- Knock
"Mister Isaac? Are you there?"
Knocking at the cafe's doors, Freminet warily looked around as his gaze lingered on the locked door that separates him from the comfortable cafe.
It was currently the next morning, and the newspapers contained nothing but the latest discovery of the missing painting of Focalors.
Freminet would have usually just ignored it if not for the fact that one of the major contributors of it was Isaac. When he found out about it, he immediately left to congratulate him.
But to the young diver's dismay, the cafe was still closed.
It left him in an uncomfortable mood.
"This can't be right..." Freminet mumbled under his breath as his gaze lingered. "It's not Sunday yet and it's well past the opening hours..."
"Mister Isaac... Where are you?"
As Isaac's pupil, Freminet had always come by and learn from the former without missing a single day. The intricate brewing technique as well as the subtle but beautiful art of mixture had somehow stirred something deep inside the young diver's character, inevitably making him a pupil to which Isaac passes his techniques to.
As such, the thought of missing a day of lesson with his mentor slightly troubled him. It was as though he was being separated from his parent... which was rather odd due to his loyalty to the Knave.
Perhaps, deep in the young diver's heart, he sensed a similar dependable figure of the Knave in Isaac. It was far from being a responsible parent, but more of a pillar of support.
After all, the thought of Isaac acting like a good parent never really crossed his mind. Rather, he could clearly paint a scene of Isaac struggling to even properly handle a toddler, and resorting to underhanded tactics.
Unironically, Isaac wouldn't even doubt him if Freminet were to speak that idea out loud. He could see himself doing it too.
Just then, while Freminet was in the middle of his stupor, a voice reached his ears, slightly startling him.
"Hmm... Is this the place?"
'?!'
Immediately turning around, Freminet looked at the source of the voice. Who it was, however, gave him a bit of shock that he almost didn't manage to contain. His gaze landed on the person's figure and deeply observed their figure.
Pale skin, violet eyes fading to pink, and long violet hair with the tips all swept upwards...
...And a musket that hung on her left shoulder.
Freminet could never mistake someone like that for anyone else even if he wanted to. After all, it was the very same person that the spies of the Heart were actively avoiding.
Noticing the young diver's curious gaze, the person looked at him with a similar gaze and asked sincerely, "Excuse me, this is the cafe run by Isaac Alder, right?"
After a while, however, she immediately recognized the young man standing in front of her.
"Hm? Hold on... Freminet? That's you, right? The star diver?"
Upon hearing his name uttered by her, Freminet forced a calm demeanor taught to him by Isaac and nodded his head, quickly responding to her question.
"Y-Yes... That's me, Miss Chevreuse..."
This lady was none other than the captain of the Maison Gardiennage's Special Security and Surveillance Patrol. Using unorthodox yet conventional methods, she had garnered a bit of a reputation for her high efficiency in capturing criminals.
For Freminet, who was associated with an espionage orphanage, he and his siblings naturally know her. After all, they had been avoiding her after every operation.
Chevreuse nodded her head. "Ah, I was right. Recognizing a star diver has never been easier."
Her claims weren't groundless.
Even though Freminet prefers to be reclusive and avoids the limelight frequently, his capabilities weren't hidden completely. The young diver, too, had earned a bit of fame from his outstanding diving capabilities among his peers.
Though, if Freminet was a tad bit more paranoid, he would have thought that she recognized him as a suspicious individual.
Fortunately, he has an alibi for his presence here today.
Mustering a bit of courage to speak, he opened his mouth. "What brings you here, Miss Chevreuse? Do you need something from... Mister Isaac?"
Aware of Isaac and the Knave's connection, he made sure to ask the question as mundanely as possible. He doesn't know if Isaac was part of something far more sinister to catch the Knave's attention, but he was determined to protect his mentor. This stems from the fact that he was both a mentor figure and an acquaintance of his Father.
Chevreuse gazed at the young diver and nodded. "That's right. I wanted to discuss something with him and express the Special Security's gratitude. I already know Navia and have talked to her first, and now it's his turn."
"However... It seems that I've come at a bad time."
She shook her head lightly before continuing, still looking at Freminet.
