Chapter 17
"Knowledge"
"Welcome to Aorus City! A city that survives from the Black Star!"
Gean's words soon resounded throughout the giant cave, sending Allie into a complete silence. He then realized his own actions, feeling a bit of embarrassment flowing inside his vessels.
"I-I'm sorry, I'm kinda excited…" Gean admitted, with his face slightly turned into a reddish color, looking down a bit while keeping his gaze toward Allie.
Allie who was in silence, soon snapped by his words. She then replied to him lightly, thinking there is no problem about it, "W-well… It's okay, you don't have to worry about that!"
Gean was only able to smile upon hearing her answer, and so awkwardness took over them in an instant.
Gean then quickly tried to shatter the awkwardness between him and Allie, and in a short time he instantly responded, "W-well then… let's go to my house, shall we?"
Allie was only nodding at him, with Gean soon taking a few steps toward his home and trying to guide Allie.
…
Through the underground society, Allie's mind was still amazed by how unique the city was, her mouth agape by a little bit in speechlessness. Many people there worked as usual similarly as on the surface, but the difference was their work was probably limited to a certain job—because of the place where they lived.
Sometimes Allie's nose was punctured by a few scents from the street where she stepped on, from the wagons' contents where the sellers happily chatted, though the scents were faint considering the smells from her mask.
The street was beautifully bejeweled with street lights, where lanterns dimly illuminated their path, creating some kind of peace indeed.
When they arrived at the center of the Aorus City, Allie's eyes were still intensely locked at the people who enjoyed their lives. Soon Gean led her to the left, to Garavan Street.
As they went on, Allie and Gean were wreathed in silence and awkwardness, for Allie and both Gean did not know what to say.
Through the Garavan Street, Allie saw a few people who were possibly doing their activities. Her eyes were fixed on a few big farms, while the farmers and other people were looking at them in confusion by the arrival of a stranger—indeed it was pointing toward Allie.
Allie could not withstand her urge and curiosity, she tried to ask but she could not. After a few attempts, after experiencing a stiff mouth that did not dare to question.
The girl soon encouraged herself, after a hard try, she asked in a calm tone, "G-Gean… what are those plants?... The one that those farmers plant?"
Gean's gaze soon turned to the point where Allie was pointing at, pointing at the darkish vegetables, Gean then replied though his mouth kinda stammering, "Um... Those vegetables are named Setraline, one of the available vegetables here. Those farmers plant them because of their unique nature!"
Allie tilted her head, swallowing upon hearing that. She then tried to embolden herself once again, "T-their unique nature? What is it?"
Gean thought for a moment, before replying to her sincerely, "Setraline's unique nature is that they are able to grow without sunlight, and because of that, their darkish color is likely came from the consequences."
Allie was only able to nod at him, her heart and mind both were filled with information from this world.
That's so unique, I guess! I hope I know more about this hideous world's other side. Allie grinned a bit, before clearing her mind and continuing to follow Gean behind.
In one moment, Gean suddenly saw someone who worked on a farm, he instantly shouted at him, "Dad!"
Gean soon ran toward his… dad? Indeed. Allie panicked by the sudden movement from Gean, she then followed behind Gean as he stopped and looked at his father before glancing back at Allie.
"Dad! I-I made a new friend when I went outside! Her name's Allie!" Gean announced to his father excitedly, his smile etched on his face, indeed it was a pure smile.
"That's a good thing to hear! So Gean, why don't you invite your friend to your house?" Gean's father questioned, while loosening the soil of his farm with his digging-fork.
Faced by a question, Gean immediately replied to his father with a smile, "I will!"
Leaving his father with an earnest smile, Gean then continued his steps toward his house while Allie proceeded to follow his path.
…
As they arrived at Gean's house, Allie's eyes widened upon witnessing something marvelous from Gean's house which was attached to the stonewall of the cave. Her eyes glistened in awe, viewing the dim yellow light from above as it pierced into her eyes.
As Allie fell into a moment of silence, Gean soon snapped her imagination by uttering, "Come on in, Allie!"
Startled, Allie came into realization and turned her gaze at Gean. She felt kinda embarrassed by her own reaction, nodding at him as she stepped forward and followed Gean.
