Night talk 2 (Patreon)

Sure took a while, but here it is.

This chapter was very very hard to make, I scrapped it more than once, and it was one of the reasons I didn't manage to post all chapters on time before today.

You'll see, and hopefully, you'll enjoy it also.

More on me by the end of the chapter.

Peace!

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'Silver laughed for a while, making the girls confused.'

"Huh?... Did you break him Syr?" Lunoire asked as she pointed at the smiling girl

'Syr turned her face, as confused as everyone else.'

"I-I didn't…"

'But before Syr could say anything, Silver got up from his seat.'

"It's nothing like that."

I didn't want to do something like this so soon...

But since they showed me that they care, then they deserve to see a little bit.

Even if I'm still a bit confused regarding what they think about me...

'As he said that, he started to shine a little, and his true appearance was revealed, shocking everyone to the point some of them opened their mouths wide!'

"Y-Your body…"

'Be it Chloe, Anya, Lunoire… Even Ryuu, whose eyes shook.'

'Their expressions reflected the state of his body, almost broken.'

"I know, I'm pretty damn beaten up." Silver said with a slight smile

'His light and evasive tone seemed even insulting to them...'

"You… How can you say that?!" Syr asked with a dark expression

'He "looked" at her, and he couldn't help but become more serious.'

'It seemed smiling and trying to play this down with jokes wouldn't work.'

"... All actions have some sort of consequence." Silver said as he sat back down

"This time, for my ideals, for the person I wish to be, I threw myself at the fire, and got burnt in the process."

"I managed to achieve what I wished, and that's all."

"..."

"Don't look at me like that… Please."

'Her sadness, he could almost taste it.'

'And so, Silver raised his head towards the ceiling, no words were necessary, their expressions said it all.'

'Perhaps they saw in him what they could've become had they failed somewhere along their journey…'

'But what they didn't know…'

"Don't mourn for me, this is just the beginning." Silver said as he stepped close to Syr, staring down at her

"?"

'Their confusion was understandable, for most, this was the ending.'

"Do you think this is enough to stop me?"

"Wait… Don't tell me… You'll continue being an adventurer?!" Lunoire asked with her eyes wide open

"The thought of stopping never crossed my mind."

"That's… Absurd Nya!" Chloe added

"It is, madness even… But I have no intention of dying anytime soon."

'And as he finished those words, the bandana around his eyes fell, revealing a brand new pair of silver eyes, and his arms flashed, returning to his previous look.'

"Else… Who would help you all clean this place?" He asked with a smile

"I may look like this, but slowly, step by step..."

'His hands shone in green light.'

"I can heal myself from this, I'll climb back up."

/Gasp…/

'Syr put her hands around her mouth, gasping at the sight.'

"So please, do not worry for me, I still have a lot of gas left."

"I won't allow myself to get like this again." He said in a strong tone

'She closed her mouth, but not her eyes, she wanted to imprint what she was seeing deep into her.'

'To remember it, for a long long time...'

"Then… Why did you do it?" Syr asked deeply

"My reasons?"

'She nodded, oddly silent, perhaps still upset from his previous injuries and by how lighthearted he was about them.'

'It isn't easy to see a friend hurt, much less when it's a close friend, and the injury is as serious as the loss of a limb.'

'The worse the injury, the greater it impacts their lives.'

'Silver said that this injury wouldn't affect him, that he would move on and learn from it, heal from it, and albeit time would tell if that was the case, they couldn't do much apart from believing…'

"Reasons…"

'Silver closed his eyes, thinking.'

'There wasn't a lot he could say about it, most of it was already shared during the Denatus.'

'In the end…'

"I just… Felt like doing it, and then I did. That's all."

'And this shocked everyone.'

"Haa? You mean to say you just had the desire to challenge the Ishtar Familia to a War game and then you did?" Lunoire asked with an amused frown

'But deep down, she hid her own displeasure.'

"There was more to that, but in essence, yes, that's right." Silver said with a nod

'While they all opened their eyes in confusion and shock, Silver continued.'

"Perhaps that isn't enough to put my point across... So let me explain."

"But first we need to go back a little if you all don't mind hearing my useless ramblings."

"..."

'Syr looked at him without blinking, it seemed she wouldn't back down anytime soon.'

"You'll all likely call me a fool or even stupid at the end of this…"

"Aren't you one already?" Chloe retorted with a smile

'Silver put his hand in his pocket, taking out a wooden object as he pressed a small button…'

"Meowster…"

"?!"

