The Diem took off, raising a cloud of dust on the departure runway. The ship was rising vertically above the island. The purplish jet disappeared into the clouds as soon as the coordinates were set.

Klint buckled up his chair, the interior design was much less bare than the Pietas: a series of five black armchairs on each side equipped with belts and a long darkened glass made the environment much brighter and more luxurious.

With a powerful roar, the Diem took flight towards the position plotted on the localizer. The initial pressure on Klint was quite a shock, but less terrible than the lift Monica used.

At his side, separated by the space of the armchair, was Jeanne. The girl was completely calm and she didn't seem to feel the pressure of flight at all.

Her head was down and she didn't give Klint a single glance. Lance had understood exactly why: he had sat down first on the opposite side to Jeanne, then he felt guilty and moved closer, leaving one armchair away.

He thought, turning pale at the idea of getting even closer.

Jeanne sadly thought, not understanding why Klint had avoided her three times before getting close.

The silence between the two went on, until a robotic voice, followed by the opening of a door on the floor of the fuselage woke them up.

The voice echoed in the Diem's metal skeleton. A strong light escaped from the hole opened in the floor, condensing in the air and forming a three-dimensional map of the capital. In the air under the object, a scripture soon followed

"Bayork is divided between the 4th and 5th districts, but the real capital was located on one of the islands of the archipelago, the 4th was mainly seen as the bridge to the 5th, but it remained one of the most expensive areas of the nation to live in.

The island was used as an expansion of the IV sector towards the end of the Great War, to search for new mineral deposits and obtain more shipyards to restore maritime supremacy. The island took its name from the Alis mine, where a huge deposit of Lambdite was found, a mineral capable of emitting Lambda radiation when excited by electric current or other radiation. The island became extremely wealthy and marked a rebirth for the Great Republic of Andimica. Currently, Alis is an area reserved only for the nation's most important families and hosts the headquarters of the Ruther Institute dedicated to government laboratories, to which even NOIR has limited access"

The voice rang out again as the hologram rotated, giving a view of the streets. The path to follow lit up red and almost seemed to flow into the card in both of their pockets.

Klint asked, awakening her from her trance; the sight of that hologram must have intrigued her. She shook her head slightly, then turned her gaze towards Klint.

she asked shyly, clutching the black briefcase with a pattern of lines carved into the material, inside was the weapon that Maverick had designed for her.

< Well... more or less... but I stopped for a short time. It was for delivering supplies to a doctor on First Boulevard, the outermost one of the fourth sector.>

The fourth sector was divided into eight circles, called Boulevards which converged more and more towards the coast, reaching the bridge towards the fifth and last sector into which Andimica was divided. The Boulevards could be classified as neighborhoods of the capital but were also distinguished by the various families who occupied them. The first 3 circles were owned by the well-known Ross merchant family, the 4th was owned and controlled by the auxiliary bishop Frank who was under the direct orders of the Holy Empire of Termìe, the fifth and sixth belonged to the Ruther Institute while the last two were of the former nobility of Andimica: The Craft family, of foreign origin and who had suffered several misfortunes in the last 50 years, including the death of one of their most promising members and his wife, but this had not weakened their authority in government nor society.

Overall the capital was of such density, that it took up most of the northern coast, including the lagoon.

Klint smiled, remembering the large buildings and the enormous white Cathedral that he had managed to glimpse from the hill station, where he was waiting for the train to return to his home.

The ship brutally stopped her progress, throwing Klint against the empty chair.

He exclaimed in his mind, avoiding imagining what might have happened if he had been closer.

A cabinet emerged from the same crack where the hologram had been projected. Suddenly, it revealed a white briefcase with a red cross inscribed inside the classic NOIR logo. As soon as Klint reached out to pick it up from the internal compartment, the briefcase burst open, revealing six syringes with a purple liquid inside.

The robotic voice spread through the Diem's belly, this time less intensely.

Klint had heard about it from Lucas' books: the NOIR compound was a medicine similar to a powerful tranquilizer, capable of reconstructing the psyche and Frequency of a Meta to prevent it from being classified as a Korrupt or facing certain death. It was a mixture of various medicines used to treat mental illnesses and disorders. Normally, a single dose would be deadly to a human, but the compound bound by Lambdite was extraordinarily stable for a Meta's organism.

