†Chapter 6: Hope for Tomorrow†

 

 

 

†Chapter 6: Hope for Tomorrow†

 

CROSSBREEDING the Mongolian gerbils was proceeding smoothly.

The small rodents had grown in numbers exceeding three hundred and could no longer be contained in a single room on the top floor of City Hall. Biotech had delivered dozens cages and they were almost all full. Erica refused to enter the room where the little rodents squirmed about in the cages covering the walls from floor to ceiling.

Almost three weeks had passed since Zelaide drove Euphemia back to City Hall.

Crimes were frequently occurring throughout Gothic City. The growing number of Nightz addicts were starting fights left and right, the worst of which caused by a deranged young man who poured gasoline over his head and lit himself on fire to get more Nightz. The fire had spread from him to a nearby building, injuring several innocent citizens he trapped inside a building by blocking its entrance.

Robbery cases were on the rise too. On top of that, young members of Vermis were driving around Central Circle with modified cars acting like they owned the streets. There wasn’t a day when the sound of sirens didn’t fill the city.

“Dinner time, kids.”

Euphemia dispensed Night Bloom seeds into each cage. The gerbils darted to the food. She mixed gerbil feed in with the seeds, but they lost interest in other food with each passing generation. Although the newest generation looked the same as the original, it was safe to say that selective breeding had taken place.

She couldn’t go to work at the laboratory, but Ronaldo and Sonia reported similar results with their tests there. They were surprised and confused when they first learned that Euphemia suddenly couldn’t come to work anymore, but after a certain point they stopped complaining. Surprisingly, they continued working seriously even without Euphemia there to breathe down their backs. Euphemia believed she had Burhardt to thank for that. Knowing him, he must’ve been working in the background to support her.

“But I need to move things to the next phase soon,” she muttered.

Euphemia wanted to conduct the crossbreeding experiment in a state as close to nature as possible, not in the laboratory. In other words, she wanted to take her experiment out of their cages and into an outdoor environment where she could let the gerbils loose. However, the only places allowed to legally cultivate Night Blooms were experimental farms regulated by laboratories.

Moreover, the Night Blooms which bloomed only once a year during a midsummer night, dropped their seeds two months after their petals fell off, which coincided perfectly with where Euphemia was at in her research. Things wouldn’t come together this well again. But under the current circumstances she wouldn’t be allowed back to Biotech, much less given the opportunity to ask where their secret Night Bloom research farm was located. The location was confidential to prevent criminals from raiding it.

“What to do? I know the experiment will work, but…where do Night Blooms grow naturally? Is there anywhere the syndicates haven’t already taken over? But I can’t go looking for it…” Euphemia was pondering out loud when Erica showed up out of the blue. “Erica? What’s wrong?”

“I came to let you know that you can borrow space in one of Romanesque City’s experimental farms,” Erica said, offering rare support for Euphemia’s research.

Euphemia hadn’t seen Erica for three days.

Erica didn’t complain, but she looked exhausted from running around trying to counteract the surge in crime. Euphemia made a point of not sticking her nose into her sister’s work. But even after losing some weight and having circles under her eyes from days of intense work, Erica looked stunning in her black suit, her hair neatly coiffured.

“What? Really?!”

“Yes, really. Their farm is located inside the city though. Mr. Haydn spoke on your behalf. It seems he took an interest in your gerbil research. He asked me lots of questions about it. He pulled some strings to make it possible for you to continue your research there,” Erica explained.

Romanesque City was the second largest city on the planet, and though it had a smaller population than Gothic City, it boasted more space and a more relaxed environment for its citizens.

“Mister Haydn pulled strings for me?” Euphemia asked, doubt creeping into her voice. “Can we trust him? Isn’t he your political adversary? You’re rivals.”

“We are two people with different opinions working in the same field. He has several companies in Romanesque City, which gives him more influence there than me. Besides, he insists his support for your research has nothing to do with politics. What do you think? Would you like to go?” Erica asked.

“Can I go?” Euphemia jumped on the opportunity dangled in front of her. “Then I’ll call Zel and ask him to drive me—”

“You can’t involve him. Do you want a repeat of last time?” Erica shook her head.

“Then how am I supposed to get there…?”

“I’ll send you by helicopter.”

“You’re going to use a helicopter just for my research?” Euphemia asked in disbelief.

“I won’t use public funds just for your research,” Erica coolly dismissed the notion. “I scheduled that helicopter to deliver medical equipment Romanesque Hospital put in an official request for. A total of six people can board it along with the equipment. I’m sending Guardians with you as well.”

“Is it really not possible to bring Zel along? We shouldn’t have the same problems going by helicopter.”

Zelaide had sent several messages since he drove her back to City Hall, but they hadn’t seen each other again. Euphemia counted all the sleepless nights she stayed up late thinking of that hot, passionate night they spent together.

Doesn’t he want to see me too? That thought plagued her. His messages were always short and infrequent.

“It’s really impossible. His agent has been strongly demanding that I release him from his contract if he isn’t going to be on the clock protecting you. He is also currently on the trail of the murderer responsible for the prostitute’s death,” Erica explained clerically.

“No one told me that…”

His agent was Palmina. There wasn’t much time left on their three-month contract, but it was evident Palmina wanted to terminate the contract with Erica. Knowing her, she probably said she was willing to pay any penalty fee for early termination.

She’s that desperate to pull Zelaide apart from me. Euphemia gnawed on her lip.

