The first thing Ikaros noticed about the person was her striking hair color.
Her hair wasn't white like snow but it also isn't silver in color. It's a pearl white shade that makes one feel the urge to touch her hair.
She had a flower-like ribbon to the right side of her head, tying up her glorious pearl locks.
Under the glistening sunset, her hair took on an astral glow.
She wore the Academy's female uniform.
However, her super-developed mammaries and her generous curves made people question her real age. Despite her coat hiding most of it, one could still sense she was packing heat under those thick clothes judging by how hard her s.h.i.+rt was trying to rein in her ballistic figure.
She wore a scarf that fluttered in the wind.
Besides that, she had ruby-red eyes. Her porcelain white skin and her dazed look gave her an aura of adorable sadness.
In this sense, she was similar to Ikaros. They had the same vibe.
However, she lost in terms of purity. Instead, she made it up with her pitiful mien which was like a puppy in need of cuddling.
Moreover, she had a big hound about the size of half a grown man escorting her. That dog looked like a wolf with black fur.
However, this dog had mechanical armor covering its shoulders, limbs, and various other parts.
Although its eyes weren't actively menacing, the dog radiated a sense of danger even wolves would find intimidating.
This dog had been modified into an automaton.
It's her automaton.
Ikaros didn't notice her because of her aura and the dog automaton.
Instead, she was curious about the lunchbox the girl had.
There are sandwiches in that box and a bottle containing dark liquid.
Soysauce
Ikaros zoomed in on the bottle in her lunch box.
Ikaros continued keeping her eyes on the prize.
Finally, her unusual demeanor caught the attention of the pearl-white hair lady.
The lady stopped as she looked at her lunch box.
"Grrr...."
The dog sensed the troubled air around his mistress so it put itself between Ikaros and Frey. It bared its fangs at Ikaros.
Ikaros didn't mind the hostility.
"H-Hi..."
The lady greeted her.
"D-Do you have something you need from me?'
Ikaros said nothing, she continued staring at the basket.
The lady tilted her head before looking at her basket again. She s.h.i.+fted to the left in fear.
Ikaros followed suit.
"Ehhhh..."
The lady dodged to the right.
Ikaros followed her movement.
Sensing something amiss, she s.h.i.+fted her basket left.
Ikaros looked at the basket.
The lady moved the basket left and right while Ikaros traced the movement of the basket without fail.
The lady continued to flail her basket around while Ikaros followed her movements like a mime.
In a frightened manner, the girl asked.
"D-Do you want to eat this?"
Ikaros replied at long last.
"Soy sauce..."
"Soy sauce?"
The lady took out the bottle of sauce.
"You mean this?"
Ikaros nodded.
"I want to buy that."
"Buy it?"
Frey asked weakly.
"But, I am not a seller."
"Not selling..."
Ikaros lowered her head.
She turned around to leave.
"Wait!"
The lady called out.
She grabbed the bottle and looked at it one last time before giving it to Ikaros.
"..."
Ikaros didn't know what to make of this situation.
"Here."
The lady tried to put a brave smile on.
"You need this, right?"
Ikaros received the bottle.
"This, it's yours too."
The lady gave her basket of sandwiches to Ikaros too. Her sad vibe made people want to protect her.
"You can't eat soy sauce only."
She reminded her.
"If you're hungry, eat this."
The lady tried to leave with her dog automaton. Ikaros paused to ask her.
"Hey, you..."
Instead, the lady asked Ikaros first.
"W-What's your name?"
"Me?"
Ikaros replied.
"Ikaros..."
"I am Frey."
Frey extended her hand to give the dog a head-pat.
"This is my family, Rabbi."
"Family."
Ikaros looked at the dog.
It was licking Frey's hand. A humanoid automaton wouldn't lick her hand.
It's an automaton but its sentience isn't on the level of a human.
Frey called it her family.
Ikaros was slightly touched by her compa.s.sion. She hasn't felt this way since Wu Yan entered her life.
After all, Ikaros isn't human too.
"See you again."
Frey bowed once before leaving with Rabbi.
Ikaros also lowered her head to show her respect.
"Family..."