Ascenders Rift

Chapter 134: A Peculiar Machine, Emilia's Strangeness

While Evan was listening to Alan and Angeline's perspective of Elumar, everyone else was preparing for the journey ahead. Back within Evan's previous room, Layla had only now awakened from her sleep, her hazel and ruby eyes looking around the room in confusion as she crumpled the sheet below her with her fingers. Soon, her face changed as she recalled what she was doing here, realizing that Evan had already awoken. 

Layla blushed as she sat herself up, causing the sheet to slide down her body while she thought to herself, 'So mean, he could've woken me up before he left to do what he wanted, but since he did tuck me in, I'll try not to complain about it. Hmm, since he's up, then by the time he returns, we'll be leaving, I should get some stuff ready.'

Having finished her thoughts, Layla gracefully stepped off the bed before fixing it and leaving the room. While heading towards the direction of the showers, Layla walked by a series of facilities. 

If one looked behind one of these large doors, they would notice that there was a room filled with countless blueprints on the ground, with many different screws and bolts as well as wires and computer screens.

Two men were bickering back and forth, as they looked at an angular machine shrouded in darkness, it was more than a dozen meters tall with glowing neon lights at various areas. Many different pipes and wire were attached to it, causing its eyes to shine in red light.

Looking at its sides, one would vaguely see two giant mechanical objects that were in the shape of swords, a wave of energy surrounded them as if they were vibrating at an ultra-high frequency.

"No-no-no! It should be like this; I told you that it has to conform to this style for my abilities to work. Why did you go and make it as you wish?" Cline said with his hair still unkempt and beard unshaved, his glasses reflecting the lights from the room.

"Cline, I don't need you to teach me how to design; that is my forte. You are only here to do the addition to my works, so quit yapping away as if you're in charge of everything!" Conrad spoke as he grabbed a stack of papers from before Cline.

Cline gritted his teeth and cursed once more, "Hey, I'm not done yet!"

The two continued to battle with words, but Layla had already left the range of their room, headed towards a different area.

Currently, within another section of the resting quarters, an area that seemed like a lounge. A few persons were already up and waiting while drinking tea.

Rick was currently seated at a nearby window with his eyes facing outside, the cup in his hands giving off steam as an herbal fragrance filled the area. His brows were knitted as his eyes seemed a bit lost while he contemplated, 'Elumar, is this what made you change? This so-called power that came from nowhere, how did you get it? If you had such abilities, why would you still go out of your way to work with that RADA group? You've even killed our father, how is ruling the lives of the very kingdom you've betrayed considered a noble act?'

The more Rick thought to himself, the more he only found more questioned rather than answers. Soon, he shook his head, not bothering to overthink it anymore; he knew that right now, he had no power to go against Elumar and would only be acting in treason if he were to try and directly fight against him.

Not to mention, Elumar wasn't the only threat; he didn't believe for a single instant that the RADA group would let them have their way in the quiet.

After clearing his thoughts, Rick had only now looked towards a different direction; there, he saw a scene he didn't think he would see in this life, one that caused all of his thoughts to fade.

The sight of a gorgeous of a young beauty who had only just got out of the shower, tightly bound by a towel that showed her defining features as her long golden hair that was soaked wet, cascaded down her body. 

Her face seemed slightly reddish as if she never did anything like this before, which made Rick's mouth open wide, unable to say anything.

'This... this... what is she doing? How could she do this?' Rick thought to himself at an alarming rate.

Emilia, having built up confidence, was prepared to have her way today as no else was around, learning her tricks recently from Breya, of course. However, she was still a bit uncertain about what to do next, which caused her to feel a bit hesitant, her breathing a bit unsteady.

'Big Sister Breya said that I must use this method to determine his character. I... I must be brave, for only like this will I learn his true nature,' Emilia thought with a bit of hesitancy before a firm look showed in her eyes.

She then slowly began to make her way over to Rick, to see his reaction, Rick seeing this began to tremble as his breathing grew erratic, but right before the two could meet, the door to the lounge opened with a bang.

"Emmy, I heard you went to the bathroom, what's taking you so long?" Joe's voice sounded from the door as he entered soon after with a flurried face.

Yet, it was at this time, Joe's face had made a transition from worry to shock, as he never thought he'd see such an act done by his sister. Looking at the sight of the dripping wet Emilia who stood a few meters from Rick, Joe felt as if his mind was going blank as he shouted, "Rick, what are you doing to my sister?"

Rick, hearing his thunderous roar, was startled awake from his daze, he only now came to his senses as he saw Joe standing at the door. 

He stutteringly spoke, far unlike his usual character while sweat poured down his cheek and forehead, "I-I-I... Joe, it's not what you think, I don't even know what's going on myself!"

While Joe was fuming with rage, and Rick's face turned red due to embarrassment, Emilia, who was the middle party, made an inaudible sound as she clicked her teeth and murmured, "Che! As I thought... brother is always keen. Maybe I'll take sister Breya's offer next time..."

Upon making her decision, Emilia's face turned to that of her innocent look; she made a well-timed curve with her body as a fridge was not too far away from her. She took out a juice before turning around and look at Joe and Rick before blushing and speaking, "Eh? Brother, Rick, what are you arguing about? I was only trying to get something to drink."

Joe made a surprised look, but Rick looked over at Emilia in confusion, his brows knitted as he thought to himself, 'Could it be that I had only hallucinated just now?'

Even with blatant evidence, Rick refused to believe Emilia would act in such a manner. Joe, was also much like Rick, as he heard Emilia's words, his brotherly affection conquered all other feelings of suspicion as he spoke with a smile, "Ah! Haha! Of course, Emmy, I was mistaken, but remember, you can't walk around like this, especially when you get out of the shower, you never know when a predator might bare its fangs."

Emilia hearing this had a red face as she wrapped her arms around her chest with an innocent and embarrassed expression as she replied, "R-Realy, b-brother I didn't know. I-I'll be more cautious from now on,"

Upon saying this, she rapidly ran out of the room, as her long hair fluttered about behind splashing sparkling water around the lounge.

Both Joe and Rick then sighed in relief, but the two then looked at each other deeply in silence. Though the two had their adoration for Emilia, one being an overabundance of brotherly love, while the other was pure emotional affection formed by love at first sight.

The two weren't stupid; they felt that something was wrong with Emilia's action somehow, but only couldn't figure it out. If one thing was certain, they knew that her actions were in some way connected to towards Rick himself.

Joe's eyes shone in a dark light as he spoke in a cold and direct manner, "You know that I'm not going to hand her over so easy, right?"

Rick remained silent at those words; he stared at Joe's face before gripping his fists and replying, "Joe, I'll say this right now, I am still a man, while I do respect you as Emilia's older brother, and I am seeking to gain your respect. If something like this happens again, I will not be holding myself back, nor these feelings of mine..."

Joe's eyes coldly shone as he stared at Rick, his aura rising far beyond his usual times as his golden hair danced. After a short while, his clenched fists loosened as he snorted before turning around and leaving the room as he spoke, "We'll see about that!"

Rick smiled as he saw Joe left, his face still filled with confidence, but if one looked in his eyes, they would see a hint of uncertainty.

Unaware to Rick, however, was a small device that was placed in the room, with a camera lens. Within another resting room, Breya was seen looking at the footages of Joe powering up beforehand with a smile as she thought, "Hmm, so that's what he's like when he's angry, I should test him for more emotions..."

Her eyes were flashing with a hint of craziness, far different from what anyone would consider sane. No one knew what she was plotting, but one thing was certain, it would have a disastrous consequence to its target in the not too far future.