In a certain cold and quiet room in the evening, with the rhythmic sound of the heart monitor in the room being the only one that breaks the silence occasionally, a figure laid solemnly.
With a white blanket draped over her and a circular construct placed on her head, the solemnly silent figure of Vertin slept peacefully.
Suddenly, an elusive phenomenon occurred. A thin white mist suddenly started drifting in the room — it was barely noticeable and could easily be mistaken for simple vapor.
The mist then gathered around the single security camera in the room and fogged its lenses with its vapor, effectively obscuring the room.
A few moments later, more grayish-white mist appeared in the room, gathered around near the bed, and coalesced. The mist took on the shape of a vague human figure before solidifying.
Soon, Isaac's figure emerged beside Vertin's bed.
He wore a black coat with a white shirt underneath, and black casual trousers paired with sleek black shoes. He didn't bother wearing anything too exuberant, and instead just wore casual clothes.
"Good evening, Ms. Vertin." As usual, he greeted her with respect. Then, tucking his hands in his coat's pockets, he sighed softly. "It's been four weeks since you've fallen asleep... Time really flies, doesn't it?"
Although the one he was talking to didn't respond, it didn't bother him a bit. Over time, he had gotten used to this and it had become a routine of sorts every now and then.
Then, as usual, he began to recount what happened recently. "Good news. Although Laplace has already taken in Regulus, she still retained the freedom to return to the suitcase due to her status as a special asset. And so, even though she's been away most of the time, she still finds time to visit us."
"Although, I do think that she's been deliberately finding excuses to return to the suitcase." He chuckled lightly. "I hope that her escape attempts won't endanger her, though — albeit, I don't think that's possible because, well, it's Regulus. She's always been good at escaping."
He then pulled out the usual chair he sits on and sat down before continuing with his story. He took his time to recount things, with a measured voice.
"As for the current war we've been battling... After Constantine successfully took Regulus, she hadn't made a move since. Well, I suspect that she's waiting for the opportunity to lure in Sotheby next whose father would soon arrive at the Foundation in a day or two."
"Oh, and if you're wondering, yes, we're letting her be taken away — for a good reason, of course. It's just that, for someone of her age, Sotheby should still be in school, and so, after Druvis and I talked about it, we've come to a consensus that she should be sent to SPDM for teaching."
"Don't worry. If that does happen, I'll make sure to always keep an eye on her. Even though SPDM is relatively safe for young kids to learn, you would never know what could happen."
He then took a break and collected his breath. He had been rattling on for a while now without any stop, so naturally, he needed to take a break.
Although Vertin was unable to respond to any of his words, he still felt the need to report to her — a habit that had been with him since the past.
In the past, he always needed to give accurate and precise reports, and that habit of his carried on until now even though he no longer needed to do so.
Frankly, however, he felt like it was also partially because he wanted someone to know what was happening around him with full confidentiality.
After taking a short break, he soon continued.
"As for us in the suitcase except Sotheby... To be honest, it's been decent. I think?"
"Me and A Knight finished the farm and the seeds we planted are already sprouting. I'm thinking of making a shed for them as soon as possible for storage so that, when Ms. Druvis finally decides to rebel, we'll have some rations that would last us a long time."
He then raised his fingers and started recounting each individual in the suitcase. "A Knight hasn't left the suitcase yet and remains under the radar, so if things go south — which I hope doesn't — we'll have a hidden card up our sleeves."
"Mr. APPLe, meanwhile, has been quite angry towards the Foundation. He is a keen and loyal person and despises how Laplace forcefully recruited Regulus. So, even though he's still following Regulus, he doesn't hide his scorn one bit when interacting with the Foundation staff. Personally, I find that quality of his great."
"As for Ms. Druvis... to be honest, she manages the affairs of the suitcase both inside and outside quite well. Every time a staff of the Foundation comes knocking, she would quickly dispatch them away with ease. If we didn't have Ms. Z, perhaps Druvis would have been the one protecting us from all that political stuff..."
"Oh, and speaking of Ms. Z — and yes, I refer to her as Miss now and not Madame — she and I have been having great partnerships."
He leaned back to his chair and scoffed. "For the past four weeks, I've been doing all the shady things she couldn't do herself — like coercion, lobbying, or information gathering. Of course, there are times when she doesn't want me to do something sketchy like direct threat or manipulation... But I'm quite the mischievous person, aren't I? I always find ways to bend her words and still achieve the desired outcome."
Isaac's tone was laced with a subdued sense of confidence, clearly proud of his shady actions.
Then, when it came to his part, he let out another soft sigh. "As for me... well, to be honest, life's never been better."
"Sure, there's a problem from all directions of my life right now — like the Foundation, the suitcase, the cabin, the farm, the team... and you. But despite all that, I still can't help but feel optimistic about it all, you know?"
"Well, compared to the past, today is most certainly much better. Albeit, some part of me does long for that sensation to be a player in this game too. Aha, of course that's just a whim. Unless I really needed to, I'd very much like to keep the way of my life as is right now and leave all that complicated matter to Ms. Z."
He paused, then, he murmured something under his breath.
"I never want to be the one to move the pieces again..."
After saying that, he remained silent. Yet again, no one replied to him but the rhythmic sound of the vital monitors in the room.
He leaned forward, looked at Vertin's figure, and saw her sleeping soundly.
He then smiled wistfully. "Are you dreaming of your days as a student in SPDM right now? Perhaps... Perhaps you're dreaming of that time you skipped your class, huh?"
"Well, whichever it is, I'm sure it's a good dream." He then stood up, placed the chair back to its original position, and looked back at her. "Dream well tonight, Timekeeper. I wish for you to have the best of dreams."
"As for us... We still have a long night ahead of us."
With that said, Isaac lingered for a while before pulling out his monocle. Then, donning it, he began to control his arcanum.
A thick grayish-white fog soon drifted from his body and filled the room. As the fog continued to envelop his figure, Isaac smiled.
"Good night, Ms. Vertin."
With those parting words, Isaac's figure dissipated into the fog, and soon, his material body vanished. Not long after, the fog he had released also evaporated, leaving the room back to its previous state.
The rhythmic sound of the vital monitors reverberated around the room, and Vertin slept as soundly as she did before — like nothing had ever happened.
The only thing that appeared to have been altered, however, were the windows that had been drawn open, bringing forth the evening breeze.
A moment later, it gently closed — not from the fog, but from another force.