enchantedbrew

[enchantedbrew]

Rindo smiled sheepishly as she went through her outburst, preparing to apologize for using that word again. It was a little frustrating how he kept making that mistake knowing the implications it held to her. But that smile faded a touch when he overheard her muttering about returned feelings. He wondered if he was really leading her on with all of this, though he couldn't deny the way his own heartbeat seemed to quicken at the knowledge.

Even still, he knew better. Even if she was involved in his life now, he didn't want to get her deeper in than she had to be. And he lived a dangerous life. What was he going to do if he was killed on the field someday? What was she going to do if she lost him to a nonhuman...? Type 3 nonhumans were still a major problem in the world, even if their most recent debacle had been held with Type 1s. Or even worse yet, what would happen if he somehow ended up in the same situation as Shizuku...? He didn't even want to consider that potential.

Furthermore, there was also that to think about. Herja didn't know about Shizuku yet, and if they were to enter into a relationship she would almost certainly have to learn at some point about it. How would she feel about him then? Would she hate him? Would she demand he do something about it? What about Mikado? Would she do something to him, too...? He hadn't even hidden how he felt about Shizuku or her current form in front of Kotone. He certainly wouldn't do as much in front of Herja...

Even if he cared about her, even if he wanted to entertain the idea of a relationship, it was just too risky...

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I keep using that word when I know how it makes you feel. I do mean as friends, as usual, and I will endeavor to stop using it if I can. I don't want to hurt you at all. As for what to wear, you can choose anything you're most comfortable in. I myself will likely just be in something like this, since I'll technically be on work duty. Enchante is a classy establishment, but since everyone who frequents it lives there, the air is very casual. Next Saturday... Yes, I think that'll work just fine. I'll set up my calendar to make sure I'm going to be visiting on that day. Would you like me to pick you up from anywhere?"

    As Rindo proceeds to explain, Herja would soon adopt a more thoughtful expression. "I-I see. Yes, given the fact you two both seem to be polar opposites yet still remain on relatively good enough terms with each other to continue talking, I have no problem believing you," she'll go on to concede. Of course, she had already suspected this was the case, but hearing him confirm it himself proved rather insightful, especially given how little she knew about Rindo's interpersonal relationships. "You said his name was Akira Mikado, correct? I'll be sure to remember it when next I ever have a proper chance to greet him face to face," Herja then nods, only to later pause upon hearing Rindo's subsequent invitation.

    By that point, her eyes would soon grow wide and against her better judgment, she'll furiously blush... even though realistically speaking, he probably hadn't meant it in that way.

    "A-A-A-Another date?! Kaoru-dono, are you quite possibly hitting on me?!" Herja exclaims before frantically shaking her head. "N-No, wait... this must be a mere slip of the tongue, isn't it? After all, there's no way my love could ever be reciprocated," she'll ramble away, and sure enough, she begins facing him once more with a look of rigid determination seeping through her features after managing to finally collect her composure.

    "I-In any case! I most certainly wouldn't be opposed to visiting Enchante and meeting this Kotone-dono you speak of; however, as this would be my first time frequenting a café, should I endeavour to wear something more nice... o-or casual? And would next Saturday during the afternoon be an acceptable time frame to meet?" Herja earnestly goes on to question. ...Needless to say, it seemed she was putting way too much thought into their little 'date' together.

[enchantedbrew]

Rindo laughed softly and shook his head, "No, nothing like that. His name is Akira Mikado, and he's the head of the research and development branch here and GPM. He's... an eccentric sort, and he can be more than a little obnoxious sometimes, but despite all of that he is... regretfully, a friend of mine. And while our history isn't quite into our childhood, we do have a rather long history together. He... He does mean well, he's just... Well, you heard him, I'm sure you can extrapolate what kind of person he is."

The idea of Mikado being his ex-lover almost sent a shudder down his spine, and somehow, he could only imagine his sister's amused face at the suggestion of it, making little quips at both of them about it. The thought was both warm and painful, and he quickly shut it out again without giving much hint to the fact besides a short moment of his eyes becoming pained and distant. When he jerked back to attention, his smile returned and he gave his full attention back to Herja.

"I would imagine that this approval is only a formality at this point, so might I extend to you an offer for another date? I would love to be able to bring you to Enchante and let you meet Kotone. I'm sure the two of you would get along quite well."

