The morning after Irina's first solo mission was cold and quiet. She woke up at around 10, only to roll back into bed and sleep until noon.
Two weeks later, she was lounging with Royale and Seeka, chatting casually. "I can't believe it took this long to organize a girl's night!" Irina complained playfully.
Seeka laughed. "You'd be surprised how busy Madam Daly is. If it were just us regular workers, it would've been arranged in a week, tops."
Irina scoffed. "I get it, but still! It's been almost a month!"
Royale chimed in with a smirk, "Well, you've been working here for almost a month now. Maybe consider it an anniversary of sorts."
Irina shrugged. "Fair enough. At least it's tonight. I can't wait any longer! There are so many people I want to gossip about, and I expect you all to spill the tea!"
Seeka looked confused. "Spill the tea?"
Irina grinned and explained, "It means to reveal interesting things—gossip, juicy facts, that kind of stuff."
Seeka laughed, shaking her head. "If anyone's got tea to spill, it's you! Where do you come up with all these new words and phrases?"
21st-century Gen-Zers on social media—is that a valid explanation? Irina thought to herself with amusement, then said, "Reading! You'd be surprised how much random knowledge you pick up."
Royale smiled thoughtfully. "Your sequence really is fascinating if you think about it. Is that why you read so much?"
Irina sighed dramatically. "Don't even get me started. What kind of sequence is called 'History Teacher'? It sounds so boring! And the skills are pretty useless too. Honestly, I read because I love it, novels and books are my life. But when you can finish one in half an hour, you start broadening your horizons, you know?"
Seeka nodded. "That actually makes a lot of sense."
Just then, the lounge door opened, and Mrs. Orianna walked in. Irina's face lit up. "Look who's out of her office~"
Orianna smiled warmly. "Rozanne and I are heading out soon. Is there anything else you want us to add to the list?"
Irina quickly remembered their plan for the night. Oh, right! We planned to cook something easy since six of us would be in one house—and this era doesn't even sell junk food. Seriously, Roselle, you created all this, but no chips?!
After everyone shook their heads, Orianna nodded. "Alright, we'll be off then. See you all later at Daly's."
Seeka added with a hopeful smile, "Let's just pray we don't get any new cases in the next few hours. If anything comes up, let it fall on the night shift."
Irina grinned. "Brutal, but true. Leonard and Kenley can handle whatever comes in."
Royale agreed. "We just had a case two days ago. The chances of getting another one so soon are low."
Orianna reassured them, "Exactly. It should be peaceful for a few days."
Strange, Irina thought.
Seeka hesitated for a moment. "You're right. No way we're getting another dangerous case so soon. Let's enjoy tonight. See you later, Orianna!"
Why does it feel like we just jinxed ourselves?
Orianna waved with a smile and left, closing the door behind her.
Irina stretched, then turned to Royale with a grin. "Hey, Royale, can I brush your hair?"
Seeka teased her, laughing softly. "Again with that?"
I've been brushing a lot of people's hair since yesterday… Is she worried about something? Irina thought, then rolled her eyes at Seeka and replied, "Hey, I just brushed mine, yours, and Rozanne's this morning!"
Seeka looked concerned. "Still, that's a Sealed Artifact. Its effects are unknown, probably dormant right now."
Irina defended herself as if wrongly accused of a crime. "But nothing has happened. I've always used it every morning to brush my hair. Lately, I've been reading a lot of books about hairstyles, so that's why I've been brushing everyone's hair."
It's a decent excuse. I did read those books, but the real reason I go around asking to brush everyone's hair is completely different.
Royale smiled lightly. "That explains why Leonard had pink bows and braids yesterday."
Oh, right! I almost forgot about that. Irina chuckled inwardly. My next target is the Captain. Go big or go home, as they say.
Seeka's eyes widened. "You put what in his hair?! I wish I had yesterday's shift. I can't believe I missed that!"
Royale added, "It was quite the funny sight. He didn't seem angry though. He kept them in for a couple of hours."
Irina raised her hands in defense. "Don't look at me like that! He picked the accessory himself—with his eyes closed! I might've nudged the pink one in his direction... But hey, he had style!"
The truth is...
Royale answered her original question. "You can brush my hair. It's fine."
Two days ago, I finally discovered how this pocket mirror with a brush works. I didn't find out from the library—it was just pure luck.
Irina slowly stood up and went behind Royale. "By the way, do either of you own any expensive gowns?"
Royale replied, "I own two."
Seeka added, "I do, but I prefer suits. Why?"
