"It's back to work day." Aefia told herself after coming back from school. Due to the past few incidents, her work at the office was over-flowing and if she didn't attend to it any sooner, the number of incidents and mission data needed to be documented would sky-rocket. Meanwhile, Mr. Robert was in continuous checking-in with the company and more members started to join the Mafia organization.
The restart was a very intriguing and successful one. Mr. Robert had invited everyone over to his office to celebrate her uncle's comeback in the business industry although Aefia had no idea what it meant.
Due to her mid-terms, Aefia was excused. Another reason why she didn't have to attend, was because she checked around if there would be another similar incident like the ones before at the party. Except for Mr. Robert turning around and showing a different face to Aefia's uncle and his company, there were no planned sabotage or assassination.
Even if there is, she had planned it out with the high-ranking members and told them about different possibilities that could result in a failed plan. She told them about careful measures and how to notice if someone is being suspicious. Also, she had taught them about detecting poison in food, cameras and microphones around the room and irregular behaviours along the members.
Knowing that they were well prepared, she left the office and headed home at eight. The foundation for the new building was being prepared and architects from around the world had been hired. This made Aefia think whether her uncle was trying to show-off to Mr. Robert.
Although, something was very wrong with the way Mr. Robert reacted when they would speak about a few certain events. Sometimes, he would reply with a "Oh, I am not aware of it. Can you provide more details?" And during other times, he would answer with deep grey-glowing eyes, "Let's not talk about the past, I am a bit shaken by that event."
During a close observation, Aefia found Mr. Robert floating slightly above the floor while trying to grab a book out of a bunch of them from the top shelf. She knew that she had to be silent because whatever paranormal creature was staying within his soul, it had magical qualities and was stronger than all force on Earth combined.
"The book he mentioned before, what was it? Dying in a Battlefield? I think I should read it." Aefia mumbled to herself while walking towards her home from school one afternoon. Nada had to leave school earlier due to upset stomach, which left Aefia alone for the entire day.
During that time, she spent it at her school's library reading books about detectives solving cases. Except, she found it pretty boring to read about who did it. Instead, she read half of it until the climax hit and solved the rest herself as a practice problem.
She copied the points that she had to jot down in order to find out who did it and brought the paper back to her classroom in a way to keep herself entertained during a free class.
She was never interested into things the other kids her age were doing. She was never bothered to try and impress any teachers with her skills. Everytime there would be a parent-teacher meeting, there would be multiple complains about Aefia being the only one who doesn't engage with other students.
They would try to tell her parents that she needed to join activities and sports, and one time, she got so fed up with the complains, that she joined her archery club and almost killed her coach. Later on, she learned how to hit the target with the help of her extra training back at the office. She also took chess as a way to enhance her problem solving skills and photography for her mission reports.
***
The next day during lunch, she headed to her school library and asked the librarian at the counter. "Hi, I would like to know if there is a book called Dying in a Battlefield?"
"Oh yes, we do. Do you want to have it saved under your name?" The woman asked.
Aefia nodded. After a few aggressive typing sounds, the woman took Aefia over to the shelf containing the book. "This is the only copy left. Make sure to take good care of it and return it by the tenth of this month."
"Alright, noted." Aefia took the book and sat at a table near to the furthest and loneliest corner of the room. She liked that spot because of its lack of noise that could distract her, especially if she wanted to finish a six-hundred page book in ten days.
She likes to take her time to absorb as much details as possible during her reading, so she could summarize it better and not miss any critical points learnt from it. And this book, it was a recommendation from a foreign person, she really wanted to know what common things she and the main character shared, and whether it could help her better understand herself.
The cover was a midnight-blue with gold foiling and silver-holographic gilding. There were different sizes of eight and six pointed stars and the title was written in white, a font that represented the nowadays vintage aesthetics of stamp-lettering.
She hopped directly onto the first chapter since prologue wasn't written in the book. She wasn't sure if the name she first read was a side character or the main, but it was the name of a close person, 'Nada'.
What a coincidence, the name 'Nada' is pretty popular in this world.
She resumed her reading and soon enough, she was consumed by the story. It was a fantasy genre with fighting scenes here and there. She was in a group of five people who absorbed a bunch of rocks to get powers which are enough to defeat guardians when a certain level was reached. This was the first story with a fantasy genre which actually seemed appealing to Aefia.
She came across one more familiar name and that was, 'Aefia'. Wow, I too have a very common name. Based on my knowledge about human brain, one time is a coincidence, two times is a coincidence but the third time is a warning. So this is also a coincidence.
Curiously, she flipped through the pages while reading them one by one until she had reached chapter ten. By then, the bell rang and lunch time was over. She walked out with the book and waited for Nada to appear and scold her for suddenly dissapearing.
But rather, Ms. Encyclopedia and her pink gang were sitted next to Nada and she seemed happy about it, so Aefia decided she would just head back to class without intervening. She felt it was rude to enter someone's life and rule over them, she wasn't a fan of injustice to someone's happiness even though she was guilty and probably had a huge bounty on her head for man slaughter and mass murder.
***
"So I got in touch with a book. It's a fantasy genre with hints of action in it." Aefia told Nada while they were walking back home.
"And what's interesting about it?"
