Note: i add a Kitchen to Random Play. I don't know how to describe it but... it's bellow the Stairs. I find it weird that they don't have a kitchen.
...
...
...
The next morning did not begin with the agony of a 3-kilometer run.
Instead, Cedric woke up to a notification that was surprisingly merciful.
[SYSTEM NOTICE: RECOVERY DAY]
[Physical exertion is paused to allow muscular hypertrophy. Today, we train the Mind and the Social Battery.]
[Daily Quest: The Assistant]
[Objective: Report to Random Play and assist with shop duties.]
[Reward: Aromatherapy]
[Active: Releases a sweet, fragrant scent that heals status conditions of allies.]
[Passive: The user naturally emits a pleasant aroma.]
Cedric sat up.
He looked at the black tracksuit lying on the floor. He felt a wave of relief.
Then, he looked at the wardrobe.
He remembered Belle's threat.
"If you wear that black t-shirt again, I'm pasting this photo on the shop door."
He shivered. It wasn't a bluff. He knew it.
With a sigh of resignation, he reached for the white button-up shirt and the black trousers—the "Casual Elegance" set.
He tied his hair back with the black ribbon. He looked in the mirror.
He still looked like a prince who had been forced to abdicate, but at least he looked tidy.
He clipped the two sized incubators to his belt.
"Let's go," he muttered. "To work."
Random Play was quiet when he arrived.
It was mid-morning. The "Open" sign was flipped, but the shop floor was empty.
There was no Wise behind the counter. No Belle lounging on the sofa.
The only sign of life was 18, the Bangboo wearing the shop's signature orange scarf.
18 was diligently dusting the shelves with a feather duster that was bigger than its own body.
"Hello," Cedric said, stepping inside.
18 jumped (or rather, bounced), spinning around. Its digital eyes blinked.
"Eh-nah!" it greeted, waving the duster.
"Where are they?" Cedric asked, gesturing to the empty counter.
18 pointed the feather duster toward the back of the shop, specifically at the heavy metal door labeled "STAFF ONLY."
Then it made a distinct motion with its nubby hands, mimicking a diving gesture.
"Working?" Cedric guessed.
"En-nuh!" 18 nodded vigorously.
Cedric walked to the back door.
He knew what lay behind it now. The HDD Room. The nerve center of Phaethon.
He hesitated, then raised his hand and knocked.
Three distinct taps.
Silence.
Then, a small mechanical sound.
Slide.
A small rectangular slot at the eye level of the door—one he hadn't noticed before—slid open.
A pair of glowing digital eyes peered out from the darkness inside.
It wasn't Eous. This Bangboo had a different serial number stenciled on its scarf.
It was 06.
06 scanned Cedric's face, processing the white shirt and the ribbon.
"Eh-nah?" 06 chirped, sounding questioning.
"It's me," Cedric said softly.
The digital eyes curved into happy crescents.
Clack-thunk.
The heavy locks disengaged. 06 pushed the door open, ushering him in.
Cedric stepped inside.
The atmosphere in the HDD room was completely different from the shop upstairs.
It was cool, smelling of ozone and energized electronics.
The hum of the massive server banks was a constant, low vibration in the floor.
In the center of the room, the HDD system—the Hollow Deep Dive sphere—was active, projecting a complex holographic map of a Hollow.
Wise and Belle sat in the control chairs, their backs to him.
They weren't wearing headsets or visors. They weren't typing on keyboards.
They were just... sitting there.
Belle was leaning back, her eyes open but unseeing.
A faint, geometric light glowed deep within her pupils.
Her expression was one of intense, trance-like focus.
Beside her, Wise acted as the anchor.
She was monitoring the multiple holographic screens floating around them, her eyes darting back and forth.
She was communicating with Belle.
"Corruption level rising in Sector 4," Wise murmured, her voice calm and low.
"Belle, shift Eous left."
Belle didn't speak. She just twitched a finger.
On the main screen, the POV camera—Eous's vision—swerved sharply to the left, dodging a attack.
It was silent. It was telepathic. It was terrifyingly efficient.
Cedric stood by the door, not wanting to interrupt.
He felt... small.
He had thought he was special because of the System.
But seeing them, he realized that everyone in this city had their own power.
He sat down on a crate in the corner, next to 06, who had returned to its monitoring station.
He waited.
Boredom began to creep in. He watched the screens. He watched Belle's unblinking, glowing gaze.
[Try it.] The System whispered.
'Try what?'