Irina shrugged while taking out the brush. "Nothing important. Just curious. Want to describe them?"
Seeka shrugged back. "'Fair enough', as you usually say. How about you start, Royale? I've got a long story about mine."
The truth is, I can see memories of the people whose hair I brush. The longer I brush, the longer the memory. It's random unless I focus them on something specific. I'm still testing it, just to be sure I'm not mistaken.
Royale began describing her dress, how it was passed down from her mother, and how she'd altered it.
This is that 'YouTube feature' from the original Irina's memories. The mirror acts like a screen, and you can choose whose memories to view. It even organizes everything into neat little folders.
Royale finished her story just as Irina began braiding her hair. Then, Seeka started explaining how she ended up wearing well-decorated suits to formal events instead of gowns.
I'm on cloud nine! With this, I can study every detail of the novel, every little piece, and I can even go back to check the wiki! Since I've browsed through every page already, I just need to think of the right moment and all the info is mine. Cheat codes are the best~
Irina laughed at Seeka's story. "No way you actually did that!"
Seeka paused for a second, then continued. "Oh, but I did. Some men have no shame, trust me—especially those from the Church of the Lord of Storms! Did I ever tell you about the time I punched one of them in the face during a joint mission?"
Irina laughed even harder. "Enlighten me!"
Girlboss. Anyway, back to the novel. I think I'll start my research tomorrow after the party. I'll brush my hair for hours, over several days, while thinking about the novel. In about a week, I'll sacrifice the mirror and check the results in the Sefirot, just to be sure. You never know who's watching.
...
Wait... To sacrifice something and receive it back in the Sefirot, I need an honorific name. Oh no. I hope it works.
Nefiref called me the Library's 'Half-Warden,' so that should be good enough. Klein was able to, even with CW, so~
I'll create the name, someday. It's not like Klein will appear tomorrow; I still have a year or two of time so I can take it slow.
A couple of hours later, at Daly's house, a group of women was happily chatting away in the kitchen. Surprisingly, Daly was the most curious of all, asking for details and giving advice when needed.
Irina was flipping some crepes, grinning. "So, Daly, did things finally develop between the two of you?"
She sighed. "You'd be surprised how dense that man is. He just thinks I'm naturally flirtatious, like I'd act the same way with everyone."
Rozanne was mixing flour and eggs. "Is he really that oblivious? Everyone knows you're interested."
Royale suggested, "Maybe he's just shy?"
Orianne disagreed. "No way. I've worked with him for years. He's many things, but shy isn't one of them."
Seeka looked puzzled. "But his cheeks turn pink when Daly's around. Plus, he always praises her when she's not there."
Irina grinned. "So you've noticed too! I try to nudge him whenever I can. Daly, I have an idea—why don't you stay at my place one of these nights?"
Rozanne raised an eyebrow. "How would that help?"
Daly seemed intrigued. "Are you trying to make him jealous?"
Irina's grin widened. "Exactly. We knock on his door late at night, pretending you can't stay at mine and it's too late to go home. He's a gentleman; there's no way he'd refuse to help."
Orianne caught on. "Ohhh, I see where you're going with this."
Seeka nodded. "Yeah, he'd definitely offer his place. He couldn't say no to his 'colleague.'"
Daly still seemed unsure. "I get the idea, but staying at his place wouldn't really change things."
Irina laid out the rest of her plan. "True, but it'll be just the two of you—no interruptions. You'd have all night to talk some sense into him. Plus, a little drink could help ease things up!"
Rozanne brightened at the idea of a new couple among the Nighthawks. "That feels like it might work! You're never alone like that. It's either at work or when he comes over to your place to investigate something. But if it's a night where the two of you are just home without any mission, then..."
The entire kitchen went silent as Daly considered the idea. "It might work."
Irina lit up. "Then it's decided! Someone has to discover his shift, though. We need a day when both of you are free after all."
Royale surprisingly volunteered. "I can do it. Usually, no one pays much attention to me; maybe because I'm quiet most of the time."
Rozanne offered her help as well. "I can help!"
Seeka immediately interjected. "Love you, Rozanne, but no. Leave it to Royale; she's perfect for the mission."
Daly laughed, touched by how everyone was helping her. "You all! I never expected you to care so much."
Irina grinned. "We're girls, and girls help each other!"
Rozanne took that as a chance to shift the focus. "Speaking of helping! You and Leonard? You've been spending a lot of time together lately."
Seeka was skeptical. "I find that hard to believe."
Daly nodded. "Same here."
