Reborn with my killer's looks-Chapter 50: how do you like your coffee?

Zelda stood a few feet away on the rooftop.

She was dressed in a casual white sundress that showed off her shoulders and legs. Her red hair was styled nicely in soft curls instead of her usual ponytail and she carried a small purse.

The Blue Reaper stared at her and she stared back.

"I thought we were going out?" Zelda said, tilting her head. "Why are you dressed like that?"

The Blue Reaper looked down at himself; Full vigilante gear with the whole mask and long ahh katana.

"Oh." Zelda put a hand to her cheek, blushing slightly. "That’s right. You’re a treacherous muderer wanted by the empire and If you showed me your true identity, I’d have to bring you to justice as a member of the Golden Chalice." She smiled dreamily.

"Plus," Zelda continued, now with both hands on her cheeks and swaying slightly.

"you’re probably much more mature experienced and older than my young, pure and innocent 24-year-old self!"

She had the expression of someone lost in a romantic fantasy and the blue reaper had an expression that seemed to say ’the hell is wrong with this woman’

"Stay here, I’ll go grab the coffee."

"Why can’t we just go together?"

"You said it yourself, I’m a wanted vigilante and if people see me, they’ll just call the cops."

"Oh." She deflated slightly. "That makes sense." She sighed and clasped both her hands together in admiration. "Protecting me from being associated with your criminal activities. How noble."

"This woman just believes whatever it is she wants." The blue reaper thought to himself.

He headed for the fire escape.

"You’ll come back, right?" Zelda called after him. "You won’t just disappear?"

The Blue Reaper looked back at her. "What are you on about, I was the one who called you here."

"I know, but just Promise?" Her eyes drifted away, almost as if she remembered something.

"I’ll be back, promise."

She smiled and he headed for the cafe.

The Blue Reaper approached the café from the side alley, staying in the shadows.

He peered through the window and the cafe was empty, completely empty except for a single bored-looking waiter wiping down the counter.

A mischievous thought occurred to him and he deactivated his Crest, the blue glow in his eyes fading and the shadowy presence around him dissipating.

He adjusted his red cassock robe, made sure his student ID was visible, and walked casually toward the front entrance.

The bell chimed as he entered.

"Welcome! What can I get you?" Said the waiter looking up.

"Two coffees, please." Huey walked to the counter, his eyes scanning the interior.

"Sure thing. How do you want them?"

Huey’s eyes darted toward the corners of the ceiling, behind the counter and near the register.

"Actually," Huey said casually, "I was wondering, do you guys have security cameras? I’m doing a project for my Safety and Urban Planning course at Virelia. Comparing security measures across the different districts."

The waiter laughed. "Security cameras? Here? Nah, man. The owner’s way too cheap for that."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Via Sancta has one of the lowest crime rates in Vitalis, super peaceful neighborhood. So the owner figured why waste money on cameras when nothing ever happens?" The waiter shrugged. "Saves him a ton on monthly fees."

"That’s... Pretty smart."

"Right? Anyway, how do you want your coffees?"

Huey opened his mouth then realized he’d never actually asked Zelda how she liked her coffee.

"Uh... surprise me."

The waiter raised an eyebrow. "Both of them?"

"Yeah. Dealer’s choice."

"Alright, weird request, but you’re the customer." 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

The waiter disappeared into the back and Huey waited, confirming one more time— that there were no more cameras.

Two minutes later, the waiter returned with.....

"One black coffee, one caramel cream with whipped topping." He set them on the counter. "That’ll be twelve credits. Cash or card?"

He looked up and the Blue Reaper stood where Huey had been standing.

The waiter’s face went white. "HOLY—"

"Relax," the Blue Reaper said, his voice distorted by the mask. "I’m just here for the coffee."

"You—but—a guy was just—" The waiter pointed at where Huey had been. "There was a student here!"

"Was there?"

"The cassock! The robe! The—" The waiter’s hand shook. "Who are you?!"

The Blue Reaper tilted his head slightly, as if confused. "I’m a customer. Paying for a cup of coffee."

"No I’ve seen your posters, you’re that BLUE REAPER!"

"Am I?" The Blue Reaper’s glowing eyes brightened. "Are you sure?"

The waiter backed up against the counter behind him. "This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening."

"You look like you’ve seen a ghost."

The Blue Reaper reached into his coat—the waiter flinched—and he pulled out a credit chip. He placed it calmly on the counter.

"Keep the change," said the Blue reaper.

And then picked up both coffee cups.

"Wait, you can’t just..." The waiter’s voice went up an octave.

"You should run," the Blue Reaper said pleasantly.

"What?"

"Run. Before I decide I want a refund."

The waiter didn’t need to be told twice.

He bolted for the back exit, practically trampling over a mop bucket in his panic. The back door slammed open and his footsteps faded into the distance.

