When I wake up, it's already noon. I change, wash up, and then leave my room to head to my usual restaurant. In the neutral zone, on the public square, I run into the Brown Widow, who seems to be coming from the central zone. I approach her first since she hasn't noticed me.
"How are you?" I ask as I sit down next to her.
"Oh, you're here. I'm doing very well, and you?"
"Good too. So, you didn't die after all. You even got to drink some high-quality wine."
"Haha, yes, that's the perk of being a beautiful woman. They offer us all sorts of top-notch products."
"You didn't sleep with anyone to get what you wanted, did you?"
"No, what do you take me for? I didn't need to do that. They were in a hurry, so they just left me in the room with a bottle to pass the time."
"And if it was poisoned?"
"I'd be dead."
"You really have nothing left to lose."
"Do Kurokafu agents still have anything to lose? What precious things do we have left to keep, when we've already given our lives?"
Her words make me reflect deeply. In the end, why do we live? Why should we care about our lives? If we keep taking on risky missions, it's because we no longer value life. The precautions we take are only to ensure the mission's success, not our survival.
"You're still here?" she asks, pulling me out of my thoughts.
"Yes."
"I wasn't talking to you. The Reaper is here."
He was standing right behind us, listening to our conversation. "Are we going to run into each other all the time?" he says.
The Brown Widow stands up and exclaims, "Let's eat! Let's celebrate the mission's success!"
"There was already a celebration yesterday. Do you want to have another one?"
"Excuse me??" the Brown Widow replies, visibly irritated.
We head to the restaurant I originally planned to go to. As we eat, the Reaper recounts what happened on his end, at the Brown Widow's request. But I'm not really listening. I'm lost in my thoughts. At this table, I realize I'm giving my life to an organization whose leader I've never even met. Paradoxically, part of me loves this environment. I'm well-paid, thanks to my last mission, I can take regular vacations, and yet, I feel empty.
After two weeks of vacation, I think I have the answer: what makes me feel empty is that I have no identity. If a fingerprint is a mark that makes each individual unique, I lost mine the moment I joined this organization.
The Brown Widow tosses her handkerchief on my head. "What's up with you, Luminara?"
"I have a question for you both."
My sudden seriousness immediately captures their attention. "Have either of you ever met the boss?"
The Reaper and the Brown Widow exchange glances as if my question is absurd. The Reaper responds in a neutral tone:
"I've never seen the boss. I don't even know if my superior has seen him. These aren't questions Reapers ask."
The Brown Widow, with an enigmatic smile, adds, "Why are you interested all of a sudden?"
"A little curiosity never hurts." I look at the Reaper as if signaling his response: "I know, curiosity in our line of work can be dangerous. But I don't think it will kill me."
The Reaper waves his hand as if to say, 'I tried.'
The Brown Widow takes another bite of her meal and adds, "I went by his house earlier to deliver the bottle of wine they gave me. According to a colleague, that wine is very rare."
Even the Reaper seems intrigued. He promptly asks, "Describe Kurokafu for us."
"Oh, but what do you think? That he was going to welcome me in person? I'm just a Brown Widow. A bit of preferential treatment, yes, but not to that extent. Although... some Brown Widows have seen him. But me, I was received by one of his butlers."
Obviously, I will never know for whom I have worked.
End of the story.
The switch clicks. The scene abruptly stops, like a scratched record. The text on the page blurs, then stabilizes to reveal a messy desk.
A woman, irritated, throws the manuscript on the desk. "You're trying to tell me it ends like this?!"
"It's the end of the story, whether you like it or not," the Brown Widow responds in an impassive tone.
"These few pages, the story of an entire life? Don't kid me!" Julia looks around, visibly disturbed.
The Brown Widow, still present, glances wearily at the Reaper. "You were the one who insisted on coming here," the Reaper thought.
She sighed and turned to Julia: "Julia, I fought hard, you don't know how much, to be able to show you these memories. The boss read and removed a lot of information. Consider yourself lucky to have read what you did."
Julia, bewildered, asked, "And now? What happens next? Are you going to kill me?"
"I don't know, the Reaper was informed of your fate."
Julia looked at the Reaper, perplexed. "Leaving my fate in a Reaper's hands is just a euphemism for telling me I'm going to die."
"Aren't you going to read the last message?" asked the Reaper.
"There's a message? The Brown Widow told me otherwise!"
"No. I just told you it was the end of the story. The message at the end is one he wrote in advance. You never know when you're going to die, so he had the foresight."
Julia flipped through the pages to the end.
"
To whoever reads these words,
If you've made it this far, know that this story reflects a life full of contrasts, passions, and struggles. I wrote these lines to leave a mark, a part of myself, for those who might one day understand what I've lived, even if I never met them.
I don't know who will discover these pages, but I hope these words resonate in your heart. Perhaps you will find reflections that align with your own experiences, or maybe these lines will remind you that every life is a story in itself, full of mysteries and revelations.