The door was opened, but before she entered Gean's house, something caught her eyes…
A unique flower near a window of Gean's house was the thing that caught her attention. Its petals somewhat looked like a crescent moon, while its color was near to purplish.
"What's wrong, Allie?" Gean asked gently, while sitting on a wooden chair in the sitting room.
Allie who was looking at the flower then was surprised by the question, she then shook her head and replied lightly to him, "N-nothing. Nothing…"
As she went into the sitting room, Allie then sat on the wooden chair beside Gean who was looking down for an unknown reason. Maybe he was timid, indeed.
Upon seeing Allie who sat down beside him, Gean's heart was probably pounded for he never experienced talking to a girl. Gean then remembered something… he should greet his guest, he must.
Gean lifted his head, looking at Allie with a faint smile, before asking her stammeringly, "A-Allie… What do you want to eat? I'll grab food for you!..."
As Gean stood up, Allie, who was a demurring person, soon replied to Gean's offer quickly, "Um… n-no thanks, I think I'm full!"
Gean stopped immediately upon hearing that, he felt that the girl was lying but he was unable to say that. Or maybe Allie told the truest truth?
Gean shortly found an idea, he then asked her once again, "Uh… how about water? Y-you must be thirsty…"
Allie was once again faced by a question, she thought for a moment, before replying to him in a calm tone, "Eh… I-I'll go with that…"
Gean then smiled at her, going into the kitchen as he prepared two glasses of water with a taste of sweet fruit.
Allie fell into another silence, staring at the lantern above her that illuminated her ashen outfit with faint golden light. She missed her home, she missed her friends, she missed her ordinary life utterly.
After nearly two minutes, Gean then returned to the sitting room while bringing two glasses and placing them gently on the table.
Allie looked at it and examined the drink. Scent of faint fermented grapes with the smell of sweet chocolate impaled into her nose, creating an absurd mix of aroma!
The water color of the drinks were rather chocolate, matching the fragrance from the drinks itself. Two spoons also plunged into the glasses, while Gean stirred his drink himself.
Allie soon followed suit, stirring her drink for unknown reason for she only wished to follow what he did—like Humans did for not wanting to be called different.
Gean who had curiosity within him, trying to embolden himself to ask Allie with many questions possible. After a few attempts, he then quietly asked, "Eh… Allie, I know this is inappropriate, but… W-where do you come from?"
Startled by the inquiry, Allie who was stirring her drink soon replied, "Well… I'm not from this world, I'm from outside this world…"
Gean looked at his drink upon hearing that, stirring with his wooden spoon while thinking at the answer. He then responded to her with a gentle smile, "S-so you're an outsider?... I see, well nothing's wrong with that!"
Allie also had questions within her heart, she then tried to ask Gean about his marvelous power, "Uh… Gean, how do you get power like that? It's cool, I-I guess…"
"Oh! My power, heh?... I think it's simple: I got that power by worshiping a god that my dad followed and presumably followed by other people… and I advanced to second Rank of Presence by doing things like praying."
Allie, who was stirring her glass, was soon surprised by his answer. She then immediately tried to reassure the information, "You can get power by worshiping a deity?"
Gean nodded with a sincere smile, drinking his chocolate-like water afterwards. Finding it odd that Allie did not know about that kind of information, or perhaps something like that was hidden.
"Also, it's called Details of the Universe, DOTU for short! There's so many powers you can get by worshiping a god! But you must know: praying to other gods counts as treachery, and maybe your Particles will slowly disintegrate or face a horrible consequence," Gean explained solemnly, his timid behavior probably faded away if he became comfortable with someone.
Allie's mind soon bombarded with tons of information upon hearing that explanation, she knew the uniqueness that this world had been hiding from her.
The girl then tried to ask a last question perhaps, staring at her drink in an earnest way, "And then… What's the DOTU that Xevock chooses?"
Bumped by the question, Gean thought for a moment, before replying to her in puzzlement either, "I genuinely don't know… but, I think His DOTU is related to homicide or killing. And I have a title for him rather than Black Star…
"He is… a Perfect Annihilator."