Richard was lost in thought, his eyes fixed on the window of their private jet as it soared homeward, bound for Country Z. Luna, perceptive as always, sensed his distraction and called out to him.
"Hey, young master," she began, her voice laced with concern, "is everything alright?" She watched him attentively.
Richard slowly turned to face Luna, a reassuring smile gracing his lips. "It's nothing, Luna," he replied, his tone calm. "You don't have to worry."
Luna then replied, "Oh, okay, young master." She turned her attention to her phone, checking the time, and murmured, "We had better arrive soon, or we'll be late for school."
Richard cast a quick glance at Luella and Jarmin. They were both peering out the window, their faces reflecting awe as they admired the breathtaking view from the jet.
Looking at their childlike wonder-filled faces made Richard chuckle quietly as he mused inwardly, "Look at them, behaving like kids. It's rather cute."
Suddenly, Richard's expression grew serious, and he contemplated further, "It should have started by now. I'm sure they've already made their move." A subtle smile crept across his face as he folded his arms and mumbled, "I'm already prepared, so I'll secure myself a front-row seat to this adventure. But first, I need to acquire some of 'that.'"
Meanwhile, Deep within the heart of Country V lay the formidable headquarters of the S.C.I.I - the SUPERNATURAL CRIME INVESTIGATION INSTITUTE. Their primary mission was to handle crimes related to espers and monsters, with a distinct exception: dungeon raiding fell outside their jurisdiction. Nevertheless, their ranks boasted numerous powerful espers, leveraging their extraordinary abilities to combat supernatural threats.
Inside the imposing headquarters, Agent Blair had not only graduated but excelled at both S.T.A.R and the S.C.I.I training camp, earning A+ grades in all her classes. Her outstanding performance had singled her out for a new assignment, under the mentorship of Agent X. Their mission: delve into the mysterious death of Mrs. Ella, as well as the string of fatalities involving other researchers.
Within the S.C.I.I, a ranking system prevailed, acknowledging the cream of the crop. The hierarchy wasn't determined solely by combat prowess; rather, it was based on the number of solved cases and the scale of investigations led. Agent I occupied the lower echelons with fewer cases under their belt, while Agent X reigned at the pinnacle of the entire industry. Sterling, who had retired, was the former Agent I, but now it was Blair's time to prove her mettle.
Blair's heart raced with excitement as a message appeared on her smartwatch, projecting a holographic window before her. The message read:
[AGENT T1216865: Blair Gram, report to the mission briefing area for the details of your assigned mission with agent T1: X]
As she read the message, Blair couldn't contain her enthusiasm. She exclaimed, "No way, it's actually happening!" She stood atop the upper bunk of her metal bed, her long brown hair was a mess, and her purple eyes shimmering with excitement. She was still in her blue pajamas.
But her jubilation earned her a sharp response. Vicki, with her long red hair, green eyes, and wearing a black T-shirt and jean shorts with an apron on top, emerged from the kitchen, holding a knife as she pointed it at her. "Hey! Keep it down! Some of us actually enjoy quiet mornings around here," she scolded.
Blair then leaped off the top bunk, landing gracefully on the room's floor. She made her way to the kitchen, stretching out her arms. "How can I keep it down, Vicky? I've been waiting for this moment for over a month now, and my first mission is with Agent X of all people."
Vicky paused momentarily, an intrigued look on her face as she asked, "Wait, really? Did you get the notification, or are you pulling my leg here?"
Blair wore a smug smile and, with a flourish, she tapped her smartwatch. It displayed the holographic message for Vicky to see. "Take a good look," Blair said with a confident tone, her hand resting on her waist as she struck a proud pose.
After reading the message, Vicky spoke in awe, "Dang, lucky you! I guess they finally recognized your talent. But really, Agent X? I wish I was this lucky." She turned back to her cooking, shaking her head in amazement.
Blair blushed and playfully said, "I wonder if he's single."
Vicky, in the middle of her cooking, mumbled in a surprised yet disappointed tone, "Huh? What did you say?"
Blair added with a dreamy expression, "Maybe I'm his type, and after we're done with our mission, he'll go out on a date with me." She held her cheeks as she blushed. "I'm sure he's really handsome too."
Vicky, ever the realist, chimed in, "Don't go counting your chickens before they hatch. For all we know, Agent X might just be a woman. After all, it's not like their gender was ever specified in their mission completion announcement."
Blair responded with a smug tone, "Humph, you're just jealous because I'm ahead of you. You know, agents like us aren't allowed to move around much unless it's a mission. So, most agents tend to be in a relationship with other agents. Seeing that you still haven't received a mission, you might just die single."
Vicky clenched her fist and exclaimed, "Why you!"
In a fit of frustration, Vicky threw the knife she was holding in her other hand at Blair. Time seemed to slow down as Blair watched the knife approach. She bent backward, narrowly avoiding the knife, which hit the wall of the room and got stuck there. Blair stood back up straight, a smug expression on her face as she teased, "You see, that temper of yours is most likely the reason you're still single."