SYSTEM ASCENSION

The sun was already up in the sky when Elias climbed the stairs to the apartment he shared with the old woman. The street beneath was buzzing with activities and chatter.

Although this was close to the place the invasion had hit a year ago, they had rebuilt and moved on. He stopped at the door of the apartment and took off his shoes before going inside.

”I’m back—”

He stopped by the door, expression frozen neutral as he stared at the strange girl stuffing rice in her mouth like today was the last day to exist.

She also froze when she saw him.

”...”

”...”

”Hah!” She sprang up, knocked over the tray and staggered back.

He tilted his head.

Just then, the old woman rushed out of the room, smiling widely.

”Oh! Elias, you’re back!” She ran over and pulled him inside. ”Come come!”

He shut the door behind him and let her drag her in.

”This is my granddaughter Mimi!”

”Oh.” His eyes returned to the girl who was trying to gulp down the food.

”She had been missing for the past six months and suddenly came back today.”

”Oh? I see.”

Of course he recognised her. The girl who was trapped in the special room of the place he just raided.

The girl gulped again as she stared up at him.

It was damn obvious.

The height, the voice, the demeanor and most especially, the sealing stone around his neck. He was her saviour.

”I...” Mimi clasped her hand together.

He already turned around and was walking. Her eyes followed him.

”I wanted to—”

”The groceries finished yesterday,” he opened the fridge and shut it right after. He turned inside afterwards. ”I’ll get a new batch.”

The old woman smiled.

”I should give you money for...”

”No need. I’ll sort it out.”

Soon, only the females were left standing.

”Grandmother.”

”Yes?”

”He was the one.”

Her face pulled into a confused frown. ”He was what?” She got it right after. ”He saved you?!”

Mimi nodded.

She had expected her grandmother to exclaim or say something, but the woman just grinned.

They hadn’t spoken further when Elias returned. He had only changed into a hood and wore a normal slipper.

”I’m off.”

”Mimi will go with you.” The old woman quickly suggested.

”Grandmother?!”

She ignored the girl and walked up to Elias.

”She’ll show you the side you don’t know, and how to get discounts on foodstuffs. You buy everything for double the actual price.”

He didn’t argue with that. He just walked out.

”Grandmother!”

”Pipe down Mimi. You must have seen that he’s not normal. Who knows, you might be close to the point that he’ll teach you how to protect yourself.”

”Oh...”

”What do you mean by oh?!” The woman smacked her shoulder. ”What were you thinking about when I told you to go with him?”

”No...thing.”

”You better not get any wrong ideas. He’s not one to get tied up by petty things. It’s obvious from his eyes. He transcends what we hold dear.”

”Yes ma.”

”Now go. He walks fast sometimes.”

The girl grabbed her jacket from the couch and put on her slippers.

”I’m off.”

The woman watched her leave, then heaved a sigh of reverence.

”He’s not yours. He has a bigger burden than that, and my role is to guide him.”

She frowned.

”Haliad should have taken this job.”

***

After the attack a year ago, teleported portals were installed in every town to ensure fast travel. With this, the duo travelled to the raw food market, Osan.

Mimi naturally took the lead and guided him to a sea food direction. Here, she negotiated and bought fishes. After that, they proceeded to vegetables. He let her do everything, and just loom behind like a bodyguard.

Because of this, people cleared the way for her.

The sun was already setting when they returned.

The old woman hurried to make dinner while Mimi sat a few feet away, staring at Elias who stood by the window, staring outside.

Throughout the trip, they didn’t say a word to each other. Often, she asked simple questions like how much did she need to buy, but he just told her to stock up.

She ended up buying perishable food to last a month, and non perishable food to last at least six months.

’Did he take the money from the lab? Such a weird person.’ she thought.

They had dinner a moment later, and by the end of the day, Elias announced that he was leaving.

The woman didn’t object at all. She only proposed that Elias stood to take Mimi with him.

Their destination was the same.

Cagary city.

He agreed.

By sunrise the next morning, they bid their farewell and set off to the transportation portal to Cagary city.

Mimi decided to push a conversation.

”Elias...was it?”

”Elias.” He confirmed.

She decided to pretend like she didn’t recognise him as her saviour, and just act normal.

”Where are you going?”

”Ringoff.”

She flung. ”Ringoff? As in sound league family?”

”Yes.”

She blinked. ”Why?”

”Why not?”

”...”

’He’s really weird.’

She stared at him till she walked straight into a pole. While she almost collided with it, he put out his hand and blocked it, so her head was now resting in his palm.

They both stopped for a moment, and when she had realised what happened, she flinched and moved back.

”I’m sorry!”

”Hmm.” He turned around and continued to walk.

Her face turned bright red. She tucked a string of her hair behind her ear and ran after him.

”I’m going to my parents house.”

”I didn’t ask.”

”But you should ask.”

”Why should I?”

”But—” She tripped over her own skirt and tumbled forward.

He caught her collar, and raised her off the ground.

”Put me down. Put me...!”

He crossed the street, carrying her that way, dangling and struggling. A few people that had seen the scene laughed at her.

”You’re embarrassing me! Elllliasssss!”

He put her down when they had gotten to the other side. Then he turned away and continued leaving.

”Where are you going?”

”Ringoff. We split up here.”

”How do you know that we split up here?” She ran after him.

”I just guessed.”

”I’m coming with you.”

He looked sideways. ”Why?”

”Not everyday do you get to see the Ringoff house up close. I’ll go my way afterwards.”

”Suit yourself.”

They continued to walk in silence till they arrived. In the past, Elias had only been here once. One of Rowen’s houses where the majority of his adopted children lived.

The private property security system recognised him and her as his visitor, so they were allowed in. Elias approached the door and rang the bell.

A moment of silence.

They heard the sound of approaching footsteps.

”I’m nervous.” She chuckled softly.

He didn’t comment on that.

At first, he had expected one of the children to open the door, but the energy approaching wasn’t one of a child.

The door creaked open.

”...”

Mimi bowed her head.

”Good morning!”

”...”

Rowen only stared at the boy before him. The boy who had scattered into wind in his arms back in the past, only to return bigger and taller.

”Elias?”

”You,” Elias leaned forward. ”You’re Rowen right?”