After a few more kisses, Maya slowly pulled back.
A small smile remained on her face.
"Okay."
"Now let me teach you about our history and the hidden world."
Ben nodded.
"I actually know a little about it already."
Maya looked at him curiously.
"You do?"
Ben nodded again.
"After I left the café this morning, I found an injured woman."
"Her name is Vanessa."
"I rescued her, and she’s currently staying at my mansion while she recovers."
Maya’s eyes widened slightly.
"So that’s what happened."
Ben continued.
"She told me about the hidden world."
"She also explained Celestial Energy and the Tester Potion."
Maya smiled and nodded.
"That explains how you already knew the name ’Tester Potion.’"
She folded her arms.
"Alright."
"Then I’ll tell you what happens next."
"Within the next few days, someone from the Association will come to meet you."
"They’ll verify that you’ve passed the test."
"After that, you’ll be given an Awakening Potion."
"They’ll help you awaken your innate ability."
Ben tilted his head.
"Innate ability?"
Maya nodded.
"Every human is born with one."
"It’s a unique power that belongs only to that person."
She raised a hand.
The two empty coffee cups on a nearby table floated into the air and slowly circled around her.
"My innate ability is telekinesis."
"I can move objects with my mind."
The cups gently returned to the table.
Ben looked impressed.
"So everyone awakens something like that?"
Maya shook her head.
"Not necessarily."
"Everyone has an innate ability, but they aren’t equally powerful."
"Some are very useful."
"Others are almost useless."
"And some people never rely on their innate ability at all."
Ben looked confused.
"Why not?"
"I thought the innate ability would decide how strong someone becomes."
Maya smiled.
"That was the old way of thinking."
"Nowadays, Celestial Arts are far more important."
"There are many famous Celestial Warriors who possess ordinary innate abilities."
"They became powerful through talent, training, and mastering high-level Celestial Arts."
She looked at Ben.
"So even if your innate ability turns out to be average..."
"It doesn’t mean your future is limited."
"What truly matters is how well you cultivate Celestial Energy and how far you can master the Celestial Arts."
Ben slowly nodded.
"I see."
"So the innate ability is only one part of becoming stronger."
"Exactly," Maya replied with a smile.
"It gives you an advantage."
"But it doesn’t decide your destiny."
Maya then continued explaining a few more things about the hidden world.
Ben listened quietly.
"So... who exactly are you protecting Earth from?" he asked.
Maya shook her head.
"I don’t know the full story."
"I only know that keeping the ordinary world and the hidden world separate was a decision made a very long time ago."
"It has remained that way ever since."
Ben nodded.
"So even you don’t know the real reason?"
"No."
"Only the higher-ups in the Association know the complete history."
"They don’t share that information with everyone."
Ben accepted the answer.
He had already learned far more than he expected today.
Maya looked at the clock on the wall.
"For now, this is all I can tell you."
"The rest will have to wait."
"Once you awaken successfully, you’ll officially become part of the hidden world."
"Only then will you be allowed to learn more."
Ben nodded.
"I understand."
Maya smiled.
"You should head home now."
"It won’t be long before someone from the Association comes to awaken you."
Ben stood up from his chair.
Before leaving, he stepped closer to Maya.
He gently wrapped an arm around her waist and gave her a brief kiss.
When they separated, Ben smiled.
"Hmm."
"From now on..."
"You’re mine."
Maya’s cheeks turned slightly red.
She looked into his eyes and smiled warmly.
"As you wish."
Ben smiled back before turning around and walking toward the door.
A moment later, he left the café.
The bell above the entrance rang softly as the door closed behind him.
Maya remained standing where she was.
She lightly touched her lips with her fingers before a bright smile spread across her face.
She had liked Ben for a long time.
Now, her wish had finally come true.
She felt as though she was walking on clouds as she happily returned to the counter, unable to hide the smile on her face.
Three days passed as Ben waited for someone from the Celestial Association to arrive.
During those three days, Vanessa fully recovered from her injuries.
On the second day, she thanked Ben once again before leaving his mansion.
She didn’t say where she was going, only that they would probably meet again in the future.
Meanwhile, Maya had become much busier than before.
Even so, the two of them continued to spend time together whenever they could.
Although it had only been a few days since they started dating, they had already grown very close.
One morning, Ben’s phone rang.
It was Maya.
"Ben, the people from the Celestial Association are here," she said.
Ben immediately stood up from the sofa.
"Really?"
"So, should I come to the café, or are they coming to my house?" he asked excitedly.
"Come here," Maya replied.
"They’re waiting for you."
"Alright."
"I’ll be there soon."
After ending the call, Ben grabbed his jacket and car keys.
Meanwhile, Morbius was lying comfortably on the sofa.
Over the past three days, he had become completely addicted to movies, especially fantasy films.
Ben simply let him be.
As long as Morbius wasn’t causing any trouble, he didn’t mind.
A few minutes later, Ben got into his car and drove toward Midnight Café, the café where Maya worked.
Meanwhile, at **Midnight Café**, the **Closed** sign hung on the front door.
Inside, only three people were present.
Maya stood behind the counter, while two people dressed in black suits sat at a nearby table, calmly drinking cappuccinos.
A few moments later, the café door opened, and Ben walked inside.
The moment Maya saw him, she smiled brightly.
Among the two visitors, the middle-aged woman smiled as she looked at Ben.
"Oh my..."
"Don’t tell me this is your boyfriend."
She looked back at Maya with a teasing smile.
"Well done, Maya."
The woman looked to be in her early forties. She possessed a mature beauty and an elegant figure that could easily attract the attention of many young men.