The Blue Reaper stood alone in the empty café.

He deactivated his Crest and stood there with his red Virelia cassock having replaced the coat and holding two coffee cups.

"Probably should’ve waited to scare him until after I checked which coffee was which," he muttered.

He looked down at the cups.

One was clearly the caramel cream—whipped topping visible through the lid.

The other was plain and black.

Huey hated black coffee.

The Blue Reaper returned to find Zelda sitting exactly where he’d left her, looking out over the city.

"You came back!" She smiled.

"Of course I did." He handed her the caramel cream.

Zelda took it, then noticed his hesitation as he looked at his own cup. "What’s wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You’re staring at your coffee like it’s gonna be the one that drinks you."

"It’s fine."

Zelda peered at his cup through the lid. "That’s black coffee."

"I know."

"Do you... like black coffee?"

The Blue Reaper said nothing and zelda’s expression softened. "You can have mine. I actually prefer black coffee."

"You don’t have to."

"I’m serious. I always take mine black. The barista at the Golden Chalice knows my order by heart." She held out her cup. "Besides, you already went through the trouble of getting it. Least I can do is make sure you actually enjoy it."

The Blue Reaper hesitated but eventually accepted the trade.

"Thank you." Said the Blue reaper.

They sat down on the roof edge, their feet dangling over the side.

The Blue Reaper slid his mask up just enough to expose his mouth.

Zelda politely looked away, giving him privacy.

They both took their first sips and sat in silence for a few moments.

"Can I ask you something?" Zelda said.

"Go ahead."

"When we first interacted, I realized you knew so much about the scared doctrines." She turned to look at him. "How did you learn all that?"

"Books mostly, I enjoy reading the old texts. Why do you ask."

"No reason, I just find it impressive. Most people don’t care about the theological shifts after the Rifts opened. They just accept the current doctrine without questioning where it came from."

"You question it?"

"Sometimes." Zelda looked back out at the city. "The way the church adapted—calling Crests divine marks, positioning the Prime Twelve as chosen vessels—it brought a sense of calm. But it also created this... hierarchy. Topplers are graced and Achusoi aren’t."

"You think that’s wrong?"

"I think it’s complicated." She took another sip. "The seventh seal cult believes the Diavolo are the true divine powers. That Crests are chains meant to bind humanity."

"You’ve studied them."

"I have to. We’re fighting against them. But..." She hesitated. "Sometimes I wonder if they have a point. About the inequality."

"Wondering doesn’t make you a traitor."

"Sister Jewel would disagree." Zelda smiled sadly. "She sees things in black and white. Good and evil. Faithful and heretical."

"And you don’t?"

"I see people. Desperate people doing desperate things for reasons that make sense to them." She looked at him. "Kind of like you, actually."

"You’re a vigilante," Zelda continued. "Breaking laws. Hurting people. But you do it because you see the flaws in the system."

"Is there a question in there?"

"Do you think you’re making a difference? Or are you just... fighting against something too big to change?"

The Blue Reaper was quiet for a moment.

"I think," he said slowly, "that even if I can’t change the whole system, I can help the people the system failed. One at a time."

Zelda studied his profile. "That’s... actually really beautiful."

They fell back into silence.

The Blue Reaper took another sip of coffee, then casually said, "Speaking of people the system failed, have you heard anything about the missing students?"

Zelda’s expression darkened immediately. "Several students went missing from Virelia and they were all Topplers."

"Any leads?"

"Nothing concrete. The Arcanum is investigating but they’re not getting anywhere." She set her coffee down.

"What do you think happened to them?"

"Honestly? I think someone’s using them for experiments. Like what happened at St. Helena eight months ago.

"The artificial Crest experiments."

"Exactly." Zelda turned to face him fully now, engaged. "St. Helena was Kaiser testing Crest induction on Achusoi subjects. Most of them died. But someone clearly thinks the research is worth continuing."

"If that’s true, they’d need a secure location. Somewhere they could operate without interference."

"That’s the problem. Vitalis is huge. They could be anywhere."

The Blue Reaper took another sip. "What about religious sites?"

Zelda blinked. "Religious sites?"

"The seventh seal cult operates out of churches sometimes, right? Abandoned ones."

"Yeah, but we’ve already checked the major sites. St. Helena. St. Catherine’s. The Basilica."

"What about smaller locations? Ones under renovation?"

Zelda’s eyes widened slightly.

"If you wanted to transport students without raising suspicion, you’d pick somewhere close to campus. But also somewhere that looks legitimate. A closed church would be perfect."

"Because nobody’s supposed to be there except maintenance," Zelda finished. She pulled out her phone, scrolling quickly. "Let me check which churches are currently closed in the university district..."

She scrolled and then stopped.

"St. Raphael’s Cathedral."