The evening breeze drifted gently through the park, rustling the leaves and casting the last rays of sunlight across the stone pathways in a warm golden hue. The distant sounds of the city were muffled here, in this quiet corner of Novara, where the small fountain reflected the soft glow of the fading light.
Milo sat alone on an old wooden bench beside the fountain, his back straight and eyes scanning the surroundings without pause. His expression was calm outwardly, but inside, a tension coiled tightly. Everything around him seemed ordinary, yet an instinct told him that something significant was about to happen, and that the meeting he awaited would be far from ordinary.
The occasional footsteps of passersby echoed lightly through the pathways, but Milo paid them no mind. His full attention was fixed on the spot from which Toxivar was expected to appear.
On one of the quiet floors inside the Guild Agency, Celestine stood firmly, the dim light from the overhead lamps casting sharp shadows across her features. Across from her, the blonde girl stood as well, trying her best to hide her tension, though Celestine's keen eyes caught every subtle movement.
Celestine: "Time is passing, and every moment of delay increases the risk. Do you really think you can hide what's happening from me?"
Celestine suddenly approached, closing the distance between them with a swift, almost imperceptible movement. The blonde girl instinctively stepped back, her eyes widening with shock and caution.
Then her gaze landed on Celestine's hand and her heart skipped a beat. Her ID card, which she had tried to hide, was now in Celestine's possession.
Celestine (examining the card with a faint, sharp smile): "Hmm… so this is your alias you've been hiding under here."
The girl swallowed nervously, caught between fear and the need to keep her composure, knowing every word she spoke was under scrutiny.
Celestine: "Alright, alright… I have a lot of questions for you."
She tilted her head slightly, her eyes sharp and unyielding.
Celestine: "For example… what were you doing inside the director's office,Lola?"
Lola (panting slightly, fear in her voice): "It's not what you think, ma'am… it's just a misunderstanding."
She stepped back a little, her hands trembling as she tried to keep her composure. Her chest heaved, and her eyes darted nervously, aware that every movement was being closely watched by Celestine.
Celestine (with a sharp, commanding voice): "Answer my question first!"
Suddenly, she lunged toward her, attempting to take control of the situation, but
Celestine (startled, then focusing quickly): "Lola!!!"
Lola jumped back swiftly and raised her hands, activating her Tier 4 technique Flash Trap.
A bright white beam shot toward Celestine's eyes, causing temporary blindness.
The room fell silent for a moment, then a few employees glanced over in shock. They couldn't believe what they were witnessing a regular employee attacking Guild Leader Celestine with such audacity.
Celestine leaned against the wall, pressing her hands over her eyes.
"Damn… I rushed," she muttered through gritted teeth.
Meanwhile, Lola dashed toward the lower floor, using the chaos to make her escape.
Celestine's vision gradually returned, and she glared toward Lola's fleeing figure.
"Wait… you're not getting away that easily!" she shouted, determination sharp in her voice.
As Lola fled, she suddenly felt a hand grab her from behind.
Before she could react, Kryne appeared, holding onto the back of her clothes and stopping her in her tracks.
"Hey… what's going on here?" he asked, his voice sharp with authority.
Celestine skidded to a halt beside him, her eyes narrowing as she took in the scene.
"Kryne…!" she exclaimed, both relieved and alert.
The girl froze for a moment, shock coursing through her mind. How did I not sense him at all? she wondered, disbelief mixing with fear.
Celestine stepped closer, her gaze sharp and commanding. Suddenly, she called out,
"Watch out, Kryne!"
Before Kryne could fully react, Lolo spun around with lightning speed. Using a small, unseen sharp object, she slashed at his hand. Pain shot through Kryne as blood began to trickle down, and Lolo wrenched herself free from his grasp.
She bolted down the stairs without looking back, leaving Kryne standing there, clutching his bleeding hand, a grimace of pain crossing his face.
Celestine hurried toward Kryne, worry and urgency clear on her face.
"Kryne, let me see!" she said firmly.
Kryne looked at his bleeding hand, realizing the cut was deeper than he had expected.
"Damn it! This is my fault… the wound is a bit deep," he muttered, trying to control the pain.
Celestine spoke quickly, determination in her voice:
"Stay here, I'll chase her immediately!"
As Celestine moved toward Lola's escape, Kryne suddenly grabbed her hand.
"Wait! She took it… what she stole!"
The two stood there for a moment, tension thick in the air, as Kryne tried to make Celestine aware of what had happened.
Kryne raised a key in his hand, a sly grin spreading across his face.
"I've stolen the key to the underground floor… heh, now we know their true intentions."
Celestine's eyes widened in shock.
"Impossible! Is that fool really planning to go down there? Kryne… this is far too dangerous!"
She clenched her fist, her voice urgent.
