The visitor seemed like a somewhat reserved person, even considering this place was her home. She would knock first to signal to anyone inside that she had come back, whether or not anyone was actually there.
Bologue gazed at the pitch-black iron door; with the crisp mechanical sound of a key fitting into the lock cylinder, the door was pushed open, revealing a figure Bologue absolutely did not expect.
A cold, hard voice sounded. She glanced at Bologue, then at Teda, her azure blue eyes featuring layer upon layer of light rings, like luminous gears embedded within her pupils.
"Field staff from the Order Bureau will be staying with us for a while, using this as a base." Teda explained.
The girl nodded, picked up the bag in her hand, and headed to another room.
Bologue furrowed his brow and called out to the girl. She cooperated by stopping in place, the light rings in her icy blue eyes shrinking and rotating. She seemed to want to reveal a sense of doubt, but to Bologue, this appeared exceedingly strange.
Getting up and walking towards her, Bologue observed her closely; she was shorter than him, her petite frame fully hidden beneath an ink-green cloaked coat. Unlike their first meeting, this time she wore a similarly ink-green hat, concealing her face in shadow.
"I seem to have seen you before at Border Sanatorium."
Bologue looked at the girl. He could clearly feel the Ether surging within her, along with the faint mechanical sounds, like the internal workings of a watch. Complex mechanical structures supported her body, operating under the drive of Ether.
She tilted her head slightly, causing the light rings in her eyes to droop, Aimou asked puzzledly.
"Are you trying to strike up a conversation?"
Bologue was taken aback, momentarily unable to respond.
"Isn’t this what humans do? When talking to a strange opposite gender, they usually start the conversation this way to establish a deeper connection. After all, similar actions occur in the animal kingdom where males showcase various courtship behaviors to attract females. Humans are merely advanced animals."
Contrary to her cold exterior, Aimou was quite talkative, seizing control of the dialogue in an instant. Yet, what she said left Bologue bewildered and continuously stirred his thoughts.
"What’s strange though..." Aimou’s light rings drooped into ovals, signaling her distress and frowning, "the act of striking up a conversation is typically carried out when there’s an attraction to the opposite gender."
As she spoke, she tapped her shoulder, producing a faint metal clang. Aimou looked at Bologue, her light rings nearly collapsing into a line.
"I understand humans have many peculiar preferences ... you wouldn’t?"
The deflated rings resumed their rounded shape, rotating rhythmically back and forth.
Suddenly, the rings stopped turning, as if widening her eyes; they enlarged slightly. Aimou covered her mouth slightly, feigning a surprised expression on her otherwise cold face.
"Oh wow, mister, are you serious? You actually..."
Bologue’s voice rose a few notches, interrupting Aimou’s words. A familiar yet uncanny feeling rose within him, one he last encountered during his first visit to the Undying Club.
The moment Aimou spoke, the situation began slipping from Bologue’s control. This strange individual effortlessly seized the initiative, leaving him unsure of how to react.
The atmosphere fell into an eerie calm until Teda couldn’t help but laugh.
"Border Sanatorium? Then that must be Aimou. She needs regular inspections and maintenance at the Border Sanatorium," Teda hadn’t expected this wasn’t their first meeting, "I’m skilled with the cold, sacred Alchemy Matrix, but for deeper matters involving the soul, medical department assistance is needed."
Bologue murmured, assuming this must be the girl’s name.
Hearing her name, Aimou removed her hat, revealing a pale, delicate face. Her skin had a peculiar texture, appearing human, yet lacking much of the blood color compared to human skin, resembling an exquisitely crafted mask.
Aimou took off her gloves and extended her hand. As Bologue saw at that moment, it was the cold pitch-black metal.
Bologue grasped her hand, feeling the icy metal sensation instead of human warmth.
"Don’t mind me, I was just joking earlier. Humans do love those with a sense of humor, right?"
Aimou suddenly became serious. Her face showed little expression, yet the rings in her eyes shifted rapidly, signaling emotional fluctuations.
"Is this humor?" Bologue wondered.
"Huh? Isn’t it?" Aimou sounded surprised, clasping her hands to her chest as if deliberately performing, mimicking human gestures, before apologizing, "I rarely converse with others; these ideas are derived from books."
"Theory and practice often differ, don’t they?"
Aimou was seemingly raising her brows at herself. Bologue noticed her light rings briefly twisted into star shapes and began to be curious about how many shapes Aimou’s light rings could form.
"May I ask if there’s anything else?" Aimou inquired.