Rozanne quickly panicked. "Heh? Why? W-WAIT! Do you already have a boyfriend, and I didn't know?!"
Irina clarified. "Oh, no, no. I'm happily single, thank you. I have no intention of getting into a relationship anytime soon. And Leo? He's just a friend, a good one! He's funny when he wants to be."
Rozanne, still unconvinced, pressed her. "Just a friend? You two seem really close..."
Seeka cut in before Irina could answer. "But it's obvious, right?"
Daly agreed. "I think so too."
Irina exclaimed. "I know, right? He doesn't really talk about it, but it's not like he's hiding it."
Royale, confused, asked. "I don't get it. Isn't he gay? Why would he be in a relationship with Irina?"
Rozanne practically screamed. "HE'S WHAT?!"
Irina and Daly exchanged glances. Oh...
Seeka remarked. "You really didn't know, huh?"
Rozanne tried to defend herself. "HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO?!"
The whole group burst into laughter, and soon, Rozanne joined in.
They stayed up nearly the entire night. The next morning, it took both Seeka and Daly quite some time to wake up Rozanne and Orianne. The captain allowed them to start work a couple of hours later since they hadn't been able to get the full day off. Sadly, both the accountant and receptionist were still needed, so Seeka also decided to work to avoid leaving them short-staffed. Being a Midnight Poet gave her energy even after so little sleep.
Irina woke up too and tried to show some support, but the missed sleep had taken a toll on her. Still, they all enjoyed a pleasant breakfast before heading off. Irina spent the whole day brushing her hair while almost falling asleep standing up. She refrained from sleeping to avoid ruining her sleep schedule.
I've never had such perfect work-life balance in my life. I'm not even tired when I go to work, so I'll go to bed early and hope I don't ruin it today...
Just as she thought that, she missed the handle of her coffee mug, and it crashed to the ground, shattering on impact. "Shit. You stay there, I'll clean you tomorrow."
Let's hope I don't break anything expensive today. That coffee wasn't cheap... Ha~ Too tired to care. But totally worth it. Ten out of ten, would do again. Girls' night is just that much fun.
At 6 pm sharp, Irina threw herself into bed and fell asleep instantly. The next morning, feeling refreshed, she cleaned up the spilled coffee, took a quick shower, and headed to work.
My thoughts yesterday were all jumbled, but I remember trying to come up with a training plan for this year. I need to be ready for when Klein arrives. I want to be at least Sequence 7, if not already 6.
Irina chatted with Rozanne while making herself some tea. "By the way, have you heard the news? Quite the tragedy; no one expected that."
Tragedy? Eh, not important. I should focus on 'acting' instead of just remembering the novel. Unlocking this annoying seal could take months.
Irina passively listened as Rozanne retold the news, while her mind planned a year's worth of training. "I'll be in the lounge if you need me."
As for the novel, I'll plan how to change it next spring. Summer, autumn, and winter will be spent 'acting' as a history teacher. I'll stay low-key so the church doesn't catch on to my awareness of the 'acting method.' Also, I won't tell anyone when I raise my sequence; don't want to risk being sent to Backlund.
Irina opened the door to the lounge, surprised not to find Leonard there. "Wasn't he supposed to be on standby as usual? Did I mix the shifts?"
Maybe I should tone things down. There's no need to plan everything now; I have plenty of time. Since discovering how to use the pocket mirror, I've been overworking myself.
Royale looked up from the newspaper she was reading. "He was. He just went to read Captain Dunn and Madam Daly's report on the suspect."
New mission, I guess. There's rarely a serious need for my abilities, but the Captain still asks me to use them on the artifacts they retrieve. I'm sure the church just wants more info on my sequence—that's why I get pulled into every mission, one way or another.
Irina sat on a sofa, sipping her freshly brewed tea. "What's it about?"
Still, if I fully participated in the missions, I'd get more money. I want to save up as much as I can, but that's hard with such a passive role. Whatever. If there's a new item, he'll call me.
Royale looked surprised. "You haven't heard about the tragedy? The two suicides? The official story is that a burglar killed them, but that's just our version. I thought Rozanne already told you."
Two people committed suicide? Why does that sound familiar?
Irina took a long sip of her tea as Royale continued. "Yesterday, Leonard and the Captain investigated a suspect, his name is Klein Moretti."
Irina froze and immediately choked on her tea. A visibly concerned Royale stood up, leaving her newspaper behind, and rushed to help her. However, Irina's head abruptly snapped up. She locked eyes with the Sleepless, shouting, "WHAT?!"