"You're waiting for him, aren't you? I'm sorry, but I don't think I'd be able to stay for a bit longer. Can you give Mister Isaac my regards? It would be much appreciated."
Freminet nodded his head, slightly relieved that the officer wouldn't be lingering further.
"Yes... I'd make sure to send him your regards, Miss Chevreuse. That is... If he opens today."
She smiled softly at his answer.
"Thank you. Well then, farewell."
With that said, Chevreuse waved him goodbye before turning around and leaving, returning to her duty as a Captain.
Watching her leave, Freminet lingered for a bit before turning around and looking at the closed doors of the cafe. It was still there, closed and never changing. There were no sights of Isaac anywhere.
...at some point, Freminet even entertained the idea of breaking in.
But he restrained himself and convinced himself that Isaac would be quite upset if he did such a thing, as such, he waited outside for nearly half an hour.
Still, there were no signs of Isaac ever opening the doors.
'Maybe he really isn't gonna open today...' Faced with this thought, a defeated sigh escaped his mouth.
Reluctantly looking at the cafe one last time, Freminet lingered for a bit more longer before finally leaving. It was obvious that Isaac was absent today, which was a rare occurrence.
As the deterred young man walked the streets of Fontaine, he couldn't help but contemplate in his mind what he should do for the time being.
'There really aren't any new mission issues out by Father... She had just been training us as if preparing for something...'
'As for Lyney and Lynette, ever since they were granted free reign by the Archon with their magic pockets project, coupled with Isaac's financial support, they've been quite busy.'
He then stopped and looked at the distant blue skies of the nation of waters, pondering his purpose for the day.
'Maybe I should just go home and brew coffee...'
The young man was about to entertain this idea, when suddenly, a figure suddenly dashed in the distance and quickly turned a corner to where Freminet was, determined to get away from something.
"...huh?"
Freminet, who saw the figure rapidly approaching him, froze as he quickly recognized who it was. That lean figure, coupled with that memorable brown hair...
He wouldn't mistake it for anyone even if he wanted to.
It was Isaac.
And... He was running while wearing a suit.
Confirming who it was, Freminet shouted, with curiosity and a bit of longing present in his voice.
"Mister Isaac! Where have you been all this time?"
Isaac, who was running with all his might, heard someone call for him and looked at the young man.
"Huh? Oh, Freminet?"
Recognizing who it was, Isaac quickly turned around as if looking out for someone before changing his direction towards the young man at full speed.
With his physical fitness, it wasn't hard to dash quickly. In less than a few moments, the student and mentor reunited, albeit in an alleyway.
Huffing, Isaac looked out and made sure he wasn't caught. "Huff... I should be safe here... For the time being, at least."
Looking at his mentor, Freminet's eyes trembled as many thoughts flashed through his mind, trying to piece together what was happening from the clues present currently.
A loose suit with a lingering fragrant scent, an exhausted stature, and a cautious expression only resulted in Freminet forming a dangerous thought.
When he formed that thought, a foreign feeling emerged from the young man's mind. It was a feeling he had seemingly long lost.
"Mister Isaac... A-Are you being followed?"
He recognized those sharp and alert eyes. It was the very same eyes he had seen in his siblings before when doing undercover missions. Those stark, keen eyes which seem to look like a hawk were nothing new to him.
Hearing the young man's words, Isaac lingered for a bit before smiling wryly. "Ah, well... It's a complicated story."
Freminet pursued the matter.
"Do you need any help then? I-Im sure I can be of help?"
Isaac shook his head lightly.
"There's no need. There had just been... a mild misunderstanding. That's all."
'Misunderstanding...?' Freminet was just about to ask this question when he suddenly saw Isaac's expression change.
"Uh oh." Isaac said with a cautious expression. He then looked at the young man. "Come on, let's not get caught."
With that said, Isaac grabbed Freminet by the hand and backed to a corner in the shadows. With a reluctant hesitation, Isaac paused for a moment before grimacing.
Shortly after Isaac's grimace emerged, it was as if the darkness around them thickened. The dark became darker and the light became lighter— it was quite surreal.
But it was also thanks to this that they managed to escape the eyes of the pursuers.
