The wind was calm and tranquil. The only noise to be heard was the creaking of the rusty wheels and the footsteps of a horse’s gallop.

  The old Courier sat tightly on the head of the carriage, his eyes glancing over the horizon with a clear sky.

  Only four days left until the end of the Selection.

  The old man certainly paid no mind to such commotion. He only acted as a Courier, nothing more, nothing less. Furthermore, his frail and weak body couldn’t be more evident. Evils had existed way before this Demon Lord. To him, it was just another morning.

  Yet it would be a different story for the person inside the carriage.

  The Kid.

  --

  The black-cloaked one leaned back on the wooden railing with his eyes closed and his chest evenly breathing. Similar to the peace of the outer world, the boy relaxed and stayed completely still. He stayed as still as the cargo of wooden boxes of fruits and wheats surrounding him.

  Underneath the calm exterior, however, was a layer of caution that exceeded common sense.

  Such novelty was nowhere to be found anywhere else, especially in a young teen.

  Until a hoarse voice woke him up.

  “Hey, kid. Are you still there?”

  As the words reached his ears, the Kid opened his eyes and looked at the man through the curtain.

  “Yes? I’m here. I’m sorry if I have caused any trouble.”

  A polite answer. He always remembered what was taught.

  “Sorry if I woke you up. Just checking.”

  “Thank you, mister"

  “How’s the ride?”

  “It’s very good, mister.”

  “Such a good kid you are, you know?”

  Still holding the rope, the Courier turned around to meet the boy’s gaze.

  “Even though you are a bit creepy, no offense, kid, but you are surprisingly a well-mannered boy.”

  “Thank you.”

  The carriage shook lightly above the rocky path, and the smell of ever-morning crept through the cover of warmth. The bright light of the sun hiding behind layers of white clouds shone on the land with grace and beauty.

  The old Courier, still, muttered to himself.

  “The world is changing. How tiring…”

  “Yes?”

  “Well, boy, I mean, the world has been changing way too fast. Did you hear of the explosion within the Sephix Forest? Near Niveria and Regemea of Tuckerion.”

  The Kid tilted his head and asked.

  “I didn’t. Can you tell me more, if possible?”

  The man cocked his head backward, his eyes widened with surprise.

  “What?! Then how come you are traveling all alone like this? You should know more about these things, you know?!”

  Faced with a pointing finger, the Kid bowed.

  “I apologize. Thank you for warning me.”

  “Kids these days…”

  There was a slight pause until the man continued exhaustedly.

  “But why are you traveling alone? Like… this? You know a single gun won’t do you any good, right?”

  “Ah, I’m…”

  “Are you like, looking for your family or something? Your teeth are clean, so you must be from a decent family, at least, huh?”

  The Kid had no idea how to respond to him. From what he had seen from the Sheriff’s reaction, telling people about his purpose in the journey might just confuse the man. He was aware that his journey, in the eyes of others, would be considered strange. That was the least favorable outcome.

  Thus, the Kid decided to go along with the man’s assumption.

  “Yes. I’m looking for my…”

  ...father, yes.”

  The boy changed his answer at the last second. To him, a mother he knew already existed. A mixed lie he muttered.

  “Lucky you I picked you up! If it was someone else, they would just snatch you, you know?”

  The boy nodded firmly.

  “Yes. Thank you again.”

  “Forget it. So, you lost your father? Where’s your mama?”

  “She…”

  A long silence hung in the air as the boy struggled to find a good word, a good lie. However, he shook his head and returned the man’s look.

  “She was an amazing person, mister. She was someone I truly admire and love.”

  A well-mannered and composed response that brought the Courier different feelings.

  “I’m sorry if I reminded you of something bad.”

  “It’s okay, mister.”

  In the Courier’s frame of mind, this boy was a strange individual. His exterior remained unchanged no matter the course of the situation, and his words came out controlled and thoughtful. It was as if the man were talking to another one of his age, instead of a na?ve young boy. It was scary, yet he could feel warmth from the boy’s voice.

  Like a hidden blessing who likes to play around with humans' emotions.

  Nevertheless, his concern and doubt couldn’t vanish completely.

  “Hey, I have to ask, kid. Are you sure about your father?”

  “Yes? What is the problem, mister?”

  “The place we’re heading to isn’t a good place, you know?”

  “Please tell me, mister.”

  “That is the city of Richieton… it has been the center of a big commotion recently.”

  The boy tilted his head again with another small whisper.

  “Commotion?”

  “Yes. Commotion. Richieton, or to be exact, Lord of the Philleo county who lives in there, has never been a good person. He treated the people like trash and all and heavily relied on the slaves.”

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  “Slaves…”

  “Yeah. He has over a hundred slaves, if I'm not wrong... Not only that, last night I heard there was a huge battle.”

  “A battle?”

  “Yes, battle. You know the news about the Demon Lord and the Lord of Tuckerion giving out tickets for, you know, being a part of the army and stuff?”

