It has been five days since Mercedes returned back to her home after staying in the Virtual-Augmented Reality for a couple of weeks. As she had expected, time stopped the moment she entered the virtual world.
Presently, She was currently researching through the internet about the possibilities of other worlds, specifically other realities.
The reason why she even began researching it on her own was simple. Spade wouldn't tell her anything about the world where Astarte dwelled. According to Spade, she would only have to level up to gain the answer to her questions.
And to level up, Mercedes needed to accomplish the Finale of the main questline.
While she would want to work in the Cafe after hearing this, the reality wasn't as easygoing as the virtual world. Regine obviously was happy about it. Though, her little sister didn't agree with Mercedes working in the Cafe.
Her reasoning was none other than Mercedes being unfit for waiting service. Even though her communication skills were good, their society was strict about things like beauty. That was among the reason why Mercedes locked herself in her room.
She had felt that no matter what she had done. No one and nobody would ever accept her. So with this logic, why would she bother interacting with the world?
But Mercedes understood that her little sister wasn't insulting her appearance. Kiara was warning her of what could happen if she tried becoming a waitress with such an appearance. Other people would insult her behind her back. From Kiara's perspective, it might hurt her older sister.
So until Mercedes loses 20 pounds(9 kilograms), she'll never be allowed to do the job.
Such were the requirements given to Mercedes by her little sister.
To be honest, it all worked in Mercedes's favor. She managed to go through the sub-quest of AEGIS. She started training and practically spent her time sweating. During the entire time, she could've sworn that she might have gotten a heart attack.
At the current moment, Mercedes completed the sub quest after 4 days and lost 20 pounds of her weight. It was quite a lot for a short amount of time. But speed and efficiency were something AEGIS was proud of.
Her mother and her little sister were clearly shocked about it. Kiara couldn't help but wonder if sorcery was on the board. But there was no way such a thing known as magic could be possible.
"I have been researching the theories, and it's hard to wrap my head in any one of them."
Mercedes ruffled her brunette hair in annoyance while holding a pen. She was writing her research in the notebook. And after going through each of the theories, she could only find two that might be possible in her knowledge.
"String theory multiverse and many worlds theory. Even I don't understand much about them."
"According to my research regarding the string theory multiverse, the theory relates to the quantum field. And the quantum field is the amongst the most fickle. I don't even want to bother about it." Mercedes sighed to herself and continued talking for no reason.
"Besides, the string theory is nothing more but a theory that was created to connect quantum mechanics and general relativity. So the multiverse theory is nothing more but its surplus."
Mercedes thought about the words of Astarte. Astarte's world was the reality where AEGIS dwelled before entering Mercedes's reality. With that in mind, one can assume that AEGIS can jump into multiple realities. But how and why?
"Spade doesn't answer my questions for some reason. I know that Astarte said that the truth will naturally come to me. However, I don't like getting unexpectedly shocked by what the truth is." Spade mumbled before standing up and stretching her pale arms.
She walked towards the window and opened the curtains. Glancing at the horizon, Mercedes notices the golden sun rising from the boundary. Along with it was the blue skies.
"Another beautiful morning." Mercedes yawned as she woke up earlier than she had expected. Though according to her mother, she'll have to get used to waking earlier in the morning. Nonetheless, this made Mercedes wonder how her mother gets her energy.
Mercedes glances to the side and notices the mirror right beside her. Upon looking at it, her eyes opened wildly. Chills echoed throughout her spine since she had seen something shocking.
"What the-" Mercedes uttered while staring at her body in the mirror. She wasn't fat anymore, and her waistline and chest were beginning to form a curve. Her pale skin seemed refined, soft, and smooth, yet also firm.
The freckles on her face also faded, and her jaw became sharper than before. She lost her chubby face, and her sapphire-like eyes matured. They matched well with her eyeglasses.
"I've changed... Faster than I expected." The change was within Mercedes's expectations. Losing 20 pounds was to be expected, but her appearance changing was beyond it. She thought that she wouldn't be fat. Nothing more, nothing less. She didn't expect she would become gorgeous.