I leave you these thoughts, hoping they bring you understanding, comfort, or simply a moment of reflection.
Sincerely,
A stranger.
"
Reading these words, tears began to flow down Julia's cheeks. A wave of intense sadness overwhelmed her. The Brown Widow and the Reaper, witnesses to the scene, lowered their heads in a sign of respect.
"He was a good man... physically and internally. A man who still had much to live for, a man I fell in love with. Despite knowing nothing about him," Julia murmured, her voice breaking.
The Brown Widow looked at her with compassion. "You also left your mark on his life in some way. He sincerely grew attached to you. It was meeting you that made him see his life as Luminara differently, as empty of meaning," the Brown Widow replied.
Julia, drying her tears, asked in a frail voice, "What will you do with me now?"
The Brown Widow stepped back to the far end of the room, leaving the decision in the Reaper's hands.
"You have three options. The first, the most direct, is death. The second is that we knock you out and erase all evidence of what you've seen. You will remember Kurokafu and Luminara, but you'll have no proof of what you learned or saw, it will only be a story. The third option is to join Kurokafu."
Julia thought for a moment, uncertainty visible on her face. "So, it seems I have two choices left."
"No, there are three options," the Reaper responded with a touch of coldness.
"Is he doing this on purpose?" Julia thought.
Julia sat down at her desk, glancing at the time while lost in thought. "I don't know why I should join you… I could leave all this behind and just continue living my life."
"That's an option," the Reaper agreed. "It's also what the author of this story would advise you to do—stay away from all of this."
"And what do you advise?" Julia asked, her gaze intensely focused on the Reaper.
"I would tell you to join us, to strengthen our ranks, and most importantly, to fulfill our leader's wish."
"Yo–Your leader? What does he want?"
"I was getting to that. After examining the memories of the Luminara, our leader noticed that his agents lacked dreams. He wants to see what an agent could become by pursuing their own ambitions while working for Kurokafu. Since you are described as very ambitious, he wants to give you the chance to achieve your dreams while becoming a skilled agent."
"My ambition? To become a renowned journalist?" Julia asked, incredulously.
"Yes, that's exactly what the Luminara's story indicated."
Julia glanced again at the time and then turned to the Reaper. "I suppose I have to give an answer now."
"Yes. The leader is waiting outside."
"What!? The leader is here?! Right outside????" thought the Black Widow. She continued in shock, "The leader moves around personally?? Like this?!"
"Yes."
Julia took a deep breath before declaring with determination, "I refuse to join Kurokafu."
"May I know your reasons?" asked the Reaper.
"I am a journalist at heart. The secrets I would uncover in your organization wouldn't stay safe with me. I know my soul would eventually betray professional secrecy, especially since you kill people. And I can't even imagine how you Reapers are trained."
"I understand. So that's your final decision. The Luminara would be proud of you," said the Reaper with respect.
Julia offered a faint smile before the Reaper, with a swift blow to the neck, knocked her out. He caught her to prevent a hard fall and began searching her belongings to eliminate any evidence connected to Kurokafu. He made sure she had no recording devices before calling the fire department. "There's a fire," he reported.
They left the house with Julia and set it ablaze, making the fire look like a domestic accident. Outside, a large van and five other Reapers were waiting.
"So, that's where the leader is?... five Reapers? There must be many more inside," thought the Black Widow.
The Reaper carrying Julia signaled to the others, handing over the Luminara's book. The five others understood the decision that had been made and returned to the van. After a few moments, it drove away, leaving the Reaper, the Black Widow, and Julia behind.
The two figures were picked up by another Chameleon. They dropped Julia off at a discreet hotel before vanishing into the wilderness. The night slowly descended over remote mountains, enveloping the area in serene darkness.
The Black Widow, sitting alone, sipped a drink as she contemplated the full moon. Nearby, the Reaper was throwing knives with precision into the starry horizon.
"Hey, could you stop that for a moment?" the Black Widow suddenly asked, annoyed by the repetitive sound of blades hitting their target.
Without immediately replying, the Reaper sheathed his tools with a sigh and sat beside her. "I haven't seen the leader. So stop thinking I'm hiding his appearance from you."
"I don't believe you! How did you get all these directives then?" she exclaimed, incredulity in her voice.
"My superior, Phoneutria, gave them to me," he replied with boredom, clearly tired of the repeated questions.
"Fine, I believe you. Maybe the leader is just shy?" she joked, trying to lighten the mood.
"I doubt it. My comrades have seen him, and I don't think they'd follow someone who—"
"It was a joke," she interrupted.
"Ah."
The Black Widow took on a more serious tone. "Still, it's surprising what the leader decided for Julia. Never should any information about Kurokafu be leaked, yet he allowed it."
"He has his reasons," the Reaper replied, sounding distant.
"But doesn't it intrigue you?" the Black Widow pressed.
"When I heard she'd have three options, yes, I was surprised. But the motivations of our superiors aren't really our concern."
