Holders

016: A Dust of Memory

At the television where several broadcasting centers have scattered into different channels, a certain highlighted headline catched everybody's eyes.

"A certain plaza at Tokyo were destroyed into rubble at Five o'clock before then." a blue headline displayed above the screen as the current show elapsed and redirected into a news program which one of the male anchors discussed the unexpected event.

"Just at Five PM a while ago---" at the screen while the man states the content of the report, various captures of the current appearance of the place showed in a compiled list beside the television. A number of renowned establishments were have been wiped in each image as it obviously turned from everything into nothing. Factories, Shopping malls, even some of the houses of a nearby neighborhood were caught off into destruction. Kanagawa high-school were also reduced into chunks of its remains, though among the pictures taken, that small picture at the last panel piqued the interest of many.

An avian creature above the clouds soars high as it is probably flaps a pair of flaming wings when it was captured flying aloft one of the collapsed buildings. That particular photo, together with the news were scattered widespread throughout the internet to every country around the globe in just minutes, thus it made a lot of factions going on in a snap.

Some says it was just a car caught flying after an explosion and formed a vague appearance of a bird due to the photo wasn't clear enough, some believed it was a legitimate Phoenix that wreak havoc after it was disturbed by an unknown phenomenon. Though, these theories doesn't have a solid evidence, nor a viable witness for this case, hence nothing could clarify the mystery about that image.

At the living room as a flat screen television hangs into the wall, One of the butlers--- Carlo Luna stands in front watching the current news. While at it, he heard a sequence of doorbell rings outside the house and immediately checks out the front gate, only to Rine and the others waiting at the other side.

"They're here! Start the preparations!" shouted Carlo as he runs across the grasslands towards the gate. Despite him derived from Philippines, Adapting Japanese's Native language didn't became a big deal as he was in Shimada's service since birth, Until now in his twenties, his loyalty never wavered into serving the family that saved him from death, and so it is still intact even after the dominion is passed into his first masters' offspring.

Jin remained alongside the gang as they arrived at the front gate of the mansion. He also heard Carlo's call, and so was intruiged by it.

He crossed his arms while Rine's head rests into his elbows, sobbing so hard that he it became edgier as it goes.

"Tch! Can someone babysit this infant for me?"

Reika voluntarily raised her hand with a cheer. "Me! Me! Me!" Then pulled Rine by the chest and placed his hand on her shoulders instead. Her fingers enwidened, thus gently caressed Rine's utter white hair. "Here, Here. Stop crying now."

Rine felt a somewhat warm felling that subsided his Griefing for a bit. Though, it wasn't enough to make him stop weeping. "Huu! But the house... Grandpa will surely be mad if he knew this."

Hearing this, Jin averted his eyes into him. Then a slight chill struck him shaking. "W-Well, speaking of that..."

He then flipped his phone as he pulls it out then shoved the screen into Rine's face. Almost countless entries and missed call notifications hung into Jin's phone left unopened.

"Wait... This is all Grandpa's... Oh no." and it soon brought Rine to realization.

Jin withdrew it back into his pocket. "You know what this means right...?"

Rine nodded back. "Yeah..."

With both of their eyes shut, they made a synchronized scream. "Salary Deduction."

A small pause of the two lead an awkward vibe to enter. The other three were left baffled about their talk and just there letting them converse as they cluelessly watch.

The three had question marks floating around their heads as they had similar thoughts. "Huh???"

"Just thinking of it... Argh!! This is turning me to agony!" Jin bellowed loudly as he balls his fist due to a severe dismay. Meanwhile Rine which goes with the same problem had his stress fueled, hence another reason for him to burst into tears once more.

In her shoulders sulking, Reika's palm gently patted him again. "Now, Now. Maybe we should save the serious topic for later? Carl's waiting for us to get in."

Everyone casually agreed and progressed forward inside the residence and as well the awaited cue of the Gate's closure.

Akari''s Pupils dazzled from back line the moment she got the first look inside. "Wow, It's So big! So this is where you live Reika?" she spoke as her pair of eyes explored the great view with one hand leveled by her forehead.

Reika, on the front turned her head in a slight tilt and replied modestly. "Yes... We got this crazy big of a house since we're kids, so I already memorized every sides of the house."

"Woah! Sounds like you're some big-time madame!"

Reika's had a pinkish tint all of a sudden. "E-Ehh? It's not like that--- I mean, I still prefer a simple house just like the ones in the neighborhoods and have a simple life with Ri---" hence intentionally bit her tongue to stop herself from saying another word."

