After leaving the cafe, Ch'en took me to a family restaurant in one of the residential areas, admittedly far from roads any non-local would walk. It was a ramen shop, far from fancy, but such simple food also had its appeal, though it wasn't sweet enough. Our conversation returned to some easy subjects, such as hobbies and interesting stories; neither of us dug into the other's past, just two people on a casual date.
But good times don't last, and shortly after we ended our meal, a commotion attracted our attention.
-"Sir…"-A frightened shopkeeper addressed a rough-looking thug.
-"Heh, I'm no sir."-The thug laughed.-"I'm your creditor, so you better pay up."
-"But… I already…"
-"You've only paid the interest, not the principal. I suggest you find a way to return my money, or I'll make sure your little shop won't be so whole and clean tomorrow."
I could see Ch'en's eyes narrow as she stood up. Knowing that nothing good would come from this confrontation, I followed her closely, looking for any danger. She approached the shopkeeper and began asking him questions, while I stopped the thug from interrupting.
-"Move."-He tried to push me, but he couldn't move me.
-"Stay here, don't make it more difficult than it has to be."-I advised him, but my Arts Unit was already in my hand just in case.
-"You…"-He was about to say something more, but Ch'en returned from speaking with the shopkeeper.
-"Are you aware that private lending over 100,000 LMD without a license is illegal? I saw the receipt, and both the amount received and repaid are well above that threshold."
-"Missy, you shouldn't meddle in how real men make money, or are you asking to get to know me? I can understand that your boy toy here can't satisfy you, so should I take you to the nearby hotel?"
-"I'm good, and he is not some boy toy. Please cooperate with my investigation."-Ch'en remained professional, though her eyebrow twitched.
I was about to leave everything to her when I noticed someone trying to grab her from behind. I was about to stop it, but then another accident happened.
-"Infected!"-Someone screamed as one of the spectators collapsed, his body combusting.
I instantly moved, pushing both Ch'en and the person who tried to grab her behind me, ignoring the Originium dust falling on me. With my Arts Unit, I wrote a simple incantation, isolating the dust from the crowd, collecting it into a small sphere. At the same time, I spoke up, imbuing my voice with my Authority.
~"Stop."
Hearing my voice, everyone stopped moving.
~"Calm down."
The chaos and panic disappeared.
-"If you leave now and some Originium dust is still on your clothes, you can become infected, or infect others by accident. We have specialized equipment and training to minimize such a possibility from happening, so remain calm and give us a moment to act."
I looked at Ch'en, who nodded and stepped forward.
-"I'm Officer Ch'en from L.G.D., and this is my partner Eno. We will keep you safe."
Some in the crowd were still worried, but with my Authority, everyone followed our orders. It took us thirty minutes to deal with the aftermath, and after leaving the cleanup to officers on duty, Ch'en took me to a dark alley where the person who had grabbed her earlier waited for us.
-"You truly can't stand out of the trouble, can you, miss officer?"-A pale-purple-haired Zalak woman said to Ch'en.
-"My job is to solve trouble."-Ch'en answered, but I could feel slight awkwardness in her, as if she didn't know how she should treat the woman before her.
-"Whatever. Your boyfriend? He's quite capable, good for you."
-"He is not."-Ch'en started to get annoyed by everyone assuming that.
-"Ladies, I suggest we find a better place to talk."-I looked at a group of gang members looking at us from a corner.
-"Not feeling safe?"-The woman looked at me with a smile.
-"Just not in the humor for more accidents."
-"Come with me."-She started leading the way.
We followed her for a few minutes before entering a simple residential building into one of the apartments. From the way Ch'en looked around, I could see that she was familiar with this place, but hadn't been here for a long time, causing her to compare how everything looked now with her memories.
-"Sit where you like."-She pointed to the living room while moving to the kitchen to bring something to drink and eat.
Ch'en sat on the sofa while I chose a chair. The woman soon returned with tea and cookies, sadly, those were not sweet enough… again. I watched two of them look at each other, not speaking at all, feeling the awkwardness fill the room. In the end, I decided to speak up.
-"Thank you for trying to help earlier, miss…"
-"Lin. Lin Yühsia."-She introduced herself.-"You are Eno, right?"
-"Yes. Thank you, Miss Lin. If I may, I'm not aware of the history behind you two, but I can help you resolve it."
-"How?"
-"Allow me to keep that secret for now."