"Yeah, that's true. I suppose they aren't taking any risks. At best, Julia will write a story about what she heard, but it'll never be credible enough to cause us trouble."
"That's exactly why she was given the choice. Stories about Kurokafu are plentiful, and she doesn't pose any real threat, just as the Luminara mentioned."
"The Luminara was a genius, truly. Writing an entire book about his own life to live on in people's memories—that's a luxury we don't have. He granted it to himself without hesitation. I'm jealous."
"At any rate, when we die, we'll live on in the leader's memories. So there's no need to write anything like he did."
"What do you mean?" the Black Widow asked, intrigued.
"I'm still new, so I don't know how long this has been going on, but during the selection test, the leader mentioned the name, surname, and age of everyone who had died."
"You're saying the leader knows all the members of the organization?" she asked, astonished.
"At least all the deceased. Many of us believe that. It doesn't surprise me," replied the Reaper with admiration.
"Oh my God… We have an incredible leader! It makes me even more eager to meet him! But you seem to know a lot. Do you have any other interesting details to share? Some wise words he might have said?"
"No," the Reaper replied, remaining impassive.
"You're useless," sighed the Black Widow before standing up and heading toward the car.
After some time, they resumed their journey back to their base. The two were now waiting for a train.
"We shouldn't talk anymore," the Reaper said. "Getting attached to colleagues is the worst thing you can do."
"You think the Luminara would've agreed with that?" the Black Widow asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Who cares about a dead man's opinion. And besides, he was an agent of Kurokafu, so I think he would."
"You're right. Once we step onto that train, we won't know each other anymore. Does that suit you, dear?"
At that moment, the train arrived on the platform with a heavy rumble.
"Perfect," the Reaper replied with cold calculation.
The Black Widow, with a provocative smile, quipped, "Don't die, Reaper."
"You too," he briefly replied.
They boarded the train together, separating immediately like strangers.
In a large bookstore, somewhere, figures entered through what appeared to be a sealed entrance. The room opened into a vast dark hall, where shelves lined with meticulously maintained books stretched endlessly. At the center, a simple desk illuminated by a single lamp stood.
A librarian, looking bewildered, entered the room. Seeing the place bustling, she exclaimed, "Ku–Kurokafu? Is that really you??"
"Give her the Luminara's memory and his book of life. File the memory book with the other Luminaras and place the book of his life on my desk. Label it with a red tag so I know it needs to be read as soon as possible," the person ordered while sitting at the desk.
The librarian took the books from the Reapers' hands and hurried to store them. As soon as she finished, she quickly slipped away: "I'd heard that Kurokafu often came here in person, but I didn't expect this… on my second day!! This is too much for a new Chameleon!"
A Phoneutria and an Argiope entered the room. The Phoneutria, with a serious expression, addressed Kurokafu: "We've come to give you an update. One of my Distordicas has found the culprit. What should we do? We know where the person is; I can send a Reaper to the location."
Kurokafu, savoring a fine wine, listened carefully and asked, "Describe the assassin to me."
"An old lady. She's wrinkled, has gray hair, and wears brown glasses. She has a son in his thirties who's in prison, and a daughter she hasn't heard from," the Phoneutria explained.
"How did the Luminara die?" Kurokafu asked.
The Argiope cleared his throat before answering, "A Black Widow, who was by his side, confirmed it was a car accident. A Reaper gave the same version."
"I see," Kurokafu murmured, setting his glass down. "Would it be, by any chance, the same Black Widow who gave me this wine?"
The Phoneutria replied, "How would I know? Her code was VBA50490138."
"Oh, it's her. Remind me to thank her for this fine wine."
"If you did that for every gift you received…"
"I'm rarely given wine. It's usually something I obtain or request. Besides, I've never tasted this one before. She deserves a reward. Moreover, I believe she wanted to meet me. Perhaps I could show myself to her, what do you think?"
"Do as you wish, but avoid revealing too much. Your identity must remain as secret as possible."
"I can't imagine her reaction… It's rather tricky." Kurokafu began flipping through the book on the desk. "The death of this Luminara is perhaps the most normal thing he ever experienced. From what I've read in his memoirs, he must have been content with this end."
The Phoneutria, clearly impatient, repeated, "What should I do? Should I send a Reaper?"
"No. Leave the woman alone."
"Is it out of pity for her situation that you're sparing her?" asked the Argiope, puzzled.
"No. Her life is sad, but it's not about pity. She did a service for one of my Luminaras. Perhaps we owe her something?"
The Phoneutria, visibly annoyed, responded, "Don't say such nonsense, please."
With a slight smile, Kurokafu firmly concluded, "Now, leave. I'm about to start reading."
The Argiope and Phoneutria responded in unison, "Understood." As they exited the room, ten Reapers took their positions, standing silently and alert to every sound.
"Well then, let's see your life, my dear Luminara. Who were you?"
END OF CHAPTER
END OF MHY: LUMINARA