Celesta listened and had no words to say to her, but if anything, she found Mi-Yung's words interesting, dark, and not shocking her whatsoever. But to know there was an enormous world shrouded in what she had lived in all her life was still a new revelation. Dreadus hadn't said so with a steep, decimating tactfulness.

  Hence, the Federation was an anomaly that might crack like the rest of this world. Celeste believed in it and thought about it far too much right now.

  "Photos are photos. Knowing about it is normal for curious needs. It's not like we can go back and end the apocalypse."

  "It would be great though," William inaudibly mumbled.

  "What was that?"

  "N-nothing... Is there something more in these photos? Darks and those cabinets make up for most of this room. Not this dark history shoot."

  William changed the topic and didn't question which of those photos made more sense to him than others. He etched them into his eyes for the future.

  "Yes, and no. It is just a single piece to The Origin, or how we Walkers see this Dawn. Understanding is important. Thinking is not to doubt this history and turn stupid. Those Darks arrived, and they stay and develop all around us. And the rest is today. Quite a sad tale, to be honest."

  "A darkness destroyed... everything?" Celeste suddenly asked.

  "Not just that or everything, Celeste," Mi-Yung said, looking at her hunched face below. "I am not sure what you've seen in Australia, but Walkers walk a strange path. William is similar. He had his share, you have yours, and each Walker, like me, is no better. Usually, that is. That's how this world is. It isn't the same black and white, and it isn't welcoming or nice. What is unique is just an aspect of survival and enduring."

  "Not as if the past was better. The World Wars should—"

  Ellie slapped Williams' back, shutting him up, since she was unwilling to explore this topic with Celeste.

  Mi-Yung pretended she had heard nothing.

  "Anyway, Ranks have their worth, clearance, and cabinets. There are also listings directed to their Family, and there are a number of wonderful systems for not just this room, but to a bunch of them."

  "I heard," Ellie added when she paused, "that the Walkers provide all of this to the upper floors for royalties and so on. Is that true?"

  "Yeah, I guess. It needs proof or backing of a truth, or a connection to this place or Division. Kaufmans decided on most boundaries, works, and trading. The Assembly also agreed to this system, and it is a good way to get a reward for simple words or missions. "

  "I like Kaufman's work," William argued, and Mi-Yung wished to disagree.

  " Those photos serve no purpose! Origin is enormous. Report cards about the Darks are much better. They are full of tricks. Almost every organization on earth is part of Kaufman's research program. Well, some more than the others, and most have their own resources anyway. This room is a collective result of the Federation's and Kaufman's ideas. Heidi continues this tradition, and hundreds of Walkers are part of it."

  "It's that impressive? Here, I thought the Walkers are cheap and greedy," Willian said, trying to ease his mood and let his thoughts escape his mouth.

  Mi-Yung had had enough of his foul mouth.

  "I swear. I knew your father, but how in the world has it gone with your mother?!" she grunted as she punished his scalp by rubbing it with her elbow. Smiling in mischief, annoyance, and ideas about the past, she didn't enjoy this as much as she liked.

  "Ouch. Ouch. Stop... stop it. I was wrong. Walkers are good people. Angels of this society!" William struggled and added random excuses in an attempt to slip away.

  It worked, even when Ellie did nothing. She promised to help against this tigress.

  "I know. I am quite a benevolent person. Thanks for telling me." Mi-Yung sighed and patted his head. It wasn't a good day for many people, it seemed.

  Mi-Yung had more to explain, and so did William, but many stories were disturbing and better done later. She went back to teaching. "You should carefully watch out for anything outside, or even here. Unpredictable things have the most minor starts."

  "Is that a joke?" William wondered.

  "No; there are people who take this for a cage. A fishing net is also a valid concern. What I mean is that the Outside is not welcoming for numerous reasons. I thought you would be... well, different, or aware."

  "What if I am? I hid there, you know. Why would I not?" he asked.

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  "I am curious about it myself," Ellie added aside, and Celeste was slowly calming and improving her mood.

  Out of the stakes of this room, Ellie forced a book over her face, which helped her mood even better. It worked like a charm, making Celeste look at pictures and words she couldn't really read. Yet watching was often the best thing she could do, and she tried her best.

  "You want me to talk? I thought this was your lesson." William pointed to Mi-Yung, who was more or less fine with testing him as much as she wanted to. At one point, it will break, and things will get better. She knew it.

  "Want to feel my hand again?"

  "I am not afraid of Outside as much as you think I should be! I lived there as a freaking kid!" William said resolutely, and Mi-Yung chuckled.

  "And guess what? You are still a kid, so don't think this is a poor idea. Outside is tough and larger than what Walkers can see. Both South and North America are enormous, and our duties aren't just here. We have stakes across the world, while it wants to eat us. Break us. Consume us."

  "Like... what?" William said, unsure if his imagination should run wild or go in terrible directions.

  "Expeditions. Large-scale investigations, cracking down Rifts, and pushing Walkers mad or stronger are all expectant stakes."