Erica watched her younger sister with mixed emotions. She had her own thoughts about their relationship.

“…He knew you would worry about him. Or worse: that you’d offer to help him. He’s smart.”

“I’m a nuisance, in other words.”

“Oh, you’re self-aware.” Erica mercilessly confronted her depressed sister with the cold-hard truth.

“…It’s fine. I’m going straight to see him once I take care of things on my side.”

“You are hopeless… Think about how he feels for once…” Erica sighed.

“Erica? Does that mean you’re keeping in touch with Zel?” Euphemia was unusually quick to pick up on what was between the lines this time. She searched her sister’s face.

“I am.”

“What is he doing right now?” Euphemia asked.

“Didn’t you hear what I just said? He’s probably taking action using information only Beast Bloods have access to. He stands out wherever he goes, so it seems there are a lot of obstacles getting in his way… I don’t know much more than that.”

“I see… Then I need to do everything I can on my end! When does the helicopter leave?”

“The day after tomorrow. I’ll send bodyguards with you, but you have to conduct your research on your own. Can you do it?”

“I’ll make it happen,” Euphemia declared, looking over her shoulder at the wall covered in cages. Hundreds of little rodent eyes watched the sisters with curiosity.

“It’s almost time for your debut, my cute little gerbils. Squeak,” Euphemia said, imitating the gerbils.

“Stop that. I don’t want a gerbil for a sister,” Erica emphasized, her eyes darting away from the gerbils. The room was filled with high-pitched squeaks, happy purrs, aggressive squeaks, chittering sounds, chirping, yipping, and loud thumping. She couldn’t wait for her residence to be free of them.

†††

THUD!

A dull thud reminiscent of hitting a mattress resounded through the dark space.

Kicked by a heavy boot, the man crashed into the stained, concrete wall and slid onto the ground. The only reason he didn’t lose consciousness was because his training taught him to curl his body—and because the man beating him held back.

“Ghhhh…!” Coughing up blood, the man glared at the shadow towering in the dark.

He had put up a good fight, but the difference in power was evident. Guns and weapons made unusable during their skirmish littered the filthy floor. All the skillful techniques that he unleashed one after another were slapped aside by his opponent.

Murky darkness hovered over their makeshift battleground. This was an abandoned underground warehouse located in an especially dangerous section of Out Circle.

The shadow moved and the man cowered. He assumed he wouldn’t be killed as long as he didn’t speak first. But he highly doubted he’d make it out with all five limbs. Fear started to eat away at him. The inside of his mouth was dry and sticky.

“Feel like talkin’ yet? I know ya were hanging ’round Manuela’s place. Worked my ass off to get that bit of info. Ya fancy gentlemen can disguise yerselves all ya want—don’t make a difference. Don’t underestimate our ability to sniff ya out. Ya’ll have an easier time the sooner ya squeal,” Zelaide advised, purposefully slipping into slang and a more laidback tone.

The man wouldn’t even look him in the eye. Zelaide crouched and grabbed the man by the collar of his fancy suit. The collar had a label from a popular sports team. The man was a famous amateur boxer—and a member of Infernum.

“Who asked ya to do it? Who didja report back to? …Say it.” Zelaide switched from requesting in a friendly tone to demanding with ice in his voice. A murderous light gleamed in the Beast Blood’s eyes.

“Dunno. I’m just a sportsman. Don’t lump me in with you beasts,” the man egged him on, despite the situation he was in.

“Beast? I can’t deny that one. I’m as beastly as they come. But what does that make ya? Why does some classy sportsman have somethin’ like this built into his shoe?”

Zelaide picked up the shoe that had slid off the man’s foot and slammed the toe box into the wall next to his face. A small but sharp blade popped out of the heel. It was a spring loaded shoe knife. The blade was tiny but shimmered with some sort of liquid, probably poison. Taking a back kick or heel drop from it would be fatal.

The man seemed to be an inexperienced Inferni. He trembled, his eyes darting away from Zelaide’s face.

Zelaide whistled. “Some fine workmanship right here. Not many shoemakers can make somethin’ of this quality. I can hunt ’em down and get my intel from there. So how’d ya like me to test out this pretty blade on your flesh? There’s a sayin’ from the old world that scars make the man. It’ll look cool. See?”

Zelaide held the man up by his throat as he spoke. His legs trembled in vain as his toes merely swept through the air without touching the ground. The Beast Blood sneered wickedly and pressed the small blade, shoe still attached, to the man’s face.

This wasn’t Manuela’s killer, but he was involved in her death. Carefully digging into every shred of reliable information he could find for days netted him this tidbit. Did the killer use him because they knew someone who didn’t frequent these parts would have a harder time blending in? Zelaide had finally hunted him down after he quit the boxing club and disappeared.

“I wouldn’t squirm if I were ya. The blade’ll cut into ya. Hmm… I smell lyunone on ya,” Zelaide said, sniffing the air. “Somebody once sent me a box of the stuff.”

Lyunone was a deadly poison that targeted the nervous system. Zelaide had yelled at Euphemia around the time they first met because she stupidly tried to pick up the box filled with it. That happened just two and a half months ago. It felt like a lifetime to Zelaide.

“Ya’ve been after me all along… Ya even had to drag her into it…” Zelaide growled, his voice gruffer than a shovel dragged through gravel. “Say it!”

The Beast Blood’s fury suddenly burst forward. Because of the lack of light, his eyes glowed as if they were burning balls of silver light. Even the man who spent his whole life despising Beast Bloods found those eyes bewitching.

