.
.
.
—------------
/Later, in the real world…/
/Beep…/
[User has disconnected, initiating log-out procedures]
/Bloop.../
Inside a large white room full of strange machines and computer servers, a girl could be seen floating the Neuryne Solution.
[Quick System Check: All systems normal]
[Current body condition: Within expected paraters, considerable increase in ntal stress since last diagnosis scan]
[A progressive increase in the ntal state has been docunted]
[Further scans show no imdiate signs of concern, if it continues to rise, seek dical attention]
[It's safe to continue]
/Bloop! Blub.../
/Shuaa!/
Under the order of the system's operatives, the solution was drained rapidly as bubbles rose chaotically from the bottom of the machine.
Within a few seconds, it all went away into the drains, leaving the girl floating in the air, her black hair swaying around.
/Open…/
Her eyes were the first and only thing to move, opening slowly as she blinked gently.
She didn't try to do anything else, knowing full well it would only interfere with her recovery.
[Initiating motion recovery functions]
/Zip…/
The girl felt a tingling sensation all throughout her body, sothing that always made her laugh because it was no different from a tickle.
But now, for so reason, she wondered…
When was the last ti she had actually laughed at it?
/Beep!/
At that mont, from the other side of the room, a fortified, sliding double door opened, and a woman wearing a strange suit stepped out from within.
She looked middle-aged, her hair was slightly gray at the roots but she wasn't elderly yet.
She had perfect posture and her steps were rhythmic.
She had a gentle look on her face, and her glasses made her look kind, but from her appearance as a whole, she was definitely a strict person.
/Bzzz!/
Behind her, a small but cute circular robot robot flew in the air as it spun around, it seed rather playful but the woman paid it no heed.
/Stop…/
She stopped beside the glass pod the girl was suspended in, turning her head to look at a terminal before she started typing at high speeds.
/Open… SHUAAA…/
With a few commands, the Pod opened, releasing the pressure within like a torrent of air in a storm.
/Float…/
With it, the girl slowly descended to the ground, stepping on it with one foot at a ti in a rather fantastical and elegant way.
"Welco back Miss i." She said in a low and formal tone as she gave the girl her hand so she could stabilize herself
"... Thank you." i replied
"Hm?... Is sothing the matter dear, you look a bit pensive." She asked with so concern as she approached i, taking a look at her complexion
/Bzz!/
anwhile, the robot flew behind her had several appendages unloaded from within its body, from there on it started to dry her hair while humming… Terribly.
Albeit neither of the two paid it any heed, already far too used with the robot's terrible habits.
"Hum... Is it the reason you logged off early?"
"... I lost." The girl said in a low and slightly trembling tone, as if embarrassed by her own words
She could still feel it.
In their final bout, the two of them went at each other with their own strongest attacks.
But in the end, she was overwheld by the light, and with it, a feeling of emptiness struck her body.
Pain... A lot of it, but only montarily.
Following that, she logged off.
"?!"
/BZ-BZ-BZZZ?!/
Both the woman and the robot seed shocked to hear what i just said.
However, the maid kept her calm and instead smiled. Seemingly proud.
"I see, you lost."
"..."
/Pat/
"Don't be discouraged, failure is just part of the journey, reflecting and improving upon one's loss is what turns a mistake into a learning experience." She said as she touched her head gently
"..."
"Hum... It looks like to you need sothing sweet to brighten your day, how about I prepare you a nice lunch while you go talk with your father?" She asked as she touched her shoulder
"... Okay."
The girl felt like a little child, but honestly…
It wasn't so bad.
/BZZ!/
With the little robot spinning around her head excitedly, she couldn't help but blurt out a small smile as well, surprising both again.
But they did not say anything about that this ti.
…
Under the guidance of the robot, she walked around the confines of her ho through a multitude of tallic white corridors before eventually stopping by a large wooden door.
It didn't quite fit in with the rest of the aesthetics of the place, as if she had gone from Sci-Fi to a Traditional Rustic setting…
/Knock…/
"Enter."
/Creak…/
But as she walked inside, her feelings were exacerbated.
A large Office with dozens of shelves and spacious enough to be used as a classroom, decorated with all kinds of old artifacts and strange objects encased in protective glass and tal.
She had many mories of the place… Both good and bad ones. Though the bad ones were just mories of her being scolded for touching so of the restricted items and relics on the shelves, which led to her breaking most of them…
Together with mories of... People she could not forget.
Never.
"Hm?... Ah, i … Cough..."
"Hm… Are you well? It's been a while… Cough..."
Sitting in front of a massive window stood a man with broad shoulders and wide muscles.
He had short brown hair pulled back into a sleek style together with a formal black uniform that seed a bit too small for his body.
