Chapter 49 Ability
"Nami Ziegler!" Someone called her name. Nami turned and saw Viviene Knox and Dayana Vega standing a few steps behind her.
These two brunette and blonde girls had known each other since before they were asked to join Corporal John Hugner's Squad 86. They were beautiful, confident girls. Just by looking at their body language, you could tell they were tough girls.
"Yes? You called me?"
"Well, we haven't met in person yet, have we? You were a little late earlier, so you and Ethan missed the introduction session. Viviene Knox, you can call me Vivi, nice to meet you?" Vivi was very friendly, her personality a bit like the cheerful Sydney.
"I'm Nami, nice to meet you!"
"I'm Dayana Vega, you can call me Dayana or Ana, whatever you like!"
"I'll call you Dayana." Nami smiled broadly, pleased that she seemed to be quite accepted here. However, the other two girls, Evelyn Kowalski and Kimberly Lane, who had been vocal all along, didn't seem at all interested in getting to know her. Evelyn and Kimberly preferred to join Prince Jacob, Max, and Frank. Meanwhile, Brandon and Dean chose to approach George, considering they already knew each other. As for Ethan, he seemed indifferent and uninterested in joining any group.
"We saw your fight with Prince Jacob the other day in the dorm hall. Nami, you're really strong, aren't you?" Viviene said, suddenly bringing up the fight. Whenever someone tried to bring it up, Nami felt a little embarrassed, afraid that people would think of her as a troublemaker.
"Ahahaha...it was nothing!" She said with an awkward laugh. She didn't know if she was being praised or insulted. Now all the compliments felt like insults to her.
"Vivi's right, you're truly amazing. Did you know that ERI once issued a list of espers considered to possess exceptionally powerful and dangerous abilities?" Dayana asked. Nami, let alone knowing about the list, had always been forbidden from even getting involved with, let alone having any relationship with ERI. Levi was a very strict person, despite his seemingly indifferent demeanor, but she knew that he was actually watching her as if she were an experimental subject, her every move constantly monitored.
"I didn't know, was there such a list?"
"For fellow espers, the list is accessible, as they have access to ERI's database and information center using their identification numbers. ERI usually issues a list of espers with exceptionally powerful abilities, which means they must be closely monitored."
"I-is that so? That's great."
"But strangely, why isn't your name there? Nami Ziegler, your name isn't even in the database. Nami, are you an esper?" Viviene asked. Her question made Nami feel uneasy, and she was also confused about how to tell them that she didn't actually know her identity, whether she was an esper or not.
"I-I don't know that either," she stammered. Viviene and Dayana looked at each other as if wondering the same thing.
They were witnesses to Nami fending off Prince Jacob's telekinetic attack. Although Prince Jacob initially tried to restrain himself, at the last minute it was clear that the prince, who was said to be the heir to Hades' power, was on the verge of losing control and intending to unleash his true self. The way Nami had brought someone as powerful as him to such a standstill convinced them that she wasn't to be underestimated.
"You don't know? Have you ever visited ERI's central laboratory?"
"Do you two really need to ask that much?" Ethan blurted out, apparently having been eavesdropping on their conversation.
Ethan walked over to them and shot Viviene and Dayana a sarcastic look, as if he didn't like their questions, which were too pushy for Nami.
"What's wrong with our questions?" Dayana was annoyed. She didn't think there was anything wrong with the questions she and Viviene asked. They were perfectly normal, considering they were in the same squad.
"Asking questions that seem intrusive to someone you've only known for 30 minutes is incredibly rude," Ethan said. He immediately made the atmosphere awkward, even though Nami had thought she'd been welcomed because Dayana and Viviene's friendliness reminded her of Lea and Sydney.
"Hey, Ethan, it's okay! I don't mind if they ask that. I think it's a normal question, considering that from now on, we—"
"Nothing is normal here. No matter who you're in, everyone has the potential to compete and attack each other. Military life is tough, don't let your guard down by trusting others too easily."
"Who do you think will attack each other, Ethan Skulz?" George appeared and surprisingly joined the conversation.
He laughed arrogantly as usual, trying to show his authority. But Ethan wasn't one to be intimidated by anyone, even if it came from the son of the leader of the most radical left-wing political party.
"Who else but you, George Homer?"