The knock came quietly at first, followed by a momentary silence. Slowly, the door open, revealing the figure of Seconda standing in the doorway.
"Good evening, sir. Mitera informed me that you were available," Seconda said, her voice devoid of inflection.
Alexithymia acknowledged her with a slight nod, and the others in the room bowed briefly in respect.
"It's been a while since you left," he remarked, his tone neutral but thoughtful.
"Yes, I am still in one piece," Seconda replied, her expression unreadable.
"If you came here, something serious came up," Alexithymia said, raising an eyebrow.
"Correct. When would be the most suitable time?" Her words were delivered flatly, without urgency or warmth.
"Our meeting is concluded," Alexithymia said, glancing briefly at Nion.
Nion nodded and bowed slightly. "Yes, I should be going."
As Nion walked towards the exit, she crossed paths with Seconda and their eyes met. There was a quiet aura of class that radiated from Seconda, something hard to define yet unmistakable. It came from her quiet confidence, a grace that didn't demand attention but naturally commanded respect. It was in the subtle way she carried herself—her poise, her measured words, and her every gesture. Seconda was a lethal weapon, yes, but she was also a lady in the truest sense, embodying dignity, self-respect, and restraint. She had achieved "Second" in the Grand Central qualification, ranking as the second most capable individual to rule the continent that is now knows as lands of Alexithymia. Her current "Patrician" status granted her executive privileges nearly on par with the King himself.
Seconda continued without a pause, her face a mask of neutrality. Nion bowed one last time before closing the door quietly behind her.
Alexithymia gestured to the chair. "Quinto was here moments ago to inform that Terzo, went missing three days ago."
"That's rather unusual from him", Seconda took the seat without hesitation. "Here is the report for the last three months." she inquired, her tone neutral.
"It is indeed... I don't like the idea of my people vanishing out of sudden," Alexithymia replied, scanning the report.
"Did Quinto provided any leads on his whereabouts?" she asked, her voice unwavering.
"He has been searching for him, tracking his 'Kanjöga' with Mitera's help, but there's nothing. I've reviewed the server logs, and it's as if his device just shut off, disconnected from our network. No clear explanation, I need to look further in this matter" Alexithymia explained.
"Could the Mitera Server have been compromised?" she suggested.
"Another fool trying to complicate my life... But yes, abduction is a possibility. If that's the case, their motives remain unclear," he sighed.
"I'm sure you'll handle it."
"Like I always do," Alexithymia shrugged.
"We've seen a significant increase in trespassing incidents at Elpida's borders." Seconda exhaled sharply. "This is certainly connected to the recent coup d'etat. Who is currently in charge of that Eastern boarders?"
"Quarta... And it might be more than she can handle," he muttered, taking a sip from his glass. "We are the best place in the world to live right now, so these raids and immigration issues were inevitable."
"I can only advise you to be more cautious," she remarked. "You should inform Mitera and the other Keepers."
"You didn't come all the way here to give me advises, did you?" Alexithymia asked, his tone sharp.
"Indeed, I did not," Seconda replied, her tone devoid of emotion. "You should not underestimate desperate people, fighting for survival. Greed and miscommunication brought down the old world. Hatred, lust, and envy will resurface, and you will have to face them eventually. We both know that Kanjöga is only a temporary measure, as you're doing your best to shield your people from the outside world—but for how long?"
"Quarta said something similar just minutes ago."
"Then maybe she is not wrong. Who else should listen to your people, if not you? You are the king of our lands."
"Seànn, you don't have to be formal with me. Toxic emotions are not my enemy. People who lose their rationality, driven blindly by them—that's where the danger lies," he responded coldly.
Alexithymia finished reading the report and rose from his desk.
"I've sworn to protect this country. Anyone who threatens these lands under my rule will be exterminated. Nothing more, nothing less."
"And I shall be your blade and enforcer," Seànn replied flatly. "During the last three months, I saw many things of concern: increased conflicts between the upper city and 'Metro,' suburbs, a 'Keeper' has gone missing, potential Mitera hijacking, and rumors of child trafficking at Elpida's border. That's a lot."
"While I am going to investigate the situation about Terzo dissapearence, I need you to keep a closer eye on Quarta.
"As you wish," Seànn replied.
"Good. Now I should return to fixing this mess," he said, finishing his scotch before sitting back at his desk.
"What about the Quinto kid?" Seànn interrupted, stopping him.
"Ah, Quinto..."
"Indeed, he could be a target as well."
"You know him... Concealing his emotions hasn't done much to temper his choleric nature. He's wild, especially now with his brother gone. I'm sure he'll cause trouble," Alexithymia responded, annoyed.
"That's my concern. Without his brother to rein him in, I'm not sure leaving him alone is wise," Seànn said, her voice flat.
"I'm a king, not a kindergarten," Alexithymia muttered, his voice laced with frustration as he began to hiccup.
"You should quit drinking, or you'll destroy yourself," Seànn advised coolly.
"I'll keep an eye on the kid," Alexithymia replied, rolling his eyes.
"Whatever you say." Seànn shook her head and closed the door behind her. "Have a good evening." she followed, her movements precise and deliberate, closing the doors behind her, leaving Alexithymia alone in his office.