'He played Chloe's biggest embarrassment, the words she was forced to say back in their last bet…'

"NYA?! STOP IT!"

…

'It took a little of effort, but she was finally stopped, allowing Silver to start his story.'

"Well, at first, I was a bit conflicted, many thoughts filled my head."

"As a Captain, I must do 'this and that' in 'this way and order' because people follow me…  Depend on me…"

"As the face of the future, I must smile at this time, and move at this time, to provoke cheers and screams from the people, lead them towards a brighter future they themselves are unaware of."

"Isn't this what all Familias seek to do? To make a better future?... Why most fight?..."

'Silver tapped on the table, breathing a little as he weighed and thought about the words to use.'

"... If I do 'this', 'that' will happen, the consequences of 'this' will lead to 'this'… And so on."

"I was constantly being forced with thinking over and over and over into how eventually all of my actions and thoughts would influence those I protect and care about."

"I am responsible for a lot, and as such, I must measure every single one of my actions… To act in a way befitting of the expectations others have placed onto me."

"I… Didn't want to let others down, I didn't want to disappoint them."

"But at the same time, such responsibility wasn't being enforced in a way I felt comfortable with."

"I feel that I could be that person, that I can do it, so that in itself wasn't the problem."

"The problem was… How those expectations were delivered to me."

"It's not their problem, people seek from others things that they cannot accomplish themselves, and I was that person."

"So after thinking a little, it isn't hard to think that I can't be what the people desired of me... I don't want to."

"I refuse to be anything other than me."

/Silence…/

'Syr and the others did not speak, it was pure silence.'

'The fire burning in some candles seemed louder than them…'

'Yet, it was small, but it seemed Syr was smiling.'

"Without knowing, I got myself trapped." Silver said with a slight dry laugh

"I stopped doing what I wanted, and moved for the sake of others… Which isn't a bad thing."

"To be relied on as proof of one's capabilities, responsibilities… Is gratifying, but I couldn't help but feel restrained by those very same things."

"Or at least, I stopped moving for the same goals as I initially had, moving to accomplish things in the way people expect of me."

"That wasn't how I wanted to feel, that wasn't how I wanted to be."

'Silver then smiled, starting to get somewhat heated up.'

"If I'm tasked with giving them a foothold into the world, then I'll do it… My own way."

"Even if I have to blow up some things in the process."

""...""

'They all felt something was wrong, though they couldn't point out what it was exactly.'

'So far, it seemed Silver was burned up with the tasks of a Familia Captain, which was fine, though they wondered how all of this connected with the matter at hand.'

'It was very uncharacteristic, out of everyone, they expected him to be the last one to talk about such things.'

'Because he always felt so bright and free...'

'Perhaps even that had been a lie... Or something they built themselves.'

"You can say it's irresponsible to challenge one of the rulers of Orario for anything but spite…"

"Because it is NYA!" Anya exclaimed as she raised her fist in defiance

'Silver smiled a little, but he didn't stutter.'

"... But at the end of the day, I felt that… No, this was what I wanted to do."

"I couldn't restrain the desire growing within me, so I took a step forward, act first, think later."

'The wood crumbled, going back to how it used to be.'

"I am a fool, I moved without the consent of others, for something that benefited almost none…I may have even created more trouble for others..." He said as he looked at Ryuu, who immediately looked to the side

"But I do not regret my decisions, I did what I felt was right, not for anyone but me."

"How arrogant, on that note of yours, what if the enemy was someone you couldn't take on?" Chloe asked with a frown

'From her perspective, his idealistic words of grandeur were just as he pointed out, foolish.'

'Almost anger indulging even, the number of people that might mourn his loss… And even the amount of people that would be affected by his actions.'

'But Chloe was smarter than that, she knew who he was… There had to be a reason apart from a meager desire to challenge the strong.'

'In fact, she had heard some of the rumors circulating on the streets already, that he had likely been attacked first.'

'It may be true he acted out of his own desires, but there was a fuse hidden in there somewhere, and it blew him up.'

'That was why she didn't fully scorn him, only saying he was foolish for acting against a mountain…'

'But she didn't say that she also felt great admiration for him having overcome that great adversity.'

'Adventurers grow from their mistakes and challenges, the more they survive, the better they became, Silver's Level up was proof of that.'

"What would I do?... You already know the answer."

"Move forward until the day I can't." He replied sternly

"Call me arrogant, call me stupid, irresponsible…"

"By all means, call me anything… I'll probably be that."

