…
----------------------------------------
Aftermath
----------------------------------------
…
Pat
Pat
Pat
Cute sounds of little feet padding on carpeted floor entered his hearing range, as soon as they arrived at the penthouse via elevator.
“Meow~” Maya greeted.
Hadrian smiled.
The little feline was sitting on her hindquarters several feet away from them.
Clear blue eyes with slit irises stared adoringly, and her triangular ears were perked up, looking quite endearing as she always did.
“Oh, hi, girl.”
Hadrian crouched on one knee, cooing softly as she padded closer to him.
“Did you behave well?” He asked, as he gave her gentle head rubs.
“Mrow~”
Hadrian nodded approvingly.
“Good girl.”
After giving her more rubs, Hadrian exhaled before standing upright.
Then, he turned to face Natasha, who stood quietly at the side, observing them with a hint of amusement in her green eyes.
The redhead blinked upon noticing his solemn gaze.
“Wait for me by the lounge.”
His voice was gentle and calm, yet its richness and resonance made it powerful.
It was not a request, but a command.
Natasha, startled by this sudden change, could not help but comply.
“Uh… alright…” was all she could say, feeling her heart skip a few beats.
With a nod, Hadrian strode away, leaving a bewildered redhead staring after him.
Once he was out of sight, she slowly turned and made her way to the lounge.
On her way there, Natasha was in deep thought.
‘What was that…?’ she wondered, unconsciously laying a hand to calm her thrashing heart.
It was brief, but she could have sworn the man who spoke to her just now, was the same one who she had first met a few days ago.
The switch was so sudden it caught her off guard.
While strange, she can’t help but find that side of him also attractive.
The redhead paused, then shook her head.
Scoffing at her own ridiculous thoughts, Natasha soon arrived at the lounge and waited, making herself comfortable on the couch.
“Haah…”
The redhead closed her eyes and exhaled deeply.
She took a moment to relish the quietness of the room to gather her thoughts.
The operation was over, and Natasha was left with little idea of what to do next.
Having gathered enough funds to support herself for the time being, she would not need to be worried about her living expenses for a while.
Slowly, a light frown marred her face.
What annoyed her was the idea of returning to the marketplace and mingle with the imbeciles, who frequented the building with their rotten existences.
Natasha has had enough typical idiocy to last her a lifetime.
So no, she would rather not experience that again.
In the end, there was only one viable option for her.
Honestly, it was an idea that she found herself entertaining more often than not since last night.
Green eyes slowly opened, as a wistful look crossed her face at her own thoughts.
Step
Step
Hearing footsteps nearby, Natasha turned her head, just in time to see Hadrian’s arrival.
Of course, the clingy cat, Maya, was not far behind him.
However, Natasha’s attention was no longer on the furry animal.
It was to her owner, who was carrying two large stacks of cash covered in clear durable plastic.
He stopped at the coffee table, bending slightly to place his burden on the glass surface.
“…”
Natasha was a bit distracted though.
With his blazer open and a few top buttons of his dress shirt unbuttoned, she caught an eyeful of a perfect-looking collarbone and well-sculpted torso.
Too brief for her taste, but it was a few seconds worth well spent.
SHIIK
Natasha snapped out of her mild trance, when Hadrian pushed the two plastic covered money on the table towards her.
The redhead’s gaze went from the money, and to Hadrian, who took a seat on the chair behind him with a soft sigh.
“What’s this for?” Natasha asked.
“That’s two million euros. Your reward for retrieving the safe successfully in my stead during the operation earlier. Take those as a token of my gratitude, little spider.” Hadrian smiled, leaning back in the chair as he crossed one leg over the other.
Natasha looked at him blankly.
Green eyes then glanced at the stacks of money.
Recalling Luka’s words before, she didn’t think that he was actually speaking the truth.
Clearly, the man knew of his superior’s character quite well.
One moment later, she faced him with an unreadable expression.