  "Wait... Wait. Not so quick. Expedition?"

  "What has been lost can be claimed, William," Ellie added. "I talked about it a little before. Federation's expeditions are significant and allow normal people and Walkers to work together. Either by foot, sky, or through the sole tanker this place has to offer, these expeditions go far away from the Federation. Of course, they transcend many professions and require many jobs. There are probably thousands of typical missions; hundreds at every given moment, I think. Then there is a big one every couple of months."

  "Wait... tanker?!" This time, William was shocked and wasn't too stupid to realize what a tanker was.

  "Hey, not so quick, Ellie. I wanted to show that to him later. Shame. First reactions are so fun," Mi-Yung said, hiding regret by stepping aside and looking around the shelves.

  William swore this wasn't even that big of a deal. He thought very few things could truly shake him, and big ships like tankers weren't one of them.

  He just didn't correlate expeditions with tankers. It sounded normal, as they were big and slow. One mistake and it would sink, and many Darks would do it in a heartbeat, or.... not much? Sinking didn't seem like a good job since Darks didn't prefer water all that much.

  "I can explain that to you in-depth if you want," Ellie offered, but he refused.

  "Expeditions Outside are a big deal, kids. Way too big for your heads." Mi-Yung said. "Reputation and power of Divisions rise because of them, and we are doing what we have to for this land. So little can be done when the numbers are insufficient, land is in the middle of nowhere, and Darks are boundless, more than countless."

  William catered to his poor scalp and felt his hair in wonder. It was unscathed, even though he thought she caused irreversible damage to his head.

  "I know how Outside thinks," he added, almost whispering.

  Which caused many pairs of eyes to perk up. Celeste poked his shoulder, eyes open and calm. Hound was the same, albeit without the poking part.

  "How think?"

  "Think? What?" he didn't get her much.

  "Tell her about your Outside." Ellie urged him and thought Celeste was curious about it, which was a good thing. More data for her would never hurt.

  "Right. Do I have to?"

  "Will you pass this rare opportunity to pay me back?"

  William mumbled something under his nose, thinking that he didn't owe anything to anyone. When he thought about it further, it sounded kind of wrong. Outside perspective seeped out of him, affecting him like cowardice, poison, and tough reality.

  It wasn't about paybacks. It was about basic courtesy to help others and get by in this era. William considered what Celeste could understand and what he even got. He didn't spend much time with her, but it wasn't as if he hadn't seen clueless kids before.

  He could speak from his personal experiences. "Take this place, Federation, for one example. Seas are vast, and the land is good and bright, but out there, there are also cities. They are gone. Destroyed. Corrupted land and people living around them do whatever they can or just… do. We live like they do, but we are different yet not so different. Does it make sense?"

  Celeste nodded, following him a little, thanks to Dreadus and their journey around Australia and North America. It left her wondrous, especially when Ellie came to her like an open encyclopedia and charming sun, giving her that kind of attention she always lacked.

  Celeste changed from a little push, so she linked a bunch of her own ideas with hers and others. Now she wanted to do the same thing with William, even if the general truth was barely starting. There were many lessons ahead.

  "I grew up in North America, around Canadian borders. It isn't a rough place, but it is cold and often brutal—not as Australia, of course. Camps are full of survivors from all over the place. And they aren't alone! Out there, people live because they stick together. Both in good and bad ways. The Federation is a palace compared to it. If I guess how Outside does it, it is like a tough person who is trying to survive at all costs, willing to make sacrifices, and live on. Is that enough?" Eying both girls, he thought it was enough.

  Ellie planned to give Celeste her own version later down the line, but this was a fine start from a Walker similar to Celeste.

  Celeste nodded, hugging her book and Hound alike.

  "Are you done with your little lesson?" Mi-Yung asked aside.

  "Sure. Please, continue, err…. teacher?"

  "That doesn't help."

  "Sorry."

  "Whatever. I want to handle Darks next. Tell me what you know."

  "I've read bits here and there and remembered a lot of Outside knowledge."

  "That doesn't give me anything." She argued and pointed to the shelves. "Those are for Hellgars. Family is called what?"

  "Beasts? Hellgars are Feng-specialists, I think." William guessed this was an easy test.

  Mi-Yung nodded. "Family is a rather wide and complex topic since each has variants and many tiers. Since I've talked about it, there are observations and terms to express ahead of time. Those are Family Aspects. They are like Dark Aspects, but more in line with what made those Dark bastards into a coherent Family. Dangerous, I mean. Every monster is savage and starts from somewhere. Most from Rank 1. Some further."

  "I know that," William argued.

  Celeste hopped on the spot and huffed a breath. "Me too. Me too." She wasn't sure if that was a good way to say she wasn't as stupid as most would assume.

  Ellie was proud of her act in such a short period of time.

  "I doubt you know the depths of these aspects, let alone these." Mi-Yung pointed to multiple books and then to Hound.

  William frowned and awkwardly looked away. "Please, continue... teacher."