At the corner of the shop street, in a jewelry shop that rarely had any customers since its opening, two idle leaders of the Empire and a slow-witted girl named Sylvia were leisurely enjoying their afternoon coffee break after work.
The girl in front of us, who had long silver hair, a harmless smile, and a brain that was always slower than the real world, was named Sylvia Lustein O 'Sullivan. It was a noble name that didn't match her image at all. It made people wonder if she was a princess of some country who lived in the palace and came to experience life among the commoners. Of course, that was impossible. She was only the manager and the only employee of a small jewelry shop that required the protection of the school's welfare system. Her business skills and poverty level were even comparable to the Twin Sisters who opened a flower shop but needed the help of the other Imperial Army officers.
To be honest, although it's a little rude, with her slow personality and her brain that is almost independent of the real world, it's amazing that she's able to survive until now without starving to death. Should I say that the school city's welfare system is really amazing?
"There usually aren't any customers here." Sylvia slowly sipped the coffee in her hand while narrowing her eyes, "That's why it's very quiet right now."
"Ugh … Is that so …"
Cold sweat appeared on my forehead as I awkwardly agreed. She was really a mysterious creature to be able to calmly face the pitiful state of her business.
It was already a miracle that she was able to open her jewelry shop like this.
"Ah — Speaking of which, are you also students here?" Sylvia lightly blew into her cup before raising her head curiously, "You don't look like one."
"Oh, we work in a research institute." Lin Xue nodded and said half the truth. Then, she asked curiously, "Oh, you should be a foreigner, right? Sylvia or something, this name sounds English, but your face looks like an Asian. Are you a mixed-blood? "
Sylvia shook her head lightly, "No … I don't know where I was born either … I think I'm an orphan that was adopted by the school city a long time ago …"
The silver-haired girl spoke unhurriedly as if time had no effect on her. Lin Xue and I immediately changed to a more comfortable sitting position: You have to have the mentality of living when you listen to Sylvia, or else you'll die of exhaustion.
"I've been living here since a long time ago … I grew up in an orphanage, I think I was adopted by a researcher couple … But to be honest, I don't really remember … Because those memories have already disappeared … I think I had a tumor in my brain since I was very young. Although it wasn't fatal, it made it hard for me to remember things, and I couldn't concentrate … I often lose my memory … Also, it took me a long time to learn how to speak, and even when I did, I was still as clumsy as I am now. Although my parents were researchers, the tumor was very special, and even the research institute's equipment couldn't do anything about it. Then … after my parents passed away, because they contributed a lot to the school city, I was taken care of by the board of directors … You see, I'm very clumsy, and it's hard for me to live alone. Although I'm trying to open a small shop, it seems like I'm going to fail … Oh right, do you want another cup?"
Sylvia said with a tranquil smile. Then, she stood up and took the coffee cup in front of me without waiting for a reply. However, I was already used to her actions.
"Then? Is the tumor still there? "
Lin Xue asked with some concern. I also pricked up my ears. If it was really as Sylvia said, that she often lost her memory to the point where she didn't even know where she was yesterday, then she was a disabled person who couldn't even live independently! Although she had the care of the leaders of the school city, it really wasn't easy for this girl to survive until now …
If it was that OP "life support chamber", it definitely wouldn't be a problem to treat Sylvia's brain tumor.
However, it seemed like our concern was unnecessary. Sylvia smiled and slowly shook her head. "There's no need to worry … The school city's technology is developing really fast … A few months ago, because of my parents, the research institute that took care of me funded me to receive treatment, so the tumor is gone … Although I still don't have any memory of the past, and can only rely on those diaries and photos to make conjectures, it's very disappointing, but it will slowly get better in the future …"
Is that so, you're just speaking slowly out of habit, right?
I was already drowsy from listening to this girl speak slowly, but I still had the energy to retort. As expected, would I die if I didn't retort, did a virus invade my brain cells?
Everyone has a story. After listening to this ordinary and slightly clumsy girl talk about her past, I suddenly had this realization. Then — — It was getting late.
"It's already so late, if we don't go back now, our family will be worried."
Lin Xue glanced at the gradually setting sun outside and stood up after finishing the coffee in her cup.
"Thank you for your hospitality, we'll come often in the future."
Why has this girl never been so polite to me before?!
"En, then goodbye — —" Sylvia stood at the entrance of the shop and smiled warmly at us, "You must come if you have the chance — —"
"What an interesting girl."
While waiting for the train, Lin Xue suddenly sighed in a low voice. Her slightly squinted eyes reflected the radiance of the setting sun in the distance.
"Although there's a deep darkness, there seems to be a warm place in the school city." I nodded and felt inexplicably happy, "It's just that if I talk to that girl for a long time, I would quickly fall into a strange state. Now when I speak, I have to refresh my brain for a long time before I can form a word."