“But I was just returning a favor.” Natasha pointed out.
“You don’t want it?” Hadrian asked calmly, lifting a brow.
“Now, I didn’t say that.” Natasha denied quickly.
For emphasis, she pulled the stacks closer to her without a shift in her stoic expression.
Hadrian merely chuckled at her actions.
“Hn, yes, you’re returning a favor. One that I tried to refuse a few times, mind you.” Hadrian reminded with a small smile.
“Hmph…”
Natasha huffed in return, crossing her arms under her chest.
“Still, I feel that you have earned yourself a reward after following my instructions properly. Your manners certainly need work. But you did a good job, little spider, and I reward those who have earned it well. You can even keep the equipment I gave you as a bonus.”
“…”
Hearing praise and receiving generous gifts from him, Natasha lowered her eyes to the table, strangely unable to maintain eye contact.
The redhead was not exactly sure her traitorous heart could take any more surprise assaults, if she kept looking into his eyes, not with that gentle smile on his face.
“Ah, that reminds me…” Hadrian began, making Natasha look up and watch as he pulled out a rolled paper tied by a red velvet ribbon.
“Ah…!”
Instantly, Natasha realized that it was the contract she signed almost a week ago.
Hadrian smiled, extending his hand to her with the object in question.
“Here, take it.” He urged gently, pulling back once she grabbed it. “It’s the contract. Since the operation is over now, the deal is satisfied and complete. Keep it safe.”
“Why? It’s just a piece of paper.” Natasha asked, puzzled.
Hadrian’s smile didn’t change.
But something shifted, as it was not the same kind of smile that instilled pleasant things in her.
Rather, the smile (while still handsome and pleasing to look at) seemed to be tinged with a bit of annoyance instead of its usual positivity. (1)
Blinking, Natasha got the impression that he was irritated by her casual dismissal.
“That paper is an important proof that you’ve made a deal with me. If you happen to be in dire straits, it might be of great help to you one day, if you show it to the right people. Do not lose it.”
The reprimand was clear, despite his light tone and the pleasant smile on his handsome face.
‘Oh, he’s definitely annoyed…’ Natasha thought in surprise.
The redhead wondered how he managed to perfect such a feat, without losing even the slightest bit of his appeal.
Disguising her embarrassment with a huff of annoyance, Natasha dutifully and silently deposited the stacks of cash and the contract inside the satchel.
Letting his chastisement cool off for a moment, she recalled his words and spoke again.
“By right people, do you mean…?” Natasha trailed off, looking at Hadrian curiously.
Hadrian gave a terse nod.
“People who have a connection to the organization, yes.”
The mage in disguise leaned back in the chair, then continued.
“There is a unique seal on the paper that, sort of, serves as a license for its authenticity alone. It would be recognized instantly by those who are aware of the organization. The head staff of this hotel, for example, is one of them.”
At once, the face of a certain Head Manager came to her mind.
“You mean that guy? Lionel, was it?” Natasha guessed.
Hadrian chuckled, nodding slightly.
“Indeed. He and the head staff of this hotel know of us.”
He paused, observing Natasha closely for a few moments before continuing.
“I suppose it is fortuitous that you and Lionel have already met each other. It’ll be easier for you to be approved for sanctuary just with his recommendation alone.”
“Sanctuary?” Natasha repeated, feeling a bit like a parrot.
It can’t be helped though, given that he was only explaining what she can do with the contract.
The mage inclined his head again.
“This hotel is not an ordinary establishment, which I’m sure you noticed by now.”
Hadrian smiled at the look of realization that crossed her face.
“While the higher-ups strictly forbid us members in working with outsiders, there are individuals outside of the group who are… given a pass to speak and make deals with us freely. These are the ones with contracts, just like the one you have in your possession now.” Hadrian revealed.
The look of surprise on her face caused his smile to widen.
Emboldened by her reaction and sudden attentiveness, he proceeded to elucidate.
