Key watched the two from the window after they left the building, a man is indeed waiting next to a car and he immediately opened the door for the two after seeing them.
The moment Key turned around, the gentle smile she had while Kami's around disappeared without a trace, just as Coeus stood up and led her to a room.
"Report," Key said and Coeus nodded while spreading a stack of papers in front of Key
"As you know, the old master of the Rotschilde household threatened to disown Master Kendrick, Mister Sanchi, and Miss Chela," Coeus reported
"However, that's just it. The young Rotschildes; Coin and Cash, are still eligible heirs, and as of the moment, they are the prime inheritors in the old master's will." Key's eyes sharpened as she realized the situation of the household in Angliae
"As for you, Primogenitrice, you are to inherit all of the assets that you have given them, just like how it was pre-arranged before your arrival as Kendrick's illegitimate daughter with Lolita Desmond. The said assets include the manors in Arcspai, Asgree, Delcruss, and the estate in L'Autriche, and the group of companies under Colie Enterprise." Coeus answered
"And my next identity?" Key asked
"The Lady Ruiz has given her approval, you'll be registered in the Ruiz household after your current identity has reached the age of 70." Coeus pointed at the stack of paper and Key picked it up
It seems that Kitten has arranged her next identity to be the successor of the Ruiz Empire, Key clicked her tongue after reading the name she'll use after Keychantel.
"Kaija… what a name," Key commented in her thoughts
Kaija meant 'Life' and 'pure', the first meaning could've reflected the fact that she's immortal and may never lose her life yet the second meaning is too far from reality, both she and Kitten have been tainted by the dark truths of this world the moment they have walked on the path fated for them.
Kitten's untimed kismet and her immortal flame, both have snatched their innocence away.
"I see, and what of her education and path?" Key asked like she was not talking about herself
"As Ms. Kaija Ruiz will be inheriting all the assets of the Ruiz household, she will be privately tutored from the age of 4 in subjects related to customer engagement and negotiations, her primary and middle school education will be received from the following facilities in Arcspai and Asgree respectively." He informed her while showing her a page in one of the stacks of paper that shows a table
"Arrangements include enrolling her in Business Administration for College in one of the Ivy League schools located in Pennsylvania, she will not pursue further education and will proceed to inheriting the Ruiz Empire at 25." Coeus summarized the content of the table
"The next set of Troublemakers, possibly our successors are currently being trained and located one by one to ensure that they meet the pre-existing requirements that you and the Lady Ruiz have set," Coeus added and Key placed the file down on the table
"What does Kitten intend to do while I manage her empire?" Key asked directly and Coeus cleared his throat but did not answer
If Key has TL as her main assistant in the Troublemakers to relay her instructions and messages, Kitten has Coeus as her main assistant.
He is the Troublemaker that acts as her butler and proxy in situations that require attendance.
Just as TL knows some personal things in Key's life, Coeus certainly knew Kitten's private things.
"The Lady Ruiz…" Coeus shook his head
"Kitten is not one to idle, Coeus, so tell me, what does Kitten, Khaalida, intend to do while I manage her empire?" Key repeated and Coeus cleared his throat
"The Lady Ruiz only said that… this is a pre-arrangement from the future," Coeus said and Key understood what Kitten meant with the words she asked Coeus to relay
She may not understand it now, but she will in the future, and when the situation calls for it.
Kitten only had her as her assurance, just as Kitten served as her only anchor in the path of immortality, she is Kitten's insurance that wherever she ends up, she's not alone.
"I see, I will go ahead then," Key said and stood up
"Ah, Primogenitrice-mere…" Coeus said and raised his hand
"My apologies," he said and Key raised her brow
"The Lady Ruiz also asked you to take a break after the International League, to stand in as her in the Empire." Key had a gut feeling that something was going on with Kitten after she heard that
"I will, that's what I planned anyway." She said and left but as she walked, thoughts about her best friend troubled her
For Kitten to make a request of her, with an oddly vague schedule, through a Troublemaker rather than telling her upfront meant that something is going on her side… or maybe something has gone on but is just about to happen.
Key understood that while she is immortal and remained at a standstill, Kitten had to handle the passage of time in her hands.
They are glitches of the universe, glitches that are using their existence to cheat and hold leverage over others to survive.
"Desole," the same voice from the station earlier broke her out of her reverie
Their eyes met, his widened in surprise and revealed a look of recognition on his face while Key's eyes were indifferent as she muttered the apology in French, before Key walked away.
She noticed that she was gaining attention so she fixed the mask covering half of her face as she head to the bus station to take a 9-hour trip from Menton to Chamonix.
It's not that she assumes these people will recognize her as Kashmiri but it was better for her to be safe than to reveal their current location to both fans and anti-fans.
Her phone rang and it was Kitten, she immediately answered the call and rummaged through her pocket for her earphones, she felt that something was amiss but she didn't know what it was so she paid no attention.
"Kitten," she said as soon as she connected her earphone
[Kaija,] Key shook her head after hearing Kitten call her by her next name
"I'll be calling you Mom soon, aren't I? Reaching 70 won't take that long," she commented and she heard Kitten's sigh from the other line
"Where have you been? You sound exhausted." Key asked
[Just a little stroll back in Ceno, it's nothing much really. Congratulations on Qualifying for the International, second place in the qualifiers isn't so bad.] Kitten said making Key chuckle
"You're in the wrong timeline, Kitten, we haven't even played in the Qualifiers. Thanks for the spoiler though, I appreciate the head's up" Key said and she heard Kitten chuckling half-heartedly from the other line
[Ah, my bad, but now you can change it.] Kitten said
"Should I?" Key asked meaningfully
[It's up to you if you want to go head-to-head with Fate again.] Kitten replied
"That would be a lot of mess for you to clean up," Key said
[Nothing I can't handle now.] Key understood that something did happen on Kitten's side that was just about to happen on her side.
[Have a safe trip back to Chamonix, Key,] the call ended with that and Key returned her phone and earphones to her pocket
"Hey, are you heading back to Chamonix?"
Key didn't pay attention to the man who was speaking, she assumed that he was talking to her, but when she felt him try to tap her shoulder, she looked his way.
She bumped into that man twice that day.
"Are you talking to me?" Key asked him directly in French with an indifferent tone
"Yeah," he replied, in French as well, and panting
"The bus is here," the man said and Key didn't say anything and just headed to ride the bus as it stopped in front of them along with the other passengers after the passengers unmounts the bus
She sat near the window and the man, as if trying to get close to her, sat next to her.
"Your keychain,"
Key almost glared at him, thinking he was referring to her with the nickname Veganca gave her during middle school but realizing that he was holding the keychain from the twins, she displayed a softened gaze.
"Thanks," she muttered after getting the keychain
"You're a local in Chamonix? Or a tourist?" the man asked and Key did her best to remain polite and not brush him off rudely
"A tourist, with a rest house here." She replied
"Would you mind?" she asked as politely as she can in French as she took out her phone and earphone, ensuring the keychain doesn't fall out of her pocket in the process
"No," the man replied and Key finally wore her earphones and connected them to her phone
She played a random playlist, and she was confused when they started singing in Japanese, she checked the name of the playlist and it was Kami's playlist.
It's synched with Kami's device since she's using her account.
The travel was nine hours long, but she didn't feel hungry even in the slightest bit while the man seated next to her would open a bag of biscuits and chips every couple of hours.
Key's immortality didn't make her immune to hunger, it's just that she went through famine a lot of times that her body was practically used to not eating anything for days and weeks without dying, as that very thing wasn't even possible.