A Few Days Later
Coff Cafe
[Abundance (LVL 0): 991/1000]
"..." Caelus stares at the screen with a twitching left eye, gripping his pen so tightly that it almost snaps.
"What are you doing staring at the empty space like that?" Phil asks as he takes a bite off his carrot cake.
"...I remember an embarrassing moment in my childhood, and I'm trying to get rid of it," Caelus admits. "I wish the Remembrance also grants me Cremator's powers."
"Cremators?" Phil asks questioningly.
"A group of Remembrance Pathstriders who believe not every memory is precious and decided to remove them, only keeping the 'top quality' memory for their Aeons," Caelus explains as he continues to read his textbook. "They have a unique ability to burn memories to the point they disappear to nothing, kinda like cremation...Wait, do other Remembrance Pathstriders have that ability as well, or is it just the Cremators?"
"... I hope you didn't, because I'd rather you don't have that power," Phil admits fearfully. He may have some unpleasant memories, but he would rather keep them for the sake of learning from his past mistakes.
"Fair enough," Caelus shrugs before looking to his left as Anby sits next to him while eating her burger. Caelus notices that Anby seems to be happier than usual, which no one could tell since she always seems to have a blank face.
It's probably due to the aura she's emitting.
"So, Anby, do you know where Nekomata is? I've seen Billy and Nicole always returning to the apartment after successful sales, but she seems nowhere to be found," Caelus asks curiously.
"...are you planning to ask her for a date?" Anby asks curiously, causing Caelus to deadpan.
"I'm worried since she has been sticking with you guys like glue," Caelus responds. "Also, Lady Meilian has been concerned about her."
"She said she found a commission to do and is asking Phaethon as her Proxy. Nicole let her go since she knew Nekomata is very capable and getting extra cash is something Nicole would want to do," Anby explains.
'So, it's her agent story time, 'Cat and Mouse Game,'' Caelus thought. "It's not... illegal, right? The PubSec have moved here to keep an eye on you guys."
"Not sure. All I know is that a small company hired skilled Agents and Proxies to do field surveys in hoping to retrieve all of them back," Anby muses. "She hasn't returned for a few days; it must be trouble."
"Shouldn't we help her?" Caelus asks in concern.
"I doubt she'll accept your help, given your 'charm' has hypnotized her kittens to 'abandon' their mama," Anby deadpans, and to further prove her point, loud meows come from Caelus' legs. They all look down and see Nekomiya's kittens nuzzling Caelus' legs. Caelus sighs before giving the cats some food.
Thank the Aeons the cafe is pet-friendly, or else the kittens would have to wait outside. He didn't have the heart to let that happen, but at the same time, he didn't want to deal with the heat outside.
"Also, have faith in her," Anby says. "She is a former member of a famous gang on Sixth Street, the Red Fang Gang. She's more dangerous despite her antics."
"I'm more worried that PubSec drags her nonexistent ass into the prison," Caelus mutters.
"...so, she isn't your type because she lacks in her lower assets, got it," Anby nods, causing Caelus to fluster before pinching both of her cheeks in annoyance.
"Don't twist my words, you burger-loving glutton!" Caelus exclaims as Anby blankly munches her burger, not even feeling any pain.
"..." Phil sweatdrops at the scene as Mem, who is in her Fairy form and invisible, giggles as she sits on top of Phil's head.
"I thought things couldn't be normal after the incident with my family, especially after the revelation of them working with this 'Exaltist'...but strangely, nothing seems to change much," Phil admits as Mem hums.
"The more things change, the more things remain the same. That's how life has always been for everyone," Mem says wisely.
"I guess..." Phil mutters as Anby and Caelus feed the kittens. "... never mind, it was never normal in the first place."
"Hahaha," Mem laughs as Caelus continues to read his book for medical studies.
"Do you even learn anything from reading that?" Phil asks in confusion.
"I do," Caelus says with a grin. "With the help of Erudition, it's easier to understand everything I read. And with the help of Remembrance, all of the knowledge I learn is stored in my brain."
"...okay, now that is just cheating," Phil isn't pouting out of jealousy. He definitely didn't.
"Is it possible to learn this power?" Anby asks seriously.
"Path isn't discriminatory as long as you follow their philosophy. Didn't I tell you that before?" Caelus asks in confusion.
"...oh, right," Anby mutters in a sheepish tone, but from her face, it doesn't seem like she is.
"...you're not listening to anything I said before, did you?" Caelus says in an accusing tone.
"My mind goes blank when you reveal gods are real," Anby admits shamelessly, causing Caelus to facepalm.
"...fair," Phil mutters, earning another giggle from Mem before suddenly, the door is slammed open, causing everyone in the cafe to blink in surprise. Only Caelus reacts differently as he blanches.
Right in the front door is Grace Howard, the infamous engineer who tries to dismantle Caelus' drone. Grace glances around and notices Caelus. She immediately brightens as she approaches him.
"Fuck this shit, I'm out." Without warning, Caelus picks up his stuff and rushes outside as Grace immediately chases after him.
"Wait, baby-making partner! Don't go!" Everyone who was eating or drinking choked upon hearing those words leave Grace's mouth.