"You nyan't even making sense." Chloe mumbled in her thick cat accent

'Yet, Silver smiled even brighter.'

"Exactly, I do not need to make sense to others, I just need to be…"

"Me, and that's the point of this meaningless rant."

"..."

'Syr stared at him deeply, waiting for what he would say.'

"For her own goals, a God came to me and told me to abandon everything I was to be hers… With a smile on her face as if that was a matter of course."

"Common sense dictates that I should follow her will, as a divine decree isn't one to be lightly broken."

'Silver smiled bitterly, saying some that would once again shock them:'

"And I do agree."

"Even if, sometimes, their personalities may be… Questionable, such as a funny guy that pranks you every time you meet… Or a serious girl that speaks less than 10 sentences at a time, always in poems, a God is a being that should at any moment, be greatly respected…"

'But with an ever-darkening tone, he said "But not revered.".'

""?!""

"Most often than not, Gods desire things that, from our perspective, is nothing sort of immoral, even… If I'm allowed to say it, demonic."

'He let out a loud sigh, resting her back on the counter, tapping on his friend's back who was still sound asleep.'

"It's just a petty excuse anyway…"

"But am I supposed to watch and clap as everything I was and did is slowly turned into cinders?"

"Most will say that no, I shouldn't, but if I ask what I should do then… They won't have an answer or their most likely solution..."

"Leave it to the Gods to deal with one another, as if that would fix this situation."

"Because going against the Gods' will is wrong… Or something along those lines."

"So then it came to me… I just won't do it, I thought to myself... Why? Why do I have to follow the will of this woman I met for the first time?"

"Just because she exudes some sort of unique feeling I can't properly describe?"

"No. I won't."

"..."

'They were silent, Anya couldn't even breath properly, it seemed Silver was slowly exuding an ever-increasing pressure…'

"If a God stands in front of me… I'll have to push them aside."

"Because my goddess is… Kind, too kind to do those sorts of things on her own, and that isn't wrong."

"But this is a world where Gods of all kinds are allowed to come down and do as they please, I cannot change that, even if I feel it's wrong."

"She is already overwhelmed with the instructions of how to make a cake, much less deal with crazy bitc… Girls like Ishtar."

"..."

'They all looked at him with deadpan expressions.'

"In any case…"

"I cannot understand their feelings."

"I cannot comprehend their reasons."

"I can only denounce their actions and curse their divine names with all I can, even if that won't do anything to them."

"Perhaps at most, I'll annoy them, even them, I think it's a waste of time to try and dialogue with such existences."

"It is all nonsensical, but that's just how most Gods are." He asked with a dark smile

"I'll likely be scorned by others and called a fool for that."

"But I say… That I had enough."

'His expression became serious.'

"If to be successful I need to rip my own personality apart for the sake of becoming some sort of mass-produced, second-hand person…"

"If to be accepted by the masses, I need to become some sort of cardboard-cut Hero…"

"Then I would prefer to be the villain of this story."

""...""

'The silence was overwhelming.'

"I said it before… I desire the mystery hidden in the Dungeon while most seek its destruction."

"Let me be a hypocrite and say that I understand their reasons, would anyone try to understand mine?"

'Silver words stung somewhat, but they also sounded but ramblings coming from someone too full of themselves.'

"Phew… I already said a lot… And I didn't really say anything either… Haha… Sorry, I'm a mess..."

"No no, carry on." Syr said with a thin smile

"It's nothing impressive, I don't know what you wish to learn…"

We should've stopped this long ago..

"I wonder sometimes…"

"Will the people praise me? Will the historians share my accomplishments? Will the children raise their wooden swords and fight in remembrance of me and my goals?"

"Would the Gods remember me?..."

"..."

"Would you like to?" Syr asked suddenly

'Silver looked at her and shook his head.'

"I don't really care."

"Why not? There are many that wish to be the lights of a new era, to shine brighter than any other… So why don't you seek the same?"

'Silver thought for a moment, now that he was talking about it, the reason seemed to escape his lips…'

"I want to be me… Only me. For my own desires, and for those that care about me, that's all."

"I'll climb higher, and maybe, I'll shine in the process."

"Though, when that time comes, it'll be for me, I'll achieve my dreams, not someone else's."

"The light of glory is… Not exactly something I would refuse but… It feels so small compared to the smile of someone I care deeply for."

"If I can make my family proud, does the rest truly matter?"

"Perhaps for my mental health…" He said with a chuckle

"... I see."

/Awkward silence…/

'Silver stopped saying, he didn't really know what to say anymore… But he just brushed his hair in frustration.'