Not too far away, the two hidden men heard the voice of women.
"Keep looking, Chevreuse. He couldn't have gotten away."
A stern voice echoed throughout the alleyway.
Followed by it was the voice Freminet was familiar with.
"Why are you even so bent on capturing Isaac, Chiori? Did he do something to you?"
The woman named Chiori shook her head and quickly responded.
"No, not me entirely. Her too."
Then, not far away, the familiar visage of the Archon of Fontaine appeared. Similar to Isaac, she was wearing a dress unfit for the current situation.
If the two were put together, one can't help but suspect that they were attending a classical ball... or perhaps...
A ceremony of sorts?
Whatever it was, it made the two of them look stunningly gorgeous as if they were about to be the center stage of it all.
Furina, who had an irritated expression, looked at the other two women and spoke candidly.
"No matter what, you have to capture him, my dear captain. He still owes me his presence for our important ball, and the two of us need to be of perfect outfits!"
Chiori then added after Furina.
"Also, he dashed out while I was dressing him, and, on the way, bumped to Emilie who came to visit me. The result was her new perfume splashing onto him."
"That should add more reasons to the urgency of your help, yes?"
Chevreuse didn't know what to say for a moment before coming up with a response.
"I guess so... Well, since it's a request from Lady Furina and you, I guess I'll put in more work."
"I'll count on you, Chevreuse."
As the three women spoke, not far away from them, the hidden Isaac shuddered as he heard them talk about what they'd do once they found him.
Freminet on the other hand, remained silent and merely grabbed on to Isaac's arm as if trying to comfort him.
"Should we... Hide somewhere else, Mister Isaac?"
Isaac smiled wryly.
"Yeah, I think we should... God knows what would happen to me if Furina gets her hands on me again."
After saying this, he looked down on his suit and remembered where Furina had dragged him to this morning. From saloks to various boutiques, he was dragged everywhere for a supposed ball they would attend.
Along the way, Furina made Isaac put on a variety of things. Some were pleasant while some were... suspiciously thought-provoking.
He then shuddered as he whispered something under his breath.
"I don't want to be a doll again..."
It was going to be a long day.
Normally, Isaac would have slithered his way out of Furina's scheme. However, today, her plan had left him with no choice but to run for his dear life— for it there was anything any man ever feared, it was accompanying a woman to shopping. Some might even say it was the bane of all men.
As for Isaac, it was no different.
The moment he was dragged out of his cafe by Furina, he didn't even manage to utter a word of complaint. He was just... dragged away.
He could have refused and stopped her, however, he had a deep gut feeling that if he did so, there would be dire consequences.
As such, here he is now, wearing a barely passable disguise with Freminet as they both walked under broad daylight.
Isaac, who was wearing a half top hat and a pair of tinted glasses, looked at Freminet beside him and whispered.
"You know, you didn't have to do this, you know? I know how busy you are sometimes helping your siblings."
Freminet shook his head in response.
"No, it's fine, Mister Isaac. I had nothing else to do today anyway so... I'm happy to help."
"Yeah? What a nice kid." Isaac smiled.
As they walked, Freminet couldn't help but be curious and asked him a question.
"By the way... How did you even get into that situation, Mister Isaac? It seemed like... Lady Furina was really hunting you down."
Despite the young man's upbringing and side profession, his tone was surprisingly innocent. Isaac noticed this and couldn't help but be amused.
He was then reminded that, even though the child with him was a trained professional spy, he was also but a child that had yet to take on the truly mundane side of the mature world. As such, aside from disposing of unwanted bodies, he wasn't quite aware of the... other bodies.
Isaac lightly chuckled. "It was just a matter of disagreement. I felt like I was gonna sink into something I'd regret, as such, I ran away."
"I'm sure you'll encounter this kind of situation in the future." He added.
Isaac was sincere with his words. The young diver might not know it, but he had garnered quite a bit of attention in the cafe with his soft demeanor and looks. Isaac even managed to get a glimpse of a few young female customers occasionally eyeing the young man.
If Freminet wasn't so introverted, then perhaps he would have been far more popular with other people. Isaac even wondered if he could influence the child in that direction.
