Chapter 81 – A purpose.

Noxx was lying face-down on the bed. She wasn't fully asleep, but she wasn't fully awake either.

She was at that comfortable point where the body didn't want to move and the mind didn't have enough energy to form complete thoughts either.

The room was simple.

Light walls. A big bed. A closed window. A small table against the wall.

Nothing else.

Matt had created that room for her inside the mental world, and Noxx still didn't know whether to be grateful or complain.

It was comfortable. Too comfortable. That made it harder to get up.

Noxx had her face half-buried in the pillow, her white hair a mess and a blanket covering her back down to the waist.

She wasn't cold. She didn't need the blanket, but she liked the weight and she liked staying still.

She liked not having to think about the queen, Iris, the outside, or what Matt was doing with the body.

'Five more minutes…' Noxx thought, though she had no idea how long she'd been saying that.

The door of her room opened.

CLACK!

Noxx didn't lift her head and instead squeezed her eyes shut harder.

'No.'

Aurora walked into the room without asking permission. She stopped near the bed, hands on her hips and an expression full of judgment.

"Noxx," Aurora called.

Noxx didn't answer.

Aurora tilted her head.

"Noxx."

Noxx stayed still.

Aurora took another step.

"How long are you going to keep sleeping today without doing anything?" Aurora asked, annoyed.

Noxx moved a hand slightly under the blanket.

Not to say hello. To get more comfortable. She turned a little to one side, buried her face deeper into the pillow and let out a low sound.

Aurora's eyes widened.

"Are you ignoring me?"

Noxx didn't answer.

Aurora stepped closer to the bed.

"You're a slacker," Aurora accused, pointing a finger at her. "You didn't even get up to eat."

Noxx kept her eyes closed.

"What for?" Noxx asked, in a dull voice.

Aurora blinked.

"What do you mean, what for?"

"It's not necessary to eat in the mental world."

Aurora frowned.

"That doesn't matter."

"Yes it does."

"No."

Noxx opened one eye and Aurora was standing next to the bed, completely serious.

That was worse than seeing her laughing.

When Aurora was serious, it meant Matt had said something and she had turned it into divine law.

Noxx closed her eye again.

"Go away," Noxx murmured.

"No."

"Then be quiet."

"Also no."

Noxx sighed.

Aurora lifted her chin.

"According to Matt, we can't lose the habit of eating," Aurora insisted forcefully. "It's good for when we go out into the outside world."

Noxx opened her eyes slowly. Not because the sentence surprised her. Because it struck her as too absurd to ignore. She turned her head just enough to look at Aurora.

"Aurora."

"What?"

"You're an ego-weapon."

Aurora pointed at her own chest proudly.

"Yes!"

"You feed off Matt's energy or the mana in the air."

Aurora opened her mouth. Then she closed it.

Noxx continued in the same discouraged voice:

"Therefore, eating is completely unnecessary for you."

Aurora narrowed her eyes.

"That doesn't prove anything."

"It proves everything."

"No."

"Yes."

Noxx settled back under the blanket.

"And it's even more unnecessary for me. I feed on blood."

Aurora made a face.

Noxx closed her eyes.

"Like a parasite."

Aurora went still.

For a second, she didn't say anything. Then her cheeks puffed up.

"Don't say that!"

Noxx opened one eye.

"What part?"

"All of it!"

"But it's true."

"It doesn't matter if it's true."

"Then it matters even less that I eat."

Aurora clenched her teeth.

Noxx closed her eye again.

"I'll eat later."

"No," Aurora cut in.

Noxx felt a weight drop onto the bed.

FUMP!

Aurora threw herself onto her and Noxx's eyes flew open.

"What are you doing?"

"You have to eat NOW!" Aurora shouted, grabbing her by the shoulders.

Noxx tried to sink further into the bed.

Aurora pulled at her and Noxx clung to the blanket.

"Let me go."

"No."

"Aurora."

"They're Matt's orders!"

"Matt isn't here."

"That's why I am!"

Noxx frowned.

Aurora tried to drag her off the bed, pulling her from under the arms.

Noxx gripped the blanket with one hand and the edge of the mattress with the other.

"I'll eat later," Noxx insisted, drawing out the words.

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

Aurora pulled harder.

