Two Months Ago
The capital city of Laurentiis is divided into 23 districts, categorized based on living conditions such as security, climate, social status of residents, and access to medical and recreational facilities. The rankings and positions of these districts change annually.
In a house in District 22, a tall, elderly man was repairing a device. His white coat, marked with oil stains, bore a name badge reading "Felix Hawking." The room was cluttered with strange devices, some covered with white sheets. The device he was repairing resembled a humanoid robot.
"Ah, the Arcanium core reactor is broken," Felix muttered, running a hand through his thinning hair. "No chance of finding one here. Permission needed for other districts… as if they'd ever let me in."
"I wish I could go to a maze like I did in my youth. It would have been easy to get Arcanium and make a new core reactor myself. With this one broken too, I only have one robot left," Felix grumbled, pulling his hair in frustration.
As he was about to set down his screwdriver, the doorbell rang. Felix frowned, glancing at the clock. "Who the hell is this at this hour?" he muttered, moving toward the door and opening it with a stern expression.
"You... You!" Felix was astonished to see a frail, old man at the door.
"Dale, you're still alive, but how?" Felix's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Yeah, surprised? Or did you wish I were dead?" Dale replied.
"Shut up and come inside," Felix said with a smile, guiding Dale into the house. A small cube-shaped robot poured tea for Dale, its mechanical limbs moving with practiced precision.
"It seems like you're not in too bad shape," Dale commented.
Felix's house wasn't large, but it was considered one of the best in District 22. "If you call my condition 'not bad,' then you must have had it pretty rough to think this is decent. Have you forgotten who I was?" Felix responded, slightly offended.
"No, I haven't forgotten. How could I forget the country's top scientist who worked in the royal palace?" Dale answered, sipping his tea. "But before we continue, something's been bugging me since I walked in. What's that? Did you steal some artwork from a museum?" Dale asked, pointing to a glass-encased box of sweets.
"Oh, that! You remember how much I loved sweets and couldn't control myself. Recently, I found out I have diabetes and need to be careful. So, I put the sweets in a protective glass case. I can only open it if I solve a super-complex math problem that resets every 12 hours. This way, I eat fewer sweets," Felix explained, his eyes fixated on the sweets.
"At this point, I don't know which one of you is stranger, you or him," Dale remarked.
"Who is 'him'?" Felix asked, puzzled.
"Oh, I forgot to mention. I'm talking about my grandson, Benedict."
"Wha—! Your grandson is still alive? You mean both you and your grandson survived that purge?" Felix asked, eager for a response.
"Yes, both my grandson and I..." Dale started to explain, but Felix interrupted, "Does that mean your daughter and her husband are still alive too?" Dale's face fell, and he shook his head.
"Such a pity. But it's a miracle that you and your grandson survived. As for me, I was sent on a foreign mission, so I didn't even know what was happening. After I came back, I made a mess in the royal palace. They confiscated most of my belongings, sent me here, and put a ban on me. I can't even leave District 22!" Felix said.
"I'm sorry. You suffered a lot because of me and my family," said Dale with a sad face.
"I'm not here to reminisce. Let's get to the point. Felix, to be honest, I don't have much time left. After I'm gone, my 11-year-old grandson will be all alone. I was hoping you could take him in," Dale continued, his tone hopeful.
Felix blinked, taken aback. "Me? Take in a kid? You know how I am with children."
"It's not just about that. Benedict wants to enroll in the Academy's entrance exam! You're the only one who can train him," Dale continued.
"That's practically suicide! Do you know what will happen if his true identity is discovered? 'They' think all of you are dead! If they find out, they'll come to finish what they started!" Felix protested.
"That's exactly why he needs to go to the Academy. All the Academy students are protected by the royal palace. Besides, they'll find out sooner or later that Benedict is alive and will come for him. Even if we don't consider that, their own kids are at the Academy. They won't risk their children's lives!" Dale argued.
"You might be right, but it's still a very dangerous move! Why does he want to go there? Why didn't you try to dissuade him?" Felix asked.
"He says he wants to reclaim it!" Dale replied. Felix's jaw dropped. Dale continued, "And you think I didn't try to dissuade him? That kid is more stubborn than you! Since the day of the purge, he's been training every day!"
"Please take him in! I'm asking you as an old friend," Dale pleaded.
"I need time to think and decide," Felix replied. After Dale left, Felix sat in contemplation. "What kind of trouble have we gotten into? Does that kid even understand who he's going up against? Thinking won't solve anything; I'll think about it tomorrow."
The next morning, Felix groaned as he opened the door to find Benedict's grandfather standing there. "Why are you here again? And at seven in the morning?" he asked, clearly annoyed. But before he could scold him further, Dale bowed. "Please take my grandson in!"
"Grandpa, why did they do this to us? What did we ever do to them?" a small voice echoed in Dale's mind.
"You, my grandson, did nothing. We—your parents and I—were just too weak to stop their all-consuming greed." Dale remembered, lost in past memories. "This is the only thing I can do for him," Dale thought to himself.
"Get up. Bowing won't change my mind; I still haven't decided," Felix said, his frown softening though his resolve remained firm.
But the visits didn't stop. For a month, Benedict's grandfather came daily, pleading with Felix to take him in.
"Fine, fine, I accept. From the moment I heard about taking him in, I wanted to agree. It was just the Academy that concerned me. I can't let the kid be for himself. I'll train him so he can get into the Academy, but if he can't endure my training, I'll make him give up on going," Felix agreed at last.
Hearing Felix's response, Dale's face lit up. He leaped up and hugged him, tears streaming down his face. "Thank you so much, my friend. Rest assured, the boy won't disappoint you. He's already stronger than I was in my prime." Felix's expression changed as if he didn't believe it.
"Let's go inside." They resumed their conversation and talked about their past for about an hour.
"Tell me about your grandson. I'm curious," Felix asked, holding a sweet in his hand, a grin spreading across his face.
"That kid is unique. Just wait and see for yourself," Dale said, trying to stand up.
"But just to be sure, Felix, let me ask you this before leaving. By chance, you don't have a heart problem, right?" Dale asked.
"No. Sometimes, I just have to eat sweets, or else I lose my mind. Why do you ask?" Felix replied.
Dale wanted to retort, "You just want an excuse to eat sweets," but held back.
"Well, you see, Benedict might surprise you. How should I put it? Hmmm... He's...mature. More mature than other kids. Just be careful not to get too surprised," Dale said while shaking his head.
"Nothing in this world surprises me anymore. You don't have to worry," Felix assured him.
Dale and Felix embraced one last time before Dale left. It was the final meeting between the two old friends.