"Machine, Obey My Command!" V2 - Epilogue
"... Well, we've been so busy since we last met — Come to think of it, its been years since we've had a calm conversation sitting across from each other like this, hasn't it?"
Orphen mumbled while he rested his elbows on the table. Stephanie was sitting across from him on the other side. She chuckled and lifted a small cup, putting her lips to the edge.
"Three years ago, and I was bedridden."
She spoke while she smiled, and Orphen returned a course smile — remembering all of the horrible things that came along with it.
There was a café-bar in the student district, a short distance from the main street of Alenhatam — It catered to students who traveled from all over the continent to visit the city. Orphen was at one of the white painted wooden tables lined up outside the store, absentmindedly poking at an empty cup.
After clearing his throat, Orphen asked in retrospect.
"You know ... When I arrived at this town, you were... the first thing I thought of."
"Oh yeah? I'm glad."
"No, I ... I don't want you to be happy... What I mean is ... I was dealing with a lot of my own stuff at the time, and I just couldn't help you much..."
"Yeah."
"But now, things are a little more relaxed than they were before, and, so—"
While Orphen was thinking, Stephanie placed her cup on the table, rested her cheek on her hand, and brought her face closer to Orphen's.
With that same attitude she continued without asking.
"Maybe you can help me now?"
"No, well ... Yeah, maybe."
Orphen mumbled his reply. Stephanie's eyes sparkled — or so it seemed to Orphen — and she asked.
"That girl ... What'd you tell Cleao about me?"
"What?"
Orphen asked. Stephanie's mouth curled up in a wry smile.
"That girl suddenly came to me, crying, captivated by her heart. I asked her what was wrong and she said to ask you about it. So what did you say, huh? What - did - you - say?"
"Uhh..."
Orphen flinched.
"Well, see, that's... what I thought I could help you with."
"That being what, exactly?"
"Nevermind, I mean, let's get back to the point — I told Cleao that you'd been sick. That after you were lynched in this town, I took you to a doctor, and you survived... That you're still suffering from the after effects of that, and that's what I'd like to help you with, if I can."
"For the record, I'm no longer in pain."
Stephanie said firmly, and puffed out her chest.
"At that time I was born again ... And I'm enjoying this second life, and even feel like I have something to live for."
"Born again?"
Orphen cursed — but subtly—
"That doctor was a jerk, and after you were lynched, they had to do reconstructive surgery on your face, but they made it out to be a woman's face, right?"
"What!?"
Stephanie suddenly changed color and stood up at the table, slamming her hands down on it with a bang.
"It wasn't just my face! I've got rubber implants in my chest, a thin film over my beard to make it less noticeable, they carved and reshaped my bones, and even modified my 〇X☆ so it looked just like a ◇◎♛—"
"Well I didn't know that! I've only ever seen your face after it was bashed in! So I was deceived."
"Who deceived you!? You just made assumptions!"
Orphen stood up at this point as well.
"And you didn't deny it! I've been thinking about how to tell you this for the past three years! What the hell, Stephanie!? I know who you really are! Your real name is Stephan!"
"If you're going to get lynched for snatching someone's purse, you're going to have to use an alias!"
"Hmph! Besides, what about what you said to Cleao — That your magical power was weakened after the surgery? I'm sorry to hear about that, but you did it to yourself! You've had your body altered so much—"
"It's not just altered! I've been reborn!"
Then, the conversation was cut short, both of them glancing at each other, breathing heavily as their shoulders moved in tandem. Sighing, Orphen was the first to sit back down in his chair.
With trembling hands he lifted the empty cup and he mumbled to himself, trying to keep calm.
"... Well, what does it matter then ... It was a long time ago."
"... Right."
Stephanie managed to catch her breath somehow, and sat back in her chair, running her hand through her hair, which had fallen in front of her face while she was yelling.
Orphen glanced over at her, hiding behind his cup, and asked.
"So... What are you going to do now? Are you going to stay in this town?"
"No way, the Damsel's Orisons is gone, so I'll return to my parents' house."
"Your parents' house?"
"South — way south. I've already given up my room."
"... Your parents would faint if they see you now."
"It's fine, they won't faint. They're both farsighted."
"Maybe not... but I think they'd notice..."
"Well, how about you, what are you going to do, Orphen?"
She asked him, and Orphen answered as if he had just remembered.
"I'm leaving town tomorrow. I'm heading north."
"North?"
"Those god damn dwarves fled north after stumbling over their debts again. Anyway, it looks like you're heading south, and I'm heading north.
He got up from his seat.
"Well then, Cleao seems to be in a better mood now, and she said she's going to rent the inn's dining room and cook dinner for us. She's like a professional housekeeper, you know? She used to work as a baby-sitter."
Orphen raised his hand lightly and walked away. Stephanie didn't say a word, but simply sipped her cup at the table.
"Hey ❤, I brought you dinner."
"O-Oh, Thanks."
Looking at Cleao's strangely carefree smiling face, Orphen accepted the tray that she had brought — a plate of what looked like cheesecake.
"I was going to make you something proper, but it looks like the guy downstairs in the dining room had already turned off the fire in the kitchen. There's a bar downstairs now, but they don't serve much food."
"Oh, Uhh — Well, I was late for dinner, so my bad."
Orphen said to her, looking decidedly ill.
"No, it's just — Uh, you know. I'm sorry about last night... But I left you here for your own safety."
"Yeah ... I know, don't worry about it."
Cleao tilted her head and laughed.
Orphen felt like he'd done something horribly wrong as he stuck his fork into the cake on his plate.
"Next time we go out, let's go together — to someplace safer. We're leaving the city tomorrow, but, you know, there are still many towns out there that are convenient for a walk... right? And you haven't been to the Royal Capital yet, have you? Andon Park is worth a visit. You might even remember it for the rest of your life—"
While making excuses, Orphen shoveled the whole piece of cheesecake on his fork into his mouth.
And then, after biting into it as hard as he could, he shivered ... and his whole expression changed. He stared at Cleao with white eyes, watching her stand there, smiling at him.
"Cleao, what the hell is this...?"
Orphen looked down at what he had just put in his mouth. His hands trembled at the strange sensation in his mouth.
"Well, I still needed some payback, so this will have to do."
Cleao anwered with a smile.
"It's soap. Make sure you actually eat it ❤ — or you'll be in big trouble."
He glanced over at Majic who was also in the room, and realized he was looking away with his tongue hanging out. Apparently — as usual — he'd been made the first subject of her experiments.
"What else ... did you do?"
Orphen asked in a trembling voice, and the girl kept beaming and smiling, looking incredibly happy.
"Well, your underwear and socks are all in the bathtub, so wear whatever you want tomorrow ❤ And, I bought new clothes here and there under your name, so make sure to pay for them ❤ Oh, and here's the plan — I'm going to take out an insurance policy on you, and make me the beneficiary. ❤—"
"Cleao, what's the fun in doing something like this, you... little..."
Orphen mumbled in a despairing voice. His fingers were trembling on both hands as he fretted about the soap in his mouth.
Looking up at her, Cleao was still smiled, and never stopped smiling at him. As long as that smile continued, he decided it would be okay for now, so Orphen swallowed the rock solid 'food' in his mouth.
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Guardian of the Treasure The Beautiful Allenhatem! A Challenge From Volcan Basilicok Then - He Accepted His Master's Orders |