Aurora Over a Dead World

Chapter 46: Chocolate

"..." I linger a bit, looking at my new prosthetics. They’re almost copies of the old ones, still a bit stiff, but I can deal with that later using the "trick" Delilah taught me with the hot water and calibration.

"[You seem fine]"

"Yeah... I guess so. In a way, my prosthetics were already old, already worn out. Replacing them might have been for the best. I was putting off changing them, so what happened forced it."

"[I don’t understand. How have you never broken your prosthetics before, but you’ve broken them twice now?]" Nexus asks an interesting question.

"When I was a commander, I was extremely careful with my prosthetics. Breaking them in combat could mean my death, so I did everything to protect them."

"Now, I don’t need to defend them as intensely. Besides, they were broken because of my students, not because I fought an enemy who broke them."

"It’s just the context, you understand that. In direct combat, they wouldn’t have managed it. Plus, all my broken prosthetics were Eirwen’s fault. One was broken protecting her, and the other was because of the cold she generated."

"...Do you think I’m irresponsible? That offends me. I take very good care of my prosthetics. They’ve been damaged in combat many times, but I never let it get to the point of breaking."

"They only broke now because of situations out of my control." It’s exactly because of this that I’m sure my chances of dying have increased since I became a teacher.

Each student has the potential to kill me because of the context. They aren’t direct enemies, and I can’t just kill them if they start causing me harm. One of the clear reasons why I hate being a teacher.

"Changing the subject, Nexus, I need a new phone. Buy one for me. Also, where is Ashlyn?"

"[Ashlyn is currently at the research center, while they explain various things about everything related to the cube to her]"

"...I want to use the simulator. Have them prepare it for use. I’m going to take the students who show up for class today to experience what a mission as soldiers is like."

"[I’ll do that immediately... there are still 2 hours until class. Do you wish to do anything else?]"

"No, I just want to rest a little..." I grab a lollipop from my clothes, but I notice it’s completely frozen.

’Damn it...’ I take out all my lollipops and notice that every single one of them is ruined because of the cold Eirwen generated.

"That goddamn son of a bitch, I—"

"[That seems excessive. I feel like you would curse that girl’s entire family lineage over candy]" Nexus stops me.

"It’s one of my few pleasures in life, and she destroyed it!"

"[You seem angrier about the candy than about the prosthetics... why don’t you try something else? We have coffee here in the teachers’ lounge, there’s also an oven with pastries, bread, and—]"

"Forget it. If it’s not lollipops, I don’t want it. I don’t care about other sweets that aren’t specifically lollipops, preferably from the same brand I always buy!! I literally financed the company with a lot of my money in the past to become a partner and prevent it from being sold or stopping production."

"Do you think someone who becomes a partner in a company just to eat its product would be happy to see the product destroyed?!"

"[Wait, you’re a partner in a company?]"

"More on paper. I don’t make decisions despite having power, and I don’t have a huge share, just enough to block the others’ voting power so they can’t discontinue the product or change the recipe. Besides, the government manages it for me. Those bastards eat 30% of the profits with the excuse of taking care of it since I don’t know how to do that."

"[I see. So you just put in the money and left it to the wind, as long as the wind comes back with candy]"

"Something like that. But at least the government stopped them from ceasing production of my candy, so they manage it relatively well. And it’s not like I care about the money. A large part of what comes as income from that company, I send back to finance the production of my candy."

"[Why?]"

"Because this lollipop isn’t bought that much, so it runs at a loss. So I pay extra for it because if it goes into the red, they can pull the candy regardless of what I want. If I finance part of the production, the cost drops!"

"[Your love for this candy is almost absurd]"

"Maybe. But I prefer to think of myself as someone who’s firm about what I want and who does what needs to be done for what I want to have."

"[That sounds harmful]"

"...The world isn’t beautiful enough for me to live smiling because of it. It’s almost hypocritical, when you live in hell, to want someone to be happy. Lollipops, regardless of the moment, make me content."

"[Almost like a drug, then?]"

"Call it whatever you want, considering I’m addicted to it. But at least it’s not something that destroys my brain. It’s just candy. I even love the cracking sound they make when they break against my teeth."

"[That sounds pretty cool. Humans are interesting. And Commander Nadir, does he also have a vice?]"

