The Sewer

Kaito arrived at the café the next morning, nerves buzzing beneath his skin. The soft clatter of dishes and the bitter-sweet aroma of roasted coffee beans grounded him in the familiar, but nothing about what lay ahead is.

He spotted Chloe in the same booth from the day before, casually scrolling through her tablet, a half-drunk latte beside her. But it was the figure seated beside her that made him stop to do a double-take.

A maid?

Her outfit was crisp and spotless, the dark fabric of her uniform immaculately pressed, a white apron folded with geometric precision. She sat unnaturally still, hands folded in her lap, back straight like a rod had been fixed to her spine. Her face was porcelain-pale, perfectly symmetrical, without a single blemish. There was something eerie about how flawless she looked—like a mannequin that had decided to breathe.

Chloe waved. "Good morning, Kaito. Punctual as always." She gestured toward the girl beside her with a flourish. "Allow me to introduce Epsilon. She's a combat automaton from the Association. Consider her your temporary backup."

Kaito blinked, eyes darting between the two of them. "A… combat what?"

Epsilon turned her head with uncanny precision, like a camera adjusting to focus. "Greetings, Kaito Tanaka," she said. Her voice was soft and melodic, with a synthesized undercurrent. Not entirely robotic, but not quite human either. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am designated Epsilon—support unit for reconnaissance, suppression, and auxiliary strategy."

Kaito stared for a moment too long. His mouth opened, then closed. Then opened again.

"Uh, hi," Kaito managed, feeling an awkward flush rise to his cheeks. A robot maid? Seriously? Is this another one of those magic things, or has technology just gotten that insane? I mean, I guess after talking swords and wizard orders, a super-advanced AI maid isn't the weirdest thing.

There was a short, awkward pause. Epsilon tilted her head slightly, like a curious bird mimicking human behavior. Her eyes, a little too glassy, blinked once.

"Wait, did you say… combat automaton?" he finally asked, trying to play it cool and failing spectacularly. "Like—fully armed? With… weapons?"

"I am equipped with fourteen integrated weapon systems," she replied evenly, "and a full suite of anti-occult protocols."

"Right...," Kaito muttered under his breath, trying to convince himself he hadn't just walked into a sci-fi fever dream.

Chloe sipped her coffee, clearly amused. "Don't worry, she's quite friendly. Just don't try to touch her inappropriately without permission—she's calibrated to respond to sudden proximity breaches with lethal force. Safety feature, you understand."

Kaito gave her a look. "That's... reassuring."

He took a hesitant seat across from them. Epsilon continued to sit motionless, eyes tracking him with mild curiosity, as though cataloging every twitch of muscle, every breath.

Kaito cleared his throat. "So… she's coming with me?"

"Temporarily," Chloe said with a shrug. "Our intel picked up on some odd movements near the sewer systems under London. My best guess is that certain members of the Circle have been slipping in and out down there. It's the perfect place—out of sight, expansive, easy to get lost in."

Kaito frowned. "The sewers?"

Chloe smiled thinly. "Magic doesn't care for aesthetics. If I were running a covert magical cabal, I'd use the sewers too. Wards are easier to hide underground. And it's not like people are lining up to poke around in centuries-old tunnels."

Kaito leaned back, exhaling. "I guess that makes sense."

"Indeed," Epsilon added. "Urban subterranean structures offer significant tactical advantages for insurgent groups—both mundane and arcane. Thermal signatures suggest recent passage by non-registered entities."

Kaito stood, adjusting his coat. "Thanks for the info. I'll check it out."

Chloe eyes lingered on him for a moment, thoughtful. "I hope you kept your end of the bargain... and that you don't get yourself killed."

He paused at that, one brow raised. "What was that?"

"Nothing," she replied with a pleasant smile. "Do be careful down there."

Kaito said with a dry smile, then turned to leave with Epsilon following.

As the door swung shut behind him, Chloe leaned back in her seat, her expression unreadable. She stirred her coffee absently.

______________________________________________________

Kaito, with Epsilon following a respectful pace behind, found a manhole cover near the Thames that matched the general area Chloe had indicated. It was surprisingly heavy, but Epsilon, with an unnerving absence of strain, easily pried it open.

He dropped onto the slick, uneven concrete floor of the sewer, the heavy, earthy scent of stagnant water and something vaguely metallic immediately assailing his nose. It was exactly as he'd imagined – damp, dark, and utterly, unequivocally smelly. But Kaito pushed past the discomfort. He had a mission. Epsilon, meanwhile, was unaffected, her eyes emitting a steady, focused flashlight beam that cut through the dim, oppressive darkness, illuminating the brick archways and flowing channels ahead.

As they delved deeper into the labyrinthine tunnels, Kaito couldn't help but notice the strange absence of any sewer workers or the usual city sounds from above. The silence, save for the distant rush of water, was unsettling.

"So, Epsilon," Kaito tried, breaking the oppressive silence of the sewer. He felt a weird obligation to make conversation. "Do you, uh, always come with a built-in flashlight? That's pretty convenient."

"My optical sensors are equipped with multi-spectrum illumination capabilities for low-light environments, Kaito Tanaka," Epsilon replied, her voice unwavering, a perfectly measured cadence. "It is a standard feature for optimal operational efficiency."

"Right, efficiency," Kaito chuckled awkwardly. She really doesn't waste words, does she? "So, you're... a combat automaton? Are you some kind of magical construct? Like, what exactly are you made of?"

"My core components consist of advanced alloys and synthetic musculature, integrated with a highly complex artificial intelligence," Epsilon explained, without missing a beat or varying her pace. "My operational parameters are influenced by principles of both advanced robotics and applied thaumaturgy, allowing for enhanced durability and specific functional capabilities."

Kaito blinked. Thaumaturgy? Okay, so it's both. Magic and super-science. "Huh. Fascinating," he mumbled, mostly to himself. "Do you, have any hobbies?"

"My primary function is mission parameters," Epsilon stated, her head tilting slightly, as if processing the unusual query. "However, during periods of low operational demand, I engage in self-optimization protocols and data analysis. Some might categorize this as a form of continuous learning, which could be considered an activity akin to a 'hobby' for organic beings."

"Fair enough," he said, fighting a smile, deciding to conserve his own conversational output for a bit.

They spent what felt like an hour wandering through the labyrinthine corridors, a branching network of damp brick and flowing sewage.

Then, the silver cross Elara had given him began to vibrate faintly against his chest. It emitted a subtle, almost imperceptible warmth, and seemed to subtly pull him in a specific direction

Kaito hurried his footsteps, but remained on alert, in case of ambush. As the reaction of the cross grew more powerful, he noticed strange signs. The water around the area became much clearer, almost crystal clear, and the foul odor of the sewer seemed non-existent. The cross pointed directly at a solid wall. A dead end?

Kaito placed his hand on the wall, searching for any hidden entrance, but found nothing.

"Analysis complete," Epsilon's voice chimed. Before he could react, she calmly placed her hand directly onto the seemingly solid wall, and then her entire arm began to pass through the bricks as if they were made of mist.

Kaito stared, dumbfounded. Without thinking, he instinctively pulled out Durandal, the divine blade humming in his hand. He stepped forward, his heart pounding with a mix of awe and trepidation, and followed Epsilon into the wall, the solid stone giving way as he passed through into whatever lay beyond.