“Tell me or feel this blade sink into your neck!”

Pure anger emitted from the Beast Blood’s body. It was an invisible pressure given off by something inhuman. The amateur boxer felt like he was exposed to an open fire. His face, which had been a hard mask, distorted with terror.

“Eek…” his voice cracked like a creaky fence. He no longer counted as prey worth fighting. “D-Don’t! I-I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you, so don’t eat me!” he cried.

“…Who killed Manuela?”

“Shank did… I was just the guide and the lookout!”

“Shank? Who’s that? Where is he?”

“Nobody knows. Came as soon as I let them know you dropped by her place,” the boxer squealed.

“How soon was that?” Zelaide asked.

“Thirty…no, forty minutes, give or take… I contacted Shank as soon as I saw you at her door.”

Forty minutes.

That was an odd amount of time. It was plenty of time to get there from City Hall, and if they floored it, they could get to her place from the laboratory with time to spare.

“Did ya talk to Shank?” Zelaide asked.

“No. I got a text on my IHT telling me to leave first. Must’ve been close by the time I contacted them. Shank always gives orders by IHT text. The pay is amazing, but…if you fail or betray…you’re dead.”

“Hmm… Do ya know a man named Danny?” Zelaide changed the topic. “He was killed two months ago.”

“D-Don’t know him. He’s not…affiliated with my group.”

“Heh…that’s not good ’nough. My hand might slip if ya don’t share more, y’know?” Zelaide threatened, pressing the sharp blade against his cheek so that it dented the skin without piercing it.

“S-Stop! Please don’t! I’ll die!” Sweat trickling from his face wet Zelaide’s hand on his throat.

“Shank is a man! His voice doesn’t sound young. Not like an old man either. He’s thin, has a small head, and is…always wearing thick specs… Seemed to be in a poorly lit empty room that was shaped like a box. That’s about all I could tell from the video chat… O-Oh and…” The boxer paused as he tried to remember what he noticed about Shank. “…I think his specs had a different thickness on the right side.”

“Huh?”

His specs have a different thickness on one side? That’s random. Zelaide cocked his head. What does it mean?

Zelaide punched the man in the stomach and squeezed his neck. He instantly lost consciousness. He chucked him on the floor and left the filthy warehouse without looking back.

Zelaide hadn’t gone back home since escorting Euphemia to City Hall more than two weeks ago.

Hundreds of messages bombarded his screen when he pulled out his IHT. Most of them were from Palmina, but Euphemia sent him a message a day. Her messages were always short.

“Don’t be reckless. I’m okay. Please contact me when you can.”

Enduring the ache in his heart, the Beast Blood melted into the crowds Downtown.

†††

“WOW… Wow!” Euphemia jumped with excitement.

The experimental farm spreading before her was about the size of four tennis courts put together. This was the space Euphemia was allocated to conduct the next stage in her research. The hundred gerbils she released eagerly ate the Night Bloom seeds growing on the tips of the wilted leaf stems.

This was a one-time opportunity given to Euphemia by courtesy of Romanesque City. She was in charge of this vast plot of land.

The farm grounds were fabricated to be as close to nature as possible, but the area was surrounded by an electrified transparent acrylic fence to prevent lab animals from escaping. If they did escape, it’d pose a direct threat to the luxury villas built next to the research facility for researchers who wanted to live near work.

Romanesque City Research Institute attracted many researchers because it was located in a scenic location on the outskirts of the city and offered luxury housing.

“They’re eating…and only eating Night Bloom seeds!” Euphemia exclaimed, clapping her hands.

Even though the ground was sown with other grains, nuts, and bread, the little rodents didn’t look at it, they greedily devoured just the Night Bloom seeds. They nibbled through the fibrous fruit until they pulled the seeds out and then they bit and tore into the seed pod to get at the germ. A single gerbil didn’t stop at one fruit—they typically consumed two or three fruits the same size as their body.

Each fruit contained four to five seeds. Nightz was produced by mashing those seeds, but these gerbils gladly devoured that part in full. Their fluffy little cheek pouches were stuffed.

“Holy Muta… I thought I was prepared for what this would look like after seeing them in the lab, but it’s something else entirely to see the experiment taking place on this scale… I’m getting chills just looking at the carnivorous little monsters,” Ronaldo muttered as he filmed the farm with a camcorder.

He had boarded the helicopter with Euphemia to record her findings. “I once read an old document about the famines caused by wheat being wiped out in one region because of a large number of wild mice and rats. After seeing this, I know how it happened. Feels like I’m watching history in the making.”

Euphemia was filled with pride.

She was certain that Biotech’s board members would grant her a bigger budget after seeing this video footage she was going to include in her next report. Her experiment might be ready to put into practice in the wild already. To make that happen, she needed to increase the area covered and the number of gerbils used.

By collaborating with the police and Guardians, she could gather information on where hidden Night Bloom farms were located and secretly release the gerbils into them. All of this research had the potential to get rid of Night Blooms without harming anyone. This was a much safer approach to drug removal, as the Crime and Drug Unit had been shot down in the past by criminals when they tried to spray a highly toxic herbicide on Night Bloom fields with a helicopter.

Gerbils would hungrily move toward where their food supply was located. Mankind had struggled to rid fields of rodents in the past. This time wouldn’t be any different.

