4. Meeting…

The VICE HEAD of the MECH DIV was a young lady who reminded Steven of the stern aunt who'd always give someone a hard time at family gatherings. Except, instead of yelling about "manners", she seemed more inclined to discuss the mechanical intricacies of a nuclear reactor.

She wore bronze-rimmed glasses that looked as though they could double as precision instruments, and her lab clothes gave off a vibe that said, "I'm ready to join any experiment, just try and stop me."

"So…" the VICE HEAD began, peering over her glasses at Alejandro. "Alejandro, I understand your family situation. Your family is hyper fixated on their mining business, and they want you to focus on the economic side of the job, rather than the engineering side. For them, engineering is the work they delegate to the less economically… sufficient… working class hires. But what if you were to wow them while representing the MECH div? Maybe they'll change their mind."

Alejandro's face went dark, and Steven could almost see storm clouds gathering in his eyes. "You don't know anything about my family."

Steven resisted the urge to snicker.

The VICE HEAD pulled out something that would make any tech geek drool—a mech armor suit embedded with nano-technology and geo-elemental compatibility.

"What if… you wear this during your battle. It'll be like us sponsoring you. This is a mech armor suit with nano-tech, so it can be worn in a moment's notice. It perfectly complements your cultivation technique! And it's state of the art tech." She held it out in front of Alejandro's eyes.

"I-" Alejandro started, tearing his eyes away from the suit.

Finally, he said softly: "I-I'll wear it."

"What about me?" Steven's head popped out.

The VICE HEAD's gaze flicked onto Steven like he was a hair she'd found in her morning cereal. She scrutinized the boy, who didn't appear to be anything out of the ordinary. "Ah... I wasn't informed we had... someone else." She looked Steven up and down again, probably wondering if the kid was capable of lifting a screwdriver without injuring himself. And worse, even though Steven's face was a bit cute, for some reason, she couldn't help but feel the urge to punch it once or twice. "A-are you a good fighter?"

Steven couldn't believe it. Of course he was?

"Sorry, Alejandro," Steven said, his voice dripping with cheerfulness, "Could the VICE HEAD and I have a short, private chat? I need to show her my letters of recommendation."

Alejandro shrugged and sauntered out, leaving Steven alone with the VICE HEAD, who looked about as thrilled as a cat facing a bath.

After Alejandro left, the room was filled with whispers, shouts, clashes, and clangs.

"C-come in!" the VICE HEAD finally stammered, her face pulled into what might have been a smile.

Alejandro walked back in. He noticed Steven and the VICE HEAD talking peacefully, with the VICE HEAD having quite the 'persuaded?' look on her face.

"Y-yes," the VICE HEAD smiled weakly, "I suppose we do have other accommodations! Alright now, please get a move along. I have a meeting soon!"

She shoo-ed Alejandro and Steven out.

Steven and Alejandro started walking down the halls. The two boys found themselves walking down the maze of the mech division halls, with Dieze pointing Steven to the 'way out ->', and Alejandro silently following them. (Which was honestly kinda odd, cause it looked like Alejandro was slightly lost, too.)

"You-" Alejandro started, breaking the silence.

"What?" Steven put his arms behind his neck walking in a casual pose.

"What did you say to her?" Alejandro asked, his voice catching silently.

"Nothing."

"No, cause the Sev I remember…" Alejandro began, his voice trailing off.

"My name's Steven."

"R-right. The Steven I remember-" Alejandro stumbled again.

"You remember me?" Steven mockingly said.

"I-" The boy pursed his lips, before continuing quietly:

"I-I had no choice." Alejandro's eyes looked down, his eyelashes casting long shadows on his tanned skin.

"Right, just like now. You're still a coward, just like I remember." Steven shrugged, stretching his arms.

- 'Ding!'

'Alejandro's Likeability + 1'

'What.' Steven's face twisted into an expression of pure bafflement.

