Edmund's gray-blue eyes fixed on me as I released his shoulders, packing his clean school uniform into my bag. "Before I lost my memory, I was afraid and confused, not knowing what happened to this world. Then, I went through hardships with Second sister, so I have a kind of... special dependence on her. When I can't sleep at night, listening to you talk helps me fall asleep. So, I also have some dependence on you, Edmund. Now that Second sister is gone, it's time for me to be independent. I can't always rely on you all like a little bird, Edmund," I said earnestly, shouldering my bag and looking at him. "My dependence on you all will make me vulnerable."
Edmund looked at me for a moment, lowered his eyelids, and became quiet, no longer speaking.
"Besides, I'm just not sleeping here. It doesn't mean we can't still be friends," I added.
Edmund was slightly surprised and shyly smiled. "Heh..." He blinked, raised his face to look at me again, and a trace of shy tenderness appeared in his gray-blue eyes. He seemed a bit hesitant and couldn't look at me directly, lowering his gaze slightly. "Yvette, you're a girl. It's not considered weak to rely on others."
I laughed and thanked him before turning to pick up the bedding.
"Let me help you." He gathered all the rolled-up bedding for me, smiled, and hurriedly walked ahead of me, opening the door leading to the West District.
Edmund and I walked quietly in the corridor, with faint, goose-yellow lights on the side. Currently, the primary energy source in Noah City was still solar energy. However, due to the low energy flow density and inability to form a perfect energy form, solar energy couldn't become the main source for spaceships and flying cars. It was a significant reason why Noah City's spaceships and flying cars couldn't travel far.
The best energy source now was undoubtedly the blue crystal energy. It was a kind of aggregated energy, quite magical, and could also absorb solar energy. However, blue crystal energy was said to only exist in the radiation central zone, making it nearly impossible to mine. Moreover, it was unstable and prone to explosions with slight vibrations. Therefore, even Silvermoon City dared not rashly mine blue crystal energy.
I didn't know how blue crystal energy was formed and where it came from. There were still many places in this world that I needed to explore.
When the sounds of celebration reached us, we had already arrived in the West District. Edmund hadn't spoken along the way, and he was usually someone who liked to talk.
Celeste's residence was on the street behind Jessie's, a different street I was familiar with because across the street was where Emery and the others lived.
My room was on the fifth floor. Lindsay was already waiting at my door. She saw Edmund and laughed, "The mascot is here too. Edmund, you're not reluctant to let Yvette leave us, are you? Hahaha..." Lindsay laughed loudly again, putting her arm around my shoulder. Her mischievous demeanor made her look like a mischievous boy.Edmund's face turned red from Lindsay's laughter. Holding my bedding with a bit of annoyance, he went straight into the room. He didn't like being called a mascot. Everyone understood that it was essentially calling him a girl.
I glanced at Lindsay. "Stop teasing Edmund."
"I like seeing him blush," Lindsay mischievously said.
I felt like Lindsay and Edmund should swap genders.
"I'll go play. Just use your communicator and scan the sensor at the door; it acts as your key," Lindsay patted my back. "We'll be at Jessie's place waiting for you."
"She can't go!" Edmund suddenly emerged, looking angry.
Lindsay crossed her arms, raised her chin, and looked at Edmund. "Edmund, what? Do you want to keep Yvette to yourself? There are plenty of guys who want to be her man. What about you, William's little sweetheart? Hah.."
Edmund, with a red face, glared at Lindsay. "It's Uncle Ominic's order for Yvette to rest early tonight and be up early tomorrow!" He abruptly stopped talking, as if hiding something from me.
"What's happening early tomorrow?" Lindsay asked Edmund curiously. Suddenly, as if understanding something, Lindsay's eyes widened with surprise. "Could it be that?"
"Yeah," Edmund nodded discreetly, avoiding eye contact with Lindsay. "You should go. Don't disturb Yvette's rest here."
I started feeling puzzled. Lindsay seemed to know what was happening tomorrow and became mysteriously secretive with Edmund.
"Alright then, take good care of Yvette, mascot. Oh no, I mean, little sweetheart~~~" Lindsay continued teasing Edmund with a wicked grin. Edmund turned his face away in anger but didn't argue or retort. When others teased him, he always reacted like this, either getting angry or walking away. It made him an easy target for bullying.
Lindsay chuckled and looked at me. "Congratulations, Yvette."
Congratulations for what? I haven't given birth to a child.
Lindsay left with a mysterious smile.
Edmund sighed softly and entered the room again. I tapped the communicator and scanned the door sensor. I heard a "beep" sound, confirming the code match. I could use the communicator to open the door from now on.
I walked into the room, which had the same layout as Emery's, approximately five square meters, similar to the size of my own home's bathroom.
Against the left wall was a small steel bed, and Edmund was busy arranging my bedding. There was a tiny wardrobe next to the bed, much better than Emery's room, which had only a wooden plank and two nails.Beside the door was a table and chair, with my daily essentials neatly arranged on the table. The bathroom was shared, with one on each floor.
I looked at Edmund, who was making the bed. "Edmund, are you hiding something from me? What did Uncle Ominic say?"
While spreading the bedding, Edmund smiled. "Something good." He finished arranging the mattress and turned to smile at me. "Don't ask anymore. Let it be a surprise for tomorrow, okay?"
"A surprise?" I also smiled. "I love surprises. I won't ask then." I casually placed the bag into the small cabinet beside the bed, taking out two clean sets of clothes I had here. One was a black combat suit for training, and the other was Noah City's casual wear, the linen dress and pants I wore before. There was also a new pair of shoes made by Asna, neatly crafted and beautiful.
After putting my bag away, I unzipped the inner pocket, revealing some keepsakes. I took out a string of sandalwood beads and walked up to Edmund. "Here, thank you for always taking care of me."
Edmund stared at the sandalwood beads in my hand, seeming somewhat disbelieving. The beads were a gift my father bought to give to others.
"For me?" he asked, a bit surprised.
"Yeah," I nodded, lifting his hand and placing the beads on his wrist. "These are sandalwood beads, and they're blessed by the gods for protection. So, Edmund, we're still good friends!" I held his hand tightly.
He looked at the beads on his wrist for a moment, then excitedly gripped my hand. "This is the best gift I've ever received. Thank you, Yvette." He lowered his blushing face, smiling happily and shyly.
I released his hand, and he immediately raised his wrist, deeply inhaling the fragrance. "It smells so good!" He carefully examined the sandalwood beads, saying, "I've only read about them in books. They say sandalwood is very fragrant, and it turns out to be true! By the way," he suddenly looked at me, "can you still fall asleep without hearing me talk? Tomorrow is important. You should rest well tonight. Or, how about I talk to you here tonight?"
I was taken aback, feeling a bit conflicted. Honestly, listening to him talk had become a habit for falling asleep, much like how my grandmother needed to listen to the radio to sleep.
Today, not only had I changed my location, but I also no longer had Edmund's constant chatter. It might be challenging for me to fall asleep.
"It's okay. I can accompany you. I can work even without being in the machine repair warehouse," he said, taking out the notebook and simple pen from his bag. He always carried the slung cloth bag with him, containing a notebook and a rudimentary pen.
Edmund had already sat on the chair by the door, facing away from me, starting to write in his notebook. "You go to sleep. When you're asleep, I'll leave."