History is a realm brimming with inevitability, yet also one rife with chance.
From the moment Ke Yiyi first met Enfinietta, she sensed the woman’s unapproachable nature. Enfinietta paid no mind to her surroundings, her entire focus absorbed by the map clutched in her hands. Only then did she lift her head, her gaze, utterly devoid of interest behind her black-rimmed glasses, sweeping over the assembled members of the Robin Club.
“So… this isn’t a new research institution? And there are no new research projects either?”
“Apparently not.”
“Goodbye.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Enfinietta swiftly turned and walked away.
“Where are you going?”
Enfinietta replied to Fletcher’s question without even glancing back.
“To where I should be. I still have unfinished work: three design proposals, six plan reviews, eleven experimental reports, twenty…”
“That is no longer where you should be.”
With the door already half-open, Enfinietta halted, turning her head to look at Fletcher.
“I don’t understand.”
“The moment you were transferred from the ‘Technical Council,’ you ceased to be a part of it. In other words, you are now ‘unassigned personnel’ of the Vega Academy of Sciences.”
Her teal-blue jacket fluttered in the breeze. The cap of a pen peeked from the pocket of her white shirt. A utility strap on her leg held flat, thin electronic devices, a data cable connecting directly to another small device on a utility pouch at her waist. Dressed in black shorts and white socks, she appeared remarkably slender and frail.
Enfinietta glanced at Fletcher, then at the assembled group, before her gaze settled back on Fletcher. She released the door, allowing it to close, then returned to the bar counter and removed her single-ear headset.
“So, the three design proposals, six plan reviews, eleven experimental reports, and twenty…”
She paused mid-sentence, her expression growing profoundly somber.
“Are these truly no longer my concern?”
She lowered her head, a look of extreme reluctance etched upon her face.
“Is there an issue with my ‘personal record’?”
“No, no one has ever questioned your ‘personal record’.”
“Then, did I make a mistake in my work?”
“Not at all. Your meticulousness in your work has been witnessed by all your colleagues.”
“Then why was my original work canceled and I was transferred to this non-research institution, which has no research projects?”
“It is precisely because Minister Enfinietta is an outstanding scientist, diligent in her work and upright in her conduct, that she was transferred to the Robin Club.”
“Is this some kind of bad joke?”
Enfinietta looked at the Xitele that Fletcher pushed toward her.
“Carbonated drinks aren’t good for your health.”
“But your bad habits aren’t good for your health either.”
Fletcher took the Xitele and drained it in one gulp. Then, he grabbed another glass, poured a cup of iced soda water, and handed it to Enfinietta.
“You’ve been holed up in the lab, rarely venturing out, working overtime until late every night without a single day off. The Technical Council wants you to adjust, to change your environment and your mood.”
“So this is the reason for my transfer here?”
“Yes.”
“To consider my well-being without considering my feelings—that is not a suitable reason.”
“Since you’re here, why not settle in? Wouldn’t it be appropriate for you to set aside your work and focus on resting?”
“The Vega Academy of Sciences has numerous ongoing research projects. A sudden reduction in research personnel will cause considerable inconvenience. The progress of many experiments will be delayed, many…”
“Here, drink some water.”
Fletcher gestured to the soda water, interrupting Enfinietta.
Though helpless, Enfinietta knew there was no returning to the ‘Technical Council’ for her now.
“Truthfully, nothing is truly irreplaceable. The continuation of science never grinds to a halt due to one person’s departure. Just as the Morning Star Academy once served as a ‘lighthouse’ among many academies, even after its dissolution, science did not cease. Everything within an academy can be replaced; there are no irreplaceable people or things. You, of all people, should understand this better than we do.”
Enfinietta’s hand, holding the cup, froze in mid-air. She gazed silently at the glass.
“Yes, I just don’t wish to accept reality.”
Enfinietta took a sip of the soda water, then asked.
“So, what exactly can I do in this new department?”
“I don’t know.”
Ahem… Enfinietta felt she shouldn’t have asked that question while drinking water—there was a distinct possibility of choking to death.
“I don’t quite understand.”
Fletcher explained the current situation to Enfinietta: no regulations, no assigned tasks, no organizational structure. It was a thoroughly ‘three-nos department,’ with everything pending orders from higher-ups.
Fletcher believed such days would soon end. Lan Xifang, upon her arrival, would likely convey the intentions of those in command.
“It’s difficult to believe such a department could coordinate the work between three councils.”
Enfinietta shook her head in disagreement, continuing to drink her water.
“Hahahahahahaha!”
Ahem…
Enfinietta began to suspect that not only would she fail to change her habits here, but she might very well die of choking during one of her water breaks…
Kincaid emerged from the changing room, roaring with laughter. His face was contorted into a bizarre, almost demonic smile—neither joyful nor forced, but an unsettling, indescribable awkwardness and strangeness.
He walked past Enfinietta, still laughing, then exited through the main door.
“I think you should follow him and see. What if he scares the children on the street like that?”
