Chapter 43: Volume 2 Chapter 4
"Say... can I have a question."
Wanting some clarification about my current situation, I went out of the room and asked both Null and Pebble.
"Is there a problem, junior?" Pebble asked.
"Not really... But I'm just wondering, why is there only a single bed here?"
"What's the problem with that?" Null questioned.
"Well... aren't me and Evee sharing a room."
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"Ahhh... I see now." Pebble said. "So junior is like those people."
"Like what now?" Null asked.
Not understanding what Pebble was hinting at, he quietly whispered some words in Null's ear.
The hell are these whispering, now... I thought to myself.
"Oh? I see... Well if that's the case, you better get used to it new recruit."
"Eh?" I muttered.
"No need to be shy, junior." Pebble said. "In future missions, similar situations like this, will most likely occur. So, getting used to it now, is a good experience."
"B-but..."
"Just relax, junior. It isn't as exciting as you might think it is."
"I'm not thinking about such things!"
"Hehehehe... sure you are."
With them thinking that I'm imagining some inappropriate things, my face reddens from embarrassment once more.
"[Sigh...] Just don't think much about it, new recruit." Null suggested. "With how unexpected the incident was, we weren't able to prepare much in our budget. So, we have no choice but to only rent cheap rooms."
"I understand..."
Having not much of a choice in the situation, I decided to stay in the room once more. With Evee still out looking for lunch, I didn't have much to do in the place. As I walk in circles thinking of things to busy myself, I noticed that I still haven't seen miss Katherine ever since the incident.
I wonder if she's resting in her room. Were my thoughts at that moment.
But not wanting to disturb miss Katherine, if she indeed is resting. I can only stand in the room, awaiting for any orders to be sent.
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How tiring...
As I stay in the room somewhat bored in my mind, I suddenly felt exhausted all of the sudden. Feeling very weak and tired, I tried sitting in one of the chairs in the room, hoping to get some rest.
The hell is happening to me... I wondered. As a guy who does office works for long hours, I usually don't get very tired easily. But as of waking up from the incident, I noticed that I've been very tired and sleeping a lot more. I wonder if that odd woman did something to me...
But just as I began to ponder of what are the causes of my early exhaustion, the door of the room suddenly opened revealing Evee from the other side.
"Oh? You're back..." I spoke in a somewhat tired manner. "That was faster than I would have expected."
"And you look more tired than I remembered." Evee replied. "Is the climb up in this floor really that tiring."
"You could say so..." I answered. "So, where's the others? Pebble said that he would deliver my lunch."
"Oh that? Pebble is currently in miss Katherine's room, delivering her lunch and Null is also guarding the area." Evee explained. "Due to them being busy, I just came here and delivered yours instead."
"I guess that's understandable..."
"Well we share the same room anyways, so coming here just hasten up things."
"Right..." I muttered. "I assume you bought the same food again?"
"Sorry but nope." Evee answered. "The place already ran out of ingredients for the dish when I came. There's been a shortage of fish supply from what I heard."
"I see, how unfortunate..."
"Yeah... I was hoping that the place would still have some available, but tough luck I suppose." Evee said with a disappointed look. "But enough of that. You'd been looking very tired since I came here, so what about we start lunch now?"
"Sure." I answered. "We haven't eaten lunch ever since you came to pick me up from the clinic, so I was just waiting for you."
Agreeing to begin lunch, Evee then brought the plastic that held the lunchboxes to the small table. Grabbing both boxes out from the plastic bag and giving me mine, we then quietly began our meal. As I slowly open the box to see what Evee bought, I was greeted with a very familiar smell.
"Huh?" I mutter as I smell the familiar aroma coming from the box. "This is..."
"Hmm? You seem surprised." Evee said. "Does the meal not suit your taste?"
"A-ah... No, not at all." I said. "I was just somewhat surprise... Although it's just only been a few days, I felt somewhat nostalgic smelling the aroma of a Mushboar dish."
"Oh yeah... you mentioned that Clare likes this type of dishes."
"I think "like" is a pretty huge understatement." I said with a smile. "That kid for some reason has an odd fascination of the food. She can even eat like four steaks with no problem."
"Four eh..." Evee uttered as she gobbles a piece of meat in her mouth. "It sounds like your spoiling that sister of yours a bit much if you ask me."
"[Chuckle...] I think that you may be right." I agreed to Evee. "I'm even somewhat worried with her health. That amount of meat is surely unhealthy for a child?"
"Well Claire still a kid, so I'm not even surprise by it." Evee said. "Kids are pretty weird, Bruce. They tend to be an energetic bunch and somewhat eat a lot despite their small bodies."
"Hmmm..." I muttered. "You sure sound like you've dealt with a few shares of kids with that statement just now, Evee."
