14~
A few hours later.
On the dining table.
The aroma of chicken curry filled the dining room.
Slowly, Cardea tore apart a piece of soft-cooked chicken, savoring the taste before making a small cone of roti and dipping it into the rich curry.
'Ahh, how much I missed this taste.'
After a week of only eating soup, this was heavenly.
Layse watched him eat, a small smile playing on her lips. "Liked it?"
Cardea nodded, chewing thoughtfully. "Very much…"
…
'Watching him enjoy the meal I prepared... It makes me feel warm inside. A kind of happiness I haven't felt in a long time. How long has it been since I ate at home like this? Suzanne is almost always busy, and Dad hasn't reached out in years.
Day in and day out, people look at us sisters as nothing more than a way to gain favor with our father, or something to take advantage of.
But this is... different.
He doesn't care about any of that.
He treats us like people, not tools.
At first, I was suspicious. My skills—Divine Gaze and Judgment, among others—allow me to sense a person's intent. I've used them every chance I got over the past week, but every time, I came up empty-handed.
He doesn't want anything from us. Almost like he doesn't know us.
Which is... frustrating. And a little sad, considering we're on TV all the time. Who doesn't recognize us?'
Layse smirked, leaning on the table. "Sister Layse…"
'Here it comes, here it comes!' She projected an all-knowing, smug smile at Cardea. "What is it, Car?"
Cardea glanced at his phone. "I booked a taxi. It'll pick me up in ten minutes."
Layse blinked. "Ohh! Why did you do that? I could have dropped you near the academy."
Cardea shook his head. "I'm not going to the academy yet. We haven't been assigned dorm rooms."
"Yes, you mentioned that before. The entrance exam is still remaining."
"Exactly."
"Then why don't you stay here for another week and rest?"
Cardea hesitated. "No, no, I couldn't possibly impose any further. I also need to go to my apartment, pack some things, and buy supplies for the academy."
Layse crossed her arms. "Why don't I drop you at your apartment then?"
"No need to trouble yourself," Cardea said, shaking his head. "You took a week off because of me."
Layse laughed, a little too forcefully. "Ahh! Ha ha! No, no, I was on holiday."
Cardea raised an eyebrow. "I could hear you talking to someone on the phone, telling you to come to work."
Layse froze. "You heard that?"
"You weren't exactly being quiet. It'd be strange if I didn't hear anything." Cardea scoffed 'You kept
'Ahhh! He heard me talk like a thug. He must think I'm a thug now.'
Cardea looked at her thoughtfully. "You must miss him."
Layse blinked. "Hmm?"
"Your dad."
A beat of silence.
Layse exhaled softly. "Yeah. I do."
The words came out before she could stop them. She rarely admitted it, even to herself. But saying it aloud felt... heavy. Almost suffocating.
Just then, Cardea's phone rang. He glanced at the screen. "That's my cue. See you around."
"Hey, give me your number before you go." Layse stood up as Cardea reached the door.
"It's on the table. Text me later—gotta go." He rushed to the elevator just as the doors were closing.
Layse watched the empty space where Cardea had stood moments ago, an unfamiliar ache settling in her chest. "See you around…" she mumbled to herself.
…
Stepping out of the apartment building, Cardea searched for the lift and went to the ground floor.
Despite the building having over forty floors, the lift took barely a minute to reach the ground—wonders of magical engineering. He hadn't even felt it move.
Spotting a yellow taxi, he approached.
"Are you Mr. Cardea?"
"Yes. To the Brindle area, please. Area number 23."
After confirming the address and pinning the location on the map, the ride began.
On the way, Cardea searched for nearby clothing shops and checked his commissions.
What kind of commission?
He worked part-time at a small weapon engraving shop. The pay was good, and the hours were flexible.
Having worked there for over a year, he had built up a decent number of regulars.
"Can we make a few stops along the way?"
"Sure, just tell me where to go."
"Alright, thank you. I've sent the locations to the GPS."
The middle-aged taxi driver glanced at him through the rearview mirror. "Are you entering the academy in a week?"
Cardea nodded. "Ahh… yes."
"Must be pretty nerve-wracking. I still remember when it was my daughter's first day. I was so nervous I couldn't even speak."
He laughed, reminiscing about the moment.
Cardea smiled. "I bet she was grateful to have you there. Walked into the gates laughing, right?"
"She sure did. She's smart, unlike me. Takes after her mother."
Cardea chuckled. "I'm sure she's sweet, just like her father."
The driver grinned. "She's in her third year now, so you won't meet her, but if you go to Riotri Academy in your second year, look for her. She'll help you out."
Cardea's eyes widened slightly. "Riotri Academy is impressive. It's one of the best in the world."
"Right? She ranked in the top thirty in her first year—and second and third too. Her ranking fluctuates, but she maintains the top thirty. I know she works hard, even if she never tells me. I'm so proud of her… but I wish she relied on me more."
Cardea's voice softened. "I'm sure she just doesn't want to bother you."
The driver shook his head. "That's where youngsters get it wrong. It's never a bother when a child comes to their parents for help. If anything, it makes us feel more at ease."
.
.
.
…
Name: Corpse Flower
Gene: Mutant
Grade: Pawn
Rank: E
Combat Power: F
Weakness: Fire, Ice, Lightning
Anomaly: Mana Poisoning
…