"Besides, I remember yesterday that only my weight changed. Even my freckles were still there, so what was this? Why did I become gorgeous?" Mercedes couldn't help but ask. Asking things for no reason was becoming her habit.
"At any rate, this works for me well. With this appearance, accomplishing whatever quest the AEGIS throws at me will be a piece of cake." Mercedes smirked as she thought of her life becoming even more, easier than before.
After she spent 10 more minutes checking her body out, she stopped and went through the bathroom. The body she currently had was turning into a body that might rival her mother. Mercedes couldn't help but be in awe of it.
'If I was a man, I would have married myself and spent my entire lifetime with me. Though, even my mother was left behind.' Mercedes's expression was saddened as she thought about the past. Gorgeousness doesn't really hold much of a candle since her beautiful mother was abandoned.
"*Sigh...* Enough with depression, let's take a bath." Mercedes shook her head and started taking a bath. Hot steam soon shrouded the bathroom, and Mercedes had the time of her life.
Half an hour later, Mercedes wore the waitress uniform of the Cafe. Regine glances at Mercedes from afar with a smile plastered on her face. A lot of things happened in this month. Her oldest daughter had changed for the better at a greater speed than she had expected.
Her two daughters were also beginning to get along with each other. All of the things happening to her were pieces of good news strapped onto one another.
"Mercedes, it's almost time," Regine called out after noticing that Mercedes was completely prepared. Mercedes gazes at her mother and responds. "I'll be there, Mom."
Regine and Mercedes pass through the kitchen. Mercedes saw some of her mother's employees for the first time. As she passed right by them, they noticed her and were instantly frozen in place. They were surprised to see a beautiful girl appear out of nowhere.
"Boss, where did this beautiful young lad come from?" The chef questioned with a smile of excitement on his face. They didn't have waiters that much since the Cafe didn't need them with the customers they were getting.
But things were changing now. The neighborhood was being developed. Many people were moving inside the district, and the prices of real estate were increasing exponentially. Business was also booming, with stores emerging one after another.
"I can't believe you don't recognize her, Anthony. She's Mercedes, my eldest daughter." Regine declared with a proud expression on her face. She was smirking at her employees as if she had won a great battle against them.
"Wha-"
"Oh..."
"She-"
The reactions of the employees in the kitchen were a bit more heavy-handed than expected. Regine's proud smile turned into a frown which the employees swiftly noticed.
"Hello, I don't really go out that much, so I'll introduce myself."
"I am Mercedes Reed, and I look forward to working along with all of you." Mercedes bowed slightly and introduced herself with a big bright smile. The shocked employees got out of their trance and began giving praises to Mercedes.
"Young lady, you really are different from the rumors. I'm sorry, kid. I guess you shouldn't judge everything by preconceived notions." The chef apologized to Mercedes as he had defamed her with rumors that weren't even the truth.
"Thank you, it will be a pleasure to work in this Cafe." After uttering such noble and soft words, Mercedes walked to the exit of the kitchen. However, before leaving the kitchen, she stops and glances back at the employees of her mother.
"The rumors were correct, by the way. None of them were lies." Mercedes remarked with a cunning smile on her face. Walking out of the kitchen, it was about time for her to start her first job as a waitress.
As minutes passed by with hours coming along with it, Mercedes was adapting fast to her job as a waitress. The communication skill she had received from the special quest was extremely useful. The knowledge she had learned from her teachers also aided her.
Upon entering the field of food service, Mercedes acted as if it was her own natural habit. Regine, who was gazing from afar, couldn't help but get dazzled by her daughter's skills. The employees from the kitchen who took a peek at the kitchen door were also astonished by her.
Mercedes continued to reveal her hard-earned skills. She was good at noticing things in the background, and she was also adaptive to the social environment surrounding her.
A couple of hours later, the clock pointed to 5pm in the afternoon. It was the closing time of the Cafe, and Mercedes sat on a comfy chair while breathing heavily. She was tired of doing customer service for hours, but it was a good experience.
"And this is just the beginning," Mercedes uttered as a digital window materialized before her.