Although I said that, there seemed to be a rather peaceful atmosphere around Sylvia, as if she was the last piece of pure land with a leisurely afternoon sun in this increasingly tense city. Although it was only the second time we met, it made me feel relaxed as if I was chatting with an old friend after a meal. There weren't many people like this nowadays, and it was precisely because of this that Lin Xue, Sylvia, and I became friends after interacting with each other for a short while.
"Someone without a past … huh …"
All of a sudden, Lin Xue sat on the railing behind her and leaned her entire body backward, stretching her muscles with a 9.9 degree of difficulty. She sighed at the past where Sylvia kept losing her memories.
"Also, did you know?"
Lin Xue opened her eyes and raised her right hand that was wearing the bracelet. She clenched it tightly against the setting sun.
"She also doesn't have a future …"
I finally reacted after a few seconds.
"What?! Girl, you said she doesn't have a future? "
The prophet waved his hand in disdain, "Your reaction is really slow, but your voice is pretty loud."
"Cough cough … You stupid girl … You said you can't see Sylvia's future?"
"It's not that I can't see it." Lin Xue shook her head as she continued to study the bracelet on her hand. "To me, even if it's a future that I can't see, there should be chaos. However, I can only see emptiness on Sylvia. There's nothing, not even chaos."
"Why didn't you say so earlier?"
"Is there any difference between saying it earlier and now?" Lin Xue twitched her mouth, "Are you going to capture her and dissect her for research?"
"That's true." I nodded my head. There were too many strange people in this world. It was hard to understand an existence that Lin Xue couldn't see through, but … Huh? Speaking of which, a human that even Lin Xue couldn't see through, could she be the angel that the Cross Church was looking for?
However, as soon as this thought popped up, I immediately rejected it. It seems that I have been a little paranoid from the hide-and-seek Angel these past few days. Although that girl is a little special, it is impossible for my energy sensing ability to go astray. Sylvia's body doesn't even have a single trace of abnormal energy waves. She is completely an ordinary human. As for an 'angel', even if they disguise themselves as a human, it is impossible for them to not have any energy waves. This is something that even I, who dares to call myself an energy master, can't do.
"It's another mysterious person." I let out a long breath, "There are too many unknown things in this world."
"What's wrong, blockhead? Why are you suddenly acting like a philosopher? Have you been transmigrated? "
Can't you allow me to lament about life? No matter what, the person in front of you is the head of the Empire, do you understand? She's three levels higher than a useless advisor like you, you bastard!
Just as I was protesting in my heart, the long-awaited train finally arrived.
Due to the long distance, the sky was already completely dark by the time we returned to the research facility. Visca had consumed a lot of energy from losing control of her mind during the previous rampage and was currently snoring on the dining room table. Her elder sister wanted her to return to her room to sleep first, but she insisted on waiting for me to return. In the end, she fell asleep on the table. To be honest, this plot of a father returning home late and a daughter who was so tired that she fell asleep made one tear up …
Pandora chewed on a lollipop and sat motionlessly beside Visca. She stared at her younger sister without blinking. When she found out about the incident, she almost led people to slaughter everyone related to the 'Absolute Ability' project. Fortunately, her elder sister stopped her in time, otherwise, the school city wouldn't turn into a river of blood.
"Ah Jun! You're finally back! "
Following such a cheer, Shallow Shallow had already leaped into my arms like a butterfly. I hugged the soft body in my arms lightly, and my heart was moved.
She was so worried after just going out for such a short while? Silly girl, it's not like it's a dangerous place …
"Finally, we can eat! Elder sister said that we have to wait for you to come back before we can eat … "
Putting down the girlfriend in my arms, I faced the sunset with tears streaming down my face.
"Lei Zi has already returned?"
I asked casually when I didn't see the figure of a certain vitality girl wandering around the research facility.
"Oh, she's returned. She'll come over tomorrow for the award ceremony."
I froze in my tracks just as I was about to head over to the dining table. Then, I turned around and asked blankly, "Award ceremony? What's that? "
Shallow Shallow pointed in Pandora's direction. "I didn't know about this at first, but it was Pandora who told me. She said that Lei Zi has already obtained the recognition of a portion of the Imperial Army and has reached the requirements to become an official commander. She has to go through the basic commander training course, possess the strength of at least a junior commander, respond to the Empire's call to participate in a real battle and lead the soldiers to victory or complete a mission, be recognized by the soldiers she leads, and make a certain contribution to the Empire — Lei Zi has already fulfilled all of these requirements, especially when she led a group of soldiers and successfully fought against a commander-level officer. This kind of achievement is considered outstanding even among the commanders of the Shiring Apostles — that is, if we can eliminate all the cheating points. As for why Lei Zi is a registered commander, one reason is because Pandora suggested it from the perspective of 'the Imperial Army's power should not be leaked out', and the other reason is to protect her. Suddenly obtaining this power might not be a good thing for Lei Zi, and if she is classified as a member of the Imperial Army, wouldn't it be reasonable for her to start a war in an emergency? Of course, we won't give her military authority … apart from the necessary soldiers. "
I was silent for a long time after listening to Shallow Shallow's explanation.
