The Profolio Screener

"Celestine!" Andreus furiously shouted when he saw the young lady in the shabby room with the soul he was seriously chasing a while ago.

But Andreus' forehead knotted as he saw the lying soul named Eduardo, he seem to be knocked out. He gave a curious look from the soul to Celestine.

"What happened? Are you okay?" He asked Celestine who was now standing in the corner, with her hands on her back.

"I-I'm okay, "Celestine replied in a trembling voice.

Andreus' examined the body and find out that the soul fell asleep. "How could this happen? Is he that nervous to be escorted into this trial?"

Andreus looks for the trial card he saves in the pocket of his leather jacket. He opens it, and there appear the details of the soul they will fetch.

"Eduardo Gomez, born on September 15, 1972. Died on April 16, 2023, cause of death, a heart attack while at work."

Andreus' waited for the soul's response but to his surprise, he didn't seem to hear him calling. He snores deeply.

"He's not responding, what have you done to him?" Andreus' look back at Celestine.

The lady reaper shook her head simultaneously. Frey can't think of any excuse for him, she was busy thinking about how to deal with her burning hand due to the Slapping hand she used.

"C'mon, help me, we need to take him to the car and head back to IRISH, his trial should begin right away. For sure Captain Farvati will be mad if we come late."

"Are you not capable of using your powers right now? We need to hurry." Andreus' is trying to carry the body, he thought of getting it on his back.

"Hey Celestine, are you listening to me?" Andreus stand up when he realizes that his partner is not paying attention to all he was saying. Looking directly into her eyes, he tried to read what was on her mind.

"What are you hiding there?" He was talking about Frey's hand that she was keeping behind her back for a long time.

"Nothing," she said, leaning more to the corner.

"You're not telling the truth, C'mon let me see it. Did this soul hurt you?"

Frey got anxious, and a tiny teardrop from her head slightly goes down to her cheek. She was not supposed to sweat, but the current situation did. Andreus forcibly grabs her wrist figuring out what her secret is.

Frey closed her eyes after Andreus snatched her wrist and put it in their front. Revealing her burning slapping hands would be a scandal.

A moment later, she just heard Andreus chuckle. "You silly, are you playing a joke with me?"

Curious, Frey slowly opens her eyes. And to her surprise, her hands seem normal, with no traces of power and strength. She pulls on herself and started explaining

"Am, I'm sorry. It's just that I am scared if I can do the things, King Amadeus said. I feel frustrated I'm sorry," Celestine who was biting on her lower lip mumbled a prayer, for telling a lie.

"Don't worry, I will help you, Captain will be a great hand too. You know she just looks scary but you know her, she can't resist our charms. Haha." Andreus tap her head like a good dog.

'The young man is sending plenty of care to Celestine, they must have a very wide relationship with each other.' Frey thought.

***

At the front Office of Benefict, the Profile Screener.

"I'm begging you, I don't want to leave. My family still needs me, my mother is old, and my father is sick. My siblings have their own families. I'm the only one with them. I'm begging you," the soul that Andreus and Frey brought to the judge's Office couldn't stop begging and crying for some consideration.

The souls that the Grim Reapers fetch do not go directly to their destination. Everyone first goes through the Portfolio Screening – this is where the administrator named Benedict screens every soul that passes him. The Research Team forwards to him every detail of the good and bad things that people do while they are alive. Nothing escapes Benedict even a small detail is recorded in his files.

"Don't make a noise, when Benedict catches you losing control, he will send you to hell, that one has a bit of a hot temper. So calm down." Andreus strongly reminded the soul.

In fear, the man was silent in his tantrum. He never thought that the morning he left their house would be the last day he would be able to talk to his mother. Also, before leaving, he even said something bad to the bedridden father. And he regretted all that, in the man's mind he was not a good son to them.

Frey and their accompany were still lined up outside Benedict's room, waiting for the name of their fellow soul to be called upon for screening.

