In Racon, north of Minehold, eight people walked along the sidewalk on Waya Street with a single clear destination.
Wayaa Train Station.
Of the eight, three were women.
They were the same group from the previous meeting at the refugee camp in Tezny District, at Coordination 15.
Originally, they had planned to travel farther north of Minehold, but Fererra canceled the plan after Zaharon reached an agreement with the others to head for the center of Havanuheta Province, a region far more densely populated than the settlements below Semilir, such as Minehold and Greysia.
Traveling by steam train, they intended to reach the Ource district in Semilir City as quickly as possible while also searching for information about the destruction of Moran City.
Although they had survived that horrific disaster, none of them, Natasya in particular, could come to terms with what they had done.
Furthermore, the fate of her parents remained a mystery. Evan, her friend, shared the same sense of loss, yet he behaved as though nothing had ever happened to him.
As for Zaharon Kavatusce, he had developed an interest in magic and the occult after speaking with Arvrenda Guelhram.
As always, Zeta accompanied Arvrenda, serving as her loyal companion. She was the only one left alive from her circle.
Aurora Chevalya had regained her mobility, and the strange illness that had once plagued her had disappeared. Her reason for joining the group remained the same: she was searching for her older brother and Zavi Actitus because she had something important to tell them.
Cathal and Fererra, who served the main Morotuane Church in Moran, had their own compelling reasons for uncovering the mastermind behind the operation that had orchestrated Moran's destruction with meticulous precision.
At first, he had been skeptical. However, when the envoy from Moran failed to arrive, he became convinced that an outside organization was the true architect behind the city's destruction.
Moreover, the rumors surrounding an underworld organization known as "Black Cage" had only grown stronger, and the two of them had already determined who was truly responsible for Moran's downfall.
Jack the Ripper. Mukaden. Black Cage.
They remained in the same unit under a single command, yet neither of them knew the full truth about the group deployed by the Order "Intersection Society," the group that held the key to the success of their sinister plan.
As the distant roar of the steam train echoed through the air, followed by the murmurs of other passengers, all eight of them boarded in silence. Their lips remained tightly shut, their expressions blank as each contemplated their own objective, even though their goals were ultimately intertwined.
Chu! Chu!
The steam train blew its whistle. The grinding of steel wheels against the rails grew louder with every passing moment. From that point onward, their true lives, and their true journey, had begun.
....
Somewhere on the western side of Minehold, in Kenotalle, stood a modest two-story house. It carried no air of luxury, yet the person living there enjoyed warmth and a decent life thanks to her son.
Inside were two people: a woman in her fifties and a man with an indifferent expression, calmly seated across from her.
Every morning, Mei Actitus had a habit of chatting with Ren and encouraging him before he left for work at nine o'clock.
Can it even be called work? Does searching for Zavi count as a job?
That was what Ren had been wondering lately, especially whenever his mother questioned his health.
Moreover, since that day, Ren had not met a single member of "The Devil is Here," including Veranica, the recruit he had brought in.
Seven years earlier, he had never trusted them at all. Ren knew that earning someone's trust was harder than making money out there.
That was why he sought out someone trustworthy like Veranica, whose trusted connection happened to be a friend, or perhaps the younger sibling, of his leader Elmer Michelle's acquaintance.
The situation became even more complicated and intense after devastating news struck him the previous day.
Tuesday, April 1st, exactly at five in the afternoon.
Zavi Actitus had been murdered.
The Tenano Department in Semilir and the Cathedral of Goddess Yarandrela in Semilir had identified the body, clearly confirming both the victim and the murderer.
They knew Zavi Actitus was a wanted fugitive, so they buried him as quickly as possible to cut off any further investigation.
Following that grim news, another man named James Moriarty became the prime suspect in the murder, identified by the distinctive bowler hat worn by the man who had executed two groups in Ource. The act was believed to be a paid execution carrying a reward of 1,500 Pace, raised from the original 1,000.
People from the underworld seized the opportunity and claimed they were the ones who had killed the fugitive whose bounty had nearly doubled.
Ren, however, was different. Thanks to his experience as an information broker in the underworld, he could see beyond the inconsistencies in the situation. He arrived at two strong conclusions regarding the suspicious circumstances surrounding Zavi's death and the news itself.
First, someone had manipulated the news to ensure it spread as widely as possible. Second, the person who killed Zavi Actitus was none other than someone close to him. At least, that was Ren's conclusion for now, since he had never seen Zavi associate with any friends.
His suspicions only grew stronger as he dug deeper for more information, but his investigation eventually reached a dead end. He found no further clues, and the news of Zavi's death was soon buried beneath other events: a string of deaths and the exploits of a supernatural figure moving through the shadows of narrow alleys and fog-shrouded streets at night.
His mother continued talking about the recent troubles in Kenotalle, but Ren paid no attention, sinking deeper into his thoughts.
'For now, I'll leave it to the hired people. That information was expensive enough to drain a large portion of my savings.'
Ren stroked his chin as he stared straight ahead.
