In the lavish but very secretive and elegant ballroom, every individual, man or woman, wore an array of different-colored masks.
Even the ordinary servants in charge of handing out refreshers robotically had a black sack hung over their heads, with only two eye holes being cut out.
However, calling them ordinary was far from true, as they were most likely enslaved debtors who couldn't pay back their loans.
It was a once every year special event hosted by the strongest black market organizations, with the goal of meeting the leaders of other organizations and networking.
If it weren't for the fact he had to come here and receive a report on what the others were doing, Sid wouldn't have bothered to even attend.
Dressed in a gold and white suit, a sparkling gold mask covered the top half of Sid's face, obscuring the general outline of his facial features.
Leaning against a balcony door, Sid looked bored and rather tired, as his long tied up hair was waving around in the cool ballroom wind.
He had already attended the meeting and talked to all the notable people he had taken interest to, so he was about to leave the moment his aide and bodyguard Alamis to return from his errand.
As Sid leaned against the door, swirling his drink absentmindedly, many passing party goers took quick glances, not daring to look for too long.
In the black market, there was only one such person with such an appearance and power.
The Black Hydra had been created almost since the formation of the black market came to be, its rules of succession were also highly secretive and unknown compared to other organizations that were hereditary.
When the young boy came to power suddenly after the last leader died, many immediately tried to jump at the chance to steal influence and destroy Black Hydra for good.
However it was all fruitless, with the boy no older than 15 effortlessly foiling assassination plots and having significant amounts of manpower under his hand.
After steadily ruling for some more time, it was then the black market finally learned to accept him as Black Hydra's new leader.
"I have finished, my Lord."
An all too familiar presence appeared behind Sid, as a smile crept onto his lips hearing the news.
"Good, let's get out of here before chaos ensues."
At his command, Alamo's nodded his head and dug into his pockets, pulling up an extremely expensive teleportation locket.
With a flick of his wrist, a bright circle surrounded the pair before a light flashed, and they disappeared into the wind.
——
Meanwhile, Vivillian laid back on the couch, nervously waiting for Sid to be back any moment now. John had said that he had business and would return tonight, and just not to provoke Sid if it seemed he were in a bad mood.
Leaving these words behind, John used the excuse to use the bathroom, but disappeared for over 30 minutes, so unless he was destroying the toilet, John had probably left to go have fun.
If he doesn't come back anytime soon, I should probably just leave...
Just as this thought crossed his mind, a bright circle flashed on the wooden floor of the study, making Viv jolt as he quickly straightened up and looked over the couch.
As the bright light receded, only two figures stood.
There in majestic glory, an elegantly dressed boy stood there with a masquerade mask still on his face. He seemed a bit tired, slouching a little as he cranked his head back and forth.
Behind him, Alamis looked even bigger before, clutching his great-sword in one hand like it was a bag.
"..."
Suddenly, Sid's face whipped towards Viv with alarm, before calming as he saw the familiar mask.
"Oh, it seems you're here, little monster. I'm closed for today, didn't John let you know?"
Lazily talking, Sid haphazardly threw off his mask onto the table, untying his long hair and getting off the uncomfortable coat.
As he did this, Alamis was silent as he barely paid mind to Viv, taking the coat and going to hang it up.
"I told him a little bit of the information I was going to share, and he stopped me and brought me here."
Viv answered simply, feeling relieved that his face was covered so he didn't have to control his expression.
At his words, Sid stilled slightly with a mysterious glint in his eyes, before he hummed and made himself comfortable on the couch.
With Viv's sensitive hearing, he could also hear a curse be muttered under Alamis's breath, something about a 'troublesome bastard.'
"Well, it must be important then. Speak your mind, and don't coat it with extra nonsense, I have no need for that." Sid smiled beautifully, his hand tapping his knee expectantly, Alamis laying a tea set on the table with precision.
Vivillian nodded, as he responded back.
"A black market organization is planning to help commoners throw a terrorist attack on Einsvul Academy, with a chance of treason being involved. So I want you to help me to either stop the planting of the bombs entirely or a way to defuse magic bombs."
Plink.
A tea cup fell off the table, shattering into many beautiful porcelain pieces.
"..."
A chilly silence descended upon the trio, as Sid looked in the distance slightly, before his gaze refocused on Viv.
"And when do you think this will happen?"
"Sometime in a few weeks, after spring comes."
"What are your sources?"
"I can't disclose that."
A tea cup trembled precariously over the edge of the table, and Viv thought it was going to shatter just like the other one, but Sid's hand reached out and held it firmly.