“Now, you are probably wondering what the contract has to do with the hotel. It’s simple, really. The contract will act as your permit to be granted sanctuary in this hotel, and you can stay here for as long as you can afford to. Which, I’m sure you can, given what you’ve earned by now.”
He cast a knowing glance in her way.
But Natasha didn’t mind it, as she was more intent on listening while he carried on.
“That, and they might even give you a discount since I’m the one who made that contract. The branch of this hotel, Crown Plaza, is quite well-known. And there is more than a few in almost every country, so you won’t find its accommodations lacking in case you decide to venture out and travel internationally.” He added with a slight shrug.
He was casual about it, but his words already made an impact on Natasha.
Suddenly, the redhead felt the paper’s worth weighed a lot more heavily than the stacks of cash.
In the few days she stayed with him, Natasha had seen the high security, and astonishing array of services the hotel staff had provided to the young man sitting across from her.
From what she had seen so far, the establishment had rightfully earned its prestigious title as one of the most successful hotels across the world.
When it comes to their services and their superb security measures, Natasha found it difficult to state its flaws when there was none to be found.
Some time ago, she had even noticed people (who merely wanted to sit inside and wait) being treated with proper respect and genuine politeness by the staff.
Those who tried to wreak havoc inside the hotel were treated harshly by the security firm and promptly thrown out, probably blacklisted from ever visiting again.
Every customer was equal in the staff’s eyes…
Natasha paused that thought.
Maybe except for the young man in front of her, since he was treated on a higher pedestal than the rest.
More importantly, to finally have a safe place for her to take shelter in, and with great security at that, Natasha could not be more relieved to have signed a contract in her life before.
“Hmhm…”
Her silent elation was cut short, as she was brought back to the present by a soft laugh from Hadrian.
“It seems you realize the paper’s importance now, huh? That’s good.” He commented with a knowing smile on his lips.
Feeling a bit of heat rising to her cheeks, Natasha fake coughed to regain her composure.
“Ahem… so what? I just need to show this to a staff of this hotel?” Natasha asked, suppressing her delight behind an impassive expression.
“Ask for the head manager and present them the document. They’ll grant you a room to stay in right away.” Hadrian said casually.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“That fast?” Natasha said in bemusement.
“Once they see the seal on the paper, they’ll have to be.” Hadrian remarked.
He gave her one of those smiles, one that was mysterious and a bit amused.
As if there was an inside joke that only he was aware of, much to her irritation and curiosity.
“Just be honest when you introduce yourself and do not cause trouble. I don’t think I need to say this, but just in case, it’s forbidden to fight inside Crown Plaza. If you do get in trouble, just go inside the hotel, and let the security handle the rest. It’s what they are being paid for, after all.”
“Hmm, noted.” Natasha said with a thoughtful expression.
Hadrian exhaled deeply, momentarily interrupted by the insistent chirpings of his pet, who wanted his attention.
“With that out of the way, let’s address the elephant in the room.”
He picked up Maya, placing her on his lap, much to the cat’s happiness.
“Which is?” Natasha raised a questioning brow (a habit she unknowingly picked up from him), despite knowing what was about to be discussed.
The mage in disguise met her gaze with a calm expression.
“You.” Hadrian said simply, catching the redhead slightly off guard. “With the mission over, the contract is complete. What’re your plans after this?”
After several moments of silence, Natasha answered.
“I’m not exactly sure.” Natasha frowned, brows furrowing deliberation. “Still thinking, actually. What about you?”
Hadrian blinked, caught off guard by the sudden turn of being questioned.
“Me?”
Nevertheless, he considered her inquiry and shrugged casually.
“I’ll probably be flying to another country in the next few days.”
Green eyes turned wide in surprise.
“You’re leaving?” Natasha asked, unable to stop herself.
Hadrian exhaled deeply, nodding once.
“For the next assignment, perhaps.” Hadrian gave a resigned smile.