Frey's eyes showed sympathy for Eduardo, but he couldn't do anything, he couldn't think of anything to help him.

PING!

[SYSTEM TALKING TO HOST: The Host needed to level up her Intelligence to think more of solutions in the future. On your screen is a test to increase your intelligence.]

[Preparing . . .]

'You always show up suddenly, maybe you can give a little more sign that you will eventually come out. Good thing, I don't have any heart disease.'

[Sorry Host. New Side Quest available to level up Host Intelligence. Do you wish to Open or Skip?]

'We don't have time for the trial yet, so go ahead and show me.' Frey answered on her head.

PING!

NEW SIDE QUEST AVAILABLE

° Answering logic will not be a bad idea.

QUESTION: What HOT do Andreus have, that the Host also has?

TIME LIMIT: Three hours

REWARD: Additional 20℅ of Intelligence to host plus 30 EXP.

'Hot that Andreus have that I also have? What was that mean?'

[ACCEPT OR DECLINE?]

Frey rolled her eyes up for an answer, the system is crazy and she was making everyone crazy. But extra intelligence and EXP are not bad, leveling up will give her more access to some kinds of stuff, skills, and details.

"Okay I accept it," Frey said in her voice. She forgot the system she was talking to. That is why he did not escape the eyes of those hypocritical Reapers. Every reaper knew who she was, and they became more judgmental knowing that she came back from work and was not eliminated.

"Celestine, would you mind keeping an eye on him? Captain is calling me, she wants to discuss some important matter regarding him." Andreus was pointing out Eduardo Gomez who was sitting silently next to Frey.

"Go on. I will keep on track with him." Frey signaled Andreus to relax and everything is under her control.

The ambiance after Andreus left seemed cooler, and Frey started humming to lessen the awkwardness she felt. But it was not until the soul wearing a construction headgear spoke.

"You know, my mother cooks garlic rice very well. In the morning she always makes me that food, and I ate it, even though it's a bit boring. We are four siblings and I'm the youngest all the responsibilities are assigned to me." The man next to Frey was bent over telling a story.

"It's a little sad because I haven't been able to do the things I want to do. I haven't been able to focus on having my own family. I feel like they all have me together." Eduardo's voice seem sad, as he sadly told Frey. He felt that he was taken advantage of. He carries the world through his back, working hard to a living to support not just himself but also his ill father and old mother.

"Can't you forgive them?" Frey asked.

"No." He raised his face meeting Frey's confused eyes. "It's not because they didn't make a mistake. In truth, what happened in my life was also my choice, and all I feel now is regret."

Frey nodded as she comforted the old man. If only she could do something.

But then, a bright idea ran through her mind.

"Where do you live?" Frey suddenly asked him.

The man answered her back regarding the address she was asking him.

"System, can you show me the way to Norweltong Subdivision, a shortcut way to be exact," Frey commanded the System.

"Huh?" Eduardo seems confused about what the grim reaper is talking about.

[THE CAMERA LENSES ARE STILL DEACTIVATED, THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE IF THE HOST JUMPS TO LEVEL THREE. BUT A ONE-TIME ACCESS CAN BE DONE. DO YOU WANT TO BORROW EXTRA COINS OR COLLECT SOME SUITABLE ENERGY?]

"Energy?"

[THE HOST NEEDS AT LEAST 40% ENERGY FROM HER ENVIRONMENT. SHE CAN COLLECT IT ONCE OR LITTLE BY LITTLE, IT'S UP TO THE HOST. BUT IF YOU CHOOSE TO BORROW COINS, THERE WILL BE 70% INTEREST. WHAT DOES THE HOST PREFER?]

Frey, think deeply, she should not commit any mistake for this one. A great decision will be in her hands.

"Activate my Plundering skill."

[PlUNDERING SKILL ACTIVATING . . . ]

[Note: The free skill can only be used at least twice a day. It will be the host's last chance for using it today.

Cooldown: Two days]

'Go.'

[PLUNDERING SKILL ACTIVATED]