"...Ren? Why are you spacing out?"
Naturally, Mei was worried, considering Ren had done nothing but nod while she spoke.
"..."
Ren had not heard a single word. He had sunk even deeper into his thoughts.
'James Moriarty... who exactly is that man? Then my suspicion was right. James Moriarty is working together with factions out there to kill ordinary people like Zavi.'
After thinking it over, he looked intently at his mother and quietly said, "I've been working a lot of overtime lately."
"Oh? Really?"
Ren slowly nodded.
"Don't worry, Mom. Yes, my boss is especially strict with newcomers like me," Ren replied softly.
Ren then glanced toward the kitchen on the front right, where his younger sister was carefully walking while carrying a tray with two cups on it.
It was Isabelle, who had prepared tea at their mother's request.
Clink...
"...Thank you," Mei said with a smile.
Isabelle forced a smile before returning to the kitchen. Afterward, she came back out, went upstairs, and resumed her usual routine of secretly watching him.
Ren noticed, but he had no interest in her.
'Ah, that reminds me.'
"My boss assigned me some overtime. If you don't mind, Mom, please take this."
Ren finally said it, even though it was nothing more than an excuse.
Mei looked at the bankbook registered under her husband, or rather, Ren's father, who had died seven years ago.
Roden Actitus.
Banks throughout the cities of Havanuheta Province enforced strict requirements for changing the name on an account.
Moreover, after his father's death, Ren had never bothered to go through the process. Instead, he left his father's name on the account as a keepsake, a reminder of his death.
Of course, Ren knew he was the reason his beloved father had died, even though it had not been by his own hand.
Becoming a Receivers was not simply about seeking power. There were conditions, a price to pay, and consequences for its user, both before and during the ritual.
The cost was tremendous. Every time Ren used that power, it felt as though he were walking across a field of razor-sharp blades that tore through his skin and pierced deep into his knees, leaving him without any sense of touch.
The experience varied, but he often suffered from these two afflictions, ordeals that sometimes nearly killed him whenever he lost consciousness and collapsed from exhaustion.
The moment Mei saw the document, she smiled bitterly.
Upstairs, Isabelle parted her lips slightly as she drifted into thought.
'What did he give Mom?'
Although she was quite far from the living room where they sat, Isabelle narrowed her eyes, trying to make out what Mei was holding.
'Oh... that's nothing like I imagined. But why does Ren look like he's watching me?'
After sitting in silence for quite some time on the single sofa, Mei finally opened the bankbook.
Her eyes widened in surprise. She immediately held it up toward Ren and asked curiously, "Ren, have you really never used any of the money your father, Roden, left behind?"
What Ren wanted to say was, "At first, I wanted to transfer the account into Zavi Actitus's name, but I was too busy and never had the chance."
Instead, he answered, "That's not the way I live. I don't want to use someone else's money, even if it belongs to my own father. I'd rather live on the money I've earned through my own hard work. As long as I'm able to move and work, I'll continue to live by that principle."
Mei could not hide her admiration for Ren's words, which shone like a precious gem hidden from sight.
Mei let out a quiet sigh.
"I see. So you want me to use this while your boss has you working overtime?"
Ren nodded instinctively, though that was not the real reason.
He had no idea whether the journey would last days or even months.
For now, he had prepared everything, leaving nothing more for him to worry about when that day came.
"Yes, Mom. Isabelle might want to buy something. Keep her company, and take good care of yourselves."
The conversation ended as Ren rose from his seat. He slipped on the black coat that had been draped over his shoulder before putting on his half-height hat.
Ren stood by the door while his mother remained a few steps behind him.
Meanwhile, Isabelle stepped out from her place upstairs and stood on the first stair.
'So he's finally started moving again.'
She had once been indifferent and cold whenever she saw him or even heard his name. But after everything that had happened, and after observing his behavior for so long, she had begun wanting to speak with Ren, despite how awkward she felt about talking to him or even meeting his gaze.
For the time being, Isabelle chose to keep her distance and wait for the right opportunity.
Meanwhile, Mei looked at his back and said softly, "Be careful on your way, Ren. May the Goddess and the God bless your work with safety and good fortune."
Ren chuckled, then turned toward Isabelle and said, "Take good care of yourself."
He took two steps, and the door opened.
Before leaving, Ren realized he had forgotten to mention something important to the two of them.
His eyes sharpened as he addressed his family in an unusually serious tone. "Don't open the door at night, and don't let anyone in after dark."
Without another word, Ren stepped outside, and the door closed behind him.
Isabelle walked over to her mother. After hearing those words, although they were both ordinary people, they fully understood how serious his warning was.
The legend spoke of doors left open, shadows slipping inside, and uninvited guests arriving, guests who were none other than death itself.
Isabelle swallowed hard before guiding her mother back to the sofa.
The two shared a brief conversation. Meanwhile, outside, Ren struggled to survive in a world that constantly preyed upon both the weak and the clever.
He disappeared into the passing crowd with a single objective: to find the hired operatives and carry out his true mission.