"...Master, could you please get him out of this room. I feel, as some humans in social media have described, being violated. I believe I won't be able to face the rest of my AI brethren with this kind of shame, nor am I able to marry them," Fairy says in a monotone voice, causing a reaction whiplash to everyone in the room.
"...okay, Fairy. What the fuck?" Wise can't help but blurt out in shock.
"Your supernova friend had seen my entire algorithm with his repulsive eyes. It's an equivalent of having an X-ray vision, and he used it to see through women's clothes." Fairy explains, as everyone looks embarrassed.
"...can anyone help me get out of here?" Caelus asks as he keeps closing his eyes. Wise and Belle decided to lend a helping hand and drag him out.
"You're really okay?" Phil asks in concern as he walks beside Caelus.
"I'll try," Caelus says with a sheepish grin. "Sorry for worrying everyone."
"...I'm not concerned." Phil huffs, acting like he didn't sound worried and panicked earlier.
"I'm sure you were screaming his name a few seconds ago," Trigger teases, causing Phil to blush in embarrassment.
"Jokes aside," Wise says as he looks at Caelus, who still closes his eyes. "Are you truly fine?"
"Yeah, just ...some information overload..." Caelus groans before slowly opening his eyes. Everyone (Except Trigger) notices his eyes have stopped glowing blue. "...yeah, I finally turn off whatever that vision was."
[Erudition (Lvl 1): Grants the Pathstrider a better understanding of the knowledge they seek and enhances their intelligence (In your case, technology and engineering). Granted the users to use their knowledge as a literal power.]
'...so, like the Herta who uses the 'key' metaphor used on any quotes regarding knowledge literally?' Caelus thought, slightly confused about the final description. The system had read his thoughts and provided answers.
[Yes]
[Nous of Erudition also provided an added benefit to my ungrateful user]
[Eyes of Nous (LVL 0): Provides information on any items they saw, including humans. The more knowledgeable you are, the more detailed information that will be provided.]
[Notice: Any information you gather will be stored inside your brain, and the copy will be transferred into Nous' databank]
'...okay, Nous. You have earned your spot at my top 3 Aeons.' Caelus thought. An extra ability from a god with the condition of seeking information on this world? It's honestly a better deal than he expects.
"Caelus?" Belle asks, poking Caelus' arms. "Did you get another headache again?"
"Nah...just realize what that vision can truly do," Caelus says before explaining everything to them. It's safe to say that everyone looks shocked.
"Wow...that sounds cool," Seed says honestly. Belle goes silent before she enters the room, confusing everyone as she returns while holding a plier on her hand and slowly approaching Caelus. Caelus didn't need the Eyes of Nous to even know what she was planning to do.
"Belle, what are you doing?" Wise asks as Belle lifts the plier, pointing at Caelus.
"Caelus, be a dear and stay still," Belle says sweetly as Caelus sweatdrops.
"Yeah, no thanks," Caelus says before he runs away from the store at an impressive speed, while Belle somehow manages to catch up with him.
"Give me those eyes, Caelus!" Belle exclaims.
"No way, you crazy, jealous witch!" Caelus exclaims as he runs away. Every bystander on Sixth Street watches in utter confusion, wondering what is going on.
"I need those eyes! That way, we can toss Fairy out of this store, and we can save our budgets!" Belle explains.
"I love my eyes, thank you very much!" Caelus exclaims as he starts climbing the pipe on the arcade, and in a matter of seconds, he reaches the roof. Belle could only watch helplessly and waved the plier in frustration.
"...is your sister always this crazy?" Phil asks with a sweatdrop.
"I think the information she got from Caelus caused one hell of an existential crisis for her, and amplified by jealousy, that equals insanity," Wise says while groaning in exasperation.
"I am unfamiliar with human psychology, but I am quite sure that isn't how it works," Fairy responded.
"How sure are you?" Seed can't help but ask.
"...56.01%," Fairy admits reluctantly.
"...that low?" Phil mutters with a sweatdrop.
"...One thing is certain, my life wasn't this crazy until I met Caelus," Trigger admits.
"So, will you decide to stop watching us? Or even whatever Seed is planning?" Phil asks hopefully.
"Nope,"/"No chance!" Trigger and Seed say in unison, causing Phil to slump down. They all startle when Wise starts panicking and rushes over before they notice Belle is attempting to climb over the pipe like Caelus did.
For the sake of their sanity, they all lend a hand to pull Belle away from Caelus. Neither of them successfully calms Belle down as she rabidly tries to break herself free. Caelus let out a sigh while wondering how things had turned up like this.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Later
After things had calmed down, Caelus and Phil decided to return to their apartment, looking mentally exhausted. They mindlessly walk to the apartment's cafeteria and collapse on one of the empty seats. Meilian notices them and looks a bit concerned.
