Keira who had been carefully slouching on her chair jolted forward. Adage looked at her in alarm and apprehensively asked.

“What’s wrong?”

“Huh? Oh, nothing, I just saw a beautiful bird fly away.” Keira quickly came up with an excuse for her odd behavior.

Fortunately, Adage seemed to buy it and beamed a light smile. He peered over her seated body from the back and asked.

“Do you want me to ask the guards to catch it for you?”

“No… It would be a shame to lock it up in a cage and take away its freedom.” Keira sent a side glance to the peering face.

Adage didn’t mind Keira’s words, “Good… I wouldn’t like it if you adopt another pet in.”

Keira moved her head and looked at Adage appalled, “Huh? When did I adopt a pet?”

Adage grinned and kneeled in front of Keira like he usually does when he wants Keira’s attention. He rested his hands and head on both of her legs. His purple eyes glistened, looking like marbles that shine from the sun.

“Aren’t I your dog?” Adage shamelessly declared.

If Keira were to describe Adage now… he truly was like a dog not only by the way he acts in front of her but also by his expressions. A dog wags its tail when in a happy mood and droops down when it’s sad, just like Adage who wears his openly wears his emotions on his face. Of course, this was only exclusive to her. When Keira was near, he always keep a happy expression and wags his tail trying to get her attention. If anyone besides her gets near him, he would reveal a hostile disposition and bite anyone who gets too near.

If she were to look back before Adage blackened, he was also the same once he fully trusted Keira. Followed her everywhere and always had a bright smile whenever she was around. Keira thought, ‘Really like a dog—but definitely not one I would adopt.’

“I never stated I would adopt you. Ha… We’re getting back to this topic again. Anyway, just let the bird be, and let us continue on with our so-called walk.”

“As you command.” He lifted Keira’s hand and kissed the back of it, while wearing a sly grin on his face, before going back behind her.

The surroundings became placid once more. Keria could communicate with her now online system.

Keira: [Elly!] Keira didn’t even realize that she called System 999 by her nickname due to her excitement after inwardly avoiding doing so.

System 999: [Host! I—I have so many things to tell you. QAQ]

Keira: [Did you manage to find some info for the thing I asked you?]

System 999: [Yes Host! I managed to learn some shocking information!]

Keira: [The main system actually allowed you access to that information?]

System 999: [Yes but… It was not through the main system I learned of the information at first but from a fellow system. I tried verifying it through the main system and to my surprise Host, the main system actually provided the data. However, it was only a piece of information but it still verified Systems 125’s information and clarified what you asked for! In fact, System 125 provided more information about this but I could not verify the validity of that information by the small piece of data the main system had given.]

Keira: [Wait, who is System 125?]

System 999: [A fellow system friend of mine Host!]

Keira: [How could you trust its words?]

System 999: [I didn’t. That’s why I verified it through the main system and System 125 was acting quite odd at the time he approached me…]

Keira: [System 125 was the one who approached you first?]

System 999: [Yes. It’s actually System 125 who always approached me first in the system hub. So I did not find that part weird, but when he suddenly told me those things is the worrying part.]

Keira: [Right… There was no reason for System 125 to do that unless you were so close that it would actually lend out a helping hand. How does he have access to those information by the way?]

System 999: [His an extremely high ranking system, so that is why I considered some truth in his words. But I will let you be the judge Host. And actually Host… the main system provided another detail about the one that you requested. I thought it would be better to mention it last.]

Keira flinched but still replied.

Keira: [Okay. We’ll talk about this matter later when we go back to my room. I don’t think I would be able to maintain a blank face in front of Adage when you would bombshell me with the information.]

System 999: [Understood Host! (≧∇≦)7]

Keira began pondering on the brief conversation she had with her system in her head.

‘A high-ranking system suddenly approaches a newbie system and acts all buddy with this newbie and this high-ranking system suddenly spills all the information System 999 was looking for. Anyone would think it’s highly strange and suspicious. However, based on System 999’s reaction, this high-ranking system’s information might all be valuable since System 999 was able to partly verify it through the main system’s data. But what could be the reason? Is this ‘System 125’ controlled by the main system? Or everything System 999 stated, the main system instructed it since System 999 is also under the main system?’

Keira bit her lips in distress. She does not understand why, but every time she questions System 999’s intentions or becomes wary of its system’s identity, there is something inside of her that tells her she’s walking towards the wrong path if she followed this way of thinking… Is this perhaps all pure instinct? Or is there really something even deeper that she herself just doesn’t realize?

‘Why is there an inner me telling me to trust System 999 and that it would never betray me? The system beside me should be the most suspicious. Besides going through the 7 different worlds before, we did have a good bond together oddly enough, and I feel like I could fully rely on it. Why do I think of System 999 that way? Why would System 999 even risk obtaining that information when it could possibly be terminated? Why is my mind telling me to stop doubting System 999? Why do I—’

“Ugh—!” A sharp pain suddenly hit Keira’s head.

“Keira!” Adage hurried to Keira’s side.

“Haaa…Haa…!” Keira clutched her head in immense pain.

‘It hurts! My head feels like it's being split open. Have I overworked my brain to the extreme that it just decided to explode in my head?!’

“Keira, what’s wrong! Are you hurt anywhere?!” Adage cried out in alarm.

But what Keira thought would be a start of a prolonged agony of migraine, the sharp pain disappeared as quickly as it came.

‘What the hell was that? Maybe I have been too stressed thinking a lot lately.’

Keira shook her head and weakly mumbled, “I’m fine… I just have a headache. Maybe it’s because I haven’t been directly exposed to the sun for a long time.”

“I’m sorry… I’ll take you back.” Keira could see Adage’s invisible ears drooping from disappointment.

‘Cute… Wait… What the hell?! Did I just call the completely blackened male lead cute?! Maybe there’s really something wrong with my head. It must be I lost too many brain cells after thinking too much.’ Keira nodded at her formed conclusion.

“Yeah… Let’s head back for now.” Keira could not wait to go back to her room and hear the news System 999 managed to dig out.

TimeArt

See you next year!