After resting for a day and shaking off the exhaustion from her previous performance, Pardo finished organizing her treasures and valuables.
Only then did Vill-V begin asking about other matters concerning Dusk Street.
"A man wearing a strange mask with a fierce tone? There shouldn't be anyone like that here. If there were, I'd definitely take his mask for my collection. A mask that someone refuses to remove even while eating or bathing must be very valuable, right?"
"Oh, Sister Vill-V, you mean that nun who loves to ramble? Just thinking about her makes my head hurt." Pardo covered her head as if recalling a painful memory.
"She tells children scary stories all day—like how the nightingale smashed its head against a golden cage and died—and then forbids them from going outside."
"If you walk to the end of South Outer Street, then turn back into an alley near an abandoned farm, there's a shabby little monastery. That's the Dusk Street Sanatorium."
"Hardly anyone goes near that place. Sister Vill-V, why are you looking for that nun? She's terrifying. I'd advise you not to go to the Dusk Street Sanatorium. Every time I go to pick up goods, Aponia catches me and gives me a lecture."
"Her lectures are completely different from other people's lectures, Sister Vill-V. When Aponia lectures you, it's like she's whipping... whipping my merchandise." Pardo seemed not to have a concept of the soul, so she substituted the closest word she could think of.
"So please don't go, Sister Vill-V."
Although Pardo was only ten years old, her logic and clarity were surprisingly sharp—more meticulous than some adults Vill-V had known in a previous life.
It was astonishing.
Pardo had never attended school. Most street children in Dusk Street carried a hint of selfishness and cruelty born from hardship.
Yet Pardo was the complete opposite.
As expected of a future Flame-Chaser.
"Mm. I understand," Vill-V replied.
"That's right, Sister Vill-V—"
Before Pardo could continue, Vill-V stepped in front of her.
"Come out," Vill-V called toward a corner of the wall. "I've already seen you."
In truth, she had not seen anything.
She had heard strange movements coming from that corner for quite some time.
Pink hair fluttered.
In an instant, the figure arrived before Vill-V.
A scabbard sliced through the air with a chilling force, striking straight toward Vill-V's face.
Vill-V's eyes sharpened, but she had no time to dodge.
Fortunately, "Lecturer" reacted instantly.
The moment danger was detected, it activated the device floating at Vill-V's side.
The so-called hub device was the [Portable Multi-Functional Automatic Armed Hub] that hovered near Vill-V.
Its functions were comprehensive—ranging from fishing to transforming into a selfie stick to imitating a cat's meow.
The defensive mechanism deployed in time, deflecting the immense force from the scabbard.
At the same time, it sprayed a burst of dry ice smoke toward the impolite visitor.
Uncertain of the white mist's nature, the attacker halted her advance and flipped backward, landing steadily at a distance with her hand resting on the scabbard.
This pink-haired figure was clearly not the guessed Elysia.
A fox mask.
A katana rare in this era.
Her identity was obvious.
[Member of MOTH's assassination unit "Cocoon"—Sakura. Not someone to be trifled with. So the Cocoon unit moves this fast? I just arrived in Dusk Street and performed for one day, and they've already located me.]
The Cocoon unit specialized in handling the dirty work MOTH could not expose publicly.
Where they appeared, something morally foul was sure to follow.
Vill-V attempted to probe her with words.
"Miss, we're merely two down-on-our-luck artisans making a living through trade. There's no need to take our lives, is there?"
The first to respond was Pardo.
"S-Sister Vill-V, let's run! She smells so strongly of blood. W-we can't beat her. If... if you're not running, I'm running first—"
Before she finished speaking, Pardo's body had already moved.
She scooped up her freshly packed luggage with a broom and bolted.
"Sister Vill-V, good luck—"
Vill-V felt no resentment at Pardo's immediate escape.
That was simply Pardo Felis' way of survival.
She understood clearly that when the enemy was stronger, the only way to live was to make the correct choice.
Vill-V focused her gaze on Sakura once more.
Sakura made no move to pursue Pardo.
