Checkmate ⚢

Chapter 18 Past

Andrea was shocked when she received uncanny visitors during her Sunday afternoon.

"Tosca?" Andrea quickly wiped the sweat from her face and headed to the table where she placed her glasses. She didn't know she'll be having visitors while she was working out in her small apartment. "H-how have you been?"

"I'm not here for that, Andromeda." Tosca crossed her arms. "She's with me."

The pleasantries faded within her when Tosca's tone was still unfriendly. Andrea returned the glasses to her face, a small accessory that adds to her disguise along with the blue-dyed hair to cover up her once short luscious auburn hair.

She stared at the person behind the Italian woman and couldn't believe her eyes. "Professor Oakley!"

"Is that you, Andromeda?" she smiled as she wandered into the small apartment that was devoid of any bed and other soft furniture other than the small old couch. There was an old crow perched on his birdhouse. He began to crow when he saw them.

"Shh! Alcor!" Professor Andrea handed a treat to her pet. And stroke his feathers. "They are old friends, not intruders."

Toscascoffed, probably at the word 'friends'.

"You live like this?" Professor Oakleybantered. "I'm afraid this is also my influence."

"N-no! I love technology and civilization! I'm a millennial and a minimalist too!" Andrea insisted, fussing about. She didn't want to explain that her wage as a subject professor couldn't help her buy the necessities for a living.

When she gathered her bearings, her forehead creased, finding her old professor's words and disposition suspicious. It was uncanny for them to have a reunion after so many years of avoiding one another.

"You have something to tell me, Professor. And I'm sure it's not about poor living and hermit habits!"

"Indeed." Professor Oakley gave a wry smile.

"Now that we've all gathered," Tosca asked, crossing her arms. "Why don't you start talking, Professor?"

"You two might want to sit down for this."

That was how Andrea found herself crowd the couch with Tosca, she was utterly aware of the fact that the Italian woman was sitting as far as she can from her and it feels like she died a little inside. She averted her focus on their old mentor, who took the liberty to sit on one of the wooden chairs in front of them,

"I know it has come to your attention that among the Nine Muses, I'm the only one left alive who can still find an heir."

That was true, the rest of the Nine Muses all died before they can find a suitable heir, hence the reason why art started to decline since the fall of the Renaissance and the rise of Industrialization.

Andrea doesn't even know how old her old mentor was and she couldn't have been bothered to ask, reckoning it would be a sensitive topic for the old woman.

There was a long awkward pause that caused disarray of uncomfortable emotions through. Andrea noted that Professor Oakley was simply nervous.

"So, the reason I gathered us today was to talk about your protégés."

Tosca huffed. "I knew you would take notice of Althea. She's Lancaster and Bernadette's daughter. The talent runs thick through her veins." She placed her hand on her heart. "And it's my sole duty to prepare her for more until you could claim her as your own."