"Somewhat..." Evee muttered. "Again, I worked with miss Katherine so I have a lot of chances meeting the kids she's handling. Although I don't know why, the kids for some reason really liked me."
"So, kids like you eh?" I echoed. "How so?"
"Well... they tend to gather to me and even ask to play with them." Evee explained. "I normally would decline such bothersome requests, but miss Katherine really insist on me playing with the kids whenever she has the chance."
"Is that so..." I said while taking a bite from the meal. "That's sounds pretty fun."
"F-fun.... right...." Evee muttered with a somewhat depressed look. "Having those little gremlins ride your back and pull your hair for a long time sure is fun..."
Seeing Evee's depressed face, I can only seat still and imagine what the things that she must have experienced. I guess her experiences must have been somewhat traumatizing if she looks that depressed just by thinking about it. I thought in my mind. "Well... if it makes you better, there's saying from where I live in regards of women whom are very close kids."
"And what would that be?" Evee asked.
"I think the saying was that women whom are very close with kids tend to be better mothers in the future." I explained.
"What are you trying to imply here, Bruce?" Evee asked with a sharp glare.
"Well... with how close you are with kids; I'm thinking that you may turn into a good mother in the future." I said with a straight face.
Hearing my words once more, Evee's face suddenly redden. Occupied in her thoughts, she wasn't able to properly eat the meal in her hands. "W-w-what... are talking about B-Bruce!?" Evee blushingly said.
"Eh?" I uttered confusingly. "Did I say something wrong?"
"Y-you..." Evee uttered while somewhat baffled at my reaction. "How can you say such things with a straight face!"
"Eh?" Not really understanding why Evee is reacting in such a way, I can only eat my meal with a confused face.
"Are you seriously this dense." Evee said, still baffled like before.
Seeing Evee's face still redden from embarrassment, I tried thinking more about what I said. But as I ponder deep in my thoughts, I still wasn't able to find anything wrong with what I said.
"[Sigh...] Unbelievable..." Evee sighs. "Just forget what I said."
Still not understanding the issue, I just continued eating my meal in peace. But just as I was about to take a bite from the piece of meat, I finally noticed the issue from what I've just said.
Wait... isn't suggesting that one would be a great mother in the future sounds weird as hell...
Realizing my mistake, my face reddened in embarrassment. Wanting to apologize to Evee, my eyes gaze at where she sits.
"U-uummm...." I blushingly uttered.
"Hmm?" Evee gazes back, still embarrassed from before.
"U-umm... I'm sorry." I apologized. "That was weird of me to say..."
"J-just forget it." Evee said, while avoiding to look at my eyes.
"Y-yeah..." I awkwardly agreed.
Agreeing to ignore the conversation, we then continued to eat our meal. Due to how awkward the scene was from before; silence quickly overwhelms the small place.
This is so awkward... Were my thoughts at that moment.
But just as I thought that silent and awkward lunch was going to continue further, the room door suddenly open, which somewhat caught both of us off-guard.
"Hey!" Pebble greeted.
Just outside the room door is the hulking Pebble whose all smiles like always, along with miss Katherine.
"Miss Katherine?" Evee uttered.
"Good afternoon, Evee." Miss Katherine greeted.
"U-umm... may I ask what both of you are doing here?"
"I heard that Bruce is back, so I came to see him." Miss Katherine explained.
"I see..." Evee uttered.
Just as miss Katherine said those words, her eyes then gaze at where I sit.
"U-um... Good afternoon miss Katherine." I greeted.
"Good afternoon to you as well." Miss Katherine greeted back. "I was planning to visit you today after I wake up, but it seems that such case is no longer needed."
"Right... sorry about that." I apologized.
"No need to apologize, Bruce." Miss Katherine said. "I'm just glad that your safe and fine."
"Right..." I muttered.
"With that said, I'm quite disappointed by you Bruce." Miss Katherine spoke. "It's only have been a few days, yet you've already decided to leave the clinic. Having injuries especially serious one's is no laughing manner, dear boy. Your injuries could get infected if not treated properly, plus with you moving too much, your body will have a hard time healing itself."
"Eh..." Hearing the barrage of words coming from miss Katherine, I can only sit still in my seat in surprise. I didn't really expect for miss Katherine to give me a lecture. But knowing that she's only scolding me due to her concerns, I decided to not do much out of respect for the somewhat old lady.
"Seriously, fighting a very dangerous and wanted criminal by yourself. What were even thinking dear boy?" Miss Katherine said.
"Sorry..." I apologized.
"[Sigh..] Young people these days sure are courageous than ever..."
"..."
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"Don't mind my ramblings, dear boy." Miss Katherine spoke. "I just get pretty heated when I'm concerned."
"There's no need, miss Katherine." I replied. "I was the one who made a mistake, so a scolding me is just normal."
"It's good that you understand, Bruce." Miss Katherine said. "But don't take my words as some sort of punishment. With how things went in the train incident, I should be commending you more."
