The seventy-first day of the Second Epoch Cycle started off strangely normal, which in itself felt wrong considering everything that had happened less than twenty-four hours ago.
Somehow the streets of Economia were already alive again as if an entire section of the city hadn't been obliterated by three women because of a man. The reconstruction drones floated overhead in neat formations, weaving scaffolding across shattered buildings while pedestrians walked beneath them like nothing out of the ordinary had occurred, and right in the middle of all that controlled chaos, two figures walked side by side who absolutely did not blend in no matter how hard the city tried to pretend otherwise.
Greshina Emberforge looked like she had stepped out of a high-end magazine that the average citizen of Economia would never be able to afford, and she wasn't even trying that hard.
Her outfit was painfully mature in a way that made it clear she had lived far longer than anyone around her, consisting of a sleek black fitted blouse with a high collar that hugged her frame just enough to be elegant without being provocative, all beneath a long black coat that draped behind her. The coat itself had subtle violet embroidery along the cuffs that shimmered faintly whenever light touched it.
Her lower half was covered by tailored dark slacks that accentuated her height without sacrificing comfort. Her heels clicked against the pavement with a rhythm that made people unconsciously move out of her way. Of course, she wore her thin-framed glasses that softened her expression just enough to make her look approachable despite the fact that she was, objectively speaking, one of the most dangerous beings in Spheraphase.
Beside her, Elyonari looked just as striking but in a completely different way. She wore a white turtleneck that emphasized her posture and elegance, paired with a simple skirt that fell just above her knees and leggings that gave her that practical yet refined look,
The problem was that neither of them were talking. Greshina knew exactly why. First, she had kissed Veneri right in front of Elyonari, which in hindsight was definitely not her best decision, even if she would never admit that out loud without being prompted.
Second, she had abandoned him for sixty years in a research facility back on Earth where he had been experimented on like some kind of living miracle resource, which was something she could not casually brush off with charm or sarcasm.
And third, a version of her—Edarea Avinaris—had slaughtered more than four hundred thousand elves, which made this entire situation less of a "tense conversation" and more of a "why hasn't Ely already tried to kill me again" scenario.
So yes, the silence made sense. It still sucked though.
Elyonari finally broke the silence after it got too much.
"Are you planning to stay quiet the entire time, or is this some kind of strategy I'm not aware of?"
Greshina blinked once, then glanced at her from the side before letting out a small sigh.
"I was debating whether speaking would improve the situation or make it worse, and I decided that silence had a higher survival rate."
Ely raised her eyebrow slightly, clearly unimpressed by her statement.
"You're supposed to be the one who knows this place, aren't you? You invited us to your territory, so act like it and guide me. I don't even know which part of Economia we're in."
Greshina paused for a moment, then nodded once.
"We're in the upper district of Ledatic Siliportem's central urban sector, which is essentially where the wealthy and the influential pretend to live normal lives while everything around them is automated to perfection. And before you ask, yes, the people here are aware of what happened yesterday. They just don't care enough to stop their routines."
Ely glanced around, watching as people casually walked past holographic advertisements and hovering delivery drones.
"So they saw a city get partially destroyed and just continue their day?"
Greshina shrugged lightly. "When you live in a place where Divines exist, destruction becomes less of a tragedy and more of an inconvenience. They trust the system to fix it, so they don't bother reacting."
Ely hummed softly, processing the information. Greshina noticed it immediately and took the opportunity, even if she had no idea what she was doing beyond instinct at this point.
"There's a café ahead that makes decent tea. Before you judge me, I am aware that you can literally manipulate nature to create something better, but sometimes it's not about efficiency."
Ely glanced at her again, this time with a faint hint of curiosity.
"You're trying to make this normal."
"I'm trying to have this entire walk feel like I'm being escorted to my own execution."
Ely stopped walking. Greshina took two more steps before realizing it and turning back. For a moment neither of them spoke as. Then Ely sighed.
"You're not going to be executed."
"That's reassuring. I was beginning to think my chances were dropping."
"I don't like you, Greshina."
"Noted."
"I have every reason not to."
"I am painfully aware."
Ely held her gaze for a moment longer, then uncrossed her arms and continued walking.
"But Darling trusts you enough to listen to you, and right now, that matters more than what I feel."
Greshina watched her for a second before she turned and matched her pace again.
"That's surprisingly reasonable."
"Don't get used to it. So, tour guide, where exactly are you taking me?"
"Somewhere quiet enough for us to talk without leveling another district by accident."
"You're aware that if you try anything, it won't end well for you."
"I'm also aware that if I tried anything, it wouldn't end well for the city either, so let's mutually agree that we avoid that scenario."
°°°°°°
Greshina chose a café that sat on the corner of a wide neon-lit street surrounded by holograms and the distant hum of reconstruction drones patching up yesterday's disaster. The interior leaned heavily into warm lighting and polished wood textures. It was quiet enough that neither of them had to worry about someone overhearing anything. They took a seat by the window. Greshina didn't bother with the menu for long.
"Coffee and cake," she said when the server drone hovered near them. Ely didn't object as she looked out the window,
The order arrived quickly and was delivered by a small hovering unit that placed two cups of coffee and a neatly plated slice of cake in front of each of them before quietly retreating. Ely picked up her fork, cut a small piece of cake, and brought it to her mouth without much thought.
She froze for half a second, then covered her mouth as she chewed.
"What's wrong?"
Ely swallowed slowly, still looking at the cake like it had personally offended her.
"This is… bland."
Greshina blinked once, clearly not expecting that answer, then picked up her own fork and took a bite. She chewed, paused, and then shrugged lightly.
"It's sweet. There's sugar in it. What exactly is the issue?"
"It doesn't have any taste."
There was a brief silence as Greshina processed that, then she leaned back slightly, studying Ely with a more analytical gaze.
"Have you eaten anything since arriving in the Hidden Citadel?"
"Yes, but everything we've had used ingredients from Spheraphase. Even the picnic we had earlier, we made the food ourselves. The cake Phaenora and I bought before we saw you… we didn't taste it yet. I'm glad we didn't."
"Well that explains it."
Ely didn't wait for further explanation. Instead, she reached into her inventory and pulled out a small glass container filled with crystalline white sugar. She opened it, scooped a spoonful and stirred it into her coffee before sprinkling a generous amount over the cake.
"That seems excessive."
Ely ignored her, took another bite and this time her expression shifted immediately. She took a sip of her coffee too.
"Better. Much better."
"So food here doesn't register properly for you."
"It's suitable for most beings here, but for me, it's like drinking water with no flavor. The structure is there but the essence isn't. This coffee tastes like nothing before. Now it's at least acceptable."
Greshina reached out instinctively towards the sugar container but Ely immediately moved it out of reach. Ely closed the container and placed it back into her inventory.
"Don't. If you already think that cake is sweet, then using this will ruin your sense of taste for anything here."
"Ruin is a strong word."
"I'm serious. This isn't normal sugar. It's refined from Spheraphasian flora. Your senses will adapt to it instantly and after that, everything here will feel just like this did to me."
Greshina leaned back, considering that for a moment, then glanced at the cake in front of her.
"So I would effectively lose the ability to enjoy food in this realm."
"Yup."