Am I going to be killed by my beloved now? Sighing, I said, “No. I just want you to stop.”

“Miss Alissa,” Xavier called, bringing my attention to the man in front of me. He added, “its best if you don’t associate yourself with them. You will only be caught in danger.”

He glimpsed over to Sylus, and walked away. To my surprise, neither Sylus nor the twin went after him. I breathe a sighed of relief not knowing the tension behind my back.

“Sylus,” I called his name without moving, as the mouth of that gun was still plastered on the back of my head.

“Talk.”

Rather than to have miscommunication with him, I chose to profess everything that happened. From the moment I was lost and get into an accident. Then drugged during the two days of captivity, to being sold to one of his rival, and somehow encounter a fateful meeting with the kind stranger that help me get out of that place.

Perhaps, his suspicion had reduced little bit. He put down the gun and allowed me to turn around, meeting his eyes. The black and red mist circled around my waist, pulling me closer to his side.

He pinched my chin and stared into my eyes. His red eyes glowed like a shining ruby in the dark sky. There was some forces keep pushing into my mind. My fingers could not help itself but to trace along his jawline, his nose bridge and his eyelids.

“What are you doing?” he asked, wincing his eyebrows.

“I— You are beautiful. Too beautiful for this world to understand.”

“Alissa.”

“Yes?”

“Show me your desire.”

“My desire?”

“I had been wondering what was it about you that I failed to perceive. I do not believe you were void of desire.”

The bulb lighten up! Now, I remembered. His eyes was also an Aether Core. He was able to look into people’s desire by looking into their eyes. Then, since the first time we met, he was trying to look into my desire! That was why he had been staring intently into my eyes.

“What does that mean?” I foolishly asked.

“Nothing,” he claimed as he let go his grip from my chin, and the black and red mist dissipated. “Be careful next time you went out. Mephisto would be devastated if anything happen to you.”

Without hearing any reply from my side, he vanished into thin air. “Mephisto, huh…” I mumbled, annoyed, and a little bit sad. Finally feeling relaxed, I plopped onto the ground. The pain that I had been painstakingly holding back came rushing, pulling and twisting my muscle.

I looked at my palm that was without any blemish, and wondered how did they managed to make all the injuries and scratches went down the river, albeit, I still could felt the aching and soreness all over my body muscle.

Luke and Kieran was nowhere to be seen. There was hardly a person walking by. I had no energy, thus I sprawled down on the ground. Let me have some rest before I went back home.

***

When I came back to work, as if nothing had happened, our path never once intertwined. Then another month passed with me adjusting my life in N109 Zone.

It was to be expected that me and Sylus would not stumbled upon each other unless one of us take a step forward. Our world were different, he was someone who were meant for big things, working with people from all around the city, while for me, my only place was here, where I work and where I stayed.

Unlike the main character that was a hunter, I am nothing but a cleaner. There was nothing about my job that would create an opportunity for me to weave into his world. Yet, I still yearned for him like a fool.

A knock came to my door. “Alice,” Mira called from outside.

“Come in.”

“I’m going to the market, heard there was a sale for some cheap protocore. Want to come with?”

I shook my head. “I’ll pass.”

“Sure? Antiquette will also be there. That old woman will be sulky if you don’t go buy anything from her, you know. I heard she had been bragging about new collection.”

“She was just lonely. People nowadays seldom reading physical book or listening to classical music like the old day.”

“Oh, please. That was just rich people’s hobby. They have lots of time to waste.”

“Not really… At least not me.”

Mira rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders. “What make you so interested in books and classical music?”

“Book are a compilation of written words, stories, documentations, myths, lore, and many other different things. It tells us the story of all time. It was interesting to read people’s story.”

“You don’t need physical books to read a book. There’s also e-book.”

“No. Not the same. It had completely different feeling. I don’t know how to describe it, but… it’s different. Totally.”

“Then what about classical music?”

“The person I love like to listen to them.”

“That’s all?”

“That’s all.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

She grunted while stroking the back of her head. “Really don’t understand. Whatever! Go or not go?”

“My feet said they were too lazy to walk.”

“Tell them I brought the information that you wanted to know.”

“Really? When?”

“Come with me and I’ll tell you.”

“Hmm… What is it?”

“What?”

“You had never been this enthusiastic inviting me before. Got something you need?”

“Ugh… I…” she sighed, “I need something from Antiquette. Do me a favor.”

“What do you need?”

“Philip need some new material for Whale X-07.”

“She had that material?”

“Yeah. I have checked the other place. Low quality. No no. Philip told me she had a good one. Not just good, but tip top.”

Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

“Tell me what I wanted to know first.”

