Two boys were holding a tray of food. Both children, too young to take drugs and stimulants, had a preliminary B grade.
“I will feed you.”
“No, leave it.”
At Kalisten’s firm words, they looked at each other, unsure if they could go out. Then, they slowly moved and stood in front of the door.
They wouldn’t get hit if they took the trays after they completely emptied the plates.
“Am I being served too?”
“Yes.”
Aselia was amazed to see that her food was also served. She didn’t know much about other grades, but A and B grades only had the leftovers to eat after all the food was distributed. That’s why it was so strange that her food was also being served separately.
She saw the plate with a proper fork and spoon placed in front of her and held them with trembling hands.
That moment—
– Growl.
There was a sound from the B-class’ stomachs as they stood in front of the door.
They were of the lowest class. Then, like Aselia, they had to eat the leftovers after distributing the food. All the nutrients were managed with pills, and the empty food that came out was just something that made the stomach work. So it didn’t matter if they ate or not. However, the nutrients supplied were only to the extent that the A and B grades did not die.
Aselia’s compassion for the lower rankers made her unable to touch the food.
“What’s the matter?”
“I have too much… I want to eat with them.”
At Aselia’s words, Kalisten immediately understood. He remembered what she said before.
‘We eat what’s left.’
Maybe that’s why he was able to understand her heart.
“To think I have to eat this garbage.”
“Kal… ?”
“I’m not eating.”
“But if you don’t eat… .”
Aselia knew full well that if he refused the food, the B-rankers that brought food would be scolded by the researchers, so she looked at him anxiously.
“You there.”
“Yes, Mr. Z-999.”
“Yes, Mr. Z-999.”
“Empty this clean.”
“Yes?”
“You two should clean this.”
At the same time, he hoped Aselia would empty her plate of food. Maybe then, she could put some weight on her thin arms and legs.
“Mine too… .”
“You eat it all.”
“But… .”
“Eat it all.”
When Kalisten spoke again, Aselia nodded slightly. Then the lower grades approached, receiving Kalisten’s spoon and fork. They
looked around cautiously and then slowly reached for his plate.
“Hurry up and eat. Time is running out.”
He said that and got up from the sofa as if annoyed. Then he went to the bed and sat down. The B grades watched him, and after they soon saw the A class on Aselia’s chest and started putting food into their mouths with relief.
Kalisten watched as Aselia chewed her food.
It was obviously tasteless food, but she happily chewed and hummed with her cheeks full. Her expression, which looked like a rabbit, was cute, and somehow he felt full.
In the first place, he didn’t even enjoy eating that much.
“Kal.”
“Um?”
“I want Kal to eat this.”
What Aselia brought was chocolate pudding. It was in a format that opened by removing the label on top.
But Kalisten hated sweets. He was disgusted when his food was sweet but ironically liked Aselia’s sweet scent. So he tried to ignore his paradoxical condition and moved closer to her.
Aselia removed the label of her pudding, gently scooped it up, and handed it to him with an unused spoon.
Although she handed the spoon to him to take it, he took the food directly in his mouth from her hand.
“It’s… taste—eh.”
He frowned at the taste of sweet trash in his mouth. He had never eaten something so sweet. The sweet, awful, grainy, soggy taste made him swallow it quickly since he had given up on chewing it.
“That’s a relief. This is my favorite.”
“Then you eat.”
“No, it’s my favorite, so I’d like Kal to have it.”
He felt his heart melt at her pretty words. However, that softened spirit was in a strange impasse between the painful and pleasant because he disliked sweetness.
“Then… feed me.”
“Ah, yes. Alright, I will.”
Aselia smiled reflexively the moment her eyes met his, but when she registered his soft, unguarded gaze, she smiled with an honest heart.
It felt like she was feeding a cat.
“Ah.”
When she made a sound as if spur him to open his mouth, he made the same noise and said, ‘Ah.’
Then Aselia scooped up the pudding again and fed it to him.
At that moment, B-114, who was watching Z-999’s affectionate appearance with curiosity, spoke up:
“Are you, by any chance, the chief of the Kernos?”