Chapter 26: Dimensional Experiments
Upon opening the door, the room had transformed into something else entirely. They stepped inside and found themselves in a dim corridor, surrounded by decaying walls. Carmella recognized the place immediately.
"We've returned!" Carmella exclaimed, a mix of relief and excitement in her voice.
"Really?! But this doesn't quite resemble the rooftop…" Vermilion observed.
"I suspect this is another floor of our building. If I remember correctly, the elevator should be at the end of this corridor!"
"Fine! Let's take a look."
They walked down the corridor, eventually discovering the familiar elevator at the end. A sense of accomplishment washed over them, a sense of coming home.
" Quiet down! There might still be soldiers around!" Ayukawa cautioned.
"Oops, I nearly forgot! Let's get into the elevator," Carmella whispered.
"By the way, are we the only residents in this building?" Vermilion inquired.
"Yes, we checked all these units before. They're all vacant."
Ayukawa, the newcomer, posed a question. "Why did you choose to reside here?"
"To avoid unnecessary attention…"
"I see. So, you and Dr. Apgar are involved in some 'unconventional' activities? Activities that could lead to your deaths if discovered by the government or the military?!"
"You've got sharp eyes and an even sharper sixth sense. Perhaps even sharper than that," Carmella responded with a grin.
"Regardless, that's not my concern. I intend to hang around here for a while to escape the nuisance of those soldiers!"
"You're welcome to stay with us. You can stay in Lyon's room." Carmella extended the offer.
"Absolutely! I'll be glad to have you. Besides, you're still recovering from your leg injury," Vermilion chimed in.
"Very well then, I accept your invitation. I'll contribute in any way I can. I don't intend to freeload!"
"Contribute? That's intriguing… Here we are… Yes! we've finally made it back home!" Carmella cheered as she darted into her bedroom, her excitement palpable.
Ayukawa strolled over to the window to take a look outside. "Any sign of soldiers?" Vermilion queried.
"No, the streets are deserted. Although I did notice a trail of bloodstains everywhere."
"Weren't they supposed to clean up the streets, as mentioned in the newspaper?"
"You've misunderstood. They were 'cleaning up' people, not streets!" Ayukawa retorted, her tone darkening.
"Oh! Well... The reality is far darker than what we were led to believe…"
"For now, it's safer indoors. The outside world is anything but secure."
"But your dagger... I promise I'll find it for you…"
"Focus on your own safety. I never asked you to retrieve it for me," Ayukawa responded.
"I'll manage it. I've gained control over my power and it shouldn't pose a problem now," Vermilion insisted.
"Are you sure?!"
"Yes. Your leg injury is my fault, after all. If I hadn't gone searching for you that night, the assassin wouldn't have been able to track you down…"
"Are you just looking for trouble? Why fixate on these irrelevant matters? This feud is between me and the scum. It's none of your concern! Got it?!!" Ayukawa snapped, her irritation evident.
"Got it…," Vermilion replied and nodded, her spirit dampened. Ayukawa stormed into her room, slamming the door loudly. Vermilion stood there, pondering her words, perplexed by what she might have said wrong.
"Once again, I've managed to upset her with my careless words. Why do I always seem to misspeak? I must learn to choose my words more carefully, or I'll risk alienating everyone..." Vermilion contemplated.
"Alright, I'll go find that dagger for her. Carmella? Oh, she's already fallen asleep. Perhaps she didn't get any rest last night?"
Filled with determination, Vermilion decided to venture out and search for Ayukawa's missing dagger. Despite the routine presence of morning patrol soldiers, their numbers had nearly doubled after the recent guerrilla attack.
"Security seems to have tightened. Should I try walking past them or use my power to conceal myself? I still need to test my power further; there's much I'm unsure of."
A group of patrolling soldiers approached her. Acting quickly, she generated a stationary parallel space and positioned herself in front of the soldiers. Her heart raced as they drew nearer.
"Will they notice me? If I stay put, they'll collide with me soon!"
Miraculously, the soldiers walked right through her, oblivious to her presence within the parallel space.
"Unbelievable! They didn't even see me. Perfect. Now, I'll shift the parallel space with me and sprint to that alley."
She sprinted down the alley, her parallel space ensuring she remained unseen by the patrolling soldiers. Despite encountering numerous patrols, she managed to evade detection. As she reached the alley, however, exhaustion overcame her, leaving her breathless.
"Heh... heh... Why am I so out of breath? Running alone shouldn't drain me this much. It seems my power consumes stamina... Heh… Heh… I'll need to be cautious and not overexert myself. A short rest is essential before I search for the dagger..."