  “I’ve heard of it, yes.”

  The Courier pinched his eyebrows, then went on.

  “Last night, there were ticket holders in that city, or near it, to be exact. The Lord of Philleo sent his slaves to fight for the tickets and failed, maybe. He tried to hide it but couldn’t. What a greedy man, even though he already had a ticket in his hand. Later on, the Central Government had to send their people to clean the mess up.”

  Curiosity filled the young boy’s voice.

  “Wanting more tickets… even though he already had one?”

  “Yes. For God's sake, my child. This city is as chaotic as it needed to be. Not too far to the north lay the infamous Outlaw City, too. Even in here, though, it’s not too far from being a completely ‘outlaw’ one.”

  “How is it in the city?”

  “Full of dangers. The Lord spent all of his money for his own wealth and safety. Not a cent goes to the people.”

  “So, he’s a bad guy.”

  “Yes, very bad that is. Are you sure this is the place you’re heading to?”

  Without hesitation, the boy answered with confidence.

  “Yes.”

  “Sure?”

  “Yes. I’m sure. Thank you for your concern, mister.”

  Their conversation came to an end with a sense of awkwardness. There was a wall between the two people, cutting off all the will to understand each other more. A strange boy from the middle of nowhere wasn't someone the old Courier would usually talk to. He wasn’t sure what was not sensitive or dangerous to ask about.

  Silence.

  Until the chirping of a bird broke the barrier.

  The boy glanced at the cage of a small hummingbird that was hung tightly on the surface next to him. The cage was rusty and old, unlike the young and playful animal.

  The Kid’s finger lingered on the corroded metal bars as the light feather leaned into his touch.

  The boy didn’t react but simply let it happen as it was.

  “This bird…”

  His silent murmur reached the ear of the old man. He turned around and looked.

  “Oh, that. It’s my Hummingbird.”

  “Humming… bird?”

  “Yes, Hummingbird.”

  The wall between them seemingly disappeared. Though distant, the two quickly brought themselves to talk like old friends. It was strange to the man. A boy he had never met before or would never meet again brought such kindness to his life. A ray of pure hope in the world of evil and chaos.

  “Have you two been friends for a long time?”

  “Not really. Just for a week at most. I’ll release him to the wild soon.”

  “Why?”

  A gentle smile was visible on the Courier’s face.

  “He deserves to live freely on his own, right?”

  The boy stared at the bird deeply. Despite the intimidating look, the bird still leaned against his touch, as if it knew of something residing within the Kid.

  As if they understood each other.

  “Mister.”

  The Kid called out to the Courier, as silent as it was. The man answered.

  “Yes?”

  “May I ask?”

  “What is it?”

  His finger trailed down the rust again, until he reached for a piece of clothing lying on top of the boxes.

  “Can I help fix and clean this cage until we arrive at the city? Don’t worry. I won’t let the bird go.”

  “That’s thoughtful. Do you know how to do it?”

  “Yes. I was taught how to handle engineering… by my mother.”

  A truthful and gentle answer whispered through the wind.

  “Why, though? Do you like the bird?”

  “I… want to, yes. If he will be free sooner or later, at least for now, I want his home to be pretty.

  In the meantime, please teach me about hummingbirds."

  The city came into view.

  Richieton.

  --

  Niveria.

  The town was lively and crowded. The people gathered around the square with wines and pork to celebrate their victory. Words and whispers were presents to each other's ears. The town welcomed and celebrated a new peace with feast. Their safety and confidence were in fact, owed to the protection of the General. Words alone couldn't describe the gratitude they had for the man of many.

  Yet, in contrast to the bright scenery of the outside world, was an enclosed dark room of the General's.

  The rustling sound of paper and pen, illuminated by the orange glow of the lantern.

  Before the pile of paperwork and notes sat the General. The room, though hidden from the outside world, was warm and cozy. The silence was loud, even in his mind.

  “So far… a lot of damage has been done. At this rate…”

  The explosion in Sephix. The destruction of Port Lagio. The rampages of the Outlaws. The conflict in Richieton. While they were only halfway through the Selection, casualties had progressed beyond understanding.

  As an officer of justice, it was his responsibility to ensure the safety and order of the citizens. Niveria, so far, had been under his protection. However, after witnessing countless destruction, he felt a bit guilty about his powerlessness.

  His pen, then, stopped in its tracks. Without turning around, he addressed.

  “You are here.”

  Behind him, there was Nobody.

  "Tell me the situation in Sephix.”

  In response to his demand, a delicate letter landed softly on the table. The General opened it to be met with pleasing handwriting. Such a thing wasn’t a surprise to him.

  “The situation in Sephix was complicated.

  There was something from my kind.”

  The General’s eyes widened in surprise. But he forced himself to continue reading.

  “There were two enemies. The one similar to me, with darkness.

  The other was the one you were looking for.”

  At that moment, his expression became clearer than anything. It was unknown whether the emotions within him were rage or something else. But one couldn’t deny the intensity of his raw emotions that oppressed the air in the room.

