Universal Sign-in: Ascending to Godhood With My 10x Rewards!-Chapter 53: Katie Henshaw is a Cutie

As soon as we walked into the brightly lit room, Katie asked with a soft, innocent voice: "Mr. Nameless, what’s ’rubber duck’?"

I blinked, eyes widening as I stared into her orange pupils.

She slightly tilted her head, "Hm? Is there something on my face?"

Her short, brown hair framed a round, skinny face where her cheekbones subtly protruded. The girl looked underfed and malnourished. Even her small frame appeared as if it shrank day by day.

She wasn’t eating enough, and neither was her mom.

I patted her head, ruffling her brown hair.

"Stop!" The young girl giggled, closing her eyes as she playfully removed my hand.

While stubbornly ruffling her hair, I looked up at her mom, who stood behind her, watching us with a calm, softened gaze and a warm smile on her cracked lips.

"Thank you," She said, almost bowing, "It’s been so long since I’ve seen my Katelyn this happy and smiling so brightly." A forlorn expression grew on the woman’s pale, subtly wrinkled face. "She’d been a bit distant from everyone ever since her elder brother passed away. I was getting worried. My son got taken away from me because of a deadly illness, and my little Katelyn didn’t even smile anymore."

She held her chest, her bitter smile widening. "I was scared. I thought my daughter was going to lose her light so early. That’s why I’m grateful, Mr...Nameless. Thank you for bringing a smile to my daughter’s face."

My hand froze on Katie’s head, and my smile immediately vanished, replaced by an awkward expression.

I scratched the back of my head, staring at the woman. I wanted to open my mouth, to say something. But I was unsure of what to say.

Should I comfort her? Apologize for her loss? Or crack a shitty joke to levitate the mood? Someone help me out! I can’t use the ’I hear something’ technique here.

Finally, my lips parted, and I uttered. "Pretty ironic, right?" I chuckled awkwardly, "Her light that seemed to have dulled is being rekindled during a world-ending event."

The woman’s eyes widened, but she relaxed back as she chuckled too.

"I guess it is," she replied, "Thank you, Mr–"

"Call me Duz." I cut in, shrugging as I looked at Marcus, who already sat down comfortably on the largest sofa in the living room, immediately turning the TV on. "It’s what my friends call me. And no need to thank me, I didn’t even do anything. Literally."

"Okay," The woman smiled, "Duz it is. I’m Mary. And you might be right about not doing anything. Maybe she’s just fond of you, but you did help us greatly with the food back at the station, and you brought us here, somewhere better than that subway station. A safer place. That’s enough reason to thank you."

I smiled, still ruffling Katie’s hair. "Then I’ll accept your gratitude, ma’a–"

"Mary." She cut me off, smiling at me. "My name is Mary."

Oh.

I nodded. "You’re welcome, Ms– Mrs Mary."

"Ms, actually." She looked at Katie. "Her dad died when she was only four years old."

I also looked at the little girl.

She never knew her dad, and her elder brother died.

No wonder the girl became distant.

As I thought, she’s just like Margie.

"Mom!" Katie yelled, a shade of pink flushing on her cheeks as she turned her head away from us, "Y–you’re embarrassing me! Why are you telling him all that?"

Ms. Mary opened her mouth playfully, covering it with her hand as she dramatically gasped, faking surprise.

"Oh, my. I’m so sorry, dear. Didn’t realize I was embarrassing my little cutie!"

Mary pinched Katie’s dried cheeks, twisting and rubbing them.

"Ahh! Not this again, Mom!"

They both laughed.

I just stared at them as the woman raised her daughter and — with endless laughter and giggles — walked toward the couch in the living room.

"You still haven’t answered my question! What do you mean by ’Rubber duck!’"

I have no idea.

A bitter smile colored my lips as I watched the little girl.

If I had put in a bit more effort to treat Margie better than I did, would she have broken out of her shell, too? Would she have regained her light eventually?

Or did I run away from that, too, scared that I’ll screw it up like always?

Why am I even asking that question? Of course, that’s what I did.

It’s all my fault.

Where are you now, Margaret?

"Duz is a crazy person! You shouldn’t copy everything he says and does if you don’t want to be crazy like him! Better watch your daughter, Miss." Jerry chuckled as he delivered those words to the mother-daughter duo.

I looked at Jericho, who stood beside me.

What the–?

"Where did that come from, man?" I asked with an annoyed voice.

Jerry stuck out his tongue.

A vein popped on my forehead, the top left corner of my lips twitching.

Jerry exhaled in satisfaction. "Man, you have no idea how satisfying your annoyed face is. You’re holding back so bad, haha."

I ignored his words, the vein on my . forehead dissolving.

"Did ya lock the door?"

"Of course I did. I’m thorough. I’d hate getting disturbed by those thugs outside. Although I’m not at all worried about myself, it’s the child’s safety I worry about. And her mother." He gazed at Katie and Mary as they strolled into one of the passages leading to the inner rooms.

"Right."

"She reminds you of her, doesn’t she?" Jerry suddenly asked.

I flinched slightly. "Reminds me of who?"

"Oh, come on. It’s me, Duz. You should know that I’m more perceptive than the average schmuck. I noticed it ever since you gave her all your food at the subway station."

I let out a small nose huff, shaking my head.

True that.

A small smile played on my lips. "I think the problem is that you know me too well."

Jerry shrugged. "Whatever you say. But, Dustin, she does remind me of Margaret, doesn’t she?"

I remained silent for a while, just wearing my somber smile. Then I blinked, "Yeah, she does."

Jericho’s palm fell on my shoulder as he tapped it lightly. "You’ll find her. Don’t you just worry."

"But I’m worried, Jerry. What if she’s dead? What if she got killed by a monster out there? Scratch that, even before the damn apocalypse, I have no idea where she is, how she’s been living all this while, if she’s even alive. She’s... she’s my only family left, Jerry."

His grip on my shoulder tightened, just slightly. "You know I tried to search for her when she left, right?"

"I know you did. And I’m grateful. Even more grateful than the time you borrowed me money that I’ve still not returned."

"Eh, keep it. I don’t need the money. But, as I was saying, it felt like she vanished after a certain point, Duz. Like all traces of her literally vanished. Footprints and all. She’d just left a day ago when we searched the entire city, but we found no clue. There was no way she’d have left the city in just a day."

"... There’s no need to tell me what I already know," I uttered with a weak voice.

"Sorry, man."