    Honestly, that one instance where they had visited a park together was a memory Herja continued to cherish. Why, even if they hadn't exactly done much, it still happened to be rather nice, going out on a leisurely stroll with a fellow friend; after all, it made her appreciate the beauty of Japan just a little bit more, when previously, she would have only concentrated on defending a place rather than taking in it's beauty. Much to her relief, though, it seemed Rindo shared her sentiment as well, causing a far more gentler smile to grace her features; only, before he could completely finish his train of thought, yet another phone call would disrupt their conversation, and by that point, bewildered blinks soon began rolling off her eyelids.

    Who could it possibly be now? Sure enough, Herja then brings herself to whip her head around before squinting towards the direction Rindo had been focusing on... yet at the same time, she failed to detect any individual standing outside, leading her to wonder whether or not the unknown speaker was elsewhere somehow. Him subsequently raising his voice, however, has Herja immediately flinch, for this was the first time she ever heard him getting angry; as a matter of fact, she didn't know Rindo could even get mad. Either way, she's quick to cast a worried glance his way all while remaining silent.

    Of course, despite having many questions, Herja figures it would be way politer to wait for him to hang up before voicing aloud any queries, so it was only once the call ended did she finally part her lips. "N-No, you needn't apologize, Kaoru-dono! I mean, I too have moments where I have been frustrated at my subordinates, so it would be hypocritical of me to judge you for losing your cool like that," Herja finally shakes her head. "And don't worry, I never intended to in the first place," she goes on to admit.

    "Though, since you now grant me the opportunity to prolong my stay... may I ask who it was you had previously talked to? He seems to address you with a great deal of familiarity, but for some reason, I don't get the impression you two were childhood friends... or ex-lovers."

[enchantedbrew]

{I'm sorry for the folks that try to keep up with this blog in particular. I don't know what happened to all of my muse for these two but every time I come over here I struggle to write or post anything. I'm not super sure how to get the ball rolling with them again, but they might just have to take a nap for a while while I work on other blogs. I am really really sorry about that.}

[enchantedbrew]

Huddle, Shinjuku 新宿

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The comment drew a laugh from his lips, and gloved fingers curled around a thin stack of paperwork to lift and tap it on the desk. All of it was filled out now, adjusted and ready to go for whatever happened to come of this. The future they painted for themselves almost felt idealistic given the circumstances, but it was a future he wanted to hope on anyway. As much as he loved Kotone and the rest of the gang at Enchante, his life in isolation was something he didn't know if he could tolerate much longer. Spending time with Kotone had taught him that much, even if they had never really gotten much closer than friends. He still understood now the importance of caring for others and being cared for in return, and even if he did not wish to push this life onto others, he didn't think he could go on pretending everything was like it always had been.

Somehow he remembered Souan teaching him that very thing himself... If only he'd listened while the old man were still alive...

"To be honest, I think it would be fun to explore Tokyo as a man and not on business for once," Rindo replied, tucking the newly completed forms into a folder together. "There's so much you miss out on when you're having to deal with the supernatural. Everything is a catastrophe. Everything. I never get a chance to breathe, haha. But with you, I think I could enjoy a nice vacation... Hopefully, anyway. I should be receiving that email within the next couple of days at most, so I'll be sure to inform you whe--"

The sound of a ringtone cut Rindo off before he'd even finished his sentence, and he reached into his pocket to lift out his cellphone. Once again, that sour expression that he'd momentarily had when speaking to his bosses reached his face. Regardless of his displeasure, however, Rindo answered, the call, motioning for Herja to wait with an apology in his face.

"You know, if you really need something this badly, my office is right here," Rindo replied, jaw tightening as he gazed out of the door of his office. There was no one there, but his eyes seemed to focus anyway, as if he knew exactly where this call was coming from. "What do you want?"

The other voice on the line was not as those of Rindo's previous call this time. The man's voice was loud and dramatic, making Rindo tilt his head to the side to keep from hurting his ear while the other called in such a manner as everyone in the room could hear him.

"I'm offended, Rindo! I would think you'd be glad to hear from me in your hour of need! Why, I don't know why you wouldn't come to beg for my aid to begin with!"

"I can handle my own issues," Rindo groaned back into the receiver. "I don't need your help."

"Well, too bad! You know it's my job to look out for you now that--"

"What do you want?"

Rindo's voice and face snapped into something akin to rage so suddenly that the other was stunned into a momentary silence. Though, this unexpected outburst only seemed to halt him for a moment.