"In spite of all that… What I meant to say is that… I just decided to stop changing and just let myself go wild."

"No more will I listen to the opinions of people that know or care little about me."

"For those that know no better… Let them say whatever they wish and interpret my actions and words in the meanings that best suit them."

"Let them throw tomatoes, rocks, even swords too, but only at me."

"At least in this way, I'll be the Captain of my Familia."

"..."

'Syr smiled as she closed her eyes, who knew what was passing through her mind.'

"If you need help, I'll do it, if you are in danger, I'll be there, for I have my own morals to abide by, and just because I have refused your recognition, that doesn't mean I'll just leave you to die... Or something along those lines."

"Not exactly the ideal type of Hero, yet it's not like I ever wished to be one."

'He looked at the streets outside through the window, thinking about the people that were out there, the common folk he was tasked with protecting.'

'Silver had his own morals, whatever they said to him, he would protect them, this was his duty… But it did not mean he wouldn't throw a punch at someone if they annoyed him well enough.'

'Who cares about the difference in Level, if a civilian talks shit at his face, then they'll face his fist.'

'Isn't that what most would do as well? So why did it sound so bad?'

"I'm just a village boy, one that grew amidst a green flatland near some mountains, growing vegetables and pushing off kobolds when they got too close."

"I want to be this boy, this is my hypocritical desire."

"I'm not really that complicated…"

""...""

/Silence…/

"... Can you promise that?" Syr asked with a serious expression as she broke the silence

"A… Promise?"

'Silver was stunned, but as he saw her eyes reflect his image, he complied.'

"If you have such resolve, then you must also have the will to carry on with your decision and move on."

"Or was everything you just said devoid of any palpable determination?"

"And likewise, if you're so sure of yourself, that you'll always return, then you must make it a promise."

"Or do you have any doubts about yourself?"

'Her sudden barrage of words as she tried to invade his private space left him breathless.'

"I… Haaa."

'Silver let out a strange deflated laugh.'

'He looked straight at her, even though she was barely a palm in front of him…'

"Alright, if it's a promise…"

"Do it seriously."

"I'm always…"

"..."

"90% of the time, I'm serious."

"..."

'Syr approached him, he could feel her breath on his chest...'

"You sure are stubborn…"

"They say that a lot to me."

"... So... Even if heaven calls me, I'll have to ask them to wait a bit."

"Let this be my promise… And if I break it… Well, you can decide on the punishment, though that'll never happen." He said with a smile

"Is that okay with you?"

"Hm... It is… Acceptable." She said with a teasing smile, perhaps expecting him to say that from the start

'Somehow, Silver felt wronged.'

"Why do I feel like I've been tricked?" He asked as he looked around

"Because you just were nya, Syr ripped you off, and you're now forced to come here every day and spend big time." Anya said with her massive smile

"Wait, that wasn't in the promise!" He said with some exaggerated desperation

"Who said that it wasn't?" Syr said sneakily as she turned around, hiding her smile

"That's against the rules! The Gods will smite you down for lying!"

'But she just chuckled down, running away.'

'Silver felt offended and challenged, so he decided to have some fun.'

'Raising his hand and pointing at her, he said, "Stop her! She has sinned!" as he started to walk after her.'

/CLONG!/

'Yet, Anya stood in his way, taking a step to intercept his "charge" raising her might broom and slamming it on the ground.'

"Unfortunately, that's as far as you'll go."

'The sight of the small catgirl standing in front of Silver was very fun for everyone, to the point their chests became visibly lighter.'

"Ho? And who you are to stop me?"

"Me? I'm the…"

"Mighty Cat-tasthropy." She said with a proud child-like smile

"PFFFT!"

"NYA?! Stop laughing!" She exclaimed as she looked at Chloe

"Cat-tasthropy? Are you sure you aren't a…?"

"Don't even dare say it Nya!"

/Chuckle/

'It seemed the heavy mood had been completely blown away, and things were now quite light as the girls laughed heatedly…'

"NYA?!"

'Without her knowing, Silver slipped past her…'

'As Syr ran away, Silver went after her, and the girls from the pub tried to stop him each time, saying their own lines, only to be beaten by Silver…'

'Either by turning invisible, teleportation, or some other strange means, like how he dealt with Anya by making the entire floor slippery, so she couldn't stand very well and constantly struggled against gravity.'

