The time quickly passes by.
The big meeting looms ever closer... yet Jody still hasn't seen anyone who looks remotely like a Grandmaster or even a Master. Were they not on this floor? Perhaps they gathered somewhere else?
The areas they were familiar with hadn't changed. Right now, she was sitting with Syd in the cafeteria, having lunch.
Since Jody had annoyed Syd twice today, he was granted a special privilege: two cartons of his favorite strawberry milk. He was currently sipping one beside her, savoring every drop as if rationing it.
"Wait a sec... Since when do I have a strawberry milk quota?" he asked, perplexed.
Jody didn't answer. Syd kept sipping thoughtfully, contemplating the absurdity of his milk allowance.
"This is for your own good, Syd. Do you even know how many calories are in that strawberry milk?"
"Who cares?"
"Three hundred. That's equal to two plates of plain tomato spaghetti. And you're drinking two cartons—so, 600+ . That's equivalent to four full plates of pasta. And strawberry milk has 80 kcal from fat alone. That means you're getting nearly 200 kcal of pure fat. Not to mention the sugar content. Now look at your food..."
Syd glanced at his plate.
"Carbonara spaghetti?"
"Carbonara averages over 700 kcal, and that's me lowballing it. Fat content alone is around 400 kcal. So this meal gives you over 600 kcal from fat alone. Want the conclusion?"
"What?"
"You've consumed over 1,300 kilocalories this meal—twice the recommended intake per sitting."
"Whatever. I eat what I want. Healthy food tastes like cardboard. Honestly, all health food tastes like cardboard. Why is your life so sad? It's not just your life that's sad, your food is sad too."
"You're such a brat. I should slap that mouth."
"Hey—!?"
Thwap.
She gave his lips a light slap.
Syd twirled his fork into the carbonara and stuffed it into his mouth, sulking.
Clink.
A hot cup of Starbucks coffee was placed beside Jody. She turned to see Roxxy, who had brought it over with Jade by her side.
"Get any closer and I'll report you for harassment of a minor," Roxxy warned while placing the steaming cup on the table.
Jody accepted it, then looked surprised.
"Huh? There's a Starbucks here?"
"Bought it from upstairs," Roxxy replied.
"No wonder you were gone so long. You bought this for me?"
"I just saw it and figured you'd like it. That's all."
"And how did you know I drink black coffee?"
Jody opened the lid—it was exactly what she always ordered back in London. It would've been difficult to guess. Roxxy had clearly been paying attention to her habits.
"Well... I saw you spill it once," Roxxy mumbled shyly.
Syd: "Damn... not only is your food sad, even your coffee is sad."
"I noticed you hadn't had one in a while, so I—whoa!"
Before she could finish, Jody placed a hand on her head and gently ruffled her hair with a warm smile.
"Thank you... Nóng Karn."
"...It's nothing."
Roxxy folded her arms and looked away, flustered.
"You're such a sweet girl. I've never received something like this before. Thank you so much."
"Ack—!"
Jody hugged the younger girl tightly.
"...Uh... mm-hmm..."
Roxxy looked mildly overwhelmed.
"You're both so adorable."
"You're terrifying..." Roxxy muttered as she was released, and the three girls sat together.
"You done with your rounds?" Syd asked Jade, who rarely got to sit with them because she was always busy.
"Just now... whew... I haven't even eaten yet..."
The Colombian supervisor slumped into her seat and unwrapped a sandwich like her soul had left her body.
"Ever since I found out Jody was an Elementalist, I haven't had a break."
"I should apologize... shouldn't I?" Jody asked sincerely.
"No need. I'm just teasing."
Jade perked up the moment she took a bite.
"So..." Jody leaned back in her chair, sipped her drink, and turned to Roxxy. "How long have you known Jade?"
"Years," Roxxy replied. "Outside of the people I'm really close to, it's mostly just her. Besides Jade, there's Denji, Liu... the rest are just acquaintances. Once you're officially part of the organization, you'll make your own friends."
Syd: "Judging by her state, maybe help her find a wheelchair first."
Jody: "You're good at sarcasm, huh? So sharp... Nóng Gìft~"
Syd: "Gìft my a—"
"And you're all in the same unit?" Jody asked Jade, who was wiping mayonnaise from her lips.