". . . I spoke on your behalf, you know," The voice was greatly toned down now, almost to a volume that couldn't be heard. "I heard about your mishap with the demon clan... I thought... Kotone doesn't deserve to be alone and... Neither do you. Please fill out the forms, Rindo."

And then the man on the other line hung up without giving Rindo a chance to respond.

Rindo was silent for a moment before tucking the phone in his pocket, clearly shocked from the sudden shift, "I apologize... Things never are quite peaceful around here. I suppose I can assume this to mean that my proposal will be accepted, so we can look forward to those days out in the future. If you don't have any more questions, then you're free to go whenever you see fit to do so. Ah, just... I suppose I don't have to tell you to keep all of this secret, yes?"

    So the outcome wasn't quite set in stone just yet, which worried her immensely. Still, Rindo did say he was going to fill out the necessary paperwork, meaning if nothing else, he didn't at least intend on cutting any corners... a fact that has Herja gradually heaving out a resigned sigh. "...I see. Then if you would be so inclined, please inform me of what they say when next you hear back from them," she earnestly implores.

    Truth be told, Herja would much rather he call than text, but in the event he did text her, she wouldn't complain; after all, the most important thing was that he contacted her to begin with. Still, despite him already finishing his conversation over the phone, she would bring herself to remain patiently seated, due to how she wasn't yet officially dismissed. Once Rindo assured her he still wanted to correspond the natural way, however, the corners of her lips would twitch upwards into a soft smile.

    "Has anybody told you you're quite the smooth talker, Kaoru-dono? Still, I do believe you," Herja gently states. "It simply came as a shock is all... yet regardless, I do still want us to keep spending time together. Besides, you have yet to show me around more places in Tokyo."

[enchantedbrew]

He shrugged lightly and shook his head, "They said they would deliberate and send me an email. I'm putting my faith in my abilities, however, and filling out the necessary paperwork ahead of time."

A page turned and the pen returned to the paper, writing up information to fill out the forms. He would be saving himself some trouble if it worked out, and if it didn't he could always just keep them as a reminder of what could have been. Or... Maybe what he needed to avoid in the future. He didn't want to drag people into this life that didn't need it, and even though he was fairly certain Herja could take care of himself, if the organization deemed her incapable of keeping the memories, he would have to remind himself what fate he'd be sending any future friends into. He didn't like altering their memories. Losing them...

A deep breath and he turned the subject back to his work, "Just because I did all that research doesn't mean I don't want to do things the natural way, you know. I do want to talk to you, get to know you the way you want me to. I want to have long conversation and enjoy days out with you. It doesn't matter to me if it's information I might already know. I want to hear about you through your own words. That's something a bunch of documents cannot do, no matter how hard they try."

    The more he speaks, the more a deeply troubled frown would etch it's way across her lips. Honestly, as much as Herja wished to interject, something told her she might only worsen the situation further if she had the audacity to defend Rindo over the phone; furthermore, it wasn't like she could accurately discern everything that was being said on the other end, so all she could do was pray he somehow had it all handled.

    From the sounds of it, though, whoever was addressing him must have hit a sore spot at some point, because sure enough, she could've sworn his expression appeared pained. Of course, she could only make out the word 'sister', yet still, she could at least surmise whatever they said about her must have soured his mood considerably; regardless, her shoulders would soon jolt upright once Rindo proceeded to finally insert the phone back into it's cradle.

    Had things ended on a somewhat positive note, she wondered? Or had he failed to successfully negotiate? Before Herja could ask, however, Rindo would suddenly address her, causing her hastily parting lips to snap back shut.

    "Ah... yes, from a professional standpoint, I can see your point. After all, had I been in your position, I would probably have reached a similar conclusion," came her eventual concession, for when it came down to it, Rindo was only doing his job. Even so, a sigh would end up issuing past her throat. "Still, I had hoped this information you gleaned about me would be unravelled in a more... organic manner and not learned through questionable means. But I suppose it's now a bit too late to wish we could have gotten to know each other as naturally as possible over tea or lunch."

    By that point, she would then manage a wry smile. "If you don't mind me asking, Kaoru-dono... what did your superiors ultimately decide at the end?"