"Ri?" Together with it was tmthe blooming of a sinister smug right down to Akari's lips. That is the moment Reika got herself into a pinch.

"N-No---- I mean----" her words stuttered whenever she speaks. She couldn't clear herself at any point since it was accidental to begin with. She tried to find the words amidst her troubled situation, however it was too late as Akari have realized it from the get go. Perhaps one the reason why that creepy smile keeps to widen every moment she stutters.

"Too late now, Reika." Akari spoke in an eerie voice.

Meanwhile Reika who just volunteered to take care of the Hopeless Rine resting to her shoulder had her face all flustered while looking ahead. Though mustered a tiny bit of courage she has, Reika answered her concerns loud, but somehow uncertain.

"Ri-Ritsu! My Persian Cat! Th-That's what I meant." she shouted it with her Mellow voice with her legs shaking unnoticeably. She's lucky enough that Rine was totally consumed by his worries and didn't heard their conversation, but the remaining two were listening attentively together with the same smug look.

Failed to make the introverted girl, Akari crossed her arms and her sinister smile gradually faded. Moreover, it appears intriguing from how Reika reacted when she nearly mentioned Rine, enough to make countless queries into her head.

"Ugh... Poor girl. I was trying to help her spit it out and she keeps taking it back!"

"Well, not that we could do a thing." Matsuo, just in front Akari heard her concerns and replied with a complete shrug. "My sister's been like that since she met his so called 'First friend.' after years of separation. You know her--- all she thinks is just him and him only."

Akari got extremely baffled. "Huh? Seriously? She's that obsessed for Ishida!?"

Slightly shocked about Akari''s reaction, Matsuo couldn't do anything but scratch the back of his head "----If that's how you put it..."

"---Oh my god... I'd better push her more..."

Proceeding into a more eager and childish talk, Matsuo wasn't able to escape the brewing storm between Akari's lips as she starts blabbering utter nonsense due from seeing a small potential of chemistry between the two. Though, it cannot be denied, since ahead of the line was them having a great moment.

Not much of a distance from the gate, at last they have reached the front door of the house. From the outside, it might've looked a quite simple 2 storey building serving as the siblings' home, but the insides were far from what is in their thoughts right now.

The door slowly opens in front of everyone and it they were just one step closer from getting inside. Akari's eyes glimmers brightly into seeing the thing she mostly awaits unfolded visible ahead, opposing Rine's currently devastated condition above Reika's shoulder. Most of them must be excited to come home after that exhausting and unanticipated battle. Yet amongst the gang, only Jin noticed a somewhat troubling vibe lingering around this place. Though he was too late to stop them from entering its premises.

Flynn | Location: [Redacted]

The Phoenix Was soaring high into the middle of the night as it strides through the sky with the Big, round moon follows their wake. It's embers sundered the clouds on its passing, yet the fiery bird's wings--- Its flames are already starting to distinguish and so used up every ounce of its remaining power just to deliver them into their destination.

They passed a mile, thus the Seamstress and Ayane with the powerless Kazuto lying his head on her lap finally breached the boundaries of the City. From a far distance, you could see an enormous width of a circumambient Force field isolating the lands, mainly the reason why it is unseen, nor collapsed into the surface yet. Anything that touches the field regardless of its kind will immediately be reduced into nothingness, unless a mystical presence enough to withstand the rejection of the sphere emerges, therefore be able to break in. However, the entire congregation of the Crimson were given by an ancient sigil of a a Prism which extracted from a citywide magical circle under the lands formed beneath the ruins, henceforth became a big help for those who wish to enter its territories.

After reaching the skies above the surface, an unexpected plummet of the Phoenix alarmed its passengers.

Ayane turned her head on its burnt out skin. "Huh--- The Familiar!"

The bird powerlessly fell crashing down that almost cleared the mist with its skin finally turned into a coal-like cinders for the reason it has drained out of strength, thus Left no other choice to jump down into the altitude.

Ayane stood up carrying Kazuto amiss the fall. "Watch yourselves!" thus altogether, they ejected away from the Phoenix, thereforth Ayane called down and caught by a strong gale surfaced as their foothold.

The winds soon dropped them safely into the ground, thus cleared almost obscurities blocking their ways. The Phoenix on a different note were reduced into a flaming sphere and so flew back into Kazuto's chest where it lies.

