"And done," sighed the brown haired girl as she leaned back on her chair. She stretched her arms as she arced her back, her stiff muscles eliciting an audible crack. A smile decorated her lips as she gazed upon the product of her hard work these past three weeks. The manuscript she had for her book was finally finished and was ready for editing. Problem was that she knew she wouldn't be able to edit it properly since she was the one who wrote it.
A second opinion would be the wisest thing to acquire at that moment. It was once stated in one of her instructional books that many authors found it hard to correct their own work because of their mindset that their work was already perfect and that they would be blind of their own errors. As ridiculous as it sounded, Blanc felt it would be better to be safe than sorry. Having a second pair of eyes would be nice, sharp ones would be preferable to catch on the tiniest mistakes.
She still had no clue on who to call out for help but she knew she needed someone who was an expert when it came to books. All of a sudden, the image of her counterpart popped into her mind. She entertained the idea for a moment before coming to a horrible realization: her other self was a god awful writer and critic.
"Ugh… Maybe I'll think about this tomorrow…" the Goddess let out a grumble as she turned her eyes to the wall clock near her. It was half past eight it was time to go home and eat dinner, she would have to deal with this in the next day and maybe finding someone who'll be able to help her.
Standing up from her chair, the CPU cleaned up all of her work materials and stored them within a cardboard box filled with pens, inks, and paper. She noted how she would also need to get an encoder to transfer her work within a text document. She wondered how much workload would come crashing down on her once her vacation was over.
Placing the final book she borrowed back into its shelf, she placed her hands on her hips as she surveyed her little work area, "Good. Maybe closing off the entire building for the month wasn't such a bad idea."
Her gaze lingered on the cardboard box under the table for a few moments before snapping herself back into reality. With a satisfied look, she exited the area thinking that no one would bother reading her manuscript while she was gone. That's how another night ended within the library of Lowee.
...
….
…
The sound of paper being flipped echoed between the bookshelves. A young woman set the book she held on the table and rolled up her sleeves. Her eyes narrowed, she placed all of her concentration on her enchantment and began to the spell. Well that was at least before she heard the library door being kicked opened followed by the sounds of a muffled voice and struggling. With a heavy sigh, Mages had no choice but to investigate what was causing all the commotion. It shouldn't be too hard for her to guess.
She peeked from behind a shelf and found Blanc dragging behind her a young woman dressed in a black business type suit and skirt with black leggings. This girl had pale silver hair which shined in the morning light that came from the windows while her light green eyes twinkled with tears behind her glasses. Her groans floated up the library's ceiling.
"Please let go of me…. There's no need to drag me by my clothes, I'll come quietly if that's what you want!" cried the glasses girl as she squirmed and wriggled while she was being pulled.
Blanc merely responded in her usual quiet voice, "Not a chance. Chasing you from building to building was hard enough, but seriously, when did you learn parkour?"
"I don't know! Besides, I did nothing wrong! I'm a good girl now so please let me go! I still have an appointment sometime in the afternoon and my power point presentation isn't complete yet," complained the girl in black as she flailed her arms.
It was truly a pathetic scene. Mages released another heavy sigh as she walked out into the open, crossing her arms as she spoke, "Goddess, what's the meaning of this? Isn't she…"
"This is Rei," muttered Lowee's CPU, turning her head towards the blue haired girl, "she'll be editing my works from now on."
The glasses girl tensed and felt a shiver run down her spine at the absolute words, "I-I-I'm go-going to what?"
"Is it really okay for you to decide things on your own? Granted that you're a Goddess but still…" the witch gave the silver haired girl a glance, staring into those tear filled eyes similar to a poor puppy's. Tilting her head, she turned around to walk back from where she came from, "Just make sure you don't make a mess."
"WHAT?!" screamed Rei in disbelief, "Y-You can't just leave me here!"
"Roger that," replied Blanc as she resumed dragging the girl in black back into her area.
"W-Wait! Don't I get a say in this?! Somebody help me!" cried the glasses girl as she disappeared behind a bookshelf. Her voice became fainter and fainter until it could no longer be heard. Crossing her arms, Mages tilted her head at the bizarre sight.