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Cash, Shinjuku 新宿

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{I finally caught up with all my drafts again. Which I'm sure y'all know means I'm about to sit around and do nothing on my blog. OTLOTLOTL}

{Anyway, I'm mostly posting this just to make sure I actually have everything. If you're waiting for something from me, I've missed it somewhere along the way and I need to know~ So please like this post if I owe you something and I'll go find it. Alternatively, you can send me a link if you already have the post on hand.}

[enchantedbrew]

Rindo shot her a squinting sort of smile, something between playfulness and apology but he focused on the phone call. The voice on the other end could be barely heard, but his demeanor shifted to match those stiff voices, being calm and stalwart in the face of the discussion. He patiently explained the situation and gave a brief report of the incident they had just left. He was cut off, but he remained calm and simply waited for his turn to talk again.

"Yes, I understand. However, I do believe this could be an exception. We have this individual on file, and I feel like this could be good for the organ-- ... No, not as a researcher. I think the connections would be sufficient... Ah... I... do have a relationship-- ... Yes, that's correct."

Suddenly his expression soured. Whatever was being said was hitting a sore spot, and it was either that she didn't qualify for keeping her memory, or something equally upsetting. In fact, Rindo was being reminded that his own sister had caused the last catastrophic disaster that the organization suffered. That because of him and his relationships, they had lost people and money to a drastic degree. The implication was that someone else that had a close relationship to him, being friends or family or lovers, would undoubtedly follow in his sister's footsteps and create chaos and destruction. Considering how out of left field his sister's actions had felt, it was a particularly painful insinuation.

His jaw set tight, but he replied with the same measure of calm as he had started the conversation with: "I understand your concern, but I would remind you that this single event has been an outlier in my time with the organization... No, I don't. I'll be happy to monitor her just the same as I do Enchante... Yes, I'll take responsibility I won't-- ... Yes, sir."

Having been completely cut off without a last word, Rindo sighed and lowered the phone back down into its cradle again. There was no point in talking about it. He'd been told they would consider the request and send him word through an email. But either way, he had a lot of paperwork to fill out as a new subject to monitor, so he went to work getting those ready instead. And though he knew he needed to explain what was going on to Herja, he chose to answer her previous question first instead.

"I think I should explain a little. My job is to monitor these entities, but my official position is Chief of Intelligence. I lead and manage the Intelligence Division here at GPM, and it's my job to have extensive knowledge of anyone that might become involved in my work. I obviously didn't start doing background checks on you after our first meeting, but when we continued to meed up and develop a friendship, it seemed more necessary. I took it upon myself to get as much information on you as I could, and, being a government organization, I can receive far more information than your average individual. I wasn't intending to invade your privacy, understand. I simply needed a better understanding of the kind of person I was... Admittedly allowing particularly close to this hidden world. I didn't want to risk a friendship if I didn't think you'd be able to handle being accidentally exposed. I... didn't think it would happen in this way, however."

    Considering she didn't exactly have anything else to distract herself with, Herja's gaze would inevitably wander over towards the various files littering his desk, only to pause with surprised blinks once she happened to glimpse her name on a document. Honestly, she didn't manage to read much else before Rindo picked it up, but with how astute she was, she knew she hadn't been seeing things. Still, it warranted the question - why exactly did he have a file specifically on her? Before she could even express her bewilderment, however, the words Rindo next uttered aloud has her snapping her head upwards.

    "W-Wait a moment, Kaoru-dono... do you mean to tell me you have already done a background check on me?" Herja finally questions, allowing slight disbelief to lace her tone. Though it wasn't as if she treated her past like a closely guarded secret, the fact he already uncovered so much about her did feel like a small breach of privacy, and soon, she'll sheepishly begin fidgeting with her fingers upon wondering exactly how much information he remained privy to.

    Why, despite not really minding Rindo knowing she had originally hailed from an aristocratic family in Iceland, the fact he was possibly aware of how she never had a boyfriend and was oftentimes flustered around the company of men who aren't her subordinates seemed embarrassing somehow. ...Then again, he did have a point, since by most standards, she was by no means an ordinary woman, and upon realizing this, she'll awkwardly lower both amber brown eyes back down towards her lap.

    Regardless, the whole entire Rindo was on the phone, Herja wouldn't so much as utter out a single word, for fear it would be terribly impolite for her to do so... especially when the conversation between him and whoever was on the other end didn't require her input. To that end, she'll stay silent, even after she'll ultimately spare a nervous glance at him from underneath her lashes once a few seconds had elapsed.

