By the time Galad finished reading an entire issue of the Tingen City Official Newspaper, Cecilia had already fallen asleep. Her head rested gently against his shoulder, her breathing soft and steady. Yet she did not seem to be resting peacefully. Her brows were faintly furrowed, her youthful face shadowed with worry far beyond her years.
Galad carefully shifted her onto the sofa bed, letting her lie more comfortably. A yawn escaped his lips. With no clock in the lounge, he couldn't be sure of the time, but it must have been one or two in the morning. After all the chaos of the day, exhaustion was finally catching up to him.
"You can sleep for a while too. Staying up late isn't good."
The voice came softly from behind the newspaper Seeka was holding. She kept her tone low, not wishing to disturb the two already sleeping.
"Alright, thank you." Galad whispered back. "Sorry for disturbing your rest."
After all, she was tasked with protecting them; unlike him, she could not afford to sleep.
At his words, Seeka lowered the newspaper slightly, revealing her face.
What's wrong? Did I say something wrong? Galad wondered uneasily.
"It's fine. We don't need to sleep at night," she replied, and in her cold eyes flickered a faint smile.
Don't need to sleep? No wonder they're called Sleepless.
"Then I'll trouble you."
Relieved, Galad climbed onto another sofa bed, still fully clothed, and let his heavy eyelids close. Drowsiness quickly pulled him under.
Meanwhile, on a street elsewhere in Tingen City
"According to Klein's divination, Haynes Vincent is also a Sequence 9 Secrets Supplicant, the same as Siris. The danger isn't high. We'll focus on gathering clues first," Captain Dunn Smith explained inside the carriage.
"When we reach his house, I'll restrain him. You two will search the rooms."
Leonard leaned lazily against the seat, legs crossed, a grin tugging at his lips. "If he's still asleep, his face when he wakes to find us standing there will be priceless."
His carefree posture contrasted sharply with Frey, who sat upright beside him, radiating cold discipline.
"What if he's cautious and left nothing in the house?" the Corpse Collector rasped.
"Then I'll enter his dream," Dunn said flatly. "There, he can't lie."
The two nodded without hesitation. With Dunn, a Sequence 7 Nightmare and one of the strongest Beyonders in Tingen City, dealing with a mere Sequence 9 was trivial. Even so, he had brought reinforcements.
For Haynes Vincent, there would be no escape.
"Oh, Captain, what about Galad?" Leonard suddenly asked, shifting the subject.
Dunn's gaze darkened. "Normally, survivors of incidents return to their lives under the condition of silence. But he…"
"But he's special, right?" Leonard cut in with a half-smile.
A newly minted Beyonder, and not just any but a dangerous Secrets Supplicant. The risk of losing control always hung overhead. Even if the Nighthawks spared him, the boy would likely spend the rest of his life under strict surveillance, never truly free.
the restrained young man and his steadfast little sister, so young, yet destined for such a future. Regret hung heavy in the carriage.
"Is there no other path?" Frey asked quietly.
"There is," Leonard replied with a sly grin. "Survivors have another choice, don't they?"
"You mean… joining us?" Frey hesitated. "But is that even permitted?"
"That depends," Leonard said smoothly, turning his eyes toward Dunn, "on how we present it to the Holy See."
Both men looked to their captain.
Dunn remained silent for a long time. At last, he spoke slowly: "A Secrets Supplicant who believes in the Goddess and sides with us is almost unheard of. If he joins, it not only serves as supervision but also strengthens our ranks. Framed this way… the Holy See may approve."
It was a solid argument.
Frey gave a rare approving nod, while Leonard clapped lightly with a grin. "As expected of our captain, always thinking three steps ahead!"
The heavy mood lifted, and the carriage seemed lighter as it turned the final corner and stopped outside Haynes Vincent's home.
"Enough chatter," Dunn ordered. "Our priority is capturing Haynes. Everything else can wait."
"Yes, Captain."
All three straightened, their careless air vanishing as they became shadows of deadly precision. They slipped from the carriage and melted into the house.
The night outside was endless and deep.
Galad jolted awake from a restless dream. He sat up slowly.
The lounge was empty. Cecilia was gone. Klein and Seeka were nowhere in sight. Only newspapers lay scattered on the floor.
Where did they go?How long was I asleep?Why hasn't Dunn returned?
Unease clawed at his chest. He staggered to the door, clutching his throbbing head. His fatigue hadn't faded—instead, his ears rang with a sharp, grating noise.
Crying.
High-pitched wails, like women and children screaming in despair, pierced his skull.
And beneath them—another sound. A dragging, sticky scrape, as though something heavy crawled slowly through the corridor. Each movement left behind a putrid, fishy stench… and the faint smear of blood.
The sound crept closer. Louder. Heavier.
Then, silence.
It had stopped.
Right outside the door.
"No one's here."
At that same moment, Dunn stood in a messy bedroom, frowning deeply.
"The upstairs rooms are empty too; wife and child are both gone," Frey called from above, his raspy voice edged with unease. "Could they really have escaped tonight of all nights?"
"If only it were that simple."
Leonard emerged from the basement, face pale. "Captain… a ritual was held down there. The signs are ugly."
Dunn's sharp eyes flicked over Leonard. He didn't miss the detail: the man's shoes were damp, stained with a bright red substance.
Understanding dawned, and Dunn's expression hardened and his eyes dilated looking at the scene.