Silence.
Incredibly awkward silence.
The tension inside the room was palpable.
"..."
The wind outside the room had quieted as the silence became deafening, like water rising in the room.
'Well… I can't say I expected that…'
I, who was practically a ghost in the conversation which had taken place moments ago, was still processing the information.
Kim Hajin, who I had previously thought was a good actor and maybe of equivalent intellect, had now openly admitted that he had been 'watching over' Chae Nayun. A rookie mistake. And worse, the nosy girl had eavesdropped.
'So what could we do?'
"...I think it's best we all get some rest." Suho spoke as if to answer my unspoken question.
Kim Hajin didn't respond, quietly laying back down in his bed, probably too ashamed to speak for the rest of the night.
As for me, since I was someone who had been pouring out mana since midday, I had to agree.
Unfortunately there was still one more thing I needed to check before giving in to exhaustion.
I blinked, my status window appearing as I opened my eyes.
I've always wondered why people always reported having to think 'status' but ever since I got my own awakening all I've had to do is think about reading it and blink.
=======================
[Minori Nii]
⊳Variable Stats
[Strength 7.9]
[Stamina 7.9]
[Speed 9.2]
[Perception 9 (+10)]
[Vitality 12]
[Magic Power 25 (Affinity: Flame, Lightning)]
⊳Invariable Stats
[Intelligence – 6.118]
[Perseverance – 2.63]
[Luck – Null]
[Charm – 6.118]
⊳Special Stats
[Magic Power control – 89%]
[Mental Power – 30%]
[Dread – 36.91%]
⊳Gift
「The Prophet and The Beast」[Spirit Attribute]
—The Prophet:
The ability to feel, defile and defy the future. All Dreams have meaning, especially yours.
–Starlight Seer:
Cover the world with shadow and stars, see the truth of past, present and future.
–Encryption:
An ability stemming from the code of time. Store all manner of things within the fog of history.
Proficiency in breaking and creating code has increased.
—The Beast
Generate fear in all that view your stride, have the will of a lord and the body of steel. Do not falter, trust in your senses, your instinct and your strength. Do not worry, you are still human.
-Wild Blood:
The law of the jungle, might makes right is engraved in your very body! Stride with the lust for Blood and the confidence of the very Wild around you!
⊳Arts
[Arcana Interpretation Genius]
—The ability to understand all things magical to an immense level.
—Mania may increase the more you know.
⊳Physique
[Blood Poison]
—Poison can only make you stronger. The stronger the poison the stronger your body becomes.
—Your blood contains and maintains the properties of poison.
—You can burn the poison in your body to increase your vitality.
—Overburning leads to sudden illness and iron deficiency.
—You become intoxicated when you drink blood.
=======================
I skimmed the text, looking for something that has been on my mind for quite some time.
My headaches had gotten stronger after excessive studying and my concentration gets hazy only 5 hours into maintaining fake objects from [Encryption].
All of this and more has been happening for quite some time now.
Ever since I began prying into the tattoo on Hajin's wrist…
'I knew it… mental power is decreasing.'
My eyelids got heavier as I read through the text. The softness of these beds promises a restful night.
'My vitality also lost its modifier… the poison has probably filtered out of my blood.'
I shut my eyes briefly as exhaustion overtook my will. My breath still as my facilities slowed down.
—Kyaaaaak—!!
'...you've got to be kidding me…'
A scream, bouncing off the walls, reverberated through the mansion.
The two others in my room jolted in surprise. Someone, probably Suho, took action, bursting out through the door and sprinting down the corridor.
I opened one of my eyes to look at Hajin, who was already looking at me.
'Is he asking whether or not I'll go investigate?'
I weighed my options, going to check out the scream would probably put me in a good light with the rest of my cadets… but this bed is really, really comfortable.
"...Fill me in later."
Hajin didn't look too surprised at my reply before snatching his white desert eagle and exiting the room.
Although I was somewhat curious what he was thinking, I was too tired to care.
'Time to get some well deserved shut eye.'
Ignoring whatever actions happening downstairs, I lay my head back and shut my eyes once again.
…
Click…click…
Two boys stalked quietly through a quieter part of the night market. The light from the many tiny stands lit up the usually dark alleyways. The floor was damp with sewage water that had flowed into the streets. Water dripped from various badly maintained pipes yet there was a strange dryness that scratched at the boys' throats.
The homeless who usually lined these paths were nowhere to be seen, likely off enjoying the sluts like there was no tomorrow.
"…" One of the boys mouthed something with a frown while the other remained silent.
Today was a day where the two had gone out on a special occasion to enjoy themselves for what it was worth.
The calling festival, a tradition that sprouted to celebrate every year Japan survived after the outcall, where people would yell and let themselves be free for the night.
Although such was the case, the two boys were quieter than the dead. Even so, the elder of the two had a small smile across his face.
"Nii-san, do you know where we're going?"
The younger boy asked, eyeing the surroundings sharply, jolting every so often as if getting hit with a blast of some non-existent wind.
The boy wore a school uniform with a yellow hoodie underneath. His expression was in a constant nervous deadpan. This was a younger Minori Nii.
The one in front, taller and calmer, responded with a rather arrogant tone.
"Where do you think, dummy? I told you I knew a good spot to watch the fireworks." He wore a sort of aviator jacket, cleaned and unwrinkled, as though it were freshly bought. On his chest was a badge.
The badge belonged to Cube.
'Then why are we heading deeper into the slums?' Is what Minori wanted to say but his eyes flicked to the silver glove on the older boy's hand.
The two walked deeper and deeper into slums, getting further and further away from the light of the vendors.
As the distance grew so did Minori's discomfort.