By releasing only male gerbils, they could prevent them from overbreeding in the wild and reduce the strain on the ecosystem. This was a very effective strategy, because if the illegal farmers tried to exterminate the gerbils with toxic chemicals, their precious Night Blooms would wilt in the process.

“Looks like the experiment was a success.”

The researcher assigned by Romanesque City Research Institute smiled. At Erica’s request they had shared one of their experimental farms with Euphemia and assigned a few of their researchers to assist her.

“Thank you. I couldn’t have done it without your assistance,” Euphemia thanked them from the bottom of her heart.

This definitely wasn’t a result she could have achieved alone. Erica’s influence played a big part in giving Euphemia the right connections, and Euphemia was grateful for that. She was going to make use of whatever she could if it meant eradicating Nightz from the world and bringing a modicum of peace to the cities.

“We didn’t have enough gerbils for this experiment, so we conducted it with males and females in the field, but I plan to conduct separate gender experiments by next year. We are working toward introducing them into the Wilds the year after next,” Euphemia explained with professional pride.

She held back her excitement in order to calmly share her plans in the way she expected a head researcher might. While she could control her tone, she couldn’t stop her cheeks from flushing with anticipation.

“Yup, yup. And once we get our method patented, we’re going to get married, right?” Ronaldo put his arm around Euphemia’s shoulder. He had volunteered to come with her to Romanesque City. Now she knew why.

“Hey! Don’t make stupid jokes. Oh no! You recorded that dumb comment just now, didn’t you? Make sure you edit it out later!” Euphemia demanded, skirting out of his embrace.

“You really should be more honest. My honey is such a shy girl.”

“Who are you calling honey?!”

“I’m envious of how well you get along,” Romanesque City’s researcher said with a laugh.

“We do not get along!” Euphemia objected.

“It’s so nice to be young and in love,” the researcher said with a good-natured smile, entirely misunderstanding their relationship.

In any event, the experiment went well, and Euphemia’s first objective had been achieved. Rounding up the gerbils was going to be difficult, but they would go back to their nests once they ran out of food. That was their natural instinct.

“It’s lively out here.”

Ziggurat Haydn, a member of Gothic City’s senate and owner of many businesses including a TV studio, got out of a black luxury car.

“Senator Haydn!”

Ronaldo was ecstatic to be in the presence of an influential senator and famous businessman. The researcher from Romanesque City was just as delighted by Senator Haydn’s surprise visit. Euphemia was surprised he came too. She was able to borrow this experimental farm through his connections, but the date and time were worked out with one of his secretaries. It was unexpected for the busy senator to check on things personally.

“Thank you for coming all this way. The experiment was a success! Might I ask why you are here? I hadn’t heard you were coming. If I’d known you were, I would have prepared a presentation,” Euphemia politely addressed her sister’s political adversary.

“It’s a complete coincidence. The business I was supposed to attend to in this area was suddenly canceled, so I decided to look in on how things were going with my newfound free time. I have a vacation home in this city and decided to take a few days off to relax there. I haven’t taken a day off in over half a year. I shouldn’t get in trouble for enjoying some time off, right?” Haydn asked with a wry smile.

He had every right to some vacation time. Ziggurat Haydn was renowned for his energetic personality, which seemed like a complete contradiction given his skinny and withdrawn appearance.

“You deserve time off,” Euphemia responded. “You decided to spend it here?”

“Well, I won’t be completely free of my work, but I can spend a little time here,” Haydn said as he looked around the farm.

Romanesque City was a half-day drive north of Gothic City. It was more open than Gothic City, and the north side of the city was surrounded by a stunning mountain range which brought it closer to nature.

“From the look on your face, I take it that the experiment went off better than expected? Your face is glowing, Euphemia.” Haydn smiled as he stared at Euphemia. “I have no doubt that this experiment will be a sure step toward eradicating Nightz.”

“I couldn’t have made it this far without you putting in a good word for me, Senator Haydn. Thank you very much,” Euphemia responded to his praise with the appropriate level of gratitude.

“I’m glad to have been of service. You have my continued support.”

“That’s encouraging.”

Though Haydn was smiling, the way he quirked his lips and the shadowed gleam in his eyes made Euphemia feel like he was secretly mocking her. Something in her gut told her that this man who was a famous celebrity to the rest of the world wasn’t as easy to get along with as he might seem at first.

Haydn had also pledged to crack down on crime as a part of his political campaign. He sought to revise existing laws and impose heavy offenses on criminals. And he publicly declared that Beast Bloods needed to be controlled by humans from the time of their birth. He repeatedly criticized Erica’s humanitarian policies for being lukewarm and flimsy. His stances were clear and straightforward, and he was a popular politician with the upper and middle classes. He wasn’t considered the most likely candidate for mayor for nothing.

From the perspective of a man like Haydn, ridding the world of Nightz through the use of rodents must have looked like foolish child’s play. Euphemia sensed he was only praising her work because he was a mature adult and a politician.

Why did this old man suddenly show up without contacting me first? Did he come to tease me? Trying to dig up material to ridicule Erica with? That seems like the most likely reason, Euphemia thought, never letting her ire crack through her polished smile.

“Is all your passion reserved only for these rodents?” Haydn asked.

“Yes, it is. That passion is what has driven my research near practical application,” Euphemia stated, not taking his bait.

“I hope your sister can last long enough for that to happen,” he said quietly enough only Euphemia could hear him.

“…Is that supposed to be a threat? Or are you just being rude?” Euphemia asked in an equally low, tempered voice.

