Divine Singularity || Reader x Murder Drones

III

Despite being fully prepared to return to work, Tessa had insisted—rather stubbornly, in fact—that you take at least one more day to rest before throwing yourself back into your duties around the manor. It was nearly impossible to argue with her, and after everything that had happened at the dump, you ultimately found yourself unable to refuse.

So now, unfortunately, you were left with something you had grown deeply familiar with over the past few weeks: free time.

Far too much of it.

You were quick to realise that free time wasn't always a good thing.

Your thoughts wandered too easily when left alone. They spiralled and tangled into knots you could not undo, circling endlessly around questions without answers. Questions about yourself. About Cyn. About humanity.

Idleness gave those thoughts room to breathe, and you hated it for that.

Work would've been the perfect thing to silence them. The garden alone could occupy your mind for hours—days, even, given you'd heard it had overgrown quite a bit. The simple act of tending to life soothed something deep within you. Trimming hedges, watering flowers, pressing your hands into rich damp soil while roots brushed against your fingertips beneath the earth like veins beneath skin... you'd missed the feeling.

But tending to the garden technically counted as labour, and Tessa had made it abundantly clear that she expected you to rest. You could practically hear her scolding voice already if she caught you hauling fertiliser bags around the estate grounds.

And so the gardens remained untouched for another day.

Tessa herself was occupied elsewhere regardless. Aside from her usual tutoring and lessons, ever since you had entrusted her with that strange religious text, she had thrown herself completely into studying it. Every time you passed by her room, you could hear muffled muttering and the sound of pages rapidly turning. Her newfound fixation left you alone with very few options for distraction.

And Cyn, surprisingly, had not shown herself once since your return to the manor.

It should have brought you relief—and it did, to some extent—but her absence also carried an uncomfortable sort of tension with it—a calm before a storm. Her disappearing could not mean anything good. What kind of evil machinations could she be planning?

You did not know. And frankly, you were grateful not to see her right now regardless. After what you had learned about yourself and the loss you'd suffered, you doubted you could withstand one of her usual games without falling apart again. You were in no state to be dealing with her.

As for the others—J, V, and N—they were all likely occupied with their own responsibilities throughout the manor. J especially tended to drown herself in work whenever possible. As such, you didn't really want to bother her.

You briefly considered sneaking out of the manor entirely. The thought lingered temptingly in the back of your mind. You could leave quietly and return to your self-appointed "life-saving duties." There was much you could do in the outside world: polluted streams choking beneath industrial runoff, dying forests screaming for assistance. You could help. Not only that, but you could be useful.

But then another thought followed close behind: Tessa walking into your garage only to discover you missing again.

The memory of the dump returned instantly.

Promise you won't ever disappear like this again.

Your chest tightened painfully.

No.

You had given her your word.

And after everything she had done for you, the very least you could do was honour that promise.