"We must inform the Chief immediately, before Tavian causes a disaster that endangers all of Novara."
The girl walked out of the agency with a bright smile, convinced she had succeeded in stealing the key.
But then she muttered to herself in frustration:
"Damn it… they took my phone, those bastards!"
Lola's footsteps quickened as she slipped through the dim alleys of Novara, the cold night air brushing against her face. Her breaths came fast and uneven, yet a faint smile tugged at her lips, growing with every step. Clutching the stolen key tightly as if it were a priceless treasure, she whispered in a trembling voice filled with both joy and longing:
"Master Tavian… you'll be proud of me at last. Finally… I can repay even a small part of the kindness you've shown me."
Hope clung to her heart like a fragile light in the darkness, unaware that each step forward was leading her closer to a trap far greater than she could ever imagine.
Milo sat on the wooden bench beside the fountain, his expression outwardly calm, though his eyes betrayed a constant, sharp vigilance. The evening breeze toyed lightly with his hair, while the last streaks of sunlight shimmered across the still surface of the water before him.
Milo let out a long sigh, his shoulders sinking slightly as disappointment flickered across his face.
"It seems I'm wasting my time here," he muttered under his breath, his gaze lowering toward the rippling surface of the fountain.
"Why am I even waiting for him…? What could I possibly gain from all this?"
For the first time that evening, doubt pressed harder than the anticipation, the quiet night echoing his thoughts back at him like a cruel reminder.
Milo let his gaze wander across the park, trying to pull his mind away from the spiral of doubt. On the far side of the square, he noticed a group of children playing, their laughter scattering into the cool evening air. Suddenly, one of them tripped and fell, pain flashing across the boy's face.
Before the tears could fully form, his mother rushed to his side. She lifted him gently into her arms, brushing the dirt from his skin, whispering soft words of comfort as she cleaned the small wound.
Milo's eyes lingered on the scene, a strange mix of warmth and ache stirring within him. He drew in a slow breath, and the memory of his own mother gone for years now rose unbidden to the surface. The longing was sharp, almost unbearable, and he turned his face away, as if to hide the ache even from himself.
He jumped up and spun around to look behind him.
"You! Toxivar, right?"
Toxivar stood there, unbothered, a sly smile playing at the corners of his lips. His long green hair cascaded over his shoulders, with two loose strands framing his sharp, captivating face. His emerald eyes shimmered with a mischievous light, carrying a calm confidence that made him both intriguing and dangerous. Despite his relaxed stance, there was an unmistakable intensity in his gaze, as if he could see straight into Milo's thoughts.
Milo spoke up again, his voice a mix of relief and annoyance.
"You really scared me, man!"
Toxivar replied in a calm, even tone,
"Ran a bit late, didn't I?"
Milo shook his head slightly.
"Just a little…"
Toxivar exhaled slowly, loosening the tension in his shoulders.
"My apologies for that… aaah, had to deal with some traitors."
Milo asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice,
"Traitors? What do you mean by that?"
Toxivar tilted his head slightly.
"No need for you to know about that. Anyway, Milo, how about we take a walk for a bit? I can tell you what I want from you along the way."
Milo stood up, adjusting his clothes and ruffling his hair slightly.
"Alright, let's go. I'm curious to see what a stranger like you wants from me."
A heavy silence settled between them as they walked through the park.
Toxivar remained calm, with a slightly strange smile playing on his lips,
while Milo stayed serious, his caution evident in every step.
Toxivar began speaking.
"Novara is a city divided into three social classes: the wealthy, the middle class, and the poor.
Do you think that's fair, Milo?"
Milo remained silent, offering no response.
Toxivar continued speaking, his tone calm but deliberate.
"The Church controls Novara; they govern almost everything, yet they haven't changed this unfair system. In fact, they've even devised an excuse: that our life as the poor is some kind of test."
Milo spoke, his voice tense,
"What are you trying to imply…?"
Toxivar interrupted him, his green hair catching the fading light as his calm gaze fixed on Milo.
"Milo, is the gem of origin even real? If it truly exists, then why hasn't it been found all these long years? Why have they been toying with us like this? Are we even something of value to them?"
Milo pondered Toxivar's words, his brow furrowing as he tried to process them.
Toxivar continued, his tone calm but edged with a strange intensity:
"I know you're from the middle class, Milo. You've only tasted half or perhaps a quarter of the hardships we endure. So you might not fully understand, or perhaps my words will surprise you. But you have walked through our district, seen how we live… haven't you?"
Milo replied, a hint of irritation in his voice:
"Is that all that matters to you? How we live? Who cares about which class you belong to as long as you're alive? What truly matters is living happily. What about the people who live outside Novara, fighting every day just to protect this city?"