'And eventually…'

"Ryuu~! Save me…" Syr dramatically said as she ran behind the elf

"Please don't drag me into this…"

"Is this your last knight? You! Tell me thy name!" Silver proclaimed

"I…"

How do I reply to that?...

'While Ryuu looked around with some confusion, Anya, Chloe, and Lunoire approached Silver from behind.'

"Ryuu! Do not let him be victorious, we need to work together!"

"In-Inpossible?! An ambush!"

"..."

'Ryuu face palmed.'

I don't even know what's happening anymore.

"I can't let this go on."

/FWOOSH!/

'Silver moved at an incredible speed, shocking everyone as he tried to move past Ryuu.'

"!"

/SMACK!/

'Ryuu instinctively punched forward, hitting him… Straight in the stomach.'

"URG!"

'Silver felt some air escape his lips as he stood there motionless, her fist against his chest.'

"In-Inpressive." Silver stuttered as he looked at her

"I-I didn't mean to…"

Punch seriously…

'Ryuu tried to apologize, but before she could do so, Syr hugged her from behind.'

"You did Ryuu, my trusty knight!"

"I… No! Syr, get off me…"

'And it seemed things were just starting when…'

/THUD!/

"What's going on in here…?" Mia asked slowly as she opened the door from the kitchen

'Behind her, several girls could be seen peaking into the restaurant, trying to get a look at what was happening.'

"I can hear you all loud and clear from there… I give you all a small minute of rest, and this is what happens?"

'Red energy seemed to be circulating around Mia as her expression tensed.'

"By the Gods… The mighty Titan…" Silver uttered, making even Ryuu chuckle

'But Mia's eyelids twitched.'

"Titan huh?... I bet you still remember what I said last time, right?"

"Heh… Don't you go thinking that I'll go down easily." Silver retorted as he raised his fists

'He turned to look at Ryuu.'

"It's my loss today, and I shall remember it, now go, before her anger befalls onto you also."

"What?..."

"I shall hold the line here today with my life!"

'Syr pulled Ryuu, dragging her onto the stairs leading to the second floor.'

'Ryuu didn't know what to say or do, she was just being dragged away…'

"Forward!" Silver uttered as he moved to Mia with great determination

/Crack!/

'Mia cracked her knuckles, smiling.'

"Alright then kid, give it your all, I've been meaning to shove some sense into your head for a while now."

/Step step…/

'Silver stopped right in front of her, and he raised his right fist, against everyone's expectations!'

'They thought he was joking!'

/Gasp!/

'The girls behind Mia all hid their faces, fearing the carnage that was about to unsue…'

/FWOOSH!/

'Silver punched right at Mia, shocking even her!'

'Her eye narrowed as she raised her own fist and swung it down to intercept him…'

/FWOOSH!/

'But… She hit nothing.'

"?!"

"Hum?"

'As Silver's figure slowly turned to smoke, another Silver reappeared at the entrance to the pub, holding a drunken Elf.'

'Everyone turned to look at him with complex expressions, and it was then he said:'

"Well… Sometimes, you just have to use your head…"

""...""

"What? Don't look at me like that, you thought I was going to face her? Come on, even I have some common sense…"

"Whatever little that may be."

'And with that, he vanished, leaving a bunch of girls puzzled…'

"... Be yourself… What do you think about that Ryuu?" Syr asked her in a low tone

"I…"

/CLAP!/

"... Alright, how long are you all going to stare at the door? If you're done here, go help the others in the kitchen." Mia said as she clapped loudly, startling everyone

""...""

'They all looked at each other for a moment before letting out soft sighs.'

'It seemed they wouldn't be resting early this day either.'

"..."

'Before turning off the lights and closing the door, Mia looked at the street one last time before turning around.'

/Clack!/

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Notes

Here we are, I wonder what you thought?

This chapter was supposed to encompass Silver's will to just be himself, as always, we lack chapters to fully display that, and I think this may have come out of nowhere to most...

In the end, it was mostly an excuse on his part, and I hope I did well in displaying that.

I wanted to try and display Silver as someone that was slowly defying the will of the Gods for himself, becoming a heretical existence.

But I also didn't want him to sound like a Self-centered arrogant prick.

It was hard... to say the least.

I took inspiration for this chapter from the first volume of the light novel centered on Freya.

She constantly talks and tries to help a princess that it's better to be herself and ignore others than to try and follow the will of said people and be something she can't, slowly breaking herself in the process.

I greatly summed that part but yeah.

I hope you liked it.

With this, I still have two more chapters to post! Hopefully, I can have them ready by tomorrow at most.

Bye!