"Poor girl. I wonder what kind of hell she'll experience if she read that," said the witch to no one in particular, "Strange… This couldn't be a coincidence, could it?"
Rei was in a pickle, she had no idea how she got involved in it. All she remembered was that she was working as usual in her office, taking care of some papers while talking to Anonydeath over the phone. She was about to make herself some coffee when her door was kicked down all of a sudden and Lowee's CPU stomped her way to her. She was too confused to register what her visitor was saying that she really didn't understand anything that was said. The next thing she knew was that she was being dragged by the back of her clothes right out of her own office.
"So shouldn't this be considered as kidnapping?" said Rei with a nervous laugh.
"No. Besides, you have nothing better to do anyway. You can make use of your time by being a good girl and working," replied Blanc as she concentrated on a book as she sat beside her 'helper'.
The glasses girl scratched her cheek, choosing her words carefully as she spoke, "D-D-Don't I get a s-say in this? I didn't sign up for this after all."
"If you do the work fast and easy then you'll finish faster," muttered Lowee's CPU as she turned a page of her novel, "You can start now by the way."
"Uuu~…." Rei uttered a defeated sigh as she rearranged the manuscript which was laid out before her. She then grabbed a pen from her pocket and straightened her glasses, "Umm, this is the original manuscript or is it just a copy? It wouldn't be wise for me to scribble all over it with my corrections, don't you think?"
"As if I'd let the master copy get scribbled at. I have the original copy there," answered Blanc as she looked up from her book and pointed at the top most shelf, "This way no one could get it…"
The girl in black looked up and back at the Goddess before repeating the action. Adopting a thoughtful expression, she then asked, "Then… How will you reach it?"
"Good question," said Lowee's CPU while Rei hit her head on the table.
Lifting her head up with a strained smile, the glasses girl then replied, "H-H-How carefree of you…"
"Not that it matters. I'll figure something out later," assured Blanc as she resumed her reading.
And so began the battle. Rei didn't really understand why she was chosen to be this girl's new toy but all she knew was that she had to do what she did best, doing what others told her. Not that she was still the same girl that didn't have any self confidence in the past, but she knew of the wrongdoings she had done to this Goddess' nation. Ever since she had reformed and begun her life anew after being forgiven by the CPUs, she never had the chance to repay them for their kindness towards her despite all she had done.
Maybe this was her chance. It then came to her that she was better off beginning her work than pondering her current predicament. She first skimmed through the material handed to her and read it as it is. Following that she took note of all the general mistakes and glaring flaws, writing them on a piece of paper. It would've been much easier for her to correct these mistakes if she had a computer or something, she would have to ask Blanc later for one instead of manually doing this.
Her pen moved while her eyes nitpicked every errors she found. This was no different from office work; it was just like authorizing paperwork for Anonydeath's little projects. It could be annoying and troublesome at times however Rei sometimes found work to be quiet fun.
"You're making a weird face," commented Blanc's voice, causing the glasses girl to sit up in attention. Looking beside her, she found the Goddess giving her a disappointed look, "Wipe your mouth and get rid of the sparkling special effects around you face. There's a line one shouldn't cross when loving work, you know?"
"Sorry, sorry, it's just that it kind of helps me keep my mind off things," Rei nervously laughed only to meet an awkward silence.
She was about to slump back into work when Lowee's CPU gave an unexpected reply, "I guess we have a few things in common."
"Out of curiosity though, if I may ask, I was wondering what books did to get your attention," asked the glasses girl as she resumed her task.
"Same reason as to why you like work: to keep my mind off things," answered the Goddess.
"Then that makes you an easily motivated person…" the girl in black then mumbled to herself, "Unlike me…"
These words however did not escape Blanc's ears, therefore causing her to grab her new 'helper's attention with a cough, "You're the same as always. You lack self-esteem and confidence. You're more content in wallowing yourself in self-pity and depreciation than shutting every person around you with a firm voice and strong resolve. I'm quite surprised that you even have the strength to go out and work on your own."
