Chapter 375 (Self Edited) – Obtaining Disturbing Information

Chapter 375 (Self Edited) – Obtaining Disturbing Information

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As the night fell and the moon and stars twinkled outside, Soma and the others gathered around the table adorned with an array of colorful dishes.
“Hmm… In the end, it seems I’ve ended up relying on Felicia’s help…” (Soma)
“Well, I wouldn’t say I helped on my own accord. I simply couldn’t sit still and do nothing.” (Felicia)
“…Hmm, but was it the right decision in the end?” (Sheila)
“Well, it seems so. Honestly, we wouldn’t have known what to do without Felicia stepping in.” (Soma)
Looking around, the living room had transformed into a scene suitable for hosting a party. But the credit didn’t go to Soma. While Sheila had also lent a hand, most of the work was done by Felicia, who couldn’t stand to see it and started helping out halfway through. In the end, that was just how it turned out.
“…Hm, how pathetic of me.” (Sheila)
“I couldn’t agree more.” (Soma)
“Well, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses.” (Felicia)
While they were talking, Mother placed the final dish on the table. All that was left was to wait for the food to be cooked, so preparations were now complete. His mother took her seat, and him father, who seemed to have returned early today, looked around before speaking.
“Well, sorry for the wait.” (Klaus)
“No need to apologize for being late. You all must be hungry, right?” (Sofia)
“No, we’re the ones being taken care of here. And… to go to such lengths for us today…” (Felicia)
“…Hmm, rather than complaining, we should be thankful.” (Sheila)
“Well, the decorations took longer than expected, but in reality, we didn’t have to wait that long. By the way… it may be a little late to ask, but why exactly are we having a party?” (Soma)
Soma understood that it was Felicia’s birthday. But upon checking his own memory, he realized they hadn’t done anything like this before. They would celebrate birthdays with a meal, but that was it. At least they hadn’t done any decorations before, and judging by the spread of dishes, it seemed more luxurious than before. Not that he had any complaints, but it was not like it was just a whim. Therefore, it was only natural to be curious as to what the reason for this was. Plus, it seemed Soma wasn’t the only one thinking that.
“Oh, I was also curious about that. I mean, it’s appreciated, but…” (Felicia)
“…Hmm, indeed, it’s curious.” (Sheila)
“True… Well, that’s certainly one way to put it. But, there wasn’t really a significant reason behind it. You see, we couldn’t do it last year, right? So, I thought we’d make up for it this year, but perhaps I got a bit carried away.” (Sofia)
“I hadn’t heard anything about doing decorations… Well, I guess I got into the spirit while preparing.” (Klaus)
“…You didn’t need to mention that unnecessary detail.” (Sofia)
“Is that so… I apologize for that.” Klaus)
The smile on his father’s face as he said this was obvious. Her mother seemed to understand this as well, as she glared at the father with a slight blush on her cheeks.
Observing this scene, Soma felt a strange sensation. He had never witnessed the two of them exchanging banter like this before. The interactions between the two that Soma had seen were typically quite stiff. Of course, he believed there was more to it than just that, and he wouldn’t have found it strange if they bantered when they were alone… But to do it in front of them. And as if it were natural.
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Perhaps, if he hadn’t existed in the past, would he have witnessed such interactions in reality… Soma thought futilely and let out a sigh. It was pointless to dwell on it, and besides, there were other things to think about now. What this meant was that they weren’t able to celebrate Felicia’s birthday last year. Wondering about this, the question was quickly resolved as Felicia and the others started talking about it.
“Last year… Honestly, it doesn’t feel like much of a reality to me. Well, I can’t help but feel it every time I go to school, but that’s beside the point.” (Felicia)
“…Hmm, you were asleep for most of it, weren’t you?” (Sheila)
“By the time you woke up, a year had passed, right? So, it can’t be helped.” (Sofia)
“It’s strange that my muscle strength didn’t decline either. It feels more like you were preserved.” (Klaus)
“Well, I don’t think that far… But it’s true that I still haven’t fully adapted. Because of that, I’ve been causing trouble for Soma-san too.” (Felicia)
“Hmm? Me?” (Soma)
“You’re always with me, and I haven’t been able to do what I want.” (Felicia)
“Hmm…” (Soma)
Certainly, looking back on today, most of the time was spent with Felicia. But that was mainly to understand the situation, and Soma only learned about it just now. That wasn’t the reason. Regarding things before today, he literally didn’t know anything… Well, certainly, if he fully adapted to this situation and understood Felicia’s circumstances, there was a possibility of taking similar actions. But even so, it wasn’t exactly a bother.
“Indeed, I’m not really being bothered at all, you know?” (Soma)
“But…” (Felicia)
“Even if you say I haven’t been able to do what I want, I’m already doing plenty of things I enjoy.” (Soma)
“…Huh? What do you mean by that?” (Felicia)
Felicity blinked repeatedly, and he shrugged shoulders in response. Regardless of the reason, if it was something done by his own will, then it was something he enjoy doing. Felicity’s cheeks slightly reddened, and for some reason, Sheila gave her a side-eye.
“Why is Sheila giving you such a look?” (Soma)
“…Hmm, because Nee-san is being sneaky.” (Sheila)
“Even if you say that, I mean… ” (Felicia)
“Alright, alright, it’s heartwarming to see you two banter, but the food is going to get cold if we don’t eat soon, you know?” (Sofia)
“Right, let’s eat first.” (Klaus)
“Hmm, indeed.” (Soma)
“Y-Yes, let’s.” (Felicia)
“…Hmm, understood. …We’ll continue this conversation later.” (Sheila)
“…You surprisingly hold a grudge, don’t you?” (Felicia)
While chatting like this, the party began. Though calling it a party might be an overstatement since there were only five people. Apart from the attire, it was essentially just a meal. While the conversation had a different emotional weight, it wasn’t particularly noisy. They enjoyed the feast while conversing, and time passed by pleasantly. The topics of discussion were extensions of their daily lives… And the topic came up while they were continuing such a conversation.
“By the way, there have been cases lately… not exactly a trend, but people suddenly fainting and not waking up. I don’t know if it could happen to anyone, but… be careful.” (Felicia)
What Soma thought upon hearing this was whether some sinister illness was starting to spread. However, the reactions of the others were different. Felicia, in particular, showed a noticeable reaction.
“Is that… like how I used to be?” (Felicia)
“I don’t know if it’s the same, but at least I felt that way.” (Sofia)
“…Hmm, so that’s why you were worried earlier?” (Sheila)
“That’s right.” (Sofia)
From the information so far, it seemed Felicia had been bedridden for about a year due to an unknown cause. Perhaps the age difference of one year was a result of that. Moreover, similar incidents had been happening recently.
“Hmm…” (Soma)
While it was clearly unsettling and sudden news, Soma couldn’t help but wonder if there might be some connection to the current situation. Perhaps it was overthinking, but just to be sure, it might be wise to look into it. However, now wasn’t the time to discuss such matters. Perhaps her mother thought so too, as the conversation quickly shifted to another topic.
As Soma listened to discussions that didn’t require his input, he squinted as he contemplated whether it would be better if there were a connection or not, while observing the scene before him.
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