“It’s highly likely I’ll be sent to a different country. I don’t know where yet, though. I’ll be informed once I have my complete payment for the mission today. The big boss often likes to keep me in suspense, you see.” He added with a wry chuckle.
Tap
Tap
It was quiet as Hadrian was distracted by Maya, pawing at his hand for attention.
Hadrian sighed.
“Such a needy cat…”
But he gave in to her unspoken request, and cuddled her to his chest.
On the other hand, Natasha seemed to be in deep thought.
The redhead stared at him with an unreadable expression.
Hadrian was well aware of her attention, but he did not bother her, as he knew she would speak once she was ready.
He did not have to wait long when she did.
“People say things about you, you know?” Natasha began calmly, not meeting his gaze when he turned to her.
“Like what?” Hadrian prompted, lifting a brow.
Inside though, he already had an idea of what she would say.
“Strange things, but from what I can sense from it all is that you… you’re not normal.” Natasha settled softly, brows furrowing.
Hadrian snickered.
“Hmph…”
Vivid cyan eyes were filled with restrained mirth, as he met her gaze.
“Given what you’ve seen after today, I’m not surprised you’ve come to that conclusion.” Hadrian remarked dryly.
“Yeah, I don’t know what else you can do, but I do know that you’re…”
Natasha paused, looking for the right word.
“Good, at what you do, I mean. The best I have ever met – besides me, of course.” The redhead quickly added, facing him even as Hadrian chuckled at her words.
“We… we work well together.”
As soon as she finished, Natasha turned away, letting her dark red hair hide her face.
But it was too late.
‘Oho…?’
Hadrian caught sight of the rosy blush that bloomed on her pale cheeks, despite her attempt to hide her embarrassment.
The magician suppressed the urge to smile, keeping calm as he stared at her.
“What are you trying to say, little spider?” Hadrian asked, adopting a faux look of curiosity.
By her words alone, he already had an idea of where she was going with this.
He merely wanted to hear it from her directly, not wanting to assume her intentions based on his thoughts.
Given her annoyed glance, Natasha also knew what he was doing.
While amused inside, the only outward response he did was to blink languidly.
Thu-thump
Although, the female youth only cursed inside as her traitorous heart skipped a beat, catching sight of just how attractive his eyelashes and gaze.
“Don’t act gullible, Rey. It doesn’t suit you.” Natasha scolded through gritted teeth.
Hadrian chuckled, not expecting to be seen through easily.
“You know what I’m trying to say. I need a partner, and I refuse to go back to the marketplace and work with incompetent idiots, who I can’t even trust to do their own jobs anymore.”
“Oh? And I’m better than those incompetent idiots?” Hadrian asked in a jesting tone, smiling.
“Slightly better, and you’re more of a weirdo than anything else.” Natasha said with a straight expression.
The two shared a brief smile at that.
Then, her tone became serious, as was her face.
“So, what do you say?”
“…”
Hadrian’s face was unreadable, as he took a moment to consider.
Finally, he shook his head and smiled resignedly.
The mere sight caused Natasha’s heart to clench, despite her impassive expression.
“Apologies, little spider, but I must refuse.”
Catching the hurt and lackluster in her green eyes, Hadrian elaborated.
“It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just that… I can’t.”
“… what do you mean?” Natasha asked quietly.
The sting of his refusal faded a little.
It was also too early to wallow in defeat, not when there was still a chance to change his mind.
“Two reasons.”
Hadrian exhaled deeply, preparing himself for what may be a long and detailed explanation.
“First, it is because you are an outsider.”
Natasha made a thoughtful noise.
“Hm, you mentioned that before. What does it mean exactly? Besides the obvious, of course.” The girl asked, curious by the term.
“It’s a term for those who have no association to the organization and to its members.” Hadrian answered, waiting for Natasha to absorb his words before continuing. “You see, one of the rules that the organization placed on its members is to keep a limited contact with those who have no ties to us in any way. Not without specific contracts in place, anyways.”