The Diem landed on a reserved platform in the thick woods surrounding the capital, fortunately, the ship had a camouflage mechanism thanks to the Lambda reactors which distorted light. The heavy aircraft settled gently onto the hard concrete space, starting to let the loud hum of the engines die down. The doors flew open, releasing the long set of adjustable steps.

Commented Klint, slipping on the black handrail of the steps.

Jeanne replied, going down the stairs slowly, holding her briefcase in her hand.

Both were wearing heavy clothes: Klint a black stretch suit and a long light blue zipped sweatshirt, topped off with his signature asymmetrical windproof jacket. Jeanne, on the other hand, wore the same striped sweater and black velvet trousers wide at the ankle, over her shoulders a long beige coat that reached her knees.

He asked while looking at the greenish bushes.

She replied, lowering her head shyly. She didn't want to tell him much about her past, even during their dinner together she had hoped in every way that Klint wouldn't bring the subject up.

Klint laughed heartily but without arrogance or irony. Jeanne was perplexed at that laugh since she felt that she hadn't said anything hilarious.

He stopped laughing, answering seriously but with a benevolent air towards Jeanne. Klint had completely lost his memory of his family, barely remembering their names.

Jeanne came down the stairs looking at Klint. She had only known him for a short time but she had been able to understand a little of that boy's nature. He may have appeared abrupt and perhaps not very knowledgeable but he was truly sweet and kind. But in her every word or gesture, she could have sworn that Klint lacked warmth. Something that reminded her of herself, that's why they fit together so well.

A man dressed in an all-black suit and tie stepped out of the shadows of the woods. A small N was printed on the right breast pocket of his dress. A black mask covered everything except his mouth. A faint hint of beard could be seen on his square chin.

He replied with a short bow, accompanied himself with his arm. From behind the figure, a series of individuals dressed identically appeared, with their faces covered up to the nose by white masks.

Replied the first figure to come out of the woods, his mask was black with a circle painted on it. The two joined the group of people dressed as butlers, entering the increasingly dense forest.

He said introducing himself to the two, who continued to look around warily.

Round continued, walking straight beside Klint, trying not to impede his progress in any way.

Klint asked in turn, he had always been curious about the Ross family. There were always rumors about them in the newspapers and together with the Craft family they were at the height of gossip in high society.

Klint wasn't particularly interested but some rumors of the Ross family having financed some post-war research institutes and various kidnappings could perhaps lead him back to his sister.

Round replied, patting the golden mermaid-shaped brooch on his chest.

Klint gently pinched his lips, preventing him from spitting out any more honorifics on his name. The fact that Arte called him Master Klint already gave him a certain degree of shame, but he would not have survived if the epithets that the group of butlers were calling him had also spread through NOIR. He could already imagine Monica laughing in front of him.

He smiled, masking the heavy paranoia in his thoughts. He released his grip on Round's mouth, and he merely nodded apologetically.

Lance asked, trying to regain seriousness.

The butler replied, staring into Klint's eyes, although the mask covered most of his it was clear from his face, skin, and tone of voice that he was much older than Klint.

Said Klint remembering what he had heard from Sai as they headed to the training room.

The Metas whose Frequency receded with time were called Recessive. It was a fairly rare phenomenon normally but at NOIR it was possible to increase compatibility with Hel through Lambdite, by doing so it was possible to increase the strength and longevity of the body exponentially, but being an artificial connection it was almost impossible to develop an ability or maintain their skills for a long time.

< Correct Mr…. Klint.> Round replied, correcting himself, seeing Klint's eyebrows bend at the sound of the first letter.

Round said remembering the past, his serious and formal tone had cracked slightly. Klint smiled, patting him on the shoulder.

He told him, showing a look full of admiration and solidarity.

His lips curled up in a smile, and the small expression lines on his face lost their vigor as if that memory took him back to when he was younger.

The group of masked butlers moved to the side, forming a line to let Klint and Jeanne pass.

In front of them a series of black cars, their exposed engines and thick wheels reminded the two of the cars that roamed the poorer Sectors of Andimica. From the black bodywork, a thin column of iron protruded from the rear of the car while the front was completely opened, revealing the assembly of gears and cables that made up the engine. In the center, a small red pearl was enclosed in a series of iron spheres similar to a gyroscope.

