The morning passed in cheerful conversation between Revy and Eyjafjalla.
Of course, Revy mostly told the pleasant stories—fun encounters, near-misses with natural disasters, or amusing mishaps along the way. With his storytelling skills, even the mundane became vivid enough to make the Caprinae girl giggle.
But the dark, painful memories—those he kept to himself.
He wanted to preserve the pure, idealistic image of a Catastrophe Messenger in Eyjafjalla's heart, even if it was only a fantasy.
Their talk ended around noon. Revy's schedule only had him working mornings in HR, and though Eyjafjalla was reluctant to part ways, she decided to work overtime that day—just so she could hear more stories from Revy tomorrow.
Revy, of course, wasn't sure how to feel about that.
He enjoyed the attention—being admired by someone so earnest did feed his ego—but he didn't want Eyjafjalla to force herself on his behalf.
After saying goodbye, Revy headed for the Rhodes Island cafeteria.
It was packed, unsurprisingly. Food here was free for all Operators—enough of a perk to attract many Infected who might otherwise go hungry.
"I've gotten used to dry rations, but nothing beats a hot meal…"
He looked at the wide selection of dishes and couldn't help but sigh. During his Catastrophe Messenger days, there were long stretches when he had to survive on wine and frozen buns, with barely a chance to sit down and treat himself to a proper meal.
As he lost himself in thought, he suddenly heard a familiar voice:
"Um… excuse me, are you… Mr. Revy?"
He blinked. The lunch line had already moved forward, and he was now standing at the front—where an old acquaintance was manning the serving station.
"Wait—Cliffheart?! You're here?"
Revy raised an eyebrow in surprise—but more than anything, he looked pleased.
"What happened? Got sick of your young master and lady fighting, so you bailed to become a chef here?"
"Haha… Revy-san, you always joke around…"
Wearing a chef's hat, Cliffheart was clearly also happy to see him, though he shook his head politely.
"I would never betray the lord. Kal'tsit arranged a cooperation deal between Rhodes Island and Kjerag, so I'm here as a temporary heavy-armor Operator—and Lady Enciodes' bodyguard."
Revy gave him a look, half amused, half skeptical.
"Not bad. It's been a while since I tasted your cooking—looks like I picked a good day."
"Hardly! My humble skills can't compare to yours."
He wasn't being falsely modest either. Years ago, when Revy had visited Kjerag on assignment, his first major contact was the Silverash family, headed by Enciodes. Their family, unlike some more conservative Kjerag factions, was open and forward-thinking, and they welcomed Revy warmly as a famous Catastrophe Messenger.
Revy had praised their food—even if it was simple—and offered advice. He even spent a few days helping Cliffheart refine his culinary skills.
To this day, Cliffheart saw him as half a mentor.
"Don't flatter me…" Revy chuckled, accepting a few dishes.
Cliffheart still seemed a bit overly formal. Perhaps it was because Revy and Silverash were considered equals, while Cliffheart was just a subordinate—so he naturally kept his head down.
(Wait… did he say "Lady Enciodes"?)(I thought she wasn't Infected…)
Revy made a mental note to ask about that later. For now, the long line behind him reminded him this wasn't the time for a long catch-up.
"All right, I'll stop bothering you—let's grab drinks sometime."
With a wave, Revy took his tray and found an open seat.
Just as he sat down, a soft, hesitant voice spoke up from in front of him:
"Um…"
Revy looked up and found himself facing a Feline girl.
"Oh? Did I take your seat? Sorry about that."
He started to get up, but she quickly shook her head.
"No, no! That's not it… It's just… you're new, right?"
The girl clearly wasn't great at conversation—her words stumbled out awkwardly, but Revy quickly pieced together her meaning.
Maybe this was her usual spot—one people typically left open for her. Revy, being new and in civilian clothes, hadn't known.
Still, if that was all, she could've easily picked another spot. Her hesitation suggested she was more curious about him than annoyed.
And just like that, they started talking.
"Didn't mean to take your usual seat. My bad."
"It's okay! I really didn't mind! Um… May I ask your name?"
"Revy. Just call me Revy."
He deliberately left out his full name—lesson learned from Eyjafjalla.
"Ah! So you're Mr. Revy—"
Before they could continue, another voice interrupted:
"Oho? When Kal'tsit told me, I thought she was joking. But turns out the little bunny really did bring you back, huh?"
Melantha turned stiffly. She didn't recognize the voice—but she did recognize the uniform.
The person now standing behind Revy wore the specialized attire of a department head—a rare sight at Rhodes Island.
And they were casually bantering with Revy, calling him by name.
"Bullshit," Revy shot back. "Amiya might've kept it to herself, but there's no way Kal'tsit didn't tell you I was back."
Surprisingly, the man didn't get angry. He just grinned.
"So what now? Planning to leave again?"
"Can't say. If that lynx keeps abusing me, I might make a break for it."
"With me here? Not a chance."
Both fell silent for a beat.
Then, Revy looked up and locked eyes with the man.
After a moment, he smiled.
"…Four years later, and you haven't changed a bit, Logos."
"Neither have you… Welcome back, Edge."