After sneaking his way out of the building, Mael took a casual walk around the motel area.
How strange…
I feel like I've smelled that scent before… but where?
He slowed his steps, brows knitting together as he searched his memories. Then, like a lightbulb flicking on, realization struck.
"Oh! I know," he muttered. "I'll just walk around until I find that exact scent again."
Taking a deep breath, he steadied himself.
"Alright. Let's go," Mael said quietly to himself, setting off toward every place he had visited before…
***
Beep—
Inside the hospital, Leon finished his call and let out a long sigh.
"Somehow… I managed to convince Ms. Natalie to lend me a personal driver for the whole day."
A smirk crept onto his face, and he laughed out loud.
Several people in the lobby turned to look at him at once.
Leon cleared his throat and quickly looked away, pretending nothing had happened.
"Yes! I bet Emily would be thrilled to be picked up by Dad's limousine!" Leon said to himself, raising a fist toward the sky in barely contained excitement.
The chauffeur should be arriving any moment now.
Click—click—click.
The sound of approaching footsteps echoed down the hallway.
Then a familiar voice spoke.
"Umm—Leon."
Leon turned around, already knowing who it was.
"Yes, Emily?"
His gaze dropped to her arms. She was clutching a large teddy bear in one hand and a bag filled with medicine in the other.
"Here, give me that."
Before Emily could respond, Leon reached out and took both items from her.
"I've got it. Thank you very much," he said casually.
Emily could only give him a confused look.
"You're still recovering," Leon added. "I'll hold onto these for you until the car arrives."
Hearing that, Emily blushed. In a soft, almost timid voice, she replied, "Oh—thank you," breaking eye contact as she spoke.
Leon felt his own face heat up in embarrassment and quickly turned his gaze toward the window.
Then his eyes widened.
"Emily, look—my driver is here," he said as a long white limousine rolled through the hospital gate.
Without thinking too much, he gently grabbed her hand and started walking, tugging her along.
"Come on, let's go."
Emily could only follow helplessly as they stepped outside the hospital, where the limousine slowly came to a stop in front of them.
At the sight of the vehicle, her eyes widened in awe.
"Woah…" slipped from her lips.
Leon, on the other hand, tried his best to look calm and composed.
Inside, however, seeing Emily so impressed made his heart race far more than he was willing to show.
The driver's door opened, and an elderly man in a neatly pressed suit stepped out. He appeared to be in his sixties, his posture straight despite his age.
He walked around the limousine and stopped in front of Leon and Emily.
"Good afternoon, Young Master Leon. And good afternoon to you as well, young lady," he said, bowing politely before repeating the gesture toward Emily.
"Good afternoon to you too, Theodore," Leon replied.
Theodore nodded, then moved to open the limousine's rear door and bowed once more.
Leon stepped inside first. He then turned back and offered his hand to Emily, gently pulling her in after him.
The door closed softly from the outside. Theodore returned to the driver's seat, and moments later, the limousine began to move.
Now seated side by side, Leon glanced at Emily and grinned.
"Pretty cool, huh? Eh, Emily?" His excitement finally slipped through.
"Y–yeah… I've only ever seen cars like this in movies before," she replied, her voice soft but filled with awe.
"Hmph." Leon snorted proudly. "Anyway—"
His voice cut off.
The moment he noticed a pair of silhouettes seated in the middle compartment, the tone of his expression changed completely.
Seeing this, Emily tilted her head. "What's wrong, Leon?"
Leon didn't answer. Instead, he reached for a device resembling a built-in phone beside him and spoke into it.
"Theodore, who are the men sitting in the middle compartment?"
A brief pause followed before the chauffeur replied, "My apologies, Young Master. I neglected to inform you that your father requested additional security for today's travel."
"What? But why?" Leon asked, frowning.
"I'm afraid I'm not certain myself," Theodore replied calmly. Then he added, "In any case, where would you like me to take you?"
Leon covered the mouthpiece of the phone and turned to Emily.
"Emily! Do you want to go to that new mall at the edge of the city?" His eyes sparkled with excitement.
Emily hesitated at first. "Well—uhh…"
"Come on! It'll be fun!"
