145 Suspicion and Responsibility

"So, you're saying… this creature, instead of abducting with the intent to kill you, it even gave you a boon?"

Aldrin had a hand on his forehead as he listened to Irina narrate what exactly happened to her. But part of his focus was still directed to the blue creature. If earlier, it was about three meters tall and a meter wide, it had now shrunk to the size of a pumpkin and was currently being hugged by Irina dotingly as if it was her pet or something.

"Yes. I also don't quite get it at first but you see, Myul is a friendly creature. Even if it can't speak, it can communicate with me…"

Irina didn't need to finish her sentence for Aldrin to understand it. The golden-colored Minor Aura Veil that he witnessed earlier was real. Moreover, she didn't just suddenly become a late Stage 1 Energy Refiner, she became a peak Stage 1! According to her, her Energy Quintessence and Energy Channels were already stuffed full of Dimensional Energy. And even then, there's some kind of golden ball that still hasn't dissolved yet.

She's at a bottleneck. Sooner or later, she'll break through and become a Stage 2 Energy Refiner.

Aldrin suspected that she was being controlled by the creature. He thought of searching for books that might contain information about it. But with the IDLE Database's features temporarily unavailable inside the dimension, he couldn't access the Idle Shopping.

"I see. Can I hold it?" Aldrin asked.

Irina's eyes lit up at his question and she readily handed the fluffy creature to Aldrin.

However, when he's about to take it, it suddenly struggled out of Irina's grasp and went behind her, hiding from Aldrin.

"Uhm… I'm sorry. Myul is afraid of you."

"Myu~!"

As though agreeing to Irina, the creature squeaked adorably.

"That seems to be the case, huh? But Irina, forgive me if I keep my suspicion up… I have no idea what to make of this situation."

"It's fine. I also suspected that it will be hard for everyone to accept it. More importantly, Aldrin, I'm happy you came to my rescue. I don't know how you did it but… according to Myul, this isn't the same dimension inside the rift. We're in another dimension entirely." Irina didn't mask her affection as she stood up and hugged Aldrin tightly. Her happiness and gratitude radiated from her beautiful smile.

Behind her, the fluffy blue creature with dark blue eyes blinked a few times as though it was trying to understand what was happening.

And Aldrin who became the recipient of the girl's unhindered emotion sighed in relief as he returned her embrace… "I guess you can say that it's also hard to explain. But I'm glad to see you in one piece. Everyone was worried."

"I'm the same. I thought I won't see you again…"

"You're crying."

"Of course, I am… I was afraid. But I had no other choice but to go forward and try to find a way out… Fortunately…"

"It didn't mean you no harm, huh? It possibly abducted you as a replacement to the rift monster we took down."

While stroking Irina's hair and back, Aldrin looked at the creature again. It certainly looked harmless and its eyes were beautiful. He couldn't look at it too long though as his instincts told him that if he did, he might get sucked into some kind of dreamland.

To understand everything that transpired properly, Aldrin sat down with Irina to hear everything from her and at the same time, observe the place.

He put out his guess earlier and slowly, as the events unraveled, Irina also arrived at the same conclusion.

The Abyssal Wolf possibly encountered this creature and became its guardian. It's a guess so there's no proof that it's what exactly happened.

Since the creature could communicate with Irina by asking 'yes or no' questions, it possessed intelligence.

And because of the death of its guardian, the creature found itself vulnerable so it took the one nearest to it… making Irina its new guardian.

Or so that's the only plausible conclusion they arrived at.

"Do you think everyone will believe this story?" Irina asked, uncertainty in her eyes.

"I'm afraid not… And if they see it outside…" He answered honestly. His gaze then landed on the fluffy blue creature

"Do you mean, I have to hide Myul?"

"For the meantime. I mean, it can stay here, right? Also, I think I have to take up the responsibility to look after you."

"Look after me? Ah… I see. You still suspected me." Irina wryly smiled as she properly guessed my intention. "I guess it's fair. No one can really prove my innocence whether I'm still the same Irina you know or I am already being controlled by Myul. It's also hard to explain my sudden rise in progress. I had just become a middle Stage 1 but now…"

"Irina, I believe you but there's always the fear of the unknown. That's why…"

"I get it. Even if it's Janet, she'll find this situation odd. But with you explaining it with me, I'll be cleared of all suspicion. I thought you were a pretty selfish yet responsible guy. But now, you really look like quite a catch… Unfortunately, I tied you down with my wealth."

And another wry smile decorated the pretty girl's face.

Their conversation continued as the two started thinking of excuses and to line up their stories.

The creature could create an exit for them since it's obviously the owner of the dimension. But Aldrin told Irina that he could open an exit and make it look like they struggled to get out.

As for the black miasma. Irina would be keeping it since it's the gate to this Dimension. Whether she could change its appearance or not, they still had no idea.

"This means, I'm going to stick with you from now on, Aldrin. For you to be truly convinced that I'm still me and not Myul's puppet."

"I guess that's what's going to happen… I can't just abandon you now. I'll have to keep an eye on you."

"Even in baths?"

"Obviously not!"

"I won't mind though."

"This girl… you're being bold."

"Rude. This isn't being bold. I'm just being open to you. There's no need for me to hold back now, right? I'll make you fall for me." Irina declared as she once again embraced her, this time with undisguised affection.

Aldrin thought about it, his plan to go off on his own would now be scrapped.  But he could just take Irina with him. Now that they're sharing a secret together and the girl trusts him completely, he could take the risk to also tell him a secret, such as the Dimensional Clones.

Obviously, the IDLE Database would definitely remain unseen by other people. So, he had to create another plausible excuse for when he showed the Dimensional Clones to her.

'Now that I think of it… There is also a cooperative Idle Games… If there's a chance for that kind of Idle Game to unlock in the future, bringing someone on board with me is possible…'

Once they're done talking and about to leave the dimension, Aldrin watched Irina communicate with the fluffy creature, telling it that she's going to leave for a while before promising it that it will come back in the future.

Although reluctant, the creature seemed to accept that. It then turned to the conspicuous golden crystal in the middle of the area.

Aldrin watched it intently and noticed how it activated an ability causing the golden crystal to dim further. When it returned to Irina, it handed a small golden ball, the size of a baseball.

Remembering Irina's story, it should be the golden ball that allowed her to become a peak Stage 1. But it's smaller than how she described it.

"Huh? It's not dissolving." Irina was confused and so was Aldrin.

"Myu!" The creature seemed to want to say something as it pointed its short fluffy arm to Aldrin.

"Are you telling me to give it to him?"

"Myu~ Myu!"

"I see… Aldrin, do you want to?"

"Wait. Isn't that the one that dissolved? What if…?"

"Oh. You're afraid that this might be the catalyst that Myul used to control me."

"I'm sorry. It's best to be cautious." Even if it could make him peak Stage 1, Aldrin decided to act with caution since he couldn't verify everything yet.

Once they leave the dimension, he would quickly look for information about it through the IDLE Database to clear every suspicion he had at the moment.

"Then, I'll hold onto this for now." Irina nodded in understanding before communicating with the creature again, explaining that Aldrin was just being cautious.

Once Irina finished conversing with the creature and it somehow bounced in understanding, the two Energy Refiners returned to their Metadomes.

"Stay close to me." Aldrin said to Irina as he tapped the 'Exit Dimension' on his screen.

[Setting up a Dimensional Corridor…]

[Coordinates Set]

[Generating Dimensional Door…]