busy, you know!"
"Busy?" Amnesia queries.
"Yeah, I've got dishes to wash, floors to sweep, house to clean, meals to cook," I rattle off, admitting my lack of prowess in cleaning. "I'd make a great future stay-at-home dad, though!" I add with a wink.
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Wandering Witch: Penance of a thief
Pertualangan[FAN STORY] In a world filled with magic and mystery, there exists a notorious thief known as "The Emerald Thief," who has never been caught. Famous for his captivating emerald eyes and his elusive ability to vanish, he has become a valuable target...
