Chapter 322
Her steadfastness toward the color white gave him a foundation, a basic principle upon which to build a solution.
He no longer appeared confused or frustrated.
The look in his eyes was now sharp and purposeful.
With a steadier voice, filled with newly found conviction, he began to speak.
He proposed a plan, a specific answer to this very specific problem.
The solution was not to search for a better pad at a pharmacy, but to create a pad designed specifically for Aldraya, built from scratch to contain and understand the unique phenomenon she was experiencing.
However, his proposal did not end there.
Theo explained, carefully choosing his words, that to create something so personal and perfect, he could not rely solely on outward observation or ordinary medical knowledge.
He needed a deep, comprehensive understanding of his subject.
It was here that he made an extraordinary request, one that went far beyond ordinary boundaries of privacy.
Before giving instructions to RWIA to manifest the special pad, Theo required permission.
Not permission to touch or clean her, but a permission far more invasive on a metaphysical level.
He asked for permission to absorb, to dive into and understand, all of Aldraya's memories.
The span of time was vast, almost unimaginable.
From the moment of her birth by Quil-Hasa in the Heavenly Realm, across all eras of betrayal, countless reincarnations, her transformation as the Deformed One, to every second that had led her to stand beside Theo now, in this dark alley, with her skirt soaked by the fluid of feelings.
It was a request to access the entirety of her existential narrative, the good and the bad, the noble and the shameful.
'I begin now.'
After a brief pause that felt eternal, consent came from Aldraya.
Not through words, but through an action laden with meaning.
She closed her eyes.
Her long, pale eyelids lowered gently, a total surrender, an absolute trust that Theo would do what was best, even if it meant opening the most guarded fortress of her memories.
In that silence, the consent felt stronger than a thousand spoken "yeses."
Theo, witnessing that sign of permission, moved at once.
His right hand was raised, his warm palm pressed gently yet firmly against Aldraya's cold forehead.
The touch was a physical anchor, a point of contact for the transfer process that was about to occur.
His left hand did not remain still.
It too was raised, positioned slightly above Aldraya's waist, maintaining a respectful distance, not touching her wet body.
The left hand remained open, palm facing upward, as if preparing a sacred space to receive a creation.
The process unfolded with astonishing speed, almost instantaneously.
In less than six seconds, a miraculous change occurred above Theo's left palm.
From nothingness, materialization took place. A pad appeared, not dropped or taken from anywhere, but manifesting on its own.
Its color was perfect white, immaculate white, reflecting the dim emergency light with a soft sheen, exactly like the luster of Aldraya's hair.
The object floated several centimeters above Theo's palm, perfectly stable without the slightest tremor, as if defying gravity with absolute calm.
Its stillness and stability seemed to mirror Aldraya's personality after her early childhood, quiet and unmoved by any storm of emotion.
Yet the wonder of the object was not limited to its appearance.
When observed more closely, the smallest parts of the pad, its layers invisible to the naked eye, occasionally moved subtly.
Not in a mechanical way, but more like breathing, a gentle adaptation indicating that this object was alive in a certain sense, designed to respond and provide the utmost comfort.
Those subtle movements seemed to tell of another aspect of Aldraya's character, a side hidden deep within.
Her natural curiosity and cheerfulness when she was very young, at the age of two or three, before the burdens of existence fell upon her.
This pad was not merely an absorber.
It was an artifact of understanding, created from Aldraya's own deepest memories, made not only to contain her physical overflow but also to recognize and soothe the confused soul behind it, with perfect gentleness and naturalness.
"It will merge into you, in harmony with your condition that is not yet accustomed to living by human ways."
When Aldraya's pale eyelids lifted again, revealing her sapphire eyes that now appeared slightly clearer despite still being filled with questions, Theo immediately offered an explanation.
His voice was calm and confident as he outlined the special qualities of his new creation, still floating gracefully above his palm.
The first and most practical explanation concerned its durability.
Theo told Aldraya that with this special pad, she would no longer need to be troubled by the constant ritual of replacement, which would surely become a source of confusion and discomfort for her.
This object was designed to last, a permanent or at least semi-permanent solution to this temporary yet intense problem.
Theo then detailed its other magical properties.
The white pad, he said, would never emit any unpleasant odor, no matter how long it was used or how much fluid it contained.
It would also remain pure white, immaculate, rejecting all forms of filth or discoloration, preserving its visual purity like eternal snow that could never be stained.
Its most astonishing trait was its strength.
Theo explained that this pad could not be torn or damaged by anything originating from the mortal world.
Knives, scissors, fire, or any form of brute force would be unable to compromise its integrity.
Only objects that carried "Heavenly" essence, those originating from Aldraya's realm of origin, had the potential to affect it.
This final explanation also served as justification for why the object was "perfectly suited" to Aldraya.
Theo understood that teaching the complicated procedures of pad replacement to a former angel who did not grasp worldly logic would be futile and frustrating.
So he created a solution aligned with Aldraya's nature.
An object that was eternal, clean, strong, and subject only to higher laws that were still part of Aldraya's identity.
It was an acknowledgment that Aldraya did not need to fully adapt to human ways.
Sometimes, it was the world—or at least Theo—that had to adapt and create solutions suited to the uniqueness of her existence.
"Take it. It's yours. Let me know when you're done."
After Theo finished his explanation, Aldraya did not respond immediately with words or gestures.
She entered a state approaching silent reverence.
Her body froze, like a perfectly carved marble statue in the darkness of the alley.
Only her eyes, two living gems, moved.
Her gaze was fixed with almost physical intensity on the white pad that continued to float endlessly above Theo's left palm.
Her stare was meticulous, examining every detail, every glint of light reflected on its smooth surface, as if trying to comprehend the essence of an object created specifically from the memories of her own life.
Her total silence, the absence of any desire to speak or ask, was the purest form of focus, a quiet acknowledgment of the wonder and significance of this moment.
Theo understood this silent body language.
He did not rush her, nor did he force her.
To be continued…