Jess POV:

I made my way to Miles’s house, concerned over the fact he didn’t show up for the District Leader's meeting. It wasn’t like him to miss out on something so important. As Watchers, it was our duty to respond to the Leader's call at any time.

I decided to take a shortcut, cutting through an alleyway while the pace of my footsteps increased. I turned the corner when my feet came to an immediate halt.

‘!’

I dashed back inside the alley, my eyes widening as I contemplated over what I had just seen. I poked my head around the side of the wall in order to confirm it one more time.

Miles stood in the street, with his hands in his pocket, under the evening sky while a teenage girl stood opposite him. Her skin was lightly tanned, and she had curly hair that reached down to her wide waist. Plump lips, large eyes and a body most girls interested in their appearance wished they could have.

‘Tessa...’

I turned away, slumping my back against the wall in frustration. I thought nothing had come out of Miles’s advancements towards her, but I was wrong. The way she looked at him with those eyes, twirling her hair around her finger while she blushed lightly. Tessa was in love with him.

Even someone with no experience like me could tell.

My hand rested on my forehead for a while as I tried to make sense of these disorganized feelings. I was annoyed, sad, frustrated and in pain. I knew this day would come eventually, but a part of me wished it wouldn’t.

‘Why am I hiding? It's got nothing to do with me...’

I reasoned with myself, unable to move from my current position. If Tessa ended up dating Miles, he would definitely spend less and less time with me. Tessa didn’t like me, so it wasn’t hard to imagine that she wouldn’t approve of me being around her boyfriend so much.

“So it’s you.”

Tessa peered down at me with visible disgust. She deliberately bumped into my shoulder while walking past me. I narrowed my eyes and was about to say something to her when I abruptly remembered Miles.

I watched her suddenly stop in the middle of the alleyway. She glanced back at me with her hand on her hip.

“Jess, I envy you.”

I looked at her with slight confusion as she waltzed off. Why would Tessa envy me? Everyone loved her, and it was easy for her to make connections with other people. Despite our exchange, she was a very sociable and well-loved person.

I sighed inwardly and stepped out of the alleyway. Miles was standing still, gazing at the sky, while I approached him. I thought over what was the best thing to say: should I ask him outright? Or should I avoid the topic altogether?

“Oh, Jess. Everything alright?”

He turned his head to face me. I had stopped a few metres in front of him and decided to abandon the strange thoughts I was having.

“Of course. Why weren’t you at the gathering?”

“Ah... Ma caught a cold, so I was looking after her. I planned on explaining to the District Leader, but he already came by to check on me.”

Our District Leader really was a person we could be proud to serve under. He had committed the hundreds of Watchers and Vices to memory, knowing our names, faces, and even some of our habits.

“Grandma Yin, is she alright?”

“Yep, just a light cold, but... Sometimes I worry about these things...”

He scratched his cheek softly while a gentle smile appeared on his face. My heart throbbed when I saw the concern in his eyes. Miles had lost both his parents to an unknown illness, so he was sensitive to health issues.

“Anyway, Tessa was here a few minutes ago.”

My heart sank as I sighed inwardly again. I shifted my gaze to the ground and parted my lips.

“...I know.”

“Yeah... She asked me out, but I turned her down.”

“What?”

I stared at him in shock. He had been going on and on about Tessa before, and now that the opportunity was in front of him... He turned her down?

Grandma Yin's words flashed through my mind as I ignored the heaviness that was lifted from my chest. I struggled to understand his thought process behind that decision.

“Why?”

He rubbed his nose while looking away shyly.

“Well, I just thought you wouldn’t like it... Nothing much really...”

My face stiffened.

“Miles, I thought I made it clear that I don’t care about your love life.”

“...Right. You did...”

He smiled at me, causing something to tug at my heartstrings. I kept my composure and walked past him.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He nodded his head, and I quickly jumped up to a nearby rooftop. I watched him walk off with his head slightly down as I sat on the ledge; my head flopping into my open palms.

‘Ugh...!’

Why was I so bad at expressing myself?! I wanted to say one thing, but I always ended up saying another. The truth was... His answer scared me. I wasn’t a greedy person; I was more than satisfied with the deep friendship we shared.

I didn’t want to lose that bond—the first bond I had truly been able to create and maintain. I knew right now I had hurt his feelings, and I hated myself for it.

I wiped the tears away from the sides of my eyes as I stared at the sunset. Recently, the usual overcast sky had cleared up more and more, allowing the sunlight to shine down on District 4.

I sat there alone while time passed by.

***

Brunaulf POV:

My hand rested over the left side of the Kitsune mask as my back leaned against the wall. Belle was in the other room resting, so I took this time to just... Clear my mind.

‘Denise...’

I knew she was safe thanks to the other Vices keeping me updated on her situation. She was still in a coma, but it was only a matter of time till she woke up again, and then she’d have to go through the entire process of remembering once more.

Her memories of the Senior Vices would allow her to retain some knowledge about me, similar to how it was before I met her as Wolf. However, this time Triste wouldn’t let her go to the Organization at all.

I stared at the ceiling absentmindedly.

It wasn’t just Triste. Everybody around her would make an active effort to keep her away from here. Margaret also had plans to explain her condition to her in detail, emphasizing what would happen if she didn’t listen.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

But I knew somehow, someway, Denise would remember her last few words to me; they wouldn’t need to convince her of anything.

‘...’

I got to my feet sluggishly and walked into the living room. Belle sat cross-legged on the bed, examining me closely.

“You’re really going?”

“...Yes.”

She looked displeased with my response, pouting as she folded her arms.

“What if you get hurt again?... I don’t want you to suffer anymore...”

I smiled ever so slightly while I watched her gaze shift to the floor with downcast eyes.

“You don’t need to worry, Belle. The people I fought trying to get you back are much stronger than anyone in District 1.”

I recalled Kindred’s face and clenched my teeth. It was concerning to know that he was only one of the many members Enigma had.

I sighed inwardly and stopped focusing on those past matters.

“Belle, what do you think about the District Leader?”

Her eyebrows furrowed together while she looked at me intensely.

“...He’s a selfish but sweet guy. However, I have no interest in him.”

‘Selfish?’

That was a strange remark to make. While he did have his own goals, he didn’t put others before himself. He was humble.

“...Besides, he’s the type of guy who probably has a lot of girls interested in him.”

Belle wasn’t wrong. The Leader was very charismatic, attracting people to him wherever he went.

“One day, you’ll get married and have children of your own. My mind would be at ease knowing you married someone like him, but you make a good point.”

I didn’t want Belle to stay cooped up in this apartment for the rest of her life. I wanted her to experience happiness. Maybe then I could finally close my eyes and rest for a while.

“...Why don’t we get married?”

A deep sigh escaped my mouth as Belle’s face went dark red. This was an issue I really needed to solve as soon as possible.

“Belle, you’re not a child anymore. You can’t say things like that.”

Her eyebrows crumpled together, and her smile faded. Belle would need a lot more time to recover her normal way of thinking.

“...I’m sorry. I just... I’m scared of losing you... I don’t want to be... All alone again...”

Belle started sobbing as an image of when she was younger overlapped with her. I quickly embraced her while she buried her head into my chest.

‘...’

There’s too much pain in this place. That’s why I have to fight.

***

Lyon POV:

A green hue washed over me as I stood outside the place where it all began. I gazed at the glowing logo that read: ‘COMFORT’ for a few minutes before pushing the door open.

The place was packed, no longer taking on the role of a safe zone but a restaurant bar that struggled to get people to leave once closing times arrived.

“...Lyon?”

Len turned around, and her eyes widened while staring at me. Her cheeks went a light shade of red, her hands trying to cover most of the waitress uniform she was wearing.

Everyone's eyes swivelled towards the door in unison. The laughter and chatter abruptly stopped; drinks slowly descending back down towards the table.

“Good evening, District Leader!!”

They bowed their heads simultaneously. Word about the upcoming war had no doubt spread throughout most of the district. As a result, I could see the anxiousness on some of their lowered faces.

“Good evening. Don’t mind me and carry on.”

They raised their heads only after receiving my permission as the chatter gradually increased amongst themselves. I gazed at Len, her hair now reaching down to her shoulders. Her body had developed further, showing off her feminity in a different way.

“I heard the news. Let me help. I won’t let you convince me otherwise.”

She took a step forward, looking into my eyes with fierce determination. Len had always been quite stubborn; she wasn’t a woman who would change her mind so easily.

“Alright.”

“R-Really? You’re okay with it?”

I smiled brightly at her while she looked genuinely surprised by my response. I stepped forward and embraced her tightly. A soft gasp escaped her lips before she pulled me in closer.

“Thank you, Len.”

We stayed like this for a couple of minutes. I broke away from the hug and looked at her flushed face.

“Can you wait for me downstairs? There’s something I need to discuss with everyone else.”

“Sure.”

Her soft lips formed a wide smile as she made her way to the basement. I shifted my gaze to Ness, who had been busy serving some customers at the back.

I walked over to her while we moved to the side, creating some distance between us and the customers. Her usual expressionless face was nowhere to be found the moment we made eye contact.

I observed the worry and concern spread across her face. I saw her eyebrows tremble as neither of us said a word. Our last meeting was... Anything but normal, and I wondered if it had played on her mind a lot.

“Ness...”

My hand stretched forward, gently resting against the side of her cheek. She placed hers on top of mine while closing her eyes, revealing her long eyelashes.

“Come back safely, please...”

“I will.”

The corners of my mouth rose as I embraced Ness for some time. We parted, and she quickly wiped the tears away from her eyes. Her thin lips spread into a short smile while I turned around and headed for the basement.

I descended the stairs, arriving in front of an open doorway once I reached the bottom. Marina was meditating in the middle of the room when her eyes abruptly flashed open. She got to her feet, her skin-tight clothes showcasing her phenomenal figure as our eyes met.

“Wow.”