[enchantedbrew]

Rindo thumbed through the files on his desk and pulled one out labelled "Herja Busujima", filled thick with paper documents. He opened the file on his desk and picked up the phone sitting to the side. He had collected extensive information on Herja shortly after meeting her, so much so that he knew almost everything about her now. But he never mentioned any of that. He liked the natural process of getting to know people better than just conversing about all of the facts he'd picked up rummaging through their files. He could learn her life, but he couldn't learn about her through that process.

"I think I have a good chance of changing their minds about it," he assured her as he punched a code into the phone. "Considering your background I think they likely won't have as much of a problem as they would with someone more mundane."

His mouth flattened, realizing how that might have come off. He didn't want to offend her, after all, but he knew that her familiarity with self-defense and weaponry would automatically make her an asset to the organization. But he didn't have time to correct himself as he lifted the phone to his ear and spoke with an unheard voice on the other line.

    "R-Really? Thank goodness... because with you gone, I don't think I would have been able to relax," she sheepishly admits as relief gradually seeps it's way through her features. Honestly, Herja would hardly even know what to do with herself in the event she was forced to wait alone while twiddling her thumbs, so hearing Rindo confirm he was going to contact his superior over the phone happens to be rather reassuring. Why, not only would his absence do little to ease her anxiety, not having him around would simply just make her worry more.

    As soon as Rindo mentioned non-humans again, though, she's quick to sigh. "Yes, it's quite unfortunate that I stumbled across one. Still, I can only pray you would somehow succeed in convincing them, using that trademark smooth talk of yours," Herja adds before following him inside an elevator. Of course, once they finally arrived at his office, she's quick to note how everything seemed relatively tidy.

    Given the fact there were several coffee cups cluttering his waste bin, though, Herja couldn't help wondering if he frequently relied on caffeine to get through the day. Either way, it doesn't take long for her to settle onto the chair Rindo indicated before politely folding both hands across her lap and straightening out her posture like some well-to-do daughter about to meet her fiancée for the first time; however, the whole entire time, her gaze didn't once leave his face.

[enchantedbrew]

Rindo walked with her towards the building, coming in to an area that once again looked like any other office for a large corporation as would be found in any other part of Tokyo. At the mention of his work and his secretive nature, he can't help but smile, realizing that he had been more than a little mysterious about it. It wasn't as if it could be helped, but at the same time, he wondered if there might be a better way to conduct himself in the future. Generally no one really cared enough to know, so he could get away with being avoidant.

"Oh, well, we will, but I'll make it a phone call as to make sure I won't be abandoning you or anything. You understand now why I had to keep quiet about it, but I don't suppose there's much point now that you've seen a non-human for yourself. And don't worry. I will do everything in my power to secure our friendship."

Rather than taking her up a flight of stairs, Rindo led Herja to an elevator which carried them up in little time, spitting them out just a few doors down from Rindo's office. The place was a little messy inside, but every stack of paper was neat and organized, and while it was clear that he lived most of his life in this little office (with coffee cups in the waste bin and discoloration in the seat where he'd rubbed it away over time) it was still in a neat and clean state. With a wave of his hand Rindo offered her a seat on the front side of the table and went to his own chair to begin the preparation. It was going to be a fight, he was sure, but he didn't want to let Herja go... If he could have just one person more in his life that brought him such happiness, he wanted to do what he could to keep her near him.

    As soon as Rindo brought up removing her memories again, her brows were quick to droop with lips pulled into a taut, thin line, for while she understood there was no helping it if his superiors denied his request, Herja still wished she didn't have to solely rely on his vouching. Still, she'll bring herself to hasten her way behind him while managing another nod.

    "Alright, I understand. In that case, I'll have faith you can somehow change their minds and ensure no drastic measures would be taken. But please, if you can, Kaoru-dono... do whatever it takes to keep my memories intact," Herja then earnestly pleads, since when it came down to it, she really would rather not forget who he was to her at all. The whole entire time they made their way to his vehicle, however, she could only think about how surreal it was that she had previously struck down a slime monster and how miraculously, she would soon find out where he exactly worked.

    Once inside the car, however, Herja would proceed to fasten the seat belt shut around her before folding her hands across her lap; only, she couldn't bring herself to really say anything else throughout the whole ride due to how grim the situation was, making idle conversation seemingly out of the question. Instead, she'll focus her gaze on their surroundings through the windshield with immense curiosity, and the moment they parked by a large, towering structure, Herja notes it didn't exactly stand out amongst all the other skyscrapers; regardless, it doesn't take long for him to follow after Rindo following his departure from the driver's seat, and sure enough, she'll manage a strained smile in response to his subsequent words.