“Ooh, the gleam in your eyes is magnificent… But you’re ruining that pretty face of yours with your anger, Euphemia. Did you know that? Ah, but your anger has its own appeal… Oh dear, what I just said counts as harassment, doesn’t it? I certainly am being rude. I accidentally said too much. I should apologize to your sister too.” Haydn was so sure of himself he easily spoke over Euphemia’s complaints as she cocked an irked eyebrow at him. “All I was saying is that your sister’s term is almost up. I meant no ill will by it.”

“My sister is running in the next election.”

“Oh, of course she is. Anyone can run for election. Mayor Saionji is especially popular with the masses.” His way of speaking made it clear that he didn’t think Erica had any talent. “Setting aside politics, might I ask you something, Euphemia?” he asked, suddenly changing the topic.

“What?” Euphemia retorted in a barbed voice, feeling disgusted every time Haydn used her name. She wanted nothing more than to get far away from him as soon as possible.

“I know you have to clean up after this, but how would you like to join me for dinner after that?”

“Excuse me…?” Euphemia was confused by the sudden dinner invitation.

What should the younger sister of a politician do when she’s invited to eat with a political rival?

Haydn was an influential man, but not someone who was fun to talk to. Joining him for dinner would be even less enjoyable. But curtly rejecting his offer might come back to bite her later. After all, it was thanks to him that Euphemia was finally able to conduct the experiment she had been dying to do. She also didn’t want him going around saying that Saionji’s sister lacked the manners to reciprocate a favor.

Well, not like anything bad can happen over dinner. I’ll gratefully let him treat me and end the night with a single thank you. I’m dealing with an adult here, and one who is a famous politician and businessman. I’m sure he’ll bring me to some expensive restaurant and will have private security with him.

Euphemia made up her mind. She crafted a sweet smile that usually went over well with men. “…I wouldn’t mind joining you. It’s an honor to be invited. But I am supposed to leave Romanesque City just past eight, so I unfortunately won’t be able to join you for a five-course meal. I will also have to be accompanied by my bodyguards. If those conditions don’t bother you, then we can dine together.”

“I am happy to abide by your conditions. My company helicopter is scheduled to leave at ten. You can go home using it instead,” Haydn offered, increasing the amount of time he would have with her. “If you’re worried, I will gladly contact your sister and explain the situation. Don’t worry. Mayor Saionji and I are politically at odds, but we do trust each other.”

“Is that so? Then please do speak with her first. I have other matters to attend to right now, so if you will excuse me.”

Euphemia believed she could suck it up and handle being with Haydn for two hours. It was a younger sister’s job to wiggle into the good graces of her older sister’s bitter enemies and improve their overall relationship when opportunities such as this arose. She just needed to send Erica a message when she got the chance.

“I will reserve a restaurant with outstanding food and night views,” Haydn promised.

“I look forward to it.”

“Can I come too?” Ronaldo asked as soon as it was settled they would eat out. He was a man who butted in whenever the opportunity presented itself.

“The more the merrier. Let’s enjoy an evening flight after dinner. It will be the perfect time to enjoy the night scenery. You will be able to return to Gothic City just before midnight.”

“That sounds wonderful!” Euphemia didn’t have any complaints as far as that was concerned.

She had never experienced flying in a helicopter at night before. Viewing the world’s nighttime scenery from above was a unique experience few had the opportunity to enjoy. There was a high chance that Zelaide hadn’t done it before either.

It’ll give me something fun to tell him about. Euphemia was delighted by the prospect. Now his invitation had become something she could enjoy for herself, which made her start to think that Haydn might not actually be such a bad guy after all.

“But what matters do you have to attend to before this evening? Didn’t you already wrap up your experiment here?” Haydn asked Euphemia now that she was smiling.

“I did,” Euphemia answered honestly. “I have never left Gothic City before, so I want to make the most of my time in this city. There’s someone who lives here that I have always wanted to meet and I’m going to use this chance to do so. He’s a little-known researcher, but I heard he is very familiar with Night Blooms and the animals that live around it in the Wilds. I’ve already made an appointment to see him.”

“…A Night Blooms researcher? Might ask his name?” Haydn asked, intrigued.

“His name is Maurice DeLay. I learned about him while reading through some of his biology findings. He was the first person to come up with an alternative solution to the Night Bloom problem by introducing fruitless Night Blooms into the Wilds,” Euphemia explained.

“Oh? Night Blooms wouldn’t be able to bear fruit anymore?”

“Yes, if he had succeeded. But he suddenly retired from the institute and continued his research in private. I don’t know why though. I was surprised because it happened so suddenly.”

“But if he successfully implements his research, your precious rodents will starve to death,” Haydn said, feigning concern.

“I don’t think so. Night Bloom seeds aren’t that easy to destroy. Even if the numbers are temporarily reduced, the roots are tenacious enough to find a way to adapt and survive. Evolution is like that. Unless humans intervene, nature will take care of itself.”

“…You believe in evolution?”

“Yes, I do. I know saying this will offend you, Mister Haydn, but I believe that the people we call Beast Bloods are at the top of the evolutionary food chain,” Euphemia said, speaking of what she hoped and dreamed was true.

Everything that lived continued to evolve and adapt in order to survive. Recently, Euphemia started to think that Beast Bloods were the next phase in evolution for humanity.

They lived longer, were stronger, and prettier than humans. Weren’t they the ideal next step for humanity?