[Your new skill. Empathy. You are surrounded by highly advanced AI and concentrated Ether energy. It is the perfect testing ground.]
Cedric looked at 06. He focused.
He didn't try to read the robot's mind; he tried to feel.
[Skill Activated: Empathy]
A ripple passed through his mind. The world didn't change visually, but suddenly, he felt a hum.
It wasn't a sound. It was an emotion.
From 06, he felt a warm, fuzzy static.
Diligence. Alertness. Protectiveness.
It wasn't just a machine. It was happy to guard the door.
Then, a stronger pulse hit him from his own waist.
Thump-thump.
The Pseudo Egg.
HUNGER.
It wasn't malicious. It was a deep, primal need. The high Ether density in the room was waking it up.
It wanted to consume. It wanted to grow strong.
Bloop.
The Blue Egg.
CURIOSITY.
It felt like a child pressing its ear against a door. It was listening to the hum of the servers, fascinated by the rhythm.
Cedric gasped softly, clutching his belt.
He wasn't guessing anymore. He knew them.
"You're hungry," he whispered to the black thermos. "And you... you like the noise."
"Mission Complete. Disengaging link."
Wise's voice cut through the room.
The glow in Belle's eyes faded. She slumped forward in her chair, letting out a long, dramatic groan.
"Ugggh... my brain is fried," Belle complained, rubbing her temples.
"That corruption zone was like swimming in molasses."
She spun her chair around and spotted Cedric sitting in the corner.
"Oh! Cedric! How long have you been sitting there like a gargoyle?"
"About twenty minutes," Cedric replied, standing up. "I didn't want to break your concentration."
"Considerate," Wise said, stretching her neck. "Good timing. Eous is on his way back. We're done for the morning."
"Food," Belle declared, zombie-walking toward the stairs. "I need food. My brain calories are at zero."
"No takeout," Wise said, standing up. "We have actual groceries today. I'm cooking."
"Real food?" Belle pumped her fist. "Yes! Cedric, you're staying. You're helping."
***
Ten minutes later, the loft kitchen was a hive of activity.
Wise was at the stove, sautéing meat. Belle was setting the table (and stealing pieces of cucumber).
Cedric stood at the counter. In front of him was a cutting board and three large, menacing purple onions.
"Dice them, please," Wise instructed. "Small pieces."
Cedric picked up the knife. It was a standard kitchen knife.
He looked at the onion.
In his old life, cutting onions meant crying. It meant sloppy, uneven chunks.
[Use it.] The System commanded.
'Use what?'
[Focus Energy. It increases critical hit rate. It reveals weak points. An onion has layers. It has structural weak points. Destroy it.]
Cedric stared at the onion. "That seems... excessive."
[Do you want to cry? No? Then focus.]
Cedric took a breath.
[Skill Activated: Focus Energy]
The world sharpened. The noise of the sizzling pan faded.
He saw the onion not as a vegetable, but as a grid of geometric lines.
He saw the cell walls. He saw the perfect angle of entry.
His hand moved.
Thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack!
It wasn't chopping. It was a machine-gun rhythm.
The knife blurred.
In three seconds, the onion didn't fall apart; it simply dissolved into a pile of perfectly identical, millimeter-precise cubes.
He didn't shed a single tear. He had sliced between the cells so cleanly that the chemical spray was minimized.
Belle stopped eating her cucumber. Her jaw dropped.
Wise turned around from the stove, spatula in hand. She stared at the pile of onions.
"Cedric..." Wise blinked. "How... how did you do that?"1
Cedric deactivated the skill. He felt a slight headache coming on.
"I don't know," he stated flatly, scraping the onions into a bowl.
"Remind me never to make you angry," Belle whispered, eyeing the knife. "You dissect vegetables like a surgeon."
Lunch was almost ready. The smell of stew filled the loft.
It was warm. It was domestic. It was... nice.
Cedric was setting the spoons on the table, feeling a sense of belonging he hadn't felt in two lifetimes.
DING-DONG!
DING-DONG! DING-DONG!
The doorbell didn't just ring. It was assaulted. Someone was leaning on the button with desperate urgency.
Then came the pounding on the door downstairs.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"OPEN UP! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE! WISE! BELLE! HELP ME!"
A high-pitched, frantic female voice screamed through the door.
Wise sighed, dropping her head into her hands.
"Oh no. Not her. Not today."
Belle groaned. "Hide the wallet! Hide the good snacks!"
Cedric paused, a spoon held mid-air.