She narrowed her eyes but nodded.
-"Ch'en?"
-"Good."
Then I nodded and stood up.
-"I'll wait outside."-I started walking, but spoke as I was exiting the apartment.~"Speak with each other truthfully, not hiding your feelings and grievances."
Before I could hear anything, I left.
Outside, I was instantly greeted by an old Zalak man.
-"It's a pleasure, Son."
-"If not for the fact that Cellinia reported about you to me, I would assume you were threatening me."-I told him as he exposed my identity.
-"When I saw you approach my daughter, I also thought that it was a threat."-The Rat King, Lin Kojui, returned the same words to me.
-"They will be talking for some time, mind finding a place to sit?"
-"Come, I'll make you some tea."
-"Please, add more sugar."
We moved into a similar apartment on a lower floor, and sat face-to-face around a small table.
-"So, what can I do for you?"-I asked him.
-"I want to know your plan."
-"I already told Wei…"
-"Not that. I already know about Reunion. I mean your plan for Lungmen. I doubt you would approach that girl purely for her beauty."
I narrowed my eyes; facing someone like Rat King, my ability to read thoughts was a saving grace. I felt that he had no animosity for me, only curiosity and light appreciation.
-"I'm not someone who approaches people to use them, Rat King."-I warned him.-"But I do admit that I had a purpose in mind when I spent time with her. Let me ask you something: can Lungmen ever fully become part of Yan?"
-"Not under Wei."
-"But will Lungmen be Lungmen without him?'
-"No."-He was certain of that.
-"Yan can't tolerate Wei, especially his claim to the throne. While the claim to the throne isn't passed through the female branches of the family, Ch'en and Talulah are a liability. But they are also a resource, potential princesses."
-"You want to leverage the Emperor's wish for an alliance to get Lungmen?"-He was genuinely shocked by my appetite.
-"Annexing Lungmen is impossible, but making it into a free city jointly managed by Yan and Laterano by a figure connected to heads of both countries is within possibility."
-"And that figure would be Ch'en."-He nodded, understanding my approach.
-"Yes, she is someone Wei can accept stepping down for, has royal blood, and is a woman."
-"What about Talulah?"
-"Her fate isn't tied to Lungmen."-I shook my head.-"She won't abandon her mission to stay here."
-"Right."-He nodded.-"That girl was always a dreamer."
-"What's your opinion?"
-"On your plans? They are feasible if your actions against Ursus go as you want. About you? You are the most terrifying kind of man, one who can both plot against and empathize with people. I hope my Yühsia can befriend you so she is never the target of your ploys."
I just forced a smile.
-"My personal opinion is that I support your idea. Lungmen can't remain in its current state forever, and any path forward I see either ends in war or Wei's death. But I have one demand if you want my support."
-"I'm listening."
-"My Yühsia. She will take over my position, but she didn't want her life to be spent in sewers and darkness. I hope you can help her to achieve her wish."
-"There will always be darkness, Lungmen can't be like Laterano, but I promise to help her build protections for those who don't want to exist in darkness."
-"That's enough for me, Son. I'll work with your people when the time comes."
-"Thank you."
After that, we talked about some minor subjects for some time, then I decided to check on two ladies upstairs. When I knocked on the doors, I received no response, so I entered inside, finding the living room empty. I closed the doors and moved deeper into the apartment, and then I heard a movement behind me, but before I could turn around, I head characteristic click of handcuffs locking.
When I finally looked behind me, I found Ch'en looking at me with a mix of anger and shame, though it was only on the surface, as deep down I could feel her relief and gratitude. She put one handcuff on my right hand, with the other end locked to a table.
-"Sit."-She ordered me.
I did as she said. Lin also appeared at that point, holding a voice recorder in her hand. Her face looked calm, but I felt that she was irritated at me as much as Ch'en.
-"Forcing someone to tell everything must be fun, huh?"-She looked at me.
-"I have left the room to give you privacy."
-"And that's the only reason why you still have your life."-She narrowed her eyes.
-"So what should I do?"-I knew that reason won't help me here.
-"Easy. We will ask you questions, and you will answer truthfully. Later, if anything we talked about leaks out, the recording will follow suit."-Lin sat in front of me.
-"Let's just get this over with."
Ch'en sat next to me, watching me as if trying to prevent me from running away.
-"First question. What is your purpose in flirting with Ch'en?"-Lin started.