Rei felt the weight of these sharp words drag her down. The way they pierced her felt all too real. It made breathing hard for her as she comically lifted her head with tears gathering in her eyes, "Please be gentler… I could only handle so much criticism…"
"However," continued Blanc, "To fall and rise once again, it only shows that Tari's once great leader hasn't lost her touch. It'll take time, but you've seen this world change over the decades, correct? In our cursed immortality as CPUs, we watched this world grow and help it prosper. You should know by now that someday, you'll change too. For better or force worse is up to you, but you should know the path you're walking on by now. You're supposed to be an adult, right?"
"I think so," said Rei as her hand engaged autopilot to converse with the girl beside her, "Back then, during those times when I acted rashly, I have to admit that was pretty stupid of me."
"No kidding," added Lowee's CPU with a snort.
The glasses girl giggled and continued, "Well you can say that. I was feeling bitter and only felt content with feeding my hate even when I couldn't express it freely. Now that I think of it, my reasons for taking you CPUs down was pretty childish and unreasonable. I should've never gotten you all involved. I've made a lot of mistakes, wrongdoings and errors. Especially to you, Lady Blanc. It… Must've been hard."
"You have no idea," hissed the brown haired girl, making the girl in black tense once more.
Rei sighed and forced out a smile, "Well, I'm sorry for that. I regret it and… I still don't think what I'm doing now will be enough to earn my forgiveness. But… at least, I do hope that… maybe one day…"
"Chapters."
"Yes?"
Blanc paused and closed her book. She placed it on her lap while inhaling a deep breath of air. Her dull blue eyes met with Rei's surprised green once as she said, "Gathering what I've learned these past few weeks is that life is made up of dozens of chapters. The average NPC having up to sixty chapters before their story ends and is immortalized in the memories of their loved ones. To CPUs and … former CPUs, it doesn't work that way. Comparing life to a book, it would mean that as Goddesses and individuals that have large parts in the history of Gamindustri would have more than sixty chapters. Heroes and heroines alike are bound to have a hundred at least before they pass on."
Releasing a great sigh, she then continued with, "Unlike them, we're immortal unless we are eliminated or deleted, therefore our chapters will simply pile up, creating a grand or maybe tragic tale that thousands will soon be knowing in the future. I'm telling you that those dark days, suffering filled tragic angsty background story you have is just an ugly chapter in your long life, Rei Ryghts. Falling to evil and finding your way back on the right track, now isn't that a noteworthy feat? Well I'm certain that it's something to be proud off and worth boasting. Besides, it's through that feat that you've gathered some good companions."
"I see… When one chapter ends another will start anew," said the glasses girl as she adopted a thoughtful expression.
"Correct," confirmed the Goddess with a smirk, "And also, you can stop worrying about us not forgiving you because we already did."
"Huh?" Rei raised her eyebrows as she tilted her head in confusion, "Then… that would mean…"
"You have Neptune to thank for that even when Noire and I were against it. Vert seemed neutral in the whole thing while Plutia agreed with that purple idiot. We couldn't do anything in the end since the two Histoires passed the decision and allowed us to be friendlier to you," explained Blanc.
"Wait! You were holding me on trial without me being there!" gasped Rei in disbelief.
"Yes. We were trying to decide if we would execute you by tossing you into a Dogoo den or feeding you to a Guard Dragon. Did you really expect us to forget what you did to our nations that easily?" Lowee's CPU gave her assistant a weird look while said girl was shaking in her seat utterly shocked.
"I didn't even know…" muttered the glasses girl as she stared on the table.
"Oh please. At least being fed to a Guard Dragon is way better than being Plutia's 'Super-Happy-Fun-Time-Doll' which the Goddess in question suggested herself in an even disturbing fashion than normal," the Goddess casually said this without even batting an eye while the former CPU beside her felt a shiver run down her spine.
"S-S-Super Ha-Happy Fun Time?" parroted Rei with a high pitched squeak.