"Well, the main character's name is Nada and another character's name is Aefia."
"Wow. That's amazing I guess." Nada answered while looking down at her phone and typing.
"The plot too is interesting. Until the part I have read, the story goes like this:
"The story likely begins with the protagonist, an ordinary high school student, leading a typical life until she is suddenly and mysteriously selected or invited to participate in a secret corporation's event.
"This is not a local sporting event, but a high-stakes, confidential business that instantly transports her to an unknown planet or parallel dimension. This new world is governed by its own set of rules, often involving systems of power, unique technology, or magic.
"The core mystery is why she, and potentially a select group of others, were chosen for this specific event, 'The Trials and the Goal of Return'.
"Once on the new world, the game begun, often structured as a series of dangerous trials, missions, or survival challenges. The protagonist must quickly adapt to her alien environment, mastering new abilities or using her unique Earthly knowledge to survive and advance.
"The stakes are immense, as the only clear path to returning to Earth is by successfully completing the entire scenario goals and whatever they ask for from her. Along the way, she would encounter both helpful and antagonistic rivals, forging temporary alliances and discovering that the corperation might hide a deeper, more sinister purpose related to the two worlds' history or fate.
"As the challenges escalate, the protagonist would not only grow in power but also in character, learning about herself, her hidden strengths, and the true meaning of the missions she was encountering.
"Based on my knowledge of predicting what happens next, the narrative would probably build toward an ultimate climax… the final trial…where she must face the mastermind behind the event she was participating, or an overwhelmingly powerful final obstacle."
"That's great." Nada continued staring at her phone's screen.
"Did you hear anything I said?" Aefia asked when she looked at Nada.
"Yes. I did. It was about a girl who became a magician or something?"
"..." Aefia's jaw dropped when she noticed Nada wasn't acting like herself, she said a final word before walking faster forward to reach home before it was already late. "Alright, I need to hurry home because I have to go somewhere after school. Have a great day, cousin!"
Despite her being loud enough, Nada didn't give an ear to what she said. She didn't wave back or answer her back, so Aefia ignored her. I guess you have made some new friends, I am happy for you.
Honestly, Aefia didn't have to go to the office today since it was the day the party was being held at Mr. Robert's office. I may as well spend some time to read this story if I really have such a short amount of time to get it done.
***
Aefia jolted awake from her sleep. It had been two full years since the sequence of incidents with the corrupted politician and her aunts. She had just turned fifteen a week ago but her past memories made her feel as if she is still twelve and exploring her boundaries while constantly feeling guilty about having to kill people.
Today was supposed to be her last mission before she finally got a month-long break from her uncle, although, it was a particularly long one too. Thinking about it made her brain go hay-wire. The only long case she had gotten in her life was the conflict with the shipping company.
That case itself took her two weeks to solve and fix. Now that she was fifteen, her uncle thought it best to make her go on battles while representing him too. Sometimes, Mr. Robert would have her work for him too. It was a deal that her uncle secretly made with him that included Aefia solving cases for him too.
"Boss, I think you already know, but I am in tenth grade and handling my double life is becoming tough for me. My exams are constantly rolling in and I have a lot of homework due which I haven't got the chance to finish at school itself. Working for Mr. Robert is a bit too much to ask for." Aefia told her uncle.
"But I already made a deal with him. If you can't fulfil the criteria, I am afraid he will launch another attack at our company. Remember when you were twelve and you had to get inbetween a gun fight?" Her uncle replied.
"I appreciate your concern about my mental well-being but I am stable now and I think I can handle such violence better then I did when I was younger. Furthermore, what sort of deal would you do with a man like him? He is practically using your company to get more income and profit."
"Maybe you have no use of it now, but you certainly will need to accept the deal in the future." Her uncle coughed.
"I suggest you check on your health as soon as possible since you already know that the disease that's going around, let's just say developed by many, can kill anyone in a few months." Aefia told her uncle thinking it may benefit him in the future.
"Don't worry, I am sure it won't be nessasary. Even if I die, I know I have a few people I can rely on." He took out a file from his drawer and pushed it in front of Aefia. It was a sign to say, 'Please don't bother'.
"Is this the new case?"
"Yes. You will be dealing with a foreign enemy, most likely I want you to form a good alliance and understanding between this Mafia organization and that company. They are willing to lend us some guards if we can please them."
"I prefer we kill him upon his arrival. I really hate anyone who wants us to prove our worth."
Her uncle looked at Aefia with a shocked expression. "You have become what I have feared all along. Anyway, let's just finish this case and you will get your month-long break and something else."
"Before that, I suggest we call ourselves a detective agency. Because at this point, we aren't really helping criminals, are we? We are solving cases for the government, not against it."
"No. Do I need to remind you of what type of corporation we are? We don't help criminals or engage with crime, but we do kill people, or do we not?"
Aefia thought about it. It was true what her uncle had said. "Yes, you are right about that. So let's call it a day after you tell me the last thing you have to say."
"So I was thinking, you have been in our company for almost seven years exactly. I think it's time you get a position fitting of your work and title. Besides that, I need someone to help me manage this company now that my health is depleting and I am getting old. At my age, men retire. How do you say I give you a promotion?"
"What is the position?" Aefia asked curiously.