Red Riding Hood (7)

"I'll take care of him." Randell said before closing the door.

Nida just stood in front of the closed door, staring at it, thinking if she should go out again or not.

"That wolf is pretty weird." She hugged herself to stop thinking about the more vicious wolf.

She then pressed her ears to the door to hear what was going on on the other side, but the refrigerator was too noisy to make her evesdrop.

She decides to rest her nerves since this other encounter with a strange werewolf is exhausting for her.

She took out the tea set kept beside the cupboard and prepared her own calming tea.

Bbrrrrr brrrr brrr

She touched her coat's inner pocket that was vibrating because of her phone.

"Danny boy, why do you call?" She tried her best to sound carefree and relaxed, but Daniel instantly noticed her state.

"What happened?" He briefly asked.

"Haaa— another wolf. I met another one." Since hiding things from him seems useless, she changes her tone to her natural voice.

"You really attract wolves."

"Yeah, yeah, that doesn't sound like luck."

"Did the wolf still live?"

"Why do you ask? It's not like I could kill one."

"You can do. You're a walking scared purification tool."

"Haha? You better learn to sugar coat your words."

"So tell me."

"Haa— do you remember the wolf who stalked me the first time we met?"

"Yep, Rudy right?"

"Nice, you're pretty informed. He teases me by putting my head in a jar and displaying it in the collection room."

"Did you believe him?"

"Why? Should I not?"

"Wolf has laws, He can't do that."

"Aw really? Well, how will I know?" Nida is now done making her tea and is sitting comfortably while still talking on her phone.

"Anyway, I got angry, so I grabbed his neck."

"Oh, congratulations, you are getting braver."

"Haha. Shall I count that as a new achievement?"

"Yep, that's You usually cower in fear. That's a good thing."

"But Daniel. You know I stand out because of my silver dust. Why do you still let me back to the office?"

"Hmmm. Didn't I tell you that only one percent of werewolves worked at the company?"

"Yup. That's why you told me not to worry much."

"Yes. But the nineteen percent is something you also need to deal with."

"Deal? Why? and who are they?"

"You don't have plans to become a real priestess, right?"

"yep"

"Then you have to prove them that you won't."

"Huh?"

"If you awaken and hide instead, they might think that you are going to strengthen yourself and might come at them."

"To what?"

"To purify. to put an end to all dark existences. That's a priestess' job."

"That is why I need to lessen their wariness about my showing up at work and acting like a weak human again?"

"Oh you can think?" he teasingly commented. 

"Fuck you." Nida doesn't have any worries about being casual towards him because she feels she is closer to him now.

"HAHA." Daniel just lightly laughed at her crude words and continued his explanation "Just show them that you want to leave a normal life and don't show them that you can control your powers or any of your strength. Those nineteen percent will eventually spread the news to their own race and it will make you live freely inside and outside the company."

"Okay, Okay, I will make sure to do that." Nida seriously nodded while sipping her tea.

But the simple advice he said she needed to take is not simple at all.

She needs to work hard not to attract more creatures that could harm her.

"Anyway, where are you? Why call me instead of talking to me directly? It's not like your office is far?"

"Hmmn. It is better to talk on the phone than be infected by you."

"Che! Clean freak! I look better now! Didn't you notice?" She whipped her hair as she looked at her reflection in the glass cabinet door.

Her jaw is much more defined now and her usually oily skin doesn't secrete any excessive oil anymore. Her pale skin also became livelier.

"You have to be thankful for your divine powers that make you more healthier, but that doesn't mean you are cleaner. I bet you didn't shower properly since you're at Randell's unit. Yuck."

"At least I took a bath!" She couldn't disagree because what he said was true.

She was uncomfortable at Randell's unit, which made her unable to properly clean herself.

"Ah wait! I need to be with him for a month, right? Where should I sleep starting now?"

"Is that my problem?"

"FRIIIIIIIEEENNNNDD Help me!"

"When did I become your friend?"

BAM!

Because the door suddenly opened loudly, she could not answer back.

"Oh! Manager, welcome back." She greeted her grumpy manager while forgetting what a mess had happened outside.

The tea while talking to Daniel made her relax and calm down.

Her manager didn't respond to her greetings.

With his short legs, he angrily walked closer to her and slapped her hand, throwing the tea cup she was holding.

Nida stood up to avoid the spilled hot tea and composed herself to smile despite the situation. 

"What did I do wrong, sir. Please talk it out without being violent." she said gracefully. 

The manager was about to slap her but Randell caught his short arm.

"Sir, let's not do this. It's against the employee code." He tightly gripped the manager's arm while looking down at him.

The manager pulled his arm back and fixed his collar that is usually messy.

"Ehem! You better do your job properly! I will fire you. Remember that!" He stormed out, leaving the two in the pantry.

Randell closed the door to stop the others from peeking.

"Y-you," Randell stuttered as he looked around Nida. "Calm your dust, you can also kill humans with that."

Nida's silver dust formed twenty sharp knives floating around the pantry.

The dust instantly popped out like a bubble once she snapped out of her anger.

"Ah! I need to control this dust!" she exclaimed, remembering her conversation with Daniel. She needs to look good and vulnerable in the eyes of other beings.

"Are you fine now?" Randell asked while he cleaned up the mess at the table, then pointed at Nida's phone on top of the counter. "You're talking to someone. hmmn? Danny boy?" He read the name registered on the phone. 

"Ah right! Daniel? Still there?"

Randell just focused on his cleaning when he realized who Nida was casually talking to.

He doesn't feel comfortable with it 

Randell admired and idolized Daniel Olitoquit because of his efforts to unite the different dark races, despite the arrogant and solitary nature of each race.

He admires his ideal of cohabitation and his ways of protecting them from other priests who wish them to be gone.

However, his heart is telling him something else. His admiration is being overlapped with jealousy that is something he doesn't have the right to feel.

"Randell. Randell, Randell!RANZ!" Nida shouted because he was in deep thought.

"Ah! I am sorry, " he blinks his eyes cutely, and that made Nida frown, since she also thinks it's cute.

"Why are you spacing out?" She asked while the phone was still in her ear.

"N-nothing. What were you saying?"

"I am asking if you're fine staying at Daniel's house?"

"Huh? Sir Daniel? Why?"

"I actually don't feel comfortable at your unit. I need to stick with you for a month, so are you okay with that?" Since she didn't feel like making any excuses, she honestly responded.

'She is fine with Daniel's house but not mine?' He said it internally while clenching the broken tea cup.

"I'm fine with it." He bitterly smiled and hid his bleeding hand behind his back. "Go first, I'll finish cleaning her, then I'll help you clean the papers."

"Okay." Nida, without thought, left him alone, looking gloomy while watching his wounds heal on their own.

"Randell, work hard." He told to himself.