"Everyone at this table, yes. Gìft and Karn are in my unit. Mickey too. The three of them are under my supervision. Toshi was borrowed from another unit since we needed his abilities."
"So that means you're in charge of three agents and three Novas? I don't recognize any of the others."
Syd: "Knowing them and being close to them are two different things."
Jade: "We know them, sure. But no one wants to be close to Syd."
Syd: "Geniuses walk alone. Can't help it."
Roxxy: "God, I wanna kick him so bad..."
"...Oh, but I've been curious about one thing."
"Hm?" Jade asked.
"I heard Roxxy and Mickey joined after Syd. So how did they end up in the same unit? I mean, no offense Roxxy, but shouldn't Syd have been placed further ahead?"
"...Ah, so you're saying Syd should be in another unit with higher-ranking agents?"
"Something like that."
"Well..."
Jade sighed, placing her hand on the table.
"The truth is... Syd was transferred to my unit."
"Transferred? By who?"
"You-know-who," Syd muttered, propping his feet on the table with a bored expression.
"...Annie? Your mom?"
"I used to be in a different unit," he continued. "But I got moved to my sister's. Then we met that gay dude in Germany, and here we are."
"Why did your mom transfer you? I get Denji—he's in another branch. But even Toshi's in a different unit."
"...She wanted me to look after her," Syd said, pointing at Roxxy with a mocking grin. "She's as tiny as a puppy. One grab and she's done for."
Roxxy: "Tiny but still kicked your face in."
"Still waiting for round two."
"..."
Roxxy frowned and sipped her coffee. Syd smirked and turned to Jody.
"Maybe the reason she doesn't like you is because you're taller than her. Hahaha."
Roxxy clenched her fist. Jade edged away.
"Keep going and I'll dropkick you in the meeting hall," Jody warned, shaking her head.
"Think about it. This girl chugs milk daily, plays basketball, lifts weights—but still stuck at 165 cm. Meanwhile, you've got brittle bones but you're almost as tall as me. If I were her, I'd bite my own tongue."
"Bully," Jody muttered.
Syd just shrugged, acting like it was obvious. He was completely unaware his sister was seconds away from swinging at him.
Roxxy fumed in silence.
"She's adorable though," Jody said with a smile, turning to Roxxy. "Height doesn't make someone charming. You're a sweetheart regardless. You're only 15 now, but everything you're doing will pay off when you're 17. Big sis guarantees it."
Roxxy looked away shyly. Jody kept going.
"Height doesn't define you. Look at your brother—he was almost perfect... except..."
Roxxy: "Except what?"
"His brain. circles finger near her head Still in elementary school—ack!"
Jody was put in a chokehold.
"Huh? What was that? Say it again?"
Syd leaned in and whispered next to her ear, making her shiver.
Jody flailed, tapping out.
"Say 'Nóng Gìft is very handsome'—oof—really now."
"In front of everyone too..."
Syd finally let her go. Jody rubbed her neck, while Roxxy smirked, satisfied justice had been served. Jade smiled too, for reasons unknown.
"Keep teasing and I'll RKO you in the middle of the assembly."
"Please no~ I surrender."
Jody gave a mock Thai-style wai of apology.
"You sound way too happy about that."
"Oh~ Nóng Gìft is so perceptive—"
"Ma'am."
The conversation was abruptly cut short.
Jade and Roxxy both slid their chairs back in unison and stood straight at attention—completely synchronized.
Their faces were turned toward something behind Jody and Syd.
It happened instantly.
Jade dropped her sandwich. Roxxy froze, cup still in hand. Even Syd—normally unflinching—had gone silent, eyes fixed behind Jody.
Jody could feel it too.
Someone was standing directly behind her.
Her senses tingled. The air current was being blocked—by a "woman" standing dangerously close behind her.
She hadn't even realized someone had approached...
Tension filled the air.
Goosebumps crept up her back. Her pulse surged at just the presence. Her eyes widened, breath caught in her chest. Slowly, she tilted her head—clockwise, inch by inch—
And saw the face of a short-haired woman, staring directly at the table.