Asked one of the black-masked butlers, as he opened the back door to let the two recruits inside.

Jeanne replied smiling as she felt the soft white seat of the car. She took the seat on the left, gently setting down her briefcase. Round sat in the front, resting his back on his back, keeping it straight and sturdy.

Asked one of the butlers in the other car, turning to Klint who was a few steps away from the open door.

He replied, trembling slightly, he walked towards the door, closing it as soon as he found a place on the seat.

Although he said he was fine and was finally sitting in the car, Klint was lying. Round was observing him from the mirror attached to the small bodywork protrusion above the windshield. Klint was squeezed to the right side, trying in every way to distance himself from Jeanne, who was too busy seeing the view to her left. They were out of the woods and could see the walls of the First Boulevard, beyond them they could see the tall spires of the cathedral, the high roofs of the buildings, and the small columns of smoke rising towards the sky. The colors of the capital varied in every way, from the white of the walls to the black of the streets and the green of the roofs but it was not difficult to see hints of blue and red.

Klint thought, looking up, still trying to ignore the enormous problem he was dealing with.

There was space between him and Jeanne but it was much smaller than when they had traveled on the Diem. Klint couldn't explain how he had found the courage to cook and sit at the table with her.

Jeanne watched Klint, desperate to press himself against the door to increase the distance. She turned pale at the funny sight of the boy, but instead of considering it no more than a comical scene, she took it as a clear sign that Klint had a problem with her.

Round was momentarily dismayed at the sight of the two recruits. An extraordinarily muscular boy who whistled uncoordinatedly and a girl crazy on the seat with her arms limp on her legs, as if she had melted.

The butler laughed in his mind, remembering young Ross's reactions with the girls who visited the mansion.

A small pop made the car shake, suddenly a bright red liquid began to flow along the channels in the doors and on the metal body. Soon after, the iron above the windshield started to lengthen and connect with the one at the back, forming a slightly square-shaped roof. Glass rose from the doors, which darkened as soon as they fit into the cracks, allowing a view only from the inside. The pair of cars sped onto the asphalt road, continuing along the slope of the highest hill outside the woods, heading towards the capital.

The journey was quite pleasant, the sea on the horizon shone under the golden rays of the midday sun and swarms of seagulls rose in large flocks from the boats docked at the port. Jeanne smiled and exclaimed like a child every time the car went down the curves of the road, allowing the view to return to her gaze.

Klint, on the other hand, was deeply conflicted, due to the curves all his efforts to have a minimum gap from Jeanne were in vain, during a sharp swerve, the girl ended up directly on top of Klint.

He turned to apologize but Klint had turned completely white as snow and had closed his eyes, becoming limp and emaciated. All this under the playful eyes of Round, who associated the poor and shy Klint with the young Edvard Ross of decades ago.

The cars stopped at the large checkpoint at the entrance to the Bayork Wall.

The walls dated back to shortly after the end of the Great War and were built in a particular mixture of tremendously resistant minerals. Their white color stood out in contact with the sunlight, taming their violent and imposing size. The golden gate was administered by a handful of guards in blue and green uniforms, the colors of Andimica. At their side was a long silver saber and on the collar of their green jacket there was a star decoration based on their rank. Klint glimpsed the guard who was communicating with the machine in front of them, three golden stars were embroidered on his suit, corresponding to the rank of Captain.

The butlers showed the golden pin on their chests. The guard lowered his cap and with a slight nod of his head ordered the rest of the troops to open the gate.

Crrrkkkk

The white iron bars separate, allowing the passage of the NOIR group. As soon as they were inside the enormous capital, the gate closed with the same metallic sound.

The Boulevards were connected by a dense network of internal roads, separated by similar gates but bluish and less taxed. The street was very lively, large groups of people were walking, children were playing and shouting along the sidewalks, and various models of cars occupied the wide black streets. The laughter and chatter reminded Klint of his awakenings in sector zero. A feeling of nostalgia tightened his chest but was soon shaken by the wonder of the buildings: elegant silhouettes. and colored lights extended along the route, white street lamps crowned the edges of the road and intricate networks of black threads unraveled around the curves of the structures.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

Jeanne had her face glued to the window again, Klint could fleetingly notice her gaze, her eyes were illuminated and filled with childish joy.

