"Silas, does your head hurt? I have medicine."
"I'm fine, really."
"Are you thirsty? Do you want some water?"
"I'm not thirsty either."
Silas looked at Cecilia fussing over him like a mother hen and smiled helplessly. "Alright, Cecilia, just sit down and relax. I'm perfectly fine."
He forcibly pulled his sister's arm and pressed her down onto the sofa. Even after sitting, she wouldn't settle down, constantly keeping her eyes fixed on Silas.
Silas understood why Cecilia was so concerned about him. According to past patterns, his lucid period was almost over.
The former Silas could only maintain a normal state for a dozen hours or so before falling into terrible visions, shouting and going mad beyond his control.
At such times, he'd need Cecilia's help to lock all the restraining belts around his body, lying still like a mental patient in a straitjacket to prevent injury to himself or others.
But the current him felt that he probably wouldn't go mad again.
Because that cheat-like phantom tide could block the evil god's ravings for him, naturally preventing hallucinations and auditory illusions related to the True Creator from forming in his mind.
In other words, from the moment he transmigrated, Silas Londor had shed his mental illness and become a normal person.
What he needed to do next was simply take good care of his sister and work hard to make money.
On this point, Silas wasn't worried.
Hehe, the transmigrator starter pack: inventions, plagiarism, new order, activate!
Wait, what the hell is Roselle!
Silas's grand ambitions had barely been brewing in his mind for a minute when related memories jumped out to interrupt his fantasies. In this world, it seemed there was already a suspected transmigrator who'd gotten there first.
Roselle Gustav, a prominent figure from over 170 years ago, the great emperor of the neighboring powerful nation of Intis.
He'd "improved" the steam engine, "invented" various items, "created" numerous poems, plays, and novels... Basically all the literary masterpieces Silas was familiar with had already been published by him first and were widely circulated in this world.
What do you do when your transmigrator predecessor has already shown off everything there is to show off?
The key issue was that Roselle didn't even need money! His reason for plagiarizing was actually to pick up girls... What was someone like him, who simply wanted to earn money to support his family, supposed to feel?
Damn you, Roselle!
Silas felt like he'd suddenly fallen from heaven to earth, and his expression stiffened.
"Silas, are you okay?"
Cecilia immediately noticed his abnormality and quickly grabbed his hand, asking worriedly.
"I'm fine."
Silas snapped back to attention and patted his sister's hand. He quickly adjusted his emotions.
It was alright.
Roselle hadn't plagiarized every single novel.
As long as he investigated thoroughly and chose the right material, he could still accomplish something.
At the very least, a comfortable middle-class life could be guaranteed.
Just as his imagination was running wild, the break room door opened and Leonard walked in, carrying a tray in each hand.
"Breakfast time!"
Looking at the siblings, a brilliant smile spread across his handsome face as he placed the trays on the table.
"The captain is still busy, but he'll need to see you both in a bit. Please have something to eat while you wait."
Silas looked down and saw the trays held white bread, toast, and bacon, with a steaming cup of coffee and a small dish of butter fitted into grooves on the side.
The white bread looked soft and inviting, the bacon was fried just right, and the coffee continuously gave off an aromatic scent.
He immediately felt his stomach clench with emptiness.
After a whole night of turmoil and fear, he was truly hungry. Glancing at Cecilia, he noticed his sister's throat bob once, but she didn't reach for the food.
Instead, she looked up at him.
"Thank you," Silas said to Leonard with a smile. "We don't have to pay for the meal, do we?"
"Hahaha, of course not. This can all be reasonably reimbursed."
Leonard seemed amused by his words and winked at Cecilia, but she lowered her head defensively.
Seeing that teasing the little girl hadn't worked, he didn't mind and just shrugged, turning to leave. "Just leave it to the side when you're done. Someone will come collect it."
Only then did Silas pull the trays in front of them, while removing the coffee. "Since he said that, let's eat. Be careful, the coffee's a bit hot."
"Silas, you eat it all. I'm not hungry..."
"Come on now, hurry up and eat."
Under his urging, Cecilia carefully picked up a slice of white bread, studying it for several seconds before bringing it to her mouth. With just one small bite, her eyes lit up.
"Dip it in some butter. It'll taste even better."
Silas smiled.
That made sense. Even when their parents were alive and the family was at its best, they could only afford white bread occasionally during holidays, let alone during these past few years of struggling to survive.
After settling Cecilia, Silas began eating as well, dipping white bread in butter, using toast to sandwich bacon, and occasionally taking a sip of coffee to wash it down.
As a transmigrator accustomed to good food, he felt this meal could only be described as passable.
By the time he'd used the coffee to wash down the last bite of bread, Cecilia across from him had long since eaten her breakfast clean. She let out a small burp, looking a bit embarrassed.
Silas smiled at her, stacked the two trays to one side, then leaned back in his chair to rest.
Cecilia was only embarrassed for a moment before beginning to worry about the future.
"Brother, when do you think they'll let us go?"
"When that captain comes later, he'll tell us."
"Sirius is dead, so it should be fine, right?"
His sister had been hiding in the break room last night and still didn't know Silas had killed a second person.
"Self-defense. Self-defense."
With full stomachs, the siblings were chatting idly when Dunn Smith knocked and entered.
"I'm so sorry for keeping you both this long." He apologized very politely.
"A mole in the police station was exposed last night, and we spent some time arresting and interrogating them."
"That's no problem. I'd like to ask, what came of the interrogation?"
Silas asked.
"Well, we contacted the 'Punishers' and 'Machinery Hivemind' in Tingen and, following the leads, launched a comprehensive manhunt for the Aurora Order," Dunn said.
"In terms of results, the Aurora Order's forces in Tingen have now been completely cleared out."
Silas's heart stirred.
"Which means..."
"The incident can be considered over."
Dunn knew what he wanted to say.
Hearing his certainty, Silas relaxed momentarily before tensing up again. Because next, they'd discuss how to handle him.
Cecilia also grew nervous, looking like a frightened little kitten.
In the quiet atmosphere, Dunn's gray eyes lingered on him for a moment before speaking. "Mr. Silas and Miss Cecilia, you now have two choices."
We get a choice?
Silas thought.
"For survivors like yourselves, especially those involving an evil god, we generally recommend severing all social ties, changing your identities, and starting new lives in other cities under our organization's protection.
Particularly for you, Mr. Silas, since you've accidentally become a Beyonder on a dangerous pathway, the supervision over you might be even stricter."
"How strict?"
Silas asked instinctively.
But Dunn only looked at him without answering, though it was as if he'd already answered.
Damn.
Silas thought, licking his lips as he waited for Dunn to provide the second option.
Seeing his composure, Dunn Smith couldn't help but smile slightly before speaking solemnly. "As for the second choice, which I personally recommend more, it's this: join us and become a Nighthawk."
"...Huh?"
Silas was stunned.