However, it seemed like they were still evolving. They did live on this planet long before humanity showed up, so their evolution might diverge from the humans who colonized it. One thing was clear: they were not enemies of humanity. Humanity’s greatest enemy still remained humanity itself.

“…I see. That’s very fascinating. Dinner with you seems like it will turn out to be very informative. Please come to my company’s lobby at 7 pm… I look forward to our time together, Euphemia,” Haydn said, lifting Euphemia’s hand to his lips and kissing it.

†††

“AM I right to assume that you are the Miss Euphemia Ashencourt who reached out to me?”

The man who opened the door welcomed Euphemia and Ronaldo inside with a friendly smile. He appeared to be in his forties with streaks of white through his black hair. His smile was youthful, and boyish curiosity twinkled in the eyes hidden behind his round-rimmed specs.

This was Maurice DeLay.

He was a botanist who had been studying Night Blooms for many years, and the man who had taken the scientific community by storm when he succeeded in producing a seedless and fruitless strain last year. However, he suddenly quit his job after that, and was currently concentrating all his efforts into cultivating the next generation of that strain as a private researcher unaffiliated with any of the major research institutes.

He was the researcher Euphemia admired and respected most.

“Yes, that’s me. Thank you so much for accepting my unreasonable request.”

After learning that he lived in Romanesque City, meeting with Maurice became Euphemia’s secondary objective after conducting the Mongolian gerbil experiment.

Maurice showed her into a homey living room and she settled into the couch he directed her to. The Guardians assigned to her were stationed outside the house, while Ronaldo, who needled his way into joining her under the condition that he wouldn’t utter a word during the meeting, sat quietly beside her on the couch.

“I read your research paper inside and out until the letters nearly burned into my IHT screen, Dr. DeLay.”

Euphemia earnestly appealed to Maurice as he sat down directly across from her and studied her face. There was a slight upward tilt to his lips she took as a smile.

Euphemia had changed from her lab clothes into a professional skirt suit and combed out her hair so that it fell neatly down her back in a straight wave. She had been dressing like a slob since she was confined within City Hall, but she put extra effort into her looks for this meeting.

And yet boyish amusement twinkled in Maurice’s olive-brown eyes. Euphemia was starting to feel uncomfortable. Did she wear the wrong clothes? Did she smell too much like the gerbils?

Would a pant suit have been more appropriate than a skirt for a meeting between scientists?

“I’m sorry, have I done something to offend you?” Euphemia asked, anxiety needling away at her.

“Oh no, I’m the one who is sorry. I shouldn’t have been staring so much. I had a general idea of your looks from your profile picture, but I didn’t expect such a young woman… Forgive me. So you are trying to combat Nightz by using Mongolian gerbils, correct?”

“Yes, I am. I just finished conducting a fairly large-scale experiment at one of the experimental farms here.”

“Did you? How did it go?”

“It was a huge success…or at least I like to think so.”

Euphemia spoke in-depth to Maurice about the results of that morning’s experiment. His eyes sparkled as he listened to the outcome. He occasionally asked questions throughout her explanation.

“Marvelous… You seem like an incredibly talented and proactive researcher. I’m glad to know the research world has such dependable young people joining it.”

“Aw gee, you flatter us.”

“Thank you very much. It is a huge honor to be told that by a veteran in the same field,” Euphemia responded as she glared out of the corner of her eye at Ronaldo for his frivolous remark, shutting him up.

“I’m no one special. I have only devoted my life to nothing but Night Bloom research…so I am thrilled to hear about other researchers who are challenging the Nightz problem from a different angle,” Maurice said with a smile.

“……”

“I am even more surprised such huge strides have been made by such a young and pretty lady as yourself.”

“…Um…thank you?” Euphemia turned tomato-red. She was used to people complimenting her looks, but she didn’t sense any of the typical flirtatiousness or double-meaning in Maurice’s words, so they meant more. “Y-You are too kind.”

The door suddenly flew open and a large and tall woman barged in. She held a tray with cups on one hand, but her eyes latched on to Euphemia like a wolf sizing up an opponent. A long scar ran from her hairline straight through her left eye. She gave off such an overwhelming aura that Ronaldo stiffened in the couch next to Euphemia.

“H-Hello. I apologize for the intrusion,” Euphemia politely greeted the woman though she was surprised by the look she was receiving.

The women merely gave a slight nod, noisily carried the clattering tray over to the table, plopped it down with a clang, and straightened up without uttering a single word.

“…This is my wife, Arelia. I’m sorry for the discomfort. She is the silent type,” Maurice explained, trying to smooth over the awkwardness.

“Oh! I didn’t know you were married. Hello, Arelia. My name is Euphemia Ashencourt. I am a biologist like your husband. I came to your home today to discuss my research with Dr. DeLay…” Euphemia’s words trailed off like a puff of smoke.

The tall woman had crossed the room in two strides, climbed on top of Maurice on the chair, wrapped her arms around his neck, and buried her face into his shoulder entirely out of the blue.

“Wah! Arelia! Stop that. You’ve startled our guests!”

Arelia latched on to her much smaller husband and wouldn’t let go. She seemed much stronger and all of Maurice’s struggling and flailing to pry her off ended in vain. She pushed her voluptuous chest against Maurice’s face, suffocating him, as she glared hostilely at Euphemia over her shoulder.

“Mmph! Stop it, Arelia! Enough is enough! I have no physical interest in this woman, my interest is purely intellectual,” Maurice stressed, managing to break free of his wife’s iron grip.

