As always, Gilath demands your power stones!
*****
After enjoying a hug with me, Tio parted ways and immediately entered a hug with Sherryl. Tio was about a year younger than Sherryl, and both of them were about a foot shorter than me.
"It is nice to see you again too, Sherryl. I heard you enrolled at school? Congratulations.", Tio said, congratulating Sherryl.
"Hehe, I can say the same thing to you, Tio. Looks like life has been treating you well.", Sherryl said, reaching her hand out to ruffle Tio's hair.
"Mmm.", Tio happily responded. I could see that Tio really was happy to see us gain like this. Her tone remained mostly monotonous. Her emotions have been gradually returning, but it's a slow process. It's not like she could behave like a normal person instantly. It was nice to see she could smile like this, at least.
Still, Lucy's gaze turned weird. She wasn't expecting to see such a small child behave like this. Considering that she hailed from a medical background, that weird gaze soon turned into a look of interest. She leaned toward Lechter's ear, whispering into it.
"Say Lechter, did something happen to this kid?", Lucy wondered. She wasn't around when Naoto and his friends were in the DG Cult caves, so she had no idea that they were experimented on.
"Yeah. I'd refrain from asking about it though. And I'm off the record in answering like this, Lucy. The kid took a hit. The brat next to her is the same. Notice how abnormally flawless her skin is? Young Master's in a similar spot to these two kids. If you place Young Master in a pit of fire, he'd come out of it completely unscathed.", Lechter whispered back. Lucy was both shocked and serious as she heard Lechter answer this.
"Just what in Aidios's name happened...?", Lucy uttered softly. She wasn't sure if she would become a medical student like how her aunt became a doctor, but it was clear to her that Naoto, Sherryl, and Tio weren't normal.
"I wish I could explain more, Lucy. If His Excellency caught wind of what I said alone, I'd definitely get reprimanded for it. Young master and the two kids were on the Missing Persons List a few years ago.", Lechter responded, concluding the topic. He kept it short and he would definitely get in trouble if he spoke out about it any longer.
Seeing Lechter turn silent on the matter, Lucy nodded her head.
"I see. At least it looks like it turned out alright. It just makes me even more curious as to what they went through.", Lucy wondered.
"'Dunno man, maybe if you stick around Young Master some more, you'd eventually find out? Don'tcha have a bus to get to?", Lechter asked.
"I do. I'll be staying with Auntie for a couple days before making my way back to Jenis. Now that I recall, this is Liberl's prince we're talking about here. I think I recall the Dean stating both His Highness and Her Highness are going to enroll at the school next year...", Lucy said.
"Right on the mira for that one. Young Master will be starting school next may, so you'll be able to find more about him then~", Lechter teased as he whispered back at her.
"That's not the point here...", Lucy uttered, letting out a defeated sigh.
As Lucy said that, Tio parted her hug from Sherryl.
I could see that Lucy wanted to ask about Tio, but she remained quiet as she exchanged some quiet words with Lechter.
"Hmph. I for one am not indulgent at partaking in reunions. I take it you have procured the orbments you have mentioned in our call, Naoto?", Professor Schmidt said, taking a few steps to approach us. I haven't seen Professor Schmidt since he built my Enigma II.
"H-Hey! You're not even going to let me get a word in, old man? You guys keep talking about this island while leaving me out of it. I want to know what it is!", A third voice said, belonging to a dirty-blonde bespectacled boy wearing thin clear glasses. Mine were dark and shaded. I chose mine based on its style, while the boy's in front of me had a practical use. I do believe his eyesight grew worse as time went on, so he had to wear glasses, unlike me.
"Haha, we can go over that later. I did bring what you wanted, Professor. I didn't see you at the airport so I thought we missed each other. Guess you're taking the next flight out?", I wondered before taking out two brown and sealed padded envelopes from my possession, handing it toward Professor Schmidt.
"More or less. The window was pretty tight and it's not like I was on a really tight schedule. I'll mostly be studying what you are presenting me now back at Leman.", Professor Schmidt said, taking the two sealed padded envelopes.
"Oh so now you say that. You even made us stay up till midnight last night...", The blonde-haired boy immediately retorted as he yawned. Of course this boy was Jona, and he seemed to be a year or two older than Sherryl here. He was still younger than me though.
"Not another word, institute student. You'll be able to blabber all you want once I depart in an hour. But for now, I want to make sure this is the real deal.", Professor Schmidt retorted back.
"Oh trust me Professor, they are definitely genuine articles. I could try to describe how I acquired them, but I doubt you would believe it.", I answered Professor Schmidt. This drew Jona's and Tio's gazes to the two envelopes. Even Lechter and Lucy were drawn to them.
Thankfully we all wandered away from the accessory shop clerk toward the north end of the second floor, and made our way to an empty area that had some comfy couches. Most shoppers remained on the ground floor unless they wanted to shop at the higher-end stores up here, so there weren't many shoppers nearby. We did receive a curious look or two, but they kept to themselves, wandering away to other shops.
