Coeus?

Chapter 8: ~State of things.~

The world government has announced a new space program! They intend to visit Mars and other planets in the solar system within a decade. Utilizing the resources of other planets shall finally stop the harsh pressure on the population. The stars shall be humanity's future.

-Newspaper

***Aether, The Floating City, above the Atlantic Ocean***

***Gideon***

I am sitting on grandmother's lap while listening to Ed's sermon. Right now the faceless are swarming our place with several dozen agents. Someone tried to impersonate them after all. It seems like they aren't taking that lightly.

My grandfather seems to be very unhappy about it. I already gathered that he dislikes the faceless for their far reaching rights. He is saying that they are restricting the freedom of a lawful citizen, namely his own. I wonder what caused his aversion to authority.

My foot also got healed, though not immediately. A few minutes after Ed took over, ten doctors arrived at the scene. They threw themselves at the injured assassin like vultures in order to save her life.

They could've at least spared me a glance. But my leg hurt so much that I had to get at least some painkillers. Only after I asked one of the healers for treatment did I get some attention. Though the doctor in question seemed a little down because he didn't manage to snatch one of the attacker's limbs for himself.

I decide to return my attention to the discussion.

...the assassin was identified as a member of the so called Revelation Wing. Ed eyes my grandparents and my aunt. They arrived soon after the incident. Aunty seemed really shocked while grandmother cried tears of joy upon finding out that I am alright.

What's the Revelation Wing? I ask.

Ed looks down at me like I am some kind of backwoodsman. The Revelation Wing is a small group of extremists. They believe that mage-society should reveal itself to the humans and reclaim their place among them, he explains.

Then he adds his own opinion. They are hypocrites who left Earth during the exodus, but are still preaching that hiding ourselves is wrong. If they had any spine, they would have stayed with the rest of their comrades on earth.

Well, but according to my knowledge those who stayed behind are dead. So they were smart enough to become hypocrites instead of being killed one by one.

Why did they target Gideon? my aunt asks. He hasn't done anything.

Ed shakes his head. His mother Sadina had some dealings with their leader. He is a ruthless fellow who likes to pay his debts. He wanted Gideon's mother to hack the national news services of several of Earth's governments.

But she tricked him and ran off with a part of the Revelation Wing's capital. Most likely to fund her own research with it. I don't care much for the dealings between lawless individuals, but in this case you can see why they may hold a grudge.

So it's related to my mother after all. Though I would like to know how the faceless came across this information. Do they have a mole within the Revelation Wing?

If they had, they wouldn't admit it to me. So asking about it is a waste of time. Maybe I can get some more information if I use my status as a poor, abandoned child.

I doubt that my supposed mother cares if those terrorists get their hands on me. I add my opinion and for some reason Melan pats my head.

Ed shrugs and changes his posture a little. The Revelation Wing obviously thinks differently. From their point of view she hid you with the normals to keep them from getting their hands on you.

He changes his attention towards Melan. And the next time you try to hide something from the authorities, you might as well go all the way and use a false name. Somehow the Revelation Wing got their hands on his test results. Entering Gideon into the school system is what got them informed of his existence.

I was found by being entered into the school system? Why should I need to go to school?

I didn't particularly try to hide information. My grandmother's arms tighten around me. I just wanted to know about Gideon's status and didn't bother to take the official path. It was just a test after all.

Ed pulls a sheet of paper from a pouch in his coat. Oh, I think you did know what you were doing. You lot seem to like hiding certain things from me. But I admit that you are good at keeping yourself out of the line of fire. Up until now there wasn't a single case in which you couldn't claim that you were simply lax in following your duties.

He turns the sheet of paper around. It turns out to be a copy of my test results from a few weeks earlier. He fried an examination sprite? Do you know what that means?

Nobody answers, so I decide to break the silence. No. What does it mean?

Ed stores the sheet away and answers. It means that you are a very fast one. I know of less than a hundred people who can outperform an examination sprite.

Ok? I know that I am super fast. That's nothing new to me. Somehow I fail to get the point.

Ed shrugs his shoulders. You will... at some point.

My aunt starts massaging her temple. So what now?

You will simply go on with your lives. We faceless will do our part to uphold law and order. Catching a member of the Revelation Wing alive created a big dent in their security. And it will gain me a promotion. Ed places both hands on his belt.

He looks very satisfied as far as I can judge. No, wait. That's not the problem. I point at Ed. But I was the one who caught her! He is taking my spoils!

Ed deliberately ignores me and continues. Right now they must be in the process of going underground. They will hide themselves as deep as possible and lay low for a while. Ed tilts his head as if he is thinking about something. I doubt that they have the guts to make another attempt, but just in case I will leave this battle sprite here.

As if it was waiting for the command, a robot with six legs enters the room. It looks like a really mean crab with strange stumps as arms. It's about a metre tall and the whole body silver and shiny. It sparkles like it's completely new. Ed pats its head proudly. This is battle sprite C-34. Just call him Crono. He has been working with our agency for fourteen years and will act as a bodyguard for the time being. I'll excuse myself then.

It's a fricking robot! A real robot! That's even better than the gun! I wrestle myself free from my Grandmother's hands and approach Crono. He even has two cameras as eyes! Hi. Crono doesn't reply and scans the room with his eyes instead.

He is a little shy. Ed explains and turns around, leaving us to our own devices.

I continue to study Crono until my grandmother interrupts me. I have to talk to you about something.

About what? I ask.

About the reason why I was out today. She smiles, nods and claps her hands together. I arranged it so that you can attend school upon turning seven.

School? Me?

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