"Nn... You're awake. How's your body?"
The girl standing by the window asked Aria looking normally but with a slight trace of concern in her eyes.
"Mm... Fine... Rested enough."
She tried to stand only causing a little discomfort but well rested enough.
Although she got the Perfect body trait, her body are still adjusting.
"Hoshino senpai told me to help you go out for a walk if you want since you are sleeping for days straight."
The girl moved towards Aria taking her hand to help her stand properly.
"Thanks."
Nodding towards her helper, she joined her as hey walk to the field that resembles tracks.
"Where...are the others?"
Aria asked after she noticed during their walk that there are no other students.
"There is only 6 of us here including you."
'6? This is a school right?'
Aria looked at her with confusion since she can't believe a school only have such extremely low number of students compared to the school in her simulations.
"We are here..."
She led Aria to a small room.
Nodding at Aria, she let her enter first after knocking once.
Inside, is a small room with a long table at the center.
There is a white board with words written Foreclosure Taskforce Club.
In front of her are a group of girls.
She can see the familiar one with glasses named Ayane and the well-endowed and friendly one with pale blond hair named Nonomi.
On Nonomi's lap is the head of a pink haired girl sleeping peacefully.
While beside Ayane is a girl looking at Aria intensely as if about to bore a hole in her.
"Serika chan, you are making her uncomfortable."
Ayane nudges at the girl beside her making the girl name Serika blush. Unsure if due to anger or embarrassment, she can only murmur 'sorry' in hushed voiced.
The girl that led Aria sat on the center and started grabbing a gun on the wall and cleaning tools before minding her own business.
"Hoshino senpai. Please wake up. The girl is here."
Nonomi gently shakes the shoulder of the sleeping girl trying to wake her up.
"Uhee... Such a good day to sleep... But this old man needs to do her job..."
She yawns stretching her arms upwards before finally facing the direction towards Aria who looked confused and lost.
"Ja... Welcome to Abydos highschool Aria chan~"
Aria tilts her head unsure what is happening.
"Thank you?"
Nonomi can't help herself but giggle.
"Why in question?"
Aria shrugs her shoulder upon hearing the response.
"Ahem."
Ayane clears her throat before standing from her seat and pulling one of the chairs opposites of the one who led her here.
"Please take a sit."
She simply smiled at Aria who slowly settled on the chair feeling small from the gazes of the other students in the room.
"May I begin senpai?"
Ayane cast a glance towards Hoshino which she found nodding on her words.
"Then, Aria san? I know it might be uncomfortable but we need to know where you are from in order to help you back."
'Back?'
'To that place?'
'Why?'
Aria's mind runs as she heard her words.
"Mmm... Why?"
Aria's voice came out as if like a cornered rat. One can hear a slight change in emotion from her voice making Hoshino, whom listening with eyes closed suddenly open.
Nonomi even looked at her a little concerned.
While Serika and Shiroko stares at her.
"Well... when Hoshino senpai and Nonomi senpai found you, they told me it looked like you are from a truck that exploded. The truck is from Kaiser corp and we are not sure if that is where you are from or maybe you are taken by them since you are not wearing anything when they found you."
Ayane tried to explain as slow as possible to ensure Aria understands their point.
Listening to her, Aria's emotions slowly stir into different direction.
Her instincts suddenly flared up making her ready for fight or flight not sure why.
"No..."
One word came out of her mouth as her clenched fist tightens under the table.
Her gaze focused on one spot in a weird mark at the long table in front.
"Uhmm..."
Ayane don't know what to say after hearing her and looking at Aria's face about to cry.
"Senpai..."
Shiroko looked at Ayane and she understood Shiroko's desire to drop the subject.
Upon looking at Hoshino, she also nodded.
"Alright. Sorry Aria chan. Don't worry, you are not going back to them."
Aria's face beams when she heard Ayane returning to her normal face and lowering her head a little embarrassed.
"Thank you..."
Aria let out a sigh of relief after that.
"So then, which school are you from?"
This time, Serika is the one who asked.
"School?"
Aria shift her gaze towards Serika.
"Does simulation count?"
Aria's question turned everyone's attention back to her in a snap.
"Simulation..."
Shiroko's face turned serious while Serika and Ayane remained the same. Nonomi looked confused while Hoshino stares at the girl.
"What do you mean by simulation?"
Ayane asked her to clarify.
"Mm... I always dream every night about a different life... There I always go to school and the dream ends when I die there. That's when I always wake up."
"Dream..."
Shiroko remains serious as if thinking something while the rest looked at her with pity thinking Aria never experienced normal school days.
Although it can be said to them as well since the current state of Abydos are nothing to scoffed at.
"How about you join us then★~"
"EH?"
Ayane, Serika and Shiroko reacted in unison on hearing Nonomi's suggestion.
"It's fine right Hoshino senpai~"
Hoshino looked stunned but smiled afterwards nodding.
"Uhee... another kid under my care... You really work this old man Nonomi chan~"
"Hehehehe"
Aria looked around not sure what is happening anymore.
But her heart stared beating faster as if she is feeling something new.
Something warm inside.
"Well then, since the president agreed, do you want to transfer to our school Aria chan?"
Nonomi faced her asking if she wanted to.
"Join..."
Her words echoed inside Aria's head.
This is the first time she will become a student outside her dreams so she is feeling various emotions all at once.
"Is...is it alright? For someone like me?"
Aria's voice mixed with emotional as she look at Nonomi waiting for her response.
