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‘I suppose you’re right,’ Hector had said. ‘I can also block the chest more easily with the shield. So it’s probably the safest spot. But how are your senses in there?’

‘They are a little suppressed, admittedly. But that’s why moving around is good. I can peek through the cracks in order to get a clearer reading on the surroundings, if I really need to.’

‘The more I think about you crawling around inside my armor, the more unsettling it becomes.’

‘Well, I AM a grim reaper. Unsettling comes with the territory.’

‘No, but this is like you’re an infestation of parasites or something. Waiting to burst out of my chest or ooze out of my eyeballs.’

‘I’m inside your armor, not your body.’

‘Yeah, well, my armor kinda feels like an extension of my body, sometimes.’

‘Okay, shut up. I refuse to let you make this weird. I’m comfortable, dammit. I’ve found something I like, and you’re not going to take it away from me, you gaslighting prick.’

‘How was that gaslighting?’

‘Because you’re trying to convince me that I’m some kind of freaky parasite, when the reality is the furthest thing from it. I’m like your own, personal guardian angel.’

‘Aren’t I the one doing the guarding?’

‘...Your own, personal consultation angel.’

‘Okay, I guess that works.’

Aside from Hector, Roman, and Nadim, there was one other servant coming along, whom Hector had carried here.

Selena Cortes.

Even now, Hector was a little torn about bringing her, and in all honesty, part of him was hoping that the Gate didn’t work so that he would have more of an excuse to take her and Nadim back to Warrenhold.

But her mother and father, Joana and Rick, had very politely requested that Hector take her, as a form of field training for her in operational support.

It was also meant to be an important step forward for Selena and her reaper, Ojarea, who was staying behind to relay intel back to Warrenhold. The two of them had been undergoing therapy for some months now after they had quite the blow up during the journey through the Undercrust.

Frankly, Hector had been surprised that Selena herself would agree to come. But then again, she was difficult to predict. Even after getting to know her a bit better while she was working in the kitchens under Lluis and Margot Delaguna, he never could tell what was going through her mind.

He’d been under the impression that she didn’t want to go on any field missions ever again, but clearly, he was mistaken.

She seemed pretty pumped for this one now.