It is just 5 am in Quartz. Stairmount is still lying languidly on his bed. He was up all night the night before, moreover, he instead followed the wrong lifestyle of his friends - drinking alcohol so much it makes him drunk. Previously, when he saw his friends consumed alcohol whenever they were stressed and deliberately got drunk to escape the stress, he would surely criticize the behavior. But yesterday, his stress reached its extreme point. He wanted so badly to escape from this torment without becoming mentally ill or committing suicide, but he didn't know the best way to fulfill it. Thus he remembered what his friends said - by drinking alcohol until getting drunk, they would be able to temporarily escape from that damn torment. Hence, he drank alcohol far more than he usually consumes so far. What happened after that? Instead of escaping from his stress, not only he still suffered from insomnia, even worse, he feels incredibly queasy right now.

God, do I have a fever? Stairmount touches his forehead. How come? I must hurry after all, I must go to the airport to return to Diadem...

Stairmount shuffles out of his bed, which is evidently very difficult to do. He also feels dizzy, he almost loses his balance as he steps toward the desk where the medicine is.

Stairmount is about to take a ClearFever Pill when his ultra-cyber minipad rings.

"Ugh... seriously... who the hell is calling so early..." Stairmount mumbles half-consciously as he approaches his minipad. Without looking at the caller's name, he immediately picks it up, says hoarsely, "Hello."

"Stairmount?"

Stairmount's eyes, which were initially half closed, soon fully open. "Daphne?..."

Far at the southeast, while looking up at the night sky, Daphne replies, "Yes Stairmount. It's me, Daphne."

Not expecting Daphne to call him, the dumbfounded Stairmount turns speechless. Various kinds of emotions are raging over his mind - especially, fear.

Last time, he asked Daphne to make her choice. To keep staying with him? Or, leave him?

What will the young woman say right now?

"Stairmount... you said, you let me make choices and decisions freely, by myself... Then, I've made it..."

Stairmount's heart pumps even harder.

"I've made up my mind, Stairmount. And I have been determined - to trust you. To stay with you. Like the promise we've made before. That... I'll never leave you."

"Re... really... Daphne?..." Stairmount asks hoarsely.

Daphne smiles happily. If Stairmount could see her with his own eyes, the young man would get awestruck - it is the most beautiful smile Daphne has ever shown. "Yes, Stairmount. I trust you, one hundred percent."

Silence. Shocked by this unexpectedly beautiful reality, Stairmount is speechless.

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"I am sure, you wouldn't commit such atrocities. It's the same with Sierra Pathogen. You are just forced to do it, it's a job requirement. I can understand it. I also know very clearly about Chrono's conspiracies which are very complicated and sadistic. I have already become their victim, haven't I? So I fully understand about their way of thinking, who can always do the dirty work without getting their own hands dirty."

Stairmount remains silent, waiting for Daphne to continue her words.

"If you were a cruel person, Stairmount, you wouldn't have saved my mother and me, let alone risk your status or even your life. But you did it. This is what makes me believe that you are not a cruel person.

"And more. You can tell me everything honestly. What you said is correct, I got the information about this from my colleagues at Enigma. But what I knew from them, was far less complete than what you've told me. When I listened to them, it sounded like a fabrication, but when I heard directly from you, for some reason I believe that you tell the truth, Stairmount. So, it means that you trust me more than anyone else. You also tell me many important secrets, only to me. I am deeply moved by your trust, Stairmount. I  promise, not to waste that trust."

Silence. Stairmount still remains silent.

"Alright. I've made my choice. How about you, Stairmount? Are you still consistent with your promise, to stay with me?"

Finally, Stairmount finds his voice again. "Sure... Daphne... My principle is still the same as before..." He says croakily. "Thank you very much... Daphne... thank you very much for your trust... and... and please allow me... to apologize... about your father..."

"I understand, Stairmount. Fully understand with the dilemma of the job you have to do," Daphne answers earnestly. "How is your job right now? How is it going?"

"I... ah, if I hear your voice, talk to you, everything will be so gorgeous for me..."

"Oh... you..." Daphne flushes. A second later, she gets stunned. She has never felt the warmth radiating inside her chest for a long time. The warmth, when she is talking with Stairmount, when she is together with him.

It is the warmth that George, or any other men in this Planet, can't give to her. It is the warmth, which can only be given by Stairmount.

By the time Daphne hangs up the call, and returns her eyes to look at the starry night sky, her feelings has already changed a lot. Moreover, this time one more different thing occurs. A big different thing, which makes her even more determined to walk down the aisle with Stairmount.

"I have been very clear with your past, Stairmount Darling. I have also known your dark spot, and I can accept it." Daphne clasps her hands to her chest. "I am ready to walk down the aisle with you."

Her ultra-cyber minipad rings again. Payneth's name is flashing on the screen. She picks it up, "Hello, Payneth."

"Daphne... I have something to tell you..."

"I also want to tell you something, Payneth," Daphne interrupts. "I've interrogated Stairmount, and I'm firm on my decision. I will keep believing in him. He's innocent. I'll tell you more when we meet face to face."

"Well... it doesn't matter right now, Daphne... and I do want to tell you, whether Rivers is proven guilty or not, I'll still help you to free his parents until the end."

"Eh? Why?"

"Because. It relates to a latent biological weapon of mass destruction with the most destructive power compared to other biological weapons. Sierra-NX635 Pathogen."

Copyright © by boundless_universe