But he feared that by doing so, he'd invoke the wrath of not only the other two siblings, but also their Father. As such, he quickly disposed of such a notion, never daring to think of it again.
It was enough for one pretentious scamp to work in the cafe. There was no need for another one.
'Should I say it's fortunate that he's soft-spoken?' Isaac entertained the idea before discarding it shortly after.
Freminet looked at him, the soft innocence glistening in his eyes.
"I don't think that will come any time soon though..."
"For now, I'm just content with helping out my siblings and Father... As well as you."
Isaac lingered for a moment before replying. "That's great. How dependable of you. As expected of my pupil."
Freminet, upon hearing him, paused for a moment giving a response. "There's no need to inflate your ego..."
"Uhh..." Surprised by his reply, Isaac was slightly startled. "...A bit blunt, but true nonetheless. Where'd you learn that?"
Freminet quickly replied.
"I learned from that Inazuman woman that frequents the cafe. She knows a lot of things and sometimes teaches me."
"Of course... I should have known." Isaac scowled. Knowing that fox, she has definitely taught the young man.
As the two walked though, Isaac couldn't help but notice the direction of which they were heading. He hesitated for a moment before asking the young man beside him with skepticism.
"Uhh... Freminet, where exactly are we going?"
Isaac couldn't return to his cafe since he knew Furina would quickly find him there, as such, he decided to follow his pupil somewhere to hide.
It's just that the place they were heading was...
Freminet turned around and looked at Isaac. "Don't worry. You'll be safe with us."
'Ah, I knew it.' Isaac smiled wryly. 'I'm going to the House of the Heart, aren't I?"
In other words, Arlecchino's territory.
There was a reason Isaac had avoided that location whenever he disguised himself as Gehrman at night. One was because the children there were good at investigations, and the other is because he might encounter Arlecchino.
...not that it matters since she already knows his other identity though.
But still. It would be rather awkward so Isaac actively avoided them.
But now...
Looking at the familiar hotel that the Hearth is currently staying at, an ominous feeling rose up from Isaac's chest.
'Oh boy...'
He just hopes he and Arlecchino were still on good terms.
---
Meanwhile, somewhere in Fleuvre Cendre, in a secluded location where barely anyone could ever notice, two figures can be seen conversing.
"Report."
"Yes, Father."
The woman, with the sharp silver hair and crimson crossed eyes, emanated a sense of cold ruthlessness and dominance. Yet also a cold and calculating gaze.
She looked at one of her children— or spies— and waited for a report.
"The organization responsible for the production of Sinthe has well expanded over the past few weeks. Currently, many high profile targets involved in the business have been forced to realign with the new rising organization."
"Merchants, nobles, and even public figures tied to the criminal rings all submitted to this new force. Those who defied were... later found hung upside down."
As the spy reported, she handed a few photographs of various people that ranged from pictures of men meeting up in secret to men hanging upside down in the outskirts of the city with life drained out of their eyes.
Arlecchino looked at them one by one with her usual cold indifference, but this time, a frown appeared on her face.
"It seems like our clown has been busy. Don't you agree?"
The spy nodded.
"Yes, Father. Revolts and gang wars have been happening frequently ever since he appeared— but they were all suppressed by him alone with nothing but his cold brutality and revolver. Some are even starting to spread urban legends about him."
She then questioned. "What's the name of this organization?"
"Yes, it took a while, but I've now confirmed it." The spy responded. "They seem to be calling resembles..."
"The Syndicate."
Arlecchino listened as her eyes borrowed, finding herself drifting off to a thought while simultaneously listening to her child.
'How utterly risible.'
Indeed, ever since Isaac had appeared, the chaotic undercurrents of Fontaine have only grown more turbulent. It was as if a rock had fallen into a lake, causing ripples to spread out.
For years, the House of the Hearth had discreetly operated in the shadows of Fontaine, treating it as their headquarters. Sometimes, they'd do missions in the nation itself, while in other times, they'd infiltrate another nation for an espionage mission.
Suffice to say, Arlecchino had a decent knowledge of every figure in Fontaine that upholds the delicate balance of the nation. Be it someone corrupt or an absolute holder of justice, they are all the same in her eyes— gears that keep everything running.
