It had been a few days since Zumama started her job at Raythean Industries.
Since successfully joining Raythean Industries under Lucas Reeve's guidance, everything in Columbia was incredibly new and fresh for the young woman who had grown up in a primitive tribe.
She saw all sorts of vehicles that were nonexistent in the primitive forest. Lucas Reeve explained that these were also machines, similar in principle to the first-generation Big Ugly, driven by an engine that made the wheels spin at high speed.
She also saw skyscrapers she had never seen before. Zumama could never have imagined that a building could be hundreds of meters tall.
The tall buildings pierced the sky. A second ago, she was thinking that if you lived on the top floor of such a tall building, you'd die of exhaustion climbing the stairs one by one. Even for her, climbing from the bottom to the top would probably be a bit tiring. Then... before she could even ask the question, she witnessed something called an elevator.
She didn't understand why a small brick could be used for calls, nor why city people liked to fiddle with the bricks in their hands while walking. She didn't understand the invisible thing called a network signal, and she especially didn't understand why city people wore so many clothes...
Back in the tribe, very few people wore this much. It was usually just a covering on top and a covering on the bottom, and that was it. There weren't so many styles of clothing either, and... the stockings were quite nice-looking...
However.
Since Zumama had already seen a cross-era mechanical product like Titan, ordinary machines could hardly shock her anymore.
So, what shocked Zumama the most at Raythean Industries wasn't the various high-tech machines, but the Raythean Industries cafeteria, with its rich variety of cuisines from different countries. The most crucial part... it was free.
Zumama couldn't remember how much she ate in the cafeteria. After all, with her physique, her appetite was not much less than Ceobe's. Anyway, by the time she was finally full, all the other Raythean Industries employees in the cafeteria had forgotten to eat, staring at her blankly as if watching a competitive eating live stream.
Furthermore.
As a newcomer to Raythean Industries and modern society, she was lucky to have Lucas Reeve and the High Priest with her. Otherwise, who knows how many embarrassing situations she would have caused, like being startled by the water flowing out of the faucet the first time she turned one on.
It was the same when she showered. There was no need to go to a distant lake to fetch water; she just had to turn a switch, and warm water of a suitable temperature would flow out.
When she turned on the TV in her room, she was startled by the people inside and almost smashed the television set.
After all.
Zumama's previous life was that of a primitive society, a state of living from two thousand years ago. Suddenly entering the highly modernized Columbia was like time-traveling.
And with Lucas Reeve's detailed explanations.
Zumama gradually got used to this modernized society.
At the very least...
She now understood that when she was hungry, she should go to the cafeteria to eat, and before eating, she needed to swipe an employee card on a machine. As for the principle behind it, she wasn't quite sure yet.
"Sister Zumama, are you getting used to life here this past week?"
In the villa where Jessica lived.
To celebrate Zumama's successful first week in Columbia, the thoughtful Jessica wanted to invite her over for a meal.
Of course.
Jessica was also very curious to see what the girl Lucas Reeve had met in Sargon looked like.
In fact.
Since Zumama came to Columbia, Jessica had been busy with her own affairs, so they had never met. She had only heard about her from Lucas Reeve.
"I'm getting used to it, Lady Jessica... Miss!!"
Zumama still couldn't change her verbal tic in such a short time.
Since she addressed Lucas Reeve as "Lord God," in Zumama's eyes, the friend of a Lord God must be another Lord. So, when they first met, Zumama addressed Jessica with the tribal etiquette for receiving a god, respectfully calling her "Lady."
This scene completely bewildered Jessica.
"As long as you're getting used to it."
Jessica said sweetly.
Since becoming the boss of her own company, Jessica's personality had gradually become more generous. Only when speaking with Lucas Reeve would she revert to her usual flustered and shy self.
The only dissonant aspect was probably.
The disparity between Jessica's appearance, status, and temperament.
Jessica was about to turn nineteen. In theory, this age was already considered an adult on Terra. In many countries, girls of this age were already married and could be considered mature women. Not just on Terra, but even on modern Earth, a nineteen-year-old girl already looks quite grown-up.
