"Such a strange build… it—"
"Vorethia."
The voice cut through her thoughts like a whisper through glass. She blinked, as if waking from a trance.
"What?" she murmured, glancing up, startled.
"You've been staring at that taco for five minutes now."
Her violet eyes flicked to the taco resting in her hands as if seeing it for the first time. She tilted her head, examining it like a scholar confronted with an ancient artifact.
"…Have I?" she asked softly, her voice laced with genuine confusion.
I leaned forward, resting an elbow on the table, smirking.
"Yep. Five whole minutes. Thought you were about to make love to it for a second."
She huffed—a small, indignant sound—as her gaze snapped to me.
"This is… strange.." she muttered.
"The taco?" I raised a brow.
"Yes. And its build." She held it up with reverence, almost as if afraid to damage it. "Why does it fold this way? Why so much layering? It is neither a flatbread nor a proper wrap. It… defies traditional categorization."
I blinked. "It's just a taco, Vorethia."
She hummed, clearly unconvinced. "Soft shell, yet crisp edges. The contents are partially enclosed yet exposed. The balance of containment and chaos… It's an unpredictable structure."
I squinted at her. "Are you… analyzing the taco?"
"Yes." No hesitation. Dead serious. "This may be the most illogical food I've ever encountered."
I snorted. "You're the embodiment of the Void and you're confused by a taco?"
She ignored me and brought the taco to her lips.
Silence.
I watched as her expression slowly changed. A subtle furrow in her brow. A small parting of her lips. A pause. Then…
Her eyes widened.
"…It is incredible." she whispered.
I burst out laughing. "That's the verdict? After five minutes of metaphysical analysis, you just go with 'incredible'?"
Vorethia glared, then took another bite. And another. All at once, the carefully studied taco was reduced to crumbs and memory.
She looked up, voice calm, serious. "…I require another."
Still chuckling, I waved over the waiter.
"Welcome to the glorious world of tacos, Void."
The waiter arrived with a cheerful smile. Average height, black hair, pale complexion—looked friendly enough.
"Hi there! Can I help you two?"
Vorethia looked him dead in the eye. "I'll take one hundred of your finest tacos." She nodded solemnly, like she'd made a sacred pact.
I nearly choked on my drink. 'Such a greedy Void. At least she asked nicely,' I thought, catching her playful glare.
"One… hundred? A-Are yo—"
"Absolutely." She cut him off with that calm finality only Void incarnate could manage.
The waiter nodded hesitantly and dashed to the back.
I shook my head, still grinning.
"Surprised?" she asked, licking a bit of salsa from her finger. "I am a devourer, after all."
The sun had dipped low over the Bastion by the time we stepped out of the taqueria, painting the cobbled streets in streaks of gold. A warm breeze drifted by, carrying the tangy scent of spice and citrus that clung to our clothes.
Vorethia walked beside me, arms folded, her expression unreadable—but there was a flicker of contentment in her eyes.
"Full?" I asked.
She kept her gaze forward. "I consumed exactly ninety-seven tacos."
I blinked. "You counted?"
"Of course," she said, as if the question itself were absurd. "Only fools devour without precision."
I chuckled. "You should go on Man vs. Food they'll love you there, or as matter a fact, challenge Matt Stonie to an eating contest."
"Who?" She raised a confused brow.
"Nevermind." I replied with a grin and head shake.
The streets were quieter now, tavern music drifting in the distance, lanterns flickering to life above us like stars trying to remember how to shine.
"So… what now?" I asked, voice low.
Vorethia paused, thoughtful. "I should return. I don't want to attract… attention."
I nodded. "I get it. Still, this little adventure was fun."
Her expression softened. "It was. I'm glad I met you, Tyros. Your character… it's admirable."
I smiled. "Likewise, Vorethia. You're powerful—terrifyingly so—but easy to talk to. Kind, even. Not like the usual overpowered assholes."
She giggled at that.
"You think so?"
"Definitely. We should do this again sometime."
Her smile grew, then—unexpectedly—she stepped ahead and grabbed my hand. Her touch was cool but comforting.
She turned to face me, eyes glowing faintly.
"…I'llfindyou."
And with that, she vanished, leaving behind only silence—and something more.
I stared down at my hand. There, etched in glowing cursive, were the words:
"Mygifttoyou~"
Ding.
[Congratulations! New Charism acquired!]
[Void (Vorethia)]
[Rank]: SSS
[Status]: Locked
[Condition to Unlock]: Master all 12 existing Charisms
My eyes widened. "Let's go!" I pumped my fist, barely containing my grin.
But as the excitement settled, I took a deep breath.
'Locked for now… makes sense..' I thought. 'I'm not ready yet. But I will be.'
This only meant that I had to work harder and gain more experience to upgrade my other Charisms.