    "I see. Still, I can't believe I finally get to see where you work; after all, you were always so secretive about it," Herja comments. Honestly, considering she exercised more than the average person, walking up a few flights of stairs was truly nothing to her, and besides, Rindo said it shouldn't take them too long to get there. "Oh, that reminds me... will I have to wait inside your office while you talk to your superiors?" she questions while turning to peer over at GPM headquarters again.

[enchantedbrew]

Rindo's eyes bounced up to study his guest momentarily before falling back down to his computer screen, "I see. It seems things work quite differently here than it does where you're from. We have non-verbal non-humans here, but they also seem lower in intelligence than other non-humans. They don't have the capacity to communicate, through body language or otherwise. So it seems to me that the methods used in your world to manage non-humans likely cannot translate to ours. Now tell me... Does your world have anything like a permanent gate between worlds? Like a door or something similar?"

"I have encountered Transients who are incapable of speech, instead depending on body language to communicate. From mindless slimes and adorable maneki-neko to prankish devils and fearsome dragons." Speaking of, the moon god wondered if non-humans similar to the ones he mentioned existed in this Tokyo.

[enchantedbrew]

"Yes. We can go in mine. I'll try to make this quick so that you don't have to be away from your duties for too long. If we do end up... Having to remove your memories... I'll make sure that's a fairly quick and painless experience as well. I should like to hope I can change my superiors' minds. If anything that should be the only thing that has the potential to take up a lengthy amount of time. But I'll do my best to keep it from happening either way."

He lead her through the streets back to where his car was parked, moving just as casual as if they hadn't just dealt with effectively arresting and deporting a slime monster straight out of an rpg. A glance about himself at the other GPM members invesitgating around the area and ensuring no one else was dragged into the mess before he took to the vehicle and let Herja inside. And just like that they were on their way to GPM Headquarters, with Rindo assuring Herja that he was going to do everything in his power to make sure they could continue being friends.

It wasn't a very long drive to the establishment, and before long they were parked in front of a towering structure that stood high above many of the other buildings around it. Aside from that, however, it didn't stand out in any particular manner. It was just the same as any other impressive skyscraper one might find about Tokyo. There was nothing fanciful about it, for an organization that dealt in non-humans.

Then again, the whole operation was meant to be secret, so logic would dictate the headquarters should also be hidden. This one was merely hidden in plain sight.

"My office is up a few floors," Rindo said as he let Herja out of the car. "But it shouldn't be too much longer now."

    Honestly, upon hearing he befriended some of the most powerful non-humans, she'll soon stare back at him in utter astonishment, for that was not something Herja particularly expected. Why, with how wary Rindo was of them, she could only wonder how that managed to happen, but before she could inquire any further, his next query soon distracts her enough, to the point where she'll blink.

    "Oh... y-yes, certainly!" Herja then nods, signifying she would indeed accompany him to his office. "I'll have to inform company headquarters something came up, of course, but I'm sure my subordinates are able to pick up the slack in my absence. Still, seeing as though this is an urgent matter, I'm willing to comply and conduct myself accordingly around the non-humans from now on, so that you wouldn't needlessly worry over me." Granted, there was probably no need for her to be so formal and no-nonsense, yet nevertheless, her brows would still furrow in solemn determination.

    "No, it's alright, Kaoru-dono. Will we be heading there by car?" Herja goes on to question upon realizing they probably wouldn't be travelling on foot when it came to his office.

[enchantedbrew]

{Someone has just sent me a friend request on disc. I'm pretty sure it was one of you guys, but I can't seem to find any ims or replies anywhere that tell me who you are. So can you reply or send an im to lemme know?}

[enchantedbrew]

{I wanted to update you guys. Things just sort of keep getting worse over here. 🙃 I don't really know how else to say it. And normally I would be more inclined to come online and stay here just to get away from everything that's going on, but I can't do that now. I can't abandon Sibling right now.}

{I really don't want to... but I think I'm going to have to call a hiatus or something until this reaches some kind of conclusion. I know I'm not going to be able to stop myself from getting on and liking stuff at least, but I'm for sure not going to be able to write.}

{That said, I think I still want to send things in every so often so I can have a lot of stuff to reply to when I get back, over any of my blogs. So could you guys reply or lmk in some way that it's okay for me to send you things with the knowledge I'm probably not going to answer your answers any time soon?}