"But enough of that," Blanc closed her eyes as if to rest them before reaching within her skirt pocket and taking out some breath mints. She popped a couple of tablets into her mouth as she continued speaking, "Question is… are you having fun with the kind of life you have now?"
Light shined on Rei's glasses, obscuring her eyes from the other girl's view. Her face didn't show any expression other than one being deep in thought; Blanc couldn't really tell what she was thinking. It was only when her lips turned into a smile as she faced the Goddess did she reply, "I'm content. I wouldn't be able to ask for more. Being the leader of an evil organization is an occupation, right? What drove me to be that person in the past is long gone… I just hope it stays that way…"
"It will. You don't have to worry," muttered Lowee's CPU, resuming her reading of the book she had earlier. She then paused for a moment as if she remembered something before turning to her 'helper', "One more thing, you're hereby banned from stepping within Lowee for the following twenty days once you finish your work…"
Of course, the glasses girl was taken aback by this and asked, "W-what? But wh-why?"
"I hate long winded speeches," replied Blanc as she rubbed her throat, "I think I made myself look like a sappy idiot back there…"
"H-How is that my fault?!" protested Rei in a stuttering voice.
"Get back to work," retorted the Goddess, turning a page of her book, "It'll be awhile before you finish manually, correct? Don't worry, I'll get you a computer to speed up the process… Until then however…. Please take your time…"
She was surprised though when she heard a stifled laugh, causing her to turn her head to her 'helper'. She found the girl in black trying hard not to burst out laughing while looking at her. Of course Blanc was anything but happy whenever she's being laughed at. Her anger abated though when the glasses girl gave her a pat on the head and returned to work.
"I'll try my best. So you better do you too."
Two days have passed ever since Rei first stopped by the library. On those days she would come by in the afternoon once she properly dismissed herself from her office work. It was a good thing she was patient person otherwise she would have long since abandoned Blanc's demands. To compensate for the trouble the Goddess had given her, she was provided with a computer she would be able to work on along with some credits for her to spend on whatever she wanted.
Today all was normal and the only sounds that would be heard in the library were the tapping of her keyboard and tiny explosions from the east wing. Blanc would be seated on a comfortable cushion under the nearby window while Rei typed away in her desk. She was half-way through with her work, if she quickened her pace now she would be able to finish in the entire book in three days.
Rei uttered a brief sigh as she took a short break, "With this I'm almost finished. Sitting all day sure is tiring…"
"I must be an expert then if I don't get tired," said Blanc from her corner.
"If I may… uh… ask, Lady Blanc, what of your Goddess duties? Is… it okay for you to be away from work for this long?" asked the glasses girl.
"I'm on vacation. I've already worked enough to last me two months so don't mind me and get back to whatever you're doing," replied the Goddess without looking up from her book.
"W-W-Well! It's j-just that you're a-acting quite similar to Planeptune's CPU when you're not working," elaborated Rei as she awkwardly scratched her cheek.
THUD
It didn't take long for the girl in black to jump in her seat and accidentally mash her fingers into her keyboard, reducing her work into a jumbled mess of letters. However that was not the main focus here for the reason in which Rei was forced to squeak like a squirrel was caused by the loud fall of Blanc's book. Turning her head to the girl in question, the former CPU gazed nervously at the shocked face of Lowee's Goddess.
"I-Is s-s-something wrong. L-Lady Blanc?" she questioned in a quivering voice that was caught between anxiety and fear.
Blanc's face was white as sheet while her mouth hung open in a comical manner, "Oh my Goddess…."
"H-Huh?" squeaked Rei as she trembled, silently wondering what she had done now.
"I'm like those idiots? I'm like…. What the hell? Please tell me you're joking," muttered the Goddess as she stared into space, "Do I really look like that unproductive?"
"Why yes, but the only thing that differentiates you from Plutia is that you comb your hair," replied Vert as she sat on the glasses girl's desk.
The former CPU fell from her chair with a loud crash yet recovered quickly, only to point at Leanbox's Goddess and exclaim, "W-Where did you come from?! H-How did you pop o-out of nowhere?! How's that p-possible?!"
