"Clomp! Clomp!"
In the halls, a man's heavy breathing could be heard, everything was black, and the footfall of the person as he walked to the stairs echoed through the night.
"Daaaaamnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn."
Because of his fury, his expression was twisted and almost unrecognizable, causing the two priests to quiver in fear. It's hard to believe that the people adored this man.
"Your Eminence, following your orders, we dispatched as many deacons as we could and are currently looking for the UNRANKED artifact, we believe it is still in Dumont City, but we don't know if it has already chosen its owner."
the two priests informed the person in front of them. He is a Bishop dispatched by the patriarch. It looks that they have to send this individual because this is a serious issue. They're discussing the UNRANKED artifact that recently escaped from the church's custody. It is still a mystery to them how the artifacts managed to escape, there was no sign of resistance when they took it over. And because it is an UNRANKED artifact, they don't know what it can do.
"I don't care whether it chooses an owner, it is owned by the church, so either the contracted person obeys us, or we will kill him."
He said while coldly looking down at the two priests. The two priests gulped when they heard him.
"Your Eminence, it appears that the [cursed card] was carried by the Unranked artifact." the priest informs him.
"The [tier IV] item is no longer of significance to me; I'm only looking for the UNRANKED artifact before the higher-ups call us."
"But, Your Eminence, the UNRANKED artifact has been silent till now, and it does not reveal any mystery power, so why is the higher up so insistent on taking the unranked artifact?"
The priests asked respectfully.
When he heard his question, the bishop suddenly stopped walking and turned around. He was going to leave when he became notice of the priests' curiosity. The priest's curiosity is reasonable because an UNRANKED artifact is harmless because it will almost never do anything, but the "Deity" revealed something, and it must be sealed at all costs. The sealed artifacts are either [Tier 0] or [Tier 1], but this does not mean that the UNRANKED artifact has reached the level of the ancient artifacts.
"What reason do we need to retrieve what was rightfully ours?"
The bishop replied, his eyes bloodshot. The bishop walked out of the halls, and when the priests saw him leave, they both sighed with relief, a sweat on their forehead, and silence fell over the place.
***
Jack was taken aback by the unexpected news, recent events in town rushed through his head, and his thoughts sprang to conclusions. His face gradually reflects sorrow and despair.
"N-no, sir... you're lying. W-we were just together the other night. How could this have happened?"
He refused to believe Desmond's story. He's afraid that something terrible may happen to his friend. His eyes welled up with tears, and he wanted to rush inside Amelie's house to see her and prove that it was all a lie.
"Perhaps she just stays at her professor Anderson's apartment, and she's already at home right now."
He insisted.
"H-hey Relax, we're still investigating and looking for her, but I'm afraid I can't tell you anything else."
Desmond is worried that this young man will collapse from shock at any time.
"That is why I requested your participation in this event since they may be related to what happened to your friend."
Jack then remembered being followed the night before and debated whether to tell the police officer or keep it to himself. It doesn't prove anything, so he chose to keep quiet about it. But then Desmond began to talk, shattering his former notions.
"If you have anything to say, say it now if you want to find your friend before you regret it later."
When Jack realized he needed to do something for his friend, he began to open his mouth to tell the police officer of what happened the night before.
"It was almost eight o'clock in the evening when me and Amelie were walking along Astoria Street when I sensed someone was following us."
Jack says, pausing for a bit as Desmond asks him a question.
"You were being followed and you didn't inform me about it?"
"N-no, sir, that's not it. I had no idea my friend had gone missing, and I had no idea this was all connected. And, as my friend and I parted ways, I had the feeling that I was being followed as I walked down the alleys. So, I presume that if someone goes missing, it will be me, not her, because I was the one being tailed. Since I noticed it, I went down the narrow streets with buildings and lights, hiding in the corners to check if someone would pass by, but I haven't seen anyone, which is why I raced by the old man's bakery shop, that is why he happened to see me running". Jack explained honestly.
"Well, first of all, your friend was already at home when she went missing, and second, the dead body you saw earlier is an amateur killer."
Desmond remarked flatly. Hearing this, Jack got even more confused. He was taken aback when he stated that she went missing after she arrived home and not while she was on her way. Much more on the news that the deceased body is a murderer?
"Are they actually connected, Sir?" Jack asked.
"For the time being, I can't satisfy your curiosity because we don't have any leads on what happened to the missing people. All right, let's stop here, and we'll look into this more before it becomes a bigger problem." Desmond stated.
Isn't this already a major issue? Jack thought, but he didn't speak it out loud since he didn't want to get into trouble with a police officer. He said his goodbye with a nod.
"If you find out anything about this matter, kindly notify me immediately young man, and take care."
Desmond remarked as he exited the stall.
Jack doesn't have the energy to seek for work right now, so he decided to pay a visit to Amelie's apartment. He strolled as though he was in a hurry, hoping to see her friend at her home. On his way out, Jack even prayed that it was all a prank.
Oh, God of Fate, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. Please ensure the safety of my friend. Please keep my friend safe, he pleaded silently to God as he walked. Everything has been unusual since last night, and he can't shake the feeling that something is going on in this city. There's something wrong about this city, but he's not sure what it is.
When Jack arrived in front of Amelie's apartment, he went straight to the stairs and knocked when he was in front of the door. Sir Buck's face meets me as the door swings wide. When he saw me, I see dismay in his eyes. His reaction even upset my stomach, showing that he is waiting for his daughter to return home. He must have expected his daughter to come home, because the door opened instantly when I knocked.
I struggle to keep my emotions in check so that I wouldn't cry in front of her parents, who are already vulnerable. But my eyes appear to be on the verge of tears. I bite my lower lip, so I don't cry in front of them. Mrs. Jackson's sobbing stopped me in my tracks, and images of Amelie flashed before my eyes. Her smiles, crazy jokes, and laughter pierce my heart.
"You c-can come in, Jack."
he said as he motioned me inside.
"Mr. Buck, I heard about what happened from a police officer."
I informed him that I already had some information about what had happened to Amelie.
"Could you please tell me more about it?"
Mr. Buck nodded and attempted a smile at me. He motions for me to join him at his table.
"It was after midnight when she arrived, but I could hear her sobbing... I-I asked her if she was okay, and she answered she was... I-I should have insisted on coming inside her room, I.... It's all my fault."
he sobs, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Honey, N-no, it's not your fault."
Ms. Tanya said, grasping his hand, but her eyes told me she was barely holding on. Now that I had a better look at them, it appears that a decade has passed them by. They look miserable, and it hasn't even been a day since she went missing. And Jack is well aware that the longer she is gone, the greater the toll it will have on them.
"As soon as I couldn't see her here, I knew something wasn't right. She was sobbing when I left her that night. So, I went in search of her. I drop by the Professor's place, but I'm told she hasn't come. I looked in every nook and cranny of this city, but I couldn't find her. I'm at a loss as to where to look for her. My final hope was you, but as soon as I saw you, I know my daughter is truly missing."
He is now crying. This is hardly the kind of image you'd expect from an adult. This is a picture of a father who is concerned about his daughter's safety.
"We will search for her and find her, Mr. Buck." I didn't know what to say or how to console them, so I just assured them.