Klint smiled a little, relaxing and slowly letting himself be lulled by the movement of the car.

the boy shouted while holding in his hand a heavy volume of an encyclopedia that must have been twice the size of his head

A woman with thick black hair applauded, her hands were dry and skeletal but the beauty of her face was radiant. Her intense yellow eyes seemed to shine in the room, crowned by her thin lips pursed in a labored smile. Lance floated in the darkness of his sleep until a cold touch began to awaken him.

A female voice whispered in his ear, she felt a slight pressure on her cheek. Jeanne gently pressed her index finger on Klint's face, trying to wake him up in the least embarrassing yet polite way.

Lance shook his head, clearing his mind and finally opening his eyes.

He turned towards the direction from which he had heard the whisper, only to find himself inches from Jeanne's face. Both of their faces paled as they turned in the opposite direction. Fortunately, the doors opened in time, saving the two from the worst possible discomfort.

Said one of the black-masked butlers. Klint stepped out of the car, looking at the building they would be staying in for the mission. A long and sinuous white condominium, with windows equipped with small balconies for vases and iron bars. Looking up Klint noticed the curved roof colored a shade of orange that reminded him a lot of a tangerine. The entrance door was gigantic and made of a very dark, almost black, wood.

Round said as he got back into the car.

He said, sliding inside the car.

The pair of cars disappeared into thin air, leaving the two recruits in front of the door, like two children on their first day of school, not that either of them had ever gone to school. Both Jeanne and Klint had been "educated" at home and had then started to work, they had never even imagined the school life that school could offer them.

A faint gray glow came out of Klint's pocket. Ross's card was shaking slightly. It was then that Jeanne pointed Klint to a keypad near the door. Klint rubbed the grayish paper along the black surface of the keypad and the huge wooden door unlocked with a sharp sound.

The interior of the room was completely white and the checkered floor matched it perfectly. In front of them was a flight of stairs of the same color as the walls and with an orange handrail, identical to that of the roof. The two walked up the stairs, hearing the door slam behind them. It took little time to find room number two, Klint was curious to see the inside of the others but he imagined they were empty.

The room was tremendously spacious and featured a spacious loft with a bed and various furniture. The wooden floor was darker than the room in their dorm. Klint scanned the room, ignoring the various appliances in the kitchen or the couch resting on top of the blue rug in the center of the room. His attention fell on the black and white brick fireplace, remembering the instructions on the card, Klint approached and began counting the sequence of irregularly arranged bricks. He pressed gently on the second one, which slid forward, dropping a thinly folded sheet of paper.

“The meeting is tonight at 10.30 pm in the villa of one of the members of the Child family, in Third Boulevard Apartment 23. It is assumed that a counter auction and other illegal goods are underway. Normally the Internal Guard would take care of it but let's assume there are also various artificial artifacts from Northest. Your clothing has been kindly modified by Maverick: synchronizing it with your frequency you can change it at will. Your identities are that of husband and wife, since the auction is anonymous you have the possibility not to declare anything personal.”

Klint crumpled the note in his hand, aware that the suspicious addition was the work of the current commander: Monica Net.

Jeanne blinked compulsively, repeating in her head the last words Klint had read on the note. Realizing their meaning she fell onto the couch, rolling around on it as if she was in the grip of convulsions.

Said Klint, rearranging the paper he had brutally gripped in a vice.

He thought, without paying too much attention.

“An Alir fund connected with the NOIR funds has been loaded onto the gray card. Try to purchase as many artifacts as possible”

Klint and Jeanne exchanged a look. Klint had a puzzled expression as he observed Jeanne, hidden behind the sofa cushions, tearing up slightly.

Klint suggested, heading towards the kitchen. Jeanne emerged from her fort, following Klint with her eyes still shining.

He tied on a white apron that he had found attached to the cabinet, smiling satisfied with the ingredients: a loaf of bread, some tomatoes, and eggs

With mind-blowing speed, Lance began chopping the tomatoes, straining them to make the base of a sauce. As soon as the sauce started to boil, I poured in the bread and eggs, covering the pot.