Noxx resisted.

The bed creaked a little.

CRK!

Aurora's eyes widened.

"Don't break the bed!"

"Then stop pulling me."

"I can't!"

"Yes you can."

"Not while you're being useless."

Noxx looked up.

Aurora tensed.

Noxx spoke in a low voice.

"Say that again."

Aurora swallowed.

Then she got her firm expression back.

"You've also been neglecting to monitor what Matt is doing on the outside."

Noxx blinked.

"That wasn't the topic."

"It is now."

Aurora pulled again.

Noxx lost a bit of her grip on the blanket.

"You need to learn for when it's your turn to go out," Aurora pressed, tugging at her. "You have to see how Matt talks, how he moves, how he looks at the queen, how he answers…"

Noxx looked at her tiredly.

"Are you studying his insults?"

"Of course!"

"That explains a lot."

Aurora pulled again.

Noxx felt she was getting tired of resisting. Not from lack of strength, but from lack of will.

Aurora was insistent. Very insistent. And Noxx was still sleepy, so she let go of the blanket.

Aurora, who was pulling with all her strength, lost her balance immediately.

"Huh?"

THUD!

Aurora fell backward. Noxx fell on top of her. The blanket got dragged along with both of them and ended up half-hanging off the bed.

Aurora opened her eyes, flattened against the floor. Noxx ended up on top of her chest, with her hair falling over her face and a tired expression.

For a few seconds, neither of them moved.

Aurora blinked and Noxx sighed.

"What am I going to do that for?" Noxx asked.

Aurora frowned.

"What thing?"

"Watch Matt."

Aurora tried to sit up, but Noxx was still on top of her.

"To know how to act in front of the queen," Aurora answered, shoving her shoulder.

Noxx didn't move.

"What for?"

Aurora went quiet. Then she looked at her with frustration.

"You ask too many questions."

"Because you give too many orders."

"Because you're lying down all the time!"

Noxx propped her chin on Aurora's chest.

"It's comfortable."

Aurora looked at her.

"Get up."

"No."

"Noxx."

"No."

Aurora pressed her lips together. Then she put in real effort. Actual effort.

Noxx felt Aurora shifting under her, turning with difficulty and managing to slip an arm around her waist.

"What are you doing?" Noxx asked.

"Carrying you."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

Aurora got up carrying her.

Noxx ended up dangling over her shoulder. Her stomach was pressed against Aurora's shoulder, with her arms and hair hanging down.

Noxx didn't resist at first. She was too tired.

And, deep down, part of her knew Aurora wasn't going to stop.

"This is humiliating," Noxx murmured.

"Good," Aurora answered, walking toward the door. "That's how you learn."

Noxx let out a long sigh.

"Let Matt handle everything and be done with it. I'm not much help."

The silence didn't last long. Not long at all.

SMACK!

Noxx's eyes flew open.

Aurora had smacked her butt. Not hard enough to hurt her. But enough to sting.

Noxx jerked her head up.

"What was that?"

"Motivation," Aurora answered.

Noxx opened her mouth.

SMACK!

Another smack.

Noxx tensed.

"Stop it!"

"No."

"Put me down."

"No."

"Aurora."

"You can't be useless!" Aurora insisted, still walking.

Noxx tried to shift on her shoulder.

Aurora held her tighter with one arm.

"Let me go," Noxx growled.

"Talk in a peppier tone."

"No."

SMACK!

Noxx clenched her teeth.

"That hurts."

"Then it's working."

"It's not working."

"Yes it is."

"No."

"And have a more industrious attitude," Aurora ordered.

SMACK!

Noxx let out a low whine.

Aurora hit hard.

Not with the intention of really hurting her. But with enough force to remind her that she was Matt's bow-lance and that her physical body, even in the mental world, was not weak.

Noxx started kicking.

"Stop it, idiot."

"Not until you improve your attitude."

"My attitude is going to get worse."

"Then there'll be more motivation."

Noxx frowned and Aurora raised her hand again. Noxx moved her arm to Aurora's back and dug her nails in.

Not deep. But enough to scratch her.

"Ow!" Aurora let out, stopping for a second.

Noxx scratched her back again.

"I'm not going to stop until you let me go either," Noxx warned, annoyed.