"Oh my… I think it's best not to question why I am capable of appearing out of nowhere," answered the blonde girl with a teasing wink.
"Wh-Why are you w-winking at an empty space?! There's no one there!" asked Rei, still not getting over the fact that Vert was beside her all that time without her knowledge.
…. Moving on….
"I'm going out," announced Blanc with the same uneasy expression on her visage as she set aside her book. She walked past Rei and Vert whom were following her with their eyes as she left. Where she was going was still a mystery even to them. All they heard was the slamming of the entrance doors before the only sounds that were left were the explosions on the other side of the building.
Regarding Blanc on the other hand, she had already walked a reasonable distance from the library and was now navigating her way through the streets of Lowee. Rei's words echoed within her still shocked mind, repeating itself over and over again until it was imprinted in her brain. There was no way it could be true, right? Did she really act similar to Plutia when she wasn't working? Somehow that pierced her pride deeper than it should. She had to do something about this.
"But what can I do?" she asked herself with a sigh.
As if reading her mind, a voice replied to her from her right, "And you treat that as a bad thing when it isn't…"
The Goddess came to a halt and turned her head to the right. She immediately spotted the shining pink armored robot suit wearing an apron, headband and a long black skirt. Turning her head back in front of her, the CPU then said, "I didn't see anything…"
"WAIT HOLD ON, YOU CAN'T JUST IGNORE ME!"
The girl ignored the mecha suited individual and continued walking, only to be pulled back by a large hand grasping on her shoulder. On instinct, Blanc stomped on the ground as she grabbed the hand on her shoulder. Using her divine strength, she easily performed a magnificent throw on the person whom grabbed her. There was the sound of metal collapsing on the ground followed by a squealing voice of a feminine male.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait! Let's not be hasty here or else you'll break my face!" warned Anonydeath as he cowered on the ground, trembling under the girl's red eyed glare.
"I don't have time dealing with annoyances…. You better entertain me…" growled the CPU as she stomped towards the 'pure maiden'. Grabbing the former Seven Sage by the shoulders and effortlessly lifting him up, she then asked, "What do you want?"
Raising a trembling finger, Anonydeath pointed towards a café just behind him, "Tea, my dear? You look pretty stressed out, hm?"
"For someone's who's at death's door, you can sure talk smoothly," commented Blanc as she noticed the 'pure maiden's' get up, "Disgusting. If this shop of yours makes me sick then I'm closing it down."
"Of course not," denied the former Seven Sage, leading Lowee's CPU into the shop, "Why don't you sit down, grab a cup of coffee and chase away your woes."
A bell ran within the shop as Blanc entered it. Looking around, everything appeared to be normal. It had an oriental air about it, matching the overall theme of Lowee's regal architecture. The walls were all white with a few embroidered art work hung up to add to the scenery. Bamboo shoots placed within cube vases at either side of the entrance added more into the overall atmosphere. The chairs were simplistic in design, the same went for the booths near the walls. The air had the distinct scent of tea and coffee in it.
It was pretty much a generic café with nothing outstanding to see, however the CPU felt right at home despite all that. It was quiet and there were only a couple of customers idling inside. She felt a nudge behind her which made her move forward. Anonydeath immediately entered the shop right after her.
"Not bad, right?" he asked with an air of pride.
"If this was an oriental styled café, then why are you wearing a maid uniform?" questioned the CPU right back at him.
The former Seven Sage seemed surprised by this and fidgeted awkwardly, "Well… Would you prefer it for me to wear a kimono or something? Oh dear, I never knew you were that kind of per—"
"Oh sorry, but did I just hear you say 'please-punch-me-in-the-face-with-a-burning-chair' because I'd be more than happy to comply," cut off Blanc as an ominous aura enveloped her. Her killing intent seeping through her skin, it didn't take long for the pink mechanized suited man to back track in his words.
