Inside the car, Ivana was thinking where she will put Ilaya. She had so many property, but…
'Maybe it's better to let her stay in the headquarters. That way, I'll be able to supervise her and train her when I have time'
Ivana nodded to herself and called the general manager. Her phone rings for a bit before a male voice sounded in it
"Boss, what is it?"
Ivana turned the wheel and said to him
"Kirako, prepare an accommodation for Ilaya at our headquarters… or maybe not…"
Ivana immediately stopped her speech as she had forgotten that Ilaya is probably blaming herself, for causing massive casualties at the Yakuza and the Police forces due to Gerisa blaming her. If her hunch is right…
'Then my training plan will end before it even began'
Ivana then said to the waiting Kirako
"Change of plans. Prepare for Ilaya's accommodation at our sub-base in the Chiyoda ward. I'll be there in maybe 30 minutes"
Kirako immediately answered
"Alright boss. I'll contact our men there"
Ivana was about to say something else, but she heard a rustling in the backseat. She looked at the rearview mirror and saw Ilaya is sitting up from where she's laying before. Then, she said to Kirako
"That's all for me, I'll hang up now"
Then, Ivana ended the call and looked at Ilaya through the rear view mirror and said
"Do you have any questions?"
The car turned silent for a moment before Ilaya asked with low voice
"... Is it true?"
Ilaya looked at Ivana's red eyes in the mirror as she asked again in trembling voice
"... That… it's because of me… that people got hurt… and died?"
Ivana glance at her eyes for a bit through the mirror as she said
"Yes and no. Although you are the spark that's set off a chain reaction. You are innocent who happened to be important for my plan. The people who attacked are at fault for the losses of the police force. As for the members of the Yakuza that died. It's on me"
Ivana scoffed as said to her
"So you don't have to blame yourself. Your just an unlucky girl who have no one and have a power like me"
Ilaya stayed silent for a moment. She really can't accept that she's innocent. But, somehow. Someone saying that she's not at fault comforted her. That she's not someone who brings pain and suffering to others. That her very existence is not a curse to this world
Ilaya said to Ivana in a soft voice
"Thank you. For saying that"
As she started to cry again. Ivana got irritated and couldn't take the sobbing and sniffling anymore as she said
"Don't cry. Is all you know is crying? If crying can solve anything, then the world is full of laughter by now"
Ilaya nodded as she hidden her face in her shirt as she asked in a raspy voice
"Where are we going now?"
Ivana answered immediately as she parked the car in the parking lot of a convenience store
"We're going to my sub-base in Chiyoda. That way, you can go towards that restaurant that you're living before"
"Ahh!"
As Ilaya exclaimed excitedly
Ivana immediately cutted her off
"I'll also train you so you can better protect yourself. So be prepared to be beaten black and blue again"
As Ilaya hears that, her excitement plummeted. Then, before she can asked something, Ivana got out of the car as she said to her
"Wait for me here. I'll buy some food"
Bam!
The door closed and Ivana entered the convenience store. Ilaya stared at the entrance of the store for a bit as she checked her condition. She felt that she's fully recovered now and she decided to test her power of hearing
She tried to hear the sounds inside the store as she heard sounds rapidly entering her ears. Then, she heard Ivana mumbled inside
"I wonder if she will like this? Well, not my concern"
Ilaya immediately felt like laughing. But she immediately remembered the words of the woman in the hospital that she said to her before she passed out
'Ilaya. You have killed over 1000 people just because of your existence. How are you going to pay for it?'
She leaned her head at the car's window as she stared outside
'Is it really my fault? Is my… very existence… really that forbidden?'
Ilaya closed her eyes as tears appeared from it. But she didn't let out a sound. She just endured her grief and loneliness
"I don't even know anything about myself. Who… am I really?"
She mumbled as she continued to stare outside. She saw many passing cars and people while staring blankly in the distance. Then, the door of the car opened as Ivana sat on her seat. She handed Ilaya the foods that she bought
"Here, take th-"
Ivana narrowed her eyes as she asked
"What is it again?"
Ilaya wiped her eyes as she got the paper bag that Ivana handed to her as she said
"I just remembered the words of that woman in the hospital. She's right"
Ivana looked at her doubtfully but she relented and started the car. Then, she asked Ilaya as the car drove off
"By the way, what did Gerisa tell you?"
Ilaya seemed confused for a moment before understanding what she meant. She lingered for a bit, then said sadly to Ivana
"She said that it's my fault for causing so many deaths. Something like that"
Ilaya turned gloomy again as she looked down. Ivana looked at her in the mirror for a moment before saying
"She didn't mean anything that she said. Well, maybe she did. But, she's just suffering from the passing of her husband, and your the unlucky one she found to vent her emotion"
Ivana continue speaking after crossing an intersection
"She is a hard-working woman and she's thoughtful about what she says. So, it's clear to me that she's suffering just as you, I knew her for a long time so I know. She also has a sharp tongue from her work so, that's that"
Ivana looked at the distance like she's finding something before saying to Ilaya
"What I want to say is, don't hate her too much. Chances are, you'll be acquainted with her before long from visiting the hospital. She's a great person too. Maybe"
Ilaya listened carefully as she had a baffling scene appear in her mind. That she and Gerisa were having a coffee in a room, laughing and having a pleasant conversation. Ilaya suddenly shivered from her thought as she carefully ask Ivana
"Gerisa… her husband… Why did her husband died?"
Ivana said before hesitating for a bit
"He was ambushed when he's searching for your whereabouts when you were kidnapped by the serial killer. A lot of my men were ambushed that night. Fortunately, only a few perished in the attack. Unfortunately, he's one of my men who perished"
Ilaya's expression turned pained as she said to herself
"No wonder… she said those words to me"
Then, the mood inside the car turned sad and gloomy. Ivana sighed secretly
'I'm going to be infected by her gloominess if this continues. No wonder the mood the hospital earlier felt so heavy'
Then, after 20 minutes of uncomfortable silence. Ivana heave a sigh of relief as she finally reached her destination