Episode 90

Aidel maintained his smile even as Sonia playfully hit him. The two seemed to get along very well.

“Sonia, let’s refrain from hitting, shall we? What must others think of us?”

“Had you managed things better, young master, we wouldn’t be in this situation.”

“If I had managed things better, you say?”

“Hmph.”

Sonia shook her head. “Bring that over here, please.”

That? Ire’s mind raced. What could she possibly mean? Surely not some form of torture device? Her imagination ran wild with possibilities. After all, they were in the Holy Spirit Hospital, a place where a single scream could summon a fleet of inspectors. Yet, the thought was disconcerting. Hadn’t she endured enough already? What if the Reinhardt family had influence over the hospital, or worse if it was all a facade…

The door creaked open, and Sonia entered, pulling a tray behind her.

“It’s a chicken stew,” she announced, placing a bowl of chicken porridge in front of Ire.

Technically, chicken stew and chicken porridge were not the same. Still, since Aidel had introduced Sonia to the Korean dish, the distinction had blurred. Ire stared at the bowl, puzzled.

“I simmered the rice with plenty of water until it thickened, then added chicken breast, carrots, chives, and onions and let it cook slowly. These ingredients are great for eye health and combating skin aging.”

“Why chicken…?” Ire asked.

“Chicken aids in recovery. It’s the ideal food after your prolonged incarceration,” Sonia explained.

As steam curled up from the bowl, Ire’s eyes flickered with uncertainty. She noticed a sandy-looking powder sprinkled atop the porridge. Poison, perhaps?

“It’s just black pepper powder. It’s also beneficial for the eyes and skin.”

Despite her explanation, Ire’s trust was not easily won. She knew an investigation was in order.

“Altair, I’m sorry, but could you help me just this once?”

A faint response shimmered from the tattered Constellation. The moment Ire activated her skill, her pupils turned a deep red.

“…?” Ire was puzzled. The skill window appeared rudimentary, as though she had regressed to level 1. Below, a more detailed information tab was visible, but clicking it brought up only narratives about ingredients and recipes, devoid of any hints about poison or other dangers. Yet, the status window of the Constellation was infallibly truthful, especially when utilizing <Appraisal>.

Slowly, Ire lifted her gaze to meet Aidel’s. With a click of his tongue, he remarked, “Your eyes are really bloodshot. Sonia did a good job, didn’t she? You need to eat well to stay healthy and keep wandering.”

“…Don’t use informal speech.”

“Oh, yes.” Aidel quickly bowed his head. His innocent reaction left Ire feeling somewhat embarrassed.

Something was off. Aidel wasn’t usually like this. His face seemed altered, less naive, and more discerning. Particularly unsettling were his golden eyes—they differed from those in the previous cycles she had known. Deep and enigmatic, they made it impossible for her to gauge his true intentions.

“It’ll get cold at this rate. Please eat quickly,” Aidel urged.

“…I have a cat’s tongue.”

“Then please, take your time and eat as it cools. I, Aidel, will give you space.” With that, Aidel clasped his fists and stepped back.

Ire furrowed her brows as she noticed a book in Aidel’s hand titled [Universe Big Brother 6077].

“What kind of book is that?” she wondered silently. It seemed even the great Aidel enjoyed delving into novels during his downtime.

Aidel soon departed, leaving an empty space behind him. Ire turned to Sonia, who was also looking back at her.

Suddenly, Ire’s stomach growled. Realizing it had been an entire day since her last meal, she hesitantly picked up a spoon. She gently stirred the stew in front of her, watching a whirlpool form before cautiously bringing a spoonful of broth to her lips.

“!” she exclaimed softly.

“How is it?” Sonia asked, her eyes curious.

“Well…” Ire began, tasting the distinct flavors. “It’s bright and clean.”

“Jujube, ginger, ginseng, kelp. I added bok choy and cabbage, too. I was aiming for the taste of shabu-shabu.”

“Interesting,” Ire commented. The combination of ingredients was unusual and could easily have resulted in a bland or odd flavor. Still, Sonia had skillfully blended them to create a surprisingly gourmet experience. Ire smiled faintly; the dish suited her palate, refined from her time on the frontier.

The meal had ended, but Ire’s suspicions lingered. Why had Aidel’s demeanor shifted so drastically? And why was he showing such unexpected kindness to a stranger like her? Questions swirled in her mind.

Exhaling deeply, Ire examined her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Her hair was tangled, her eyes hollow. The tear stains beneath her dark circles seemed permanent. She stepped out of the bathroom and paused, organizing her thoughts. For now, it was best to remain here and reassess her plans.

And then there was Aidel. There had to be an ulterior motive. After countless encounters, he had never shown any hint of remorse. It was hard to believe he had suddenly turned over a new leaf.

Whispers seeped through the walls from the adjacent room. Curious, Ire pressed her ear against the door, straining to listen. She caught snippets of a conversation between Aidel and Sonia and peered through a crack in the door.

