"Aldrin, stop looking at your phone. You returned but all I can see is you keeping your eyes on it. Are you talking to someone? Is it your girlfriend?"
Aldrin's concentration on watching over his three Dimensional Clones teaming up against a horde of Soldier Ants was broken by his father's voice and unexpected question.
'Girlfriend, huh? Do I have the time to look for one now? No, I probably have but... IDLE Database was already taking up most of my day ever since it appeared. Now that I think of it, I mentioned not having any contact with females but in just 2 days, I got plenty of it. There's Nica, Alisa and lastly Renissa who I will be meeting later.'
Because of his father's question, his mind went around in circles again and remembered his interaction with them. It was fairly normal with Nica but with the other two, it was somewhat different.
Alisa used him as a shield against Oliver and conversed with him throughout the waiting time until Renissa's arrival. She also expressed her worry over him when he fell unconscious after awakening as an Energy Refiner. The feeling of her soft thighs pressing against the back of his head was something he could still pull from his memory.
As for Renissa, it could be said that they both owe each other's lives which in the normal transaction should be considered clear. Nonetheless, as fellow Energy Refiners from the same class and someone who experienced a life-and-death encounter together, it was safe to say that they built some kind of bond. And that's also probably the reason why Renissa asked to meet him today before she leaves for another city.
"Girlfriend? Ha! I wish." Aldrin jokingly answered as he stood up and pocketed his phone.
The Idle Adventure Mode was already in its third run. Although he fell asleep earlier after depleting his refined energy on top of not sleeping for a day, he woke up refreshed two and a half hours later. And by that time, his Dimensional Clones were already down to 1. If he woke up any later, he would've experienced the first failure in that mode.
As to what he did for the earnings from the first two runs... he first put all the Dimensional Clones' equipment at the same level. All Level 2 except the Back Guard. Level 2 of Back Guard needs 500 Idle Points so that's something he couldn't afford to splurge on yet. In his observation, each level, the number of IDLE Points needed was being multiplied by five. For Level 3, he now needed 250 IDLE Points for each of the seven equipment slots. Leveling from 3 to 4 would be 1250 IDLE Points and 4 to 5 to unlock a Skill for one Dimensional Clone would be 6500 IDLE Points.
8000 IDLE Points in total if he focused his earned points to level up one of the Weapon slots from one of the Dimensional Clones from 2 to 5.
With the remaining IDLE Points which amounted to more than 2200, he split them in half, converting the first half to Dimensional Energy to bathe himself with. The remaining half was split into his order to complete the full set of Basic Refiner Equipment which amounted to 400 IDLE Points, a Concept Book that cost 500 IDLE Points called Shadow Blade and the rest was converted to cash which he kept in his bank in the meantime.
Compared to the Dimensional Clones' equipment, there's no Back Guard among the armor categories. Moreover, although he was enticed, he refrained from buying a Metadome yet since he still had no idea how to pilot one.
As for the Shadow Blade Concept, Aldrin found himself stuck in a bottleneck for being enlightened with it. Furthermore, he had no idea what the reason was for failing to fully understand the Concept. In any case, thinking that he would get to mull about it later, he set it aside at the moment.
"I knew it. With that attitude, it's hard for you to find a girlfriend." Althea smugly commented as she stared at her brother from head to toe as if she's scrutinizing the fashion clothes she wanted to buy.
"You're at that age already. We will not mind if you do find one but at least, introduce her to us... Also, go back home like you promised."
"Yes mom, don't worry. I will be true to my words."
Aldrin was out of contact with them for a few years. Even though they know he's alive somewhere in the city, they didn't know if he ever found a girlfriend to live with or if he had already married someone.
Because they noticed ever since last night that Aldrin couldn't let go of his phone, that kind of suspicion naturally came up. And Aldrin couldn't help but just accept it and answer truthfully.
There's truly no explaining the IDLE Database after all. It's too mysterious to even understand how it works. On top of that, he's the only one who can see it.
'Can anyone transfer Dimensional Energy through a phone or a computer? That's totally unheard of.' Aldrin shook his head as he eventually joined them at the table.
Later before lunch, the transport back to the Southeastern District would begin.