He didn't know who "her" was, but the screaming sounded... expensive. And chaotic.
He looked at the door, but he didn't move to open it. He didn't move to block it.
He simply took a step back, positioning himself near the wall, blending into the background.
Belle grabbed the remote and buzzed the door open before the person outside could break it down.
Click.
A pink whirlwind burst up the stairs.
"YOU GUYS HAVE TO HIDE ME! THEY'RE COMING! THE BILL COLLECTORS ARE LITERALLY TWO BLOCKS AWAY!"
A girl stormed into the living room.
She was... a lot.
She had long, wild pink hair that flowed behind her like a cape. She wore a revealing outfit that looked expensive but slightly worn.
In her hand, she clutched a suitcase that looked suspiciously heavy, possibly weaponized.
She looked desperate, frantic, and incredibly loud.
She skidded to a halt in the middle of the room, panting.
"I swear, if those guys catch me, they're going to harvest my kidneys! Wise, tell me you have a secret tunnel!"
Wise walked out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel.
"We don't have a tunnel, and you can't stay here if you brought trouble."
"Trouble? Me? Never!" The girl scoffed.
Then, her eyes swept the room and landed on Cedric.
She froze.
Cedric froze too. He looked at her with his usual deadpan expression, holding the spoon like a scepter.
'Pink hair. Loud. Weaponized suitcase. High probability of chaos.'
"Whoa!" The girl yelped, clutching her suitcase tighter. She pointed an accusing finger at him.
"Who is this?! Did the debt collectors hire a hitman?! Is he an assassin?!"
Cedric blinked slowly. He looked down at the spoon in his hand. Then back at the girl.
"I am Cedric," he stated, his voice devoid of emotion. "I am setting the table."
"A hitman who does chores?!" She shrieked. "Wise! Explain!"
"He's not a hitman," Wise said, rubbing her temples, looking exhausted already. "He's a friend. Cedric, this is..."
The girl straightened up. She flipped her pink hair over her shoulder, her demeanor shifting instantly from 'fugitive' to 'businesswoman'.
She flashed a dazzling, confident grin and struck a pose.
"I am Nicole Demara," she announced. "Leader of the... Gentle House! Ah, I mean Cunning Hares!"
From the kitchen, Belle muttered audibly over the clatter of plates. "Gentle House again..."
Nicole ignored her, marching over to Cedric. She invaded his personal space, narrowing her eyes as she scanned him from head to toe.
"A friend, huh?" She sniffed the air. "You look... clean. Fancy shirt. Silk ribbon. You don't look poor."
Her eyes lit up with a familiar, greedy sparkle. She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.
"Say, new kid... you wouldn't happen to have 5000 Denny on you, would you? Just a small loan? I can pay you back with interest! Or a favor from the Cunning Hares! We're very exclusive!"
Cedric looked at her. Then he thought about the Black Card hidden deep in his pocket with half a million Denny on it.
[Don't you dare,] The System warned.
Cedric looked back at Nicole. His face was a perfect mask of indifference.
"I have no money," he lied without blinking. "I am just the onion boy."
"Onion boy?" Nicole made a face. "Ugh. Useless."
She pushed past him and flopped onto the sofa, acting like she owned the place.
"I'm starving! Being chased burns so many calories!"
Wise walked over, looking down at her with cold eyes.
"Nicole," she said, her voice flat. "This month, you still owe me 87,500 Dennies for the Hollow guide fees. Remember?"
Nicole froze. Then she waved her hand dismissively.
"Oh, pish-posh! Minor details!" She laughed nervously. "Let's eat first, calculate later! A hungry leader can't make good financial decisions!"
The peace lasted for exactly ten seconds.
CRASH!
The door downstairs didn't open. It was kicked.
"BOSS!"
A mechanical red blur shot up the stairs, posing dramatically at the top.
It was a tall, lanky mechanical figure. A robot with dual pistols and a red jacket.
"BOSS! We did it!" The robot shouted, giving a thumbs up. "We lured those bloodsuckers all the way to Lumina Square! They're probably chasing pigeons right now!"
Behind him, a smaller figure walked up the stairs quietly.
It was a girl with short white hair and headphones.
She was holding a stack of VHS tapes that reached her chin.
"Mission accomplished," the girl said monotonously. She walked past the robot and placed the tapes on the counter.
"Returning overdue items. Starlight Knight seasons 1 through 4. Borrowed last year."
