“Ah... I’m sorry. It’s an urgent call...”
“What’s the matter?”
“...”
Cold sweat broke out on Bane's pale forehead. The tragedy of twelve years ago plagued his mind.
The experimental base that was eventually discovered by Wassenberg, Conrad, being burned, innocent deaths...
Duke Wassenberg said that the perpetrator of the massacre simply lost control of his powers.
But Bane didn't believe it.
The culprit must have deliberately blown up Conrad at the Duke's instigation.
'It was kind of... a warning.'
Never again do anything that threatens their power, like experimenting with supernatural powers.
'What should I do?'
Gustav Lettmann seemed to have everything ready.
If that's the case, he must first dismantle them here before Wassenberg discovers them. That was the only way.
'But...'
Hasn't the tail already been caught?
How large is the experimental base? How many people are involved? Can they all be silenced?
Who and how many should I send to block them? No, can they block the mouths of the troops I'm sending?
After hearing that terrible warning 12 years ago, the fact that you attempted another power transplant... can you hide it forever?
"Older brother."
Nike called out to Bane. It was an unusually friendly address.
“Can I take a look?”
“...”
Nike glanced at the letter in Bane's hand.
“No, this is...”
Bane closed his eyes tightly.
Je know who can resolve this situation as quickly and reliably as possible.
The only one who can destroy the experimental base, control any possible variables, and maintain the secret is... Nike.
“Excuse me.”
Nike took a step closer, taking the letter in his hand. Bane let it go helplessly.
'I'm embarrassed.'
Although he felt sorry for his younger brother, Bane always relied on his strength.
And maybe this time too...
“...”
Nike's eyes wavered slightly as she read the letter, but he soon regained his composure.
“I will go and take care of it.”
“...No. I’ll do it somehow.”
"It's something only I can do. I'll handle it without a trace."
“...”
Bane covered his face. He was too embarrassed and sorry to look at his brother.
Already sending this poor child to the brink of death without rest...
Instead of kneeling before Wassenberg and asking for help, he was thrown into the clutches of the demons that threatened the land...
“I will go.”
Nike, who had greeted him, passed by. Bane grabbed his arm.
“I’m sorry, Nike...”
“...”
“I’m really, really sorry. I’m such a bad brother.”
"No."
Bane's heart ached. Despite his cowardly apology, his younger brother smiled slightly and spoke.
“...You are doing well, brother.”
2 a.m., restaurant 'Rambo'.
The second-floor inn, where everyone was asleep, was as quiet as a mouse. Luna slowly made her way to Vania's room, her footsteps muffled.
She carefully turned the doorknob.
It's locked.
'I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't gotten a fake job just in case.'
Luna took the key out of the hem of her skirt.
It was a master key stolen from the master bedroom.
Clank.
The door opened, and a twelve-year-old child was seen sleeping, oblivious to the world beneath the moonlit window.
“...”
She felt guilty for a moment. The child who didn't know anything was so kind to her, so she called her "sister" and followed her around.
'Whew. Come to your senses, Luna. Is this how you feel right now?'
Luna, who had gathered her courage, approached and carefully shook Vania's body.
“Little girl, wake up.”
Vania quickly opened her eyes.
“...Amy?”
“Shh. Sorry for waking you.”
Luna, kneeling beside the bed, whispered with a tearful face.
“Can you help me?”
“What’s going on?”
"I messed up the ingredients I was preparing for tomorrow's sale. If the owner finds out, I'll definitely be fired. I have to get it ready before he finds out, but I can't possibly do it by morning on my own."
“Oh, what should I do?”
Vania was worried.
Perhaps because she is a child, she does not have any suspicions about the suspicious situation of a restaurant employee opening the door at dawn and asking a customer for help.
"Could you help me move and prepare the ingredients in the warehouse? I'll have enough by tomorrow if I can just get an extra pair of hands. I'm really sorry to ask you this."
Luna added, placing her index finger on her lips.
“Be very, very quiet, so as not to be caught by the owner.”
“...Yes. I’ll help you.”
Vania, who was silent for a moment as if she was thinking, pulled back the blanket and quietly got out of bed.
'It's too easy.'
Luna sighed as she watched the child slowly leave and placed a note on the bed.
These were the words left for Ryan.
Well, roughly, if you want to find your daughter, tell me when and where to come...
“Can I go to the kitchen?”
“No. First, to the warehouse outside.”
The two came out whispering.
Deep dawn with only dim moonlight.
A deserted area.
Outside the restaurant, as soon as they turned the alley, Luna covered the child's mouth from behind and held a small knife to his neck.
"I'm sorry. Don't make any noise. If you don't make any noise, you won't get hurt."
