The day began with the sun's gentle rays touching Nero's face.
He got up to close his bedroom window, finding Kōri fast asleep in bed.
Nero could feel her saliva dampening his shirt.
She looks like a saint when she's awake, but when she's asleep she's a wild animal... Nero thought, watching Kōri.
He sighed and made a dismissive gesture with his hand.
He moved a little closer to the window, just close enough to see outside.
Carriages, people, children, and pets... everything seemed 'normal'.
Ugh, I really want some ice cream for breakfast, but that would be bad eating... well, the worst that could happen is I'd get diarrhea.
He looked at the sky and calculated from the position of the sun that it must be 9 a.m.
Kōri started snoring again, which finally tested Nero's patience.
"Hey, sleepyhead, wake up!"
Kōri always woke up before Nero, but today was the opposite.
She opened her eyes slowly... and the first thing she saw was the small puddle she had left on the bed.
"You're going to clean that up," Nero said sternly.
Kōri stretched, her clothes tightening around her body, a gesture that made Nero blush.
"Mmm..." Kōri murmured, trying to fix the mess in her hair.
"Can't you do it?" Her voice was a little too sweet. Too sweet.
Was she trying to seduce him... or just annoy him?
Nero shook his head and looked away.
He walked to the table, grabbed his hat, checked the drawers, and pulled out his monocle. He held it for a second, examining the lens.
"Brush your teeth, take a shower, and fix that crap."
"Don't order me around," Kōri said, getting out of bed, "but I'll do it... reluctantly."
"Ha, idiot," Nero retorted, leaving the room.
He went into the bathroom. He brushed his teeth, washed his body with cold water, and carefully cleaned the lens of his monocle, along with some of the hat's embellishments.
"Hey jerk."
Lux entered the bathroom looking like he didn't want to be there.
"And your boyfriend?"
Nero smiled slightly.
"I'm 100% straight... Sunday's cooking something."
Nero left the bathroom, adjusting his hat.
He walked calmly down the hall to Rose's room. He paused for a moment in front of the door.
He frowned; it was a school day. It was Thursday.
He pushed open the door.
Rose was inside.
She was fast asleep on the bed, covered up to her waist by a soft blanket, her hair disheveled, and wearing a peaceful expression that seemed completely out of place at that time of day.
Nero blinked once.
"…What?"
He entered the room and closed the door behind him.
He approached the bed and watched Rose for a few seconds, as if waiting for her to get up on her own. It didn't happen.
He sighed.
"Rose."
Nothing.
"Rose, wake up!"
She barely stirred, turning onto her other side and burying her face in the pillow.
Nero clicked his tongue and thought of something that would wake her up.
"There's school today."
That did the trick.
Rose opened her eyes slowly, still half-disoriented. She blinked several times before focusing.
"Huh…?"
"It's not 'huh,' it's nine o'clock, and today is Thursday."
Rose sat bolt upright.
"Nine o'clock?!"
She looked around as if she had just realized where she was.
Why am I still here…?
"That's an excellent question," Nero replied, "because today isn't a day off."
Rose rubbed her face, clearly embarrassed.
"I thought..." she stopped, "never mind."
Nero raised an eyebrow.
"Get ready," he said. "Come down for breakfast in five minutes."
...
The day continued until 10:00.
In the time between 9:00 and 10:00, the group got ready: they ate breakfast and everyone showered, Rose being forced to do the same.
Sunday scolded Rose harshly for forgetting that it was a school day.
The lecture lasted more than 20 minutes.
During those 20 minutes, Nero felt sorry for his sister.
Knock. Knock.
Nero walked to the door and opened it confidently.
A young man wearing a wizard's hat and black clothing appeared in the doorway.
"Hello, good morning," Merlin greeted Nero and entered the room.
Nero noticed a magic wand resting on Merlin's belt.
He really is a true magician... Nero scratched the back of his neck and let the door close by itself.
"Who is she?" Merlin asked, pointing at Rose.
"Wow..." he murmured, "I didn't expect to find so many new faces so early."
His eyes rested first on Rose, then on Nero, and finally on the rest of the group.
"And how should I address you all?"
Nero frowned slightly.
"Address you?"
"Of course," Merlin replied matter-of-factly, "it's always awkward to call someone 'hey' or 'you.' Especially when you don't know if you're dealing with students, guests... or trouble."
Rose shifted uncomfortably.
"I-it's just..." she stopped, glancing sideways at Nero.
Merlin smiled, a light, almost amused smile.
"I just like to know what to call people when I'm standing in front of them."
Nero sighed, crossing his arms.
"You start," he said, nodding toward Rose.
She glared at him for a second, but then spoke:
"Roseus... Gaspar."
Merlin turned to Nero and gestured for him to speak.
