"Beneath the surface of this serene landscape, shadows whisper secrets only the brave dare to uncover."
The Eden Organization, or Finire Special Elite, is the royal military force with a special mission to eliminate a threat known as Ekibyo no Hokosha. The organization was formed by the kingdom to deal with dangerous creatures that bring plagues or destruction, considered the greatest threat to humanity.
Eden operates under the direct authority of the king and enjoys the privilege of moving freely across the kingdom's territories. They are seen as heroes, but also feared due to their power and the extreme measures often required in their missions.
The Eden Organization operates secretly, conducting reconnaissance and gathering information about the movements of cursed creatures. They develop strategies based on intelligence and continuously monitor areas prone to attacks.
Finire has specialized units skilled in various disciplines, such as plague eradication, curse removal, special military tactics, and purifying infected areas. Each unit works together to prevent the spread of the threats left by Ekibyo no Hokosha.
Now, I stand before their main headquarters.
The building is grand and majestic. The exterior walls are made of white marble, giving off an elegant and durable shine.
Intricate ornaments decorate the doors and windows, including carvings of flora and fauna motifs symbolizing life and strength. Above the main entrance is the emblem of the Eden Organization, a powerful identifying symbol.
In front of the building, there's a vast garden with paths surrounded by lush trees and colorful flowers. A captivating fountain sits in the middle of the garden, adding to the beauty of the atmosphere.
The scene here is reminiscent of that place.
"Let's go inside, Eira-chan," Joshua's voice brought me back to reality.
"Yeah…"
"Welcome to the Eden Organization's Main Headquarters."
The moonlight streaming through the windows gave a dark and mysterious impression, quite different from the exterior's white marble appearance.
Even though it was already night, I didn't expect to see some people still working.
Are they also Finire? No, they're just ordinary humans.
"Many ordinary humans also work in our organization. Our military division has a Finire commander who oversees all the humans. We're part of the special extermination squad," Joshua explained.
"Special extermination squad?"
"A quick-response team. We're usually tasked with hunting Ekibyo no Hokosha that have entered cities or villages, providing assistance to the purification squad, eliminating cursed flower roots, and more," Joshua explained.
"Only a few Finire with combat abilities can join this squad."
"Why?" I asked.
"Because of the high mortality rate. It's not uncommon for us to have solo missions. That's why a strong Finire is needed," Arion chimed in.
I see.
"We're here. This is our superior's office, Master Zaroth. Are you ready, Eira-chan?"
"Huh? Um, I'm ready."
Should I prepare myself first?
Bang!
Joshua swung the door open, revealing a large man dressed neatly. He had a thick beard and sharp eyes. He sat behind his desk, with moonlight streaming in through the window behind him. In that dim light, he looked quite intimidating.
"Sigh… How many times do I have to tell you to knock first, you brat?!"
The man sighed, rubbing his temples.
"Haha, knocking is too tedious," Joshua said with a wide grin, looking bashful as he scratched the back of his head.
Why does he look embarrassed?
"We're here to report on the mission progress and the attack incident on the train," Arion said, handing over some documents to the man.
"And? Is this the girl who helped you?"
"Ah, it's a pleasure to meet you, Master Zaroth. I'm Eira, the one who helped Joshua and Arion handle the train incident."
"Hmm…"
"And I also came bearing a message from Grandpa Gorath."
"A message? After eight years?"
I handed over the letter, insignia, and keychain from Grandpa Gorath to his desk.
"You two may leave. I'll hear the full mission report tomorrow morning."
"Alright, then we'll excuse ourselves."
"Yes."
Arion and Joshua left the room, leaving me alone with Master Zaroth.
Master Zaroth carefully examined the insignia and keychain.
"This is indeed Gorath's."
He then opened the letter.
"What is he up to now?"
"Um… Grandpa Gorath passed away about a week ago."
His hand paused, looking momentarily shocked and saddened, but he quickly hid the expression.
"So this is his last will. Why don't you sit while I read it? Dante."
Gasp!
I quickly reached for my sword to confront someone behind me, but before I could draw it, the person had already grabbed my hand.
"Not bad, little lady. You've got sharp instincts, but unfortunately, your reflexes are still too slow."
His tone was friendly, even smiling, but his eyes told a different story.
"No need to worry. He's my personal servant, Dante. Bring the young lady some refreshments."
"Understood, master."
After bowing, the man named Dante left and returned with a trolley of tea and snacks.
"This is rooibos tea and almond cookies for the young lady. And black coffee for you, Master Zaroth."
"Set it down there."
Master Zaroth remained focused on reading the letter. I was curious about its contents.
I tasted the tea and nibbled on the almond cookies. The sweetness of the tea blended perfectly with the crispness of the cookies in my mouth.
"Sigh…"
Master Zaroth sighed heavily, rubbing his temples.
"Eira, right?"
"Yes?"
"First, let me introduce myself properly. I'm Zaroth Frostheart, Gorath Frostheart's half-brother."
Huh? Half-brother? Not just a friend?
"My brother's will states that you are the heir to all his wealth. And also… he wants you to take on his family name."
"Which means?"
"He wants to officially adopt you as his child."
"…"
His child?
I never expected this.
I thought I was the only one who saw him as a father, but it turns out Grandpa Gorath felt the same.
"Oh…umm"
I didn't know what to say when suddenly asked like this.
Well, it's not like I hate it.
"If you're not ready to answer now, it's alright. There's still time…"
"No, I want to answer now. It would be an honor to be his child."
I smiled.
Zaroth and Dante remained silent for a moment before Zaroth cleared his throat.
"Ahem, alright then. I'll have the official documents ready by tomorrow. For now, you should rest. Dante will escort you to the dormitory."
"Thank you very much, Master Zaroth."
"No, call me Uncle from now on."
"Huh?"
"Go ahead."
"Uncle?"
"Yes, that's better. Good night, Eira."
"Good night."
I left the room, escorted by Dante.
"Let me show you to your room, Lady Eira. I'll carry your belongings."
I nodded and followed Dante out of the main building. The building turned out to be much larger than it seemed.
As we exited, there was a large garden in the center, surrounded by side buildings on either side.
"The dormitory for the Finire is in the back. This way, Lady."
We entered another large building. The interior was elegant, with red carpets and sparkling chandeliers overhead.
"Your room is on the fifth floor, which is the top floor. The first floor houses the cafeteria and lounge. Floors two to five are for the other Finire members."
"What about Joshua and Arion's rooms?"
"Their rooms are on the third floor."
"Alright."
We climbed the stairs to the fifth floor and arrived at the door to my room.
Dante opened it and gestured for me to enter.
"Wow, the room is beautiful."
"I'm glad you like it. Have a good rest, Lady Eira. I'll come to pick you up tomorrow morning."
"Thank you. Good night."
"Good night."
Dante left, leaving me alone in this room.
The room was spacious, with a canopy bed, a sofa, a study desk, and an en-suite bathroom. Everything was complete and comfortable.
I removed my coat, climbed into bed, and lay down.
"Today was really long. Let's rest."
Not long after, I drifted off to sleep.