Toxivar chuckled softly, placing his hands on Milo's shoulders.
"It seems you haven't understood, Milo. The real enemy isn't out there. The true enemy of me, of you, and of all Novara… is the Church and its greed."
Milo pushed Toxivar's hands away.
"Maybe I really don't care about the Church or their talk about the Origin Gem, but I still don't understand what you're trying to say."
Toxivar sighed and frowned slightly.
"Milo! You know nothing about what's happening here inside Novara or maybe you just choose to ignore the truth. But we live in an unfair place. Some people commit unforgivable crimes, yet they are forgiven simply because they belong to the upper class in Novara, and it's all covered up as if nothing happened.
In other words, the rich in Novara have the right to do anything, no matter what, even if it harms people like us.
Do you think this is fair, Milo?"
Milo fell silent for a moment, his gaze drifting over the park. The sun had dipped lower, casting long shadows across the stone pathways. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, carrying with it the faint scent of grass and the distant hum of the city. The soft murmurs of children playing far away seemed almost muffled in the quiet evening, giving the scene a serene, yet heavy feeling like the world itself was holding its breath, waiting for his response.
Milo spoke in a calm voice, though tinged with confusion and concern
"Toxivar… what exactly do you want from me in all of this? You already know I can't do anything about it, right?"
Toxivar raised his hands to the sky in a strange gesture.
"What do I want from you? Milo!
Join us the Gang of Troublemakers.
We are a group of people who know the truth about the Church, and one day we will fight it.
We will reveal to Novara the truth about this cursed Church.
It would be great to have someone like you with us, especially since you are the son of the hero Arth..."
Milo interrupted sharply,
"Don't talk about my father. Leave him out of this..."
Toxivar raised his hands slightly.
"Alright, alright…
So, Milo, what do you think? Will you jo..."
Milo cut him off.
"I'll think about it first, knowing full well that I'm still not interested in your childish problems."
Toxivar smiled, lowering his head slightly.
"Alright then… think it over."
He placed a hand on Milo's shoulder.
"Goodbye for now, and remember I'll be looking for you again, because you will join us eventually."
He continued on his way.
Milo stood in place, frowning slightly, pondering Toxivar's words.
As night approached, Milo headed toward his home, lost in his thoughts and worries.
Suddenly, he heard a voice calling out to him.
A soft and lively female voice called out
It was Sally Lyn.
Reminder: Sally Lyn, a gentle girl with soft pink hair and calm blue eyes, is one of Milo's five friends and studied with him at Orion Academy. She has a calm and delicate personality, cares about her appearance, and tends to avoid conflicts.
Sally Lyn called out to Milo, waving at him from a distance.
"Miiilo! Hellooo!"
She carried a basket with some pastries.
Milo looked at her and smiled.
"Oh, hello Sally!"
Sally stopped in front of him.
Milo: "It's been a while since we last met. How have you been?"
Sally: "I'm good! What about you?"
They continued talking like this, Sally's positive energy brightening the atmosphere, while Milo remained slightly frowning.
Sally asked him a lot of questions, and as usual, Milo had no choice but to answer them.
Sally:"the monster hunter test is next month, right?"
Milo nods: "Y-Yes."
Sally: "Good luck then! Train hard and be ready for that day, alright? Surpass everyone… for me!"
Milo smiles, his hair swaying in the wind, his brown eyes meeting hers.
"I'll live up to your expectations."
Sally smiles, remembering something.
"Oh Milo," she says, taking a cake from her basket, "take this it's a lucky cake! It'll give you better luck than anyone else!"
She laughs lightly.
Milo laughs along.
"Th-Thank you, Sally."
Sally raises her hand in farewell.
"Well, goodbye Milo! I wish you the best of luck…"
After Sally left, Milo watched her disappear down the path, the soft evening light casting long shadows across the park. He lifted the small cake from the basket, its sweet aroma filling the air, and took a bite. The sugary taste was simple but comforting, and for a moment, he allowed himself to relax. Sally's cheerful energy, her laughter, and the way she insisted he try the "lucky cake" replayed in his mind, easing some of the tension that had weighed on him all day.
The streets of Novara were quiet now, only the distant hum of the city in the background. Milo walked slowly, his thoughts wandering between the strange encounter with Toxivar and the comforting presence of his friend. Each step brought him closer to home, yet his mind lingered on the idea of friends who genuinely cared.
Finally, he reached his house, the familiar sight of the door bringing a faint sense of relief. He paused for a moment, listening to the gentle creak of the hinges as he pushed it open. "I'm back," he said softly, stepping inside, the warm interior greeting him. He leaned against the door for a second, the taste of the cake still lingering, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. For the first time in a while, Milo felt a brief, fleeting sense of peace amidst the chaos surrounding him.