20 Chapter 20: Gifts

"I… can explain."

[The Readers of Fate are starting to riot because of the Shopkeeper's actions.]

"S… shut the fuck up! What would a zombie need a massage chair and a pizza for anyway!?"

[Reader of Fate: Acolyte of Cthulhu, tells Zeni that she has to suffer for daring to enjoy gifts that were intended for Zero.]

"Wha– I was going to return it after!"

[Gifts are one-time use. Once they are consumed, they will forever disappear. Once summoned…]

"Wait, wait! Don't tell them yet!"

[...there is only a limited amount of time they will exist in Zero's world.]

"..."

[The Readers of Fate are furious at Zeni's actions.]

[Some Readers of Fate want Zeni to be replaced.]

"Wait, please no!" Zeni's eyes turned wide as she suddenly rushed towards Zero, "T… tell them not to replace me, please!"

"..." Even with all the things that were happening in front of him, Zero actually had absolutely no idea of what was going on. But judging from Zeni's expression and the tremble of her voice, she and the Readers of Fate seemed to be in some sort of… altercation.

"You… you're the only Host I have left, Mr. Zero!" Zeni then dropped to the ground as she hugged Zero's leg– and even though Zeni's body and arms just passed through him like fog, Zero could still somewhat feel a hint of warmth coming from her silhouette,

"If… If I get fired from this job, they… the Fates would extinguish me!"

And very soon, tears started to trail from Zeni's cheeks, "Please… please don't get rid of me! This… this is my last chance! I… I'm not going to be rude anymore!"

"..." Zero doesn't really understand the full situation, but hearing the desperation in Zeni's voice; the only thing he could really do was shake his head.

"If… Zeni disappear… no Shop?"

"Yes! You… you wouldn't be able to access the Shop!"

"...Zeni stay."

"Yes! Take that!" Zeni then quickly stood up and stepped away from Zero, pointing her middle finger towards the sky for no particular reason.

[The Readers of Fate now know why Zeni only has a single Host left to manage.]

[Some of the Readers of Fate are telling Zero to reconsider and kick Zeni out.]

"W… wait," Zeni then cleared her throat; before clapping her hands and summoning a set of wooden chairs and a table,

"P… please, esteemed Host, take a seat," Zeni then took a seat at the table, gesturing to Zero to do the same.

And since Zero didn't really know what else to do in this white empty space, he just followed Zeni and took a seat.

"L… let's start over, shall we?" Zeni then snapped her fingers, causing a book to appear between her and Zero, "This isn't really an official visit, so I can't really show you the Shop just yet. And with the amount of Powerstones you have, there's really nothing you can actually buy so forget about your poor little a– I… I mean, let's focus on another thing for now."

"..."

[...]

"There are many reasons why you're suddenly forcefully thrown here in what we call, the White Space," Zeni then started to explain, "The most common reason would be that the Fates intervened. But as for the reason why you're here right now…

…You fainted. It says here you overused your mana."

"..."

"...Do you even understand what I am saying?" Zeni's eyes started to twitch, "Don't you have like 3 Intelligence already? That's like the intelligence of a child already so why… Oh, because you're a zombie."

[The Readers of Fate are–]

"That wasn't an insult!" Zeni slammed both her palms on the table, "I… I was just stating facts! A… anyway, there's only so much your intelligence can grow as a zombie. But once you evolve, that should solve all your problems. Of course, there will always be a limit to your intelligence because of your origins– but you should be fine."

"...Okay?"

"Hm, don't think about evolving anytime soon," Zeni nodded, "And regarding Gifts– they will always be sent straight here, in the White Space. If you're wondering why I have access to your Gifts, well… because I'm the only one here. Other Hosts have more than one Keeper in their White Space to handle other things. But maybe because you're… not really that interesting, no one wants to manage you."

"...Okay?" Zero tilted his head to the side; his long grey hair, brushing across his shoulders.

"Also, you… should really start taking a bath," Zeni squinted her eyes as she looked at Zero's disheveled hair, "The more you look like one of them, the safer you would be in the cities. And since you have Minor Regeneration Lv. 1, it shouldn't be long until you actually look human– but of course…

…You'll always be an Undead. That is your fate, as much as it is my fate to just… be trapped here."

