Unmade Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Late Night Talk(6)

Read chapter 45 of Unmade by churro on NovelPedia.

Vale fell silent as the strange feminine voice drifted toward him from the right, warm, amused, and entirely too confident. He turned his head just in time to hear a soft chuckle sliding closer, light as someone strolling through a conversation they had every intention of hijacking. His eyes widened. Approaching them was a tall woman, about his height with short black hair streaked with bright yellow highlights. Her build was sharp and athletic, a body made for motion and mischief; she looked carved out of momentum. Vale recognized her almost instantly. Nym. He snapped his gaze to Korin. “You know her?” he asked, folding his arms in a flimsy attempt to look neutral. Korin scratched awkwardly at the back of his head. “Sort of… yeah.” Nym reached them in the next heartbeat and delivered a sharp jab to Korin’s arm, not painful, just charged with friendly irritation. “That’s no way to talk about one of your friends,” she said, her tone annoyed but her grin bright with amusement. Then her eyes found Vale. Her smile widened into something wicked, playful but edged. “Well, well… and who might you be?” Before he could speak, she began circling him, hands clasped neatly behind her back. She studied him in a deliberate, almost predatory loop, eyes flicking from his posture, to his expression, then down to the metallic glint of his arm. Vale stayed still, letting her examine him like he was some new species she hadn’t decided whether to poke or pet. After a few seconds, she returned to her spot. Vale opened his mouth, but Nym raised a hand. “Wait, wait, don’t tell me.” She squinted thoughtfully, then snapped her fingers softly. “You’re Vale, right? The guy who fought Caesar and forced his combat protocol to activate.” Korin let out a short, involuntary chuckle. Vale stared at Nym, surprise flickering through his eyes, he’d never seen her before, and yet she was perfectly informed. Nym’s head rotated toward Korin with a slow, dangerously sweet smile. “Something funny?” she asked, her voice syrupy with warning. Korin cleared his throat, trying not to sink into himself. “No, sorry, it’s just… there’s no way a newly awakened could make Caesar trigger that protocol.” Vale blinked at both of them. His expression twisted into quiet bewilderment. “Well… was it supposed to be dangerous?” he asked, rubbing the back of his neck. “His punch didn’t seem that strong. Just… faster, way faster.” Nym shot Korin a triumphant glance. “See? Told you.” Then she looked back at Vale. “Oh, and don’t worry. That punch only matters if you actually get hit by it.” Vale tilted his head. “…Why?” Nym and Korin exchanged a look. Confusion bloomed in perfect synchrony. “We… don’t actually know,” Korin admitted. “It just works like that,” Nym added with a shrug. They both chuckled weakly. Then Nym straightened with sudden ceremony. “Oh! I should introduce myself properly, shouldn’t I?” She dipped into a neat bow, unexpectedly elegant for someone who stalked around like a panther. “Nymia, Nym for short. A pleasure to meet you… Rose of Skill.” “Rose of… skill?” Vale repeated. Nym’s grin sharpened with the tiny thrill of delivering forbidden information. “My, my… they haven’t told you. Well, since you’re part of the Rose family now, that’s your official title. Just like Korin here, Rose of Madness. And me, Rose of Perception.” Realization dawned on Vale’s face like slow sunrise. “Wait, so both of you are-” “That’s right!” Nym exclaimed before he could finish. “We’re also members of the Rose family, anomalies Nymia and Korin!” Her voice brimmed with pride. Korin groaned into his palm, his shame almost physical. Vale’s curiosity flared. “You’re an anomaly too? What does your plane look like?” Nym inhaled to answer, then froze. She stepped closer, lifted a hand, and cupped his chin with a surprising gentleness. She tilted his head left, right, and slightly up, studying him like one might study a rare artifact unearthed from an ancient ruin. Vale’s expression grew increasingly