He turned, noticing Jeanne touching her stomach several times, as soon as he noticed her gaze she blushed, a suppressed cry escaped her lips. Klint smiled, taking off his apron and placing it on his chair.

He replied nonchalantly, being surprised by the speed with which Jeanne had taken her place at the table.

With dismay he noticed that the table was already set, Jeanne with her face still slightly red was looking at him, seeking approval from him.

He murmured, still surprised by the speed of the girl in front of him.

Lance thought as he put out the flame. Jeanne did not appear to her as a fighter, but deep in her gaze, he could feel the same impulses and instincts that he had felt when he was dying of hunger wandering the ghettos in search of food or money. She was taller than the average girl and was quite slim and would never give the impression that she knew how to throw a punch or hold a knife, same was true for Lance but his buff appearance made his bluff more valid.

Klint served the pot at the table, the smell that wafted was more delicate than what he had cooked in the dormitory, but it was still enough to stimulate the appetite.

They both began to eat in a frenzy. Jeanne's face brightened with each spoonful of the sauce prepared by Klint. On the other hand, the boy was constantly under stress not to get embarrassed. The girl in front of her was the only one he had ever cooked for in his life and the paranoia towards her criticism started to drive him crazy, but luckily, Jeanne appreciated Lance's cooking.

Jeanne asked shyly, slowly reaching for the pot. Klint took his plate and poured her the rest of the contents.

He replied with a hint of a rather melancholy smile. Jeanne stared at Klint for a while, looking back at him.

She thought rejoicing. Jeanne, similarly to Klint had trauma due to her past experiences. The lack of social contacts and premature experience of the world had brought her an absolute distrust towards people, especially men, but with Klint, he could mirror himself and open up a little more.

She replied in a low voice, placing the spoon on the plate. Klint blushed slightly. They had already called each other friends but Klint was happy every time he heard those words. Without speaking he stood up and took the dishes, placing them in the sink and starting to clean them.

Or at least that's what he advised since he hadn't considered that there was only one bed in the mezzanine. The shock was enough to make Klint lose his balance and fall off the balcony.

Jeanne looked worried, but the boy simply raised his thumb.

He replied breathlessly.

Hours passed, the sun had set and the two recruits had gotten up and prepared for the evening.

Both Klint and Jeanne had dressed elegantly: the boy was wearing a beige sweater under his long, black, striped jacket, while she was wearing a white shirt and a shorter blue jacket with yellow buttons on the front.

He said while covering his face with a medical mask.

Lance said, avoiding mentioning the fact that he was absolutely not ready for a conversation with his "new" wife.

The duo ran down the stairs, opening the door. The view of the city at night was completely different. A sea of lights and sounds and smells hit their senses, the temperature had dropped terribly but the clothes seemed to have adapted quickly.

Jeanne carried her Briefcase attached to her hip with a chain while Klint kept Lachesis covered under his sleeve and Supplicium reduced inside his left pocket. He raised his hand, calling for a white car, way less flashy than the ones used by NOIR.

he asked the taxi driver kindly, with some hints of coughs, showing a wad of banknotes and a note. The taxi driver wiped away his drool and accelerated towards the address specified by the boy.

They were left at the entrance of the villa described by the note: a gigantic three-story building, composed of a mixture of pink, white, and blue. The flag with a blue nurse soared above the sloping roof of the villa.

The two approached the gate, showing the gray paper, which had turned into the invitation card to the auction.

The manicured and immense garden of the mansion made Klint shiver, in the darkness of the evening not even the dozens of mechanical suns were enough to illuminate the darkness of the grove.

A burly, masked, fox-like guard bowed and asked him for registration

He said introducing himself with a bow.

The guard nodded, opening the front door and leading them through the pink corridors of the villa. The marble floor and white details on the columns gave Klint an almost unpleasant feeling of luxury. They stopped in front of a room with a darkened door. the guard opened the door with a quick but elegant gesture.

The man replied with a serious tone, accompanying the door as soon as the two entered.

They sat on the sofa, looking at the objects displayed on the screen between the two buttons. Documents, blackmail photos, paintings, and even narcotic substances. Klint sighed, noting that everything that had been shown was simply reportable to the Home Guard.

