Chapter 348
Beside that note, a check mark was placed, accompanied by a small scribble.
"Softer clothing, limited access but sufficient."
Each scribble and check mark was a final decision, a commitment to the plan.
The entire exchange of ideas unfolded with remarkable efficiency.
Less than four minutes had passed since they began, yet within that brief span, dozens of items had been discussed, analyzed, and decided upon.
Every time an item or concept was proposed—whether by Theo or Aldraya—a concise and dense exchange followed.
Arguments were delivered with sharp logic, strengths and weaknesses were weighed swiftly, and in the end, a unanimous agreement was reached.
There were no prolonged debates, no disruptive emotions.
It was a pure collaboration between two strategic minds that complemented one another, working toward the same goal.
"Now, about light snacks. Do you think we need to bring them?"
After keeping his eyes closed for a long time, immersed in internal calculations and visualizations of various scenarios, Theo finally opened them again.
His sharp gaze was now fixed on Aldraya, breaking the silence that had settled after the serious preparation list.
Yet the question he posed this time sounded simpler, almost like a humanizing touch amid the heavy plans.
He asked about one final item, something that seemed trivial compared to communication devices or antidotes to poison.
Light snacks.
"Yes. Choose ones without a strong aroma and with packaging that isn't noisy when opened.
Whether palm sugar or plain nuts, both are useful for driving away boredom—not for a party."
This time, Aldraya—who had been sitting from the start with eyes wide open, radiating his usual lack of emotion—finally reacted.
His thin, pale eyelids closed briefly, a short yet meaningful motion that lasted exactly two seconds.
Behind that closure, perhaps a rapid calculation took place, weighing the ratio of benefit to risk, physiological needs, and subtle psychological factors.
Then, as his eyes opened again with the same clear and flat gaze, his head moved slowly.
He nodded, a small yet decisive gesture.
With that nod, he agreed to Theo's proposal.
Light snacks were deemed worth bringing.
However, his approval came with a specification characteristic of Aldraya.
He did not merely agree, but immediately defined the parameters and purpose.
The snacks were suitable as something for the two of them to share, with the specific function of reducing boredom during the undercover mission.
Not as a primary food source, not for celebration, but as a light psychological and physiological aid during long, monotonous periods of waiting or observation.
He then directly provided concrete examples, showing that his mind had already selected the most optimal options.
Palm sugar or plain nuts.
His choice fell on snacks that were quiet to consume, did not emit strong aromas, provided quick energy, and were easy to store.
Palm sugar for an instant glucose boost, plain nuts for longer-lasting protein and fats.
Both were functionally useful for warding off boredom and maintaining alertness, in line with the definition he had given.
"Besides driving away boredom, is there another, more tactical reason?
For example, to spark conversation, or as a small bartering tool with other staff?"
For a moment, Theo looked slightly surprised.
His eyebrows, usually calm, lifted a little, signaling a subtle yet genuine surprise.
Aldraya's very serious and specific statement about the function of light snacks solely to reduce boredom sounded unusual to him.
Throughout his experience in a world filled with risk, the idea of simply alleviating boredom rarely entered logistical calculations.
It sounded almost like a joke, or at least an unusually human consideration amid circumstances that should have been filled with pure tension.
Because of that, Theo slowly shook his head.
The gesture did not indicate rejection, but rather puzzlement and a desire for clarification.
He stared at Aldraya more intently, trying to read beyond that flat expression.
Then, he posed a follow-up question.
His voice carried sincere curiosity, without any condescension.
He asked whether, besides reducing boredom, there was some other specific reason that made light snacks so necessary.
Or at the very least, whether there was a hidden function, a more urgent tactical or biological need, that made bringing snacks a necessity rather than merely a psychological luxury.
"You won't forbid snacks from being on the list.
Besides, this is my opportunity to understand the concept of 'delicious' in the food of this world."
Yet Aldraya remained unmoved.
His expression, along with all his reactions, stayed utterly monotonous and flat, like the surface of a lake undisturbed by even the slightest wind.
There was no excessive blinking, no change in the line of his mouth.
In that perfectly neutral state, he decided to respond.
His voice emerged with the same even tone, without rising or falling inflection, yet his words carried a logic that was difficult to refute.
He stated that Theo would not possibly forbid a snack from accompanying the undercover mission.
The statement sounded almost like an indisputable fact, delivered with the flat confidence of a logician.
He did not argue with emotion or appeal, but instead framed banning snacks as an illogical action, an unnecessary exception in an already meticulous plan.
Then, he continued with a reason that was more personal this time, yet still conveyed in a mechanistic style.
Aldraya revealed that he genuinely liked light snacks.
And his reason was not mere preference.
For Aldraya, light snacks were a medium, an experimental tool.
Through their taste, texture, and the experience of consuming them in an unusual context such as a dangerous mission, the snacks would grant him a new understanding.
He wanted to comprehend the concept of "delicious" in food.
"That hurts, Theo."
"I didn't expect such a flippant answer to emerge in the middle of our serious discussion."
The blazing light of dusk, dividing the wooden floor of the dormitory room into a honey-colored canvas, seemed to witness a scene that was almost absurd amid the tense atmosphere of planning.
A thin, nearly imperceptible smile crossed the corner of Theo's lips before he suddenly moved with unexpected speed.
The loosely rolled paper in his hand, containing all the strategies and calculations, abruptly changed function into a light yet precise striking tool.
The roll landed with a soft but clear tok sound, right in the middle of Aldraya's porcelain-white forehead, shattering his perfectly flat expression.
Aldraya's reaction came instantly, not as a shout or anger, but as a muted complaint trapped behind sealed lips.
Only a brief glint in his eyes, a fraction-of-a-second blink, hinted at sudden pain and surprise.
That gesture became the most honest acknowledgment of his remaining humanity, proof that beneath the angelic mantle and steel discipline, he still possessed nerves that could feel.
Meanwhile, Theo's expression remained calm, with only his eyes radiating deep amusement, an acknowledgment that the odd answer, though unexpected, had loosened the knots of tension in the air that had nearly frozen.
"Now, let's move on to a slightly more serious topic."
"What is the connection between the academy map and this station with our disguise?"
"On the sheet you're holding, we will map out and precisely estimate—
The hour, the minute, even the second when the Bathee family arrives at the dormitory, and when Erietta begins boarding their special train."
To be continued…