The older boy kept on walking, not uttering a single word until they reached a patch of grass. It may have been the only patch of grass in all of the slums.
The older boy was quiet for a moment before pulling a cigarette and lighter from his pocket and lighting it.
The lighter was silver and clinked shut with a grating metal 'ting!' Seeing it made Minori's stomach sink, yet he didn't know why.
With a sigh the older boy looked up into the sky before tilting his head to look at Minori. Steel cold eyes that glowed like stars.
"Huuu… Hey, there's still some time before the fireworks. How's about I go get us some dango. Stay here, don't go anywhere now… not even if the fireworks start without me."
Minori looked at his brother in silence and then nodded.
"..."
Minori didn't know back then, but his bro-
—CRACK!
The splintering of bone against steel, deafening and painful.
Gray matter sprayed across the floor, mixed with blood.
A man in silver armour, covering his face as well as his humanity, stood above Minori's parents. His gauntlets bloodied and clenched tightly, yet with a cold stillness.
Flames flicker around the man, his crimson red cape billowing in a nonexistent wind.
He held his hand out and clenched it, a burst of wind and an inhuman boom snuffed out flames and splattered blood away.
The silver of his armour glinting once more, pristine and sharp.
Minori didn't speak, staring into the flames, at his deceased parents.
"..."
The knight turned to him and Minori felt his stomach drop. An invisible hand gripping his gut and twisting it.
He was going to die. There wasn't a doubt in his mind. He would definitely die.
Eyes behind a polished helmet flickered and hardened with resolve as he walked towards Minori.
…
Minori opened his eyes, refreshed after a restful night's sleep.
Sunlight that poured into his retinas made him slam them shut again though.
'I should've chosen the bed by the wall…'
Minori raised his hand to rub his eyes and slowly rolled out of bed, his skin prickling at the cold air.
Blinking his eyes a few times as he sat on the edg, the boy observed the room with a frown.
'Right, I'm not at home.'
With that thought, Minori straightened up and with a light tug of the air Minori pulled out a set of casual looking clothes.
The boy turned his head to look at the other two beds… one empty.
'Guess Hajin's up already.'
After putting the set of clothes on, he got up and quietly left the room, mindful of the sleeping Kim Suho.
The hallways, once dim with candles as the only source of warmth, was now bathed in a warm golden glow.
It was quiet, only the sounds of Minori's soft footfalls and the chirping of birds.
Step after step, metre after metre. Minori walked through the Red Flower mansion without encountering a single servant. Despite this, Minori made no note of it, perhaps it was the grogginess of just waking up or maybe he simply did not care.
Either way, Minori made his way to a particularly spacious corridor before encountering the first conscious being today.
Not a servant, nor a chubby old master, but a cadet.
"Good morning Hajin." Minori spoke to catch the cadet's attention.
His tone was lazy and bored, a stark contrast to the experienced hunter that was Uso. Minori had begun to make a distinction between his persona's.
"Hmm? Ah right." Hajin answered as though surprised, though the look on his face didn't change much.
Minori got within a comfortable speaking distance before stopping.
There was a brief moment of silence as neither had much to say in terms of small talk.
"Did you ever find out what happened with the scream last night?" So they got straight to the point.
Hajin turned to look out the window, leaning on the window sill casually.
"Yeah. One of the maids screamed because the master of the house was 'stabbed'. Everyone was there to see the knife in his chest. Even our healer could say for sure that he was 'gone'." Hajin emphasized the important parts of his sentence.
'I guess he wants me to pry a bit.'
"Sounds like you don't believe it." Minori opened the window and took a seat.
Hajin responded in kind, a smug smirk crossing his face.
"Of course not. I know a lie when I see one."
He pointed to his eyes.
'Is that so?'
"Ahem, but anyways. It's already dealt with. Long story short, I recognised the guy's face as Belbet…"
He paused as if gauging my reaction. Minori of course had read his name on a couple request boards on the Violet Banquet, but aside from that there wasn't much.
So he let it show on his face.
"Yes, Velvet the conman. He's on the international wanted list."
Minori nodded.
'Pretty big deal then…'
"But why did he fake his death? Seems pretty illogical to do that out of the blue."
At that, Hajin shrugged.
"But that's enough from me, I want to hear about the masquerade. Apparently there was an incident?"
Minori looked down, as though trying to remember the specifics. In reality he had already decided on what he'd tell Hajin.
"Well, I got invited to the Masquerade a couple months back by one of my acquaintances, as a way of catching up. Coincidentally, a cube trip here was made. Talk about good luck."
Hajin continued to look out the window as I sat on the next one.
"I met up with my friend and got ourselves some outfits and masks for the event. When we got there, all was well and good. The party was fun and we got to dance. But eventually we separated to do some networking, I even chatted with the organisers a bit."
Hajin yawned.
"And the incident?"
"Well, the security guards evacuated before we could see anything. Apparently someone broke into the vault or something. They never managed to catch the perpetrator though."
Minori spun a lie and told it with a light tone. Hajin didn't buy it but it was not like he would call him out. Only sociopaths would do that.
"Anything else noteworthy?"
"Nope." Minori answered without any hesitation before his smile twitched and he spoke again.
"Anyways, I'm pretty hungry, so I'll be heading off to find the chef." The seemingly random dialogue came out of left field and Hajin tilted his head in confusion.
Only for him to catch the tail end of some black hair, disappearing behind a corner.
Coincidentally it came from the corridor that would lead to the kitchen.
So Hajin smiled and gave a measured response.
"I've already eaten so I'll be fine. The kitchen is just down that way, third door to your left." He pointed.
"Thanks." Minori hopped off the window and sauntered down the corridor, leaving Hajin alone.
"...he doesn't trust me one bit…"