"Hello there, little miss~"
Fang greeted her with a smiling gaze.
As he spoke, the sounds from next door carried over—Gian's furious shouting, the hyena's relentless snarling.
Sabrina nodded and handed over the note she had prepared in advance.
Fang raised a brow slightly and reached out to take it.
It looked like he had just finished bathing.
He wore a loose, wide-sleeved robe, draped casually over his frame, exposing a stretch of his neck and chest. As he lifted his arm, the sleeve slipped back, revealing a pale forearm that shimmered faintly with moisture—and along it, the same striking crimson scales.
The contrast of red against white was vivid and arresting—like plum blossoms scattered across fresh snow.
His fingers, holding the note, were long and well-defined. His nails were neatly trimmed, his skin so pale that the veins along the back of his hand stood out in sharp relief.
Lowering his gaze, he read:
[Thank you. I'm a new staff member, Sabrina. If you need anything, let me know and I'll submit a request for you.]
When he finished, his eyes lifted back to her.
Those smiling blue eyes, paired with the vivid red scales at their corners, created a beauty so intense it almost felt overwhelming.
Sabrina found her breath catching slightly.
"Sabrina… what a gentle, lovely name," he murmured. "It suits you perfectly."
He seemed to be seated just behind the hatch, leaning casually against the door. His smooth jaw rested lazily against his arm, while the light in his blue eyes shimmered like sunlight dancing across the ocean.
His gaze was direct—warm, yet unmistakably intense.
Sabrina lowered her eyes, feeling a little self-conscious.
After quickly gesturing her thanks, she retrieved his clothes from the cart, folded them neatly, and passed them through.
"Thank you for your hard work," Fang said politely, straightening as he accepted them with both hands.
Then he noticed the bruise on the back of her hand.
Concern flickered across his face.
"What happened to—"
The moment his fingers brushed against her skin, he stiffened abruptly—like he'd been shocked.
But Sabrina had already pulled her hand back quickly.
He was kind, yes—but perhaps… a little too attentive.
Noticing the way he continued to look at her, something in his gaze made her uneasy.
Sabrina pointed again to the note, indicating that he could list anything else he needed.
Fang's pupils shifted slightly.
He wasn't entirely sure what he had just felt.
But judging by her wary reaction, testing it again now would be… unwise.
The next moment, his expression softened once more into that gentle, effortless smile.
"Something I need?" He tilted his head slightly. "I'd like to keep a few small fish for company. Could you pick out some pretty ones for me?"
Sabrina paused for only a moment before nodding.
She carefully wrote down his request in her logbook.
As she focused on recording it, Fang watched her without blinking, studying her intently.
From an angle she couldn't see—his room was like a private aquarium exhibit.
One half was arranged as a comfortable human living space.
The other half was dominated by a large, pristine pool of water.
Within it swam a single brilliant red betta fish.
Its wide, flowing tail undulated gently—like layered petals, like soft silk skirts drifting in water, like flames swaying in the wind.
Beneath Fang's loose robe was a tail just as striking.
A vivid, iridescent red, gleaming with shifting light. Along its sides, sharp, blade-like fins lay folded.
Beautiful.
And dangerous.
A perfect embodiment of both.
It was proof that his contamination level had reached 88%.
If it climbed any higher, he would no longer be able to maintain even this half-human form and would be transferred upstairs, to join those who had already fully succumbed to their feral transformations.
And yet, despite such a dangerously high level, perhaps because of his temperament, he remained composed.
Unlike Gian next door, whose contamination had reached 88.95% and who was constantly dragged under by his own violent instincts, Fang could still smile, converse, and even trade barbs with his neighbors as if nothing were wrong.
Sabrina finished writing and looked up at him, asking silently if there was anything else he needed.
Fang had been resting his chin on his arm, studying her.
The moment her gaze met his, his eyes curved into a smile, the crimson scales at their corners catching the light with a brilliant sheen.
"Ah, right," he added lightly. "It's been a while since I've had any fresh air. Could you help me submit a request to go out~?"
Sabrina nodded and wrote it down.
"Going out," of course, didn't mean leaving the facility.
The Black Tower had a designated area where Sentinels could see the sky, bask in sunlight, and spend time at leisure.
It resembled a prison yard—but far more spacious, far more refined, and equipped with better facilities.
For Sentinels on the first floor, access was relatively easy.
The second floor was more complicated. Approval required careful consideration from the Tower's chief authority—the governing executive himself.
As for the third floor…
Going out was simply not permitted.
Unless their contamination levels could be reduced.
But so far, no new 3S Guide had appeared.
Even if 2S Guides were brought in to attempt treatment, those still functioning outside already required constant purification and stabilization.
By the time it reached those confined here—who knew how long it would take?
Sabrina was quietly finishing her notes when Gian's roar erupted from next door:
"I want out too!"
"Whenever that damn fish gets to go, I'm going with him!"
The implication was obvious—he intended to cause trouble for Fang during yard time.
Fang, however, merely let his gaze drift slightly, completely unconcerned.
A faint smile touched his lips.
"When your dog legs learn to stay put," he replied lazily, "maybe you'll get your turn~"
For a second, Gian fell silent, then exploded into another torrent of foul-mouthed abuse.
No one paid him any attention.
Sabrina's shoulders trembled slightly—she had clearly been amused by Fang's remark.
Sentinels affected by their spirit companions often displayed partial beast-like traits—like the scales on Fang's face.
Thinking of Gian's hyena…
An oddly vivid image flashed through Sabrina's mind, and she couldn't help it—she smiled.
Her soft, pale cheeks puffed slightly with the curve of her lips, forming two small, rounded dimples.
Fang, who had been watching her all along, felt his eyes brighten.
I want to pinch them, he thought idly.
They must feel like a peeled egg—smooth and springy.
Sabrina, ever diligent, noted down Gian's request as well.
Then she looked up at Fang again for the third time.
Meeting his steady, deep-blue gaze, her eyes wavered slightly before she shifted them aside, faintly uncomfortable.
"Mm…" Fang hummed thoughtfully. "I won't trouble you with too much all at once. Wouldn't want to tire you out."
Sabrina gave a polite smile.
She nodded, closed her logbook, and gestured that she would be shutting the hatch.
Fang stepped back accordingly.
"Until next time, then~"
Sabrina only gave him a quick glance—no response—and moved on.
203.
The moment she opened the hatch, a small white head popped out.
A snow-white ferret.
Its nose twitched gently, dark, bead-like eyes gazing at her with innocent curiosity.
Sabrina startled at first, nearly stepping back.
For a split second, she thought it might be something dangerous—like Gian's hyena.
But then, a man's voice followed—gentle, refined, like a quiet stream.
"Ulius, come back."
The ferret obediently retreated.
A moment later, a breathtakingly beautiful man appeared at the hatch—soft, fluffy ears perched atop his head.
"I'm sorry," he said warmly. "It didn't scare you, did it?"