"Ahem, as I was saying, your table will be right here, ma'am," he hastily said while leading the Goddess to her table. He then moved about with grace and precision despite the heavy looking armor enveloping his body, handing the brown haired girl the menu before standing at attention on her side, "What would you like to have in this lovely day, ma'am?"
Blanc stared at the former Sage with a blank expression. Within her mind, the gears of her thoughts began to spin. Just how the hell can he move like that in that thing? Isn't that supposed to be impossible? She thought before her stomach suddenly grumbled. Her cheeks immediately flushed red, forcing her to hide her embarrassed face behind the menu list. Her foot flew and came in contact with Anonydeath's knee when he let it slip that he suppressed a laugh.
"Coffee and some takoyaki. I want it filled with honey, understand?" she snapped while slamming the menu on her table. Now that she thought of it, she hadn't eaten her lunch yet since she had her attention occupied by a book she picked up the past evening. She hated her luck's timing.
Typing on a device in his robotic arm, the 'pure maiden' then asked, "Will that be all?"
"A dash of inspiration would be nice and maybe my pride," answered the Goddess before her head came in contact with the table. She felt the former Sage leave when the sounds of his suit's humming disappeared. It was strange, a former enemy working as a waitress(?) in a café. How surreal could that be? Well, once the Seven Sages disbanded in the past, they did say that they will change the group's name and goal as a sign of a fresh start.
It was amusing to watch how this world worked sometimes.
It didn't take long for her order to arrive. A pure white mug sitting on top of a coaster was placed on her table, the scent of the coffee filling her nose. She gave the former Sage standing in attention at her side a glance before taking a sip of her drink. She raised her eyebrows as the delicious flavor came in contact with her taste buds. It was pretty well made, the flavor was really emphasized thanks to the perfect temperature it was brewed with. Surprised to have tasted something this delicious in quite a while, Blanc couldn't help but drink some more before placing the mug back on the coaster.
"You seem to be awfully busy despite being on vacation, Lady Blanc?" said Anonydeath as he stood at attention at the girl's side, "Judging from your stressed out appearance, these past days have been eventful, are they not? Good, good, it's better to spend your time with friends than being all alone by yourself."
The Goddess didn't even look at him as she replied, "You've been toying with the securities in our Basilicoms again, have you? I guess old habits do die hard."
"I was merely keeping tabs on you all," explained the former Sage, "With the shifting world around us, who know what might happen to the all-important Goddesses we all know and love. You are aware of the events surrounding the various nations, correct? I wonder myself if you've received the information of a new breed of monsters making their appearance in the vast plains of Leanbox as well as the forest of Lowee. If you do, then I as a concerned citizen I'll have to ask if you're going to do anything about it?"
"And what good will it do if I answered you? Will it ease your unnecessary worry or will you continue to pester me on something you shouldn't be concerned of? I know your game and I'm not going to throw a tantrum over some bait you're tossed me," said Lowee's CPU as she placed a bit of sugar into her mug.
Anonydeath moved back and waved his wrist up and down, speaking in a girlish manner unbefitting of his voice, "Oh you~! There's no ill intent behind this all. I was just curious since this information I got was—"
"False and has no solid basis," cut off Blanc as she stirred her coffee, "As a master hacker such as yourself, you should be aware of the bugs and worms Vert released into the Internep to chase off would be leeches like you. Fortunately for the other nations, this proved to be beneficial since it reduced the chances of a third party from discovering our secrets."
Slumping his shoulders, the former Sage released a sigh, "You're no fun at all. That's no way to be cute, you know?"
"As if I care," retorted Blanc with a snort, "I'm having your worms extracted from my Basilicom's system. If you want to spy on people then Noire will be more than happy to let you."
"Changing topics then. Seeing you leave the library all sullen and shocked made me wonder what happened. Shouldn't you be working on your little tale? It doesn't seem like sitting around idling in random place would give you the inspiration that you need would be a good idea," said Anonydeath as he let out a chuckle.
The Goddess placed her elbow on her table and rested her head on her palm, "Blame your stupid leader. It's her fault I was thrown out of the loop."