The Seamstress seems to have her vexations obviously drawing an angered expression into her face. "What's with that flying chicken doing!? It nearly killed us into that crash!"

Ayane extended her arm and clarified. "No, Kazuto's familiar appears to be weakened ever since it drove us away from The heralds. Somehow, I cannot blame it for dropping us all so sudden, but how could this happen?"

Kazuto, which grabbed her by the shoulder

suddenly spoke at a frail voice. "H-Him..."

The women averted her eyes towards him as he continued to speak, with that stuttering voice.

"Him?" Ayane's both hands held him by the each of the shoulders. "Tell me, just what did he do to you? Tell me!"

Kazuto tried to reply as clear as he could "You better... stay away from that man---" then a harsh sound of coughing caught him by his throat.

Those fretful Pupils emerged from Ayane's eyes as seeing him suffering this much under her order, but she had to steel herself, therefore shrugged it off not too long.

"The Lost Effigy has exceed our expectations..."Kazuto proceeds with Both of his sister and the Seamstress were open ears by the time he is about to continue.

"He... had already mastered the Art of concealment.... Beyond that Aura he displayed from the past was a more terrifying potential!" thus blood withdrew alongside his remaining mana dramatically stepping out of his grasp.

"His aura's dissipating! We have to hurry to the Base!"

"----Wait." The Seamstress halted her down, then points beyond the mist. "There is no need for that."

The silent place were shook by several light footsteps walking towards their path. Two pairs of robed young men and women came running for their aid, holding a modern, yet worn out stretcher. Kazuto, which is barely hanging on his consciousness was put into the thing, and were to be delivered to treatment.

As her brother were ready to be transported, she tapped one of the individuals which had her robe down and uttered "Please take care of him."

The woman nodded politely before they began the transportation under the city ruins. Meanwhile Only the first pair went back down and remained standing and gave a small gap between them. Ayane averted her eyes into The Seamstress having herself holding the chin, analyzing something inside her mind.

"Sarina, can we talk for a moment."

Sarina, also reffered as the Seamstress had her attention drawn. "Hm?"

"About earlier, About what Kazuto said. The Lost Effigy must've done something to cut his familiar's contact to its host."

"---Huh? What do you mean? Are having assumptions about that man severed their link just like that?"

She nodded. "Well, not that far from a fact. Perhaps he might've used something to harness the familiar's link to Kazuto." but her eyes almost dug a deep grave into the ground as her brows sullen out of the blue. "Or it must be that thing..."

"---What thing?" Sarina suddenly had her interest piqued as given by Ayane's current expression.

Ayane then shifted gaze onto her once more. "You've heard it to Kazuto himself right? He fought Incandescence head on. Even a Herald like him couldn't stand a chance from that man." she continued talking with that morose expression. "And those eyes... Those eyes I couldn't acquit, I'm afraid there's more things beyond that Duality. And about his connections, we should gather more--- Ugh Nevermind."

As darkness falls more deeply into the night, Ayane glanced the Big Moon. "Rine Ishida, Just what are you?"

Amidst her moment into silence, an entity sauntered, emerging from the shadows of the mist. Between the remained pair was a person walking elegantly with her astounding, white, One-Piece Dress with a folding fan touching her lips as if she was an ascending Maiden under the moonlight. Her Dandelion-Tinted hair nearly resembles Stygian Primrose's, yet is more bland in the eyes beneath a parasol shedding her being. The woman slowly gets a closer look onto the two newcomers, hence stuffed the fan between her breasts as passing by the other two lackeys behind.

"Ayane Suzumoto, Sarina Matsukawa. Appears you two have come back empty handed." A slight portion of a mocking smile drew into her modest face.

Both women suddenly averted their focus by a single tone of her voice. However, it is not charismatic at all, but is somehow alarming for them.

"Hmm...? Having a discussion? Your eyes looks like really pissed off right now. Haha" she then exerted a soft laugh while covering her slim lips. Though unlike her, Ayane And Sarina has an unpleasant feeling regarding her unexpected appearance.

The two of them had their first balled just by seeing her ahead of them. More like she is a total edge, and a terror at the same time.

Ayane looked really pale white. "Curses! Why of all times..." Meanwhile Sarina's cheeks were about to burst to anger and her fierce look associated with.

Her Left hand deliberately pointed him out of despise. "Willow Baker...! What are you doing here!"