-"To build a friendship. I find her attractive, and her personality is something that I respect."
-"Second question."-Ch'en spoke this time.-"Are you in a relationship with some other woman?"
-"Yes."
-"Then are you treating Ch'en as some sting? A sidepiece?"-I could feel real anger appearing in Lin's voice.
-"No."-I continued to answer calmly.-"I have multiple aboveboard relationships with women, aware of that fact."
-"Multiple?"-Ch'en raised her eyebrow, not surprised by the fact I had many partners, but rather that I admit to them openly.
-"Yes. You've met a few of them already."
Ch'en nodded, but I could feel a slight dissatisfaction appear in her. Though she wasn't feeling that for herself, no matter what happened, we still only knew each other for a day, but for her sister. After that date, I managed to understand that she approached me to check if I was good for Talulah or if I only tried to use her, like Wei or that snake.
-"Did you use your strange Art to coerce them?"-Lin didn't have much trust in me.
-"No. I don't use mental influences on people who are not my enemies. At most, I only use light mind reading for negotiations, and my Over Empathy in daily life."
-"Why should I believe you?"
-"Because I have no reason to lie to you. If I were to use coercive means to achieve my goals, then mind influence would be too troublesome; I could just directly demand any woman, and almost none would be able to resist."-I looked her in the eyes, a sliver of my divine aura appearing in me.
-"You can trust his words, Lin. He is indeed someone who won't stoop so low to lie."
-"You are too trusting, hadn't you learned anything from your Uncle? Even, no, especially the people above countless others need to lie constantly."
-"Not if you have the power to destroy any lie and conspiracy, right?"-Ch'en turned to me.
-"No one will follow a lying leader; they would only listen due to fear."
-"Tsk."-Lin clicked her tongue but dropped the subject.-"Next question. What is your opinion of Infected?"
-"They are people. I don't have an opinion of them, only individual opinions for individual people. I only hope that Terra can reach some understanding to treat them humanely, even if the isolation is to remain."
-"Then would you accept Infected as your partner?"
-"While none of my partners is infected, I don't discriminate against that. I myself was infected after all."
-"You are infected?!"-Lin looked shocked for the first time.
-"You can say that."-I nodded, not explaining.
-"Next question."-Ch'en changed the subject, panicky for some reason.-"If your every plan fails and you are pushed into choosing to strike down someone you tried to save, or stand with her against the rest of the world, what would you do?"
-"I would never allow such a situation to occur, but if I had to choose, then I'll stand with such a person. The opinion of the world doesn't matter to me, but sticking to my convictions does."
-"Easy to say, sitting here in peace."-Lin didn't put much weight on my words.
-"Ok, it's enough."-Ch'en nodded, not exactly satisfied, but at least she asked me what she wanted to ask.
I nodded and stood up; the handcuff opened long ago. I looked around the room and noticed that aside from a few empty cups of tea and one place to cookies, they didn't touch any food. So I turned to them and asked.
-"Do you want to grab a quick bite on the way back?"
-"Sure."-Ch'en nodded and started to walk out.
-"Wait."-Lin called out.-"I'm going with you."
-"Sure."
-"And…"-She continued.-"… I'm getting involved in the Reunion mess."
-"You…"
-"Don't you 'you' me now, Ch'en. This matter concerns my turf, so I will act, no matter if you agree or not."
-"Sigh, come to the HQ tomorrow, I'll make you an advisor for the operation."
Lin nodded, a satisfied smile appearing on her face.
It would seem that the talk allowed them to get past whatever blocked them. The rest of the evening passed uneventfully, ending with Ch'en and me returning to the housing near the HQ just after midnight. As we were about to enter our rooms, Ch'en stopped me.
-"Eno, thank you."
-"It's just a minor matter."
-"Maybe to you, but to me it was one of my biggest regrets."-She smiled sadly.-"Now, only the matter of Talulah remains."
-"We will save her."
-"We will."-Her smile turned into something more positive, but her eyes were filled with seriousness.
She quickly looked around, then quickly kissed my cheek and ran into her apartment, shutting the doors behind her. I touched my cheek and started to doubt my conviction that she was only close to me for her sister, but I pushed that delusion out of my mind.
But what we didn't know, in one of the dark corners, was a small camera that saw everything that happened in the corridor, causing certain tigress and oni to not only solidify their convictions that Ch'en and I were a couple, but also to intensify their attempts to bring us even closer together.