Watching his back, Ellie frowned and didn't think he would have such a mood after last night. Again, she might be misinterpreting something, or didn't know his temper. It wouldn't be shocking, like picking up something from her pocket and playing with it. It was a temporary access card that she had obtained in the morning.

  “I will be seeing you, William, and I will find you and talk to you for this!” she pouted and shouted at already distant William.

  He was already up there, walking the stairs, but her little smile left no anger on her face. She knew her work was worth it, and doing anything with him was fun and almost great. However, it was true that Celeste was much more suitable, and Ellie almost thought William wasn't all that bad when they met. Now, it was a bit stranger.

  First, she had to give Celeste what she deserved. Second, she should get to know Walkers and what they were like behind the scenes, as well as the youths. Third, a regular schedule turned into hell, and Dreadus accepted it as such with a simple solution. He lost his manners yesterday, and Heidi found a way to help him.

  Upper floors were less feasible. For Celeste, the lower floors were a neat preference due to a lack of stress and a great amount of curious wisdom.

  And with her own little card, Celeste will access the entire new world like never before. Most personnel at this library had to follow numerous protocols in order to assist the Walkers, and Ellie got the best assistance alongside a new opportunity. Finding specific information was the responsibility of precise and trained individuals.

  Ellie was the youngest to receive it, despite the force of her actions and her acceptance of just one Walker, as well as the support of a few others. Of course, without William, her personality, or Heidi's endorsement, this would have never happened otherwise, so Ellie was grateful to everyone.

  Ellie had no plan to leave this at any level besides the very peak and planned to visit William at any given time. Maybe Celeste wouldn't mind seeing him as well, for he was one of her kin, and Ellie noticed it right away. There were clear disparities between them, and there were no lies in it.

  Ellie lost her waitress-like position with a smile on her face, knowing she still served knowledge and people, but now, in a much more mindful way.

  Sighing to herself, she couldn't get more excited about what she was holding. She had read and lived for it for the past several days, and barely slept because of it. Reason? She knew her heart, and waiting was for idiots. A bit more bravery might do much better justice, while a clash of interests better stops quenching her mind and heart.

  Who knew how William would change after weeks or months? What about the Awakening that changed youths into young monsters and broke part of their humanity?

  After thinking about that, she blushed, shook her head, and internally screamed. “No. No. Ellie! He is a simpleton, but I like that about him. There is no need to be polite about it, or.... me. There is no happiness in being hesitant whatsoever. I should be open about it. Everyone says it is... well, Heidi does.” She touched her cheeks, lowered her expectations, and waited.

  It didn't take that long for Dreadus to walk inside with his heavy steps, followed by Celeste, who grabbed his hand, and Hound, who stayed around her other hand, also hugged.

  “So... you are Ellie, right?” Dreadus asked the most likely person since she found her right away.

  “G-greeting, sir.” Ellie bowed her head and kept it down.

  “I don't care about this manner. Celeste told me about you. I also saw you yesterday, so I do apologize for what happened and what I did. I should be more honest and good, but stuff happened, and I don't care about normal people. Yesterday was a bit careless because of it, and I care for Celeste, you see... I do... and it is...”

  He sounded more and more insecure the more he talked. Ellie swore he didn't want to acknowledge his care, and the fact that he found it awkward. Maybe the truth was in that hand, or the expectant shaking that revolved inside this big man?

  Dreadus wasn't used to this in the slightest, because Celeste felt better that way, and was clingy.

  Ellie reclaimed her bow and looked at this trio. First, she assessed this Rank 7 Walker of quite deep renown.

  *Dreadus. Nickname and name. No parents. No children. Rank 7 Walker of unknown Class. He is a military man who has spent his entire life in this way. Age: 52. Has a Rank 7 Squad in his name, as well as strange independence. He has been part of numerous Divisions. Current one: unknown. One of the few Walkers who has a chance of reaching Rank 8 in the next decade, but his military and personal merits are lacking, so the Assembly doesn't view him in bright colors.*

  Ellie recalled a bunch of her findings about this man. Such details weren't too bothersome to find, as knowing a lot about high-ranking Walkers was also part of her new job and life. There weren't many of them, so it was easier than one might think.

  As long as one wouldn't look at them too much, of course. There were things one shouldn't want to see, hear, or secure. For example, she didn't know what his missions were about, what his Emblem was like, or where his position and status brought him.

  That stuff was more internal, or more about how Walker organizations worked. Dreadus wasn't a weirdo; he didn't care for details and others, and that was his path. So what if several Divisions couldn't contain him? So what if his squad was his and followed no one's order, but from many sides?

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Ellie had no idea how to approach him, but getting to know him better seemed like her privilege, and she was there to grab it.

  Celeste shook his hand off, moved forward, and stormed at Ellie. “B-books?” she said, eyes widening and voice begging. There were no books around...

  “I have them locked up. Don't worry.” Ellie said, smiling at this girl with far too great attire, and... well, she stil had no freaking shoes, so that was quite something.

  “Ehm...” Dreadus shook his head, unsure whether this introduction was good or bad. Perhaps he should have tolerated Reaz coming as well, but that would suggest they were partners and Celeste was their daughter. Fuck that. There was not a single sky-high chance of that happening in this lifetime.

  Celeste hummed, hugging Hound, who squeezed a soft bark at Ellie. She was yet to be brave enough to pet him, let alone regard this beast as something fitting to carry like a lap dog.