But despite his size, he had a rather welcoming look as he took off his small glasses, placing them aside.
Strangely enough, this man seed a bit embarrassed to face the girl, he had difficulty stringing together the words to give his daughter, trying to speak in a way he couldn't quite nail down.
He seed to have a lot going on in his mind, and he just couldn't pull forth any into the world.
"I… I lost." The girl said slowly but firmly this ti as she looked directly into his eyes
"..."
/Smile…/
The mont she said that, the man's worries all washed away as he relaxed on his chair, looking at her with a fatherly smile, saying:
"Congratulations."
"..."
Seeing her stupefied gaze, the man couldn't help but feel a bit emotional as well, but after thinking for a while, he got up from his seat, taking a step towards her.
/Hug/
He gave her a strong and wide bear hug, pulling the girl into his embrace.
And although she resisted at first, there was no way she could use any strength... Not against him.
Though even if she could, would she be able to free herself from his grasp?
"... Child, you've put too much weight on your shoulders, you should spare so of it to ." He said deeply as he patted her back
"Don't take it as a breach of your promise, I still rember it all too well..."
"Take it as the beginning of a new story, the first line on a new page, the progression of a Chapter into a new one."
"Heroic fairy tales do not begin with the Hero winning, they all start with a loss."
"This is the end of the Prologue... Congratulations on writing the first line of this Chapter." He said with a smile as he patted her head
/Ring Ring Ring!/
Just when it seed the girl was going to hug the man back, atop his office table, sothing started to ring continuously.
"... I'm sorry child, father is still in the middle of work." He said with a half-broken smile as he took a step back
"If you wish to talk more about it… I'll wrap things up here and open so ti for tomorrow."
"For now… Rest a little and log back in… I'll settle things here for your re-entry into the Tower." He said as he looked around the place
"... Thank you." i said with a light nod as she turned around
"Father."
/Clack/
"..."
Hearing her call him that almost made the man cry, how long had it been since she called him that?
He hadn't heard it ever since…
"Hm… Sigh."
'Anyway… Who's calling at this ti?…'
/Bzz!/
Suddenly, a video projection opened on its own in front of his face, revealing an old man with a sharp expression.
"So it was you… Couldn't you have chosen a worst ti to call? I was in the middle of important business, Roger." The man said in a snarky tone as he sat down on his chair
"As if, the only thing you do all day is stamp those boring papers, you look more like a retired veteran than ."
"You should reconsider your life choices while you're still young." Roger replied as he shook his head
"Young you say… I already have a daughter over 20, I'm not at that age anymore, my ti adventuring ended long ago." He said with so lancholy as he shook his head
His ti fighting had long since ended and he looked at the past fondly, but he still felt very proud of everything he built, and above all, his daughter.
"Here in ten years, you'll understand what I'm talking about." Roger added as he crossed his arms
"In any case, you must've heard the news by now."
"I did... I was in the middle of hearing them directly from one of the involved." The man said with so annoyance as he tapped on the table
"Hm… I see, so I have indeed interrupted you, I apologize."
"At least you have so conscience in you… But in any case, what is this call about? You know that I'm busy, I can't speak like this for long."
"Can't speak... You're so stingy…"
"But well, I imagine you haven't forgotten what we talked about last ti, did you?" Roger asked with a faint smile
"..."
The man remained silent, knowing full well where this conversation was going now.
"Well, I'll give you ti to think, I'm not obliging you into anything, but do take it into consideration."
"... I will, that was my promise after all."
"Good… That was all I wanted to say."
"Take care of yourself up there, just because you're far away, that doesn't an you'll remain unaffected." Roger said as he turned to the side, looking sowhere outside of the cara's field of view
"You can't run away from this… No one can."
"Everyone's moving already, you should as well, before it's too late to catch up."
"..."
"I hope you have a nice week… Forr Third Ranker." Roger said with a chuckle as he closed the video call
"... Don't call that…" The man said as he turned his chair around, looking at the scenery outside the window
There, a wide modern city expanded to the horizon, and above him, a bright 'star' shone strongly.
Earth.
'Not when I failed… I've abandoned that Title.' He thought silently as his face twisted
/Tremble…/
His anger continued to rise, more and more, his eyes eventually turned red, and the entire Office started to shake.
[DIN DIN DIN DIN]
[ERGENCY]
/~Music~/
"... Phew…"
When dozens of lights started to sparkle around his Office, and a piece of soothing music started to play, he closed his eyes, calming down.
And when he did so, he turned around, going back to his work.
He needed to pull his attention away, otherwise, he wouldn't be able to keep his cool.
His Curse and Blessing.
…
.
.
.
Notes
Reviews
All reviews (0)