Endzone: Simulated Apocalypse

Since Ragnar had utterly polluted the pool of cleansing within Envy's lair, it would take quite some time for the water in it to be fully refreshed. Thankfully, there was a waterfall nearby with a clean and warm water pool beneath it, so the girls and Cyanide took a bath there.

Ragnar naturally was banned from getting anywhere close to it, but since Cyanide didn't care about anything sexual, the girls went ahead and let Cyanide use it at the same time as them. Kirika was opposed, but majority rules—Luna, Dianna, and Ivy all said they were fine with it. As a result, Kirika spent the entire duration of the bath blushing.

"… So, how did it go with Ivy?" Cyanide asked Dianna who was dangerously close to him, without turning to look at her.

"Hm… went okay, I suppose," Dianna said crossing her arms behind her head and leaning back, as if trying to get Cyanide to look down at her generous bosom. "She's still very introverted and speaks very little, but… I did get her to talk to me. That's a start, right?"

Dianna winked at Cyanide, who did not fall for her charms and carried on staring straight ahead of him, as stone-faced as ever.

"She's always been like that. But if you truly managed to get her to talk to you of her own will, that is quite the accomplishment."

"Fufu~ thanks. I pride myself on being easy to get along with."

"So it's easier for you to stab them in the back when you need to?" Cyanide snickered, knowing her too well.

"Yes," Dianna said with a warm smile, as if embracing the fact. "That's right."

"You are just like your father."

"As if you are any better, being his student and all."

"You misunderstand," Cyanide said, staring up at the sky. "I learned his skills, and only his skills. I didn't learn from his personality, nor his psychology. Anthrax was 25% assassin, 75% debonair con artist. I am purely an assassin, through and through."

At this, Dianna giggled. "Heh. Hearing you putting it like that… you know what, you're right. But I am no debonair."

"No, you aren't," Cyanide said calmly. "But with those looks and your manner of handling yourself, you might as well be the female equivalent of one."

"Are you saying I'm very posh?" Dianna asked, tilting her head.

"No. I'm saying you charmed men on a daily basis—before entering this game, anyway."

"Oho… seems like you've done some research on me."

"Of course. How could I have protected you if I didn't know anything about you?" Cyanide gave a snort, to which Dianna smiled softly, cheeks painted a faint pink—whether that was from the heat of the water or simply shyness, no one knew. Then, leaning in, she planted a soft kiss on his cheek, causing him to lift an eyebrow.

"… What do you want?"

"Oh, nothing~" Dianna said, winking playfully and backing away. "Just trying to charm the first man whom I haven't been able to charm first try."

*****

After cleaning themselves, the girls and Cyanide returned to Envy's lair—or rather, tried to. Mid-way, however, Cyanide was pulled off to one side by Ivy, while the rest carried on. The two waited until everyone else was out of earshot, before speaking.

"… Yes?" Cyanide asked, not sure what this was about.

"I heard the conversation just now, between you and that… girl," Ivy said. "If she is trying to get close to me, tell her to forget it. I don't want anything to do with them—I am here to fulfill our deal all those years ago, nothing more."

Faced with the determination in Ivy's bright yellow eyes, complemented by her dashing white hair, Cyanide spoke with the most ingenuity possible:

"… Tell her yourself."

Then, he walked away.

"Wha- hey, wait!"

Ivy hurriedly caught up to him and grabbed him by the wrist again, before quickly looking around to see any of the others had noticed what happened and then looking at Cyanide again, now with a flushed expression on her face and blushed cheeks.

"… L-Listen. I… I can't talk to her. My communication skills are… not adequate. So… help me?"

She began stuttering all of a second, and Cyanide couldn't help but simply remark at this whole new level of social anxiety and introversion. As much as he shared a common interest in the ways of societal isolation, he was at least still capable of basic communication and conversations. Ivy, on the other hand, could only speak professionally. She'd lost one of the most basic skills of being human—chatting normally.

Well, he did owe her a bit—it was thanks to her that his assassination success rate was 100% and not like 99.9 or something. Without her on that mission, he probably wouldn't have been able to succeed. Might as well help her out—why not?

With that idea combined with his dark and cynical sense of humor, he smirked slightly, and whispered into her ear.

"… What's the magic word?"

At this, Ivy blushed even harder, eyes widening a bit, and clenched her fists before looking away shyly.

"… P-Please."

"… Heh."

Enjoying the utterly embarrassed look on Ivy's face and some unexpected cuteness coming from her, Cyanide chuckled darkly, backed away, and began walking off again—leaving behind only the words, "I'll take care of it."

As he rounded the corner to enter Envy's lair again, however, he spotted Dianna leaning against the entrance there, eyes closed.

"… Hm, so you heard everything."

"Don't lie," Dianna said with a wry smile, opening one eye. "You knew from the start, didn't you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Well, either way, I appreciate it," Dianna said, pushing herself off the wall and shrugging lightly. "Looks like even you're trying to get her to open up a bit more, huh? Even if the method is somewhat… unorthodox."

"One step at a time," Cyanide said, brushing past her, to which Dianna smiled and echoed.

"One step at a time."