Prior to November 10th's arrival, the dawn of the 9th day saw Ciel Adams' awakening from his night slumber. What awaited him was the familiar sight of the bedroom's ceiling. His green eyes stared blankly upon it for a moment before he made the effort to move.
Pain engulfed every fiber of his muscles, its presence undeniable regardless of his indifferent attitude towards it.
Once fully up, Ciel first examined his body. He did not see what Wilson had used to heal him, however it must have been some sort of mystical artifact, perhaps one provided by the individual who brought the Esper Program to him.
Its effects were truly remarkable…
No traces of his previous injuries remained on the surface, the only fault being a general pain which encompassed the entirety of his body.
Ciel could not complain though— After all, he was now a high ranking member of the Red Tiger Gang, or at least he would be soon. He had already complied with the initial part of their deal, writing down a comprehensive breakdown of his esper knowledge.
Beyond that he also wrote down ways in which an esper could 'connect' with their bodies. An espers ability to perform different applications stemmed from two factors: Their knowledge of their biology, and the ability to sense the very parts which they wish to manipulate.
An esper who is told of an application can easily grasp it by virtue of understanding what it is they are trying to accomplish. However, an esper can also learn this application on their own by forming connections with their very atoms and freely moving them to a desired formation or state.
The first method is far simpler and works for most novice espers, however if one wishes to become a truly powerful esper then they must learn the second method as well and eventually even develop unique applications.
Ciel had revealed it all for the usage of the Red Tiger Boss.
If that did not win him good favor then nothing would. He still had more to reveal, however Wilson Francis needed to keep his side of the deal first.
Ciel was already seeing a few privileges that came with his new status.
The first of which was the Red Tiger Gang's backing in covering up the truth behind the bloodbath that unfolded within the Royal Casino. The District Police had conducted a search of the casino and even launched an investigation on the incident.
However, Ciel's involvement has already been concealed, with the suspect now said to be a young man with tanned skin, brown hair, and dark eyes. That was a true blessing for Ciel as it meant he would not have to worry about a manhunt for his head by the police force… At least for now.
Still, after he wrote down the information he promised, Ciel was made to wait until it was clear for him to leave the Royal Casino. Once the hour hit 4 in the morning, he was snuck out through a back exit with a few Red Tigers as escorts.
Upon his return to room twelve of the Hazard Hotel, he ignored Rin's attempts to pry on what transpired and immediately entered the bedroom before collapsing.
With his fatigue now dealt with, Ciel exited the bedroom. The moment he stepped outside, his eyes fell upon the holographic monitor. As per usual it was on and playing what appeared like an action movie. Ciel did not care about that— Instead his gaze was directed upon the bottom left corner of the monitor where the time and date were illuminated by a soft green light.
'9:34 AM – November 9th, 186 AJ'
So I can notice it now huh…
Ciel's thoughts were interrupted by the clear feeling of being observed. He turned his head down slightly and he was met by two dazzling red gems aimed his way. On them was clear curiosity.
"Morning…"
Rin's pleasant greeting reached his ears.
Ciel nodded.
"Morning."
Ciel said simply. Rin meanwhile only continued to stare upon him silently. The creature of ash was situated upon the position she always was, her legs tightly tucked by her scorched arms. She still retained her usual grotesque appearance, however upon this day there was a glaring difference to her: The infernal vampire was wearing a dress.
From the two which Ciel bought, it seemed that Rin had judged the pure crimson maxi-dress as her desired choice.
Its deep shade of scarlet paired beautifully with her dazzling red gaze. So much so that Ciel found himself pondering just what Rin's true appearance was like.
Would her beauty fail to match the unfathomable allure of her voice and gaze?
Ciel took that contemplation with him into the bathroom, there he took his morning shower before exiting from it ten minutes later.
Unlike the day prior, Ciel no longer wore the cheap clothes that he acquired. Instead he now donned a set of expensive fabric, ones of the Living Category no less.
He wore a black pants and a long sleeve shirt, paired with laceless shoes and a deep crimson jacket. The jacket contained a few black patches and stripes, along with a few straps beneath its surface designed for accommodating a variety of different weaponry.
A tangible upgrade all things considered.
It was as he finished equipping the crimson jacket that Rin's sweet voice reached him.
"How charming… I take it that all was fruitful?"
Ciel turned his focus to her.
"Yes. I am now a member of the Red Tiger Gang. This is good, It means I will secure myself with proper weaponry."
He examined her ashen state for a moment then added.
"It should also give me the resources I need to find more aberrations."
Rin's charred lips curled slightly as her vermilion eyes shone for a moment, her delight unable to be hidden.
"Fruitful indeed… I grow tired of my state with each passing moment. If you free me of such a fate, then I shall keep my word and grant you my aid upon whatever it is you desire."
Ciel's gaze turned somewhat cold.
"So you say, but there is nothing I trust less in this world than sweet words. Your pace will mirror mine, the moment you try to surpass me, I won't hesitate to kill you. Remember that fiend."
Rin showed no signs of anger, rather her curled lips only rose further.
"Such a cold master, and full of mysteries. I suspect it runs just as deep as my own unknowables. I wonder however, just what drives a creature like you forward? Is there even a thing upon this world which you care about more than yourself?"
Ciel did not comment on Rin's words, instead he turned and searched for a particular item that he was gifted the night prior: A cell-phone. On it was a single contact number, belonging to an individual named Leonard Cobb. That was to be his escort and most likely his supervisor as well.
Ciel quickly formed a message and sent it forth. He then turned to Rin once more.
"Get ready, we will be relocating soon."
Saying nothing else, Ciel walked towards the kitchen area. Rin followed his back with a stiff adjustment of her charred neck as she muttered.
"Ready."
*****
Ciel tried to see if he could complete a meal before the arrival of his escort, however he lacked the ingredients to cook anything. He could not even consider the option of traveling to a nearby shop and acquiring a small meal as only five minutes after he sent the message, a door knock reverberated.
I was foolish to not consider my meal beforehand…
He thought simply before dismissing the hunger that his body signalled. Ciel had no luggage to take with him— If one excluded Rin of course— And so upon hearing the door knock he approached it fully ready for his departure.
Opening the door slightly, he peered outside. There a sole figure awaited him. It was a tall man with a lean build. He possessed a goatee, brown eyes, and short dark hair. He wore a suit and exerted a calm temperament.
Their eyes met and the tall man, Leonard Cobb, bowed respectfully.
"I take it that you are the new Red Commander? My name is Leonard Cobb, your guide, assistant, and supervisor. I have been briefed on all of the most important details regarding your deal with our boss…"
He seemed to hesitate for a moment before continuing.
"That briefing stated that with you is a companion not of human descent? Were those literal words or merely a method of expression? I am hesitant to accept that such creatures exist, you see."
Ciel examined him for a while before donning a radiant smile.
"Ah yes nice to meet you! As for my companion, I find myself bound to her through thick or thin, much like a wife really."
As he spoke cheerfully he fully opened the door, immediately exposing Rin to Leonard's eyesight. Leonard showed a visible sign of shock as he hesitantly took a few steps back. Rin meanwhile turned her dazzling crimson gaze towards him before nodding stiffly, still situated in the same position that she always was.
Eventually, Leonard returned his gaze to the smiling Ciel.
"Um, quite an interesting choice for a companion. Placing aside the apparent existence of monsters, for you to associate with her makes you either very bold or very idiotic."
Leonard said, his voice sounding somewhat apprehensive.
Ciel shrugged.
"What can I say? I like wild women. As it turns out, human women aren't wild enough."
Clapping his hands together, he added.
"That aside, can we get going?"