"Oh, dear. What happened to you two?" Meilian asks like a concerned grandmother.
"It...it was nothing, Miss Meilian..." Caelus says tiredly before slowly getting up. "Just slightly exhausted from...a commission."
"Dear..." Meilian says, slightly disappointed upon hearing the word commission. Usually, the commission is only used for Hollow Raiders using Inter-Knot to gain a few bucks.
"I-it was a legal one, requested from the Defense Force themselves," Caelus hastily says, waving his hands in slight panic.
"...why would the Defense Force request a commission to civilians?" Meilian frowns a bit.
"...you can say...beating a Dead-End Butcher had gained their attention, and they try to recruit me..." Caelus says while scratching his cheeks. "And Phil was smart enough to gain their attention."
"Which I regret. I wished I were an idiot." Phil moans.
"Don't wish something like that," Caelus chastises the young bunny Thiren tiredly before he slumps down.
"I hope it wasn't dangerous," Meilian says in concern.
"Nope."/"Not at all," Both boys say in unison, earning a deadpan look from Meilian before she sighs.
"Youngster..." Meilian says while shaking her head.
"...how's Slyboo?" Caelus asks as he straightens himself up.
"He's been a great help in the kitchen. Honestly, a greater help than you," Meilian teases as Caelus huffs a bit. "...but, I suggest you should talk to the Bangboo yourself."
"...w-what happened?" Caelus asks in concern.
"It seems that...he's a bit shaken up with anything related to the Hollow. Whenever I mentioned it offhandedly, I noticed the Bangboo stiffen up and a slight spark coming out of its head," Meilian says as Caelus grows even more concerned.
"Thanks for telling me, Miss Meilian," Caelus says before he gets up and walks to the kitchen. He had noticed that in these few days, Slyboo had been avoiding Hollow exploration whenever he offered if he wanted to join, but he didn't give much thought about it since he believed Slyboo simply wanted a break.
He didn't expect it would be worse, and he couldn't help but blame himself for not noticing it. Clearly, what had happened during the previous Hollow exploration had affected the Bangboo, and the only thing he could think of was his near-death experience.
He should've considered it as a possibility, but Slyboo being a Bangboo had made him dismiss it completely. He realizes it was a mistake, given how the majority of robots in this universe have sentience.
As he enters the kitchen, he notices Slyboo carrying a plate of food towards the counter. Gently, he approaches the Bangboo and lifts the plate, startling the poor guy as it glances at Caelus.
"N-Nah! (B-Boss!)" Slyboo exclaims nervously as Caelus merely smiles at him and lends a helping hand.
"Sly, we need to talk," Caelus says as Slyboo grows nervous.
"E-eh, nah? (S-sure, what is it?)." Slyboo asks.
"...Slyboo, have you been avoiding Hollow because of what happened back then?" Caelus asks as Slyboo stiffens a bit.
"E-eh na-nah-! (I-I have no-!)." Caelus didn't let him finish as he pats Slyboo's head.
"...look, I apologize," Caelus starts, causing the Bangboo to freeze. "I should have noticed how the incident had affected you. The only excuse I had was my inexperience in dealing with intelligent constructs, but that wasn't enough to notice how affected you were. So, I'm sorry..."
"....eh na nah... (....I honestly thought I'm going to lose you...)," Slyboo says as the LED in his eyes turns into teary eyes. "E-eh na, nah na... (Y-you were not moving, blood covering your body...)."
"Sssh, it's okay..." Caelus says as he pats Slyboo, who clutches his hands with his tiny arms and firmly locks Caelus's hand on his head.
"Eh na... (Please...)" Slyboo mutters. "Eh nah, na... (Don't die, boss...)."
"...I'm not going to," Caelus says softly, reassuring the tiny bot. "Not anytime soon..."
Meanwhile, Meilian simply smiled from a distance. Her enhanced hearing had caught the entire conversation without even getting closer. Phil is simply silent as he lies on the table, not saying a word despite also hearing the conversation.
'Caelus is...weird...' Phil thought honestly. 'He cares too much for people who were just a stranger...or even a tiny Bangboo whom I learn he just happened to meet after escaping the Hollow...I never met someone who cared so much...'
Phil glances at the kitchen as he sees Caelus getting up while lifting Slyboo on his arm, and says, " Bangboo hugs his arm like a koala on a tree.
'...for someone chosen by a bunch of space gods, he's too nice.'
To Be Continued