"U-umm.. Thank you..." I spoke.
"Now then, how's your condition?" Miss Katherine asked.
"I'm quite fine." I answered. "But I've been feeling somewhat tired lately."
"I see..." Miss Katherine muttered. "Then I suggest you try eating more, my dear boy. You've slept for a whole day and a half when you were in the clinic, so you must be lacking in nutrients."
"Right... I'll think about."
"That's good." Miss Katherine said. "Now please do rest well, Bruce. We still have a few days available, until the trains are back to operation."
"I will." I replied. "U-uumm... thank you as well, miss Katherine."
"No need for such things, my dear boy. If anything, I should be the one thanking you." Miss Katherine explained. "Now then, please do take care of Bruce here, Evee. You're his partner afterall."
"I'll make certain of it." Evee replied.
"U-ummm... there's really no need for such things." I spoke.
"Shut up and take orders, Bruce." Evee retorted.
"Ehh..."
Hearing our little commotion, miss Katherine can't help but chuckle.
"[Chuckle...] It seems that both of you are already somewhat close." Miss Katherine spoke.
"A-aa..ahhh... that's not true at all!" Evee blushingly shouted.
"Sure you are, Evee..." Miss Katherine muttered with a smile. "Just don't be too harsh on Bruce, will you."
"Y-yes... ma'am."
"That's good to hear. Well then, Pebble."
Hearing miss Katherine's words, Pebble then opened the door for miss Katherine. With the door now open, miss Katherine quietly left the room after saying her goodbyes.
"Well see you both later." Pebble said.
"Wait... where are you both going?" Evee asked.
"Miss Katherine just received a call from one of the representatives of Black Iron Federation, so me and Null are going to accompany miss Katherine to her meeting."
"Wait how come I'm not part of it?"
"Well with junior still injured, leaving him by himself is somewhat dangerous. So, miss Katherine is tasking you to keep watch of him."
"B-but..." Evee muttered.
"I'm not some kid you know." I retorted. "I can take care of myself fine and well."
"I'm sorry Evee and Junior, but it's miss Katherine's orders not mine." Pebble explained. "So both of you have no choice but to follow."
Seeing how there's nothing much I can do; I was left with no choice but to comply, despite my displeasure.
.
.
"Fine..." I said.
"I guess I have no choice but to comply." Evee said.
Saying our goodbyes to Pebble, we were now left alone in the room once more. Seeing their silhouette climb down the building stairs, we quickly finished our lunch and clean things up. With the others out for probably a long time, we were left with nothing much to do in the place.
.
.
"...So, what now?" I asked.
"They will probably return much later, so you go and rest in the room." Evee said. "I'll guard this place, for now."
"Aren't you working a bit too much?" I said. "How about you try resting for now?"
"There's no need." Evee said. "I worked in more harsh conditions than this."
"I know that." I said. "But just because I'm injured, doesn't mean that I have sit around and do nothing."
"..."
[Sigh] It seems that she isn't going to listen. I thought in my mind.
Seeing how Evee isn't going to take a rest. I quietly stand in one of the building walls while trying to keep watch.
"What the hell are you doing?" Evee asked.
"I'm doing my job, what else?"
Seeing how I'm being stubborn, Evee can't help but be somewhat pissed off. But as I hold my ground in my current position, Evee quickly gets tired and leave me be.
.
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"[Sigh...] Suit yourself..." Evee sighed.
Standing our ground and keeping watch of the quiet halls of the building, we spent a lot of minutes just doing pretty much nothing. As the time ticks slowly and slowly, the fatigue that I was experiencing earlier was quickly kicking in.
No good... As my eyes slowly gets tired from exhaustion, I tried my hardest to keep myself awake. But after a few more minutes of trying and standing in the wall, my vision slowly got blurry and before I know it, I was quietly sleeping in the building halls while standing up.
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.
"Hmm?" Noticing that my eyes were closed, Evee slowly made her way to where I was.
Checking my condition to see if there's something wrong, she quickly finds out that I was already asleep.
"Sheesh." Not being able to believe that I was sleeping on the job, Evee can't help but scratch her head. Not wanting to leave me in the cold building halls, she then carries my sleeping body back to our room and into the cozy bed.
"I'm doing my job, he said... you're such a liar, Bruce." Evee muttered.
As she sees my defenseless body in the bed, Evee instinctively touch my sleeping face.
"Eh?" Noticing that she's touching my face, Evee's face suddenly reddened, after which she quickly pulls her hand away from me.
Embarrassed by her earlier action, she quickly leaves the room and continue her guard duty.
But with the earlier event still lingering in her mind, her guard duty didn't really go somewhat well.
What the hell was I thinking!!! Were the words in Evee's mind at that moment.
-End of Volume 2 Chapter 4
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