Warden nodded thoughtfully.
"Exactly, so how did you get her?"
Jest frowned.
"Go to hell, bastard."
The young knight smiled.
"When are you planning to make it official? My son will need playmates, you know…"
Jest coughed again.
"Listen, it's not like I don't want to. But we are in different cities in the real world. You and I ended up in NQSC, but she's from up north."
It was already lucky that the two of them were in the same Quadrant.
After explaining the logistical problems Awakened couples faced, Jest sighed.
"I'm thinking of going to get her soon."
Warden's expression was somber, though.
Jest frowned.
"What?"
His friend and benefactor shook his head.
"No, it's just that… I heard bad things about that city."
Jest raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
Warden hesitated for a while, then leaned on the parapet of the rampart. His expression changed subtly, losing its usual veneer of confidence. Instead, what Jest saw was… weariness. And fear.
"People… people can be as terrible as monsters, you know."
Jest laughed.
Did he know it?
There were very few people in the world who knew it better than him.
"That is where you are wrong, Warden. People are not as terrible as monsters… people are monsters. Some of them, at least."
He remained silent for a few moments, and then added in a cold tone:
"But haven't we gotten pretty good at killing monsters, though?"