Amanda stared at her reflection in the mirror.

Her pupils were blown wide, her lips cracked and pale. She barely recognized the face looking back at her. Dark bruises crept along her collarbone like ink stains, a sickly reminder of the last operation.

Her fingers gripped the sink as her stomach convulsed. She bent forward, coughing violently. A warm splash hit porcelain—blood.

She spat again. Another streak of blood swirled down the drain.

"Never again," she whispered, her voice hoarse.

She turned on the faucet, letting the cold water wash away the stains. When she finally looked up, her face was clean, but the hollowness in her eyes remained.

Without another glance at the mirror, she pulled herself together and stepped out into the hallway. Her boots barely made a sound on the polished floor as she moved.

Amanda didn't knock. She slipped into the next room like a shadow.

Inside, the air smelled of alcohol and stress.

High Commissioner Olivia sat sprawled on a leather sofa, one hand holding a glass of deep red wine. Her uniform jacket was half undone, medals glinting under the muted light. The woman looked every bit as exhausted as Amanda felt.

When Olivia noticed her, she set her glass down and straightened her posture. Her voice turned cold.

"Did you bring it?"

Amanda reached into the inside pocket of her coat and pulled out a slim, metallic rod. It looked like nothing more than a stick of brushed steel, but faint etchings lined its surface. Without a word, she tossed it across the room.

Olivia caught it neatly in one hand and turned it over.

"And this is…?"

"Some kind of jammer," Amanda said, her voice low. "It stopped working when the liquid inside ran out. Whatever was powering it—gone."

Olivia tilted her head. "Do you know what liquid it was using?"

Amanda shook her head. "Not yet. But I intend to find out."

She walked fully into the room, closing the door softly behind her.

Olivia swirled the wine in her glass and stared at the device. "How are things with the Prime Minister?" Amanda asked.

Olivia let out a long sigh. "Angry. Furious. She wanted the traitors contained quietly, but the media jumped the gun. News spread before we could control the narrative."

She tipped the glass back, draining half of it. "This is going to be a dangerous gamble, Amanda. My service might be needed more than ever."

Amanda leaned against the wall. "My identity as Unit One Commander is already exposed to too many people. I can't take many secret missions anymore."

"These aren't secret missions anymore," Olivia said quietly.

Amanda raised a brow. "Then what are they?"

Olivia stared at the floor, eyes unfocused. "I can feel it coming…"

"What?" Amanda asked, stepping closer.

"Another guild war."

Amanda's lips curved into a small, humorless smile. "Isn't it always a guild war? The Asashi and Lan families at each other's throats, Valkyrie Fang hating them both, and every other guild clawing for scraps."

Olivia shook her head. "This is different. I suspect one of the guilds is working with the traitors."

Amanda's expression hardened. "That's not a small accusation."

"It's only a suspicion," Olivia admitted, "but information is leaking. Inside info. And the fact that these terrorists managed to impersonate an entire cleaning crew without anyone noticing…they must have lot of funds to do all this." She set the device on the table with a sharp clack. "Something is very wrong."

Amanda crossed her arms. "What's my mission?"

Olivia's eyes lifted to hers. "Investigate every guild. Keep a sharp eye on them. Find the traitor among them. Unit One will handle the traitors and terriost directly."

She tapped the device again. "I'll look into this jammer and the tech behind it. Maybe it'll lead to a clue."

Amanda nodded.

"And if Lan Jia or Astrid are alive," Olivia continued, "bring them in. Alive or dead."

Amanda's gaze flicked away. She hadn't included the Faceless Woman in her report. Olivia had no idea about that encounter. Best to keep it that way—for now.

She straightened and gave a sharp nod. "Understood."

Olivia poured herself another glass of wine. "Then take your leave."

Amanda raised her hand in a crisp military salute.

As Olivia sipped, she muttered, "And Amanda…don't use your Null Field power. Every time you do, you look paler and sicker than before. I don't know what happened for you to use it again...but I order you not to use your powers again."

Amanda ignored the warning and turned on her heel.

The door clicked shut behind her, as Olivia sighed. "Maybe I should retire! I feel like I age 20 years more everytime something like this happen."

***

Ren ran with steady, even steps along the familiar path that led toward the park. His breath was smooth, his muscles already warmed up. He'd planned this "jog" as a cover to meet Luxy later, but the plan had started to crumble the moment he stepped out of the house.

Because Hiyori was right beside him.

Her pigtail bounced with every stride. She had on a loose hoodie and shorts, and although she tried to look casual, she kept glancing sideways at him as if to make sure he didn't vanish.