"Do you know how absurd this sounds, little monster?"
Bringing the cup to his lips, Sid had a troubled expression on his face as he seemed somewhat regretful. "And if all of this is true, then it certainly would be in a risky position to be involved with..."
Muttering under his breath, Sid added.
"No wonder John ran..."
Vivillain bowed his head. "I know it's a lot to ask of you when this is only our second meeting, but I have 99.99% certainty that this event will happen, and it can surely benefit you in some ways."
"What happened to the .01?" Sid raised an eyebrow.
"Then I would be a scammer, because I can't see the future."
Ah well I technically did, but I can't just say that...
At this point, a few droplets of coldsweat formed on Vivillian from the eerie pressure emanating from Sid, and especially Alamis in the back, who looked like he wanted to murder him for getting them caught up in something so troubling. Just hearing this knowledge was a sort of shackle, Viv supposed.
"Hm, well said."
Sid sighed. "But just pleasing me won't get what you want, list all the benefits you think I can get from this exchange."
Somewhat prepared for this response, Viv chimed up.
"I'll give you all the information of what items are going to be in demand of in the leading weeks, as they are going to be used to make the bombs in the first place. If you can trace where all those materials are being brought to, we can get a clue of what black market organization is collaborating with the terrorists."
Viv held up a second finger.
"After that, you can weaponize that information with other black market leaders who don't want the government snooping around, and take down the organization and grow your own territory and influence."
He held up a third finger.
"And, I have a strong suspicion it's either the Oakridge Family, or Eclipsed Bazaar."
The two names that Viv just mentioned were the remaining black market organizations mentioned in LaD. Vivillian also knew how they played almost no key significance in the main storyline, though there were some hints that the bombing could have occurred from either of them.
"That's enough."
"!?..."
A murderous chill once again descended upon the room, as Viv felt a tremor run through his back as he found it hard to move:
Both Alamis and Sid had a strange look in their eyes as they gazed at Viv with scrutiny, examining him slowly.
W-What did he do this time?!
"Should I dispose of it?" Alamis solemnly asked, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade.
"..."
Sid was silent, gazing quietly at Viv and then onto his drink. The now eerily silent room seemed ever so close to exploding, as Vivillian began to wonder if he was going to die at this very moment, without even knowing why.
His life and death all depended on the response of the kid before him, who seemed apathetic to his situation as well.
"Do you even know what this sounds like?"
Narrowing his eyes ever so slightly, Sid sat up straight, with an almost knowing gaze.
"I don't even know your name, background, or even true face...."
Vivillian felt a pointed edge in the kid's words.
"There are only two possibilities. You are telling the truth, or you are not." Sid tapped his cup as he continued quickly.
"Why do you reveal all these things to a person you just met, deal or not?"
"Wouldn't you think to reveal bits and pieces to scope us out?"
"Why do you think that we aren't the ones behind this incident?"
"What makes you think these slight benefits will do after entering such a risky situation?"
"Do you even know how suspicious you sound?"
"So many questions, and very little answers."
Reaching forward, Sid stretched out his hand and pinched the chin of Sid's mask tightly, almost threatening to rip it off.
"I want to desperately pry away this mask i gave you and forcibly torture you to extract your secrets, but I have a feeling you will resent me if I do."
Muttering these chilling words under his breath, Viv felt his heart stop.
"Ah, breathe."
Switching his expression to a more professional one, Sid moved his hand from the mask and touched Vivillian's neck, immediately causing Viv to flinch as he began to breathe again quickly on demand.
"The most daring of all people I gave ever met, or maybe foolish would be a more accurate statement?" He shrugged, his hair fluttering in the air and leaving a nice floral smell.
"You know all the big names of the elusive black market yet seem totally unversed in etiquette, wit, and soaked in the smell of naivety."
There was a silence, as Sid peered at Vivillian.
"You have nothing to say?"
"...I will think more of the gravity of my words."
Viv squeaked out, inwardly hitting himself after hearing all of Sid's mocking questions. He had really underestimated this 2D cheesy romance game, why can't he just say things and get it over with...!
In the comics it was easier...
Viv inwardly cursed.
To be fair however, he knew it would be foolish of him to for just blatantly assume that Sid would believe his words right from the start with little to no evidence and not being able to say where the source came from.
Maybe it really was the false sense of security of Sid being a capture target that made him let down his guard, making him come unprepared for such a realistic situation.
Either way, it's too late to make excuses now, nor think too much of it...
"Hah..."
Hearing Viv's response, Sid couldn't help but heave an exasperated sigh, pushing his hair back from his face.