Natasha frowned.
Inside, she found his words a bit contradictory, considering the paper in the satchel beside her.
“But the contract you just gave me…?” The redhead was quick to point out.
Hadrian chuckled softly, shaking his head lightly.
“The contract is only with me.” The mage clarified calmly. “It mentions no ties to the organization whatsoever, or to its members. Just myself as an individual, not as a member. It may grant you sanctuary in Crown Plaza, but it is not enough to serve as an actual tie to the organization itself. Honestly, the contract is more of a letter of recommendation from me. That you can be trusted to follow the rules in Crown Plaza, and in turn, you will be permitted to rent its accommodations and access to its services, nothing more or less.”
Natasha nodded slowly in understanding.
“Ah… then the second reason?”
Hadrian sighed.
“The second is a bit troublesome. I’ve been given the dubious order to tackle the missions sent to me on my own. It’s a… it’s a long story, but the root of it was due to a reason I’m not exactly permitted to speak freely about to others without a clearance.” Hadrian said apologetically.
“…”
Throughout the entire duration of his second explanation, Natasha had been silent, her brows furrowed in thought.
Eventually though, she spoke.
“The last one sounds suspicious, for some reason.” Natasha commented absentmindedly.
Hadrian grunted.
“From your perspective, I do not blame you.”
His calm expression turning a bit strained, as he recalled the previous meeting he had with his grandfather before his departure.
The old magician had been laughing in a manic manner, as he went on a long explanation of his long-term plan for the future of this reality in phases.
…
“Blitzende huren shall cry tears of blood by the time my plan is in motion! Ahahaha!”
…
…it was not difficult to see why many locals in the moonlit world feared the old magician.
He looked like a first-rate nutty villain, as if materialized into real life from a dark occult novel or something. His vampiric and gothic-themed fashion merely cemented the impression on others.
Dismissing the memory away, Hadrian sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose as he felt an incoming headache –
“…”
– unaware of Natasha watching him with a hint of humor on her impassive face.
“Anyhow, due to a fickle old man’s whims, I’m not allowed to have a partner while actively taking missions.” Hadrian huffed, smiling wryly at the young girl’s amused stare.
“Best I could ask for in my present situation is an assistant. Like Luka, for example. He was the aide assigned to me temporarily by the organization, but the duties would be akin to a personal assistant. I doubt that’s –”
“Alright then.” Natasha interrupted, staring resolutely at his bewildered gaze.
Hadrian blinked, confused.
“Uh, what? You want to be an assistant?” Hadrian asked slowly, surprised by the sudden turn of the conversation.
Idly, the redhead took note of the accent that came out of nowhere. (2)
It was pleasant, and she found herself liking it more coming from him, as if it suits him.
Setting that aside for now, she redirected herself into the conversation.
Heaving a soft sigh, Natasha nodded.
“Yeah.” The girl said, unperturbed by the blank stare directed at her.
“My assistant?” Hadrian reiterated, pointing at himself with a thumb.
Stoically, the redhead met his dubious look without blinking.
“Yes.” Natasha confirmed calmly.
“…”
“…”
Silence hovered over them, as the pair locked gazes.
Both wore unreadable expressions, testing each other’s will through their stares.
Then –
‘Oh…!’
– as if a switch was flipped, she noticed a subtle shift in his eyes.
Vibrant cyan eyes narrowed, suddenly turning fierce and piercing.
The tranquility was still present, but the intensity of his gaze made her feel a bit uncomfortable.
The experience was akin to her being thoroughly examined under a microscope, probing her in the darkest depths of her soul, methodically and meticulously with his sight alone.
His gorgeous features didn’t help her situation either, causing her body temperature to rise a bit, nearly making Natasha break away in reflex.
But –
… exhaling quietly through her nose, the redhead calmed herself.
