CHAPTER 44: 44: BREAKFAST BEFORE GOODBYE

"No."

"Miss Aria, you left this." Samantha came running over, holding another paper bag from her new clothing store at Wishing Stop Station, The Emperor’s New Clothes.

Oh, that is right, she almost forgot these were the clothes she had bought for the male lead just last night.

"Thanks, Sam." Aria opened the bag, revealing the carefully folded clothes inside, and gently pushed it toward the male lead.

"Here, you can take these. I brought some shirts, pants, and shoes for you. Consider this my little way of thanking you for all your kindness."

Caelan gazed at the woman’s face under the post light.

Her golden eyes were the same, radiating a quiet kindness and a subtle familiarity he could not ignore.

He held the package in his right hand and opened it, his mind drifting into deep thought.

How could someone have such easy access to these materials?

They looked completely new, untouched by anyone.

The sight of them made him even more eager to see the Heavenly Train Station that the others had been talking about.

Last night, after he had gotten into his car, he kept wondering why he could not see what the others could see.

The thought had made him want to stay here for several more days, yet he knew he had to go back first.

"Are you hungry? How about we eat breakfast first?" Aria had not eaten yet, thinking she could share the meal with the male lead.

She did not want him to feel bad eating alone while she stood there. Besides, she had her own reason for wanting to eat together.

Caelan nodded and took the initiative to set the takeout boxes outside.

They did not go inside the car, avoiding any potential mess. Using the car’s front surface as a makeshift table, they could eat comfortably, even if they had to stand, which was no problem for either of them.

In the morning, the Train Mall food hall had more stalls open, serving eggs, bacon, rice, and bread, while the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee drifted through the air.

With their stomachs grumbling at the scent, Aria was not shy about spending her credits on morning meals for everyone.

As they ate on their side, the group of men across from them, also awake, began to feel their hunger stirred by the scent of the food.

However, even if someone wanted to rush over and snatch the food from Aria’s hands, they managed to control themselves on the spot.

One glanced at their sleeping boss, none dared to act.

As their boss had said last night, they could not mess with this Golden woman.

She was not ordinary at first glance.

No one could guess her superpower abilities, but the fact that she could share and exchange food so easily was not something just anyone could do.

That was enough to know the others are not good to make enemies with.

They needed to build a good relationship with her.

Some of the others were unhappy with this arrangement, but they obeyed for the sake of food, silently enduring their frustration.

When Aria was eating with the male lead, she had no idea what the group of men were thinking, or how much their eyes lingered on the food in her hands. She didn’t seem to notice them at all, completely focused on the quiet company of the male lead.

"Are you going back today?" She asked, expecting him to say yes, even though she already knew what his answer would be.

The male lead nodded, taking a bite of his sandwich after a sip of dark coffee. The scent of it mixed with the morning air, faint yet strong.

Aria watched him for a moment, then quietly understood.

This person must be needed back at Base A, and it seemed they would be parting today. She had actually wanted to ask if he could help her find a place to stay.

Now that she heard he had to go back, she decided not to delay him any longer.

"I’m wondering." Aria decided it was better to change the subject and spoke again, her tone careful.

"Why were you in that city when we met each other?"

That question had been sitting in her mind ever since their first meeting.

Caelan looked at her and saw the genuine curiosity in her golden eyes. He didn’t turn her away from the answer.

"I’m looking for the Mutant Queen."

"Mutant Queen?" Aria echoed under her breath.

The name felt strangely familiar on her tongue. Then she finally remembered she had written about that mutant being, the one who controlled all the infected across the world.

Although the details were hazy now about this Mutant Queen, she knew it had only been part of her draft in the notebook, one of the final villains before the heroine and her team could finally rebuild human society.

As long as the Mutant Queen was alive, peace would never return to this world.

That thought made her chest tighten, and she fell into a deep, silent trance.

It was something she herself had created in a notebook long ago, yet now it would soon stand before her, real and breathing.

A quiet guilt stirred within her as she looked at Caelan.

Was it the guilt of an author toward the characters she had made suffer all this time, or the guilt of facing one who now stood before her in flesh and life, ruined by her own hand?

Absentmindedly, she barely asked in a whisper. "Have you met the Mutant Queen before?"

"I did." Caelan answered, staring at the golden-haired woman with cold eyes.

"Oh..." Aria slowly looked up, her eyes meeting his.

As the sunlight finally spread across the Earth, the male lead left for Base A in the Capital.

Aria stood there, watching his car slowly disappear, silently nodding to herself.

It was better for him to leave, as she realized she was starting to get attached to the other person. Still, she quietly wished him a safe trip back.

As Aria turned back, ready to head inside the station, her face met the boss of the group of men from yesterday. The memory rushed back, and she instinctively stepped away in caution.

"What?"

"Golden Princess, I see your boyfriend just left. Will you be okay?" Michael asked with a grin that carried the air of a street hooligan.

Aria’s expression was almost annoyed, her brows knitting together. She was about to tell him to leave, but his next words came first.

"May I ask for the takeout boxes again from last night?"

Even though some of the men wanted to push this woman down and take advantage of the situation, the thought of having food in their stomachs was far more tempting than a moment of pleasure.

Because of that, Michael was confident no one would dare cause trouble, having already warned his men twice after seeing the young man from earlier leave the area.

"What can you exchange?" Aria asked, spotting the business chance.

Her eyes scanned the area, thinking about what needed to be done. The group of men standing before her did not look good in her eyes, especially since they had left a bad first impression yesterday.

"Exchange... can’t it be free, or out of your kindness?" Michael said, not wanting to trade again with this golden princess.

Aria huffed, crossed her arms, and gave a stern look. "No free meal. No hard work, no food."

Then an idea crossed her mind.

"Alright, if you want food, I can give it to you. But first, you must clean the surroundings here, from that place to the point on the other side." Aria raised her hand, pointing from one end to another to show where the Golden Barrier nearly ended.

The mess around the station was not a pleasant sight. She had to do something about it, and this group of men was just the right workforce for the job, which worked out well for her.

"That..." Michael said slowly, dragging out the sound.

And just like that, the deal between Aria and the group of men began.

After informing Samantha and Lolo to order more takeout boxes, she learned there were actually nine men in the group, plus their boss.

Yesterday, she had thought there were ten of them, but now that she thought about it carefully, it seemed there were only nine.

While the men worked hard for the sake of their meal, Aria went back inside the station to take another shower in the staff area bathroom.

Afterward, she changed into more suitable clothes for her next task, finding a proper house for herself and the people around her.

"You said I can buy a house, right?" The question was for the Fluff Ball floating beside her as she walked down the stairs.

"Yes, Host."

"But? Yes, but what? I can tell you’re hiding something. It feels like you’re about to stop me from doing it." Aria said, suspicion lacing her tone. Then her eyes glanced toward Samantha, who was handing out the takeout boxes to the men with a stern expression.

It was the first time Aria had seen Samantha like this. The gentle woman she usually knew was gone, replaced by someone who seemed like a stranger.

"Host must open the next station in the next city."