Arelia reluctantly freed her husband who was gasping for air.

Euphemia and Ronaldo froze in their chairs, stunned by that public display of affection.

“I’m so sorry. She’s…well…a tad on the jealous side. Take that!” Maurice stretched up in his chair and bonked his forehead against his wife’s. He didn’t seem the least bit annoyed by her clinginess.

It was a sweet display of love between a married couple and through it Euphemia noticed something. Arelia’s eyes glowed for a whole second while her face was shadowed by Maurice’s.

“Ah! Excuse me! Is it possible that your…wife…is a Beast Blood?” she asked.

“Seriously?!” Ronaldo exclaimed.

“Pardon me?” Maurice responded in shock.

“P-Please don’t be offended! It’s just that…I have a Beast Blood friend…and she reminded me of him is all… I’m sorry if I’m wrong…” Euphemia’s voice grew smaller as she spoke. She feared she had pried too deep.

Arelia’s eyes took on a sharper gleam.

“Um…I’m sorry,” she apologized again.

“No, you aren’t mistaken. Arelia is a Beast Blood,” Maurice replied while searching Euphemia’s eyes.

Ronaldo’s expression was unusually tense.

“But how could you tell? From her stature?” Maurice inquired.

“No… I noticed her eyes glowing for a second when her face was shadowed by you… My friend’s eyes also glow beautifully in the dark.”

“Ahh, that’s how you guessed it. You weren’t afraid when you first saw your friend’s eyes?”

“Afraid? Not at all. I mean, he’s so handsome, strong, and kind… Why would I be?” Euphemia recalled those teal eyes that glowed silver in the dark. And then her thoughts led her to another possibility. “Excuse me for asking, but might you and Arelia be…mates?”

“Yes…we are mates,” Maurice immediately confirmed her abrupt question. “I see you even know that term.”

“And you’re married?”

“We sure are. Married and mates. Fortunately, if that’s the right word, Arelia’s parents are both human. Genuine Homo sapiens. In other words, she was the result of a random genetic mutation. That’s why she has a birth certificate. Most Beast Bloods don’t. We are mates and a married couple,” Maurice repeated, helping Euphemia digest that piece of information.

“…I see.”

Beast Bloods were said to be the survivors of the indigenous species living on this planet before human colonists arrived.

Ancient records kept by the colonists described how the native people gradually declined and died off as a direct result of humans reproducing at a faster rate and the sheer difference in their technological prowess. However, the genetics they left behind while intermarrying with humans for centuries never disappeared from the gene pool. They survived deep within the people who colonized this planet and occasionally resurfaced. Beast Blood was the name given to children who shared those genes.

Beast Bloods looked similar to humans, but they tended to be taller, larger, stronger, and physically gifted. The greatest trait used to distinguish them from humans was their irises that glow in the dark.

Beast Bloods were the reoccurrence of a species thought lost to the cruel passage of time and colonization.

“My friend said there’s no record of his birth…” Euphemia said, thinking of Zelaide.

“Then both of his parents must have been Beast Bloods… Beast Bloods tend to despise reading and writing, so they rarely leave any records behind.”

Once Maurice mentioned it, Euphemia realized she had rarely seen Zelaide reading or typing anything. But that didn’t mean he was uneducated. She remembered him mentioning that he had overhauled his home security system. Not to mention he responded to her text messages without issue. He was clearly capable of using technology and reading, so did he just decide not to use it unless he deemed it necessary?

“They generally don’t show interest in things unnecessary for survival. They are only attached to life…and their mates.”

“Mauri,” Arelia purred the pet name she gave her husband, grabbed him by the chin, and passionately kissed him on the lips in front of Euphemia. Ronaldo, the man who prided himself on being a flirt, was completely upstaged by her.

Wow…

“Mngh…Arelia! I’m talking. Didn’t you bring us tea? Would you mind pouring us some?”

“Okay…” Arelia listened to her husband’s request and poured tea into each of the cups on the tray, spilling a little over the edges in the process. Then she reluctantly left the room per the look she received from Maurice.

“I can’t apologize enough. Arelia is a great woman, she just doesn’t know how to communicate with others. It doesn’t bother me in the slightest, but it seems to be a common trait in Beast Bloods.”

“I see…”

“By the way, how old do you think Arelia is?”

“Hm…somewhere around twenty-five or twenty-six?” Euphemia guessed.

“How about you?” Maurice asked Ronaldo.

“I’d guess around the same age.”

“In her mid-twenties, huh? She certainly looks around that age. But she is actually older than forty. She’s just a little older than me.”

“She is?!”

“No way!”

Euphemia thought back on the gorgeous woman who had just stalked out of the room. Her smooth, unwrinkled skin and taut body could have only belonged to a young woman. But Palmina had mentioned before that it was believed that Beast Bloods developed much slower than humans.

She was telling the truth?

“Ever since I met Arelia and became her mate, I’ve extended my research to include Beast Bloods. Are you curious about my findings?” Maurice asked.

“Absolutely! I would love to hear what you have learned.” Euphemia leaned forward in her chair.

“All right… Is your Beast Blood friend a man?”

“Yes.”

“Are you mates?” Maurice questioned.

“What? Mia, is that true—”

“No! Don’t jump to conclusions, Ronaldo,” Euphemia said over him. “…I really…don’t think we are. A part of me wishes it was true, but I am just someone he was hired to protect…that’s all I am to him—a contract. I don’t think he dislikes me though…” Her voice grew quieter the more she spoke.