– like with everything else she put her mind and effort into, Natasha persevered and managed to maintain eye contact.
(Little did she know though, she just caught a glimpse of Hadrian’s true character…
…the one that was once a king from another lifetime and reality.)
“…”
Mere seconds passed.
But for Natasha, the seconds felt like minutes.
The silence stretched, and a sort of mild tension lingered in the air.
Then…
It was over when Hadrian blinked slowly and lowered his gaze to the table, making Natasha turn away briefly and sigh quietly in relief.
Rustle
The rustling of clothes against material entered her ears.
By reflex, she turned back –
“…!”
Natasha almost let out a gasp, startled by the sight.
In the moment she glanced away, Hadrian changed his sitting position.
Rather than sitting casually, he now has one leg crossed over the other.
His right elbow was resting on the arm of his seat, while the side of his cheek leaned against the knuckles of his right hand, supporting the weight of his head.
The calm and solemn expression he wore suited his handsome countenance, even augmenting the regal aura he naturally exuded.
The way he appeared before her now, there was no doubt why Luka and his fellow suits would associate him with royal titles.
Even with Maya lying across his lap, purring like the clingy feline as she was, did not lessen the elegance and majesty that surrounded him.
Thu-thump
Thu-thump
The pounding of her heart accelerated, beating behind her ears, as Natasha beheld his majesty, confused whether it was by excitement or fear.
‘Maybe a bit of both…?’ The redhead chuckled wryly in her mind.
Regardless, Natasha felt as if she was now in the presence of a King.
And that she was the target of his judgment.
“Natasha…” Hadrian started.
“…!?”
The second he said her name, green eyes widened by a slight margin as a shiver went down her spine, unprepared for how deep, rich and alluring his voice sounded.
Unaware of her inner turmoil, Hadrian continued in a solemn tone.
“My world is not exactly forgiving. It’s quite cruel and unpredictable, in every sense of the word. What you know of me so far, does not even scratch the surface.”
Shaking off the strange trance, Natasha huffed and crossed her arms under her chest.
“I already know that you’re not like most people, Rey.” Natasha reminded, firmly ignoring how the small hairs on her body stood up.
It was a rather tamed way of describing his quaint existence, especially coming from her.
Hadrian raised a brow.
“And this doesn’t bother you in the least?” he asked curiously.
The redhead shook her head, unfazed.
“No, and it’s not as if I’ve been living a normal life either.” Natasha pointed out with a blank expression, subtly reminding him who he was talking to.
The mage chuckled dryly, nodding in understanding.
“True…” Hadrian conceded quietly.
Closing his eyes briefly, he opened them again and exhaled.
“But if you continue to associate with me, your life will be even less ordinary than what it used to be. Moreover, my recent actions have earned me quite a bit of infamy, which means people are going to start looking for me eventually.”
“What kind of people?” Natasha asked out of curiosity.
“The unfriendly kind, of course.” Hadrian answered dryly.
He exhaled deeply, feeling the mental stress from today’s activities catching up to him all of a sudden.
“It’s why I think you’re better off not associating yourself with me. You don’t want to get caught up in my troubles.” Hadrian said calmly.
To his surprise and expectation, Natasha frowned and shook her head in refusal.
“I’ll be fine. I can adapt, no matter the situation.” The young girl stubbornly insisted.
“That’s debatable, to be honest, especially when you want to tread into my world.” Hadrian said offhandedly, staring at her with a hint of amusement in his calm expression.
“I have no idea what kind of world you live in, but I’m sure it’s way better than going back to the market and working with idiots in my opinion.” Natasha countered in a monotone.
Hadrian huffed in amusement, but gave no verbal response to her snide comment at the mercenaries.
“…”
It was quiet for a few moments.
Hadrian looked at her with a far-away gaze in his eyes, while Natasha waited patiently for his response to her offer.
A few days ago, he had discussed a certain topic with his grandfather.
To think that he would be in the situation that the old magician had jokingly predicted.
