The moment they entered the car, Denver and Dion felt it staying here any longer was a bad idea. Mom noticed their pale faces and was about to ask what happened, but they both shouted at the same time.
"MOM, WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE. NOW."
That was enough.
Mom slammed the accelerator without another word, the Bright Imperium shrinking behind them as the city lights blurred past. Only when the mall disappeared from sight did the tension finally snap. They exhaled at the same time, mom glanced at them through the rearview mirror, her hands still tight on the steering wheel.
"…Was it the woman from the garage?"
Denver's shoulders stiffened.
"Yeah, she sure was… terrifying for a woman."
The Bright Imperium had returned to its usual noise and lights, but one corridor remained eerily quiet.
A woman walked through it alone.
Her silver hair brushed her shoulders, every step precise, controlled almost mechanical. Her suit was immaculate, tailored to perfection, and on her chest rested a small black badge shaped like a horned demon.
The air around her felt… heavy.
Two guards stood before a large door. The moment they noticed her, they straightened, lowered their heads, and opened it without hesitation.
Inside was a spacious conference room shaped like an arc, illuminated by soft white lights. A single man sat at the center of the curved table, legs crossed, posture relaxed yet predatory.
He looked like a beast wearing human skin.
Dark gray hair, wild and unrestrained like a wolf's mane. A long scar carved across his right eye, giving his golden gaze a perpetual hunting glare.
He smiled when he saw her.
"Carllota," he greeted lightly. "You vanished again. Did you find something interesting?"
She took a seat across from him, folding her hands neatly.
"Nothing worth mentioning."
He laughed quietly, the sound low and sharp.
"You're a terrible liar."
She didn't respond.
He leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand, studying her like prey.
"You personally returned a lost phone, that alone makes it interesting."
Her eyes glowed faintly, like cold moons.
"Curiosity is inefficient."
"Curiosity keeps people alive." His smile widened. "Or kills them."
She met his gaze without flinching.
"You should focus on your public image, your fans expect a hero, not a bored predator."
He clicked his tongue, annoyed.
"Stop saying it like that you sound like my mother."
Then his tone dropped, playful edge gone.
"Did that person catch your attention?"
She paused for half a second just long enough for Wolf Fang to notice, his eyes narrowed.
"So you did see something."
She stood, turning toward the exit.
"I saw a kid."
"A kid?" He chuckled softly. "That's some weird fetish you got there."
She stopped at the door.
"I have a feeling we will meet again," she said quietly almost to herself.
The door closed.
Wolf Fang remained seated, his smile slowly fading.
Denver stared out the window, her mind still replaying the woman's gaze.
She turned to Dion.
"Do you know her?"
"No. How would I? The only woman I talk to is Mom."
Mom, who was already stressed, swallowed hard."M-maybe your curse attracts strange women. Like… very strange women."
Dion thought for a moment."…That's actually possible."
Denver's eyes widened, she imagined a line of terrifying, mysterious women hunting her down. She is basically cooked. Completely cooked.
The car rolled to a stop in front of their house, but stating the obvious didn't help. Denver remained frozen in her seat, her soul still stuck somewhere between fear and regret.
The car ride home felt longer than it should have. Even the usual city noise outside felt muted, as if the world itself sensed something was wrong. When they finally got home, Mom locked the door twice. Then she turned to them with a serious expression.
"Sit."
Denver and Dion exchanged a glance and silently obeyed, sitting at the dining table like students called into the principal's office.
Mom folded her arms. "Start from the beginning, slowly."
Denver swallowed. "We were in the garage… and then Dion dropped his phone, unfortunately that woman picked it up and..."
"She wasn't normal," Dion interrupted quietly.
Mom's eyes narrowed. "Explain."
Dion leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling like he was sorting through files in his brain. "That badge she had… the demon with twisted horns. That's the Zen Clan emblem."
Mom stiffened. "Zen… Clan?"
"Yeah. They're not a normal organization," Dion said, his usual sarcasm gone. "They're like… a shadow empire. Corporations, research institutes, private armies, gift user academies, they're everywhere and they don't announce themselves."
Denver frowned. "How do you even know that?"
Dion hesitated. "…forums, documentaries, rumors and stuff that gets taken down fast."
Mom's fingers tapped the table. "So they're dangerous."
"Very," Dion said immediately. "They only deal with high value gift users or cursed users."
Denver felt her stomach drop.
"So… she noticed me because... "
"Probably," Dion said. "Or she was just scouting or testing, or-"
"Stop," Mom said sharply.
He shut up.
Mom turned to Denver, her expression unreadable. "What did she do?"
"She looked at me," Denver whispered. "Like… she could see everything it felt like she wasn't looking at a person."
Dion nodded. "Zen Clan is known for their research experiments, talent recruitment, power and fame, no one knows exactly what is their goal."
Mom clenched her fists.
"Do you know her?" she asked.
Dion shook his head. "No... but someone like her is probably high ranked, her presence alone felt… heavy."
Denver remembered the flickering lights, the glowing eyes.
"…She said we'd meet again."
Silence filled the room.
Mom exhaled slowly, then forced a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Then we'll just make sure you're not alone when that happens."
Dion frowned. "Mom"
"I said we'll handle it." She stood up and walked toward the kitchen, but her shoulders looked heavier.
Dion leaned toward Denver and whispered, "You just attracted a major plotline, you know that, right?"
"I don't want a plotline," Denver whispered back. "I want homework and boring exams."
"Too late, you're in the lore now." Denver buried her face in her hands.
Silence hung over the house after dinner, Denver lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, her brain replaying the glowing eyes on loop. Every shadow in her room now felt suspicious.
She rolled over.
"Zen Clan… Paladins… cursed users… Why did my life turn chaotic?"
Her door suddenly creaked open, Dion peeked inside.
"Hey."
She flinched. "WHAT?! Who are you?! are you from the Zen Clan?!"
He stared at her like she lost the last remaining brain cell. "No. It's me."
"…Oh."
He walked in and sat on her chair, arms crossed. "Mom told me to check on you, you've been quiet for ten minutes, that's some suspicious behavior."
"Ten minutes is suspicious?"
"For you, yes."
She threw a pillow at him. "Shut up."
He caught it easily and smirked. "Anyway, don't overthink it if the Zen Clan kidnaps you, I'll go and save your ass."
"Yeah like you can do something, you can't even hurt a bug."
He shrugged. "Well that was in the past, the current me now is vastly different."
She stared at him in disbelief. "You're unbelievable."
Before she could throw another pillow, Mom suddenly burst into the room.
"Denver! Dion! Emergency family meeting!"
They both jumped.
Mom slammed her phone on the bed, eyes wide. "I just searched 'Zen Clan' on the internet and now I'm getting ads for experimental super soldier programs is this targeted marketing?!"
Dion stared. "…Mom, why would you click on that?"
"I was curious!"
"You'll probably gonna get scammed again," Denver said.
Mom crossed her arms. "If they try to recruit you, I'm charging them rent."
Dion burst out laughing. "Imagine Zen Clan pulling up with a contract and mom handing them a bill."
Denver sighed and collapsed onto her bed. "My family is insane."
Mom patted her head. "Sleep now, tomorrow, we worry about the curses, the secret organizations, and the evil corporations. Tonight, you worry about whether you snore louder when you were a boy or now that you're a girl."
"…Goodnight."
As they left, Dion leaned back in the doorway.
"By the way," he said casually, "if you attract mysterious scary women now, please tell me, I need to mentally prepare."
She threw a shoe at him.