Chương 75: Chapter 35 : Part 3 : Arriving at Emma’s

Aldric arrived at Emma's apartment building a few minutes early. He was carrying the small gift bag containing the box of chocolates. Before going inside, he checked the time on his phone. Six fifty-eight. Being two minutes early seemed preferable to arriving even slightly late. At exactly seven o'clock, the building's front door opened. Emma appeared in the doorway. She was wearing jeans, a light blue sweater, and white sneakers. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail. — Good evening, Aldric. — Good evening, Emma.

— Did you bring something? Aldric held out the bag. — Yes. Several sources indicated that it is customary to bring a gift when one is invited. Emma took the bag. — You really didn't have to. — The information I consulted stated otherwise. She burst out laughing. — You actually did research? — Yes. I wanted to minimize the risk of making a mistake. — Chocolates... Thank you, Aldric. That really makes me happy. — I am pleased that I made an appropriate choice. — I can confirm that you did.

She closed the bag before stepping aside. — Come in. — Thank you for welcoming me into your home. — My pleasure. She closed the door behind them as Aldric took off his shoes and carefully lined them up against the wall in the entryway. — You always do that. — This habit reduces the amount of dirt brought inside. — I know. I think it's cute. A bookshelf covered an entire wall. Several photographs were displayed on a wooden cabinet, while a green plant added a touch of color near the window.

A few cushions rested on the sofa, and several small decorative objects were arranged on the shelves. — Is everything all right? — I am simply making an effort not to inspect your home. — Not... inspect it? — I mean... not to be indiscreet. Emma laughed. — You can look around, don't worry. — If you insist... He slowly walked into the living room. His attention was immediately drawn to the bookshelf. — You own many books. — I love reading. His eyes traveled across the spines. — Have you read all of them?

— Almost all. — Impressive. — What about you? — I have mainly studied military treatises, historical accounts, and a few religious texts. I have only begun discovering novels since my arrival. — Do you have a favorite? — I do not believe I have read enough works yet to establish a meaningful ranking. They continued their tour. Several framed photographs stood on a cabinet beside the television. Aldric stopped in front of the first one.

It showed Emma as a teenager, standing beside a man and a woman who resembled her. — Your parents? — Yes. She picked up the frame. — This picture was taken during a vacation in Brittany. I was fifteen. — You all look happy. — We were. Emma set the frame back down before showing him a second photograph. — These are my university friends. — Do you still see them? — Some of them, yes. Others live in different cities now. — Memories occupy an important place in this home. — Yes... I suppose they do.

The knight continued looking around. His gaze settled on the sofa. Four different blankets were neatly folded over the backrest. — Why do you own four blankets when you live alone? — I don't think I ever expected that question. — It seems perfectly reasonable to me. She walked over to the sofa. — This one is very warm. I use it during the winter. This one is much lighter. I use it in the spring. This one is especially soft. Aldric slowly ran a hand over the fabric. — Indeed. Emma picked up the last blanket.

— And this one... I simply think it's pretty. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. — So it serves no particular purpose. I understand. In this world, some objects did not need to be useful in order to have value. They continued exploring the living room. The farther Aldric walked, the more objects he discovered that seemed to have been placed there without serving any particular purpose. A small scented candle rested on one shelf.

Beside it stood a figurine of a sleeping cat, followed by a framed quotation. — Do they serve any particular purpose? — Which ones? — These objects. — Not really. — So they serve no function. — Not in the way you mean. — Explain. Emma picked up the little figurine. — I bought it during a vacation a few years ago. — Why? — Because I thought it was cute. — So it is neither a tool nor a family keepsake. — No. — It does not make any daily task easier. — No. — Yet you keep it. Emma nodded.

— Humans seem to place great value on objects that give them pleasant emotions. — That's exactly it... And you're human too, Aldric. A green plant stood in one corner of the living room, while two smaller ones rested on a nearby shelf. — Why is that plant in the living room? — Because it's pretty. — So it serves no function. — It makes me happy. He looked back at the plant. It produced no food. It was not used to make medicine. It did nothing to improve the apartment's security. And yet...

It was enough to make Emma happy. — I understand. In truth, he did not fully understand. Emma stepped closer to the plant and gently brushed one of its leaves with her fingertips. — You know, we don't always keep something because we need it. — Why, then? — Because it reminds us of a happy memory. Because it's beautiful. Because it brings us peace. Or simply because it makes us smile whenever we walk past it. — Those reasons seem difficult to measure. Yet they appear to be important.