Aurora turned her head a little.

At first, Noxx thought she was going to get angry.

But Aurora smiled. Then she started laughing.

"Bwahaha!"

Noxx went still.

"Why are you laughing?"

Aurora kept walking.

"You're going to have to try harder," Aurora teased, still smiling. "That doesn't compare to Matt's hits."

Noxx felt her patience finish snapping.

"Are you bragging?"

"Yes."

SMACK!

Noxx shuddered.

"Aurora!"

"Industrious attitude!"

Noxx clenched her teeth.

Aurora kept laughing as she walked down the hallway of the mental world.

The house Matt had created was peaceful. Too peaceful for a blonde to be carrying Noxx over her shoulder while smacking her every few steps.

Noxx tried to slip loose carefully.

It didn't work.

Aurora had a good grip on her.

Noxx tried to turn.

That didn't work either.

Aurora was clumsy about a lot of things, but when it came to not letting go of someone, she had a talent.

Noxx felt another smack.

SMACK!

"That's enough," Noxx asked, irritated.

"When you eat."

"I'm going to eat."

"Now."

"I'm not at the table."

"We're almost there."

Noxx lifted her head as best she could. The hallway was ending. At the back was the dining room. The kitchen was to one side, with the door open.

The smell of food came out immediately.

Noxx frowned. Not because it smelled bad. It smelled good.

That also bothered her.

Aurora crossed the entrance of the dining room with a wide smile.

Noxx seized that moment. She gathered strength in her arms, placed one hand on Aurora's back, another on her shoulder, and pushed.

Aurora's eyes widened.

"Huh?"

Noxx wriggled free and landed on her feet clumsily.

TAP!

She almost lost her balance, but managed to stay on her feet.

Aurora turned toward her.

Noxx breathed hard, adjusting her clothes and putting a hand to her butt. It hurt. A lot more than she wanted to admit.

Then she looked at the table and the food was already served.

Plates. Utensils. Glasses of water. Bread. Soup. Meat. Vegetables.

Everything laid out with quite a bit of care.

Too much care.

Noxx looked at the table. Then at Aurora.

Aurora smiled proudly.

"I like that attitude," Aurora celebrated.

Noxx looked at her without emotion.

"That attitude was trying to escape."

"Exactly. Energy."

Aurora pointed at a chair.

"Eat."

Noxx stayed still.

Aurora pointed at the chair again.

"Eat," she repeated more firmly.

Noxx let out a sigh. Long, tired and defeated. She walked toward the table reluctantly and sat down.

The chair creaked a little when she dropped her body onto it.

Noxx settled to one side, trying not to put too much weight on her butt.

Aurora noticed and smiled.

Noxx looked at her.

"Don't smile."

"I'm proud."

"You don't have the right."

Aurora sat down next to her. Noxx picked up the spoon. She looked at it. Then she looked at the plate.

She wasn't really hungry, but the smell was still good.

That was Matt's fault.

Everything he taught ended up being useful in some way.

Noxx ate a spoonful of soup.

It was hot. Salted. Well made. Noxx swallowed and set the spoon on the plate.

Aurora started eating next to her with too much energy.

For a few seconds, only the sound of utensils could be heard.

Noxx looked at Aurora out of the corner of her eye.

The blonde was eating enthusiastically, even though she didn't need to.

That was ridiculous. It was also very her.

Noxx propped an elbow on the table.

"Why are you doing this?" Noxx asked.

Aurora swallowed what she had in her mouth.

"I already told you. They're Matt's orders," Aurora answered.

Noxx looked at her.

"You should take things easy."

Aurora blinked.

"No."

"There's no danger."

Aurora speared a piece of meat with her fork.

"That's what you think," Aurora warned before putting it in her mouth.

Noxx closed her eyes for a second. Then she opened them.

"Then enlighten me," Noxx asked, in a discouraged and cranky tone.

Aurora raised the fork.

"First," Aurora began, serious immediately, "we have to learn to adapt to the kingdom in order to conquer it."

Noxx blinked.

"Conquer it?"

"Yes."

Noxx looked at her for a few seconds.

"You can't say that so calmly."

"Of course I can."

"Why would we conquer the kingdom?"

