After half an hour of intensive questioning and a barrage of lies, a woman in her twenties entered through the door.
She donned a fitted light gray female suit, its jacket adorned with three golden buttons. Beneath, a white collared shirt and a black tie completed the ensemble. Standing at approximately 163 centimeters, she sported voluminous silver-gray hair that cascaded just past her shoulders. Glasses framed her hazel eyes, and she wore sun-emblem golden earrings. In her grasp, she held a sleek black briefcase.
"Hello, Melissa," greeted Levi.
"Hello. What seems to be the matter?" Melissa responded in a professional tone.
"I'm not sure. Ask him. First, he was laughing like a lunatic in the bathroom. Then, after the doctor entered, he discovered clumps of Lucian's hair on the floor. I checked his pockets, but found nothing. I asked him if he knew anything, but he kept denying," whispered Levi, choosing to take charge rather than delegate the task.
"I understand... Hello, Lucian. My name is Melissa, and I'll be asking you a few questions. Is that alright with you?" Melissa inquired, feigning sincerity, as she sat down to face Lucian.
Is she a psychologist or psychiatrist? She certainly carries herself like one.
"Yes, that's perfectly fine. In fact, I would like to know what happened, but unfortunately, I do not."
"Not to worry, my methods are sure to help you," Melissa assured, offering an innocent smile.
Then she placed her briefcase on the table and popped it open. Lucian's view was obstructed, the contents hidden from him.
From within, she extracted a small glass vial containing an enigmatic concoction. It swirled with shades of green, yellow, red, and orange, like a dance of colors in a mysterious potion.
Removing the cap, she instructed him, "You must drink this; it's a medicine."
Lucian hesitated, uncertain if this elixir held poison. But ultimately, he felt powerless. Hand-to-hand combat with Levi, let alone the three others in the room, was out of the question. He nodded and accepted the vial, tilting it back in one swift motion. Soon, a tranquil warmth enveloped him, as if he were reclining on a cloud, bathed in gentle sunlight.
Gradually, his vision blurred, objects shifting of their own accord. Her face became an indistinguishable swirl amidst the motion.
"What do you see?" Melissa inquired.
Lucian's response was muffled by the distorted reality, "Everything is in motion, shapes blending, strange."
Undeterred, Melissa pressed on, her hazel eyes now aglow, "What transpired in the bathroom?"
Recognizing that the effects of the medicine were purely physical, Lucian wove a tale since even he didn't know the truth,
"I dwelled on Elizabeth, how her heart doesn't hold love for me. A bitter laugh escaped me, mocking my folly in falling for her. The pain grew so sharp that I resorted to tearing at my own hair, tears streaming down."
Melissa was taken aback; his revelation caught her off guard. Still, she proceeded cautiously, "What prompted this sudden reflection?"
"Today, she strolled out with a noble," Lucian fabricated.
Her eyes gleamed brighter, her voice resonating with an otherworldly echo, "Are you familiar with the concept of Believers?"
"Those who offer daily devotion to our God, The Sun," Lucian replied.
Melissa sighed, stating, "That is correct. You will find relief in precisely one minute. Erase all memory of our conversation."
As the minute ticked by, Lucian returned to his senses, feigning bewilderment. "What just happened?"
Melissa advised, "You must let go of Elizabeth. She's extracting a toll on your well-being, that much is clear. If you release that burden, you'll experience an improvement."
Lucian's eyes sparkled with feigned amazement, giving the impression that he was genuinely impressed by her knowledge of Elizabeth. "You're familiar with her?"
Melissa nodded. "Yes, you shared some details, although you may not recall. That's all. You're welcome to return home with our carriage. Should you encounter any further issues, please visit 'Rustel Street, 10' and inquire for Melissa. I'd be happy to assist you."
"Thank you," Lucian expressed his gratitude to everyone before stepping into the waiting carriage.
"He seems dubious," Levi remarked, his confidence in Melissa's abilities wavering.
"My abilities are unfailing. I didn't earn my Pact 'Truthbearer' by chance," Melissa assured him, radiating assurance in her skills.
"So, what should we do about the Bart Family?" Levi inquired.
"We'll start by gathering information from those girls. Hopefully, we'll uncover any clues about the family members. If they don't recall anything, I'll step in," Melissa proposed with determination.
...
Lucian opted not to divulge his precise address to the carriage driver. Instead, he disembarked about ten minutes away from his house, taking extra precautions.
As he strolled down the street, cigarette in hand, his mind was consumed by thoughts of his recent actions.
I found myself turning to her once again, and she didn't hesitate to offer the orb. I'm not entirely sure what might come of it, beyond the immediate effects, and that uncertainty is making me a bit uneasy.
But on the bright side, I've discovered this curious new ability, which I'll just call 'Void' for now.
I was able to rescue those poor girls. The matter with the Bart family is far from over. I can only assume that the Sunners will interrogate the girls, and it'll take them a considerable amount of time to track down any member and their whereabouts. That means Henry and the others will be vulnerable, without the protection of their bodyguards.
I can't allow that to happen. I didn't come this far and take these risks only to have them meet a grim fate. Tomorrow, I'm heading back to the bar.
...
At home:
"Where have you been again?" Henry inquired.
"I don't feel like talking right now. Goodnight," Lucian replied.
Henry considered speaking further but opted against it, and Lucian retreated to his room, seeking solitude.
In his room, he found himself trapped in a whirlwind of thoughts.
I've always been foolish to not fully accept her assistance. She's always been eager to support me. Yes, it resulted in those two deaths, but it was to safeguard them. Without it, they'd likely be gone by now. She did hesitate before giving me the orb, but eventually relented. Maybe, just maybe, she does care. Even if this is all part of her grand plan to advance her own interests, I'm beyond caring. Nothing could be worse than what she revealed to me back then, their deaths.
"Selena, can you hear me?" he inquired.
"Yes, Lucian?" came Selena's response.
"First of all, I want to thank you. Second, I need your help," he expressed, though he received no immediate reply.
He pressed on, "If you have any information about the Bart Family, please share it with me."
Her ethereal voice offered guidance, "Tomorrow. Go with Lucy to Lethern Street, near the bar, precisely at 10:50. You'll find your answer there."
"Thank you," he gratefully acknowledged.
I'm not sure what happened to the revolver. I can only assume the Void consumed it, and there's no way of retrieving it... What exactly is this power? It seems to be a blend of shadow and void. Tomorrow, I'll go barehanded, and I'll have Lucy with me in case anything goes wrong. I can rely on my transformation, but I'm uncertain about using the Void for offense or defense. It doesn't appear suited for that, he pondered.