“Next month. The Hunters Association’s licensure examination is next month. But… why did you even need the info? Don’t tell me— You’re trying to be a hunter?”

“No! Of course not! That’s not it.”

“Then?”

“Just— For something…”

She sighed. “Alright. I won’t asked more. But, a deal is a deal. Let’s go.”

West of the city, there was a big undeveloped area where people from the slum, low class and middle class would intermingled with one another. One particular street stood out with its 24 hours operation.

The first time I went into the street, I was fascinated by the street food stall with various local specialty. As we walked deeper into the street, our nose were hit by the metallic smell of fresh blood and the grease of oil from machines.

Amidst the horde of people shouting and murmuring, hidden an alley at the right corner of the street. Even though the market was hustling and bustling with people, the alley was quiet as the dead.

Mira and I walked through the alley and made our stop in front of a small store with a nameplate numbered 86 hanging on the wall. She knocked on the iron door rhythmically four time, and received a same response in the form of rhythmic knock four time.

“Cinderella came to receive her diamond shoes from the fairy godmother,” Mira recited the phrase Antiquette placed as the secret code.

The door creaked open. As soon as we came inside, Antiquette who was standing by the stair waving her hand, beckoning us to follow along. On the second floor of the store were a library full of books. At the corner of the room were a shelves full of vinyl records that seem to have faded with the time.

“Miss An…” Mira voiced out, calling Antiquette by her nickname, “…don’t you think you should changed the code already? Cinderella was supposed to wear glass heels, you know. Where does this diamond came from anyway?”

“You brat! That was the point,” Antiquette stated as she took a seat on the rocking chair at the corner of the room.

“Because… only the people that was personally invited by Miss An could entered the sanctuary,” I added, while looking over the books on the shelves. Intriguingly, most of the newly bought books were those from 800 years ago.

“I know… but… could you not use fairy tales for my code? As an avid lover, I found it hard to tweak the original detail. Can’t you do it for me?” Mira pleaded, widening her eyes with that sheepish smile.

“Don’t even try to act cute! It look horrible!” the old woman replied, flicking her forehead. She looked toward me, said, “how was it? Find anything you like yet?”

“Miss An. You know there is no way I would like nothing. How much for 35?”

“500 gold, 10 protocore, and…” she took out a piece of small paper, and gave it to Mira who was closer to her, “…bring that to me, and you have your goods.”

“What a price… that much for just some books?” Mira grumbled yet did not failed to fetch the paper and passed it onto my hand.

“I would say, it actually cheaper than I thought. Knowledge is priceless and time is gold. It was not easy to find book this old anymore in this era. Most people tend to look for something much closer to their understanding and older book strayed from their ideal.”

“Be honest. You’re actually a scholar aren’t you?” Mira placed her arms around my shoulder.

“One do not need to be a scholar to qualify as an avid reader. And I simply like reading.”

“You should learn from her example, you brat. Don’t just go and swing around your fist all time. Try to learn some mannerism,” the old woman intercepted, snickering at the end of her words.

Mira clicked her tongue. “Oh! Right~ Miss An. What about the material I asked before?”

“Hmph! I thought you had forgotten it by now,” Antiquette grumbled. She took something out from the inner pocket of her cardigan. “Here,” she said, holding out a small vial with purplish liquid.

***

“Here I was… wondering what you were going to do with those jewel… Who were you going to give it to?” Mira quipped, with a big grin on her face, trying to sneak a closer look on the jewelry box, “wait! That design… You—don’t tell me you’re going to give it to him?”

I glanced at her side, completely baffled with her reaction, as if I’m doing something wrong. “What?” I said, little bit annoyed.

She shook her head and sighed. “I knew you had a big crush on him, but… I really still could not fathom the reason for your like.”

I wanted to tell her, I also don’t understand. At first, he was my favorite character in the game. Since when does he meant much more than that? When I thought about it again and again, it was absurd to fall for someone without any reason, but…

“Do you need a reason to fall in love with someone?” I blurted out what in my mind.

“I can’t believe I would hear you said the same thing as Luke!” she mumbled while hugging herself with the face of disgust.

“Do you like Luke?”

I remembered how flustered I was when I knew she had never reciprocated his feelings despite the way they were comfortable with each other like an old married couple. However, the more that I became the witness for their frantic, the more confused I became.

“Why would you ask me that question?” She looked at me with a contorted face, added, “didn’t I already told you before?”

“Yeah, yeah. I remember… It was just… Sometimes you had this look on your face that show you like him,” I said, cupping my cheeks while staring into her eyes.

“Ah, freak! I almost punched you…” she spoke as she pushed my face backward.