"LAST YEAR?!" Belle shrieked from the kitchen. "Those late fees are going to be astronomical!"
The room was suddenly very full. And very loud.
Cedric stepped back into his corner. He watched Nicole on the sofa.
She was clutching her chest, looking at Wise with wide, teary eyes.
"Wise... please... they're going to take my kidneys..." she sniffled. "I'm just a poor girl trying to run a business..."
Cedric narrowed his eyes slightly.
'...She's not scared,' he whispered to the System in his head. 'Her pulse is steady. She is just... acting for fun.'
[Correct. She is a hustler. Keep your wallet close.]
Suddenly, Nicole sat up straight. Her nose twitched.
"Sniff... sniff..."
She turned toward the kitchen.
"Oh heavens," she breathed. "What is that divine smell? Is that stew? Wise, did you cook?"
She clasped her hands together, batting her eyelashes at her.
"Give me a portion, pretty please? Just one bowl! I'll pay you back with a commission next time! I swear!"
Wise sighed, a sound that came from the depths of her soul.
"The next time of the next time of the next time of the next time?" she asked dryly.
"Exactly!" Nicole beamed, taking that as a yes.
...
...
...
Lunch was chaos.
They had to pull up extra chairs.
Cedric sat at the end of the table, eating his stew quietly. He felt like he had stumbled onto the set of a sitcom with a catastrophic budget for noise.
Beside him sat the tall, lanky mechanical figure.
The robot wasn't eating. He couldn't. He didn't have a digestive system, or even a real mouth under that faceplate.
Instead, he had plugged a charging cable into the wall socket behind the sofa and was currently polishing his dual revolvers with a napkin, looking at the steaming pot of stew with tragic, glowing eyes.
"It smells so goooood!" The robot wailed, draped dramatically over his chair. "Why did I have to be built without taste buds? It's torture! Wise, can I dip my finger in? Just to feel the texture?"
"Don't you dare," Wise said without looking up, calmly eating her stew. "Engine oil only. We agreed on this. I am not cleaning gravy out of your finger joints again."
"But the flavor!" The robot cried, spinning one of his guns on his finger in frustration. "The texture! The mouthfeel! I'm missing out on the human experience!"
Suddenly, the robot froze. His head snapped toward Cedric with a mechanical whir.
He leaned in close to Cedric, his glowing eyes widening (or imitating the motion of widening).
"Oh! Hey there, new guy! Sorry about the noise, my hunger is malfunctioning!"
He struck a pose in his chair, finger-gunning at Cedric.
"Name's Billy Kid! Cybernetic gunslinger, Starlight Knight enthusiast and the most handsome android in the Outer Ring! Nice to meet ya!"
Cedric blinked. "Cedric," he replied simply.
On Cedric's other side sat a young girl with short white hair.
While everyone else was enjoying the home-cooked meal, she was holding a half-eaten Quarter Pounder in one hand and a spoon in the other.
She alternated between bites of the burger and sips of broth with robotic rhythm.
Cedric glanced at her. He didn't look at the burger; he looked at her face. The headphones. The deadpan expression.
She stopped chewing. She sensed his gaze. She turned her head slowly, her green eyes locking onto his purple ones.
There was a flash of recognition.
They had seen each other before. At 5:30 AM. In the cold mist of the Northwest District.
He was the guy running in a black tracksuit who looked like he was dying every morning. She was the silent figure he often passed on the street corner, usually holding a burger, watching the sunrise like a statue.
They had never spoken. They had never stopped. Just two ghosts haunting the same early morning shift.
"You," she said softly. Her voice was monotone, perfectly calm amidst the shouting of Billy and Nicole.
"The 5:30 AM runner."
Cedric nodded, acknowledging the strange bond of the early risers.
"The 5:30 AM watcher," he replied.
The girl nodded back, a look of solemn respect crossing her face. She lifted the burger in her hand slightly, as if presenting evidence.
"Burgers are the most efficient combat fuel," she stated, as if sharing a military secret.
"Carbohydrates. Protein. Happiness. All in one package."
Cedric thought about his Moomoo Milk and bland protein bars. Then he looked at her burger.
"Efficient," he agreed. "And portable."
"Correct."
She stared at him for a moment longer. Then, moving with deliberate slowness, she tore off a small piece of the burger wrapper—a clean corner.
She selected a single, perfect french fry from her pile. She placed it on the paper.
She slid it across the tablecloth toward him, navigating it past the water glass and the spoon holder until it stopped right in front of his hand.