He said turning to Jeanne, who nodded in response.

He added, lowering his gaze. Klint had gotten into many fights and brawls, but each time he felt washed away by a sense of indecency and disappointment.

Jeanne thought, happy not to have been mistaken about the boy next to him.

The presenter shouted, revealing a curtain. Under the tent, there was a thick iron cage but the disgusting thing was the contents.

A little girl full of bruises and still wounded was struggling, holding onto the bars.

Explained the manager, pointing to the girl as if she were an ornament or a jewel. She had a pale complexion, was slim, and all around her hips was evident the sign of abuse and torture. The hair flowed like golden strings, tainted with filth. Her eyes were of a vibrant blue, despicably charming in their sadness.

Klint clenched the fists and his veins began to swell, and his gaze changed to one of disgust. Jeanne had a dark face and was clutching the fabric of her shirt.

Thought Lance, grasping the arm of the couch with such force to actually break the skeleton underneath the covers. Slavery had been banned after the War, but nobles continued the unworthy practice. The disgusting thing for Klint was that this little girl could be his sister.

In a fit of rage, Klint pressed the blue button.

The presenter said happily, silencing the crowd below who had already fired off figures worth dozens of millions.

<50 million.> He replied in a confident and dry tone. Jeanne looked at him in shock.

The room fell silent at the sound of those words.

More silence filled the all similar heads of the nobility.

The announcer's echo traveled across the room.

The presenter smiled.

The auction finally ended and the two were escorted into the room to collect their prize. Klint passed the card linked to his funds over the mechanism at the entrance, which vibrated almost satisfied. The guard threw the little girl towards Klint. Notes of alcohol and ash reached his nose, only making his anger swell up more and more. She was shaking like a leaf as Klint held her close. Jeanne got closer, gently stroking her hair with her nimble finger.

she whispered to the girl, helping her stand up and shaking her hand with such pity.

the presenter rejoiced, waving his hand. Lance avoided looking at him, simply turning back with a cold gesture of his right hand.

Plin… Plin….Plin..Plin

An ominous drip formed behind Klint and he turned to the presenter in shock. At his feet a red pool, which rippled with each new drop that fell into it.

The man was lifted into the air by a dark hand, which vibrated in the air as if it were made of smoke. The shadow was made up of several slimy strands that spread across his skull, creating the illusion that he was wearing a hat. The monster pushed its claws deeper and deeper into the man's stomach without showing a single expression.

He turned towards Klint, rotating his head and throwing the pale man's body against the wall, which was stained with blood along with the white floor of the room. The corpse made an unpleasant wet sound as it broke his fall.

The shadow disappeared but the sound of footsteps began to emanate from the exit corridor. Two figures emerged from the darkness of the hallway: a tall, bushy-bearded man wearing a long brown coat and a black hat and a girl a little shorter than the man, wearing a campaign suit with suspenders, completely dirty with blue and black paint.

Said the man, taking off his hat and holding it at chest height.

We should have assumed the presence of NOIR, but to think that two recruits would have been sent…. a real shame.> He concluded, putting his hat back on his white head.

The girl said, pointing at Lance, her tone of voice was high-pitched and unpleasant.

The old man whispered in his companion's ear. The figure in black coughed, calling attention to himself since Jeanne and Lance were busy checking the shocked girl.

Roman, the gentleman dressed in black, asked elegantly.

The girl clung to Jeanne's trousers, shaken by the fear brought by the man's presence.

Replied Klint, making sure his answer was read like a firm no.

Roman smiled, adjusting his hat and pinching his beard.

he replied, taking off his white glove, suddenly devoured by the darkness at his feet.

He whispered as a tangle of black threads freed itself from his body, condensing into a series of disturbing hooded shadows armed with pitchforks and pikes. They were completely unnatural, crooked, asymmetrical, and tangled. Their hands were clawed and their faces devoid of any expression.

Shadows surrounded the duo, slowly advancing. Klint sighed, tugging at his jacket. At his touch, it almost felt like the fabric was turning liquid. His clothing changed shape, returning to being her classic windproof jacket combined with the elasticized tracksuit. He rolled up his sleeves, showing off the tight, thick forearms.