Rina stormed into Rades’ room, the door slamming behind her.
Cassian, caught off guard, rushed after her. “Hey! I told you not to enter!” he yelled, his voice echoing off the marble walls.
Rades, sitting calmly at his desk, glanced up with a raised eyebrow. “Let her be, Cassian,” he said, his voice cold but firm. “And mind the way you speak to my sister.”
Cassian hesitated, his expression stiffening before he bowed slightly. “I’m sorry, Lord Rades,” he muttered, backing out of the room.
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The room fell silent as Rina stood there, her arms crossed, eyes narrowed in frustration. Rades shifted in his seat, leaning back and regarding her with an amused smirk.
“You usually don’t show up unless you’re given a mission,” he remarked, his tone casual. “What brings you here?”
Rina’s eyes flicked to the floor for a moment before she spoke, her voice sharp. “I want to know what happened to Lockey.”
Rades chuckled, the sound low and condescending. “Who knew my cold, heartless sister, consumed by revenge, could be worried about someone?” He leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. “Is he by any chance... your boyfriend?”
Rina’s face flushed slightly at the question, but she quickly masked it with a glare.
Rades stood up, walking slowly toward a small table in the corner where a tea set was arranged. “Ah, by your expression, I take it that’s a yes,” he teased, pouring himself a cup of tea. His movements were slow and deliberate, his eyes never leaving Rina’s face.
Rina clenched her fists, the tension thick in the air. “That’s not why I’m here,” she snapped. “I just want to know what happened to him.”
Rades sipped his tea, the steam curling from the cup. “I wasn’t given the full details. If you’re still interested, ask Glacier,” he said, nonchalantly. “I’m sure he’s already planning something.”
Rina’s lips thinned as she turned on her heel, her cloak swishing behind her as she headed for the door without another word.
Rades chuckled softly, setting his cup down. “Oh dear... she didn’t even say goodbye.”
Liam approached Glacier, bowing slightly as he stood at the door.
“Master Glacier, those two classmate of Lockey have been outside for about three hours,” Liam said.
Glacier raised an eyebrow, though he wasn’t entirely surprised. He let out a sigh and leaned back in his chair. “Three hours, huh? I have to admire their dedication. Fine, bring them in.”
Moments later, Marco and Adam were escorted into Glacier’s quarters. They shuffled forward nervously, exchanging uneasy glances. The room was dimly lit, and Glacier’s imposing presence added weight to the already tense atmosphere.
Glacier eyed them both, his expression unreadable. “It’s you two. What’s the matter now?”
Without a word, Marco and Adam dropped to their knees, heads bowed low in a pleading gesture. Marco spoke up first, his voice shaky. “Big Brother… something terrible has happened to Lockey.”
Glacier blinked, a flicker of confusion passing over his face. “When the hell did I become your big brother?” He yelled. “And besides, aren’t we the same age?”
Marco’s head shot up, his eyes wide with surprise. “Wait… what? You’re the same age as us?”
Glacier raised an eyebrow. “Do I look old to you?” He gave them a pointed look, arms still folded, leaning slightly against his desk.
Marco, scratching the back of his head awkwardly, stammered. “No, no! It’s just… you’ve accomplished so much at such a young age. Man, I’m jealous!”
Glacier smirked, clearly amused. “Well, if you’re that envious, how about working under me?” He glanced at Marco, waiting for his response.
Before Marco could enthusiastically accept, Adam elbowed him hard in the ribs, snapping him out of his daze. “Focus, Marco!”
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Adam straightened up, his face serious as he looked Glacier in the eye. “We’re not here for that. We need your help to save Lockey. We can’t do it alone.”
Glacier’s expression softened slightly, though his voice remained steady. “Saving Lockey was always part of the plan. But you two can head home now. I’ve got it under control.”
Marco and Adam exchanged a glance, hesitant but determined. “Then… can we at least follow you?” Marco’s voice trembled with hope.
Glacier looked between the two, his tone hardening just a bit. “I won’t stop you, but understand this: the chances of you surviving are slim. If you come along, it’s at your own risk.”
Marco’s face lit up with excitement. Before Glacier could react, Marco threw his arms around him in a tight hug.
Lucien, standing guard near the door, snapped forward, her eyes flashing with a cold glare. “Get your hands off Master Glacier if you want to keep all four limbs.”
Marco froze, his face paling as he quickly let go. “Y-Yes ma’am,” he stammered.
Adam nodded furiously beside him. “We’re sorry, we’re sorry!”
Just then, the door swung open with a loud bang, and Rina barged in, her expression fierce. Liam hurried in after her, panting. “Master Glacier, I tried to stop her—”
Glacier waved him off with a chuckle. “No worries, Liam. They’re all a stubborn bunch.”