Aidel was sprawled on a bed, a blanket draped over him, absorbed in a book titled “The Mastery of Stone.” Ire rolled her eyes. What an odd title.

“Why does the protagonist behave this way? He should at least have a doctorate.”

“Young master, graduate school is akin to the martial arts world. There are tiers: first-rate, second-rate, and third-rate.”

“And?”

“A third-rate individual must find ways to survive in a cutthroat environment. Perhaps securing a stable government job is his way of survival.”

“He fled without even considering advancing further! Such a person will hardly find success outside academia either.”

“That’s your perspective as someone who has gone through a PhD program.”

Ire couldn’t make heads or tails of their discussion, but one thing was clear: Aidel was as eccentric as ever, perhaps even more so now.

“By the way, there are only four days left until Stellarium begins. We should start heading back soon, or we’ll be late,” Sonia reminded him.

“I know,” Aidel responded, closing his book with a sigh and stretching lazily.

Ire was taken aback by the conversation she had just overheard. Aidel von Reinhardt, a member of Stellarium? That fool?

This session was unlike any other she had encountered before.

“Ah, hold on. I just received a message from Professor Roden.”

The mention of Professor Roden immediately sharpened Ire’s focus. Like Zelnya, he had entered into a pact with an Outer God, turning against humanity. And now, he was in communication with Aidel? There was definitely something amiss.

“Ah, yes, Professor. I’m available to talk via voice code now. But, you see……”

Clearly, the two were plotting something.

“……Yes, yes. I’d appreciate it if you could arrange that. It’s not just me who stands to gain from this.”

Ire knew she had stumbled upon something significant. She continued to eavesdrop until the end of their conversation, then quickly headed back to the clinic as soon as Aidel left. It was time to revise her strategy.

Roden, Zelnya, Aidel. The dynamics had shifted, necessitating a new approach. It was evident that these were figures who required meticulous surveillance. There was only one effective way to keep an eye on all three.

‘…I need to infiltrate Stellarium College.’

With a heavy heart, Ire exited the infirmary.

• As a student of Reinhardt, I am immensely grateful for the FR model you developed with Professor Feynman. It was instrumental in enabling me to successfully expand the dimensions of the Ether Belt in my follow-up research. This breakthrough came after a decade of grappling with a problem that seemed impossible. Thank you for providing the key to this long-standing issue.

Professor Roden was a faculty member at Dahnab University and, originally, a character enthralled by the allure of the Outer God.

• We will not be applying for a patent on this technology; it will be more valuable as an open resource. I want Reinhardt to know this, the student who had developed the theory.

His path had been one of darkness and destruction until now. A twist of fate transformed him into a hero, saving the entire federation. Now, his journey had diverged significantly from the plot of the novel “Surviving Outer Gods,” rendering it nearly obsolete to everyone—except when it came to dealing with Ire Hazlen.

The dire misfortunes that once befell Ceti and Rustila are unlikely to reoccur. In a generous move, Professor Roden announced that he would release the patent for the Ether Belt expansion project. This decision promised a safer and more enjoyable academic life for all, forever altering the course of their future at the university.

Relieved, I could now focus on my research until the results of my graduate course application were released.

I approached Ire’s room with a sense of anticipation, rapping lightly on the door. “Knock, knock, knock.” Silence followed, but no answer came.

“May I come in?” I called out, mindful of the etiquette required when entering a lady’s room. After waiting a respectful thirty seconds and receiving no response, I decided it was safe to proceed. To ensure I maintained decorum and respected her privacy, I covered my eyes with a paper and cautiously opened the door.

But the room was empty.

“Oh.” I reduced the Pron score to zero, and she ran away.

“Are you looking for the young lady? She left while you were busy with your luggage, young master.”

I spun around. “How do you know that?”

“I saw her leave with my own eyes.”

“And you didn’t think to stop her?”

“You didn’t specify, sir. Wasn’t it just a one-night affair? That’s what they call a one-night stand, isn’t it?”

“Enough of your nonsense, Sonia…”

“You had a habit of teasing female students like this before, young master.”

I pressed my fingers to my temples. Being subjected to mirror therapy, forced to confront words I’ve never even uttered, is pure torment.

Reflecting on the memories of Ire that the calipers read, it’s clear she intends to keep an eye on me. With that in mind, as I continue my research, I know a day will come when we meet again. Meanwhile, I need to figure out how to spend my remaining two semesters.

A single word then flashed through my mind: Zelnya.

“Achoo!”

“Miss Adelwein, you’ve overexerted yourself. Even if the head of the family scolded you, skipping sleep was not wise…”

“Don’t worry about me; just go about your business.”

“But, Miss, I’m concerned about your health…”

“I said get out… Achoo!”

The new semester was set to begin the following day, but Zelnya had caught a cold three days earlier. Despite her illness, she was enduring a grueling session of closed-door training that felt akin to a brush with death.