Of course Tio did what Tio wanted to do, and she took the best seat in the house, and plopped her black skirt right before me. Tio was still small enough so doing this was fine for her, and she didn't obscure my view.
"Sheesh, you really have no shame do you, kiddo? You don't know how many enemies you just made by doing that.", Lechter said, sitting beside Professor Schmidt as Jona sat to the opposite side of him. Lucy sat beside me.
Tio's eyes squinted, slowly shifting her gaze toward the scarlet-haired boy.
"We may no longer be sailing Calvardian waters, but how about we take a boat out into Lake Elm and I toss you out inside those waters, Lechter?", Tio said in her nonchalant tone. Her deadpan look made her gaze appear even more serious. Lechter's gut reacted immediately, and he knew Tio was telling the truth.
"Are you seriously still hung up about that?", Lechter questioned, shuddering a bit. He recalled the first time Tio offered such an action and it was shrugged off, but I could tell Tio was being serious here. if we got on a boat right now, no doubt would Tio grab Lechter and throw him out of the boat.
"Hahaha, don't take such things to heart, Lechter.", I said, before turning toward my right to look at Lucy. "Jokes aside, are you fine being here still, Lucy? Don't you have a bus ride to catch soon? You're heading to St. Ursula right?", I asked. It was shortly after 8AM now after having finished my shopping and coming to Times Department Store.
The flight we were on didn't even last an hour. I didn't see Professor Schmidt hanging around the airport, so I had assumed he had left the flight already before I could give these two Master Quartz to him, but turns out that wasn't the case. He had stayed behind, likely by Tio's request. I could see the happiness in her eyes. She really wanted to meet me again, didn't she?
"Oh I still have some time to spare. The bus station is right south of Central Square. It's only ten minutes at most. I can still make it if I leave in a few moments. I'm more curious as to who these folks are. Professor Schmidt does ring a bell after hearing his name too...", Lucy wondered. The old man before her was quite stern and rude, but he struck a familiar feeling when Lucy gazed at him.
"It would seem you are quite close to Lechter too. Are you friends with Naoto?", Tio asked the blonde-haired woman seated beside me.
"Well, acquaintances really. We only met a couple hours ago. You may know me by my family name. I'm Lucy Seiland, it is nice to meet you all.", Lucy politely said, introducing herself to the group. Professor Schmidt raised his eyes hearing Lucy's family name.
"So you're of the Seilands...I heard that they had a daughter recently. I've personally worked with the Seiland Company on numerous occasions. They work directly with us back at the Epstein Foundation.", Professor Schmidt mused.
"You're from that family of doctors right? The ones who are said to produce the best orbal medical equipment in all of Zemuria?", Jona also mused, not expecting to see such a person sitting across from him.
"That's right. I'm currently studying abroad in Liberl but we currently have winter vacation underway so I'm going to be visiting Auntie at St. Ursula for a couple days. I didn't think you all would be so directly tied to the Epstein Foundation. We've had a good partnership for quite a few decades now.", Lucy responded.
"Well that is natural. I am one of Teacher's disciples after all. I found tutelage under Professor Epstein himself.", Professor Schmidt answered Lucy's doubt. Lucy's mouth went agape again in shock.
"Y-you studied under Epstein himself? Now that name makes sense...I didn't think I'd come across one of his disciples like this.", Lucy said with a look of interest.
"Oh and Tio and Jona here have been working with Professor Schmidt, mostly on the installation of the Orbal Network, but they're students of the Epstein Foundation. I'm just here with a little bit of some cooperation with 'em. My part is pretty much wrapped up with this delivery though.", I explained.
"You two study at the foundation? That's quite a feat you two seem quite young.", Lucy responded.
"I will be turning ten in a couple months.", Tio answered. She was very close to Sherryl in age, but was behind by a few months. Still, once Tio mentioned her age, Lucy's shock remained in her eyes.
"I wasn't expecting you to be that young...", Lucy uttered.
"Age matters not as long as one can explore their talents back at the foundation. I say that but we do have our limits. We aren't irresponsible when it comes to recruitment or enrollment. We noticed Tio's genius mind and didn't hesitate to offer a scholarship. More or less after accepting that, she has been cooperating with me.", Professor Schmidt explained his end.
"After what I plan to finish up in Erebonia, do you have plans to return to the foundation after, Tio?", I decided to ask.
"Mmm.", Tio responded, shaking her head. "I am not sure, I will be taking some time off from the foundation to be with you, but I do not know what will come after that.", Tio wondered to herself.
"You needn't rush things, disciple candidate. For now, let me confirm the contents of what I was given.", Professor Schmidt said.
"Go ahead, Professor. One of 'em is named Phantom while the other one is Andvari of the Mirage and Earth elements respectively. As far as I'm aware, they are perfectly working Master Quartz.", I explained.
"Hmm.", Professor Schmidt responded, only to unseal the padded envelopes. With swift movements, two large marble-like spheres suddenly rolled out onto the table...