But the mage inside him had a thought…
‘Or perhaps… it wasn’t a jest?’
In the past, there were times when Zelretch made similar jests of this nature, but almost half of them were nonsense, and certainly not of this level of accuracy.
Regardless, Hadrian never should have underestimated the old man’s whimsical comments.
The old magician was an arbiter of the parallel worlds for a reason.
Damn it, now that it has occurred, he was starting to think that whatever the old man says might have a cursed effect – while in this reality, at least.
Knowing his grandfather’s dubious luck, Hadrian would not be surprised if it was one of his passive abilities.
Returning to the present, he gazed upon the shorter female sitting across him, who was surprisingly considerate enough to let him think in silence.
There was something about her that drew him to her.
This was an undeniable fact, and Hadrian was curious to find out why and what it was.
In the end, it was due to this curious thought that caused him to arrive at a decision.
“You know…” Hadrian began slowly, face set into a musing expression as he continued. “If I agree to this, you’re going to have to sign a new contract with additional conditions in place.”
“With you, or the organization?” Natasha asked, wanting clarification.
“Still with me.” Hadrian answered with a slight nod.
Then, he chuckled at the latter part of her question.
“Don’t bother thinking that the organization would recruit you, Natasha. One, you’re too young to even meet the requirements of the organization. Second, they are not interested in recruiting outsiders, whose loyalties are untested, and their characters are unknown. It does happen on rare occasions though, if not under special circumstances.” He added.
“…”
Natasha frowned, slightly annoyed that he mentioned her age again, and mildly curious about the restrictions for recruitment in place.
But she understood his point, nonetheless.
In a way, it was similar as to why she hated working with mercenaries on jobs.
Most mercenaries would prefer to act like the typical trash they were, rather than display a bit of professionalism at a job.
And the ones she met so far, were all untrustworthy and would often take advantage of her than cooperate and trust her.
In hindsight, it was better for her to sign a contract with him, rather than be blindly recruited by an organization she has no information on.
Granted, Natasha had an idea of the organization’s motivations, ideals, and its members.
But that was mostly from his point of view, not hers.
While Natasha trusts him, she would prefer to judge the organization’s nature through her own eyes before coming to a decision.
At least with the former, Natasha already had a good grasp of his character.
She would rather stay with him, than join a group whose name she does not even know.
“I’m fine with it.” Natasha finally said, after a moment of musing.
“Alright. One last thing to address then…” Hadrian stared at her with a thoughtful expression. “If I say yes to this, then I will need to know your name. Your full name, that is.”
“What for?” Natasha asked, lifting an eyebrow.
Hadrian saw this, but did not react nor did he say anything.
It might just be him, but it seems that one of his quirks was quickly being adopted by the young redhead. He had not seen her do it as much before, only after they spent enough time around each other.
Hadrian was not certain whether this was a good or bad sign for the future.
After all, if she was quick to adapt to his small, inconsequential habits, then who can really say if she were to see things that weren’t quite right and find interest in pursuing it?
For Root’s sake, he was in the middle of considering her as an assistant.
And yet here he was, already concerned about what kind of person she would grow up to be.
‘Taking care of this girl is becoming more troublesome than I thought…’ He deadpanned, frowning inside.
Sighing wearily, Hadrian ignored the girl’s look of curiosity, and shoved his worries for the future in the back of his mind.
“It’s necessary for me to know, so that I can have any documents you do not have yet, to be made. Proper documents are required for passports and bank accounts, among other things as well. I’m going to be your employer, after all, once I agree to this.” Hadrian explained calmly.
“Natasha Romanoff.” The girl said as soon as he finished.
Hadrian blinked in surprise at the prompt answer.
“That’s my name.”
Briefly, he tuned in empathy.
… and there were no lies.
Hadrian smiled slightly.
“My name is Hadrian Rey von Aelrheit. You can keep calling me Rey, if you want.”
