Aletheia: Following the Luster of the Froth
CHAPTER III

A city without inhabitants is a legend that originated in the western region of the capital. This legend is told in an ancient language book that tells of a place that has modern infrastructure, but no one lives in the city.

It makes no sense when the city that looks very modern it does not have residents. Therefore everyone considers this legend as nonsense told by someone who is in an unconscious state.

"Wow, this is funny." The taps of a girl sliced Amethyst in a flat tone.

The girl then closed the plain-coated book she had just read roughly. To him such places were possible for them to truly exist. It is possible that there are modern people who build infrastructure in the city, but because it requires costs and time that many people choose to leave the city.

That's not impossible, is it? One or two opinions may be ruled out but they may not. Because in this vast world, there are many places that are not yet theoretically known about its existence.

The girl stood up, she walked towards the bookshelf that was on the right of her sitting. He walked down the shelf, hoping to find something 'worthy' to read.

His small steps stopped after Amethyst's iris caught the book that caught his eye. He took the maroon-red book from the space in the bookshelf.

He read the title on the cover of his book written in German.

'Geschichte'

He frowned, he felt like he had never bought the book. Why did he learn about history? What's more in German? It doesn't make sense.

Wanting to ignore him, but his hand moved open the book, sheet by sheet he gently traced. It's like an art that needs to be treated well.

His movements stopped as he read a familiar name, 'Attienne'. Followed by a sentence that he did not understand what it meant.

"Why my name…?"

Right, Attienne or more completely Lettarialzy Attienne is the name of the girl who owns the Amethyst iris.

As Attienne was trying to make sense of the sentence that followed her name, a knock blew her daydream. He looked worriedly, and hurried to put the book where it came from.

"Anne, pack up now." A cold voice followed the open door.

A middle-aged man with an intimidating ruby iris and his neatly arranged long silver mane, walked in with a puzzling sentence.

Attienne looked at the man confused, "What do you mean by packing, Dad?"

Michael Arrendo, the man called father was staring coldly at Attienne. "Don't argue. Do what I say." Cold scab.

"But what should I pack?"

"You're gonna get out of here." Michael stared at the neatly arranged books.

Attienne increasingly did not understand the words of his father, then again asked. "Why should I go?"

Michael did not answer the question, instead he walked deeper and deeper into the room his daughter was using. Her ruby iris stared flat at the small tube-shaped glass bottles neatly arranged inside the large glass cabinet in the corner of the room.

"You're still keeping this disgusting thing." Michael said trivially, without caring about the question of his daughter.

"Dad." Attienne's voice sounded flat.

Still with his gaze pointing at the large cupboard, Michael again opened his voice. "Anne. Sometimes you have to understand that opening your mouth to question an order is a bad attitude." His words stared at Attienne's shadow from the reflection of the cupboard glass sharply.

Attienne chuckles tastelessly. "No Dad. Questioning something is not a bad attitude. Even the father who hid something that I should have known was a bad attitude." Attienne did not want to lose to her father.

Michael smiled at her hearing it. "What should you know? No kidding. There's nothing you need to know." He underestimated Attienne.

Attienne stared at it tired, her father would stay that way no matter what he did. "Dad himself knows, however much the father hides a carcass, whose name remains a pungent smell."

Michael turned to look at his daughter who was getting more and more insolent every day. "You won't be able to smell anything while you're asleep."

Not wanting to argue anymore with his father, Attienne moved to pack the things he would bring. But, briefly. Where's he going?

"Dad, town…"

"Arcadia, a suburb."

Hearing that Attienne looked at her father in disbelief. "Dad, the city was–" he stopped as he got a very sharp look from his father. The look he hated.

Michael walked towards the door, but his steps came to a halt and he turned to look at his daughter. "One more,"

Attienne swiftly caught the thing, he saw it curious. When he found out what Attienne was staring at his lazy father.

"Dad did it again?"

Michael shrugged his shoulders indifferently, he continued his previously delayed move.

After the door closed, Attienne observed the object her father had given her. A small glass tube filled with a red liquid. He walked towards the large cupboard where his father had been a while ago.

"Is this a parting gift? You stupid dad."

✯✯✯

I knew sooner or later I would leave Algeria. But I didn't expect to leave Algeria for the city that I was avoiding, Arcadia.

Arcadia is one of those cities I won't be visiting a second time. I really hate Arcadia, because the cool air in Arcadia has a very sweet smell.

Perhaps for many, the cool air in Arcadia is pleasant. But to me, sweet smelling air is absolutely disgusting. The last time I went to Arcadia was 5 years ago, when I was following my father to do research in that suburban town.

And right then and there, I thought that I would never come to Arcadia again. The air is cool but smells sweet, the journey takes a long time, hahh.

But now, it seems to be getting karma. I ended up in this place again, sweet Arcadia. After a tiring journey for 2 full days, I finally arrived at this place. Arcadia, the place I'm going to be staying for the next few years.

It's sad that I have to end up in a place that doesn't even suit me. Hm, but this is still better than having to be with the old man.

"Isn't this campus interesting enough?"

I murmured like a fool, in the midst of this heavy rain there were many things I realized. That Arcadia is, really no match for me!

I frowned, why is this sweet smell getting stinging when it rains? I want to leave this place right now!

"Damn! What the fuck is this sweet smell?" I was sad while closing my nose.

I don't understand why everyone can act so ordinary with the sweet smell of this town. No, maybe I already know the answer. I think I just need to hold it. Well, for the next few years of course.

By the way, the campus this time is quite interesting. Unlike the campuses that I have lived in, this campus feels fun but it is not a pleasure but a disguised singularity.

Or it could just be my feelings.

✯✯✯

Attienne stepped further and further into the university building, looking around her only to divert the discomfort of the sweet smell she smelled.

Her beautiful eyes that guerrilla to and fro, accidentally caught the scenery that he thought was very interesting. The sight of a girl and a young man who looks familiar chatting, even though the look of the girl does not like it.

The girl who looks disturbed and the young man who violently nailed her, is a pretty sweet sight and also funny.

However, that was not what made Attienne interested in lingering staring at the two. Attienne actually focused on the hair of the girl who has a unique color, namely red ginger. For Attienne who live in a port city where the average population has black or brown hair, of course it is an amazing sight.

Ahh, even so, there was something other than that hair that made Attienne focus her gaze even more on those two people.

"Hmm, the young man." Attienne's murmur halted for a moment, replaced by the satisfied grin he showed.

"He's quite attractive, for a human size." Slowly chuckling.

Then his gaze turned to the girl before the young man, in contrast to Attienne's reaction to staring at the young man, you're looking very sharp.

"That girl is a really bad thing." His words without expression. He frowned deeply as if he was fondling her words just now he smiled softly. "Hmm, that could be a good thing too." Continue staring intently at the ginger-red haired girl.

Attienne's eyes continued to follow every movement of the two people who were chatting, as if looking for a place where the small gap appeared. The gap he could use to be able to find out about those two people.

Upon finding that gap, Attienne smiled obliquely. He felt like he was winning a lottery, "Can!" Satisfied word.

Attienne then walked away ignoring the two men, after she got what she wanted. Well, for now that small gap was enough to reach his small goal. For the reason of his existence, he will take care of it later when he is more accustomed to the sweet smell of Arcadia.

"Oh, sweet Arcadia!" Flat muttering.