"You… can't leave here?"

"No, I told you before that I don't exist," Zeni shook her head as she forced a smile on her face, "I guess even as a zombie, you're still lucky that you're able to live out there. I've always just read about them, but never once have I actually seen what it is like outside."

"..." Zero could not help but slightly squint his eyes as Zeni's voice started to lower. But before her head could look down, she once again smiled and looked at him.

"You're about to wake up," Zeni said, "Next time you're going to come here, I hope it's an official visit, Zero. And tell these Readers of Fate not to be so obno– Ack!"

And before Zeni could finish her words, a small thud whispered in the air– followed by some sort of drumming as… a bottle rolled on the floor.

"..." Both Zeni and Zero's eyes trailed to follow this bottle. Unfortunately for Zeni, however, another one landed on her head.

[Reader of Fate: TC Book, gifted Zero an Ice Cola.]

"Fuck!" Zeni said as she once again grabbed her head.

As for Zero, he just slowly walked towards the rolling bottle and picked it up.

[Ice Cola– Slightly recovers stamina and Mana. Scales with the Host's level.]

"..." Zero looked at the words that popped up in front of him, before once again turning towards Zeni who was still rubbing her head,

"What… is this?"

"Don't fucking ask– Agh!"

[Reader of Fate: TC Book, gifted Zero an Ice Cola.]

And once again, another Iced Cola fell on Zeni's head– this time, however, it seemed to have shot from the side as it went straight to her face.

"It… It can recover your stamina and mana!" Zeni then screamed as she hid under the table. Perhaps it was a good thing she did so, because as soon as she was safe, a rain of Ice Cola suddenly dropped on her almost endlessly.

Well, not endlessly. More than 20 Iced Cola, gifted by the Reader of Fate, TC Book.

"Is… Is it over?" Zeni then carefully leaned her head out of the table, pushing away all the bottles around her, "Fuck… I swear, these Readers of Fate are–"

[...]

"Are… are very generous," Zeni then forced a chuckle as she crawled out from under the table, "A… anyway, if you're curious about how to summon the items in the outside world, just stretch your hand out and utter the word, 'Inventory'."

"In… ventory?"

"Yes, not here. Once you're outside. It's pretty self-explanatory that even someone like you would get it," Zeni sighed as she patted her clothes, "Speaking of which, you should be waking up anytime soon now."

"..." And as soon as Zeni said that, the white walls began to fade.

"See you again, Zero," Zeni then curtsied as she bowed her head towards Zero. But after a few seconds as Zero's silhouette faded, a small smirk crawled on Zeni's face,

"...And thanks for all the food, you sucker," Zeni then suddenly burst out in laughter.

[Reader of Fate: TC Book, gifted Luxury Car to Zero.]

"..." Zeni then slowly turned around, only to see a jet-black car moving towards her, "Oh…

…fuck."

***

"Damn, you're awake already?"

"..." Zero then sat up, only to find himself… still in the testing room with Natalia.

"I'd be inclined to give you an A-Rank just for your sheer durability, but your strength is… well, lacking,"

Natalia stretched her hand towards Zero, "Congratulations, though. You're officially a B-Rank Slayer."

"..." Zero looked at the card Natalia was holding, before grabbing it from her and looking at it. And this card… seemed to have his face on it.

"I took that picture myself when you were unconscious," Natalia giggled, "Don't worry, others have it worse. Come back to the lobby once you're ready…

…your friends are waiting for you outside."

"..." Zero did not really get up; just watching Natalia step on the elevator before once again looking at his newly acquired license card. For some reason, whenever he looks at it… he feels slightly… happy?

Was that the word for what he was feeling? This was the first time he was feeling it– and it was weird.

"Robert."

"!!!"

Zero suddenly got up as soon as he heard a whisper flowing through his ears; he started looking around… only to see no one else there.

"..." He stayed for a few seconds in the training hall, trying to see if someone would show herself… but no one. And so, he just followed Natalia back to the lower floors– waiting for the elevator to arrive.

And as soon as it opened, Zero saw a familiar face. It was the woman who was with the girl he devoured a few days ago– when he rammed the bus to get the girl.

If Zero remembers, the Giant Hornet group called her… Eleanor?

"...Are you going in or what?"