"Cesar Gaspar, sir."
The silence lasted barely a second.
Merlin nodded slowly, as if each name carried its own weight, as if he were filing them away in some precise corner of his mind.
"Gaspar..." he repeated softly. "Interesting."
Then he turned on his heel and walked toward the kitchen, running his hand along the wall, inspecting every detail like someone examining an ancient relic.
His fingers brushed against the clean surface, the well-maintained frames, the almost obsessive order.
"Mine isn't as clean..." he murmured.
Nero exchanged a quick glance with Lux.
This guy is weird.
Merlin looked up and pointed at them one by one, without asking, as if he already knew what they would say.
"You?"
"Lux Stella."
"Her?"
"Lumi Winter."
Merlin raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.
"Appropriate name."
Finally, his gaze fell on Sunday.
"And you?"
"Lancelot Arashi."
Merlin smiled more broadly this time.
"Perfect. So I wasn't in the wrong place."
Nero stepped forward.
"We have to go. We're running late."
Merlin let out an exaggerated sigh.
"Oh, right… the Filius Dei headquarters. Always so punctual."
Rose frowned.
"Are you… leaving already?"
Nero turned to her.
"Yes. You're staying here."
"What?" she blinked.
"Someone has to watch the house. And I'd prefer it to be you."
Rose hesitated for a second.
"What about school…?"
"Not today." Nero looked at her seriously. "Don't open the door to anyone. If anything strange happens, lock everything up and wait."
She nodded slowly.
"Understood…"
Nero reached out and gently patted her head.
"Be good."
"I'm not a child."
"You act like one."
Rose pulled his hand away, but a small smile escaped her.
"Come back alive."
"We always do."
Nero adjusted his hat.
The group left the apartment. They went downstairs to the first floor, and as they opened the door, the noise of the city immediately enveloped them: carriage wheels clattering on the cobblestones, mingled voices, hurried footsteps, vendors hawking their wares.
The door closed behind them.
Rose was left alone in the house.
She walked to the window and watched them disappear into the crowd, growing smaller and smaller.
Then she carefully closed the curtains.
"Look after the house..." she murmured.
She turned back to the apartment, alert.
For some reason, she had a feeling that this day wouldn't be as peaceful as it seemed.
...
The air was fresh, heavy with the scent of freshly baked bread, hot metal, and coal smoke.
Carriages moved slowly along the cobblestones, forcing pedestrians and animals to dodge each other in a chaotic choreography, perfectly understood by the city.
Nero walked in front, cane in hand, his monocle dangling slightly as he observed everything with mechanical attention. He didn't seem distracted; rather, alert.
"Too much activity for this hour," he muttered.
"It's Thursday," Lux replied, walking beside him. "The city wakes up late... but it wakes up grumpy."
Kōri stretched her arms as she walked, still feeling a bit lazy.
"At least it's not raining. That's a blessing."
Sunday said nothing. His eyes scanned the rooftops, the corners, the narrow alleyways between buildings. He counted exits, routes, possible ambushes. Habit.
Merlin, on the other hand, seemed fascinated.
He walked a little behind, turning his head from side to side, observing shop windows, symbols carved in stone, ancient markings almost erased by time.
"This city..." he commented. "It's built on layers. Not just of history."
Nero didn't answer, but slowed his pace just enough to hear him.
"Do you feel it?" Merlin persisted. "There are old seals. Some broken."
"Yes," Nero finally said. "And it's not something I like."
They walked several more blocks, leaving the residential areas behind. The atmosphere gradually changed: fewer children, fewer street vendors, more guards, more gray stone structures, more religious symbols embedded in walls and gates.
A white banner with a green cross hung from a monumental arch at the end of the avenue.
The Filius Dei.
The barracks stood like a religious fortress: high walls, narrow windows, square towers, and a massive double gate of reinforced iron, engraved with sacred inscriptions and runes of containment.
Two men with swords in hand guarded the entrance.
Seeing the group approach, one of them straightened his posture.
"Identification."
Nero took a step forward without stopping completely.
"We have relevant information, sir."
The guard observed him for a second longer than necessary, then nodded.
"Come in."
The doors opened with a deep, heavy clang.
As they crossed the threshold, the bustle of the city was abruptly left behind, replaced by a dense silence, broken only by distant footsteps, curt orders, and the metallic echo of drills in some inner courtyard.
Merlin whistled softly.
"Always so welcoming."
Nero adjusted his hat.
A heavy footstep caught the group's attention.
A man in patched armor and gray hair appeared before them. He was old, at least 60, almost 70 years old.
What was most striking about him was the insignia hanging from his armor, which read: "Squadron Captain."
"Welcome to the Filius Dei headquarters," he said hoarsely. "From here on out, things get complicated."