Hadrian was amused at the wide-eyed look of shock the girl was sporting, before holding out his right hand for her.
It took a few moments, but the girl eventually grabbed his hand and shook it.
“I’ll be in your care from now on, little spider.”
…
----------------------------------------
…
Later in the evening…
…
...
...
Hadrian was in the study.
He was sitting on a chair behind the desk, cross-legged and relaxing in his seat.
Earlier, Hadrian suggested for Natasha to relax and retire for the night after dinner, which she was more than happy to follow.
The redhead helped him with the dishes, before retiring to her room for the rest of the evening.
Most likely went straight for the shower to clean herself from the dirt, grime, and sweat clinging to her skin after her mini adventure in the vents earlier.
With the girl safe and resting, Hadrian went to the study, and immediately worked on a detailed report of the recent operation in the holo-pc.
A report that he had finished, and sent to his handler just now.
Maya, of course, accompanied him.
The feline-looking familiar fell into a deep sleep on her cushion situated at his desk.
Hadrian sighed deeply.
Unlike most organizations, AEONS has a different way of making reports…
… by extracting the memories relative to the operation from their employees.
It was an idea that Hadrian and Zelretch had entertained casually before, one that was quickly supported by members of the high council.
Back then, reports of assignments needed to be written in detail via holo-pc and printed out, or composed and sent via emails, something they had in common with mundanes in the past.
But…
After a casual suggestion of extracting memories, along with an item (which Hadrian made) as a vessel to contain said memories, Data Crystal, printed reports were no longer mandatory. (3)
A new way of making reports for operations was born, and many wept with tears of joy.
"Hm…"
Hadrian chortled softly, shaking his head.
Many AEONS members, high and low ranked, expressed their gratitude to Hadrian via gifts and heartfelt thanks that time, as they were all saved from the mind-numbing, repetitive experience of filling out handwritten reports of their own missions.
Amusingly enough, the day the high council announced their approval for the memory extraction for operations to all of AEONS, was also the day the AEONS members had commemorated it in Hadrian's honor for his contribution.
Thus, whenever the 16th of July was near, Hadrian would receive plenty of gifts and handwritten cards from various members of AEONS.
Of course, the method was only approved for the militia forces of the organization, not for those from the other divisions.
Paperwork was still necessary, in order to properly document the details produced by those in the research group and other divisions.
Also, extracted memories were required to be edited by the owners themselves via holo-pc, so militia members were not exactly exempted from hard work either.
But then again, that did not exactly stop his fellow colleagues from sending him many gifts from all over the world whenever that particular date was near.
The gifts were quite gallant too, often accompanied by a bouquet of flowers, luxurious perfumes, and small cards containing flattering compliments written in elegant cursive.
Half of the portion would be sets of food, ranging from desserts to full-blown meals, all of which were made of high-quality. Some were homemade, while most were from high-end restaurants.
The reason for the latter was due to his hobby of consuming food.
Before, during, and after missions, he made no attempts to hide his love for eating good food, even when he was still a newbie.
The mage supposed that many in AEONS had seen him do it enough times for them to know, seeing it fit to decide and give him well-made food as gifts.
Hadrian found their gestures flattering, and thanked all of them for their thoughtfulness, even if he personally felt that it was unnecessary for them to go out of their way for him like that.
It has been three years, since he introduced the benefits of memory extractions and the Data Crystal to AEONS, and it made Hadrian smile at the good memories.
His reminiscing came to a halt when a rumbling noise interrupted him.
Brrrr
Brrrr
Hadrian stilled.
Slowly, he looked at the vibrating holo-phone.
The screen of the device was flashing.
An ominous sensation crept up, making Hadrian's eyes narrow in suspicion.
Tentatively, he reached for the device, holding it in his right hand, and unlocked the screen.
"Haah…"
Hadrian exhaled, after seeing the name and number of the caller.
'Ugh… this is going to be a long night.'