Most of the time, the red-haired girl simply listened in silence, occasionally nodding or shaking her head in response to the most direct questions, offering no reaction to Greg's trash talk and jokes.
But Greg could feel that invisible pressure seemed to have... eased just a tiny bit.
As they talked, Greg began to get a little carried away.
Perhaps the eerie calm had lulled him into complacency. Perhaps he wanted to give both himself and her something to hope for. Or perhaps, deep down, he had begun to feel a trace of sympathy for this lonely Outer God.
On an impulse, he looked at that solitary, dark-red figure and blurted out:
"Hey, don't get so discouraged. You're just stuck here and can't get out, right? If I make it out alive, then someday, when I get the chance, I'll definitely get you out too!"
The instant the words left his mouth, Greg wanted to slap himself.
Fuck! What the hell am I saying?!
Let an Outer God out?!
Nightmare said that once these beings escaped, the whole world might be done for!
He immediately tried to salvage the situation, forcing an awkward smile onto his face as he prepared to say:
"Ahahaha, I was joking! Don't take it seriously! Look at me right now. I can't even move while soaking in your bathtub, and I'm talking about rescuing you? Talk about big words from a little nobody! Just pretend you didn't hear that..."
But before he could get those words out-
The red-haired girl ahead of him, who had only been giving slight nods or shakes of her head, reacted completely differently this time.
She still didn't turn around.
But she gave a firm nod.
"..."
Every word and expression Greg had froze on his face.
His mouth hung