Story Reader / Affection / Lamia: Lost Lullaby / Story
Lamia: Lost Lullaby I
>4:00 PM, Refugee Camp
What's your name again, little one?
My name is Elene, Sir.
Oh, right, I knew it started with an E.
Yeah, it's Elene.
Oh, Merlin!
It's Elene, Sir. The Merlin you're talking about isn't in this camp.
Hmm, not Merlin, huh...
So what's your name again?
...
Sir, it's time to take your medicine.
Lamia forcefully feeds the liquid medicine to the old man by holding the bowl up to his mouth.
(Why must I be the one to do this...?)
As she slowly feeds the somewhat senile old man the suspiciously flavored medicine, Lamia begins to reflect on her actions for a rare moment.
Ever since accepting Luna's "gift," she had shed her usual lethargy and begun to earnestly investigate the suspicious locations.
She had visited laboratories long abandoned, Hetero Zones that spread to new realms, the seabed that gathered tens of thousands of Corrupted, and even witnessed low-flying white drones soaring by, narrowly avoiding colliding with one.
However, she didn't find what Luna needed in these places, and after the excitement of regaining her legs wore off, she became quite worried.
(If this continues... I'll be killed...)
Recalling the white-haired Ascendant she came across in some ruins and the warning gaze she had sent her way before speeding away on her red motorbike, Lamia can't help but tremble.
(If I can't produce results as soon as I can, none of my feeble explanations will ever convince Alpha.)
Why are you trembling, young Elene? Are you cold?
I've told you a thousand times my name is E—huh? Wait, you remember my name now?
Ah... yes, yes. Elene, right? I remember it, of course.
The last one was Merlin, the one before was Ruolin. I remember, I remember... hmm, what do I remember again?
Seeing that the old man has started to ramble like always, Lamia, used to it by now, leaves him to his devices and focuses on cleaning up the now-empty medicine bowl.
Lamia learned of this place from the memory shell of a Corrupted. She knows that outsiders of this camp are sent to some secret location periodically.
And this place just might have the clues she needs—it could be an experimental site or even a secret base of the Ascendants.
Mankind's madness has surpassed her imagination, and Kurono might be among the most fanatical of them all.
(The transport vehicle seems to be running a bit late this time, no?)
Having made up her mind to uncover the secret location, Lamia disguises herself as a child and blends into the refugee camp.
To come across as even less intimidating, Lamia turns herself into a little girl who, having lost her legs, is trying to survive this apocalyptic land with her prosthetics.
(This is one hell of a childhood drama. I've got to make this count.)
Lamia curses the tardy transport driver under her breath as she carries empty bowls toward the tent's exit.
Just as Lamia uses her harmless appearance to deceive the camp's residents, this senile old man, unbeknownst to himself, is used by the camp's behind-the-scenes manipulators to lower newcomers' guards.
This facade of kindness is the best disguise for malice—a lesson Lamia has learned and exploited many times over.
After returning the medicine bowls to their place, Lamia intends to maintain her current persona and heads to her usual rock to daydream.
Hey, fancy seeing you here, Elene.
A seemingly friendly guard stops her. These guards are the only people in the camp openly armed.
Although Lamia knows only too well that almost every native living at the camp has a weapon hidden under their pillow.
This guard is usually seen hanging out with his drunk friends—today, however, he has someone with bandages wrapped around their face in tow.
A worn windbreaker paired with clothes patched beyond recognition and boots filled with sand and cracked open, this stranger's attire is common among refugees here.
The stranger's face is completely covered in bandages, with only a pair of lifeless eyes still taking in the world around.
In between the bandages, Lamia can vaguely make out traces of severe burns. An unpleasant smell seems to waft through the slits.
This one has just fled from another camp. And their face... well, it's a long story.
The guard shakes his head, looking somewhat sorry.
Ain't something you'd want to know. It's a real source of nightmares, I can tell ya.
Show this new friend around, Elene, and take them to the resting area when you're done.
(A new victim? Oh well, none of my business.)
O-okay...
Lamia is completely uninterested but has no choice but to say yes.
Look, it's nothing personal that we had to take your weapon away from you. We can't make exceptions when everyone else has to hand over their weapons here.
The person wrapped in bandages nods as the guard speaks to them.
(Just giving away the weapon like that, huh... Talk about being dumb.)
Then, the person in bandages opens their mouth to speak.
In disguise, the person sounds raspy and weak—betraying not one bit of their naturally resonant voice.
But it takes Lamia, a master of disguise herself, only a split second to know who this person is.
Awash in unpleasant memories, Lamia starts looking around reflexively out of a survival instinct.
Elene, lookin' for somethin'?
Not really...
Fortunately, she doesn't see a certain red figure with a katana, nor a pink-haired Construct, or a young man carrying a sniper rifle over on the distant hill.
But most importantly, she doesn't see a red-haired madwoman with a Banner Spear and a crazed smile hiding anywhere—and with it, she lets out a sigh of relief.
The person's all yours. I'm still on patrol.
Right... of course...
Lamia doesn't want to have anything to do with this person, but refusing the guard's request outright is only going to raise suspicion.
Please, this way.
Despite her confidence in her disguise, Lamia finds it increasingly difficult to meet this person's eyes when she knows who they are.
Behind those feigned weary eyes seems to be a soul scrutinizing everything from the shadows, making Lamia feel absolutely naked.
The monster she once feared so much and believed to be invincible has fallen at Luna's hands—and it's this very commandant who had awakened Luna.
She once mustered the courage to confront people head-on—only to be utterly defeated, and this commandant was there, too.
To begin with, Lamia has never been brave. To her, this commandant has become something of a symbol—or, to put it simply...
(Not again...)
(Something bad happens every time we cross paths...)
Although Lamia knows that this is just some sort of superstition—or, rather, an excuse she comes up with to cover her failures.
Eek!
Engrossed in her little internal drama, Lamia jolts at the sudden cough, letting out her usual shriek.
Before her, the human maintains their raspy voice as they try to calm Lamia with a gentle tone.
(Didn't lose any cool there? That's some tough acting right there...)
(Wait, why am I so scared anyway?)
(The Gray Ravens aren't here, and that red-haired crazy woman isn't here. All I've got to deal with here is a weak human being without any weapon.)
(Which means I can just do whatever I want, right?!)
Lamia sneaks a glance at the human before her.
(Given this one's reputation, I bet Luna is going to be on cloud nine if I take this human to her.)
(Hmm... but she doesn't seem to care much about humans. Maybe this person isn't as important as I thought?)
(...Guess it'd be nothing but trouble trying to capture this human. I should probably do as told first.)
Lamia gives up on the idea of kidnapping the human after picturing herself being chased and cornered.
(But what is this human doing here? Are they here trying to do what I'm trying to do? Guess this is my chance to learn a few things about Babylonia.)
(Except it's probably not going to be that easy... so I guess I should just try to be safe rather than sorry.)
As much as Lamia hates the idea of having to do with the human, she can't help but want to do better so she can leave Luna with a better impression. She finds herself torn between these conflicting thoughts.
(But they don't know who I am yet, which means it won't hurt to have a conversation to dig out a few things.)
In the end, the thought of wanting to impress wins over. Compared to Alpha's katana, striking up a conversation with this human hardly seems daunting.
Uhm... I was wondering if...
The human gazes into Lamia's eyes.
...Uhm, never mind... Here, please come this way...
With those eyes staring back at her, Lamia lowers her head despite herself as she leads the human toward the resting area.
(Why do they need to look people in the eye when they talk?!)
(I swear I'm so going to be ready to get some info out of this person tomorrow.)
Lamia quietly cheers herself on.
