“Chairman, I heard you want to see me?” Pierre Yue approached as soon as they left the darkroom, located 50 ft. underground the Itaport Headquarters. Kino was tended by the infirmary nurse to speed his natural regeneration. A wraith’s regeneration depends on his life power. Since Pierre shot him various times, his recovery speed was as slow as it was on Nedo Island.

The president came with the three as the Panelle head also invited her. It turned out she found Kino’s case an interesting one. That should ease him a bit but he kept his guard up by the fact she’s still the headquarters’ head.

“I want to personally discuss the establishment of our joint academy your father sent to you for your first project as the next chairman of the family. I came from a trip overseas and was on my way home to see my granddaughter, but I happened to take the same route to the headquarters. So I thought I might as well see you too.”

Pierre’s mouth hung open from what he heard, even stopping in his tracks. But the man chose to catch up with the Panelle head. “B-But I already discussed this with my father. I’m not fit to be the next head yet. I still have so many things to learn for such a responsibility.”

“Your father believes in you, young man. All your life, he’s been preparing you to take over the chairman position. I believe he gave you this project as part of your study.”

“Building something major as an academy isn’t for studying at all.”

What are they even talking about?

“Before I forget,” the Panelle chairman turned his head to Kino. The latter was taken aback. “Do you want to see my granddaughter?”

“Y-Yes, w-where is she?”

“Chairman, seriously?” Pierre Yue scowled. “He’s a wraith.”

“I told you he was human, and he saved my granddaughter’s life.”

“He put a curse on her!”

“Because it was the only choice. Am I right, Mr. Rosen?” Kino nodded himself convincingly, although he still couldn’t remember clearly what he’d really done back then. He doesn’t even know how long it has been.

“Where can I see her and the others?” He asked.

“It’s been two weeks since the incident. She hasn't woken up since.” Kino stared at Solar’s poor state. There were no injuries to be seen. She looked healthy and normal, except she hadn't opened her eyes yet. “You did this to her. So why are you here?”

Solar’s mother looked at him obtrusively. “You did this to my daughter, you devil—”

“Calm down, Erika. He saved her life.” The clan head interrupted.

“Did he? You call cursing a way of saving? Didn’t you tell us about this case, chairman? She’s going to be like him!” The woman harshly pointed at Kino. He looked at everybody else in the room. All were Solar’s relatives. All looking disgusted.

Right. What is a wraith doing there anyway?

They were in the Panelle House located at Mt. Maki, a 30-minute drive from WHA. The Panelle House territory was huge, starting from the foot of the mountain to the top. The House consists of a library, a chapel, a training ground, farms, waterfalls, and the mausoleums of their ancestors. Solar’s unconscious body stays in her room, and around her were the clan members. When they heard that the wraith who “saved” Solar’s life was arriving with the clan head, they immediately went to her room to meet him. Solar’s room is the gloomy opposite of the girl’s bright energy. The interior looked majestically old for her age, perhaps the clan preferred to preserve the mahogany and black aesthetic design as a symbol of respect to their ancestors. From Kino’s limited knowledge about ergo-herald clans, it’s a part of their culture to put huge respect to any of their forefathers by never modifying anything they built, as they believe the infrastructures they did are for the sake of their descendants.

“Even when Solar wakes up, she’ll be killed by the world!”

“We won’t let that happen.”

“What are the other people going to say about this? The known ergo-herald clan is keeping a devil inside their family? This is going to be our downfall, grandpa.” A young boy said. Probably Solar’s cousin.

“Does it matter? She’s family, we are going to protect her.”

“Ha!” Another woman laughed sarcastically. “I won’t consider a wraith as family. I’m sorry.”

“Me too.”

“Even if we keep her as a secret, the fact that she’s a wraith makes me sick.”

“Auntie, grandpa, we should just kill her.”

“With that blood, she’s a lost cause.”

“Enough—”

“H-How dare you all to say that?” The Panelle members were baffled by the wraith boy’s sudden interruption. “T-That’s it? You’re throwing a family member under the bus just because of that? She’ll be the same Solar you know once she opens her eyes!”

The woman looked at him dumbfounded. “‘Just because of that?’ Do you even hear what you’re saying? She turned into a monster. A devil. Because of you. Maybe this is even your plan!”

The clan members agreed. “Solar is our strongest clan member. Her ability is a huge advantage for the wraith species.” A middle-aged man commented.

“I-I would never think about doing that!”

“You know, you should just be killed too.”

“I SAID, ENOUGH!” The clan head scowled. “No one is going to get killed. It’s my order.”

“Grandpa, even you, can’t control the world outside this place! The association can kill her and they have every right to.” Another youngster said.

“Do you have any plans so we can keep my daughter alive, chairman?” Solar’s mother asked.

The chairman looked at everyone’s faces. “Once she wakes up, we’re going to lock her up in this place.”

What?!

“It’s not the best choice, but it's for her own good. We’ll only have to hide her every time a visitor comes. We’re gonna have to fake her death. No one will ever find her, and no one will ever hurt her, or to be hurt by her. Unless she becomes as violent as what I heard Mr. Rosen did on the island. I had a week talk with the WHA President and Vice President who’re here with me about this decision, and they eventually agreed with me.” President Eve and Pierre Yue nodded their heads as they stood at the back.

I was violent?

“Then if we lock up Solar, are we going to lock this guy up too?” A young boy probably aged 8 asked.

“No, we won’t. He’s not family.”

“Let’s kill him, then.”

“No one is going to kill these two.” The chairman pressed his thumb at Kino’s forehead gently until he felt a comforting light energy crawl through his whole body.

“Chairman! You didn’t just—”

“I casted a shield on this boy against the Panelle clan. Now, none of you is allowed to kill him.” The voices complained in disagreement.

“I can’t believe this is happening.”

“Chairman, did you get brainwashed by this devil?”

“What is so special about him? He’s just like one of them!”

“I’ll take a walk for a while, Miss President. Please excuse me.” Pierre rolled his eyes and shut the door of Solar’s room. No one seemed to hear his departure, everyone was too busy protesting to the clan head but the chairman ignored all their criticisms.

“Silence!” The old man’s voice boomed in the four corners of the room making everyone go silent in an instant. “Nothing is going to change my mind. And speaking of something special about Mr. Rosen, he’s the first case of what my father described in one of his books. It’s the other reason why he’s here. I and the hunter officials with me are going to have a meeting regarding this. Tell the maid to bring tea when we get to my office. Mr. Rosen, Miss Eve, Mr. Yue, kindly follow after me.”

Kino avoided the death stares of the whole Panelle clan in the room and looked at Solar's peaceful sleeping face instead. The chairman’s decision didn’t sit right with him at all. It was wrong and unfair. His fist formed tightly.

I won’t let them imprison her.