"You dislike being compared to the purple one in Planeptune?" asked the former Sage.
"Just how the hell do you… Gah, whatever. Tell that girl to restrain herself from spouting nonsense," the CPU's words then turned into incomprehensible mumbling.
"Getting worked up over something so trivial won't do at all, Lady Blanc," said Anonydeath as he shook his head, "You need to learn the BMW."
"What the hell is that?" questioned Blanc, giving the former Sage a skeptical look crossed with a glare.
Crossing his arms, the pink armored man let out a huff of pride, "I've read it in a comic once yet it had a different meaning under it! 'B' is for 'Breakthrough'! You need to break through your petty state of mind and move forward. At this rate you'll never be able to advance in your novel or improve. Since you CPUs are all savages and the like, it shouldn't be hard for you to use brute force to solve your problems, correct?"
An anger vein popped on Blanc's forehead yet she otherwise remained calm.
"Next driving in is 'M' for 'Manifestation'! You need to make yourself stronger while increasing your mental capacity in a much higher level than it is now. It takes much willpower to overcome the trivialities which hinder your progress with your magnum opus," explained Anonydeath in a giddy manner, it seemed like he was enjoying this, "You must manifest all of your strength to overcome the obstacle between you and your goal. This way you should accomplish it with little problems. Manifest the will to move on from where you've landed yourself."
Another anger vein popped on the Goddess' forehead. She was starting to get royally pissed yet she held it in as she took another sip of her coffee.
"And for the last part in the finish line is 'W', better known as 'Wumbo'—" the former Sage's words were cut short as a hand shot out of nowhere and threw him right into a wall. His mechanical suit went through the wall as it crumbled like a biscuit from the force, sending him flying and tumbling along the ground like a ragdoll.
Of course Blanc remained unfazed as she remained seated on her chair as she sighed.
Rising up from his prone position, the lighthearted cheer from Anonydeath's voice never vanished, "My, my, my! That certainly was unexpected."
"If you're going to spout nonsense then I'm obliged to throw this perfectly crafted mahogany table towards you," threatened Blanc yet in a manner similar to conversing about the current weather. In other words, she had enough power to crushed the Sage on the spot into a smear on the ground without even batting an eye.
"What is the purpose of this vacation, dear?" asked the former Sage as he entered through the wall hole he created, "why did you stop working in the first place? Why did you put so much effort to complete two months of paperwork in a mere four hours? What's the point in this all?"
A frown appeared on the Goddess' face as she put down her coffee. Disregarding the flabbergasted looks the other customers were giving her, she kept her eyes fixed on the table as she was deep in thought.
"I'd like to toss you back that last question," she said while keeping her face free of emotion.
This reply only amused Anonydeath further. He approached the girl's table as he tapped his finger on it while replying, "It's to wake you up. The reason you're like this is because you're afraid of losing sight of your hard working image. You're afraid of that certain event in the past from recurring once more. It may not be the reason in which why you're in a slump now yet in your subconscious mind it is different. I admit that we are at fault for that but that was in the past. Do you fear that people will start to see you just like Planeptune's CPU and start to lose faith in you? Sure you are fond of that girl as friend yet you don't seem to like her example. She isn't the best role model though but… in the end this is all I have to say."
Blanc raised her eyebrows as the former Sage retrieved a teapot from a compartment in his suit and pouring it in her mug.
"You worry over nothing," resumed the armored man as he put away the teapot into his armor.
"…." Lowee's CPU rubbed her forehead as she released a heavy sigh, "What a waste of seven hundred words…"
Anonydeath glanced at the wall he had created and sighed too. He then spoke in a dreamy manner, "Indeed. Ah…"
"What's wrong?" asked Blanc as the former Sage held his palm on where his ear was supposed to be. It seemed like he was listening to someone speak on what was similar to a phone.
Turning his attention to the Goddess, Anonydeath then replied, "Would it be okay for you to share your table with another customer? We have one waiting just outside. Oh and the wall will cost forty-thousand credits."
…
"Is that the punch line?"