The parasol Above the woman's head selfishly folded itself without the help of the owner's hands. It was surprising to see such events for an average human, yet those two have already knew from her from the start.

A sophisticated person everyone would say, howbeit that Clear white Umbrella she possess have bathed into countless rain of blood of his enemies---- Willow Baker is a part of the Sentinels and attains a high profile from the fruits of her labors from the past times. She might appear as a tender walking Young Maiden amidst the battlefield, but behind that appearance was more grotesque than one can imagine. Those slender pair of hands have crushed most of hearts of mighty men and her neat looking dress have once swam into a pool of blood. Her skin is almost pale that matches her charming appearance, but one must beware about her true terror.

"What's with that greeting? I am just a passerby wanting to meddle your discussion." Her upper half bent down as they have shown those displeased reactions into their faces--- enough reason to please her desires.

The other two behind--- Her subordinates went about face prior to the chimes of her hand, hence departed the deserted place.

She tilted her head aside to scan their surrounding for an answer, then flaunters her bow-like knotted hair without small strands hanging at the back of her head. Small movements of her hands sways into the cold air of the night as she imagines drawing a boundary of the stars and the Moon, thus averted eyes into the two once more with her head lowered amidst the closing of her eyes.

"Stop with your Bullshit Rituals and answer me!" Sarina's fist was about to blow her face up when Willow shifted her sights, but was interrupted by the Parasol itself, hence nearly impaled her skull by a totally sharp tip it has if she wasn't aware enough to dodge with her upper half.

"Oh, good instincts you got. If you hadn't, I'll make sure to cherish you as one of my powerhouse, Fufu~" she chuckled as her umbrella withdrew by itself.

Sarina had her ill will focused on her at the moment. "Bitch! You wanna fight!?"

Willow confidently riposted. "Hm? Certain enough with those needles and strings? That's no more than a laughingstock."

Sheer anger coursed to Sarina from that time. She bursted suddenly and was about to hit her again by her hands full of needles to struck into her, but an opposing force of the wind flung her away, as if she already knew what will the outcome be.

"D-Dammit! Ayane, Better keep your nose out of this!"

Ayane unexpectedly Raised her voice. "What if you refrain engaging into pointless arguments instead?"

Sarina looks in a total vexation by herself that she has been ceased by Ayane. However feelings aside, a Sentinel's order is absolute whenever it is uttered, and so cut her detonation off the bomb.

Willow ordered the parasol by her right hand's movement back into a fold while maintaining her graceful pace. "Uhuh. So superiority still had meaning to you. What a great pawn you are fuhahaha~."

"---May I request for your suspension as well, Miss Willow?"

Willow then cleared her throat. "Ahem... Oh my Oh my, How rude of me~."

"That's good." Ayane continued, yet somehow in a reluctant manner. "So, perhaps you owe us an explanation prior to your... unexpected visit."

Willow replied. "Oh Yeah. Let's just say I was told that someone might need my help for their current assignment. Unfortunately, it seems the assignment was failed before I arrive~"

Sarina butted herself in. "Help huh? From the looks of it, you're just here to meddle and laugh about it."

"--Well... Maybe~" a mocking stare somehow ticked Sarina once again.

Ayane spoke once more. "Feelings aside, what exactly is that "help you are referring to?"

Willow's presence began elegantly spreading around her as she weaves flowers into the air. By mimicking, she held the flower between her three fingers clasping at its stem, hence threw it away as if it has existed. Then, she turned and asked. "Rine Ishida, The Echelon twelfth has his eyes focused onto him." she paused. "Why? Because Mister Hideo had already knew that he was Incandescence itself--- Incandescence that once breached, thus dethroned a Herald out of his blessing."

She continued. "Then a year have passed after his disappearance, another apparition took his place and once again repeated history, hence expelled the former thirteenth sentinel out of the grace of her deity. And who would've thought they were the same person and just had different aliases~"

Ayane had her thoughts jumbled which reached the peak of her patience. "It cannot be... But if that so, then what is the point giving this assignment for?! My brother--- So he already had no chance to eliminate him from the get go..."

"Well it isn't that obvious?" Willow took and spread out her hand fan again. "A fisherman, needs a worm to lure a fish into the Rod's Hook. Not even a mouse isn't aware about the mousetrap which the cheese lies at rest. But in your case, it appears you and your brother was chosen to act as bait, for the Incandescence to get out of his shell."

She proceeded, settling everything into conclusion."But hold your horses, the events occured doesn't accord into the plan. I was on my way into the scene, when it rained darts above my way."

