Chapter 79

Chapter 79

Chapter 79

Guardian Angel Z357 scanned the concrete street. His twelve eyes darted around in different directions, watching the passing dwarves riding in their magitech vehicles, before finally settling onto a single target. A crowd was gathered at the steps of a large building. Standing atop a podium, a rather young man gave a speech.

He was a dwarf, just like the rest of the onlookers. But he was dressed in distinguished clothing— a tuxedo with a bowtie to top it off. Most of those gathered looked like they were miners or factory workers. They were caked in soot and ash, some wearing helmets, while others carried around hammers and other work tools.N0v3lTr0ve served as the original host for this chapter's release on N0v3l--B1n.

The well-dressed dwarf leant on his podium with both his hands as a woman pressed a button on a strange contraption. There was a flash of light as Guardian Angel Z357 tilted his head. A camera? And those vehicles were... cars.

It seemed that over the last ten thousand years, technology had advanced relatively significantly in Alius— compared to Laxo. Guardian Angel Z357 found their technology to be rather trite, but he didn’t deliberate about it any longer. Instead, he waited to determine whether what he sensed was right.

He eyed his target with all twelve eyes as the crowd looked on. The well-dressed dwarf laughed, answering questions, before sliding a hand beneath the podium. His finger glimmered with a purple aura as he spoke, enchanting the crowd.

Void essence detected, Guardian Angel Z357 thought, before drawing forward. Approaching target.

And he dropped Without a Trace. The Technique came to an end as his body flickered under the evening sun. The cloak of invisibility faded, replaced with his corporeal form. The first to notice him was his target. The well-dressed dwarf cried out, pointing straight at the angel. Heads turned, and the crowd began to scream.

The crowd began to disperse in a panic as Guardian Angel Z357 descended slowly amongst them. A pair of dwarves drew forward, raising pistols and aiming at him. They fired blue bolts of magic, and he raised a hand. The projectiles froze mid-air and the weapons bent and crumpled into small metal balls.

Be not afraid, he transmitted his thoughts to the crowd. His words rippled through the sea of panic, muffling the screaming and calming the chaos. The gathered dwarves still backed away from him warily, but there was no longer a mad scramble to escape. He landed right before his target as he continued, I am Guardian Angel Z357, and I am here only for the Void-touched.

The well-dressed dwarf blinked, before glancing around with wide eyes. The nearby onlookers gasped. The woman stared for a moment, before snapping a picture of the angel falling upon him. He saw this, then his lips twisted, and he exclaimed in outrage.

“Void-touched? Are you accusing me of being a part of the Sect of Abyssal Thorns, you false angel? Do you not know who I am? I am the Lord Mayor of—”

Guardian Angel Z357 jerked an arm forward and grabbed his target. The Lord Mayor squeaked, before the angel took off into the air. They soared straight into the sky and the crowd faded below the clouds like ants.

Beginning interrogation. You shall tell me all you know about the Fal-Deus.

“The Fal-Deus...? What are you talking about?”

Target is resisting. Beginning forced interrogation.

“Wait, no!” the Lord Mayor protested. “I have genuinely never heard of—”

But Guardian Angel Z357 didn’t listen. And his target squirmed in pain as the interrogation began high in the sky, screaming for no one to hear but the callous drone of the World System.

[In Progress: (1/3) Void-touched Individuals Interrogated!]

—--

“Bucky’s,” I said as Xakor stared at me. He sat across the table, holding the chicken in his lap. His brows furrowed, and I repeated myself. “We should call our restaurant Bucky’s.”

“Bawk bawk bawk!” Bucky clucked in agreement.

The ragnarian glanced between the chicken and I. He just frowned. “That is a terrible name.”

Bucky immediately protested, flapping her wings as she pecked his side. He just held her up as she continued thrashing in his hands. I rolled my eyes.

“It’s not that bad.”

“It is utterly horrible,” Xakor insisted, and Bucky clucked in indignation.

I had wondered why Xakor chose to become a [Chef] when he realized he was trapped here in Vacuos. He had said that cooking was the closest thing to inventing to him when I asked him about it, but even then, I didn’t realize how sincerely he meant those words.

I wondered if I could find something like that for me too— a purpose that was different from what I was accustomed to, but also familiar. Something that fulfilled me. I didn’t know what it was, but I hoped it was out there. I just sat there as Xakor glanced back towards me.

“This restaurant... the food it will serve... they are your creations, Amelia. Their names are up to you, but you should not choose a name for them lightly.” He gave me a serious look.

I leant back in my chair. “So Bucky’s is a no-go, huh? Honestly, I do kinda like it...”

“If that is what you decide on, I cannot stop you,” Xakor said. He gestured at the room around us with his four arms. “This is your restaurant, after all. But all I am asking you is to make it yours.”

It sounded simple enough, however I had no idea how I was going to do that. I closed my eyes as I tapped a finger on my chin. I looked deep into myself. I thought about the time I’ve spent here in Vacuos— I thought about the time I lost in the Fractured Realm. I remembered my home back on Earth. I barely had any memories left of the things I cared about back then.

I wished I hadn’t forgotten so much. I couldn’t even recall the names of my closest friends. I could only remember my family. It was so long ago. It had been another time. It had been another place. It had been another world.

But now I was here, pursuing a new life in Vacuos. Even though I didn’t belong— even though I couldn’t properly integrate into the World System— I was still here. And I wasn’t going to be leaving anytime soon. Because

“I...” I spoke up, opening my eyes.

Xakor and Bucky eyed me curiously, and I got to my feet with a grin.

“I think I have an idea...” I said as they leant closer.

—--

Harlan heard the groaning of his stomach. He was ravenous. He had exhausted the last of Wolfwater’s goodwill to stay a few more days in this village. But now, he had no food and no shelter.

He had no choice but to leave— to return back to Whiteridge. He gritted his teeth as he slowly wandered towards the edge of Wolfwater. And he passed by a familiar hut. He blinked, remembering when this small building had been under renovation.

That had been... quite a day. He ended up drinking the night away to scrub that odd memory from his mind. But he had been staying over at a small family’s shack at the time, and they were outraged when they found out he had chugged down all their alcohol. He had been forced to compensate them threefold for everything.

And now he barely had any coin left to even survive when he got back to Whiteridge. Most of Wolfwater hated him, and the only places that served food turned him away for the... other stunts he performed since he arrived.

“But wasn’t this supposed to be...?” Harlan frowned as he slowly sauntered up to the renovated building. Even if his memory was hazy from the copious amounts of booze, he still remembered some of the events of that day.

Particularly— the adventurer-farmer who wanted to open up a restaurant. He drew closer, drawn by the allure of food. He licked his lips, imagining the tasty dishes that could be waiting within. Was it open yet? It seemed to be open, then he caught a glimpse of a sign on the front door.

He stopped to read the scribbled words.

Welcome to Bucky’s Out of this World Restaurant!

Please don’t feed the chicken.

“Feed the...?” Harlan blinked, then he heard a muffled clucking from within the building. He hesitated, glancing between the sign, the name, and the ramshackle hut. Finally, he shook his head. “I think I’d rather starve.”

And he turned around, walking away from the restaurant.

MelasD

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