“...”
What the heck? Vania, whom she expected to start kicking and struggling, was surprisingly still.
'Are you frozen because you're scared?'
The moment she thinks like that.
“...?”
Luna felt something hard touch her stomach.
Within, bang!
“Ugh!!”
A sharp pain struck the stomach.
Luna almost screamed, but gritted her teeth and held it back. She dropped her sword and fell backwards.
Roll...
A small rock fell down, probably hitting her stomach.
Without any awareness of the situation, Luna lifted her head and held onto her stomach.
Vania was seen.
'...What? Did you just shoot me with that?'
Clank.
Vania cocked the gun in her hand with a single pull of the slide, then aimed the gun at Luna's head.
'What is this situation right now?'
Her head wouldn't turn. Still, Luna reached out and tried to pick up the fallen sword.
Bam.
But Vania's foot stepped on the sword first.
'What is this?!'
And then leaning this way and that way.
She looked around the alley as if she was looking for something, then looked back at Luna, who had collapsed.
"Hmm."
After thinking about it for a long time.
“If you happen to have a real name, what is it? Why are you trying to kidnap me? Where are you taking me now?”
“...?”
Luna was dumbfounded.
Vania also muttered, feeling a little embarrassed after saying it herself.
“As expected, there’s no way you just tell me...”
A very calm twelve-year-old.
“Don’t move.”
Luna looked around, then stopped. Vania waved her gun.
“This won’t kill you, but if you get it wrong, you might lose your eyesight.”
“...”
Now Luna stopped thinking.
This is... not the normal twelve-year-old she expected...
"Then, can you answer any other questions? I'll cooperate if you tell me."
The twelve-year-old, still aiming the gun, bent down and carefully picked up the knife, asked.
“Your purpose is not me, but perhaps my father?”
“...!”
Luna flinched. Vania nodded.
“Judging by the reaction, it seems like I'm right.”
This is ridiculous. A twelve-year-old child can even read other people's reactions in this situation...
“Raise your hands and stand up slowly. This hurts so much I could cry. You don’t want to get hit again, do you?”
“...”
Ha... Luna did as she was told and raised her hand, and stood up.
Vania, who came from behind, put the muzzle of her gun on Luna's waist and spoke.
“Let’s go.”
“...Where?”
“To where you were trying to kidnap me.”
“...?”
“What’s the matter?”
“...”
Cold sweat broke out on Bane's pale forehead. The tragedy of twelve years ago plagued his mind.
The experimental base that was eventually discovered by Wassenberg, Conrad, being burned, innocent deaths...
Duke Wassenberg said that the perpetrator of the massacre simply lost control of his powers.
But Bane didn't believe it.
The culprit must have deliberately blown up Conrad at the Duke's instigation.
'It was kind of... a warning.'
Never again do anything that threatens their power, like experimenting with supernatural powers.
'What should I do?'
Gustav Lettmann seemed to have everything ready.
If that's the case, he must first dismantle them here before Wassenberg discovers them. That was the only way.
'But...'
Hasn't the tail already been caught?
How large is the experimental base? How many people are involved? Can they all be silenced?
Who and how many should I send to block them? No, can they block the mouths of the troops I'm sending?
After hearing that terrible warning 12 years ago, the fact that you attempted another power transplant... can you hide it forever?
"Older brother."
Nike called out to Bane. It was an unusually friendly address.
“Can I take a look?”
“...”
Nike glanced at the letter in Bane's hand.
“No, this is...”
Bane closed his eyes tightly.
Je know who can resolve this situation as quickly and reliably as possible.
The only one who can destroy the experimental base, control any possible variables, and maintain the secret is... Nike.
“Excuse me.”
Nike took a step closer, taking the letter in his hand. Bane let it go helplessly.
'I'm embarrassed.'
Although he felt sorry for his younger brother, Bane always relied on his strength.
And maybe this time too...
“...”
Nike's eyes wavered slightly as she read the letter, but he soon regained his composure.
“I will go and take care of it.”
“...No. I’ll do it somehow.”
"It's something only I can do. I'll handle it without a trace."
“...”
Bane covered his face. He was too embarrassed and sorry to look at his brother.
Already sending this poor child to the brink of death without rest...
Instead of kneeling before Wassenberg and asking for help, he was thrown into the clutches of the demons that threatened the land...
“I will go.”
Nike, who had greeted him, passed by. Bane grabbed his arm.
“I’m sorry, Nike...”
“...”
“I’m really, really sorry. I’m such a bad brother.”
"No."
Bane's heart ached. Despite his cowardly apology, his younger brother smiled slightly and spoke.