Nestling among a heap of discarded objects in the alley, she caught her breath, hidden from the prying eyes of patrolling soldiers. Her gaze fell upon a bullet hole in the ground.
"The bullet hole... I dodged it and survived. I can still vividly recall that night. The shooter aimed at both Ayukawa and me... Wait a second! If the bullet passed through Ayukawa, does that mean someone else can enter my parallel space too? But how... Ah, soldiers are approaching!"
Listening intently to their conversation, Vermilion learned the soldiers were discussing the alley where gunshots were reported before the Luthernza attack.
"Could this be the alley those residents mentioned? There's even a bullet hole."
"It's the right place. Those guerrillas must have been responsible for killing numerous men here before the attack."
"Poor souls. No wonder no one wants duty in this slum. Just look at this mess and filth!"
"The government should have razed this place years ago! I wonder why they've turned a blind eye."
"Agreed. Let's wrap up here. Those remnants should've been cleaned up yesterday. I can't stand being here any longer!"
The soldiers left the alley after a cursory inspection. Vermilion emerged from her hiding spot, resuming her search for the dagger. Despite scouring every corner, even the foul-smelling drains and garbage cans, the weapon remained elusive.
"Disheartening... I distinctly recall her dropping the dagger here. Yet, not a trace of it can be found…"
Undeterred, Vermilion persisted, combing the area for hours until the afternoon sun's sweltering heat got the best of her. Exhausted and defeated, she decided to head home. Before leaving, her eyes caught a pile of debris. In a last-ditch attempt, she dug through it.
As her hands rummaged through the refuse, she heard a faint whimper. Following the sound, she unearthed a grimy, plump kitten. The feline gazed up at her, emitting soft cries. Unable to resist, she scooped it up and carried it home with her.
"I'm back..." Vermilion panted heavily, sweat tracing paths down her grimy face.
"Oh! You've... Wait a minute, what is that smell? Why are you covered in dirt and mud?" Carmella exclaimed, surprised.
"I went to the alley to search for the dagger… But I couldn't find it. Instead, I found this adorable kitten."
"Hmm?! A kitten?! But how did you manage to get yourself so dirty? You look like you've emerged from a swamp. Go take a shower right away!"
"Alright!"
"What a chubby little thing... Let me check if there's any milk left in the fridge. Lucky for you, there is!"
"Meow!"
After her shower, Vermilion found Carmella examining Ayukawa's leg.
"Your leg is recovering faster than expected... But judging from your current state, I bet walking still hurts a lot."
"That's okay. Pain doesn't mean much to me. So, did you manage to find my dagger?!"
"No… I'm sorry... I'll search for it again!"
"No need! Just forget about it. If it's truly mine, it'll come back to me eventually!"
"Sounds like the dagger has a life of its own..." Carmella mused.
"Perhaps..." Vermilion agreed.
"I need to go out and buy some food and medical supplies… Oh! And milk! For this chubby little thing here."
"Meoww!"
"Want me to come with you?"
"No need, I'll be back soon."
"Okay."
After Carmella left for about ten minutes, a soft knocking sounded at the door. Vermilion approached cautiously, her senses alert. Ayukawa stood by, gripping a kitchen knife.
"Who's at the door? Alex?"
"It's me! Your dear sister."
"That sounds like Carmella... Maybe her hands are full and she can't open the door," Vermilion glancing at Ayukawa, who nodded in agreement.
Opening the door, they found it wasn't Carmella but an exceptionally tall woman dressed in a military uniform adorned with numerous honor badges, and sporting white high heels. Her long silver hair cascaded like silk, framing a pair of striking light purple eyes. A faint smile graced her lips as she regarded Vermilion and Ayukawa.
"Hmm? New faces?" the woman murmured.
"Oh my... She's taller than half of me..." Vermilion was taken aback.
"A soldier?! Vermilion, step back!"
"You, the one with the violet hair, calm down and put the knife down," the woman commanded.
"I see... You're a high-ranking soldier. Are you here to cause trouble?!" Ayukawa's voice dripped with hostility.
"Not interested..." The woman shook her head.
"How did you find this place? Carmella said it's a secret... How could a soldier locate it?!" Vermilion wondered aloud.
"Carmella?! Then I'm in the right place. I am her older sister!"
"Older sister... You're Rosseaulyn?!"
"That's right, I'm Rosseaulyn Winton! Second Lieutenant of the Army!"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone