"Oswald!"

Lloyd summoned him playfully with a smile, entering his office of his department when he saw Oswald sleeping with his face buried into his folded arms on his desk. He was so tired from all the work that he just want to rest, he didn't have time to get up because Lloyd is calling for him. "Can you just let me rest already...?" Oswald asked, sitting up and didn't wear his glasses--making Lloyd ended up covering his mouth when he saw Oswald's expression--his eyes resembled four. It's not every day Lloyd caught Oswald without his signature-glasses. He wanted to laugh so bad, but was too terrified to do so because he knew how short-tempered his friend can be. "What?"

Oswald asked, trying to put on his spectacles. "Nothing! Nothing!" he answered, suppressing his inner laughter because of his eyes. He caught a glimpse of his reflection on the mirror and was shocked, he raised his spectacles back to his eyes in disbelief. "You didn't see that, right?" he asked, Lloyd shake his head with a grin. "Of course not! Now cut to the chase, I came here regarding something very important... are you free today?"

Lloyd watched his expression contorted with a slight frown, before he narrowed his eyes. "What for? Are you slacking off again?" he asked, his tone is serious like usual--but this time... he seems wanting to keep an eye on Lloyd's behavior first. "Yeah, I'm too lazy to finish the stamps but I will come back later to finish them (before Alastair returns). I came here because... well, ever since the election is done... I feel like the current Prime Minister is... intimidating me for unknown reason."

Oswald listens as he remained focused on him, fingers folded together on his nose and elbows on his desk. He need to keep away his vision temporarily to prevent any incoming prediction came true, he felt like he was going to get crazy after that nightmare and no matter how many times he tried to clear his mind--it still creeping up into his head. "Why was that?" he asked, Lloyd pursed his lips before he explained. "Aldo is... keeping his eyes everywhere on me, it bothers me that he always watching me whenever I'm doing in the city hall and my activities in the city. Seriously, even my family complains that some of his peers always eyeing on their mansion from the distance. Do you find that intimidating? I can't even sleep for three days!"

Lloyd whined, sitting on the chair as he grew bothered by them so bad.

'Could this possibly... no, don't speculate Oswald... this isn't your job...' Oswald thought, he let out a deep sigh before he folded his arms and letting out a deep sigh. He really needs help, even "Do you want me to talk to Alastair about this? He can send the AED Forces for you, and I can inform Solvine that he can--"

He paused when his superior-colleague interrupted, shaking his hands at him. "No no! It's fine, I'm fine... I can do things by myself! Trust me, Oswald!"

"You sound like a coward yourself, don't play games with me Lloyd."

Lloyd paused, seeing the HR Director's deadpan face turning into darker and intimidating one as he stand up and grabbed his cane. "I'm going to be very real with you this time, you're going to be in a deep trouble if you don't have security with you. I know that you always going anywhere without bodyguards and such, since you dressed like a civilian a lot--but this time... this case is very different and I don't know what did you do with Aldo. So, this is my advice for you."

Oswald stated, before the Postmaster-General sighed. "Long story short, I was attending the National Parliament in the Main City Hall like usual... it was before this incident happens. I didn't say anything much, like usual... until Aldo took a notice of my silence and asked if I have a question--so I say 'not at all'. I just want to go back home and rest for tomorrow's work, since politics are wasting my time... after that. I left the meeting room, until Aldo summoned me..."

Flashback...

Lloyd yawned as he was adjusting his cap on his head, holding his cane on his belt as he was walking out from the meeting room. It was exhausting, listening and listening to the whole discussion with government officials made him physically and mentally drained. He didn't want to make new strategy yet, only when he was in National Postal Service and his brain is fried up from the meeting he had. He was about to take out his vintage walkie-talkie to call Vincent so he can pick him up, until he heard a voice calling out for him. "Mr. Warren, can I have a word with you?"

Oh right, it was the current Prime Minister--what was his name? Aldo, that's what he learned recently but he doesn't have time to recall that and he wanted to rest. "Yes, be quick please," Lloyd replied professionally with a smile, although deep down he wanted to sleep so bad and missing his mother's dinner.

"Do you know anything regarding the Spiritus Husk?" he asked, Lloyd didn't want to talk about that yet--but since the Prime Minister asked about it... he shrugged. "I don't know much, just the rumor that circulates around the locals," he answered, before the Prime Minister continue to ask him even more further. "How about... the Artificial Light? Is the supply of the Melodic Scores running out yet? And, do you know anything about the Archmage?"

Why is he asking him about that? Or was he asking if there's an awakening of the Spiritus Husk? Lloyd narrowed his eyes, before he smiled as if nothing happened. "Isn't that the government's duty to inform about this? I don't know about you, but the government shouldn't hide the fact about the Children of Lights and the Day of Disappearing Stars... if they help the locals about this, none of this would've happened. Also, about the Archmage... I don't know about them."

Aldo listens to his answer, making him went silent by this and he watched Lloyd calling Vincent to pick him up. Then, he turn around and leave him alone--letting Lloyd watched Vincent came with his vintage motorbike and hopped on behind his back.

End of Flashback...

"After that... well, here you go."

Lloyd said with a yawn, crossing his leg on his seat after he grew tired of being watched by the watchdogs from three days in a row. This made Oswald grew suspicious of the government, not only that--the Prime Minister also want to know the whereabouts of the last remaining Archmage? This is bad, why are they asking about that NOW? The latter scrunched his eyebrows, folding his arms. "Aldo Weller, huh? Looks like it's time for me to investigate that man who recently got elected..." he stated, Lloyd nodded while not wanting to deal with those people yet. "Also, my mother will be coming in two hours so..."

Meanwhile, the youthful woman with fair complexion, grayish-purple hair that tied in bun along loose bangs fell over her purple eyes and cheeks walked into the Welkin city with a soft sigh. She wears a dark purple noblewoman's dress with a green ribbon, frilled sleeves and black fan held on her hand--lastly she wears a black knee-length heeled boots as she look up at National Postal Service's headquarters in front of her. "Oh dear, I hope my eldest son is doing fine with her work... at least I got ourselves away from those eyes," she said with a smile, until she noticed that one of the watchdogs of Canarian government is keeping an eye on her.

The woman narrowed her eyes, before she swung her fan at him and the three throwing knives hit the lamppost--making the man got scared and she immediately grabbed the three knives into her fan. "They shouldn't mess with the Warrens next time," she huffed, before she tip-toed to the building while encountering some Mail-Hunters who were busy with their letters and parcels. However, some of them noticed her beautiful presence--even Cordelia was surprised that she forgot to ask what is the woman here for. "O-Oh, good morning Ma'am, how can I help you?" she asked.

"I'm here to discuss some things with my eldest son, who currently works in here. My name is Yukiko Warren, a matriarch of Warren Dukedom."

Cordelia blinked when she wrote down her name and her purpose of coming here, that surname is familiar for some reason... until she realizes that she was Lloyd's mother! What is she doing here?! The latter smiled nervously at her. "W-We will be informing him, please wait in the lounge for a while, Ma'am!"

Yukiko giggled behind her fan quietly, she's actually a widow but she didn't mind because the secretary didn't know nor never meet her in person before. As she walked into the lounge, she sat down on the comfy couch and waiting for her dear son to come here. Few minutes later, she saw Lloyd came inside the lounge and her eyes widened with a smile on her lips. "Lloyd, I'm so glad to see you here after a long time!" she said happily, standing up and hugging him that made Lloyd startled by his mother's presence.

"EEK! Mother, you're here already?!'

Lloyd loved his relatives a lot, especially his mother--but he doesn't openly show that in front of people (because it's embarrassing) and he didn't want to be seen as 'mommy's boy' by his peers. Let alone Alastair who keep teasing him because of that, making Lloyd had to endure the whole teasings from his subordinates and colleagues--even Oswald keep reminding him about that. "Hey, you won't let your mother to visit you during your work? You've been busy recently and you only visiting us one time in a month!" she scolded, since she was a native from Taiyou and her surname is from her late-husband--Lastier Warren who was once a duke in Warren Dukedom.

Crap, she finds out huh? Yukiko can tell he was trying to make excuses but she clearly caught him off-guard. "Ah ah, you better not trying to fool me again. I already did that to Largo once, so did with Layla," she warned, making Lloyd sighed and raise his cane to hold it within his arms. "It's a long story... I don't want to burden you with everything that happened, mother. Well, ever since we lost almost everyone in our family... it really worries me," he explained, before he felt her hand caressing his head and stroking his grayish streaks with purple tints of his hair. "Hey, listen... we have faced a lot of tragedies in our lives, okay? There's no need to be afraid, I'm mentally strong for our dukedom and you kids have been very strong to overcome this turmoil."

Lloyd listens to her when her hand leave his head, he look down for a moment before he smiled a little. "You know me so well, mother... remember when I told you that you guys were being watched by them?" he asked, Yukiko nodded as she answered. "Yes, good thing I scared one of them with my hidden weapons and they got scared of me. No need to worry, I know some martial arts because Layla taught me about them."

Good, he was relieved because his mother know how to defend herself--she isn't afraid to intimidation and thankfully she wasn't hurt at all. "Layla also informing me that Aldo has been very cautious of National Postal Service recently, even the other nobles like all of us and importantly--he also want to get to know more about you guys," she explained, folding her arms. "That's why I came here from Sonnet, it bothers me so bad that they were asking about our background and everything! I can't even sleep properly and I had to ask the servants and butlers to guard the whole mansion!"

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Yukiko whined, sighing as she smiled at him. "Don't worry about me, I already defeated some of them who tried to kidnap me--I did kick one of their asses and made them quivering in fear!"

"Wait, they're trying to kidnap you?!"

"Yes, but I'm fine now."

Great, they're in deep trouble now.

On the other side, Oswald was listening to their conversation the whole time. He knew that the government now 'paying attention' to them which is not good, especially when the current Prime Minister is now taking charge of this case. "This isn't a good sign," he said quietly, leaning off from the wall next to the door and walking forward. His clairvoyance has been making him restless, he can't even take a proper sleep and it keeps bothering him a lot. He decided to enter the Secret Chamber where everything was hidden and he need to read some of the archives, but he realized that it was locked--he clearly remembered when he put the key somewhere. 'I can't do this alone, I need someone to accompany me...'

Oswald thought, he remembered that he need to visit the cathedral and he heard that there will be a new bishop coming--Suona, Xinglan and Amaris are still in the Hill of Prayer which means he need to keep an eye on them. He saw that Sonata, Claire and Gabriel weren't finished in their mission with Claude and Alastair so he need to find someone who can accompany him--Chase couldn't because he was busy outside Welkin... which means Vincent is the last option to go.

"Mathilda."

Mathilda look up to see Oswald was holding his suitcase from his office, before he ordered. "Keep an eye on everything, I will be heading to the Hill of Prayer," she nodded with a smile, watching him left and informed Alastair through his vintage walkie-talkie--until she noticed that he seems to have something important to be done with. 'I never seen him visiting there... I wonder what's going on lately...' she thought, looking at Senja who came out from the pantry with a mug of coffee.

Vincent was about to hop on his motorbike, until he saw Oswald walking towards him. "Master Oswald, how can I help you with?" he asked, the Chief Human Resources General finished talking with Alastair and turned off his walkie-talkie. "Take me to Hill of Prayer, now," he ordered sternly, the Delivery Express Mail-Hunter simply nodded without asking any further--hopping on his motorbike and turning on the engine before Oswald began to hop on and sat down behind him.

Then, both of them left the headquarters.

***

There was a tall and handsome fellow in his late-twenties with muscular-slim built and the blonde hair that appears quite long but short and slightly spikes out--coming out from the confession room, his bangs are slicked back with thin bangs framing his forehead and above his eyes, his eyes were glowing in emerald color. The man appears to be around their ages but slightly older, he wears a dark blue cassock with white trimming on the collar, under a long white outer cassock that hides his arms a bit slightly. The cassock is held together with loose belt and large, silver, rectangular brooch emblazoned with the cross-like carvings and he also wears his dark blue gloves.

He was keeping an eye on the sacristan who was taking care of the church like usual, before he decided to check the whole garden of the church and he also saw many people were busy with the community service--together with the Mail-Hunters. He saw someone came with a motorbike and arrived in the parking lot, he seems to recognize who that is. "My Lord, it's been a while," Oswald started, greeting him as he take off his cap and Vincent came beside him. "Mr. Se--I mean... Mr. Hughes, how has it been?" Luka corrected, not wanting to reveal his true identity in public.

They have known each other when Oswald became a Mail-Hunter, so it's no surprise when Oswald greeted him. "It's a long story, but I did my work very well. Anyways, I came here to talk to you about something and it's very important," he spoke, Luka nodded as he look back at his sacristan to serve them some meals. "You can come too, child," Luka added, Vincent nodded at the bishop before they were heading inside the cathedral. The cathedral was Gothic-esque and vintage as it was neat and clean, after the sacristans cleaning them up and taking care of the architecture well. "What do you want to talk about, Mr. Hughes?"

Vincent listens when he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, he still catching up on what did the bishop addressed Oswald as--did he heard him almost spilling something? He heard 'Se-' but soon stopped immediately--that means the bishop has known Oswald for a long time and Vincent was already curious about him. 'Strange... should I ask him later? Master Oswald wouldn't answer me if I ask him that...' he thought, before he began to look around the cathedral and decided to go to the garden outside.

Vincent began to look around until he saw Kaisen and Shina was in the garden, discussing about something before he approached both of them. "Excuse me," he greeted, both human-turned beasts look back at the Delivery Express Mail-Hunter as Kaisen greeted him back with a toothy smile. "We meet again, you must be Vincent Winters, right?" he nodded, adjusting his goggles on his collars. "Yes, what are you doing here? I was accompanying my superior to meet the bishop."

"Oh right, we're actually finding the artifact that Jilian have stolen lately. Turns out the memories about her within the crew of Stardust Express has been erased because of that one artifact, they didn't know who she is--so we asked Alastair for help and including both Solvine and Suiren too!"

Shina agreed, looking at him. "Correct, we apparently trying to find it and it wasn't in the Legal Affairs Bureau. It has the shape of a star, shining in bright light and quite luminous," she described, Vincent lifted his eyebrows but retains his stoic expression. "An artifact? Oh, you mean like the one you had on your ear or something?"

"Yeah, but the different one. The one we were talking about is the dangerous one, the no-no artifact that has a special power and turns out she STOLE it!"

Kaisen whined, letting out an outburst as he'd gotten mad from what happened. "We told Master Zhilan and Master Xingfa to guard them in the place that no one can find, I don't know how did she find it... but turns out she stole it before heading on a mission with her friends. At first, we thought everything went alright until this happens!" he added, Vincent nodded. "What happened next? I thought the artifact disappeared?"

Shina shake her head a little, looking away from him with a frown. "The artifact didn't disappear within her, but it 'went off' somewhere as if something 'controlling' the object after she used it. If it wasn't for Dr. Chamberlain, Oswald and Lloyd... we wouldn't have known about this matter," she explained.

It is true that Lloyd know about this because of Oswald, he told him and Dr. Chamberlain everything except everyone outside the 'sphere' of his. He didn't expect Lloyd know how to make one, no wonder why he ordered them to bring the artifacts for Solvine and Suiren when they're still in their Fantastic Beast form. "I see..." he murmured, before he look back at Oswald who still talking with the bishop at the porch. "How long have you guys known Master Oswald?" he asked.

"Hmm... should we say it?" Kaisen guessed, smiling mischievously as if he want to pick a fight with him (or Suiren if he's around). Shina glared at him, gesturing that he should tell him the truth while Oswald isn't listening to them. "Fine fine... yes, we've known him for quite a long time because of Akasha Garuda. Oswald Hughes aren't his real name, that is just a fake identity to hide his true identity as an Archmage," he whispered at the end to Vincent, before he grinned. "Sonata Nocturna and Suona Fermata are the first human hybrid offsprings of each two Fantastic Beasts, which is why we trusted you humans because of them."

Well, that was...

"Vincent."

Oswald summoned him, putting his hands into his pockets while standing beside Luka. "Oh, Master Oswald... are you finished?" Vincent asked, the HR Director of National Postal Service adjusting his spectacles. "Almost, I was just looking for you and... why are you two here?" he asked both Kaisen and Shina, one of them snickered and the other is nodding at him. "Our deep apologies, Oswald... we were searching for the artifact just like what you asked."

Vincent was surprised by that, looking at Oswald who seemed unable to contain his patience. He looks like he was being 'exposed' to his subordinate, making him giving up his covers towards him. "Vincent, did you..." he trailed off, but Vincent shake his head and turned to face him. "I'm not afraid of you, Master Oswald. There's nothing to worry about, I understand that you wanted to save the world and you wanted to... avoid something bad that will be happening, right?"

Oswald remained silent, but Luka nodded at him--reassuring that there's nothing wrong to tell the truth so he won't be burdened. So, he decided to explain everything about his true background--and how did he ended up like this.

Then, they noticed something wrong

Oswald turn around to see the man-made sun from the distance--his eyes widened as he witnessed a vision that he 'shouldn't have seen in his lifetime'--which made him shocked. "What was that?" Luka asked, making Kaisen and Shina grew defensive when they saw the Artificial Light. "No, that can't be...!"

Vincent watched the HR Director take out his pocket watch, keeping a track on the time as he growled. He insert back his pocket watch, before he turn around to face them. "Looks like this will be the first Fortississimo Status for us..."

Also, he obtained another prophecy in his eyes--Lloyd was planning something when he was in Welkin. Could it be the vision before he was summoned? Oswald preventing that from coming true, but he didn't know what plan he was making in his head.

He need to make sure he's not leaving the city yet.

Meanwhile...

Sonata yawned as she was resting on the ground inside the cave with Claire and Gabriel, after they left Alastair and Claude back to the National Postal Service. "That's so exhausting... really..." she whined, before she look up to see the Artificial Light from the distance as she observed how it 'flickers' a bit and the stars has been shining brightly--which is unusual. "Hey guys... did you see that?" she pointed out, looking at the man-made sun in the sky that seems to 'flicker' a little.

Claire look up at what Sonata is pointing at, he narrowed his eyes as if she sensed something off from the man-made sun. "Wait a sec, why does it look... fragile?" Gabriel questioned, but none of them said anything except observing the condition of the Artificial Light. He seemed to be sensing the presence of the Husks within, but he don't know if it's the Spiritus Husk or not. There's no time to rush now, they need to get away from any sight of these pesty bugs first. "We really need to go back real quick, something wrong happened here and I don't like the sign of it."

Gabriel warned, they nodded as the trio walk out from the cave and checked the man-made sun from the distance--until Sonata sensed something 'chilling' when she witnessed the sun. It made her shuddered that she had to look away from there, what is she seeing? The man-made sun doesn't seems to be... a mere man-made sun itself. As if there's some kind of cocoon that wraps around the 'life' within the sun, that shape seems to resemble... a pupa? Her wolf ears pinned back and her tail shivered by that visualized form, why is she imagining it?

Suona watched the army of Husk creatures were roaming around and fighting against each other from the distance, she started to get suspicious that what the hell is going on with these large bugs? "What did you find?" Xinglan asked, holding his Automotive Gear in case there's an ambush from all sides and Amaris also looking around to find the empty area that far-sighted from them. "Ehh... it's not that good, I feel like there's something off from this Artificial Light, it flickers like a lamp that was about to black out soon, you know?" Suona answered, frowning as her serpent dragon tail wagging a little.

'Something's not right here' thought Xinglan, knitting his eyebrows together as he saw the Husks from the distance. "We need to go back now, not sure if they might attack--but it would be the best to return to the headquarters ASAP!" Amaris yelled, the trio began to escape from the cliff and heading back to the Welkin city.

Solvine watched the sun from the balcony in the headquarters of National Postal Service, he watched Alastair having conversation with both Zhilan and Xingfa regarding the report--while Suiren nodded at Senja before he slammed the button of the wall. The alarm of the building rang as it reveals the Fortississimo Status being shown, Mathilda yelled at the Mail-Hunters to get themselves steady as they were having a briefing.

Without them knowing, Lloyd wasn't in the headquarters the whole time.