Seeing his enthusiasm, Emily finally nodded. "Okay! Sure, let's go."
Leon uncovered the mouthpiece and spoke into the phone again.
"Theodore, take us to the new mall near the edge of the city. If I'm not mistaken, it's called Citygate Mall."
"Understood, Young Master," Theodore replied as he began driving toward their next destination.
Leon placed the phone back in its holder, a satisfied grin forming on his face as the limousine smoothly made its way forward.
***
As noon quietly passed, evening soon followed.
Sniff… sniff…
Still nothing?
Mael let out a disappointed sigh as he stepped out of the market and back onto the sidewalk, the fading sunlight casting long shadows across the street.
"I've checked the park, several alleyways, the buildings near the motel… and now the market," he muttered. "But I've still got nothing."
His footsteps carried him forward without much thought, the city moving around him as his mind drifted elsewhere.
Then who attacked that place?
Joann's words echoed in his head. The Saviors of Humanity… Their job is to apprehend or kill people with powers.
Mael slowed to a stop.
"But the scent I felt in that building… and in that alley across it…" he murmured, brows knitting together. "It was completely different from Lily's. Different from Joann's too."
He clenched his fist slightly.
"That means whoever attacked that place wasn't a human born with a gift."
"Ugh… I'm tired. I should rest for a while."
As Mael muttered to himself, his steps slowed—and that was when he noticed a familiar storefront ahead.
The tea shop.
Without thinking much further, he walked inside.
Ring—
The bell above the door chimed softly as he pushed it open.
His eyes swept across the interior. The chairs were empty, just like usual.
"Empty again…" he murmured.
From behind the counter, the shop owner stood up and smiled warmly.
"Well, hello there, sonny," the old man greeted, his voice as cheerful as ever.
Walking closer, Eldon—the tea shop owner—tilted his head slightly.
"I see you've come alone today. Where's the young missy?"
Mael stopped in front of the counter.
"Yeah. Lily isn't feeling well today, so we didn't study," he replied.
"Oh—sorry to hear that," Eldon said sympathetically. After a moment, he waved a hand toward the seats.
"Well then, make yourself at home. Go on and have a seat."
Mael took a seat in one of the many empty chairs and leaned back slightly.
"Hey, mister," he said casually. "I've never actually tried your tea before. I think I'll have one today."
"Oh! Sure thing, sonny!" Eldon smiled. "What would you like?"
"Is there anything sweet?" Mael asked.
"Well, of course! Plenty!" Eldon replied enthusiastically as he began listing items off the menu.
"There's sweet tea, peach iced tea, iced lemon tea—you name it, I'll make it! Hahaha!"
Mael tilted his head in thought.
"Then… Do you have milk tea?"
Eldon blinked, then raised one eyebrow.
"Sure do. But to be honest, it's the least popular item in my shop. You still want it?"
"As long as it's sweet," Mael replied playfully.
"Haha! Alright then—one milk tea coming right up!" Eldon said as he turned around to prepare the drink.
Not long after, he returned and set the cup gently on Mael's table.
Mael reached into his pocket—then froze.
"…Ah. Um, mister," he said awkwardly. "I kind of forgot to bring my coins with me. I know you're closing soon, so… can I pay you tomorrow?"
Eldon waved a hand dismissively.
"Don't sweat it, kiddo. Guess today's your lucky day—I'll be here until midnight anyway."
"Midnight?" Mael repeated, lifting the cup and taking a sip. "Why so late?"
"Well," Eldon replied, "once every month, I do a full deep clean of the shop."
While listening to Eldon, Mael finished the drink in a few big gulps, then let out a satisfied breath.
"Welp, mister, I'm heading out now," he said as he stood up from his chair.
"That milk tea was really tasty!"
"I'll come back later tonight to pay what I owe," he added, giving Eldon a small wave before turning and walking out of the shop.
"What a kind young lad," Eldon murmured softly as he cleaned the cup.
"I hope I live long enough to see him grow into an outstanding, kind gentleman."
With a small shrug at his own wishful thinking, Eldon returned to his counter, resuming his quiet routine—
unaware that today would be the last time they would ever see each other…