Aurora lowered the fork and rested both hands on the table.

"Because Matt said escaping doesn't solve the problem."

Noxx didn't answer.

Aurora continued:

"And if escaping doesn't solve the problem, then you have to control the place that causes the problem."

Noxx took another spoonful of soup.

"That's annoying."

"It's strategic."

"Not the same thing."

"Yes."

"No."

Aurora ignored the correction.

"That means we probably have to do a lot of missions."

Noxx looked at her.

Aurora smiled with excitement.

"Like a video game!"

Noxx lowered her gaze to the plate.

For some reason, that made sense coming from Aurora.

Too much sense.

"Missions," Noxx repeated.

"Yes."

"Objectives."

"Yes."

"Rewards."

"Yes!"

Noxx nodded slowly.

"Right."

Aurora seemed satisfied.

Noxx took another bite. Then she asked:

"And what's the role of the two of us in all that?"

Aurora opened her mouth.

This time she didn't answer right away.

She seemed happy that Noxx had asked.

That was already a bad sign.

"Our duty is to be prepared for when Matt needs us," Aurora revealed firmly.

Noxx looked at her sideways.

"Matt right now is only using Moon and Sun."

Aurora lost a bit of her smile.

Noxx continued:

"He doesn't want the others to find out about me."

Aurora let out a laugh.

"Obviously that won't be forever."

Noxx raised an eyebrow.

Aurora pointed at the dining room, the kitchen and the plates.

"That's why Matt has been teaching us a lot of things from the outside world."

Noxx let out a low laugh. It wasn't cheerful. It was tired.

"Cooking, cleaning or playing those weird video games isn't much preparation for the outside world."

Aurora looked at her with immediate offense.

"You're an idiot," Aurora let out.

Noxx lowered the spoon slowly.

"Mhm."

"If you don't pay attention, obviously you can't understand my master's genius."

Noxx observed her without emotion.

Aurora raised a finger.

"Video games have information."

Noxx blinked.

"Information?"

"Yes. Every video game we play has information about the outside world where Matt lived."

Noxx went quiet.

Aurora leaned toward her.

"Clothes. Houses. Streets. Food. Ways of speaking. Jobs. Money. How people act. Normal things."

Noxx didn't answer.

Aurora raised another finger.

"And some video games are about strategy to achieve certain objectives. Organizing resources. Improving skills. Gaining influence. Choosing options. Completing missions. Defeating enemies."

Noxx looked at her plate.

Aurora spoke with too much confidence.

Too much.

And the worst part was she wasn't completely wrong.

That was annoying.

Aurora kept talking:

"Matt doesn't teach us things at random. If he makes us cook, it's for a reason. If he makes us clean, it's for a reason. If he makes us play, it's for a reason. If he scolds us, it's for a reason. If he tells us not to sit on top of him while he's eating, it's for…"

Noxx cut her off.

"I just want to sleep."

Aurora went still.

Then she looked at her with a mix of anger and worry.

"In case you haven't noticed," Aurora lowered her voice, "Matt expects you to also have a body of your own like Iris."

Noxx didn't move.

Aurora continued:

"And to live your own life however you want."

Silence fell over the dining room.

Noxx set the spoon on the plate. She didn't make noise. She just set it down. She looked at the soup. Then at her own hands.

She didn't know what to say.

A body of her own.

Living her own life.

That sounded too big and too foreign.

Noxx had been a thought. Then an ego. Then something like a person inside Matt. Then an existence with her own weapons.

But a life…

A real life.

That was something else.

Noxx tightened her fingers on the table.

"Even if I come out with a body of my own..." Noxx murmured, in a lower voice.

Aurora watched her.

Noxx didn't raise her gaze.

"What am I going to be of any help for?"

Aurora didn't answer.

Noxx let out a small laugh. Without strength.

"I don't even know what to do when I go out into the outside world on my own."

The sentence hung in the air.

Aurora set the fork on the plate.

Then she turned a little more toward Noxx and looked at her intently.

Noxx felt that gaze and raised her eyes.

Aurora was smiling.

Not mockingly. Not with her loud laugh.

It was a firm smile. Decisive.

"Well, if you want a purpose," Aurora offered, resting her hands on the table, "I can give you one…."