"You always refuse when I offer in the mornings," she said simply, staring at him with her large, unblinking green eyes. "Will you eat this time?"
Cedric looked at the fry. It was a small, salty olive branch.
In the mornings, he refused because his stomach was churning from exertion and his mind was closed off. But now, sitting at a table, surrounded by noise and warmth... the hunger felt different.
He picked it up. It was cold, but he ate it anyway.
"Yes," he said.
The girl wiped her hand on a napkin, then looked him in the eye again, satisfied.
"Anby Demara," she said quietly. "Nice to meet you."
"Cedric."
They resumed eating in comfortable silence, two quiet islands in a sea of noise.
The meal ended. Cedric stood up to clear the table. He stacked the bowls with practiced efficiency.
Nicole watched him. She leaned back in her chair, picking her teeth with a toothpick, looking like a satisfied cat.
She looked at Cedric—at his clean white shirt, his tied-back hair, and the dutiful way he was helping Wise.
A sly, calculating grin spread across her face.
She nudged Wise with her elbow.
"Hey, Wise," Nicole drawled, lowering her voice but failing to whisper.
"That kid... he's single, right?"
Wise blinked, pausing in her task of wiping the table. "Cedric? He's sixteen, Nicole."
"Perfect age for an internship!" Nicole winked.
"But seriously, he's kind of cute in a 'gloomy prince' sort of way. Very obedient too. Does he have a girlfriend?"
She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand, watching Cedric's back as he washed dishes.
"Maybe I should introduce myself properly? The Cunning Hares could use a mascot... or a butler. Or maybe I can take him out? I know some great cheap spots."
SLAM.
Belle slammed a glass of water onto the table, startling Billy so hard he dropped his gun.
"Don't even think about it," Belle shot back instantly, glaring at Nicole.
"He is our... innocent onion boy. He is a good kid."
Belle pointed a finger at Nicole's nose.
"You are a walking financial disaster zone. If you date him—or even 'employ' him—you'll just drain his wallet and leave him with trust issues! Stay away from our Little Brother!"
"Tch," Nicole clicked her tongue, feigning hurt. "You wound me! I would treat him like a king! A king who pays for dinner... but still!"
"No," Wise added firmly, though she was smiling.
"Cedric is off-limits, Nicole. Pay your debts first, then we can talk about your dating life."
Nicole pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. She glanced at Cedric one last time, clearly unwilling to accept total defeat.
"Hmph, fine..." she grumbled, tossing her pink hair. "But when he turns eighteen, let me know. I'm booking him in advance!"
Thwack.
A spoon flew across the table and bounced off Nicole's forehead.
"Gah-"
"I said NO!" Belle yelled, already reaching for a fork.
Cedric walked into the kitchen with the dirty dishes, ignoring the projectile cutlery and the conversation about his future eligibility.
He turned on the tap. The water rushed out, drowning out Nicole's indignant squawks and Billy's dramatic sobbing about his lack of a stomach.
"Loud," he whispered to the sink. "They are all so loud."
But as he watched the water swirl down the drain, he realized something strange.
The knot in his chest—felt a little looser.
For the first time in two lifetimes, noise did not bother him.
It just felt like... background music.
***
The chaos finally subsided around 1:00 PM.
Nicole, after realizing that Wise absolutely would not lend her money, decided it was time to flee before the bill collectors circled back from Lumina Square.
"Alright team, move out!" Nicole commanded, grabbing her suitcase.
"We have a schedule to keep! Lots of... uh... legitimate business meetings!"
"Roger that, Boss!" Billy saluted, striking a pose. "Bye, Cedric! Bye, Managers!"
Anby simply nodded to them.
And just like that, the pink whirlwind and her entourage swept out the door.
Cling-clang.
The door closed. The silence that followed was heavy, ringing in their ears.
Belle slumped onto the sofa, groaning.
"I love them, but my social battery is at negative five percent. I feel like I just ran a marathon inside a drum set."
Wise sighed, leaning against the counter. She looked exhausted.
"At least they didn't break anything this time. That's a new record."
Cedric finished drying the last plate. He placed it in the rack with a soft clink.
He wiped his hands on a towel. His "shift" was over.
Ding!
The familiar sound of the System rang in his head, sweet and clear.
[DAILY QUEST COMPLETE: THE ASSISTANT]
[Evaluation: Excellent. You cleaned the shop, assisted in an HDD dive (by sitting quietly), prepared ingredients with surgical precision, and survived a Cunning Hares raid without losing your wallet.]
