Chapter 82: Silent Network
"Why are you here?"
Asher stared at Juliana, who walked inside the kitchen, and took some plates.
"I want to help with the plates." She said with a smile, and walked back to the dining room with the plates, arranging them on the table. Her movement was graceful, devoid of the aggressive posture she carried just an hour ago.
Asher nodded, and continued frying the fish. The sizzling sound of oil filled the kitchen as he carefully monitored the heat, using his ability to ensure every piece was cooked to perfection.
"Sara!!"
".....?!"
He looked up in surprise, watching as Juliana ran towards Sara, hugging her tight, stunning the two. The sudden explosion of affection caught the usually unreadable Sara completely off guard.
Sara blinked a couple of times, as Juliana separated from the hug: "We see every day, but it seems like I haven’t seen you in years." She said with a smile, then paused, remembering Sara’s situation. The years spent fragmented into alternate personalities had felt like a dark, isolated eternity.
"Hold on."
Juliana closed her eyes, spreading her green energy towards Sara, then repeated her words, but this time, inwardly. A faint, shimmering thread of telepathic resonance bridged the gap between their minds.
".....??!"
Sara blinked, flabbergasted, staring at Juliana in shock. For the first time in years, a voice echoed clearly within her mind, bypassing her destroyed hearing entirely.
’Don’t be surprised, this is one of my abilities... Now, we can communicate freely, the only downside is, I am the only one that can hear you. If you want to tell me anything, just say it in your mind.’ Juliana explained.
Sara stared at her for some seconds, smiled gently, placing her hand on Juliana’s cheek. The emotional weight of being able to speak to her sister-figure again brought a glossy sheen to her eyes.
Kelly, Sara and Juliana were close childhood friends; the whole world even took them as sisters, because they see themselves as one. Juliana was the youngest, and was treated as a little sister by the two; seeing Juliana was cured, Sara was truly happy. Their bond had survived the downfall of their respective lineages, the shattering of their cores, and the oppressive cruelty of the Awakened society.
Asher stared at the two, confused. They weren’t saying or doing anything, just staring at one another; the next moment, Sara burst out laughing, then followed by Juliana. He blinked, dumbfounded.
For the past weeks, this was the very first time he had seen Sara laugh; he was captivated. Her radiant, unfiltered laugh lit up the entire room, dissolving the heavy silence that usually enveloped her.
’Why do my wives look so beautiful today? And why is Sara so... Happy? Is it because of Juliana?’
"What smells good!"
The two turned to the stairs, seeing Kelly rushing down; she moved past them, and stopped in front of the kitchen door, staring at the food with a watering mouth.
"So much food."
Asher smiled at her, keeping the anomaly with Sara and Juliana in the back of his mind. Kelly’s straightforward, food-motivated mind was a comforting anchor amidst the strange events unfolding in his house.
"Five minutes... Everything will be ready."
"Alright!" Kelly nodded her head, her eyes fixed on the food.
Juliana helped Sara sit down, then walked towards the kitchen, passing by Kelly, and started helping with the already cooked food, moving them to the dining table.
"Thank you." Asher gave her a silent thank you, and continued with his job.
__
[Ten Minutes Later.]
The family of four sat in the dining room, staring at one another, well, apart from Kelly, who was already eating. She was tearing into the feast with absolute, unrestrained enthusiasm.
Asher on the other hand, stared at Juliana, who was staring at Sara with a smile. He turned to Sara, seeing her staring at Juliana, a smile also on her face.
’What is happening here? The way they’re smiling at one another, don’t tell me...’ His eyes widened in shock, watching as Juliana picked up her juice, and started drinking.
’Don’t tell me Juliana and Sara are Lesbians!!’
PIFFF!!!
Juliana spurted out the juice she was drinking, splashing everything on the table, and the food before her.
"...?!"
She snapped her head towards Asher: "Are you stupid?! I am not a Lesbian!!" She yelled at him.
"Huh?!!"
SILENCE....
Asher stared at her, his brain short-circuiting. It can’t be, did... Did Juliana just hear his thoughts?!! The sheer absurdity of the moment froze him in place.
He stared at her in shock, horror and disbelief. If Juliana could hear his thoughts, then all this while, everything he had been thinking, she was actually...
"You... You can hear my thoughts?!" He asked in disbelief, staring at her, lost.
Juliana exhaled, turning her head to Sara, and sighed: "Yes, I can hear your thoughts, it’s one of my abilities." She said.
’Wait, one of her abilities, how many abilities does she have??! System, what is her abili--’
Asher froze, did he just mention the system when Juliana could hear his thoughts? He was so stunned he exposed the system. Asher looked up at Juliana, seeing her confused gaze, he instantly knew she heard the word system. He moved his gaze around the table and asked aloud:
"Awakened system, what is her skill?"
".....?!"
Juliana was speechless. All Awakened indeed gain an Awakened system, and it does give information about other Awakened, but it doesn’t give information about their skills!
Does Asher take her as a newbie? Did he forget she was once an SS-RANK Awakened?
Even knowing he was lying, she remained silent, and took another plate of food, eating.
Asher mentioned the Awakened system, but he was actually asking his main system, but he got the same profile screen, but the system placed a new warning in bold, glowing red text:
{Note: Due to situation and wives’ mental state; Master should never offend Wife Juliana, and Wife Sara.}
{Note: These two wives have skills that can cripple Master’s powers, and can even harm Master.}
{Note: Of course, wives won’t attack Master due to their loyalty and Affection. System is saying this, so Master shouldn’t make unreasonable requests like testing their abilities with your body.}
"....?!!"
Asher sat, frozen in shock. The realization that his seemingly fragile, damaged wives held hidden, conceptual counters to his SSS-Rank powers sent a sudden, hilarious chill down his spine.
’Should I laugh or cry?’