Nonomi simply smiled at her.
"Of course. We will welcome you Aria chan with open arms. After all, Abydos, Foreclosure Taskforce club which is us needs as many hands as possible. Of course we will accept you~"
Aria's face brightens as a smile faintly tugs her lips.
"Mm... Thank you..."
Lowering her head as tears fell on her eyes seemed to be her way of hiding her emotion but it can't hide her as Nonomi hugged the girl from behind followed by the caring look of others at the girl weeping her eyes out for feeling a handful of emotions all at once.
2 weeks passed after Aria finally joined Abydos.
During those time, Aria experienced simulations at increasingly weird scenarios.
One of the simulation ended up with her having 3 lovers which where she got the trait Attraction that makes her appear more likeable to others but not to the point of absurdity.
The other is a talent called wall climbing mastery (Basic) when that simulation reached to age 30s and she spend climbing mountains only to die from fall.
She also can't forget that last night's simulation when she became a spy for a certain agency when she got the trait Sensitive where she becomes more aware to everything around her.
Aria also found out that during simulations, getting same talent, trait or skill means useless as most of the days passed, she didn't gain anything new at all.
There are also traits that she dislike which resulted to her not receiving any reward.
Unfortunately, not getting anything means a loss since no refunds nor exchanges can be made proving her simulation aren't that overpowered as she thought initially.
Although, her experience with the other members of foreclosure taskforce club is actually good.
The members there are clearly concerned and caring towards Aria.
Just like Hoshino whom always drags Aria in various sleeping spots and sometimes sleep with her.
Nonomi who feeds Aria like a young chick.
Ayane teaching her about school life and what to expect as a student.
Same with Shiroko who found her good in combat so she joins Aria every morning to jog and train.
The only one that is different is Serika.
At the first few days, Serika straight out answer coldly or ignored her and simply stare at Aria whatever time they meet, in the end they somehow connected.
Maybe thanks to Attraction that she got or during their conversations, Serika became close to her.
In fact, 2 days ago, Aria started joining Serika on her work at Shiba Seki Ramen and became regular worker since.
Although Aria look very stiff and even got an earful from the owner yesterday after she served a ramen with extra noodles.
On her defense, according to her simulation, customers return the more they are satisfied so more noodles equals more satisfaction.
Serika had to clean up her mess from that event.
But all in all, the owner are glad to gain another hardworking student such as Aria.
Not to mention the sudden influx of customers all thanks to the 'new beautiful server' of Shiba Seki Ramen.
"Phew... Good work Aria chan."
Serika flopped on the chair after the last customer finally exits.
"Good work Serika."
Aria looked normal despite the number of customers that she need to serve.
Although Serika used to work longer and had more experience, Aria simply became better the more she worked and as of now, she are more efficient in handling the task simply by calculating the shortest path, faster movement and balance from holding the trays all thanks to her explosive growth and great adaptability.
"That said, what do you mean by throwing the bowl to each other to serve faster? You are lucky the owner didn't hear you earlier."
Serika sighs as she recall Aria's whisper while they are working earlier.
Aria told her that they can just toss the bowl of ramen and catch while the other runs to the server in order to hand the order immediately.
She simply tilt her head on hearing Serika's question.
"It would hasten the serving speed by 20% by removing the unnecessary need of traversing the floor which can be resolved by tossing the bowl of ramen to each other. One waits at the server area while the other stand await at the customer's table."
The way Aria replied seriously while explaining made Serika laugh.
"Come on! As if that will work. And even if it did, the risk of dropping the bowl or content is bad enough and dangerous for the customers."
"That won't happen. Since I know how skilled Serika is, I can safely assume the risk of that happening are below 5% as long as you trust my skills at bowl tossing."
Serika sighed before drinking her iced water.
"Whatever you say..."
She can't help but simply agree not that the owner will allow it.
Once they finished work, it was 5pm already.
"Hnnngggg... Another day of work done."
Serika stretches her hands while Aria simply nods towards the owner as she greets him bye.
"I'm always surprised how come you are not even tired after all that."
Looking at how indifferent Aria is compared to her, Serika grumbles before matching Aria's pace as they both walk side by side.
soon enough, they reached Abydos.
They plan to meet together first to report the events of the day before going home.
However, when they arrived, Serika and Aria saw a van outside.
There is a logo of Kaiser in the said van.
Serika looked serious as she grab Aria's hand and rush to the club room.
"Oh there you are."
Once Serika and Aria entered the room, a droid head in suit is settled on a chair.
Opposites of him is Hoshino looking serious.
Ayane sitting beside her and Nonomi standing behind.
"Well then, may I hear your answer president?"
The robot asked again making Ayane and Nonomi look mad at him.
"No matter what you propose, we won't hand over Aria!"
Ayane replied with a hint of anger in her voice.
"Ayane is right. She is now a member of us. Even if you remove our school's debt entirely not just 50% of what you currently offer, we won't agree to your deal."
This time Nonomi answered.
"There you have it. Please leave now."
Hoshino finally said it to end the conversation.
Aria can't see the reaction of the droid head since it's basically a face that doesn't resemble that of a human.
"Very well. Just remember the deal will remain open in case you change your mind."
The man stood and walk to the door only to stop and face them again.
"Also, we will return 2 weeks from now to get the expected pay of the month."
It's voice is mechanical but there is a hint of threat.
"Of course, with the same amount of interest."
Then he leaved with those words in the air causing the students inside the club to remain silent.