Assisting at its finest

Rachel's POV

Aileen slowly improve in using the weapons, at least the old types. I tested the prototypes with my mana and some were burned by heat. "I'm gonna have to get a good amount not just from father's pocket but also to my mom's" I said as I look at all the burned tips I made to the prototypes. Out of 6 prototypes that they sent us with, only 2 withstand my mana channeling and 4 of them were burned to the point of useless. "I'll at least give you a little bit" Aileen said as she returned a case back to the cart. Aileen, supposedly, is going to use her mana. Ever since I know her, she always makes time for mana control where she would make use and sometimes waste her parents' mana. Though the point is, her essential core is suspicious. Truthfully looking at Aileen's condition, instead of "unlucky," she'll be labeled as cursed. Her essential core can be found at the same place as most of us have, her signs shows she's a reincarnated, but she doesn't even know who "she" is. "Rachel..." I snap out of my thoughts as she shakes me gently, "I was thinking about maybe ruining the Goodman's reputation a bit" I joke around, she snicker at the joke and pushed the cart out, I followed her.

"Ah..thank you for bringing the cart back here" Rei said as she walks towards us with papers on hand, "so..how many weapons burned to the point if useless?" I flinched at her question and instinctively turn my head to the other direction, "do I have to pay for damages?" I ask, "well..that depends if what you damage are old ones since we weren't the one who created them but someone else, but if it's the prototypes, its fine, we expected it to be burned since we built it without any strong heat resistance" Rei explained as she opened the cases one by one in front of us, "well, I see only two prototypes withstand your mana" she nod at her own mumbling, "well, the old ones handle my channel pretty well" I said as I squat down to see the burned tip close again, "that's to be expected for professionals" she mumbled again. I stand up and look at Aileen, her face says she's clearly tired, "well, we'll be going and rest" I said, Rei look at both of us and nod, "see ya soon" she said and wave us goodbye.

"Did they intend to use our trying as a research material?" Aileen ask as we walk down the corridor, "of course, its amazing how the armory department of this university are planning to design new mana weapons instead the weaponry association" I agreed. This university holds a great image for many decades...", it would only be natural though that they'll create the new designs" I added. Silence came again. Aileen still thinks her parents are yet to be home so its natural she's quite. "Aileen.." I called out to break the silence, "I know Alex talked to you about you, going to dangerous situations and be harmed in ways and I wish you won't do that this time" I started, I could feel her stare so I stop walking, "just...your brother is a stray agent and he didn't attain that title for nothing" I look at her, her head is down so I can't see her face in the moment, "right now, its only 3:46 in the afternoon, by the time you come back to your house, it would be not long before dark, I advise you to not go anywhere by that time" I finally ended what I want to say, and she still has her head down. I started walking alone to let her have a time on her own, there won't be a lot of people who'll bother her in this corridor since currently its actually time for us to go home. "I know that your worried about me since I'm not like you or Alexander" wah, she started calling him by his name, this is getting her pissed off. I look at her, "I'm a daughter of two people from great families, yet, I am like this" she started trembling and I don't like where this is going, she drank something and it's still inside her. "Rachel, you and Alexander were there" she said, still lowering her head but her hands were balled into fist and she's trembling due to frustration, worse case scenario, I have to push her off the window. "We were there since we were just living under the same lane before" I walk closely to her, "we saw something we knew we are not allowed to see, your mother and father feared our perception to you would change and would take account on how we would treat you" I said. I am not tied to the promise Alex made to Aileen's uncle, I can say stuff that would hint why we didn't tell her about that time. "I see flashes about that time this days, there not in a form of dreams but it worries me" she said, finally, she looks up and traces of tears shows at the side of her eyes, "Aileen, it's not a good time, but it was a successful time in which you finally have been granted" I said, Aileen looks confuse, naturally, I guess that would be her reaction, "just wait for them to return, I'm pretty sure they're alive at this moment" I simply said, wanting to end this conversation.

We got out of the building and finally near the gates. There are still a few students here and there, but their probably from the dorms, at least most of them. "If my parents won't come back till tomorrow, I need to find them whether I'm alone or not" Aileen suddenly said, I didn't look at her but I know she has a sour face on. I sigh, I knew she's still bringing the topic up, "okay, but at least tell me if your going, don't just disappear like a bubble or something" I said, scratching my head due to frustration coming up.

We said our goodbyes and waved. I told her that I need to go downtown while she needs to stay at her house to wait for her parents. "Its truly suspicious" I whispered to myself as I watch her walk without noticing me looking at her, "hey" Alex greeted me from my behind, "you really did took your time" he said as I turn around, "well, I'm surprised that you met me just in time" I said, he fished out his phone from his pocket, turn it on and showed me a gps tracker, it shows my location, "sly bastard, I'm not even gonna ask" I said as I nudged him, "anyway, let's start working undercover" I added, leading the way, "do you even know how to start this plan?" He asks, I look at him, "I arranged to meet up with someone" I said, "that's unnecessary" he said, he turns on his phone again and shows me a map, "I opened a portal, it's hard even with my Guide's power" he said, I look at the map and analyze it closely, it's relatively close from here, "even with the Great Tabaldak's ability, you had a hard time opening a portal?" I ask rhetorically. Alex has the native american deity, Tabaldak, the owner, or at least of what I heard, is The Creator in the religion. "Even Prometheus can easily open one even still under Zeus' wrath" I snicker. Truthfully, it would be hard for a normal deity or a deity whose ability only circles with human feelings and materialistic qualities. "Yeah right, sorry for being weak, are we going or not?" He said with a sarcasm in his tone, "I accept your apology, and of course we're going, lead the way" I said and he runs up the sidewalks, this a**hole.

(After racing for nearly wasted 6 minutes, they finally arrived to a secluded area) I pant heavily as I look at the ground. I look around, full of heavily thick trees that seems to cover each other's gaps. I look up to see thick amount of leaves and branches, barely giving holes for the sunlight to give, giving an eerie feeling to the forest, "nice location" I complimented, I fished out my phone, looking to the bars..there's still a signal inside this thick forest, I opened my messages and click on the person I arranged to meet up with, texted him that I want to cancel our plans and told him sorry then turned my phone off again and put it back to my pocket. I look around once again, I honestly thought that it would be a bad one since its close to the campus and downtown, but this place was barely visited due to odd legends that scared the locals and tourist and never thought of getting in to test. "What are you waiting for?" I heard Alex ask, I look at his direction, seeing that his already half in the portal, "at least let me appreciate the scary forest a little bit" I said jokingly and followed in.

Chapter 9 end.

To be continue