Sarina, with crossed arms averted her vision away. "Then??? I assume the next words will be. 'That same Shadow-like entity I've encountered before blocked my way, thus I couldn't go on.' Ain't it?"

"Certainly, That is!" She nodded politely.

"Seriously... Cliche." Sarina then flicked her tongue, yet Willow ignored her rudeness and carried on.

"I see. So By all accounts, looks like someone had known that you were about to go in, then apprehended you beforehand? Hm... Sounds as if they knew the plan from the start."

Willow shrugged. "Well that's plausible. Atleast." hence she turned around to saunter a few steps back.

"Well, I am impressed to see him getting this far. I have never fought him in a duel before, but I'd be looking forward to it someday~"

She looked into the sky for the last time before she extended her arms, commanding the parasol to unfold. Associated with a sinister smile, Willow widened her eyes as she whispered words.

"Rine Ishida, The bearer of light---- The Holder Incandescence. Better be safe and sound before add you inyo my collection~"

The parasol covered her entirety once again, therefore she vanished into the night together with the umbrella closing in behind her back.

Going back, Sarina and Ayane were left behind at the center of the deserted place. The mist comes back quickly into the surface, perhaps due to the night deepens each and every tick. Ayane still has some concerns unanswered that bugs her head.

"The Holder of Incandescence's power he keeps within himself, the apparition Willow mentioned into her tale, the Crimson's obscurities plan... Just what am I missing?"

All remained unclear into her head thus drives various conclusion that might be a key for her to unlock the truth, yet it will stay as it is until the absolute time comes...

Shimada's Residence | Tokyo

Rine and the others decided to stay inside Shimada's Residence that same night. At this time, the maids provided everyone some comfortable clothes to shift to their tattered uniforms due to the fight. Akari has taken by Reika into her bedroom at the second floor of the house to let her freely choose for a pair, meanwhile the boys were directed into the living room to rest for a while , but Rine is an exception given to his current status. He was wailing all the time, but it wasn't because of the pain they assumed to be the cause, but still every staff of the house were told to get him to treatment even if he says otherwise.

Moving a level into the house, the two girls escorted by a one of the maids started opening three wardrobes standing aside her room. She was facing at a wide variety before her eyes, but only chose a white T-shirt designed with a cute cartoonic bear in front and a plain dark shorts to pair with.

After choosing and changing, Akari felt a soothing vibe attached into each of her shoulders. Reika made a small clap, looking at her with a small smile while the maid took her farewells, hence took Akari's clothes for a fix.

"Haah~ Finally some peace."

A meter away next to the wardrobe was a wide bed with a fluffy cushion and the sheets has a pleasant smell of vanilla lingering around it. Akari sat by the edge of the bed and enjoyed the pleasantries she is experiencing.

Reika gave a lovely smile."I'm glad you liked my room. I've never been having any visitors for years now, so I apologize in advance if something ever caught into a mess."

Akari replied. "Oh no no, I should be thanking you instead for letting us stay for tonight. Your services is more than enough for me, and so is for them for sure."

"Well, that's good to hear." Reika then sat beside her. "Your parents will be very worried if they knew this happened."

"Yeah... Regarding that---"

Suddenly, her smartphone resting above her thigh rung loudly from an incoming call.

"Oh, Speak of the devil..."

She took the phone and tapped the screen to accept the call. Through the phone, you could hear deafening shrieks of a woman and a man disturbing the silence from the other side of the line. Atleast they knew it was her parents after all.

"Wahhh! Akari!" The womanly voice wailed.

"---Mom, stop overacting! I'm at my friend's now mom, I'm safe."

The manly voice snatched the phone "Fuhaaah! Thank goodness you're safe!"

"---That's why I'm telling you to stop weeping now."

"What about the house? Your dinner? Did you eat well? Your clothes?" Her dad continued.

"---You don't have to worry about that. My friend offered me to stay here for tonight. About my uniform, it's slightly torn from the sides, but I'm sure it'll be fine the next day."

"Huhu! May God bless whoever that friend you were mentioning about! I'm so worried about you our little sweetheart!" her Mom followed.

A soft chuckle exerted through Reika as hearing her Mom calls her that way. To think that a teenager like her still be called" our little sweetheart." sounds funny, yet envious at her case.

"Arghh! I told you to stop calling me that!" Akari turned immediate red after hearing that word comes out from her mouth once again.