He had a super ability that descended from the sky, and he would be able to spar with a seasoned military officer of the Empire as soon as he completed his training. Not only that, he would be fighting a Boss that was severely weakened and half-crippled. Not only that, he would also have a group of Bronze Saint Seiya who acted as soldiers to help him. After he completed his mission, a bunch of powerful beings would immediately go up to him and give him a medal …
Could it be that Zuo Tian Lei Zi had transmigrated from some corner of the world?
I sighed in my heart at this young girl named Zuo Tianlei's fantastical experience. I listened to Qian Qian's explanation of the award ceremony seriously because she said, "I don't know. Go ask your sister."
… Anyway, I didn't ask.
Other than our family, there was one more person at the dining table tonight: the clone that we rescued, Osaka 10031.
Even though we could confirm that the "Absolute Ability Project" was about to end and Osaka's younger sister was safe, but since we rescued her, there was no reason for us to send her back to the research facility. Furthermore, my sister and Shallow Shallow were touched by the misfortune of her younger sisters. In the end, Osaka 10031's younger sister, Osaka, was unceremoniously classified as the property of the Schilling Research Facility. Furthermore, according to Shallow Shallow, I had to hand over the remaining ten thousand younger sisters in the next few days …
As they were mass-produced tools for experiments, Osaka's younger sisters' growth cycles were forcefully shortened and they relied on the learning device to unify their personalities. This resulted in their lifespan being much shorter than that of an ordinary human, to the extent that it was only a quarter of an ordinary human's lifespan. In the original 'script', after everything was settled by the youjō, the younger sisters underwent body adjustments and regained most of their human lifespan. However, from a sociological point of view, the Schilling Research Facility was definitely more reliable than the technology of the campus city. Since we had decided to intervene in this matter, it was better to let Osaka's younger sisters accept our treatment. Of course, the prerequisite was that those unreliable scientists wouldn't really form a clone mech regiment under the instigation of a certain lunatic.
Although it was called a research facility, it was still a place for a bored family to have fun. Apart from the slightly serious atmosphere of research that Teardrop came over every day, we treated this place as our home. At this moment, we could see Shallow Shallow's foresight. Although her culinary skills were on the same level as mine, the kitchen that she brought solved the problem of her elder sister not being used to the unfamiliar kitchen utensils. The daily dining time of the Schilling Research Facility had always made Osaka and Mikoto curious. She had never seen a research facility with a group of people sitting together as if they were eating at home.
Previously, as an experimental tool, he had to eat with the other "tools" every day, and he had to eat according to the precisely calculated method and portion sizes. This must be the first time he had experienced such an atmosphere of sitting together as a family, right?
That was what I thought as I looked at Misaka 10031, who seemed to be a little nervous as he kept looking around.
"Alright, the dishes are ready." The elder sister finally heated up the last dish and placed it on the dining table. Then, she stood by the dining table and said in an imposing manner, "Go and wash your hands. Ah Jun, you go too! The little girls are more self-aware than you are. "
Then, the head of the Empire led the group of lolis to line up in the kitchen to wash their hands …
"Osaka 10031 … Is that your name?"
I turned to look at Osaka's younger sister who was earnestly washing her hands. The latter also raised her head, her large gray eyes were expressionless.
"How do you feel now? The feeling of weakness should have disappeared, right? "
"Everything is normal. That was truly a miraculous medical technique. I am extremely grateful for your help. Osaka 10031 was amazed by the miraculous technique that allowed her to recover in a day. She expressed her gratitude to her benefactors."
"Oh, that's good …"
It was indeed troublesome to communicate with Osaka's unique way of speaking. That was because you had to add a translation mechanism to replace the analysis of their expressions …
There was no need to doubt the elder sister's culinary skills. The most obvious example was how Pandora would fight with Visca for a piece of braised pork ribs on the dining table. Osaka 10031, who was emotionless when she spoke, immediately widened her eyes after tasting the dishes cooked by the elder sister. Then, she began to gobble down the dishes. I really don't know if she would suddenly feel anything if the little ghost with extraordinary housekeeping skills were to come over.
Taking advantage of the meal, I briefly explained my meeting with Alesta today. Even the meticulous elder sister couldn't understand his strangely conniving attitude and the rash proposal of a 'deal'. But no matter what, it wasn't a bad thing for us. Alesta's intentions were clear. As long as we didn't demolish the school city and could help protect it when necessary, he wouldn't interfere too much with suspicious outsiders like us. As for conspiracies and whatnot, there was no need to worry about that.
Shallow Shallow and her elder sister were also rather interested in the Sylvia who had no past or future that I had casually mentioned. Even though Lin Xue judged that she couldn't possibly be an angel, that didn't stop the two girls' wild imagination. At the start of dinner, Sylvia's identity was that of an ordinary orphan raised in the school city. By the time we were almost done eating, she had already become a great deity who had been banished to the mortal world. Thankfully, we ate quickly today. If my elder sister had served two more dishes, I reckon that the topic would have shifted to the common points between the Queen of Blades and Fuschia …
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