— More important than most people realize. They continued toward a small cabinet beside the television. A scented candle, a decorative hourglass, and a few seashells were arranged on top of it. Aldric carefully picked up one of the shells. — This one also came from a vacation? Emma laughed. — How did you guess? — The probability was high. — I picked it up on a beach when I was a child. — Why did you keep it? — Every time I see it, I remember that day. Aldric returned the shell to its place.

— So memories also have objects associated with them. In his world, the halls of castles were decorated with hunting trophies, weapons, and banners won in battle. Every object commemorated a victory or an important event. Emma's apartment also told a story. Only here, battles had been replaced by vacations, friends, and photographs. The thought made him smile. — What is it? He gently shook his head. — I am learning about your world. — It's not just my world anymore, Aldric. — You live here now too.

I think you've seen everything. — Yes. — Then make yourself at home. △ WARNING △ Expression Detected Literal Interpretation Not Recommended He reread the warning before closing the window. A faint smile appeared on his face. — I'm relieved. — Why? — I genuinely thought I was supposed to rearrange your furniture. Emma burst out laughing. — What exactly did you think? — That the expression was giving me permission to reorganize your apartment in order to optimize it. — You really would have done that? Seriously?

— If you had given me permission. — Good thing you don't take every expression literally anymore. — The Syst... Aldric stopped himself at once. — I have learned that some expressions mean something different from the words themselves. — Exactly.

"Make yourself at home" mostly means that you can relax. — I understand. In that case, I shall refrain from moving your bookshelf. Emma laughed again. — Thank you. That's very generous of you. — I also thought your sofa could be turned in a different direction to improve the flow of movement. — Thank you for not implementing that improvement either. — Very well. They then walked into the kitchen. Emma opened the refrigerator and took out several ingredients, while Aldric remained near the entrance.

He removed his shoes, picked them up, and neatly placed them against the wall. — You didn't have to... — This habit helps keep dirt out. — You really are one of a kind. Emma then opened a cupboard to take out two glasses. Out of habit, Aldric stepped forward to help. His eyes swept across the inside of the cupboard before he suddenly stopped. He immediately looked away and took a step back. — What's wrong? — Nothing. — Did you see something? — I almost looked for too long. — Looked at what?

— The inside of your cupboard. It is part of your personal space. — You know... I wouldn't have minded. — Perhaps. But I would rather avoid making any mistakes. — You're already being a very good guest. — And yet I have only just arrived. — You thank people. You listen when someone explains something to you. You ask before touching other people's belongings, and you're always careful not to inconvenience anyone. Honestly, many people who have lived here their entire lives should do the same.

△ OBJECTIVE PROGRESS △ Become a Good Guest 68% Dinner lasted much longer than either of them had expected. After clearing the plates, they remained seated around the table, continuing to talk. Emma told him a few amusing stories about her clients, including a couple who had visited the same apartment four times without ever managing to make up their minds.

Aldric told her about his day at work and about Lucas, who had declared that an old Norman wardrobe had probably been designed by a demon after trying to carry it by himself. Emma burst out laughing. — I'm really starting to want to meet your coworkers. — I believe Lucas would be very pleased with that suggestion. He regularly tells stories about you, even though he has never met you. — Really? — He claims that you'll eventually teach me how to become a true Parisian. — He's optimistic.

— That is one of his qualities. They talked about the metro, the construction work in their neighborhood, the vacation Emma hoped to take the following summer, and even the plants in her living room. Aldric listened attentively. When Emma finally checked the time, she let out a sigh. — It's already almost eleven o'clock. — The last metro trains are still running. — Yes. You have plenty of time. They left the kitchen and walked to the entryway. Aldric put his shoes back on.

Once he was ready, the knight put on his jacket before turning toward her. — Thank you for welcoming me into your home. — Thank you for coming. — This evening was very enjoyable. — It was for me as well. Aldric then placed his hand on the doorknob. — I'll let you get some rest. — Wait. Emma walked over to the cabinet in the entryway. She opened the top drawer and searched through the objects inside for a few moments. Finally, she took out a small object that remained hidden in her hand.

Emma lowered her eyes to what she was holding. Several seconds passed. Then she put the object back into the drawer before closing it. — You were about to give me something. — Yes. — Why did you change your mind? — I don't think it's the right time yet. — I understand. Then I'll wait until that time comes. — Thank you. Aldric did not press the matter any further. Since arriving in this world, he had learned that some questions did not always require an immediate answer. Sometimes, all one had to do was wait.

Emma opened the apartment door. — Thank you again for the chocolates. — I'm glad you liked them. — I really did. — Good night, Emma. — Good night, Aldric. The knight walked down the stairs. Once outside, he looked up at the apartment building. The light in Emma's living room was still on. He then made his way toward the metro statio △ HIDDEN QUEST UPDATED △??? Progress 1 /? — Now that's a very strange quest...