He turned his gaze to Rina, his smile fading slightly as he regarded her with understanding. “I assume you’re here because you want to help save Lockey. Am I right?”
Rina nodded silently, her determination clear in her eyes.
Lucien clapped her hands sharply, signaling the end of the discussion.
“If you don’t mind, please step out for five minutes. We’re making some preparations.”
Rina, Marco, and Adam glanced at each other before reluctantly standing up. They exchanged a few silent gestures, then headed for the door, the tension still lingering in the air. Lucien watched them closely, her eyes firm as they left the room.
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Outside, the air was thick with an awkward silence.
The corridor felt unusually quiet, the kind of quiet that pressed down on your chest. Rina crossed her arms, glancing at Marco and Adam, who avoided her gaze. The tension hung in the air like a heavy blanket until she finally broke the silence.
“How do you two know about ChronoLux?”
Adam shuffled on his feet, clearly nervous. He wasn’t good with words, and situations like these made his anxiety worse.
“Well, uh, it’s... w-we kind of just... found this place... coincidentally...” Adam stammered, his voice shaky, as he rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact.
Rina narrowed her eyes, clearly not buying it. She shifted her stance, arms crossed tightly, her gaze locked on Adam.
“You don’t expect me to believe that, do you?”
Adam flushed under her intense scrutiny, his face growing red. He fumbled with his words again, hands twitching as if searching for something to hold onto.
“N-no, really! It’s t-the truth... We were looking for you... and... well, that’s how we found the place...”
Rina blinked in confusion, her frown deepening.
“Looking for me?”
Marco finally chipped in, crossing his arms but with a more casual air than his nervous friend.
“Yeah, you disappeared from school, and there were all these rumors flying around. We figured ChronoLux might’ve had something to do with it, and we just stumbled onto their hideout.” He shrugged, but his tone was laced with seriousness. “Besides, Lockey was already taking action, and we felt we had to join him.”
Rina’s expression softened for a moment, her thoughts drifting as she blushed slightly at the mention of Lockey being worried about her. She quickly snapped out of it, though her face still held a faint tinge of pink. Adam noticed but wisely chose to keep quiet, still fidgeting awkwardly beside Marco.
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Just then, Lucien’s voice echoed from the door.
“You may now enter.”
As they stepped back inside, the atmosphere had completely shifted. The messy room, once littered with snack wrappers, controllers, and signs of casual disarray, had transformed into a serious, well-organized meeting space. The walls now bore maps and charts, and the central table was clear, as if preparing for a strategic discussion.
Marco’s jaw dropped as he scanned the room in disbelief.
“Is this the same place we were in five minutes ago?” he muttered, astonished.
Adam, less sure but still intrigued, nodded slightly.
“I... I think so.”
They took their seats at the long table, joining Rina and the other members of ChronoLux. The tension in the room built as they all settled in.
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Glacier, sitting at the head of the table, received a call on his communication device.
He sighed in relief, recognizing the name that popped up.
“Finally,” he muttered to himself, “Pinnochi.”
He answered the call, his voice calm but his posture stiffening slightly.
“The fact that you’ve called means you’ve managed to locate the Vault, right?”
There was silence on the other end for a few long seconds. The air in the room became thick with anticipation. Everyone glanced at one another, tension rising. Glacier’s grip on the device tightened slightly as he leaned forward, waiting.
Then, Pinnochi’s voice came through the line—hesitant at first, then full of frustration.
“Glacier...” He paused, then continued with a sharp edge to his tone.
“HOW MANY LIVES DO YOU THINK I HAVE, huh? I SWEAR, IF I DON’T MAKE IT OUT IN ONE PIECE, MY SPIRIT WILL COME BACK TO HAUNT YOU. HEAR ME?!”
The room went silent for a bit before Glacier let out a nervous laugh, trying to lighten the mood.
“Ah yes, just thought you were the right man for this job... you know, being so capable and all.”
Pinnochi’s voice shot back, sarcastic and biting.
“Right, like I’m some sort of secret agent or something!”
Adam, who had been sitting quietly, stifled a laugh, his hand quickly covering his mouth. The other members of ChronoLux exchanged knowing looks, but no one dared break the tense atmosphere with a full laugh.
Glacier cleared his throat, his tone turning serious.
“Anyway, what’s your report? You called for a reason, right?”
Pinnochi's voice dropped, all humor gone.
“Three things you need to take note of... It’s not just an observation—it's a revelation.”
The air in the room grew thick with anticipation as everyone leaned in slightly, their eyes glued to Glacier, who sat frozen as Pinnochi continued.