From her stance—ready to draw at any moment—it was clear her killing intent was locked entirely on Vill-V.
"Ah-choo. You're not my opponent. My mission is to bring you back. Ah-choo."
Vill-V asked calmly, "Do you know who I am?"
"Ah-choo. I do."
"Are you sure you haven't mistaken me for someone else?"
"Ah-choo. I'm sure."
"Do you have a cold?"
"N-no. Just allergic to cat fur. Ah-choo."
Sakura looked as though her nose might start running at any moment, yet she stubbornly maintained her ready stance, blade poised to strike.
"Very well." Vill-V smiled and raised both hands. "I surrender."
That caused Sakura to hesitate briefly.
She had originally intended to follow courtesy with force.
Warn the target that resistance was futile.
Explain the determination of the organization behind her.
If the target refused to comply, she would use force.
She had even prepared for troublesome countermeasures—perhaps cat-hair bombs or something similar.
Instead, the surrender came far too cleanly.
On the other hand, although Sakura revealed nothing, the Conductor within Vill-V rapidly analyzed the situation.
There were only three likely reasons MOTH had sent Sakura.
Given that Sakura had not aimed for a killing blow—her use of the scabbard clearly indicated an intent to incapacitate—the worst possibility could be ruled out.
The remaining two posed no immediate threat to her life.
Rather than fight one of the pre-surgery peak combatants among the future Flame-Chasers, escaping from a MOTH prison would be far easier.
Watching Sakura escort Vill-V away, Pardo hesitated behind a distant billboard.
She stared at the mechanical watch Vill-V had secretly slipped onto her wrist before leaving—the one she had failed to steal earlier.
Pouting, she muttered to herself:
"Sorry, Sister Vill-V. You're a good boss. You took me in. You even gave me cake. But I'm just an ordinary person. Fighting is the one thing I'm worst at... and that opponent is way too scary. I can't save you. I really can't..."
"Meow~"
A stray cat brushed against her leg.
"You think so too, right?"
Though she said that, Pardo ultimately followed silently behind.
"When I rescue you, you have to give me a big bonus! At least ten—no, twenty shiny cakes!"
...
Inside the back compartment of a van, Vill-V and Sakura sat facing one another.
"Sakura, may I call you that~?"
Vill-V kept trying to pry open Sakura's silence.
Sakura remained mute, sitting upright like a perfectly forged tool.
"Aren't you going to ask how I know your name?"
No response.
Her sharp eyes remained fixed on Vill-V, dark and vigilant, guarding against any escape attempt.
Vill-V sighed and glanced toward the rear window.
There, she spotted a pair of cat-ear hood tips barely visible.
She could not decide whether to laugh or scold.
Pardo truly had not abandoned her half-day-old boss.
She was actually attempting a rescue—and had not been detected by Sakura.
As expected of a professional thief.
Perhaps Vill-V had only noticed her because Pardo had intentionally revealed herself, silently saying: Don't worry. Pardo's here to save you.
But the road ahead was not something skill alone could handle.
By Vill-V's estimation, the current Pardo was only about ten years old.
She would never withstand MOTH's interrogation.
So Vill-V spoke aloud:
"Pardo, don't worry about me. I'll come back to find you. Go bask in the sun for a few days instead."
At once, Sakura shot to her feet, alert, staring out the rear window with a tense expression.
But she saw nothing.
"She evaded my perception... has she... left?" Sakura asked uncertainly.
"Mm. She left. Surprised?" Vill-V replied cheerfully, pleased to finally have a topic that interested Sakura.
"There is always someone stronger. Her ability to conceal her presence is impressive," Sakura said calmly, sitting back down. "If she joined our organization, she would be valued. Certainly better than starving as a vagrant."
Vill-V rested her chin on her hand and asked lightly, "Are you sure joining your organization would make her happier than being a vagrant?"
Sakura's expression froze.
"My apologies. That was inappropriate."
"No need to be so polite. Why not tell me how you've been lately?"
Silence filled the compartment once more.