"Let's meet later, Kairo. Nyx, have a good day."
The moment they left the car, Mirelle was already gone, soon to be surrounded by a series of card mage officers, some holding reports, some holding files, all talking to her at the same time.
"As busy as ever," Kairo smirked in her direction. His mother was not only a doctor in the card mage police, an inquisitor, but also captain of a department. In terms of charge, there was no one more overworked than her in this place. However, she had never showed any sign of complaint.
"Hurry, Kairo, otherwise you will be left in the dust," Nyx teased as she led the way. Moving with large strides forward, she almost ran. The eagerness of her first day back at work felt almost contagious.
Kairo could only shake his head and run after her. No matter how much time they spent together, he couldn't get bored of her. Her fear of being abandoned was a memory of the past now.
As the duo went through the door to the briefing room, the first thing they noticed was the two figures arguing over the presentation board. "I told you to iron your shirt. Danzan, what have you been doing all these past years?"
"My job as captain, of course. Now hand over that remote now." Danzan tried to grip the remote out of the woman's hands but to no avail. She would simply hide it behind her back and sideways, causing him to almost dance trying to catch them.
"Here are our sharp flowers. This way, Kairo and Nyx, get closer so we can start the briefing." Kaili clapped her hands happily as she urged them to join them. Unlike Danzan, Kaili's uniform was an example for all of them. Hair tied in ponytails behind, she slammed a series of files on the table.
Kairo and Nyx picked up the files, going through the briefing of the new mission. "I get it. This disappearing has been a real problem in the past months. Are there any clues as of now?" Kairo asked. He had seen a few of this in the media. Parents and family members complaining about the disappearing of a loved one. At first it had been nothing too big. Disappearance was not uncommon in their world. But the frequency had become alarming.
"Could it be the underground card mages that are returning? After Selis was arrested, they have been quite docile," Nyx asked, her earlier playful expression gone, replaced by her usual sharpness.
"If it was that simple, then we would have found out already. All we know is the underground card mages are moving again." Danzan stopped trying to grab the remote from Kaili and started seating, then pointed awkwardly at the screen. Kaili lifted an eyebrow as if waiting for something. "Please," Danzan almost bit his lips saying the words.
Then Kaili turned on the TV. Kairo and Nyx let out a restrained laughter.
"You two better stay focused," Danzan glared at them. Then started briefing them on the new objective. Among the images present, Kairo noticed that of Relion. Although it was a very dark image taken almost in a hurry, it was really him. Part of his face masked in the shadows with a smile that indicated that this was only the start.
"I will prepare everything for the two of you to be deployed as soon as we have more information. I have also started more recruiting for our department. This place feels too empty, and in this new team, both of you will be vice-captains." Kaili explained a few things as she went through files. Danzan's shoulders slumped back and he fell into his chair, crossing his leg over the table where Kaili was reading files. "Get your dirty foot out of my face," she glared at him. Now it was Danzan laughing.
Nyx nudged Kairo from the side. "Don't they look cute?" She laughed. Kairo's smile grew naturally. Of course, he had noticed the deep history that was between these two.
After the Island of Card Fossils, Kaili had been reinstated into the card police. In fact, she had always been part of it as Danzan's old partner. But after Danzan got tricked by the serpent monster on a mission, Kaili had disappeared and got infected with a card fossil. This was why Danzan was so careful of the serpent monster in the past; his mouth was nothing to be feared and Kairo had learned it at his own sake. Fortunately, the serpent monster was gone.
Danzan hadn't changed, but the investigation department was going to change, and fast, with Kaili's new addition.
While Kairo and Nyx were about to go through more rounds of inspection, a series of loud voices could be heard in the corridors. Attracting the attention of the four in the room. One after another, Kairo and Nyx moved out of the briefing room. Only Kaili and Danzan didn't move, almost as if they had a tacit agreement.
Kairo noticed the faint smile on Danzan's lips and couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking this time around. Had the wound on the island also touched his brain? It was hard to say. Unlike most of the other card mages, Danzan was the one who had healed the fastest after the island. Or to be more precise, he had nothing more interesting than to loiter around in the card mage police.
In the corridor, Ludovic was currently being held on the ground by Jeder and his little brother Jed. The stoic face of Jeder spoke volumes of his devotion to his task. Firmly orienting Gredenco on the ground. "What's the meaning of this? Why do you arrest me? I was told to return for new mission objectives."
"For conspiring against a member of the card mage police, Gredenco, your undercover op for the underground card master is over," Jeder said.
"There is no more card to flip over here, Kairo. You can return to your job. We don't need you," Jed waved nonchalantly at the duo as if he was the one doing the great deed.
"Hasn't changed in the least bit," Kairo slammed his face. On his side, he could see the cold in Nyx's eyes aimed at Gredenco. After the incident, she had told him everything that had happened in the fog that day. No one other than Jeder had been present, Gredenco had thought. However, he had underestimated the abilities of the Reaper to monitor the Island of Card Fossils.
Without that tight surveillance, no one would have simply believed Nyx and Jeder by word of mouth. Unlike when Kairo and Nyx had followed Jed where Leli had helped them, leaving traces in the headquarters of the card mage police, it wasn't hard to pinpoint it to them back then.
"What does it feel now, Ludovic, to have to shelve your deck against a woman?"
"You think they will trust you? We all know it's thanks to Kairo you have reached the height you did. What else would you have done without him? I carved my path alone and contributed immensely to the card mage police."
"Perhaps, but you're wrong on something important, Ludovic. It's against a four-star officer you committed such a crime. And the reapers have proof of your betrayal. You shall face the sanctification reserved for traitors." Fabian's voice carried no form of judgment, simply exhibition of the iron will of the card mages. Fabian waved nonchalantly at them, "Take them away."
Jeder nodded and pulled Gredenco up, leaving with his little brother. As he slid past Kairo and Nyx, Eder nodded at Kairo. A subtle but clear signal that Kairo had earned not only his respect but also his gratitude for Jed.
"It's not official yet, but you two are now four-star officers. And even more interesting, you are the very first vice-captains of the entire card mage police. To think Magnus would allow this new structure was a surprise for all of us," Fabian said.
"You didn't come personally just to announce that to us, right?" Kairo asked. With his mother as head of a department, it was clear he had access to some insider information long before it was known.
The observing card mages all had a hint of admiration in their eyes. Kairo and Nyx were not only barely older than themselves but had also the greatest achievements in the card mage police over the past months.
Kairo could see the pride in Nyx's posture, although she tried to stay stoic and neutral in front of all the new card mages. He could clearly feel it seep from her being. The recognition she had always longed for was finally here. And this time it had nothing to do with her being related to him.
"This place is an exposed card. Follow me. This way, please," Fabian waved at them, offering a path forward.
Kairo and Nyx fell into step behind Fabian, taking them to the headquarters of the card mage police. Deep within the main building was a room. On their way to the room, Kairo and Nyx encountered almost no card mages. But about three doors, Fabian had to open with his eyes and palm.
When the final door opened, Kairo could finally see him.