She dropped the phone down the cushion with an exclamation. "I'm hanging up now!" but will actually stay it up for a minute before tapping the hang up button. Though, it didn't last long a second, thus hearing her Parents spamming their mouth with the same word. Akari then slammed her face against the cushion to hide her flustered face in front of her friend.

"Seems you had good terms with your parents. Haha." Reika blurted a short giggle.

"---Yeah. So damn good that they won't leave me everyday without making humiliating me like this."

Akari paddled her legs from being embarrassed as text messages started flooding into her notifications. Little did she knew Reika knew her security password, thus opened the messages only to see Akari's parents simultaneously spamming that word on two different numbers.

"LOL! Your phone's drowning with Sweethearts."

Akari immediately stood up. "Wait no, Don't read it!" but Reika never intended to give it back just yet.

She passed the phone into the other hand. "Ah-Uh~"

Akari tried to take her right hand which Reika stretches out of her reach. She failed but tried various ways to get it back, til' everything goes crucial and turned the inside into a quarrel.

As the eternal between the two women has begun, the boys were left into the living room and was offered with several snacks and a wide variety of video games to somehow suit their grief and boredom. Though despite weeping extremely ten minutes ago, Jin was able to recuperate and took the Controller. His fingers starts mashing the buttons against the mobs appearing into the screen, slashing his way into the goal, while Matsuo remained his eyes staring at the screen, but thought wanders into something else.

On a different spot of the house--- The main hall where the long table lies in the middle has all connections of the floors and room as if the layout of the house is centered into it. A small infirmary is included into the following where Rine was supposed to be into at this moment. Minutes of treatment have passed as Rine came out of the room with a lot of gauzes wrapped around his arms and Legs. Though, it doesn't make a burden of his mobility, yet it is somehow disturbing whenever he moves.

"Oh my, they should've let me be. It's not that painful though."

Walking away from the room lead him to the main hall where a lot of hallways present before his eyes. A big chandelier above the long table stays docile from the unbothered atmosphere such as the paintings and pictures on the walls.

"Hm? Does this place looks this elegant before?"

Leaving the Paintings unrecognized since his last visit into this section of the house, looking at this place feels new into Rine's eyes way back years ago. Back then, they used to play hide and seek with those pillars maintaining the structures of the house as if it was a big castle they were staying in. Though the new ornaments weren't present that day, the nostalgic feeling of going back here after a decade is much stronger than he thought.

"Ah, why do I feel so light all of a sudden? Is it because of this?"

He sauntered with small steps while wandering into the main hall, hoping to find someone to ask with each hallways connected into the main hall when he enctountered the old man--- Butler James cleaning one of the portraits out of the wall.

"Hi Mister! Lucky for me to see you in here."

James averted her eyes to Rine, thus bowed politely before him. "Oh, if it isn't Master Rine."

Rine waved both of his hands out. "No No, Drop the Honorifics. I'm not a local here, just wanted to ask something."

"---Hm... From the looks you're are probably lost."

Rine nodded gently. "Indeed I am."

James then dropped the portrait above the drawer and walked towards one of the passages.

He introduced the path with his arms. "Well, the living room is just this way if you wish to reunite with the other men."

"---Uhuh... Better sketch this out later..." Rine Silently muttered, but still wasn't enough to hide it from James.

"A sketch huh. Give me a short moment."

The butler swiftly took a piece of paper and a pen from his pockets, thus wrote intensively with a serious look. Moments later he went closer to the young man, thus handed the paper with the full detail of a drawn map of the whole house."Here."

"Woah! I didn't know you're capable of doing this."

"My, My. I am flattered." James replied in a bow.

Rine brought himself a bright smile. "This is quite handful! Thank you!"

James replied. "I'm gladly to help, Master Rine."

Receiving that polite response, Rine still wasn't used to be addressed from such formality. Though it may be just out of courtesy, it is bugging at some point.

Rine then took the first move. "U-Uh, Sir... You could just drop the honorifics, y'know. It's not like I see it as offensive, but perhaps can I know reason why you are insisting to say so?"

James let out a small smirk peeking behind his mustache. "I see. Perhaps The young lady did not mention it to you..."

Rine's interest was piqued. "Mention... what...?"

The old man took a short pause for a sigh and placed his arms at his back. "You, Master Rine Ishida. You have this special role that we all are anticipating."

The old man drops her head for a moment of pause giving him space before his lips were about the words.

"It is..."