CHAPTER 398: AWKWARD BIRTHDAY PARTY

"...I hope I’m not intruding?" Nyla asked hesitantly, looking between Damien’s sisters. It was better than barging in when Lane and Damien were celebrating alone, and Damien had already gone to the kitchen to grab another plate and cup for her, but she still preferred to make sure. That was just the kind of person she was, very polite. Unlike Clara.

Or, well... Unlike Clara on a regular day. Or even Clara a few minutes ago. It seemed that she had been possessed by something while Lane had been away, or poisoned, or maybe she had hit herself on the head... Because her attitude switched 180 degrees. Hearing Nyla’s question, she lifted her head, and rushed to reassure her, "N-no, not at all! Please, make yourself comfortable!"

Lane looked at this unfamiliar woman wearing Clara’s skin with disgust. Just what was going on with her? It wasn’t even her apartment, so she had no say in the matter! She had agreed for Nyla to join them, so he would let it slide for now, but... Was that a blush he was seeing?

He couldn’t help but shudder at the realization, and he put his hand to his mouth as if he were going to vomit. He quickly glanced at his sister...

Luckily, there was absolutely no significant change in Nyla’s expression. She just smiled politely at Clara, before asking Lane, "Where should I sit?"

"...Come here, next to me," he gestured at the free chair right next to his seat. Coincidentally, that was also one of the seats the furthest away from Clara. There was also one empty chair next to the woman, but... Somehow, Lane instinctively felt that it was better to keep his sister away. Not that Nyla was so incapable that she needed his help with everything, but still. His elder brother’s instincts kicked in, it seemed.

Clara didn’t seem to think much of it. In fact, it looked like she didn’t think much of anything at all, with how hazy her eyes were. She had even forgotten that she had been in the middle of interrogating Lane when they had been interrupted by the doorbell.

Lane wished that she hadn’t. Not that he liked being interrogated by Clara, but compared to... whatever it was that was currently going on, the interrogation would have been better.

He didn’t have a chance to remind her, though, because at that moment, Damien returned with the plate, and cut Nyla a slice of cake.

"Thank you," Nyla accepted with a polite nod. "Happy birthday, Team... I mean, Damien."

"Mn. Thank you." Damien returned the nod, cut another slice of cake, this time for himself, and finally sat down.

For a while, no one said anything. The extra unexpected guest made the atmosphere rather awkward, resulting in no one knowing how to start the conversation, or even what to talk about. Damien only complimented the cake, and even that was mostly out of politeness rather than actual delight. Not because the cake wasn’t good or anything, because it was, Lane liked it very much, but...

Damien hardly even tried it. The slice he had cut for himself was paper-thin to begin it, and the bites he was cutting with his spoon to eat were so tiny, that Lane wasn’t sure if Damien could even feel the taste at all...

As to why he was acting that way, it was naturally because of the breakfast he and Lane had that day. He made it super-sweet for Lane, but since his sugar tolerance was much lower, he now didn’t want to even look at anything sweet for the next few days. Lane already understood it, so he didn’t say anything...

But it was odd that Clara didn’t. Normally, she would ask about Damien’s suspiciously small slice. Especially since Lane’s was enormously big in comparison... It was as if Damien had given his portion to Lane. Which was something that Clara wouldn’t tolerate.

Normally. Clara at the moment was anything but normal, though, eating her cake in a daze.

Eventually, Lane couldn’t take it any longer. It bothered him even more than the awkward silence.

"Do you two know each other?" he straight-out asked.

"Huh?" Everyone looked over at him. Since the question came out of nowhere, and he didn’t specify whom he was talking about, there was a moment of confusion among the rest of the people gathered. So, Lane turned to his sister,

"You and Clara, I mean."

"Ah." Nyla’s confused expression cleared up. She didn’t have much of a reaction to his words aside from that, though, she just calmly explained, "I wouldn’t say we know each other... But we’ve met before."

"Oh?" Lane quirked his brows, urging Nyla to elaborate.

"During one of the dungeon breaks a while ago. We happened to fight alongside each other, that’s all."

’Happened to’? Well, it wasn’t exactly implausible for it to be a mere coincidence. They were both A-rank Espers, after all, and their abilities didn’t clash with each other, so they could have been sent to the same place at the front lines. But it could very well be that the Allens had purposely arranged for them to meet, in order to aid in recruiting Damien, or even to try to recruit Clara herself... For all of her faults, she was an Esper worth putting some effort into recruiting, even Lane had to admit that.

He couldn’t ask about it in front of Damien’s sisters, though, so he pushed those thoughts aside for now. Either way, it was clear that Nyla didn’t think anything special of their encounter...

However, the same couldn’t be said for Clara. When Nyla mentioned the dungeon break, her cheeks flushed, and she lowered her head to hide her... embarrassment? Either something had happened back then, like Clara making a mistake and Nyla saving her, or...

Lane almost wanted to gag, as another thought popped up in his head.

Clara couldn’t possibly have a crush on his twin sister, right?!

Yes, Nyla was gorgeous, but... She looked just like Lane would have, if he were a woman! They were almost identical!