"Just this once, I will deploy all my men to investigate this situation. I will be observing the list you give me of the materials that are going to be in demand, and if I see even a trace of suspicion from you...."
Sid trailed off, not bothering to look back.
"Interesting or not, I will dispose of anyone who gives me a bad deal."
——
It was already the early hours of the morning when Viv finally emerged from the black market, his haggard face hidden under the mask as he stumbled weakly, walking back to the Academy.
Even though it was a much later time than Viv would have preferred, he was grateful to even be alive and free after charging in with such stupidity.
The cold before spring air brushed by him as he walked, his robes fluttering as he shivered and clutched his arms tightly against himself.
An ironic feeling of peace engulfed the now empty market, having long exited the "Eternal Night" already.
They say the most dangerous thing that could happen to a man was being left alone with his thoughts, and Vivillian quickened his pace, trying to find a means to distract himself of it.
Truly a naive fool...
He inhaled a sharp breath as he waited for a wagon to pass, before crossing the road.
...Does this mean that the simple, fantasy like world had more then what meets the eye?
But how could it? Everything happening now is what was programmed by people just like him to occur.
Then, how was he even here?
Unless he was the main character, then there shouldn't be anything else to this accursed world. Sort of like a world boundary of sorts that should be stopping him from venturing any further.
Vivillian felt his mental fortress begin to tremble. as he quickly unmasked himself and stuck it into his robes as he got closer to Einsvul.
What happens if I die here?
The feeling of death was like an ominous shadow that hovered over him quite frequently. If it weren't for the instinctive fear of pain or the urge of not wanting to experience death again, then Viv would have been long gone from this reality.
My name...is..
Huh? That's strange, why can't he remember?
My name is ###### Xern.
What is #####?
My parents' names are ####### and #####.
I come from ######.
My age is ##.
A chill ran down Viv's spine, as he broke into a full blown sprint towards the dormitories.
My journal will have all my memories, I just need to read it to remember...!
Chanting these words within his mind, Viv dove between the fence and ran up to his room, passing by the sleepy faced students and going up the spiral of a seemingly endless amount of stairs.
Sticking the key into the door, he fumbled hurriedly, slamming open the door, unintentionally startling the sleeping person in the dorm.
Without even bothering to properly close the door behind him, Viv ran to his room, grabbing the journal kept safely underneath several books.
Activating the magic padlock, Viv held his breath as he flipped through the pages.
"..."
He collapsed from relief as he scanned the words on the page.
"Yes..how could I forget...." Viv let out a weak laugh, as he lay on the floor, stomach facing up as he looked at the ceiling. "My name is Asher Xern."
"You're what now...?" Elva yawned as he woke up flustered, not knowing why his always eccentric roommate seemed to be up this early.
"..ah."
Pausing as he saw Viv's state on the ground. Elva wondered whether or not to ask, but the unusually haggard face on the boy made his curiosity die down. "Have you been up all night...?"
"...."
Viv silently looked up, regaining his somewhat awkward composure. "No."
"....You think I'm gonna believe that?"
"Yes."
"...Go to sleep." Elva shut the door, not bothering to deal with something like this so early in the morning.
The moment the door was closed, Viv threw himself on the bed after throwing off his robes, and held the journal tightly to his chest.
Yes...he is Asher Xern...
It seemed the panic of almost forgetting his memories seemed to distract the unpleasant shadow of Black Hydra's experience...
...
"You think he could be a spy from another organization?" John asked lazily, leaning his head against his tied up hands. It was punishment from both Alamis and Sid for leading such a troublesome thing here.
"I doubt it, he's so naive no one would hire him." Sid sighed. "Though it may be possible that he's related to someone important enough in the black market to know of all the insider information, with still having such naive stupidity."
"That would check out, he reeks of a noble." Alamis grumbled under his breath. "I won't question my Lord why you decided to trust such a kid, but please understand if doubts show on my face."
"Of course, I wouldn't hold it against you."
Leaning on a chair, Sid sifted through some papers through his desk.
"No information at all of a blonde kid with green eyes?"
"Unfortunately not." John shook his head. "You would think a kid with such a unique appearance would be easy to find."
"I suppose."
Sid looked at a newspaper clipping, raising an eyebrow. "Hey...he does look rather similar to the Crown Prince, does he not?"
"Oh? He kinda does. The Crown Prince acts way differently than him though." Craning his head to see the newspaper, John sighed. "Almost as scary as you."
"..."
Alamis was silent as he stared at the exchange before him, many other thoughts and possibilities swirling in his mind.