{That way I'll feel more comfortable doing so instead of just trying to take a guess.}

{Also, feel free to reach me via discord at any time. I'm far more likely to respond there than here. If you add me, lmk who you are. My ID is kohitsuji4805.}

[enchantedbrew]

"There have been a few incidents," Rindo said, drawing in a slow breath. "Humans getting a look at non-humans or in some cases even being attacked by them. We've been having to clean up after things and the paperwork alone is a nightmare. I don't really know what's going on, but non-humans everywhere have been taking to the streets and trying to get into all sorts of trouble lately. It's like they're trying to make my job difficult on purpose. I barely even had time to come in today, but I have to make a report on Enchante, too, or I'll get an earful about it."

And this was the real problem. Wrangling non-humans, while troublesome, was something he could deal with. Getting the heat from the higher ups of the organization, on the other hand, drained every ounce of energy he had. He couldn't handle the pressure of being demanded to carry out all of these tasks when he was already tired.

Il nods in indication he heard his thanks before turning back to his game. On the screen was a scene where he could pick an option before proceeding forward...However he paused before saving and looking up at Rindo with his full attention. Any other day he would multi-task, playing through his game while half listening to the other man. It was normal to divide his time with his attention at his game and surroundings, but today he decided to listen more intently to Rindo.

"...Too much going on?" the fallen angel repeated, "Surely the workload hasn't increased more for you."

Il was of the few Regulars however that remained in the Human World longer than the others, and he wasn't quite unaware of the activity outside the café. Wormholes were normal occurrences, but he knew there was more to it.

After all, Non-Humans hid underneath Humans' noses for so long....All it took was careful observation and paying more awareness to ones surroundings. Having ventured further away on his own and opening his perspective, Il could attest that he was taking note of more Non-Humans as of late.

[enchantedbrew]

Rindo's expression soured, just a bit, but he managed to keep his composure and turned his attention instead to Herja's questions, "No, most people are kept unaware of the presence of non-humans. One of my organization's key goals is to keep humans unaware of them in any capacity beyond stories and fairytales. And it's true, there are non-humans that are far, far more dangerous. The most dangerous are all under my personal watch, but... Well, they're also my friends. Could you spare some time to come with me to my office? I'm going to fill out some forms and make a request to take you under my watch? I feel like with your skill they might allow me to do it, and as long as I monitor you and your interaction with humans and non-humans alike going forward, we might not have to go to such extremes... Oh, and I'm sorry if this is all a lot to take in. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them on the way to GPM Headquarters."

Which meant he might be able to finally explain how Canus had been able to heal that plant they had bought at the botanical garden that one time. And maybe he could invite her to Enchante and she could meet everyone herself. He still strongly believed humans shouldn't get in the middle of any of it, but, well... If she was already exposed, it would be better for her to be completely absorbed in it than discovering things in an unsafe way back to back like Kotone had had to. He'd feel much better about meeting her at Enchante where the others would be hanging around.

    Truth be told, Herja had merely reacted out of self defence, but given how serious Rindo suddenly became, she could only wager this situation wasn't supposed to happen... and judging from his next words, it seemed her suspicions were ultimately proven correct, causing a small frown to plummet it's way down her lips.

    Why, under ordinary circumstances, she would argue demons didn't exist, but considering she had just finished warding off one, she actually found herself believing his explanation for once. "I-I see. Indeed, it's rather fortunate I have a considerable amount of combat experience underneath my belt; otherwise, I may have been a hindrance to you all," Herja then acknowledges.

    Still, upon overhearing she was expected to have her memory erased, her frown would only serve to deepen... but little by little, she would proceed to sheathe her shinai back into it's case before shaking her head.

    "No, it wasn't anybody's fault, Kaoru-dono... and since the demon I fought was notably weaker, I suppose you have confronted way more formidable ones? In that case, I can understand why you were very hesitant to divulge more details about your job... after all, the average civilian must not even be aware these creatures exist." Sure enough, she would soon turn her gaze back towards Kaoru, and within seconds, flashes him a sad, resigned smile, as if accepting the fact she might not be able to keep her memories intact.

    "Yet whatever the case, I'm still glad I got to be your friend; in fact, the moments I got to spend with you were truly one of the happiest I ever got to experience... because for once, I was finally permitted the chance to be a normal woman."