In response to Harshi’s question, Fletcher could only shrug before quickly chasing after him.
“Kincaid! Director Kincaid! Wait for me! Why are you carrying a trash can?!”
“His mental state seems poor. Does he have a psychological disorder?”
Enfinietta placed the electronic device she carried onto the bar counter and opened it. She then glanced at the small emblem on Harshi’s clothes—a symbol indicating the wearer was a research scientist.
“Rather than poor mental state, I’d say he’s excessively stimulated. You could think of it as him constantly drinking coffee to stay awake.”
“That’s truly unfortunate.”
Enfinietta shook her head slightly. She only had a rudimentary understanding of biology, whereas Harshi was a professional in the field, so she readily agreed with Harshi’s conclusion.
“I never expected to meet you here.”
“I was quite surprised myself, actually. Though, I did see your name on the list beforehand, so encountering you now isn’t as unexpected.”
Enfinietta and Harshi chatted for a few moments, clearly having known each other from before.
“Your belongings will arrive shortly.”
“Will I be temporarily staying here?”
“Yes.”
“Could you take me there?”
Harshi gestured for Ke Yiyi to take Enfinietta to her room. Ke Yiyi immediately surmised that Enfinietta had been assigned to her own room. While she didn’t mind, she genuinely didn’t know how to interact with Enfinietta, sensing the latter’s dislike for this new assignment.
The two women soon arrived at the empty room next to Ke Yiyi’s. Inside, there was nothing but a table, chairs, a bed, and a cabinet. It bore no resemblance to its former life as the Vega Staff Club; it was as if no one had ever set foot there.
This was primarily because the building, once owned by the Vega Staff Club, now belonged entirely to the Robin Club. Most of the club’s contents had been relocated, with only a few items remaining.
Enfinietta approached a wall, measuring several spots with her hand. She then walked a few paces within the room, using her steps to gauge the floor’s dimensions.
“What are you doing?”
“Measuring. Calculating the room’s area to determine the optimal placement for items. Once my belongings arrive, they can be placed directly in their pre-calculated positions.”
“Shouldn’t the arrangement of items be based on aesthetics? Can you really deduce placement like this, purely in theory?”
Enfinietta pushed the sides of her glasses up with her right thumb and middle finger, then looked at Ke Yiyi and stated.
“The focus isn’t on whether the items are aesthetically pleasing, but on whether they can be utilized efficiently.”
Ke Yiyi found it somewhat incredible. ‘Did a scientist’s personal life truly pursue only ‘efficiency’ and not ‘enjoyment’?’
She noticed tiny labels on Enfinietta’s white socks, inscribed with ‘Monday – Left’ and ‘Monday – Right’. Her shoes and clothes bore similar labels, though the clothing labels didn’t specify ‘left’ or ‘right’…
‘Could this be… a system for pre-labeling her clothes to decide what to wear each day?’
Ke Yiyi had rarely encountered research scientists during her time in the police force. Even her colleagues in the equipment and technology departments wouldn’t put such labels on their clothes…
“Harshi just called you ‘Ke Yiyi’. My pronunciation should be correct.”
“Yes, Ke Yiyi. I used to work for the Shell City Police Department.”
“It seems we’ve both been transferred from our proper posts to a completely blank, new department.”
Enfinietta, after completing her measurements, sat on the edge of the bed, her expression tinged with disappointment.
“I wonder when I’ll be able to return to my original position. Or am I never going back?”
Ke Yiyi didn’t know how to comfort her. For a scientist, being removed from a research post must be a truly painful experience.
‘My own mood had been similarly low when I left the police force…’
“Sister Ke! I heard the great scientist has arrived!”
Li Qiwei, clutching a piece of paper, nearly ran past the doorway. She caught herself on the doorframe, tumbling into the room.
“Hello! You must be the great scientist Enfinietta!”
“Why add ‘great’?”
“Because your seniority is greater than mine!”
Enfinietta was momentarily speechless. She had no knowledge of the other’s qualifications, yet if the other person claimed her seniority was greater, there must be a basis for it, even if she herself was unaware.
“Come on! Can you solve this problem?”
Li Qiwei handed the paper to Enfinietta, gazing at her with the eager eyes of a child.
“This is a piece of paper I found stuck in a very hidden spot in the corner of my room. I stumbled upon it by accident. It might have been written by a staff member who stayed here temporarily on a business trip, probably left for future occupants. I’ve been thinking about it for days and haven’t gotten anywhere! A great scientist like you should be able to solve it!”
Enfinietta gazed at the dense, tiny script on the paper. After a moment of contemplation, she began to write the answer on the back of the sheet, following the instructions given.
Ke Yiyi was utterly bewildered by the questions, having no idea how to approach such complex, specialized problems.
Although Li Qiwei presented it all as if it were a game, Enfinietta paid it no mind. She was completely engrossed in solving the problem.
The back of the paper was quickly filled, yet her answer remained incomplete. She could only note in the last small blank space.
[Not enough space, unfinished.]