"Oh, dear, I'm too old for this..." I said, sighing.
"M-Mila? "Why are you talking like an old lady?" Gris replied in a voice dripping with dismay.
"Gris, I feel like I've aged 60 years..."
[What trouble have you gotten yourself into this time, Mila?]
Because of the unexpected events I've been involved in, I feel like all the years have fallen on me... I feel drained of energy, but still my biggest concern is... when I look in the mirror, I notice the deep wrinkles on my skin. Well, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but the truth is that I feel really agitated. Having your life constantly exposed to danger is really demanding...
Leaving that aside, I was talking to Gris on the phone; I took the opportunity to call her since I was on recess. Gris was still in the hospital, although according to her, she will be discharged soon... I hope so, because without Gris I feel very lonely and sad... While thinking those things, I continued my conversation with Gris on the school rooftop.
"Hey, Gris, when are you going back to school? It's so boring without you; please come back! I need you!"
"M-Mila, please lower your voice a little," Gris said with a nervous smile.
"B-but, Gris, I feel so lonely!"
"M-Mila..." Gris giggled; it seemed that she was amused by my childish behavior. She really doesn't know how much I miss her; without her, school is not fun; besides, I feel vulnerable without her company.
"By the way, Mila, have you seen that video on social media? Everyone is talking about it."
"Oh, yeah, yeah, that video."
"You don't know what I'm talking about, do you?"
"No... I really don't know, hehe, what happened."
"Good grief, Mila," Gris sighed before continuing to speak. Even though we were talking on the phone, I could imagine her adjusting her glasses as they shone brightly, hiding her eyes, preparing herself to talk more seriously about the matter.
"That day, many people reported seeing an object moving at high speed on the city streets, and like I told you before, there are videos that have gone viral on social media! Hold on a second; let me send you one."
[Notification] A notification appeared on the small device attached to my arm. By the way, even though Gris was still in the hospital, she was forced to use that device. Without a doubt, this device will now become a fundamental piece of equipment for everyday life. On the other hand, this is also proof that the authorities are very alarmed about this whole incident at the mall.
And I don't blame them; an attack like that had never happened before. The most terrifying thing is the fact that a sorceress caused it... If it becomes known, there's no doubt everyone would freak out.
I tapped the screen of the device, and a blue light illuminated the entire rooftop; the light was projected in front of me like a hologram, showing a scene in blue shades.
Something or someone could be seen moving at high speed among a crowd of people who were desperately running in all directions.
Gulp! Recognizing the scene, I couldn't help but swallow because of the nervousness. That day I ran to the mall to save Gris, but because of the training, my powers went out of control... Apparently, someone recorded me with their phone... If Warren finds out about this, he'll be very upset... I can already hear him lecturing me and saying things like, "Mila, look what you've done!".
Why does this only happen to me? I thought as I sighed. While I was lamenting about that, I looked at the comments on the video.
["What's that!"]
["It's fake!"]
["No, it's definitely real; I saw it with my own eyes."]
[It's AI, guys!]
Ah, what a relief. At least there are people who think it's fake; that's good, right? The projection faded away, and Gris and I continued talking about other things until she finally had to hang up.
By the way, that device—I don't know what its name is, since I didn't pay much attention to Miss Noir's explanation... It's incredibly versatile and useful; you can do almost anything: send messages, make calls, project images... Yet, I know the truth, and that its primary design is to detect potential threats to the city... Sorcerers.
Luckily, by applying that strange liquid that Warren gave me, it's impossible for this device to detect anomalies in my body, since this strange liquid alters my body temperature; that's what Warren explained.
After finishing my call with Gris, I started eating my lunch: grilled chicken with a bowl of salad and avocado.
"Munch, if Warren sees that video, I'll be in trouble... So for my sake, I hope he doesn't see it..." I muttered while chewing.
"Which video are you talking about, Mila, this one?"
"Wa-Warren?" Since how long have you been here?"
Warren was right next to me. He quickly put his phone in his pockets, but this time he didn't have the face of the typical heartthrob he used to talk to the girls in the classroom; instead, his expression was one of annoyance. On top of that, he did wear his school uniform, but his tie was loose and his shirt was untucked, making him look like the typical rebellious teenager. Good thing there aren't any other girls around; otherwise, I'd hear them yelling "kya!"
"Mila, we have a problem," he said.
"A problem? What happened?"
Warren nodded at my question; his face was serious, and I could hear some nervousness in his words. "Our boss."
Ring! Ring! At that instant, Warren's phone started ringing, preventing him from telling me what the problem was. Looking at his phone, I noticed that he was staring at it with a mix of doubt and resignation before answering.
"Yes, I do understand," he said.
From where I was sitting, I could hear someone speaking through the phone in a high-pitched voice, but I didn't know what they were talking about. However, Warren's tense face didn't change.
"Of course, I understand, but... what?" Right now?"
Warren raised his voice, full of desperation. I wonder, who is he talking to? And more importantly, what are they discussing?
"Yes, it will be as you say, boss."
Once the conversation was over, Warren put his phone away once again in his pockets, sighing and running his hands through his hair.
"This is bad."
"What's wrong, Warren?"
"Before this... I wanted to train you, but..."
"Warren? I don't understand what you're talking about..."
Crossing his arms and with his face clearly worn out, Warren finally turned to me. "The boss wants to meet you today."
"Boss? Today?"
"That's right."
Now that I think about it, the day of the incident, Warren did mention a boss when he was confronting that masked girl... What was her name? If I remember correctly, it was Lara. They mentioned a boss... A boss called Luna?"
"Oh! That's Boss Luna, right? If I recall correctly, you mentioned her at the mall."
Warren nodded, though he still looked a bit worried. "That's right, Mila, the boss's name is Luna Van Vestar."
Luna Van Vanstar? I've heard that name before, but I can't remember where.
While I was trying to recall where I'd heard that name, I accidentally pushed my backpack, causing everything inside to spill out. Amidst the mess, one object caught my eye: it was the yuri manga I'd bought with Warren's money. Upon seeing it, something immediately clicked.
On the cover of the manga were two silhouettes, apparently two girls holding hands, and behind them stood what looked like a concert hall; however, what caught my attention wasn't the illustration on the cover but the author's name, which was below. Luna Van Vestar.
"It can't be! This Luna who wrote this manga is the same boss Luna?"
When I looked at Warren, his gaze was distant, staring through the metal fence on the school rooftop. I had a hunch that this boss Luna would be another eccentric character that I would have to deal with.