Aaron approached Laura from behind as she was busy at the hospital reception counter, handling some paperwork.
"Are you leaving already, Laura? I mean, you've only been here for a night," Aaron said.
Laura was taken aback by the voice behind her.
"Oh, it's you, Aaron. Yeah... I'm leaving already. I feel better now and I have a lot of school work to catch up on since exam season is approaching," Laura replied enthusiastically.
Aaron followed Laura as she walked towards her car in the parking lot. They talked for a while before sharing a light hug just before Laura got into her car. As she prepared to leave, the car's window rolled down.
"Feel free to come and visit the school when you have free time. Also, I owe you a lot, so let me treat you to lunch or dinner sometime in the future," she said with a smile. The car's window closed, and she drove away from the parking lot.
Aaron pondered for a moment on what he should do in the meantime, until he received a new mission. With that in mind, he vanished from his current location and reappeared behind a back alley near the Royal Luxurious Mega Mall, the largest mall in the country, fully owned by the royal families.
The mall exuded a majestic aura, with its design blending classic castle aesthetics with the latest modern technologies. The lighting and the walls were adorned with a golden and yellowish theme, creating a grandiose atmosphere during dawn and sunset. Covering an area of at least 10 square kilometers, the mall was interconnected with a theme park and a luxurious hotel, all owned by the royal family.
Aaron realized he would need to buy new clothes, as he had grown tired of wearing suits. He longed for the days when he could dress casually, purchasing affordable clothing from stores like Geant or even second-hand items from thrift shops. He reminisced about his humble past, when he was financially strapped.
After completing his shopping, Aaron changed into a newly purchased casual shirt and paired it with shorts for his dinner at the mall's rooftop, where one could enjoy a meal while watching the sunset. However, to his surprise, when he arrived at the entrance, he found it guarded by professionals dressed in majestic military attire with a golden and yellowish color theme.
He patiently waited in line, observing others gradually being allowed onto the rooftop. But when it was his turn to approach the gate area, he was met with a disappointing response.
"I'm sorry, sir. The restaurant is fully booked at the moment," the person said, giving Aaron's attire a disdainful glance.
Aaron couldn't help but notice that there were plenty of empty spaces on the rooftop. It became apparent that he was being denied entry based on his attire.
Suddenly, he saw the woman he had to protect before at the univesity the one with huge background casually walked next to him and went into the restaurant without being stopped by anyone.
"Hmm, why is she allowed in while I'm not?" Aaron asked the person in front of him in a casual tone.
"Huh! You're nowhere near her status. She is a member of the royal family, the owner of this place. Just leave already!" the person responded sternly, pointing his finger towards the exit.
Aaron had grown tired of trying to reason with the person in front of him, especially since others were now paying attention and murmuring about his informal attire. As a diversion, he casually reached into his pocket and pulled out the mercenary card from his spatial ring, placing it on the desk in front of them.
The person who had been shouting and acting rudely suddenly trembled, leaving his colleagues and the security guards perplexed as they wondered what had caused this reaction. Curiosity got the better of them, and they couldn't help but peek at the card that Aaron had just placed on the desk.
Now all of them trembled and stared at Aaron in disbelief. Just before they could utter a word, he calmly retrieved his card and casually walked past them without saying anything. They were left speechless, too shocked to respond, and watched as Aaron seemingly vanished into thin air.
"Is he really a 5-star mercenary... Am I going to get fired once he reports this incident..." the person who had previously shouted trembled and fell to his knees, overwhelmed by fear and regret.
"You should go and apologize to him immediately," they all suggested in unison. They were scared too, as everyone knew that a 5-star mercenary had the privilege to take someone's life without facing severe consequences.
They recalled a recent incident where a high-ranked mercenary became enraged over spoiled food and executed the waiter on the spot, while the mercenary himself only received a small fine of 1 million credits, which seemed like pocket change to them.
Little did they fathom that Aaron remained oblivious to such privileges, nor did he harbor the slightest inclination to abrogate another's existence over a trifling matter.
The rooftop was expansive, spanning approximately one square kilometer, offering an abundance of seating options as the evening set in upon Aaron's arrival at the restaurant. He quickly located a favored spot and promptly took his seat. The table before him accommodated two chairs, clearly intended for couples, while possessing a size suitable for intimate dining.
Utilizing his phone, he placed an order for a variety of dishes whose names were entirely unfamiliar to him, noting with some astonishment that the total cost reached a staggering 50,000 credits!
"I can only hope that the culinary experience justifies the significant sum I have paid," Aaron muttered, as this marked his inaugural foray into the realm of luxurious dining.
While waiting for his food, Aaron scrolled through his phone, observing as the sky gradually darkened with the approach of sunset. The countdown for his left eye to regain functionality drew near, filling him with anticipation.
"Umm... Excuse me, Mr. Mercenary," the person who had previously been rude to him approached his table, apologizing for their earlier behavior. "It was my mistake. Please forgive me. Also, allow me to offer you a 20% discount as a gesture of goodwill. Please accept my apology."
The sudden interruption drew the attention of onlookers, prompting Aaron to respond in a nonchalant manner.
"It's alright. Just make sure it doesn't happen again... unless you want to find out what consequences may follow."
The person hastily departed, and the bystanders continued their animated discussions about the situation.
When the delectable feast arrived, it was an abundance of mouthwatering dishes. Aaron requested that they be brought out in intervals of five minutes, as his petite table was not capacious enough to accommodate the entirety of the culinary delights at once. The commotion drew the curious gaze of onlookers, but it swiftly subsided once the resplendent sun began its descent.
"Wow... It looks exquisitely beautiful," Aaron ruminated, his gaze fixated on the captivating hues of the sunset. He couldn't help but feel a pang of remorse for having led a mundane and sequestered existence in the past.
However, he reminded himself that he was once destitute, unable to afford such opulence, and therefore incapable of indulging in life's pleasures without financial means.
It was just past 8PM, and he had polished off all the delectable dishes he had ordered. The waiter who had served his meal was astounded by Aaron's prodigious appetite and the fact that there was not a morsel left on his plate.
"Hmm... I can feel a tingling sensation in my left eye. Is it time already?" Aaron mumbled as he carefully began unwrapping the bandage that had concealed his left eye since the previous day.
Using the front camera of his phone as a mirror, he beheld a startling sight.
"What? Why is the pupil now gray?" He had been an ordinary individual with dark, black pupils, but now his eyes possessed a curious combination of black and gray.
"Um... System, would you mind providing me with another teardrop for my right eye?" Aaron contemplated, a sigh escaping his lips.
"Excuse me... Is everything alright, sir?"
Suddenly, a soft woman's voice echoed from behind him, catching him off guard. He turned around to find the woman he had previously protected approaching him slowly.
"Do you mind if I join you? This table used to be my personal favorite spot for watching the sunset." She deftly pulled out a chair and sat down without waiting for Aaron's approval.
Aaron found himself at a loss for words, unsure of how to respond to the unexpected encounter.
"Um... The food was absolutely delightful and exquisite. I must say, I feel quite enlightened by the culinary experience. I might even become a seafood aficionado after this... Ahaha..." he replied, attempting to provide a suitable response while lightening the mood with a joke.
Aaron scrutinized the woman for a moment, but then his attention was captivated by a conspicuous notification emanating from the ring on her right index finger.