[REWARD DELIVERED: SKILL [AROMATHERAPY]
[Installing Passive Effect...]
Cedric felt a strange sensation wash over him. It wasn't painful like the physical training. It felt like a cool, refreshing breeze passing through his skin.
The lingering smell of dish soap, onion, and Nicole's cheap perfume that had stuck to his clothes vanished instantly.
Instead, a subtle, barely perceptible scent began to radiate from him.
Belle, who was face-planted in a cushion, suddenly lifted her head. She sniffed the air.
"Sniff... sniff..."
She frowned, sitting up.
"Wise? Did you change the air freshener? Or did you bake cookies without telling me?"
Wise looked up, confused. "No? I haven't baked anything since last week."
"Then what is that smell?" Belle took a deep breath, her eyes closing blissfully.
"It smells like... mint? And fresh rain? And... vanilla?"
Wise sniffed too. Her expression softened. "It's very... calming. It reminds me of the old garden at Helios."
Both siblings turned their heads slowly. Their eyes landed on Cedric.
Cedric stood by the sink, freezing under their gaze.
"Cedric?" Belle walked over to him. She leaned in, sniffing shamelessly.
"Whoa. It's you!" She poked his arm. "You smell amazing! Did you take a bath in essential oils while washing the dishes?"
Cedric stepped back, alarmed. "No. It is... natural."
[Passive Effect Active: 'Pleasant Presence'. Your body now naturally emits a soothing aroma that lowers aggression and increases favorability. You are basically a walking air purifier.]
Cedric stared at the notification. 'Walking air purifier... great.'
But looking at Wise and Belle, he saw the effect working.
The tension in Wise's shoulders had dropped. The frantic energy in Belle's eyes had smoothed out into a sleepy contentment.
They looked... peaceful.
[Try the Active Skill,] The System suggested softly. [They are tired. Give them a gift for the meal.]
Cedric looked at his "accomplices". They had fed him. They had trusted him. And they were exhausted.
He closed his eyes. He focused on the new sensation inside his chest—a small pool of calm, green energy.
[Skill Activate: Aromatherapy]
He didn't say a word. He just... let go.
Whoosh.
An invisible wave rippled out from him.
It wasn't a strong wind. It was a gentle expansion of the scent. The smell of mint and rain intensified, filling the entire loft, washing over the furniture, the walls, and the people.
It was a scent that smelled like "Safety".
Belle blinked slowly. Her eyelids fluttered. She let out a long, shuddering yawn that cracked her jaw.
"Mmm... okay, that's it." she mumbled, her voice thick with sudden sleepiness. "I'm powering down. Nap time."
She flopped back onto the sofa, burying her face in a pillow, and was asleep in ten seconds.
Wise leaned against the counter, her eyes drooping. A serene smile touched her lips.
"That is... really nice, Cedric," she whispered. "Thank you."
Cedric looked at them. The chaos of the day had been washed away by a single breath.
"You're welcome," he said quietly.
He unclipped his apron (which Belle had forced him to wear) and folded it neatly on the table.
He picked up his bag. The room was silent now, but it wasn't the empty silence of his apartment. It was a warm, breathing silence.
He walked to the door, stepping lightly so as not to wake Belle.
Before he turned to the door, he noticed two small figures standing by the stairs.
18, with its orange scarf, had stopped dusting and was watching the sleeping siblings with tilted ears.
Beside it stood 06, who had silently crept up from the HDD room to check on the situation, its digital eyes glowing softly in the dim light.
Cedric walked over to them. He crouched down so he was eye-level with the machines.
"06. 18," he whispered.
"Eh-nah?" 18 chirped softly.
"En-nuh?" 06 tilted its head.
Cedric gestured to Wise and Belle, who were now deep in a restful sleep.
"Watch them," he instructed, his voice low and serious.
"Let them sleep. Don't let anyone disturb them."
He paused, then added a specific tactical instruction.
"And if the pink one comes back... lock the door immediately."
The two Bangboos looked at each other, processed the command, and then turned back to Cedric.
They both raised their little nubby hands in a firm, silent salute.
"Eh-nah!" (Mission Accepted).
Cedric nodded, satisfied. He stood up and walked to the door, stepping lightly so as not to wake Belle.
As he stepped out onto Sixth Street, the afternoon sun hit his face. He felt lighter. Cleaner.
[Good work today, Assistant,] The System noted.
Cedric smiled, just a little.
"Time to go home."