"For the love of all gods, can you not word it like that!?!" Caelus exclaims as he continues running away while Grace chases after him. As they run, a brown-haired woman with a pair of goggles dangling on her head watches the scene in pure disbelief.
"What in the world did I just witness? Grace Howard, chasing after boys?" The woman mutters in pure disbelief. "Grace, the cold Iron Witch, chasing a guy...for what?"
"Come back, baby-making partner!"
"Hell no! And don't say it like that, woman! Have you heard of phrasing!?!"
"...I must have worked too hard because I just heard Grace calling a guy partner..."
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Later
"Thanks for the assist, big guy..." Caelus pants as he leans on the wall and glances at Ben, who picks Grace up.
"Don't be. I should be sorry," Ben says apologetically. "I didn't know she was obsessed with you so much that she would track you down."
"How could I ever let go of the brightest mind I've ever met in my life!?! He's a genius, I tell you!! Genius!" Grace exclaims.
"There's a far better way to interact with him, and tracking him down like some spy from movies isn't the way," Ben says in a disappointing tone.
"Also, I think this woman is exaggerating," Caelus says plainly. "Compared to a real genius, I am nothing."
"You knew more geniuses!?! You've got to introduce them to me!" Grace exclaims, misunderstanding his words.
"...that's not what I mean..." Caelus sighs exasperatedly as Ben gives him an apologetic look.
"Once again, I'm so sorry for this to happen," Ben apologizes as Caelus waves it off.
"Don't be, big guy. You're one of the sane ones from your group, so I don't hold any grudges." Caelus says. "In fact, I feel more sympathetic towards you since you had to deal with her every day."
"She...wasn't usually this crazy-, I mean, eccentric," Ben clears his throat, trying to fix his mistake, but Caelus clearly hears it. "She mostly gets very excited with machines and all, sometimes with her sister, but she was never excited towards anything."
"Until she met me," Caelus isn't trying to throw an assumption; he is simply stating facts from his observation.
"...to be fair, she hasn't ever met anyone who possesses such skills with machines," Ben explains. "I may not be as good with machinery as Grace, but your drone is something so alien that it could be the greatest invention since Bangboo and Carrots."
"I think you're exaggerating," Caelus dismisses it. It was just a drone made of scrap. Sure, he may create a unique source of energy that is much stabler and safer than Ether energy, but in the end, it was just a drone.
"You have no idea how game-breaking your inventions are, do you?" Grace asks seriously.
"...not really?" Caelus shrugs. He knows how game-breaking it is, especially since he knows about the world of ZZZ. But if he did, he would sound arrogant, since it was thanks to a certain droidhead's blessing that he was able to pull it off. Before she could continue, a certain someone had appeared.
"Uh...did I come at the wrong time?" They turn and see Wise blinking owlishly as he stares at the unusual scene in front of him with Eous standing beside him.
"H-hello, Wise," Ben greets nervously. "How can we help?"
"I...received an email from Grace who commissioned me for something that seems urgent," Wise explains while raising his eyebrow. "Is...this the urgent matter?"
"Nope," Grace says as she beams. "The urgent matters are in the construction sites involving my children. I need help from two experts with this, and it seems luck is on my side because you both are here!"
"Two experts? Both?" Wise looks puzzled before looking at Caelus, the only other person who is nearby. He looks back at Grace and points at Caelus. "You mean him?"
"Ehn-na nah, (No way)" Eous decides to add his two dennies.
"Do you have to ask that question with that much skepticism in your voice!?" Caelus asks, sounding offended, before pointing at Eous. "And for your information, I understand everything you said, you damn wabbit."
"Nah!?! (Eh!?!)" Eous squeaks before hiding behind Wise's legs.
"Sorry, sorry," Wise apologizes. "No offense, but I didn't consider you to be good at machinery."
"...it's because of my looks, isn't it?" Caelus deadpans.
'That and among other things,' Wise keeps his thought to himself, trying not to offend him. Eous, however, nods with zero hesitation.
"So...how did you get her commission?" Wise asks, deciding to change the subject.
"I didn't," Caelus responds in a blank tone, catching Wise off guard. "I was just relaxing in Coff Cafe while studying medical science-."
"You want to become a doctor?" Wise was honestly surprised by the revelation. He tried to imagine Caelus in a white trench coat-.
"No, so stop thinking anything weird." Caelus immediately pops the thought process like a balloon, literally with a needle. "It was just basic studies enough to know more about Ether corruption."
'That ain't basic at all!' Wise looks at Caelus in disbelief.
"Anyways, I was studying in Coff Cafe when this crazy woman popped out of nowhere and started chasing me." Caelus points at Grace, who waves at Caelus with a love-sick expression.
"Why would Grace chase after you??" Wise had never been so confused in his life. He may only have known Grace for a short amount of time, but she definitely doesn't look like a woman who was interested in a romantic relationship.
Definitely not because of the side remarks made by Koleda from their previous commission. Definitely not.
"Because he's the destined baby-making partner I never knew I ever wanted!" Grace exclaims, causing Wise's brain to shortcircuit. Unknown to Grace, Ben, and Caelus, Belle is listening through Eous, and she spits everything she drinks through her nose out of shock.
To be continued