When Yelena returned to their second makeshift camp, Aesop's home and everyone was waiting for her.
"Big Sis! You're back," Zane greeted her while having Aesop in one of his arms. "This little brat is alright if you want to know. A brat like you shouldn't be there in the first place."
Aesop struggled to break free from Zane's hold, he could only glare at the man, "Who are you calling a brat?! I am not that young!"
Everyone burst into laughter.
Yelena was content to just show a gentle smile at all of this.
From time to time, someone reached out and rubbed Aesop's head. Aesop resisted at first, but after realizing that his arms were locked by Zane he just let them be.
Aesop's mother, Mia, who was holding a sleeping Elan, sat on the bed and smiled at how her son was fighting with the members of the Yetis.
Although she looked tired, she was glad that her child was finally smiling like how he would always like how used to.
"Big Sis." Zane, putting Aesop down, pushed the boy towards her, "This kid has something to tell you."
After being saved by Lin Ye, the amount of Originium crystals in her body was greatly reduced, almost to none. The coldness that she was so used to was now gone but she still was able to use her Arts. However, there was something different about it. She needed to check that later. For now, her focus was now on the boy who was in front of her.
"What do you want to say?" Yelena asked, "I am all ears."
Being stared at by her, Aesop was a bit nervous however he needed to tell her this. He needed to calm down.
Brother Ye told me if I want to calm down just breathe in and out.
So he did that.
When he felt he was comfortable enough he stood a bit taller and stared at her seriously.
Aesop took a deep breath, then he said, "Please let me join you!"
"Oh?" Yelena was a little surprised by this, "Join us?"
"Yes. Or in a way, please let me repay you for what you have done for me," Aesop said, "You saved my mother and my sister. So please let me repay you!"
Yelena looked up at Zane, who was standing behind Aesop. He had a smile on his face. She asked him, "Was this your doing?"
"That was mean Big Sis. Of course not." Zane raised his hands innocently. "I didn't tell him anything. He came to me on his own initiative. I didn't promise him anything, so I told him to just ask you instead."
Yelena turned and glanced at Aesop's mother, Mia to get her reaction to what Aesop just told her. From her look alone, she seemed conflicted but not that surprised.
Finally, she turned her eyes back to Aesop. Looking at Aesop's expectant eyes, she asked, "We are an infected organisation. Aren't you afraid?"
Aesop shook his head.
"Did you think this long enough? This decision cannot be made rash." Yelena patted Aesop on the shoulder and then said softly, "You still have a mother, and a sister to take care of. They relied on you to be there for them."
She let go of her shoulder and found that no frost was in sight on his body.
"And you're not an Infected, you deserve a better future, so don't join us."
With that, Yelena did not give Aesop a chance to say as she turned around and left the room.
Aesop obviously didn't expect her to refuse him. He stood there blankly. He didn't know what to do.
As for Zane, something was bugging him about how his sister was acting. After giving a reassuring pat on the shoulder he hurriedly chased after her.
When he was now outside of the house, he found Yelena staring at the moon in the sky.
"Big Sis?" Zane walked to her side and he asked cautiously, "You seem a little unhappy."
"No." After saying that she was silent not explaining anything to him.
She did not want to talk about… him.
So she changed the subject, "The thing I ask you to prepare, are you done?"
Although he knew that she was changing the subject, since she was unwilling to tell him, it must be something personal so Zane just followed the flow.
"With CopperHammer being dead and the remnant of his group leaving the town, this place is completely in our hands."
Zane's words were filled with excitement that could not be concealed. After all, after wandering around for so long, he finally found a suitable foothold.
"That's good." Yelena nodded and said, "For our next work, just follow the regulations given by Dad. There are a lot of Infected here, be sure to pull them to our side. Let the, know we are on their side."
"Understood," Zane said with a smile. However, a smirk slowly made his way onto his face. "So Big Sis."
"So, are you going to show us our new eldest brother-in-law or not?"
Yelena's head quickly turned to glare at him. The temperature around Zane immediately dropped and he might have crossed a line that he shouldn't.
So he quickly shut his mouth.
"Don't make such a meaningless joke." Yelena said calmly, "And don't go spreading rumours about this."
"Do you understand?"
"Yes ma'am!" Zane slammed his hand onto his forehead to salute her, "Loud and clear!"
"Good." She nodded and the temperature around them turned back to normal. Zane sighed in relief but this confirmed something for him.
That man on the roof meant something to her Big Sis and he must be the one that saved her.
If given the chance, he really wanted to meet the person that made his sister act this way.
"Speaking of business," Yelena continued on with their conversation, "Did you hear anything from Faust?"
"Faust?" He shook his head, "Not at the moment."
"Then find a way to get in touch with him," Yelena said, ordered, "If that doesn't work, I'll go to Tallulah to find him if I have to."
"Uh, then I'll ask Dad for help," Zane is a little puzzled, "But Big Sis, what do you have to do with him at this time?"
"Because he is the only one who came back alive from Kjerag," Yelena's voice was a lot colder, "I have to know what happened there."
{Rhodes Island's Psychologist}
Back at Rhodes Island, in the HR Department, Orchid was enjoying her free time by reading a fashion magazine and letting time pass her by.
It was great but…
"Ah, it's finally time to get off work," Orchid, glazing at her watch, placed the magazine on the table and stretched out, "Although I enjoyed my free time, I do miss my work."
Just as her voice fell, the door of the department was pushed open, and a person walked in nervously.
And not a better time to get to work, I see.
Pramanix closed the door behind her and faced Orchid.
"Miss Orchid, " The saintess started, "Please help me go through the procedures for leaving the island."
"Leaving procedures?" Orchid looked at Pramanix in surprise, "Are you going to leave the island? Now?"
"Yes." She nodded albeit sad, "I want to go back to Kjerag, and Ensia, Cliffheart, will follow me."
Although she didn't know what happened, Orchid realized that this must be something very important. Within that, she put away her laziness and nodded to her.
"Okay, I'll help you now. The procedures for leaving the island are actually very simple. Just take a form to register."
She got up and went through her file drawer to find the form. As she was searching, she was still a little puzzled. She rarely saw Pramix acting this trouble.
As the Saintess of Kjerag, although Pramanix has a more lively personality now, she was generally very dignified, and she has never been as nervous as she was today.
The Feline's tail was swaying, like an anxious cat.
What could make the Saintess of Kjerag so anxious? To make her rush back to her hometown.
As questions filled her mind and no answer came, knocking that came from the door snapped her out of it. What followed was a woman's voice
"Hello, is this the HR department in Rhode Island? I'm here to apply."
Applying for a job? At this time?
Orchid, busy trying to find the form for Pramanix, did not bother to look at who it was. She just asked casually, "What kind of job are you applying for-?"
The sound of a heavy object falling on the ground echoed throughout the office.
Orchid raised her head suspiciously and saw Pramanix's tail had already landed on the ground, motionless. And just like her tail, Pramix was dumbfounded as she looked at the two people standing at the entrance of the personnel department.
One of them, a woman with a rare heterochromatic pupil, laughed.
"Oh Enya," The woman showed a small smile, "Long time no see."
{Rhodes Island's Psychologist}
Draft: Jaq
Proofread: Jaq
Edit: Jaq