However...
Jessica was still small and cute.
A height of one hundred and forty-seven centimeters, with a sweet and adorable face, she looked like a cute loli no matter how you looked at it.
And in people's minds.
Company bosses, even female ones, were mostly domineering, mature, and sexy. This was something that occasionally frustrated Jessica.
Especially...
When she saw Zumama's incredibly impressive chest.
Jessica felt as if she had been hit by a ten-thousand-ton critical strike.
She had been drinking so much papaya milk behind Mr. Reeve's back, why hadn't there been any change at all? She had also tried many methods to increase her height, but after several months, she had only grown one centimeter, barely reaching one hundred and fifty centimeters with shoes on.
Why were all the girls around her so well-endowed...
Senior Franka, Senior Liskarm, Senior Mailisu....
Even Ceobe, who was clueless all day, had a fantastic body....
Actually, what Jessica couldn't understand the most was Ceobe. In theory, Ceobe had lived hand-to-mouth in the jungle before, often going hungry, and her nutrition was definitely not as balanced and rich as her own. Why could she develop so well even with a lack of nutrition!!
Especially every time she bathed with Ceobe, Jessica would often fall into deep self-doubt.
Right now, the only one with a smaller figure than her was Ifrit.
But...
Ifrit was only twelve years old!! She still had room to grow and develop, while she herself was almost nineteen. Strictly speaking, she was already an adult!!
*Mmph~*
Jessica felt like crying but had no tears.
Why is it like this~
She had secretly tried many methods to enhance her figure, so how come they had no effect?
Should she just make a wish to Mr. Reeve?
This thought flashed through Jessica's mind for only a moment before being dismissed.
No, no!!
It's too embarrassing!!
Since there were only three people and one soul at this meal, it was relatively casual.
Franka and Liskarm had left for a mission more than a month ago. When they first left, they would send Jessica a message every few days to let her know they were safe.
But for the past week, Jessica hadn't received any messages from Franka or Liskarm. Although she was a bit worried, Jessica still trusted in her two seniors' strength and believed nothing bad would happen.
Magallan, on the other hand, had gone to a scientific outpost north of Sami and was expected to be on a business trip for several months to monitor the local weather conditions.
Ifrit was taken out to eat with Silence and Saria today.
Jessica's usually lively home seemed a bit quiet today.
Mainly because...
Zumama was not good at initiating conversations with strangers and rarely spoke. Ceobe was busy munching on food the whole time. So it was up to Jessica, the former social phobe, to lead the conversation today.
Zumama rarely spoke mainly because... she was nervous....
The Lord God seemed to have a very unusual relationship with this Lady Jessica.
Could it be!!
Zumama seemed to have thought of something.
For a moment, she was a little dejected.
Only the High Priest was flapping its wings and flying around.
These days, the High Priest also seemed to have fallen in love...
But not with another talking female parrot, but... with Raythean Industries' latest intelligent medical cart.
In the High Priest's eyes.
This little cart was a work of art!
It could talk!!
It was a work of art comparable to Titan.
Therefore.
For the past week.
Many employees at the Raythean Industries campus would often see a strange sight.
A blue-feathered, glasses-wearing, talking parrot would land on an AI medical cart, and together they would wander around the Raythean Industries campus. If Raythean Industries didn't strictly prohibit employees from taking photos on campus, the High Priest would probably have quickly become a viral celebrity parrot in Columbia.
Even though photos weren't allowed.
The High Priest's story still spread throughout the entire Raythean Industries Columbia headquarters.
During every lunch break, many employees would stand with their coffee and drinks where the smart cart often appeared to wait, and then enthusiastically greet the High Priest.
"Yo! Mr. High Priest, good afternoon. On a date with medical-10 again?"
"Mr. High Priest, where's that little Fidia girl who can eat so much? Isn't she with you? Do you know her contact information?"
"Mr. High Priest, let's take a picture together."
In just a few days.
The High Priest had become the mascot of Raythean Industries. Even some employees from other divisions came from far away just to see the legendary blue-feathered parrot.