...so imagine her utter disbelief when the intricately designed machine of gears that she watches over was suddenly pulled out and rearranged by another person by pure force.
This new force that seemingly spawned out of nowhere had, in a short amount of time, built itself as a new overlord in Fontaine's darkness.
Brazenly storming in...
It felt disrespectful to her, to say the least. But she isn't petty enough to start a meaningless feud.
Although Isaac has indeed made things difficult for her, she still managed to find a decent silver lining in all of it.
Indeed, she could have done the same thing as he did, after all, she didn't lack any power and doubted that she was any weaker than Isaac. But her principles and the nature of the Hearth had prevented her from doing so. So when someone else has arrived and had put a leash over everything...
It became a favorable opportunity for her to also put her leash on him.
Arlecchino released a soft hum before speaking.
"That's enough. I'll now return to the Hearth. Continue observing this new organization and report any new major movements immediately."
"Yes, Father."
With that said, the two parted ways, each going their own way and walking in the shadows. To them, the darkness was a familiar friend which could both serve as a shield and an accomplice, making it useful for traversal... and stalking.
Arlecchino then left Fleuvre Cendre and walked on the streets of Fontaine.
As the director of the House of the Hearth walked under broad daylight, she had mostly kept to herself and didn't make eye contact. She rarely appeared in public, as such, some people who saw her became a bit skeptical to approach her menacing figure.
But she did not mind. So long as they steered out of her way, then there would be nothing more than that.
Soon, Arlecchino saw the familiar hotel where her children were staying at. There, the warm embrace of the fireplace sheltered them from the cold reality outside, thus giving them a safe roof.
And it wouldn't have been possible if not for their Father.
Arlecchino approached and gently opened the door.
She expected to see her children to either be playing or preparing for their next mission. That was the common sight she always sees, after all.
But this time, something else was happening inside the lounge of the hotel.
"Now watch this, everybody. I'll make this dagger disappear in front of your very eyes!"
She recognized that voice. For it was none other than the new troublemaker she has just been thinking of earlier.
What followed next were the voice of her children.
"What? That can't be possible!"
"Yeah! Unless you're Lyney or Lynette, I doubt you could pull something like that with all of us watching!"
"I think Mister Isaac can do it! He even swallowed a bullet earlier and made it appear in his ear!"
"But how would he make a dagger disappear with no other props?"
Isaac smiled as he listened to their voices. Then, as he held the dagger with one hand, another hand slowly descended on it. As it descended, the dagger slowly disappeared from their view.
Soon, the dagger was gone.
"Ta-Dah!"
Upon seeing the magic trick, both the children and the young adults of the Hearth couldn't help but be impressed.
It was a shame that Lyney and Lynette weren't here to witness it.
"Woah!"
"That's amazing!"
"How'd you do that?"
"Now swallow the dagger!"
"Uhh... Maybe sometime, kid." Isaac replied with a wry smile.
Of course, he was only able to do this trick with the help of the inventory function of the system. It was a crude trick, but it works.
Suddenly, while Isaac was performing, he suddenly felt the icy cold gaze of the newly arrived person.
Turning around, he looked at the door and saw the familiar indifferent and cold depression of Arlecchino, one that radiates deadly allure and ruthlessness.
Upon seeing her, Isaac slightly tensed up. He conjured up a smile then greeted her.
"Oh, uh... Hello? Good morning?"
There was a momentary silence between them before she replied.
"...would you mind following me upstairs, Mister Isaac? I wish to discuss something with you."
She didn't clarify what exactly she wanted to talk about, and that made Isaac both suspicious and nervous.
Hesitant, he convinced himself that she wouldn't do anything to him and lingered for a while before reluctantly nodding.
"Oh... Okay... If you say so. But I won't reveal any magician's secret though!"
She didn't reply.
'Ah... I'm cooked.'
He had a feeling that this was going to be much more dangerous than what Furina had planned for him today.
'I made a mistake... I want to go back to my Archon...'
As they say, regret comes last.
* * *
A/N:
Remember fellas, don't cheat. Else you'll end up like Isaac.
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