"Yeah," Alejandro sighed darkly, before looking back at Steven. "I'm trying to fix that."

['Amusing…' X]

- - -

5. End?

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"Wait… we're going to this restaurant for dinner?" Mayo asked.

Zero lightly said that he had a giftcard.

"Sweet. Food." Steven's voice was flat, but his eyes twinkled. Boy, was he famished.

The trio's destination was a popular off-campus restaurant, but reaching it required navigating the school's mystical barrier—a feature that made traversing out of campus a longer journey than it appeared. So they boarded the subway line provided by the school, walking out from an inconspicuous (?) exit that only students from their school seemed to perceive.

Emerging into the streets, they were met with the gritty scent of city life. Rats, garbage, the hum of urban decay—it was all there.

But they pressed on, led by Zero, with Mayo and Steven trailing behind.

Soon the three of them arrived at "Qian Kun Shi Wu," a name boldly displayed that seemed to whisper promises of culinary adventures. The restaurant was a favorite among students, and as they entered, familiar faces looked up from tables laden with exotic dishes.

And… it hit them almost instantly:

A faint, yet fragrant aroma. Peppery, yet sweet, warm and cool. It was like stepping into an ambiance that was an exquisite blend of elegance and tradition. The red and golden drapes hung loosely on the walls, shimmering beneath chandeliers that sparkled… like distant stars.

"Welcome," a young waiter in a crisp formal suit greeted them, handing over menus that Steven eyed with a mix of awe and alarm. The prices listed looked more like a day's wages for a blue-collared worker than a casual dinner expense.

"I have a reservation for a table of three," Zero requested, his voice smooth and untroubled. The waiter looked it over, before bringing them to the right table.

Unfortunately, as the three students were about to sit down, the door swung open, and in she strode, an affluent girl with a demeanor so unmistakably sharp and polished that even the silverware seemed to quiver in her presence. With the air of someone who ruled by family name and status, she brandished her presence like a premium-brand bag.

"Where's my seat?" The girl glared, tapping her foot.

"I'm sorry, Miss Kensington, but it seems there's been an unfortunate overbooking," the waiter stammered, his voice tinged with nervousness.

Kensington frowned, her eyes narrowing, "I expect this to be fixed. Quick-ly."

Her imperious gaze swept the room, finally landing on the trio: Zero's face remained stale, his demeanor cool and indifferent, while Steven's eyes sparkled with curiosity. (Honestly, she never really noticed Mayo).

"Them!" she spat, pointing at Zero and Steven's table. "Why are they sitting in my seat? I usually book those. How could you forget?"

- 'Ding!'

[NEW] [Task: Survive the Preppy! Reward:???']

The waiter gulped, adjusting his collar. Miss Kensington was really far too important for them to lose! His gaze shifted over to Zero and Steven, completely missing Mayo. It didn't seem like those two were linked to any 'prestigious' families, so…

"I apologize," The waiter looked apologetically at the two: "Could you leave? It's only fair to give the seats to our regular customer. You all need to leave."

"Oh, finally! We'd like to order…" Steven looked down at the menu at a leisure pace, "Dragon Crab Gnocchi, Gioco Antipasto, Monstruo Prawn Jamon Souvlaki, Thousand-year Peking Duck, and…" He pressed his thumb down on the last one. "Yes, and can't forget…"

"N-no," The waiter stuttered, a vein throbbing in his forehead, "I am not here to take your order."

"If you're not here to take our order," Steven said, looking innocently at the waiter, "Then why are you here? They should really fire you for not doing your job."

The waiter looked back at Kensington awkwardly.

"I don't care what you do." Kensington glared, her voice dripping with impatience, "Just get them out."

"Yeah, please get the food out." Steven agreed, happily, "Also, could you move that girl. She's blocking our view, and is kinda ruining it, y'know?"

- 'Ding!'

