Unexpected Encounter

The Armament Research & Repair Division, as it was officially called, was a sprawling complex that seamlessly blended the grandeur of conventional craftsmanship with mysterious technology—many of which Theo had never laid eyes on before in his entire life.

Just as he suspected, the towering central structure was a twelve-story building.

It was made from reinforced stone and dark metal, and it was the main hub of the entire Division while the surrounding buildings were each dedicated to specialized fields of study.

Upon entering the main building, Theo was greeted by an expansive atrium, its high-vaulted ceiling supported by elegant pillars embedded with luminescent veins of Ne'sh-infused crystal. The air thrummed with energy, a constant hum of resonance that signified the presence of countless Arcane Vessels working within.

At the heart of the atrium, an intricate mechanism resembling a massive hourglass suspended midair channeled streams of raw Ne'sh, distributing its potent energy to various sections of the facility.

The interior was divided into multiple levels, each serving a distinct purpose. The lower floors housed the repair workshops—vast halls lined with reinforced workbenches where Arcane Vessels meticulously restored damaged or depleted Armaments. Massive conduits ran along the walls, channeling concentrated Ne'sh from storage cores into the tools used for recharging the weapons. The scent of burning metal and remnant particles of energy lingered in the air, a testament to the constant activity within.

Higher levels were dedicated to research and development, where scholars and engineers—some Arcane Vessels, others ordinary yet brilliant minds—pored over blueprints, runic diagrams, and experimental prototypes.

Glass-paneled observation rooms overlooked testing chambers where newly discovered Armaments were analyzed, their potential applications studied under controlled conditions. The fusion of traditional craftsmanship and advanced engineering was evident in every corner, from the intricately forged weapon frames to the Ne'sh-powered interfaces that allowed researchers to interact with translucent holographic constructs.

A special division on the tenth floor served as the energy refinery, where Arcane Vessels with the rare ability to manipulate raw Ne'sh distilled and purified the energy before transferring it into depleted Armaments. The process was delicate, requiring immense precision, and only the most skilled individuals were entrusted with the task.

"This is where I work." Kaycee whispered, looking fondly into the room from the glassy walls they both stood in front of.

"I see…" Theo had already suspected as much, since everyone in the room wore white and black overalls identical to the one Kaycee had on. Workers in every floor had their specific uniform, and this seemed to be his.

"Got any friends in there?"

"Erm… well, right now? No…" Kaycee answered, smiling awkwardly. "Many of the ones I personally know aren't present. Handling raw Ne'sh and concentrating it like that can be very tasking, you know? Many of them only work three days a week."

"Whoa! Are you serious?" Theo was stunned by this revelation. He already knew the Ak'ashi Guild was different from other Nations, but this was another level of humane. The leeway Arcane Vessels were given was beyond surprising.

"Some work even less. You have to show up at least once a week, though."

"How many days do you work?"

"Four… the maximum allowed." Kaycee shrugged. "What can I say? I love my job."

Theo smiled and nodded. "That's important, I suppose…"

"Come on. Let me show you the other buildings. They're not as interesting as the main one, but they focus more on application research, though each building focuses on an Armament type."

"Armament type?"

"Yeah, there are types. You know? Attack, defense, mobility, storage… that sort of thing."

"Really? I didn't know."

"Oh, wow!" Kaycee expressly displayed his surprise, causing Theo to groan in mild embarrassment. In order not to make things too awkward, he quickly explained the seven types to Theo.

Once he was done, the unease vanished without a trace.

"Phew!"

They proceeded to check out the other facilities, which took another hour. By the time they were done, Theo was enlightened beyond what words could possibly express. He had always viewed Arcane Instruments in a linear manner, but a single trip to these proper facilities caused his understand to deepen.

'Attack-type, defense-type, mobility-type, storage-type, observation-type, healing-type, and miscellaneous-type… each having subsets and areas of specialization that cannot be overlooked.'

Armament Wielders usually specialized in one of these types and could be classified based on the type of Arcane Instruments they wielded. However, the immensely skilled ones among them made sure to focus on more than one type so each weakness could be compensated.

'And teams usually have members who have varying specialties so they can cover for their weaknesses and supplement their strengths.' Learning all of these things was a great help for him, especially since he planned to join the Combat Division of the Ak'ashi Guild and would undoubtedly use an Armament one day.

"In any case, I have to get to work now." Kaycee said, bringing Theo's mind back to reality. "We'll sort out your registration tomorrow, if that's fine by you."

"No problem."

"Great! You still remember everything I taught you, right? You also know the way back and when to tell the S'ub to stop, right?" He handed him half an Arca, reminding him of every single thing he told him on their way to the Division. Theo hadn't forgotten anything, but he didn't have the heart to stop Kayce's passionate speech.

"Thanks… I've got it!"

"Alright! See you later, Theo… a-ah… remember to wave down two ti—"

"I got it!"

