"Wake up! Wake up!" A cute robotic voice echoed through the room.
Ethan's eyes shot open. "What the—" He nearly jumped out of bed. "A talking robot?"
Linh stepped into the room, arms crossed, an amused look on her face. "Get up already. This is Bee, your new roommate^^"
"Hi, I'm Bee!" The small robot extended a tiny metal hand toward Ethan.
Ethan chuckled and shook its hand. "Nice to meet you, Bee."
Bee's LED eyes blinked. "Let's cook!"
Ethan scratched his head. "Uh… yeah, I guess I'm kinda hungry."
Linh laughed. "Bee's just messing with you. Come eat, everything's ready."
Ethan and Bee walked into the dining area, and his jaw nearly dropped. The table was filled with an incredible spread of Vietnamese dishes—chicken, duck, pork, beef, fresh vegetables, and fruit.
"Wow, Linh, this is amazing!" Ethan exclaimed.
Linh sat down and handed him a bowl of rice. Without hesitation, he grabbed his chopsticks and started eating.
"So, how's the mission going?" Ethan asked between bites of chicken.
Linh set down her chopsticks, her expression turning serious. "I found Darius. We're meeting him tonight."
Ethan froze. "Why not just kill him? I can't stand guys like him."
Linh locked eyes with him. "He knows who killed your family."
Ethan put his chopsticks down, his fists clenching slightly. A tense silence filled the room.
"Then let's go now. Why wait until tonight?"
"The Council needs time to prepare," Linh explained.
Ethan exhaled sharply. "Let me meet the Council."
"Not yet. They're busy right now."
He let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine. Tonight, then."
Suddenly, Bee's voice brightened. "Ethan, I made a new sword for you! Let's go check it out in the basement!"
Ethan glanced at Linh, then quickly finished his last bite of chicken before standing up. He pressed the elevator button, excitement building in his chest.
Last night, he was too tired to explore the house properly. Now, it was time.