"Sir!" one of the Sentinels called out to the Captain, pulling him out of his thoughts.
"What is it?!"
"We've found someone!"
!?
The Sentinel Captain immediately moved from the living room to a hidden corner of the penthouse.
And there the sight caught his breath in his throat. A blonde-haired young man lay lifeless in a pool of his own blood with a spear etched in his abdomen.
It was none other than Frank Wellberg.
"Is he…?" the Captain's words trailed off, the conclusion he came up with hanging in the air as an immediate response came.
"No. He's still alive. But considering the state he's in, he's barely hanging on."
"Call a healer for first aid immediately! He might be our only witness! And contact a ambulance while you're at it!"
The orders were clear as some of the Sentinels executed almost immediately.
They then pulled out the pure metal spear in Frank's abdomen as a blue-haired Sentinel specializing in light attribute healing magic closed to wound via a spell, stabilizing the injured temporarily.
After a few minutes, a group of medics arrived with a stretcher, laying Frank on it and transporting him to the nearest hospital.
"Whew…" the Captain clutched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache closing in on him.
"Well then, anything else you've uncovered?"
"Yes."
The agent showed the Captain a note card that was addressed to the Sentinel Investigative Bureau along with a vial of purple liquid labeled Ravensblood Elixir.
On the note, only one thing was written on it:
[The countdown has begun and this game shan't stop from now on.
Will you be able to solve this little mystery of mine in time? Or will I be the one to win?
Try as hard as you might. I'll be looking forward to it.
Task 1: The elder likes his H–Y.1. Why does he?
Task 2: Winter asked the little Sentinel what happened to its moon and it didn't know. Do you?]
"What the hell…?" the Captain's brows twitched, unable to make sense of what was written on the note.
"Tch!" he slapped back the note onto the agent, visibly on the verge of exploding.
"Send this to Bureau's forensic department!"
"Yes sir!"
After the agent moved out, the Captain released a deep breath as he approached Vadus's corpse, looking at his lifeless brown eyes.
"Just who the hell is this fucker?"
While the Sentinel Captain cursed under his breath, at the same time, several kilometers away from the happenings of the scene, within a certain commercial hall, long and beautiful black hair swayed with a slight tilt of the head.
"I believe they must have found it by now," a feminine voice muttered as red eyes stared into the distance with a very pleased expression etched on a very familiar face.
It was the mysterious Lilith's face, eyes shut and an amused smile reflected on the surface of her drink.
"Hehehe… This new game of ours should be quite entertaining," she simply sipped onto her tea, savoring the taste as she looked forward to the new excitements the next events would procure her.
"Hurry, hurry, my dear Cardinals. I'm oh so looking forward to it~"
---
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"Mmm…"
Emilia let out as she slowly grogged out her slumber. The memories of recent events were vividly coming back to her.
Ace's awakening from his coma, the kiss they shared, the news of Hugo's death, the happenings of what followed, and most importantly, the never-seen tenderness in Ace's eyes as she was being forcibly put to sleep, the young man's plea echoing in her mind.
Please, Emi… Please just forget about me.
Emilia erupted from the comfort of her bed with a gasp.
"Haah… Haah… Haah…" beads of sweat run down her face as her heart continued to race.
"Oh good," a young voice immediately pulled Emilia out of her stupor as her eyes drifted to the little girl seated right beside her bedside. "I was afraid you'd never wake up, my lady."
"Eh? Who…?" Emilia's confusion etched itself deep into her heart as she took in the sight of the young girl.
She had short light-blue locks styled in twin buns and bright amber eyes. Her face was round and carried a certain aloof air to it as she tilted her head, and she wore a cute maid that was both practical and easy to move in.
"Who are you?" Emilia managed to voice out as the confusion continued to shroud her face.
"I will introduce myself, but firstly, how about you take some water? You've been asleep for 4 days now," the little maid said as she tried to give Emilia a glass water.
"Four… four days!?" the info hit Emilia hard. "Ace! Where is Ace?!"
Emilia invaded the little maid's personal space as her face started twisting in anxiety and worry.
"Please calm down, my lady," the young girl gestured, trying to make Emilia regain her composure.
"Ah," Emilia immediately backed down afterwards, noticing the discomfort of the girl before her. "I-I'm sorry."
"No need to blame yourself," the young girl said offering once more the glass of water which Emilia took and then sipped on.
"It is only normal that you would be confused," the girl descended from her chair.
As she stood beside Emilia, she then held the hems of her skirt lightly with one hand and placed the other against her chest as she then gave Emilia a dignified bow.
"I came to you in accordance with my grandfather's will. My name is Francesca Hendrickson. But please, feel free to call me Fran, my lady."
"Hendrickson…? As in…" Emilia's voice slowly trailed off as Francesca replied to the unspoken lingering question.
"Yes. That is exactly it. My grandfather is none other than the late Master Magus and dean of Therion Academy, Hugo Hendrickson."
Emilia was left dumbstruck at the statement. As for as she knew, Hugo didn't have any known relatives, but at the same time, she couldn't be sure either as she didn't know him that personally.
"Oh. But I am adopted," Francesca added on before silencing lingered in the air.
Emilia was still trying to process everything that was happening that she hadn't had the time to properly sort out everything in her mind.
Noticing this, Francesca then continued by answering one of Emilia's previous questions.
"On the subject of master Ace's whereabouts, I am afraid to inform you that when I arrived, I only find you lying on this bed."
"Oh. I see…" Emilia's expression grew grim as the grip on her glass tightened, biting her lower lip as if she was on the verge of tears.
'Why? Just why Ace?'