Simultaneously, after Eleven left, Zephyr slumped onto the small yet soft bed—far better than the one in prison—pressing his arm over his eyes. Outside the cold room, he could clearly hear the faint murmur of the crowd and the shuffle of footsteps, but eventually, everything fell into silence. In that heavy quiet, he muttered to himself.
"What a way to ruin a perfect day."
He chuckled softly, a humorless sound. How dare he even want a special day?
He had been somewhat greedy… so the world had decided to punish him for it.
After a long silence, he finally pushed himself upright and slipped on a shirt.
His hair had already dried, and a low chill clung to his body. He tidied the bathroom, took up his walking cane, and gathered the clothes he had removed, then carried them to the central area of the corridor on each floor that Lucien had mentioned when they were getting his room key—an open room where everyone could wash their clothes.
Naturally, there were also ordinary civilian workers available to wash clothes for busy Espers and Guides who didn't want to do it themselves, but their services had a cost—something Zephyr couldn't afford for now.
Anyway, even if he could afford it, he had long grown accustomed to handling his own laundry and taking care of himself.
So, it wasn't really a big deal.
The washing and drying machines in the area were already a convenience; he just had to make the effort to learn the layout and how to use those machines himself.
Honestly, Zephyr could've waited until he had many clothes to wash, but he wanted to get familiar with everything, so he had mostly come to acquaint himself with it.
Fortunately, it was already late at night, so the area was empty—not a single worker in sight. Therefore, no one saw the stumbling man in the darkness, struggling to operate the machines. What was astonishing was that, over time, he actually managed to do what even those with good eyesight might struggle to accomplish in utter darkness.
The lights in the laundry room were off—and stayed off throughout the time Zephyr was there, since most people were asleep, except for the Espers and Guides on duty.
After all, no one would come to do laundry so late at night. Why bother turning on the lights at night and raising electricity bills?
By the time Zephyr finally returned to his room with the clean, folded set of clothes, the pre-dawn light was already streaming through the room's only window. He didn't notice, of course, and slept for an hour or so before the watch on his wrist issued a notification with a 'ding' that woke him.
The automatic voice told him to report to the dome behind the Association building—where newly recruited Espers and Guides finished their initial training and received permission to officially begin working.
"Hmm? I have to go outside and find the training dome. That's a bit troublesome."
He muttered, rubbing his eyes, but quickly stood up and straightened the bedsheets.
Then, as if recalling something, he stopped in front of the closet. Zephyr had pondered a lot on the strange feeling he had felt last night before an uninvited visitor had come.
Last night, he had also comprehended a part of the knowledge Gaya had given him and realized that he truly had the ability to control the things around him. He had only understood a portion of it since that ability had many uses, but he had discovered that it wasn't called telekinesis—it was a higher version of what people called telekinesis.
It was called psychokinesis.
A powerful S-rank ability.
Zephyr drew in a deep breath.
An S-rank ability. The revelation shocked him and further solidified his initial doubt that he wasn't just a B-rank. He chuckled, though there was little joy in the sound.
"Is this some sort of compensation for everything I've endured? Well… I'll gladly accept it, even if it's a form of charity."
He closed his eyes, quickly recalling the information he had understood about the skill. The energy in his body responded to his command, and the closet before him opened on its own. His senses stretched taut as he discerned the shapes and sizes of the objects inside, relying on the tactile perception coming from his energy. Only when a set of clothes floated toward his hand did he feel a flicker of satisfaction.
Zephyr removed his clothes, leaving only his briefs, and changed into a fresh pair of slacks and a long-sleeved fitted sweater.
"I guess as long as I can figure out how to utilize them, I can use my skills with ease."
He muttered as he slipped on his shoes, grabbed his cane, and left his room to get breakfast in the cafeteria before locating the training dome he was summoned to.
Still, even after such a long day yesterday, Zephyr didn't feel the least bit exhausted—as if his body had grown strong enough to remain unfazed, even without proper sleep.
Also...
Now that he was moving around alone, he couldn't help but wonder: even as an Esper, he was blind—a limitation that would make anyone question his chances of surviving in the perilous dungeons—yet the Association had accepted him with surprising ease.
Was Erick behind this smooth process?
He really needed to repay that man for everything he owed him. But... why did he feel this debt seemed to grow with time?
He sighed softly—he wasn't ungrateful.
"Earning a lot is the only way I can settle the debt. But I know it's not easy for me."