  The flame flickered, yet the Nobody reacted not.

  The General’s voice came controlled, a fa?ade for the violent storm under.

  “I see.”

  With a deep shuddering breath, he released the letter from his fingers and adjusted his collar. The pressure slowly retreated, and the waves within him were gone.

  Turning around, he looked at the empty space where Nobody was standing.

  “Good work. Tell me more about these two.”

  A paper airplane, then, dropped on his lap from nothingness. Within the paper was a description of the two enemies.

  "The black one controlled the corpse from inside and used black matter to manipulate objects. The European spies were killed. It had a coffin of unknown ability.

  The other possessed a detection skill or a prediction one. It escaped the moment I arrived. I couldn’t scope out the range.

  Both of them had the tickets.

  They blew up the underground system and escaped. I apologize.”

  With a sigh, he closed the note.

  “Good work. Don’t be so disappointed.”

  He spun around towards the desk again, putting the letter and the note on the warm fire of the lantern. His words were calm and steady.

  “There will be a time we meet them again. Nothing to worry about.”

  Until the paper was nothing but fleeing ash, he returned his gaze towards the Nobody.

  “Good work.”

  Another deep breath. In and out. Then, he stood up from the desk and walked towards the center of the dark room. From under his inner pocket, he took out a small letter with the seal of the Mayor. Then, he extended it to Nobody, even though he couldn’t see anything from the beginning.

  “Detailed reports can be put aside for now. We have a new directive from the Mayor.”

  The letter disappeared in his hold as Nobody grabbed it away. With a smile, the General walked back to the desk and added.

  “Your mission is to assassinate one person. It’s written well and clearly in there. As for me…

  I have a place to visit.”

  His finger lingered on a name on the document.

  Richieton.

  --

  A narrow path trailing between the canyons. The wildness of earth. There was not a sight of a living being except for a faint figure behind the wobbly heat.

  Walking under the bright sky of no wind was the Nurse. Next to her was a flashy gunman atop a horse.

  “Hey, babe, wanna take a ride with me? I’ll make it worth it to you.”

  The man had been tagging alongside her for a whopping thirty minutes. It was clear his intention towards her was of perversion, with his flirty words and gestures.

  Her expression was of unpleasantness and upset. In both her hands were her ever-familiar suitcase and a map. Her stride was long and hasty, as if she couldn’t withstand the light anymore. Such was visible on her face and in the heavy eyebags.

  "What a hassle… why can’t I just do more indoor work…?”

  “Come on, don’t be shy. Just-”

  Before he could say another word, she reached out and pinched slightly on the skin of the horse. Suddenly, the horse jerked back violently and became uncontrollable. With a wild swing, the horse threw the man up into the air, and landed a heavy kick in his rib.

  “Kagghhh!”

  His scream came ear-piercing. Under the voice, a breaking sound of a rib. His face morphed to something unimaginable, opposite to the handsome man he had used to be. He landed roughly on the ground, rolling and clutching his body like a feeble bug.

  “Are you into sadist stuff? Because you just got it.”

  “You-”

  She bothered not to turn around and face him. The horse, after a mere moment of rage, instantly returned to its normal state. It leaned against her hand, as if it had already forgotten.

  “That hit broke your third rib. I will fix it, only if you stay the hell away.”

  The man couldn’t bring the strength to object. Bitterly, he admitted.

  “Okay! Okay! Agh… fix me!”

  Before he could blink twice, and thrice, the Nurse had stepped close to him, and with a swift motion he couldn’t capture, his rib had already been healed. He gasped in surprise, looking up at the Nurse and his own body in confusion. His hands frantically checked for his side, only to find nothing unusual.

  Fear.

  Faced with something he couldn’t comprehend, he soon ran away. The Nurse didn’t bother to look at his shadow slowly sinking down the horizon. Instead, she moved forward.

  She kept walking as she continued cursing under her breath. There was not a soul around her, ironically, such was what she wanted. To not be bothered by anyone else.

  “Let’s see…”

  She held the map up to her eye level as she fixed her glasses. She frowned, glancing at the map up and down. It was a cute moment for her bad affinity for reading the map or the directions. Only after a while, she finally fixated on a specific dot on the map.

  The Central Government, or rather, the Board, had given her a mission.

  “This way… huh? The place…

  Taking out the user of Lightning and assisting the Lord of Richieton. How funny. Asking a Nurse to do this out of all the people?

  Well, I can’t deny their request. I’m their only expendable pawn, anyway.

  So, this Lightning guy… I hope he will just give up.”

  She stretched her arms and neck before carrying on her long trip. It was unclear what lay in her mind. Killing intent, mercy, sympathy or such human emotions.

  However,

  Her goal was, of no mistake, Richieton.

  --

  Thus, the next stage was set. The curtain was pulled into motion.

  Their paths would cross for the first time.

  Richieton of Philleo.