“…I see. You have to understand that Beast Bloods are a pure species. I’m sure you have already read through all the available information on them in the databank, so I won’t repeat what you already know. What I have learned is that there are several curious traits about them beyond their unique physical characteristics. First, they age slowly once they reach adulthood. I assume this coincides with their longer lifespans, but the more curious aspect is that their minds develop even slower than their bodies.”

“I knew it!” Euphemia exclaimed.

“You noticed it too? There have been times when I am speaking with Arelia where I have wondered if her mind is still that of a teenager. I used to wonder if they were a little slower to develop intellectually, but as I have interacted with Beast Bloods trying to consciously be aware of that, my theory has turned to conviction that their minds develop slower than their bodies.”

Palmina’s theory had been on the mark. She guessed it right.

“Seventy years is the average lifespan for humans living on this planet. Arelia is nearing middle-age in human years, her physical body is that of a young adult woman, and she has lived most of those years with the brain of a teenage girl. Of course this is if we apply human years and development to a Beast Blood.”

“…Amazing…” Euphemia and Ronaldo said at the same time.

“Isn’t it? It’s no wonder they have a hard time getting by in human society when their looks and mentality don’t add up by our standards. It makes sense why there were so many crimes involving Beast Bloods in the past. After being persecuted, they gave up living alongside humans and had no choice but to live alone as ‘individuals.’ It’s ironic how that only further fueled mankind’s inability to understand them.”

“Good point.” Euphemia wished she had an IHT to take down notes.

“Beast Bloods ravenously cling to life. They constantly sharpen various senses in order to survive. Their amygdala, the part of the brain that reads and processes emotions and facial expressions, is especially well-developed.” Maurice tapped his finger against the side of his head. “Preliminary research shows that it might be more advanced than in the human brain.”

The amygdala is one of two almond-shaped clusters of nuclei located deep and medially within the temporal lobes of the brain. It has been shown to perform a primary role in the processing of memory, decision-making, and emotional responses. It reacts especially to negative emotions such as fear, anxiety, sadness, and aggression. This is why it is also called the brain’s fear center.

Euphemia and Ronaldo listened attentively to Maurice’s research findings.

“They unconsciously exclude humans who are hostile toward them from their life.”

Euphemia said nothing because she didn’t want to interrupt Maurice.

“Do you know about Infernum?” he asked.

“Yes. They view Beast Bloods as a scourge on society and are willing to commit any crime to hunt them down,” Euphemia answered.

“That’s correct. The scar on Arelia’s face was caused by their Huntsmen. Many more scars mar the rest of her body. I saved her when I found her collapsed and on the verge of death from a fatal wound.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that…”

“We haven’t been able to let down our guard even after we started living together. I retired from the academic world partially to protect Arelia. Though she’s the stronger one,” Maurice admitted with a sad smile. “I was once assaulted myself. I only survived because she came to my rescue.”

“You were assaulted, Dr. DeLay?” Euphemia asked, covering her mouth with her hand. “Why…?”

“I suppose there are some people who are not happy with my research into seedless Night Blooms and its practical application in the wider world. I thought I was a goner when some thugs from Vermis surrounded me. Arelia appeared just in the nick of time. She knocked four large, armed men flat on their backs in the blink of an eye… She might have killed them then and there if I hadn’t stopped her. Beast Bloods cling to life, but they are even more fixated on their mate’s survival, that sometimes I wonder if that fixation borders on obsession,” Maurice expounded, pushing his glasses up his nose.

“That is why I retired from the research institute,” he finished. “So that I could protect both my wife and myself… Well, plainly put, I ran away from it. I’m a coward, don’t you think?”

“No…you aren’t. Protecting your wellbeing comes first and foremost. But…it’s different for Beast Bloods, isn’t it? Their mate’s wellbeing matters more than their own,” Euphemia said. Zelaide had said something similar before. “I would like to think that humans are the same way, but actually acting on that is harder than just thinking it.”

“How does your friend interact with you?” Maurice asked, his voice quiet.

“…How?” Euphemia thought about her interactions with Zelaide. “I don’t think he hates me at least. But he is always drawing a line between us because he’s a Beast Blood. It almost seems like he’s afraid to cross that line…”

“I know this is an impolite question, but…has he touched you? Ah, please don’t feel pressured to answer if you don’t want to,” Maurice faltered, his eyes shifting to Ronaldo.

“I’m going to go check out the backyard,” Ronaldo said, rising from the chair.

Euphemia blushed when she realized the intent behind the question, but she sent a grateful look to Ronaldo and his rare show of consideration. Once he left the room, she faced Maurice again. Maurice silently watched her. She could tell he wasn’t asking out of curiosity, so she decided to answer him with honesty.

“You mean that sexually, correct? Then just once.”

“I see… I apologize for asking such an improper question of you.”

“It’s okay… He is very kind… But it seems like he is extremely concerned about having done that with me. He has been avoiding me ever since. He does dangerous work too.”

“…He greatly cares for you,” Maurice concluded.

“Really? What makes you think that?”

“Remember when I said the only thing Beast Bloods are more attached to than life is their mates? They don’t care for much else or even pay it the time of day. I can’t say if you are his mate or not, but he must view you as someone incredibly dear and irreplaceable. My years of research tell me that is a sure fact,” Maurice declared resolutely.