I let out a sighed as I pulled her hand away from my face. “How sad… Mira used to be my first protector, now she doesn’t care about me anymore~”

“So much for your sad while your face grinning from ear to ear. Why would you even asked such foolish question.”

“Why don’t you reflect on your own behavior before you questioned my question. If you see it from my perspective, you will think the same, you know.” I shrugged my shoulders.

“Whatever! Don’t talk about this anymore. Especially in front of him!”

“Alright, alright. my mouth is sealed,” I said, gesturing as if I’m zipping my lips.

“So… You still going to give it to Sylus?” Mira crossed her arms as she took a seat on the sofa.

“Of course. Which part of our conversation indicate I’m not going to?” I gave a nonchalant remark while placing the box on the table and went to the fridge, “… by the way, they said they would be coming for dinner right?”

Mira nodded with a little hum as she took the can of soda that I handed to her. She didn’t spoke anything and just took a big gulp down her throat.

“Take this.”

“What’s this? I thought only that man occupied your mind. So you do remember this kind friend of yours…” she voiced out with a big grin on her face as she took the gift bag from my hand.

When I saw that she didn’t react after seeing the gift, I asked, “was it not to your liking?”

At first, I was concerned, but then, her big smile and her glowing eyes washed away all of my worry. “I like it… very much so. Thank you,” she said.

For quite some time, neither of us said any words. How could I? I was too stunned to speak when I heard the word ‘thank you’ coming from her mouth.

“Hey! Say something already!” she whispered with her face red as tomatoes.

Looking at how humane she was make me burst out laughing and that earned me a slap on my back. However, I’m glad that I was able to direct our conversation to something else.

The atmosphere turned cheerful and we converse various silly topic that we didn’t noticed how much time had passed. It was only when Luke and Kieran storming into the house did we realized it already night.

“Why do I feel like I had missed something important?” Luke whispered as he took a seat on the sofa while glancing over Mira.

“Here.”

Both Luke and Kieran looked down on the boxes placed in front of them with a puzzled expression. Then, looked at each other, before simultaneously looked at me. “Gift. For you two.”

They looked at each other again, then looked down on the boxes and looked at me again, said, “for us?”

I nodded, replied, “yeah…”

“Really?” they both uttered at once.

I hummed. Somehow it felt much more embarrassing than gifting it to Sylus. Like giving a gift to the most naughty boy in class and waiting to be teased.

However, we stayed in a stalemate while being observed by Mira. Her face was one she had when she saw something amusing. I really could not handle this quietness, especially when it came from these two.

“Wow~ It’s a gift… for us.”

“Really for us…”

To be honest, I don’t really understand their reaction. Actually I don’t understand them. Sometimes, they act like a child but some other time, they were just psychopathic criminal. Make me wonder what actually happened to them in their unknown past.

“Don’t like it?” I asked casually, fishing for their reaction.

“You crazy? This is cool!”

“Right, right! Coolest shit ever!”

“Never thought we’re getting this!”

“True, true! First time ever!”

They rambled on and on about this being the first time someone had ever give them a present. Now, that made me unable to ask their help for my request. Why was it no one ever think to buy something for the twin before, now I’m the one plagued with guilty conscience.

Mira seem to notice my discomfort, thus she interjected with a loud bang from smashing down the soda can on the table. How that sound being produced remained a mystery even for me.

“What are you yapping yapping out loud for? So what if you never received any gift? Was that any big deal?” she shouted.

That one remark was enough for them to go back to their usual demeanor. I am grateful for her help.

“Can you guys give these to Sylus?” I said, placing a gift bag and a box on the table.

“Why don’t you give them yourself?” Kieran retorted, raising his eyebrow.

“I haven’t seen him for quite a while… so… can you just give it to him on my behalf?” I pleaded while trying to hold back my urge to just force them.

“Oh~ So that’s why you gave the present to us…”

“My first time getting a bribe~”

“Should we help?”

“Should we?”

The whole teasing vexed me. “If you don’t want to do it, then don’t. I didn’t give you the gifts so that you would help me!” was what I announced.

Even though I knew that was not the truth. I actually give them the presents so they would help me. Just, my pride doesn’t allowed me to be honest. It’s alright as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone right?

“We didn’t said we won’t…”

“So~ We only have to give this to Boss?”

“You really down so hard for Boss huh…”

“Well.. Lots of girl had eyes on him but don’t have the guts you know.”

“Right~ You might be the first one!”

“Who know… maybe Boss will give you a chance.”

They might not know, but their boss had already set his eyes on one person, and only that one in his whole life. My expectation had already came to an end when I was brooding over the fact whether this here was the world of Love and Deepspace or not.

“He would not even care…” I mumbled, not knowing that my numbered day will came to an end too.