Furthermore, the story of the High Priest even reached the ears of Raythean Industries' chairman, Jessica's father.
He had no impression of a talking parrot on campus. After specifically asking his assistant, he learned that this parrot and the newly hired young lady were brought in by his own precious daughter. Overjoyed, Jessica's father immediately had his assistant issue an official employee ID for the High Priest as well.
Having received approval from the higher-ups.
The High Priest truly became the mascot of the entire company.
To be honest.
When Lucas Reeve found out, he just wanted to laugh.
After all.
Besides himself, even Zumama certainly didn't know the High Priest's origins.
An immortal being who had lived through countless ages had become a mascot.
Just thinking about it was interesting.
Raythean Industries was a huge company, but the working hours were not long. Upholding the philosophy of putting employees first and ensuring they had ample rest, Raythean Industries basically had a four-day work week... starting at nine in the morning and ending at four-thirty in the afternoon... with a two-and-a-half-hour lunch break...
Therefore.
Jessica often invited Zumama to her home. At first, Zumama felt a bit shy about it, but the High Priest was very sociable. Every Thursday after work, it would drag Zumama and the medical cart to Jessica's house, and Jessica also loved the lively atmosphere.
Furthermore.
At the High Priest's request.
Lucas Reeve also upgraded the medical cart, making it much more user-friendly, and... he installed a weapon module. The current medical cart could both heal and instantly unleash firepower equivalent to a company to provide suppression. The High Priest was extremely satisfied with this upgrade.
During these days, Lucas Reeve hadn't been idle either.
He borrowed Patriot's body in the Reunion Movement to forge alloys, then strengthened Jessica's low-altitude shuttle, making it faster and able to fly higher.
He optimized Titan's weapon and thruster modules and equipped Titan with various replaceable weapons and armor.
For example...
An Originium beam greatsword, an Originium beam cannon, a large-caliber grenade launcher, a railgun... even funnels.
This armor was all loaded onto specific high-speed mini-shuttles. As long as Lucas Reeve called for them within signal range, this armor would instantly fly out from the Raythean Medica warehouse to arm Titan.
About another half a month passed.
A shadow of gloom lingered over Jessica's head, refusing to disperse.
"Mr. Reeve... Franka and Liskarm haven't sent me a message in over twenty days....."
Jessica was worried about the safety of her two seniors.
Although it was quite normal to lose contact for twenty-something days.
After all, some missions left no time to use a phone, or the phone was lost during the mission, or they were in an area with no signal. After all, Terra was not Earth. Earth's signal coverage was incredibly vast; even in places without cell towers, there were satellites in the sky to transmit signals. But Terra was different; once you left a base station, you could forget about having a signal.
And according to Blacksteel Worldwide regulations.
An operator would only be classified as missing after losing contact for more than three months. It had only been twenty-something days, which was all too normal for mercenaries who lived and died by the sword.
But...
Jessica just couldn't put her mind at ease.
Because this loss of contact was just too... inexplicable.
In theory.
If they were about to enter a no-signal area, Franka should have told her.
But... during their last contact, Franka and Liskarm were still in the city... and then they suddenly lost contact. It was no wonder Jessica was worried.
"Don't worry, they'll be fine..."
Lucas Reeve patted Jessica on the head.
Suddenly.
Jessica's phone rang.
It was a call from Blacksteel Worldwide...
Jessica remembered that since she stopped taking missions, although she was still technically on Blacksteel Worldwide's mercenary roster, she was no longer considered an employee. Why would Blacksteel Worldwide be calling her at this time?
"Hello, this is Jessica...."
In the next second.
Jessica's eyes suddenly widened, and the phone slipped from her hand and fell to the floor.
Lucas Reeve frowned slightly, a bad feeling creeping in.
"What is it?"
"Mr. Reeve, Franka and Liskarm just... sent a distress code to the company..."
As she spoke the last words.
Jessica's voice was clearly choked with emotion.
"Let's go! To the company!"
Lucas Reeve quickly took control of Jessica's body. He transformed into a flash of lightning, not even having time to say anything to Ceobe, and rushed out the door.