"O-okay!" Kaycee smiled, a bead of sweat falling down his face as he rushed back into the building.

Theo watched him go, shaking his head a little as he chuckled under his breath. He was about to call down an incoming S'ub, but he chose not to at the last minute, pocketing the Arca as he dipped both hands into his pockets.

'Why don't I take a walk instead?' He said to himself.

During the trip, Theo was observing the path that their ride took and he had everything memorized. He was beyond confident that he wouldn't get lost.

'I'll return the Arca to Kaycee tomorrow…'

**********

The afternoon atmosphere was cool and serene, a peaceful vibe that resonated with Theo as he made gentle strides on the sidewalk. He occasionally glanced to the roadside, hearing the hums of engines as the S'ubs and occasional R'acs moved past him.

Not a single carriage was in sight, but that was unsurprising.

He kept walking for over an hour, and he found himself near a residential district. The farmers market was not too far off, and while Theo thought about giving it a look, he feared the temptation to spend his half-piece would come, so he chose to walk away.

Not even taking ten steps after having this thought, he noticed someone emerging from one of the nearby residential buildings in front of him.

'T-that is—!' His eyes widened as he took a quick look at the girl's fair skin, her long white hair, and a modest colorful gown that fluttered with the wind. There were a few differences from what was etched in his memories, but a small glance at her partly-visible face displayed a resemblance that was too compelling to resist.

'Fae?!'

Before he realized it, his legs moved beyond human limits and he dashed towards the girl; nearly turning into the wind with how swiftly he raced. Within a few seconds, right as the girl was about to hail a S'ub, he appeared right in front of her and made a big smile.

"Hello—!"

"Arghh!" Frightened, the girl jerked away, tripping the moment she took a few steps back.

Theo was also stunned by what he saw that he didn't react to her falling until it was too late. And so, right in front of his eyes, she fell on her buttocks, causing her colorful gown to be stained by the dirt on the sidewalk.

His face instantly paled.

Instantly, his mind went into overdrive as he stared at the girl's dress and thought of the half-piece Arca he had in his pockets. There was no way such an expensive-looking gown would be worth so little.

'What should I do?' He wondered. 'She's not Fae!'

The girl had white hair, just like Fae, and they also shared facial features—though this one was clearly younger. She even had crimson eyes, and her complexion matched the Fae that he knew, but who was she?

'Could she be—?'

"Hey, jerk!" The girl yelled at Theo, her face flushed with embarrassment while her gaze burning with resentment. "Won't you help me get up?"

"A-ah… sorry."

The voice was completely different from Fae's, as this girl had a much thinner and louder pitch compared to what he remembered. He reached out for her hand, and she gave it to him, allowing him to raise her from the ground effortlessly.

"Thank you…" She sighed in relief, dusting her colorful attire while paying him no mind.

"I… I'm sorry about your dress." Theo mumbled, bringing out his half-piece as a sign of sincerity.

"What are you doing?" She glared at his Arca.

"I-I know it's not much, but… it's all I have." Theo lowered his head in shame. "I can get you more later, so just—"

"You think I'm going to collect your money over an accident? Did I seem that way to you?"

"Well…"

One glance at this person told him she was a typical rich girl. She seemed to take offense with that, as a scowl was evident on her face while addressing him. However, that only cemented the image in his mind even further.

"It's fine." She sighed. "I don't need your money. Just be careful next time, and whenever you see a lady fall… don't hesitate to help her get up."

"Okay…" He mumbled, relieved by how forgiving she was.

Still, he didn't feel right about it.

'How can I shamelessly walk away like this after ruining her dress and not helping her up until she asked? I even judged her wrongly before getting to know her.'

That was wrong!

"I still want to pay you back… at least to make it up to you."

"With that?" The girl glanced at the half-piece still on his hand, and from the look on her face she was clearly unimpressed.

"N-no, not that." He quickly shoved it into his pocket. "Once I pass the Evaluation Exams, I'll start earning my own money and I'll definitely pay you back in full for your kindness."

The moment he said this, her eyes lit up in surprise.

"You're also taking the Evaluation Exams? Have you registered yet?"

"Not yet. I plan on doing so tomorrow."

"I see…" She placed a finger on her chin as she entered into deep thought, allowing Theo a better look at her clear and pretty face. If Fae was a mature rose, she would be a cute lily, both having equal but distinct facets of beauty.

"Is there something on my face? You keep looking at it." The girl said, raising her eyes to stare at him.

"N-no!" Flustered by her words, Theo searched his mind for any kind of justification he could use to help him in this situation and prevent him from seeming like a creep. Unable to think of any, he decided to go with the truth.

"You look like someone I know… Fae." He thought for a second, quickly deciding to add context to his words. "She's a member of—"

"—The Zenith."

The girl's eyes widened a little as she took a step forward, grabbing Theo by the hand while staring straight at his flushed face.

"How do you know my sister?"