"In that direction, go straight for two hundred meters, turn right, and you'll see it after a short walk," the old man instructed.
"Thank you."
Dominica led Kaizen and Wendy back toward the homestay.
The old man watched them leave.
Only after their figures had completely disappeared from sight did he turn off the flashlight in his hand, letting the darkness envelop him.
"That old man... something's not right," Kaizen said, breaking the silence. "The last time I was in this town, when I took down that monster, he was there. He shouldn't have forgotten my face."
"But today," he continued, "he acted like he didn't know me at all."
Dominica nodded, her expression serious. "Something definitely feels off."
The trio soon reached the homestay.
Kaizen stepped forward and knocked on the door.
Bang, bang, bang.
A short while later, the door creaked open, revealing a middle-aged woman. She smiled warmly.
"Welcome. Please, come in," she said, stepping aside.
A young girl stood just behind her, silently observing.
The girl led them to a vacant room.
"This will be your guest room. Do you have any preferences for dinner?"
"No, we're fine," Kaizen replied curtly.
"Very well. Rest well, guests." The girl bowed slightly before leaving.
Kaizen glanced at Dominica and Wendy. "It's absolutely impossible for that old man to have forgotten me. And now the people here... the ones running this place..."
"They seem so stiff," he added, "like puppets under some kind of control."
Wendy frowned but said calmly, "There's nothing outwardly strange about them."
Controlling people using Nen to turn them into puppets should leave some kind of trace. All three of them were adept at Nen techniques, and Dominica was a seasoned master. If something unusual were happening, they should have been able to sense it.
"It's truly bizarre," Dominica admitted, her brow furrowing. "But there's nothing I can detect."
She paused for a moment. "Kaizen, Wendy, stay here. I'll take a look around."
"Alright," Kaizen agreed.
With a swift movement, Dominica vanished from the room. She reappeared outside moments later, scanning her surroundings before leaping to the roof of the tallest nearby building.
She surveyed the town below. "Gyo."
Her aura-enhanced vision sharpened, taking in every detail of the town. Yet, even with her heightened senses, she found nothing amiss.
Back at the homestay, Wendy moved to Kaizen's side.
"Kaizen, did you grow up on the Zoldyck estate?"
He nodded.
"I heard your estate's location isn't exactly a secret. A lot of people know about it, right?"
"That's true."
"What's it like, living as an assassin?"
"Taking on missions. Completing them. That's all."
"Is Heavens Arena fun?"
Kaizen raised an eyebrow at her flurry of questions. Normally, Wendy was quiet around Dominica, and he had assumed it was her nature. Now, he realized she was brimming with curiosity.
She seemed unusually repressed for someone of her status—a royal of Fiora and a skilled Nen user at that. It made Kaizen wonder. Was there something—or someone—holding her back?
"If you're interested," Kaizen offered, "I could take you to Heavens Arena or the Zoldyck estate once this mission is over."
Wendy's face lit up. "Really?"
"Of course."
"Then I'll invite you to Fiora someday. It might not be as exciting, but there are some places worth visiting."
"Deal," Kaizen said with a faint smile.
Despite their casual exchange, his thoughts remained calculated. Becoming friends with Wendy could smooth his path to Fiora, just as his connection with Melena had done with the Kajin Empire. Strengthening these ties would undoubtedly benefit his plans.
"Wendy," he said, "what's your take on this town?"
She thought for a moment. "The people here are alive, yet they move like puppets. But they don't have any noticeable Nen signatures."
"That leaves us with two possibilities," Wendy continued. "Either the perpetrator's strength far exceeds ours, or their ability is extraordinarily unique."
"If it's the former, they should've already made their move," she reasoned. "Dominica even stepped out, leaving just the two of us here. What's the point in waiting?"
"But if it's the latter..." she trailed off. "Their ability doesn't align with the known Nen users in the Taris Kingdom."
Kaizen nodded, deep in thought. He understood Dominica's intention in leaving them behind—to both investigate and potentially lure out whoever was in the shadows. Wendy seemed to have realized this as well, which explained her deliberate show of lowered vigilance.
"If Dominica doesn't find anything, what do you think she'll do?" Kaizen asked.
"I'm not sure," Wendy admitted.
Dominica returned not long after. Both Kaizen and Wendy turned toward her expectantly.
"I couldn't find anything out of the ordinary," Dominica said. "Let's call it a night. We'll continue tomorrow."
"Alright," Kaizen agreed.
The night passed quietly, with no unexpected events.
At dawn, the middle-aged woman and the young girl were already up and about.
"Good morning, guests," the woman greeted. "What would you like for breakfast?"
"Something simple will do," Kaizen replied.
"Understood. Breakfast will be ready shortly. Please come to the dining room when you're ready."
She left for the kitchen, while the girl began tidying the yard. When Kaizen's gaze fell on her, she noticed and gave him a small, polite smile.
The three of them gathered in the dining room, where breakfast was served. Everything seemed normal.
After they finished eating, Dominica suggested, "Let's go out and take another look around."
The group left the homestay.
The town's streets were bustling with activity. Workers in uniforms headed to their jobs, neighbors chatted animatedly, and some people exercised in their yards. The scene was almost too perfect.
"It's all so... orderly," Dominica remarked, her eyes narrowing.
"Yeah," Kaizen agreed. "Too orderly. It's like everyone's a puppet."
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