Admin typed—
Admin
"Your sibling is quite interesting. We might get along well if we ever meet."
King
"Haha, no, that won't happen. You two are completely different. He is the kind of person who would sacrifice himself for everything, while you are the kind who would sacrifice everything for yourself."
Lyxander's pupils widened. He had already formed impressions of the other members, but now—only now—did he finally gain a clear picture of who the Admin truly was.
Admin
"Come on, even if that's true, I'm not that terrible."
No Scope
"Your sibling looks pitiful in my eyes."
King
"He does look pitiful. But if you were to meet him, you'd understand just how remarkable he really is."
No Scope
"In that case, I hope I get the chance to meet him someday."
The meeting continued for a short while before the Admin brought it to an end.
—
Sunday, July 4th, 1740
Lyxander once again decided to exercise, but this time he chose to focus on endurance rather than muscle training.
He took the sportswear his mother had bought for him—clothes he had never worn before—and decided to go for a morning run.
—
Monday, July 5th, 1740
"Hah… calm down."
At last, Lyxander was about to begin his first day of work as part of the Entity Corporation.
By 7:00 a.m., he was already dressed neatly and on his way to the station.
When he arrived, he stood waiting for the train. The station was still eerily quiet.
Most people usually started work at 9, but Lyxander chose to arrive early since he had no idea when his actual work hours began.
"Damn it, Simon… how could he not tell me something this important," he muttered in irritation.
Before long, a woman's voice echoed throughout the station, followed by the sound of an approaching train.
"Attention all passengers, please stand behind the yellow line for your safety."
"The express train will be arriving shortly. Please ensure you are in a safe position."
Lyxander stepped back slightly and put his earphones on. During yesterday's workout, he had discovered a few songs he liked and decided to play them now.
The train arrived with a hiss of steam as its doors opened. Lyxander stepped inside without hesitation. The interior was quiet and cold. Despite the many empty seats, he chose to stand, holding onto a hand strap.
Once again, the woman's voice echoed through the train.
"Attention, the doors will be closing shortly. Please board the train immediately."
After a moment, the doors closed and the train began to move.
Passing beneath a clear blue sky, the train stopped at several stations. What had once felt empty gradually became crowded. Life filled the platforms, vibrant and restless, and Lyxander found himself smiling.
For some reason, watching people so busy and alive made him feel more alive as well.
Eventually, the train reached its final station. From there, Lyxander had to walk to the bus stop.
"Damn it… why does my workplace have to be on the outskirts of the city?" he complained as he staggered forward.
Summer had arrived, winter long gone. The heat of July was oppressive. Sweat soaked Lyxander's body, but at last he reached the bus stop.
Unfortunately, he still had to wait for the bus.
Leaving one empty seat between himself and the woman beside him, Lyxander sat down and sighed.
"Hasn't the weather been way too hot lately?"
He was ignored.
The woman was reading a book with a flat, emotionless expression. For some reason, she felt familiar.
Her long brown hair matched perfectly with her clear blue eyes. She was beautiful.
"…Wait."
Lyxander suddenly realized something.
He stood up and pointed at her in shock.
"Aren't you one of the crows who restrained me back then?"
"Oh? If you know about the crows, then that means you've been recruited?" the woman finally responded.
"Yes. I've become part of the Entity Corporation. My name is Lyxander."
He extended his hand to introduce himself.
The woman, however, responded coldly.
"Shouldn't you learn how to respect your seniors first?"
"Ugh—!"
It was a devastating blow to Lyxander's spirit.
He pulled his hand back and sat down with a sulky expression.
"You don't have to be that harsh, Senior. At least you could tell me your name."
"…Malachite Natanael," she whispered.
Lyxander's eyes widened, and he smiled faintly.
"Then what should I call you, Senior?" he asked.
"Call me whatever you want," Natanael replied.
"Senior Natanael?" Lyxander tried.
"That sounds weird. Just Natanael," she complained.
Wait, didn't you say "whatever you want" just now? Lyxander muttered internally.
"…Alright. Natanael."
Soon after, the bus arrived, and Lyxander headed toward headquarters together with Natanael.
—
The bus stopped near a massive dam.
"Whoa… I didn't notice earlier, but does that mean I'm a deunamist now?" Lyxander muttered.
"A deunamist?" Natanael asked.
"Haha, just something from a movie," Lyxander replied.
Passing through the parking lot, they arrived in front of a small white door. From the outside, it looked completely ordinary—yet it concealed a secret.
To open the door, a fingerprint scan was required.
"Try placing your fingerprint," Natanael instructed.
Lyxander wasn't sure whether his fingerprint had been registered, but he followed her instructions and placed his finger on the scanner.
The door slowly opened.
"Whoa—!" Lyxander stared at Natanael in disbelief.
As if sensing his confusion, Natanael explained.
"When you collapsed, your body wasn't simply left lying on a bed."
The brief explanation sent a chill down Lyxander's spine.
"Wait… just what exactly did you do to my body while I was unconscious?"
Instead of answering, Natanael ignored him and walked straight inside.
With no other choice, Lyxander followed behind her.
The door closed.
Inside, the square-shaped room was completely empty. Moments later, lasers appeared, scanning both Natanael's and Lyxander's bodies from head to toe.
After a while, the square room began to descend.
For some reason, Lyxander still felt nauseous whenever he rode an elevator.
Eventually, the room stopped, and the walls began to shift—
Revealing a blinding light…