Chapter 7

Secratary Daniels opened the door of the hovercar for Amaara and helped her out. Midway to coming to the Imperial University, the rain started falling abruptly. Secretary Daniels instructed the driver to fly the car to the second floor garage immediately. This is the first time Amaara has sat into the S-listed hovercar which can fly upto 100 feet up from the land. Because normal hovercars would hover upto 30-40 feet up. She was dizzy.

She popped a dark chocolate candy in her mouth. Natural habit of a motion sickness person. Seeing that Secretary Daniels was with her, she offered him one. He was surprised, then took the candy.

"Wrapper..." Amaara asked for the wrapper back because of course he would not have anywhere to dispose it off. She opened zip of her backpack and took out a tiny plastic jar.

River raised his eyebrows at her actions. Who keeps tiny jar to discard their toffee wrappers? Well, the chocolate was good. Mildly bitter but not too sweet and creamy.

He led Amaara to the elevator and pressed the highest floor. That's where the Dean's office was located.

Incoherent noise of staff was ringing through the corridors as they passed through the hallway of the highest floor. Even if Amaara had studied in an extravagant aristocratic school, she was still in a trance while walking through this building. It had different aura and nobility. The Ivory Tower International High School had bright structure with white marble as a base, just like its name suggested. But Imperial University had this dark, magnificent and solemn structure, it breathed out the ancient aura which can dominate anything.

Knock.

Dean Carletti and Lilith stopped their argument.

"Oh. Seems like your daughter has reached here safely." Dean Carletti commented.

"Huh? How do you know that she is coming?" Lilith casted a side-eyed glance.

"Of course I would know. River is my secretary and he reports everything to me. Well, let's meet the little girl, whom you were hiding from me these years."

"You are impossible." Lilith ignored him and stood up to open the heavy door herself.

"Mom..." As soon as she opened the door, a soft tiny body jumped onto hers. She embraced her daughter tightly. How brave she had been, for not to break down in front of this complicated situation. She was so proud of her.

Amaara smelled her mother's coat. The washed out smell of detergent and disinfectant smell reminded her of her childhood days when she would come back from the hospital and raise her and shower her with kisses. It was so nostalgic her eyes blurred with unshaded tears.

"Grandma?" Amaara asked dumbly.

"Um. Her vitals are stable. We haven't found breakthrough yet." Lilith spoke slowly to let her comprehend.

"Don't worry, baby. Nothing will happen to her. Mama is here, right?" She rubbed her hair to comfort her and hugged her again.

Cough.

Lilith heard from behind. Well, someone was very impatient.

"Come on, in. River, can you please send the luggage to my dormitory? We may need to stay here tonight." Lilith dragged her daughter inside the office after instructing Secretary Daniels.

"Of course. Shall I prepare light meal for both of you?" Secretary Daniels asked as he handed the luggage to the helper beside him.

"Yes, please. Thank you very much, dear."

River nodded and turned to leave with his assistants.

"Amaara, this is my teacher, and dean of the Imperial University of Solortus, Dr. Elijah Carletti."

"Hi, Amaara. It's nice to finally meet you." Dean Carletti smiled amiable smile. Like an elder who had just punished a pair of puppy lovers.

"Oh, hello, Nice to meet you too, sir." Amaara smiled tight lipped.

"Ah. Elijah? Are you the 'Eli' my grandma was talking about? Who almost beat my father?" Amaara remembered the story, how her parents met and then quickly got together. Her mother facepalmed where she couldn't see.

"Well, hi Eli. I have heard a lot about you. You're awesome as per my grandma. I shall see for myself of you can be counted as awesome in my character list." Her demeanor completely changed from being cool stranger to a familiar silly chick.

Dean Carletti was a bit stumped by her quirkiness. But being an experienced person, he quickly calmed down. And shared a look with his student accusing. Lilith just smirked in return.

"Does your grandma call me Eli?" He asked her with his bushy eyebrows raised.

"Yeah. She used the phrase, 'Silly chilli Eli'. One time I asked her, why chilli? She told me that your temper is just like chilli."

"Like chilli? How?"

"Ah, I also asked this. She said two words."

Dean Carletti asked her with his eyes.

"Hot and blasting."

"..."

Puchi.

Both of them looked at Lilith who was silent throughout their conversation, questioning.

"Well, nothing. Teacher. Amaara needs rest. She must be very tired. I'll get her to the dormitory."

"Yeah, yeah. Go ahead. We'll meet tomorrow morning. We shall discuss countermeasures then. Good night. Have a rest." Dean Carletti waved at them while putting down the paper in his hand.

"Okay. Good night, Eli." Amaara waved back. Dean Carletti's had holding hus glasses trembling at her nickname. He never had anyone call him so casually like this. Well, let's let it go. Who made her his precious student's beloved daughter?

Mother and daughter were sitting on the couch after a warm shower, wearing comfortable pajamas. The dormitory was professor level. It had two bedrooms and a living area. Secretary Daniels had arranged some warm sandwiches, comfy tomato soup and milkshakes. Both ate the cheese sandwiches deliciously.

"Mom..."

"Hm."

"I had a dream."

"We all do, darling."

"Grandma came to talk to me."

Lilith paused chewing and looked up at her.

Amaara carefully continued: Seeing your reaction, I guess you know her weirdness, right?

"Amy..." Lilith sighed.

"I am aware of many things. I am not dumb. I know some things are hard to explain." She broke the eye contact.

"What did she say?" She asked sullenly.

"She said, she will come to meet you tonight. Let me soften the blow, so as not to scare you." Amaara took a large bite of cheesy goodness.

"Goodness, that lady. To not scare me she pulled this against my daughter? Ain't she aware that a middle aged woman is more stable in the face of weirdness than a teenage girl?"

The duo completed the meal and went to bed. Lilith was nervous and expectant on what her mother had to say. She was sure that she wouldn't be able to sleep because of this. But was lulled to the dreamland as soon as she touched the bed.