  It sounded freaky yesterday, as this Hound was much bigger when it carried that package, and it even sat on her lap! It felt like a freaking boulder, yet not crushing her legs, so that was odd. That night left her with a heavy heart, and she discovered Celeste was well taken care of by great people.

  They even shocked Ellie, as she recognized well-known Reaz, Dreadus, or a pair of siblings who were renowned for their rare fusion-type Skills. They were born that way, and among the Walkers, twins with Emblems were rare.

  Dreadus coughed, clearing his throat.

  “Oh, sorry, sir.” Ellie reclaimed her thoughts and looked at Dreadus. Celeste stepped aside, curious about what was going on between them.

  Yesterday, nothing like this happened because Celeste herself was also shocked and frozen in many ways. By fear? By curiosity? Maybe she wanted to challenge her mind and eyes to see those monsters rather than watch them alone.

  Dreadus called Mi-Yung out and introduced her properly. Then, he fled the scene, and that night came like a cherry on top of a very deep day. Now, should she be worried?

  “I am relying on you, Ellie.”

  “That's very kind of you, sir, but I also do it for myself. Miss Heidi acknowledged it, and I enjoy challenging myself with Miss Heidi's tasks. Celeste came like lightning, and I want to teach such people.”

  “I see. I heard that you took William Gale under your brief tutelage.”

  “That's correct.”

  “Why?”

  “He needed it, we met, and it kind of happened on its own. He is young and came like a vagabond, but I happen to get it. No one stopped me, I mean.”

  Dreadus nodded. “I get it a little. Very little. Maybe there are people who won't like it in the slightest, but if it's part of Heidi Kaufman, then it's not my point to express my dissatisfaction. She needs care. Will you take care of Celeste for me? Her life has been rough, and I want a good restart for her.”

  Celeste clutched her fist, thinking that her life wasn't as harsh or evil as he proclaimed. She remained silent, however, thinking much more than before. She was kidnapped, after all, and her home was destroyed, yet much more came afterward.

  “I already care about her after hearing Mi-Yung's propositions. I plan to follow it, or... mind you, sir, but who are you to Celeste?”

  “I like to think...”

  “Father?” Celeste guessed out loud.

  Dreadus paused his words and felt hella awkward, but he gripped his guts and didn't flee the scene. “More like a... g-guardian? No... Perhaps a stepfather? Nah. That's a stretch.”

  Ellie hummed, thinking that this person was very interesting for such a big guy Walker. “Don't worry, sir. I will help her to the best of my abilities.”

  Dreadus laughed awkwardly and thought he shouldn't be worried at nothing. He wanted to show it better and appreciated it because Heidi demanded it. It was about acknowledgment and support, and Heidi was clever to demand it from him because it created a precedence.

  All for just one mere card up her sleeve, that is.

  Who knew what else Heidi had in mind? It could be an ulterior, strange experiment, or just yet another mistake involving people in already troubled Walkers. One should never underestimate Kaufmans. That was something Dreadus knew and understood for decades.

  This girl before him was young, yet experienced in flattery, words, and concepts of Walkes, but how much? Either way, it was about to get deep or bad if she wished to continue, and he didn't deny her anything. If anything, she was braver than many of them. Was she really seventeen years old? Dreadus found it a bit odd, but many people were really trying their hardest, even if they weren't Walkers. Maybe he should regard it the same.

  He found Ellie impressive if that's what they wanted. “Alright. I will reward you personally for this work.”

  “Oh?” Ellie found this sentence surprising, as it seemed to come out of nowhere. “How?”

  “Say it. Do you want credits?”

  “Not really.”

  “Then...”

  “Well, maybe some talk would do instead? I mean, that costs nothing, but it requires some consideration of rules and the like. I can be considerate, so I would add a proposition if Sir is fine with it.”

  “Speak,” Dreadus said simply.

  “In a couple of weeks, I want to create a review between the three of us. Let's call it a seminar, and I want to ask you questions, both aimed at you, and Celeste, and figure out where I am going with Celeste as a Walker and the person she is, and maybe will be. She will be there as well, after many rounds and lessons, of course. There doesn't seem to be any stops to that, and I plan to give her the best individual attention youths could ask for, because, once more, no one is stopping me.”

  She forgot the 'yet' part. Dreadus nodded again and regarded her first topic. Wasn't that a parent-to-teacher kind of meeting? That sounded absolutely horrendous, and Dreadus shuddered to his bones at such an idea.

  Still, he couldn't refuse her. He planned to give her anything she asked for, since she was a young, ordinary girl. That included things he wasn't sure about, and if it was just a talk, he might live with it like with any military gathering, or summoning.

  “I am fine with that.”

  “Great! I won't disappoint you,” Ellie clapped in excitement and turned to Celeste. “So, shall we go? I reviewed the list yesterday and assembled a list of new places to visit. I think you will like it.”

  Celeste widened her eyes in wonder, yet her mouth remained shut. It was her way of showing excitement, it seemed, second to the unkempt steps or hops of the spot. Rarely did she show it with words, but that might change one day, or never.

  Ellie walked away with her, one hand beside her shoulder, and smiled brightly as the windows shone with light above them.

  “Thank you,” Dreadus said to Ellie and walked away, leaving two girls and one Hound up to their own devices.

  He turned, sighed, and figured he might do it if he tried his best. It wasn't a lone thing. There was one other step, and it was harder than it felt. He might have to take it with one hopeless leap today, and no one was here to encourage him. It was more about deference than plans.

  “But I don't... wanna...” he clutched his fists as he walked into the streets, unsure where his steps would push him today, apart from one goal in mind.