['Talking Back Skill: Level Up! Lv. 4 -> Lv. 5']

"Y-"In a move of pure desperation, the waiter's hand lunged for Steven's shoulder. But before his hand even made contact with the boy's shoulder, Mayo grabbed and flipped the chair out of the way. Somehow, Steven managed to stay seated, and to the spectators, it looked like he had performed a casual 'chair-spinning' trick!

Eating NPC's: "Wow!"

"Ugh," Kensington groaned. "You can't even do a simple task. GET YOUR MANAGER DOWN! RIGHT NOW!"

The waiter apologized profusely before, scrambling to get the manager.

Kensington glared at them. "Get OUT of the chair!"

Steven's lips twitched into a smile. "This chair? I'm rather attached to this chair. We've had a beautiful evening together."

[Dieze: "Current contact interval (in seconds): 57.1." X]

Kensington raised her eyebrow. "Well, you better find somewhere else to sit then, cause that CHAIR won't be able to support your poor '*' any longer."

"Are you sure you want to sit where my poor '*' has touched, your royal high-'*'?" Steven blinked.

"You will not speak to me that way," Kensington sputtered, her face turning a shade redder.

Mayo leaned back casually, her golden eyes never leaving Kensington's face, "I think you'll find that," she said, "...entitlement is like a bubble. Pop."

"Who said that?" Kensington looked around, her rage bubbling over. She raised her hand, and with a flick of her wrist, objects from the table began to lift and hurl themselves against the walls. Glasses shattered, plates broke, and the room became a maelstrom of destruction hurled at the three. Luckily, Mayo grabbed the table and started masterfully spinning it, protecting the trio from getting hit.

The room fell into stunned silence, save for the tinkle of settling glass.

At that exact moment, the manager came down with a solemn look in his eyes. Kensington plopped onto the ground, like she had broken an ankle.

"Oh, it's so terrible," Kensington softly pulled out a napkin, bawling, "They stole my seat a-and started throwing things at me!"

"I'm afraid I must ask you to leave!" The manager curtly stated, looking at the mess.

"See…" Kensington haughtily started.

"Miss Kensington, I'm afraid we must ask you to leave." The restaurant's management finally stepped in, a knowing look in their eye. "How disappointed would your father be if he saw this?"

"Y-you!" Kensington, shocked, said, "Why would you threaten me with my father? It-it wasn't my fault."

"I apologize for the behavior of my waiter." The manager frowned, glaring at the waiter, "Didn't I tell you not to make trouble?"

"I-I" The waiter could barely finish his words, but luckily for him, Kensington interrupted—

"It was them!" Kensington screamed, flailing her arms like she was hitting imaginary people. "It was them! I was just trying to enjoy my dinner! I swear!"

"Perhaps, some free food in the house?" The manager said, ignoring Kensington's rambles. He looked back at the group. "If necessary, say the word, I promise I will make sure Miss Kensington does not step in here ever again."

The trio exchanged glances. Zero's face remained inscrutable, his eyes reflecting nothing. Mayo's gaze was steady, but she didn't appear to say anything. Steven's lips twitched, a glint in his eye:

"Hmm…" Steven appeared to think for a bit, "Actually, since it's only one person, she can sit with us."

Kensington, the host, and even the nearby patrons looked baffled.

- 'Ding!'

A new stat update: ['Generosity + 1']

No, that wasn't quite right. The stat flickered and changed.

['Stupidity + 1'?]

That wasn't it either. The pop-up seemed to waver, uncertain.

['Forgiveness + 1'?]

Still not right. The numbers and words jumbled together…

['Tactical Diplomacy and Unexpected Magnanimity in the Face of Obnoxious Entitlement + 1']

Was that it?

"F-fine, whatever," Kensington hissed… huffing, as if she had forgotten about her tirade. She sniffed the air a bit, before gingerly sitting down in the remaining seat… next to a floor of shattered plates and other broken things. (Afterall, she was doing them a huge favor by sitting next to them.)

['Peaceful Ending?' X]

[Calibrating…]

[ERROR?]