Chapter 15

ERA Calendar: 2nd Month of the Year 3115.

Southern Hemisphere.

Southern Helia.

Second Float—Second District. A Certain Restaurant.

Ren was certain after looking at the man now. 

It was different. He was certain that man was an awakened.

He had briefly thought of the option of approaching the man or even continuing to stalk him.

However, he couldn't decide just yet. 

And, just then, once more, Ren had used his ability once more.

'Tsk. He doesn't have anything to do with this…? Then was I wrong?'

Ren frowned, then, as though slowly coming to a realization.

Picking up his bag, clicking his tongue in slight irritation as he bolted away, not after paying for what he had ordered.

However, during the time he was inside, and the time it had taken him to pay for everything, Clarissa had already bolted off with a taxi.

Under the night sky.

Ren ran towards the nearest car park, entering it.

"Drive towards Aetherion Square."

"Roger that, sir."

Ren hadn't the slightest idea of where she lived, nor the taxi she boarded. 

What's more, he didn't even have her mobile number.

With extreme irritation, Ren's brows had furrowed.

Why?

Why was this bothering him so much?

"Speed up."

"Sir?"

"Just hurry up; drive faster."

Ren ordered, making the driver slowly nod as they slowly increased speed.

Currently, the only ability of his he could rely on was his ability to see the mortality of others and the ability to identify [colors].

That was what he was counting on.

As they maneuvered past cars, Ren shook his head.

'Not this… Not that either.'

'Just where is that—'

At the same time.

Clarissa Everette.

'Haah… finally.'

The woman had thought with a relieved sigh as she rested her back against the backseat.

She had thought it'd take more than that to get him—her blind date—off her, but luckily for her, he wasn't willing to push.

After this, she planned on having a talk with her parents about this.

Should they refuse to listen, she would have no choice but to take drastic measures—though she hoped it wouldn't come to that.

At the very least, currently, she doesn't have to think about that.

Currently, she was heading home.

And for some reason, she couldn't help but look forward to tomorrow.

Hm? Why was this so? She couldn't tell.

Could it be because of him?

No! In the first place, she shouldn't be thinking about a student like this.

Deciding to take her mind off it, she checked her time.

6:40 PM.

It was slowly turning dark, and there was still distance to Aetherion Square.

T'would take a little longer till she got to her stop over there.

Additionally… "Yawn~"

Clarissa let out a soft yawn, stretching slightly in her seat. Then—

A strange sensation crept over her.

Her eyes fluttered open, and an uneasy chill ran down her spine. She held her breath.

Sleeping gas?

She came to such a realization.

The air around her, rather, the cool air coming from the conditioning felt stale and slightly heavy.

As a trained nurse, additionally, using a lot of sleeping gas for other legal use, she could tell even the slightest change.

Though it was supposed to be an odor-free scent, the effect it had when she inhaled it was enough to bring her to that conclusion.

Hence, she began to struggle.

She tried to call out—"Uhm, nngh—"—but her voice barely escaped.

In additional attempts, she tried to wind down the glass; however, it wouldn't budge either.

Sleep was slowly setting in.

Having tried to glance, she turned over to the driver, and if she didn't see it wrong, the man had put on a black mask.

'No way…. Kidnapping?'

She thought as she slowly lost consciousness.

'No…'

Her heart skipped as she slowly fell asleep; she couldn't do anything against the pulling force.

And like that, everything faded to black.

"..."

The driver, on the other hand, had said nothing and simply continued.

Like that, they went towards Aetherion Square of the Aetherion city.

Southern Helia.

The continent split across New Earth. Southern Helia was one of the continents that existed.

Alongside its neighboring continent, the Central Helia, amongst others.

It is well known that the Central Helia acted as the administrative continent where most upper-class people dwelled.

Southern Helia, being the sister continent to the administrative continent, was naturally also taken in by the administrative continent.

And together, both formed the super continent Helia it was known as today.

Going further.

In Southern Helia was the city Aetherion, where the likes of Ren and the rest lived, and the land where Yosen naturally dwelt.

And such a continent was where things like this took place.

Were it happening in any other continent or country, it would have passed.

But the fact that, despite their authority, things like this still happened, which made lots of people question the authorities.

Was it to spite the authorities regardless?

No one would know.

However, it is certain their operations had always been like this.

They would approach in disguise while acting like this. Slowly poison their passenger while in the car with sleeping gas.

And after that would be the end.

BAM!

Was the sound the car made after entering into an abandoned facility.

Waiting there were some very shady people dressed in black. Black suit, trousers, everything down to the last details.

It was certain this was a different case entirely than the last.

"Do you have the package?"

The one in front, with a medium build, spoke up as they glanced towards the driver who approached them, putting a cigarette into his mouth.

"Yeah."

The driver replied, pulling a lighter from his pocket as he lit it up.

"However, this one was rather sharp; she caught onto it. Good grief."

"Is that so?"

Though the man clad in black had said that, there was a pause again. 

The two stared at themselves.

"So, where is it?"

"Deliver the package first."

"Ugh, you didn't have to ask, did you? Just check the backseat already."

As the taxi driver said that, two of the men clad in black, standing behind their leader went towards the back seat, and then with a nod for a signal, they alerted their leader.

"Good. That is enough. Thank you for the help; you can rest now."

As the taxi driver had heard that, something about the other's tone made the driver tense.

It looked like the leader clad in black had no intentions of adhering to his promise, which made the driver snap at him.

"H-hey! Where's the cash you promised!?"

CLICK—!

"—W-wait, this is a joke, right?"

Along the lines, his tone had changed, as he raised his hands, the cigarette falling off his lips as he looked at the leader clad in black nervously.

BANG!

Without even as much as a blink of his eyes.

A bullet straight to the skull had answered the driver's question.

Since they were far from where people were, cut off by a forest path. This much noise wasn't a problem.

The body fell on its knees, then on the ground as warm liquid sprouted out from their head.

"Like usual, use it as cover. Blame the Order for it."

"Roger."

The leader in black had turned his back, heading away as he'd said that.

And his lackeys, who were carrying out Clarissa from the passenger seat, had replied when all of a sudden, they all felt a cold chill down their spine.

"What the—!"

The leader, clad in black, was the first to notice, as he hurriedly turned back, glancing around.

"Was it my imagination?"

No, he definitely felt it.

That killing intent.

"Who!?"

The man, still feeling that eerie intent to kill, finally shouted that looking around.

As he said that, he then saw it.

A pair of crimson eyes staring at him from the distance, that is.