Ren's lips twitched. Great. My spy and bodyguard rolled into one. I can't even hate her for it since she is doing this for me.

They were on holiday now—the academy closed after the terrorist attack, police investigations ongoing, buildings being repaired. Students were told to stay home. Technically this was a "break," but Ren felt more trapped than relaxed. He'd been counting on this morning jog to slip away and meet Luxy.

So much for that.

Still, he couldn't ignore the warmth that rose in his chest. Hiyori wasn't awakened, didn't have powers, and yet she followed him everywhere to protect him. Even when she acted all tsundere, she clearly cared.

Ren risked a glance at her. She was wheezing already, cheeks red. The sight made him smile.

He slowed down just enough to tease her.

Ren tilted his head, mocking tone dripping from his voice. "Are you tired already, Hiyori?"

Hiyori shot him a glare between gasps. "I-I'm not… tired. I can continue!"

He chuckled. "You really should build up your stamina if you want to keep up with the other girls."

"I have enough stamina!" she wheezed, trying to straighten her back. "I'm… not tired."

Ren's grin widened. "Sure, sure. You look like you're about to collapse."

"Shut up, Ren," she puffed, nearly tripping over a crack in the pavement. "I'm fine."

He laughed out loud this time, the sound echoing in the empty street. "Alright, warrior princess. Since we're close to the park, let's take a break."

Hiyori practically sagged with relief. "Fine," she muttered, but she still tried to look dignified as they turned the corner.

As they entered the park, morning light spilled through the trees. Birds hopped on the grass, chirping brightly. A fountain in the center was lively, scattering droplets like glitter.

Ren scanned the benches, looking for a good place to sit. Hiyori trailed behind, hands on her knees.

As he slowed, a familiar figure caught his eye near the fountain. A young woman in comfortable pants, hair tied back neatly, sitting with a book on her lap with glasses on. Recognition clicked instantly.

Anna.

Ren's eyes narrowed slightly. I can't meet Luxy, but I can meet her. If I want to speed things up, this is the perfect chance. My target is right there...now all I have to do is start my mission.

He muttered under his breath, voice low enough that only he could hear. "When an innocent, helpless man asks for a favor, no woman can reject him, right? Same with you… Anna. Let's see how this goes."

He straightened, putting on a pleasant smile.

"Anna!" he called, waving his hand.

The girl's head shot up. Her face lit up the moment she recognized him. She closed her book and rose to her feet. "Ren! You're okay!"

He jogged the few steps toward her, Hiyori trailing behind like a shadow, eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"I heard about the attack at the academy," Anna said quickly. "I was so worried. I couldn't come that day for family reasons—but when the news came out…" Her hands trembled slightly. "I kept thinking about the few friends I had there. You were one of them."

Ren softened his smile, slipping into his "innocent boy" persona with practiced ease. "You were worrying about me. I can't even tell how much that means to me."

He wanted to save the sensitive stuff for later, when it would be useful. For now, he just wanted to get rid of Hiyori. "I didn't expect to see you here so early, though," he said.

Anna pressed the book to her chest. "I like to come here in the mornings. The birds, the dew… it helps me think."

"Awww," Ren said with an exaggerated sigh. "That's so romantic. I always knew you were a romantic person."

Anna blinked and looked down, cheeks coloring faintly.

Behind them, Hiyori squinted harder, crossing her arms. She watched the exchange like a hawk, suspicion practically glowing off her.

Ren noticed and decided to cut in before she said something embarrassing.

"Oh—right." Ren turned slightly. "Anna, this is my little sister, Hiyori."

Hiyori gave a curt nod. "Hi."

Anna smiled gently. "Nice to meet you. I am Anna, Ren's classmate."

Hiyori remembered this girl as the one who had lost her purse and had stalked them to retrieve it, so she had zero trust in her. Yet Hiyori still greeted her, saying, "Same here."

Ren placed a hand on Hiyori's shoulder. "I'll join you in a bit, okay? Just want to catch up with Anna for a few minutes."

Hiyori's brows knitted. "But—"

Ren gave her the look. The one that said don't embarrass me right now.

Hiyori huffed, looking away. "Fine. I'll… take a quick walk around the park."

"Thanks." Ren's smile turned almost brotherly. "Be careful, okay?"

She gave him a final glance. "You too," she muttered, then strode off toward the flowerbeds, pretending not to sulk.

Ren watched her go, a strange melancholy crossing his face. "Sisters…" he murmured. "They've done nothing but worry about me since that incident."

Anna tilted her head. "You're very close with her?"

"Closer than I deserve," Ren said softly, before turning back to her with his usual bright expression. "So! What were you reading?"

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