Chapter 1157 (2/2)

The map was large and detailed, but only in a very small portion. Because the amount that Vye could see were only the places that she had been. There was some space between the Orchard and the original Erickson Steel compound, and then there was a winding path down to the Southwest. Aside from the Orchard, the only other ‘landmark’ that Vye encountered so far was Kharon itself, which earned a moving mark on the map.

All in all, Vye saw the colored and detailed lines of only one-hundredth of the full map. That, too, felt like a failure.

...maybe I should leave the Order Ducis, Vye thought rather sadly. The more I explore, the faster I’ll be able to become strong. Even without the constant training offered here… I’ve grown. I can hold my own. And if I explore more of the map…

Without thinking, Vye rolled up the map and habitually flipped it in her hand. The movements were too much for her left hand and brought all of the tension from the physical Ritual back to her. Cradling her still sore left arm to her chest, Vye shook her head slowly. Quitting the Order Ducis wouldn’t be running away. I’m not afraid of death. Just… maybe the Order Ducis isn’t where I need to be right now. Maybe this isn’t the group I thought it was.

But then again, Aldo died trying to make sure the Order Ducis became exactly that: a group that would stand against the dangerous forces in our world. To just leave after he made that sacrifice…

But… it’s not my responsibility to carry on his legacy right? I… I have to make my own choice…

Vye looked up toward the sky and was rather disappointed to see that after the terrible power of Mjolnir descended, clouds rapidly flowed forward to strangle their star-filled sky. The air was dismal and grey. Although the rain had since ceased, these clouds seemed to threaten another storm. Without any other choice, Vye sighed and hopped down off the roof to land on the ground in front of the bathhouse.

Although some people gave her strange looks as she landed lightly, things such as that were all too common in the post-System world. Idly wondering about how transportation would change in the future, Vye walked into the bathhouse.

One of the many perks of being in the Order Ducis was having a private room available at all times, but the clerk timidly informed Vye that it was already in use. Considering the late hour, it too Vye by surprise. Shaking her head, Vye simply said she would use the public women’s bath.

Whoever was using the bath currently was dealing with the same things that Vye was. And she had no desire to interrupt them. Everyone had to find their own ways to cope with the grief.

So Vye undressed and walked out into the open-air baths. Standing on the warmed stones outside the baths, Vye released a deep breath. Truly, it was a blessing that Tatiana had argued so vehemently for these to be built. It was strange to think, but Tatiana turned out to have been an even better city planner than she had been a CEO. And she certainly had been an impressive CEO.

There was a fluttering impulse for Vye to seek out Tatiana to talk about what happened, but Vye quickly suppressed it. They hadn’t talked much in the past six months, but it was actually because Tatiana was absolutely overwhelmed with the amount of work that needed to be done for Kharon to function. It wasn’t just planning the city, but she had to make decisions about haggling with the locals for foodstuffs and raw materials. In addition, Tatiana was in constant contact with the various governments and Orders, as they informed her of the continuing dominance of Zone 1 in the World Council.

No need to bother Tatiana with my sadness. Vye dipped a toe into the water and then forced her entire body down under the surface. The heat scalded her until she finally felt the cramped muscles of her hand begin to loosen. It’s not common, but people die frequently enough now that the System is here. Just because I knew him… I can’t let myself break down. I need to… figure out what I’m feeling.

And then… figure out if the Order Ducis is where I want to spend my life. Because if I accept the appointment tomorrow… I won’t let myself back down. If I want to change courses, I need to do it now.

Without the need to breathe, Vye remained underwater. The baths were rather large, and the two other women in the room had their own private corners. Which meant that Vye could just hang there, suspended in the water, waiting for the heat to completely unwind her.

Unfortunately, some problems weren’t so easy to solve. All too soon, Vye’s eyes fluttered and opened. Still underwater, she realized that she could see the weak half-light of dawn’s approach; she had probably been floating there for almost an hour.

With a sinuous stroke, she pushed herself to the surface and swam to the edge of the bath. After leaving the pool, she quickly dried herself off, all but her hair which Vye didn’t feel like bothering with, and returned to the dressing room. There she quickly slid back into her clothes and hurried out of the bathhouse. But a voice stopped her as she was pushing open the door to walk onto the street.

“Vye?”

Even as she recognized the voice and flinched inwardly, Vye turned around. An extremely gaunt eyed Garrett stood there, hunched over and with this arms wrapped protectively across his torso. He was probably the one using the Order Ducis room. Just like hers, his hair dripped water down onto his shoulders. But as Garrett looked at Vye, something hardened in his eyes. “...We should talk.”