“...You are doing well, brother.”
***
2 a.m., restaurant 'Rambo'.
The second-floor inn, where everyone was asleep, was as quiet as a mouse. Luna slowly made her way to Vania's room, her footsteps muffled.
She carefully turned the doorknob.
It's locked.
'I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't gotten a fake job just in case.'
Luna took the key out of the hem of her skirt.
It was a master key stolen from the master bedroom.
Clank.
The door opened, and a twelve-year-old child was seen sleeping, oblivious to the world beneath the moonlit window.
“...”
She felt guilty for a moment. The child who didn't know anything was so kind to her, so she called her "sister" and followed her around.
'Whew. Come to your senses, Luna. Is this how you feel right now?'
Luna, who had gathered her courage, approached and carefully shook Vania's body.
“Little girl, wake up.”
Vania quickly opened her eyes.
“...Amy?”
“Shh. Sorry for waking you.”
Luna, kneeling beside the bed, whispered with a tearful face.
“Can you help me?”
“What’s going on?”
"I messed up the ingredients I was preparing for tomorrow's sale. If the owner finds out, I'll definitely be fired. I have to get it ready before he finds out, but I can't possibly do it by morning on my own."
“Oh, what should I do?”
Vania was worried.
Perhaps because she is a child, she does not have any suspicions about the suspicious situation of a restaurant employee opening the door at dawn and asking a customer for help.
"Could you help me move and prepare the ingredients in the warehouse? I'll have enough by tomorrow if I can just get an extra pair of hands. I'm really sorry to ask you this."
Luna added, placing her index finger on her lips.
“Be very, very quiet, so as not to be caught by the owner.”
“...Yes. I’ll help you.”
Vania, who was silent for a moment as if she was thinking, pulled back the blanket and quietly got out of bed.
'It's too easy.'
Luna sighed as she watched the child slowly leave and placed a note on the bed.
These were the words left for Ryan.
Well, roughly, if you want to find your daughter, tell me when and where to come...
“Can I go to the kitchen?”
“No. First, to the warehouse outside.”
The two came out whispering.
Deep dawn with only dim moonlight.
A deserted area.
Outside the restaurant, as soon as they turned the alley, Luna covered the child's mouth from behind and held a small knife to his neck.
"I'm sorry. Don't make any noise. If you don't make any noise, you won't get hurt."
“...”
What the heck? Vania, whom she expected to start kicking and struggling, was surprisingly still.
'Are you frozen because you're scared?'
The moment she thinks like that.
“...?”
Luna felt something hard touch her stomach.
Within, bang!
“Ugh!!”
A sharp pain struck the stomach.
Luna almost screamed, but gritted her teeth and held it back. She dropped her sword and fell backwards.
Roll...
A small rock fell down, probably hitting her stomach.
Without any awareness of the situation, Luna lifted her head and held onto her stomach.
Vania was seen.
'...What? Did you just shoot me with that?'
Clank.
Vania cocked the gun in her hand with a single pull of the slide, then aimed the gun at Luna's head.
'What is this situation right now?'
Her head wouldn't turn. Still, Luna reached out and tried to pick up the fallen sword.
Bam.
But Vania's foot stepped on the sword first.
'What is this?!'
And then leaning this way and that way.
She looked around the alley as if she was looking for something, then looked back at Luna, who had collapsed.
"Hmm."
After thinking about it for a long time.
“If you happen to have a real name, what is it? Why are you trying to kidnap me? Where are you taking me now?”
“...?”
Luna was dumbfounded.
Vania also muttered, feeling a little embarrassed after saying it herself.
“As expected, there’s no way you just tell me...”
A very calm twelve-year-old.
“Don’t move.”
Luna looked around, then stopped. Vania waved her gun.
“This won’t kill you, but if you get it wrong, you might lose your eyesight.”
“...”
Now Luna stopped thinking.
This is... not the normal twelve-year-old she expected...
"Then, can you answer any other questions? I'll cooperate if you tell me."
The twelve-year-old, still aiming the gun, bent down and carefully picked up the knife, asked.
“Your purpose is not me, but perhaps my father?”
“...!”
Luna flinched. Vania nodded.
“Judging by the reaction, it seems like I'm right.”
This is ridiculous. A twelve-year-old child can even read other people's reactions in this situation...
“Raise your hands and stand up slowly. This hurts so much I could cry. You don’t want to get hit again, do you?”
“...”
Ha... Luna did as she was told and raised her hand, and stood up.
Vania, who came from behind, put the muzzle of her gun on Luna's waist and spoke.
“Let’s go.”
“...Where?”
“To where you were trying to kidnap me.”
“...?”
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