"Nadir has an extreme addiction specifically to dark chocolate... nothing else." In the end, Nadir and I are the same person, so he also picked up an addiction to a specific sweet and only that. Besides, ironically, he also became a partner in the chocolate company that produces the candy he likes. It’s almost ironic that we thought the same way in that moment.

"[What’s the reason for that? There must be a big reason?]"

"...It doesn’t matter..." I’d rather not talk to Nexus, but mentioning Nadir made me remember where this probably started. It was on the streets when we were both 13.

...

...

...

"Hey, crybaby! Are you feeling better?" I ask Nadir, who’s lying on the floor wrapped in an old blanket and some rags. I try to hide the concern in my voice, but he looks terrible.

"I-I am... sorry for being a bother..."

"Don’t apologize for being sick, you idiot..." I wish I could steal medicine for him, but it’s too expensive and the store security is way too tight. If I get caught, the guards will beat me up, and if I’m hurt, I won’t be able to take care of Nadir.

"It’s just that you’re trying so hard... i-if I survive... I-I promise I’ll get really strong! I-I’ll work out and become powerful to protect you."

"...Only you could be this stupid!! Y-You’re just sick with a cold or something like that. Men really fall apart over anything!!" I say this trying to downplay it, but he has an extreme fever and can barely eat or drink anything. Besides, it’s already been a week that he’s been like this, and he seems to be getting worse.

"I-I’m sorry..."

"Stop apologizing, crybaby! I hate it when you apologize, it’s annoying... seriously, what a huge problem you are..." I think about the uniformed people I saw passing through the streets.

’Soldiers... soldiers have powers... should I... become a soldier? If I were a soldier, I could have money and power to protect Nadir...’ For the first time, I think about that. I heard they have really hard lives, but my life is already shit, so throwing myself headfirst into other difficulties that at least reward me might be worth it.

’Chips... I heard they’re dangerous to put in your head... if I died... would Nadir die because he’d have no one to take care of him?...’ I look at Nadir on the floor. I’ve never seen such a pathetic boy.

He’s weak, kind of cowardly, and a crybaby, but he’s also adorable, gentle, and hardworking, just as he’s very smart. If he weren’t in this damn hole and instead in a good family, he would undoubtedly become someone important.

"...Hey, crybaby, I’m going to give you something..." I say with a sigh as I go over to a wall. I search for a specific brick and punch it. Nadir looks worried as my hand bleeds, but with the brick broken, I grab it with my fingers and pull it out of the wall, revealing a small compartment protected from insects, rats, and other small pests.

"..." I grab a chocolate bar, something I stole a few days ago and was thinking about what to do with. I wanted to trade it with some boys for money by selling the candy, but I changed my mind.

’This would give me enough money to buy food for a few days... but Nadir can’t eat anything without trying to throw up... so I guess there’s no point in trying to buy normal food...’

I hand the bar to Nadir, who stares at the wrapper with curiosity before it turns to astonishment.

"C-Chocolate!! I don’t know what it says, but it looks really cool!" He speaks a little excitedly, even though his voice is very hoarse.

"Yes, it’s chocolate. Now eat it. And if you don’t eat it, I swear I’ll shove it down your throat by force! Don’t waste a single piece," I say with seriousness. He needs to eat something, even if it’s just candy, to have strength, or I’m afraid he really will die.

"...O-Ok..." He tries to open the wrapper, but he barely has the strength to manage it. I pull it from his hand, a little frustrated, and open it for him.

"Eat it all." I hand it to him, and he starts eating. He seems to be trying very hard with each bite and trying even harder not to throw up while I watch, a little relieved. I heard that sweets give you energy. This will help him get better, I think.

"D-Do you want a piece?"

"..." I stare at the chocolate bar, and I must admit I’m starving. I barely ate anything in the last few days because I gave everything to him. I ate just the bare minimum not to faint from hunger.

"No, I’m not hungry. Eat that quickly before some idiot shows up to steal it from you."

...

...

...

"[Zenith, do you like dark chocolate?]" Nexus asks me, pulling me out of my daydreams about the past.

"...Honestly, I hate it. Only Nadir could like that crap. Who buys a candy for it to be bitter? That goes completely against the point of buying something sweet. It sounds so stupid," I say, trying not to think about the past.

"Anyway, since there’s a lot of time until class, but too little time for me to go back home and sleep, I think I’ll take a shower in the academy bathrooms and put on whatever suitable clothes are there."