In a sense, this was the only meal they would share again before another separation. Either way, once he returns to his apartment, he's already planning to pack his things to move back home.
He's going to become an official Energy Refiner and perhaps, like Renissa, he only had a month left to stay here before he was sent to a Refiner's Academy. He thought of spending it with his family and catching up on the time he wasted for the past few years.
-
-
"And... send!" Aldrin silently exclaimed as he tapped the send button on an anonymous dimail application. Attached to that mail was the audio recording. He put 'URGENT' as the subject and sent it to the Lonewind City Mayor's Office.
Whether they would believe that or not, Aldrin had no idea. The Southern District was still grieving for yesterday's disaster, if the Mayor's focus was towards rebuilding it then it would take some time before he noticed that dimail.
Either way, he already did his part. He made a mental note to always be prepared because, at any moment, the same thing could happen once more. Even if he didn't have the ability to stop it with his current strength, at the very least, he's aware that even the safest place could become a dangerous one at any moment.
After pocketing his phone that returned to the Idle Adventure interface, Aldrin resumed his steps and eventually arrived at a quiet café located in the Central District.
"Aldrin."
Along with the chime of the bell attached to the door of the café, Renissa's somewhat excited voice reached his ears as she called out to him from her table.
For their meeting today, Renissa picked this place and sent him the location.
"Have you waited?" Aldrin sat on the chair directly in front of her.
As his eyes scanned the woman whose hair was once more glowing and emitting a cold breeze, he noticed Renissa's facial expression being close to excitement and nervousness.
Aldrin guessed that the empty cups of coffee sprawled on the table were the culprit.
"No. No... I also only arrived just now."
Despite having the evidence in front of her, Renissa didn't hesitate to lie for the sake of keeping up appearances.
"That's not what the number of cups and opened sugar packs says."
Upon hearing that, Renissa jolted in surprise before embarrassingly pulling all the cups and picking up the empty packets of sugar to her side.
Following that, she called for the waiter and asked for another coffee. And since Aldrin had already arrived, Renissa also ordered a meal for two as well as another coffee for Aldrin.
"Don't mind the details. The most important thing is... we both arrived on time."
Renissa then pulled out her phone. "Give me your bank account, Aldrin."
"Is that necessary? I think I'm already fine with you treating me. Moreover, you're also going to accompany me to the Refiner's Association."
"This and that are different, Aldrin. I can't just get all the money for something we worked on together."
"Heh. If you ever get a boyfriend, he's in luck."
"You. Don't talk about that thing! My mind is already occupied with doing better as an Energy Refiner. A boyfriend is still out of the question."
"I think you misunderstood me. I'm not telling you to get a boyfriend though. Just stating the fact that if you ever got one, he's lucky to have you."
"That... Let's say, you're right. Thanks for the compliment, then?"
"Un. You're most welcome."
Compared to how they interacted yesterday wherein Aldrin was like an interviewer, this time, they're like long-time friends going out for a coffee.
Nonetheless, Aldrin also couldn't help but think about the topic about him earlier among their family. 'A girlfriend is great. But I guess there's no need to rush on that. Just like Renissa, I will be occupied not only by being an Energy Refiner but also by the IDLE Database.'
After giving her his bank account, a message confirming the transfer immediately reached his phone.
Upon looking at it, Aldrin was somewhat surprised. He received 10,000 Federation Credits. "Are you sure you didn't add another 0?"
"I doubled it from my share. You will need that money to kickstart your career. What the Corporation or the City Hall will give will be not enough for your needs. Besides I got more from the Rift Monsters I killed using a Metadome. albeit their price was lesser due to how much damage they received to their bodies." Renissa explained.
Aldrin thought of rebutting her by returning what she just said about not taking all the money they worked on together but refrained to do so in the end. She generously gave it to him and it would just be awkward. In his mind, he just thought that if there's a chance to help Renissa in the future, he would do so.
A while later, the food and coffee they ordered arrived. As they ate their lunch together, Aldrin and Renissa soon got lost in their conversation which revolved around different topics, taking their minds away from the disaster that happened just yesterday.
Unbeknownst to the two, their relationship gradually eased up from being just former classmates to friends.