Her gaze swept over me while her cheeks went a deep shade of red. Marina's brazenness seemed to temporarily disappear as I stepped inside the room.

The gap between us closed quickly, and I hugged her tight. She didn’t hesitate to wrap her arms around me, gently breathing against my neck.

“Thank you, Marina.”

“...So you knew already. That’s fine then.”

Marina didn't have to continue training once she reached Irini, but she wanted to be of help. She wanted to prove that she could do it too, and I respected her resolve.

I broke away from the hug as she closed her eyes. A second later, she opened them—looking like an almost completely different person. Her large eyes sparkled, cheeks flushed, and she looked at me with a bright smile.

“L-Lyon!! I-I... M-Missed... You!”

She wrapped her arms around my neck while diving head-first into my chest. It had been a long time since I saw this side of Marina, and I couldn’t help but smile at just how cute she was.

“I missed you too.”

Steam rose from her face as she suddenly moved away. Her eyes poked through the open spaces between her fingers while gazing at me lovingly.

The door to the room where I used to live with Jasmine opened. She stepped out wearing her signature black and yellow sports bra, showing off her superb figure.

She stared at me as her eyes slowly curved upwards into half-crescent moons. Jasmine flushed wildly while she spread open her arms towards me.

“Come here~”

I let out a small sigh as I embraced her. After all this time, she hadn’t changed one bit. Her lips kissed my neck gently, and my eyes narrowed in response.

“Jasmine—”

“You’re mine, Leo~”

I felt her body temperature rapidly increase as a cold shiver ran down my spine. I barely managed to separate the two of us while she pouted.

“Are you ready, partner?”

Her eyelashes flickered; her lips curved into a wide smile. She pulled out a lollipop and popped it into her mouth.

“Mhm. I’ve been ready months ago~”

***

Len exited one of the other rooms wearing similar clothes to when we first fought. Her hair was tied into a ponytail that suited her look. She took a seat next to Marina, and I told them in detail what the plan was.

“Hmm. So we will be dealing directly with those Royal and Shadow Guard scrubs then?”

Jasmine cocked her head to the side while twirling around the lollipop in her mouth. The reason I could ask this of them is because I was confident that they were strong enough.

“That’s right. I plan on dealing with the top 5 Royal Guards and the leader.”

“L-Lyon... Y-You... Should... Be c-careful...”

Marina looked at me with concerned eyes. I rubbed her shoulder gently, reassuring her that I’d be fine.

“Tch. Brunaulf...”

Len's eyebrows crumpled together slightly before calming down. She had come to terms with the fact that Brunaulf wasn’t the same person he used to be. However, forgiving didn’t mean forgetting. She remembered the things he had done clearly.

“I heard he brought his sister back from Inner Astril. How’d you change him so much, Leo?~”

I shifted my gaze to the floor in the middle of the circle we sat in.

“I didn’t do much... He wanted to change. I think somewhere along the way he lost himself and turned into the Brunaulf Len knew.”

“...”

“Regardless, he knows that it was his hands that did those things, and he accepts that while trying to better himself each day. I’m sure Len has received hundreds of letters from him by now.”

Len's eyebrows twitched, but she didn’t say anything.

“I-I... T-Think... It’s... G-Good...”

Marina twiddled with her thumbs while voicing her opinion.

“Marina...Tch.”

Len clicked her tongue, choosing not to tell Marina off for being so empathetic.

“Anyway, if it’s us, we can reach the location of the Royal Guards within 30 seconds easily. I’ll activate my ability, which will trap them in an illusion for a few minutes. From there, you can directly break through to the Ruler.”

I pondered for a few moments over Len's plan. Apart from me, everyone here had reached Shin, which allowed us to be more flexible.

“Hmm. We’ll probably need to stay behind for a little while to clean up the rest of the Guards before we join up with you.”

It wouldn’t be too risky since Distortion would act as a safety net. I got to my feet and looked down at each of them.

“That sounds good then. We’ll meet again in two days.”

They nodded their heads, and I left the room. I heard them discuss the plan further as I ascended the stairs. It wasn’t time yet to leave Comfort. There was one more person I needed to talk to.

***

*Knock Knock*

“Come in.”

I opened the door and stepped inside the room, which was already misty with smoke. Mr Cruiser had his feet up on the desk, holding his favourite smoking pipe to his lips.

“I’ll be damned. The District Leader actually remembered an old man like me.”

He smirked while looking at me through one open eye. I walked towards the desk, stopping a few metres in front of it.

“I hope you didn’t come here to ask for my help. War was a choice you chose, and I wish you good fortune, District Leader.”

The corners of my mouth rose as I examined his desk. The stacks of papers that used to pile up to the ceiling had dwindled down to a few sheets.

“I have a favour to ask of you.”

He opened his other eye and took his feet off the desk once he noticed the serious tone of my voice.

“And what would that be?”

I opened my mouth, and his eyes gradually widened, followed by his lips parting, revealing his white teeth that formed a huge grin. He rose to his feet, taking a long puff on the pipe before placing it down on the desk.

“Interesting. Very interesting.”