Chapter 82 - Missed

With the second day of Metadome Lessons done, Aldrin thought of going back to his quarters right away to return his focus back on IDLE Database.

The four runs of Idle Adventure would surely be done already and the Essence Storage had already been expanded to 1000.

However, before he could do so, Irina blocked his way towards his room and hugged his arm as she dragged him towards the cafeteria where the other three were already waiting.

"You have to join us for dinner this time, Aldrin! Tell us your experience on full immersion! We also want to reach that state!"

With that as her reasoning coupled with her pleading round eyes, Aldrin eventually gave up resisting her slightly pushy invitation.

He had no idea if it was intentional, but Irina used her womanly charms outright by pressing his arm between her still developing valley. Although he could pull his arms off of it easily, he would surely come off as cold-hearted.

'Just this once.' He thought.

It's not detrimental to him to increase his bond with his group. Moreover, it's not like he wouldn't be able to access the IDLE Database. No one could see it apart from him, anyway.

A while later, with Irina still tightly hugging his arm, they reached the cafeteria that's currently bustling with activity.

Even with Irina to guide him towards their table, Aldrin still scanned the room.

Most tables were occupied with groups of trainees, eating and talking to each other as they shared their experiences on the lesson as well as the news they picked up from their instructors.

However, Aldrin found a few new faces apart from the trainees.

'They're not our Instructors… then the guest Energy Refiners?'

It didn't take long for him to guess their identities. It's just a process of elimination after all. Furthermore, they all looked older than the young trainees and although faint, he could feel the stronger fluctuation of energy around them.

He was about to take his eyes off of them but he suddenly felt an eerily familiar sensation making him stop in his steps to take a second look.

"Aldrin?" Next to him, Irina asked upon noticing his actions.

She looked up and followed his gaze that was locked somewhere.

"Who's that? An acquaintance?" She asked again, confused why he would stop to stare at someone.

Aldrin heard her question and he answered with a simple shake of his head.

On one corner of the cafeteria, a man that was probably in his late twenties was by himself, drinking a mug of beer.

Perhaps noticing that Aldrin's gaze was locked onto him, the man raised his head to return his gaze, his eyes narrowing into a slit.

However, before their eyes could meet, Aldrin snapped back and resumed his steps, dragging Irina this time to the table where Frederic, Caroline, and Clark were waiting.

'I don't know who he is but… what's that familiar and dangerous sensation I felt from him?'

Inside his chest, he could feel that his heart throbbed nervously as if he encountered a sinister entity that could end his life at any moment.

"Aldrin! What's that? I know Irina's looking at you favorably but I have no idea you're this close already." Frederic teased upon seeing them approaching, pulling Aldrin's out of his stupor.

"What are you saying? Aren't you the one who told me to drag him here?"

"Really? Why does it look like you're the one being dragged by him?"

"Oi! Aldrin, get away from Irina!"

With that kind of banter among his groupmates, Aldrin's mind soon returned to normal.

He then tried to once again look at that same corner. However, the man sitting there had already disappeared.

'Huh? Where did he go?'

"Shut up, Clark! Are you okay, Aldrin? You looked pale." Irina asked as they sat down on the empty seats.

Despite that short banter with Frederic and Clark, the girl was also partly confused at Aldrin's sudden change that she witnessed.

"Un. No problem here." Seeing how the girl was genuinely worried about him, he soon shook his head and put on a smile to reassure the girl. However, one part of his mind was still wondering who that man was.

"If there's no problem, then can you move over there? You're unnecessarily close to her!" Clark once again howled like a dog who got his bone stolen.

Clearly, that's his jealousy. But Aldrin wasn't even paying attention to him.

Even if he said there's no problem, her brows were furrowed as he continued to dig into his mind to recall anyone with the same face as that man.

In the end, he couldn't find anyone that matches it.

But then, that's when it clicked in his mind… 'Wait. When it comes to Energy Refiners, those who I personally know can be counted on one hand, if I don't include all the trainees and instructors here. Then that man… The dangerous feeling that I felt from him is from that time…'

He was about to reach the answer when suddenly, the cafeteria server reached their table and dropped their meals on their table, breaking his concentration through the sound and the appetizing smell of food.

'… It's not too late to think about it in my room later. For now, I should at least fill my stomach and quickly finish this socializing event with my groupmates.'

-

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While Aldrin and his group's table start to turn rowdy, not just because of the arrival of the food but also Clark's continued harping for Irina to separate herself from Aldrin, the man from the table was making his way out of the Training Camp.

"Those two were the last of the trainees. I waited inside that cafeteria to check every trainee's face and energy fluctuation… None of them seems to match with that newly awakened Energy Refiner who recorded me. Is he not here? Am I wrong with my assumption?"

Carlos gathered his thoughts, recalling every information he had at the moment.

However, because it's unthinkable for him to assume that the weak Energy Refiner could quickly advance to middle Stage 1, even Aldrin's behavior of stopping in his steps and staring at him before he left the cafeteria was instantly dropped. Other trainees also did the same thing after all. It's a common reaction for most upon seeing an unfamiliar face.

Unfortunately, had he stayed a few minutes longer, he would've caught Aldrin looking at him one more time that could mount a suspicion in his mind.

In the end, with Aldrin being interrupted by the food and Carlos leaving too early, none of the two recognized each other.. Yet.