Back then, Kaelith was only sixteen.
Just a small girl, sitting close between her parents.
They were singing together, laughing softly, celebrating her birthday.
Yes.
That night was Kaelith's birthday.
Outside, cold rain fell endlessly.
Inside, the warmth of three voices filled the house.
"Happy birthday to you—"
The song never finished.
Men from the Organization burst through the door without warning.
Tables were flipped. Food scattered across the floor.
Her parents were struck down hard, slammed against the ground, shackled right in front of her eyes.
Her father tried to fight back—but it was useless.
Her mother's forehead split open from the impact, blood running down her face.
Kaelith was pinned in place, arms restrained, screaming until her throat burned.
"DAD—MOM—WHAT DO YOU WANT?! LET THEM GO!"
From behind the assassins, a man wearing iron gloves stepped forward slowly.
His voice was calm. Too calm.
"If you want them alive…
then you'll do exactly as you're told."
Thunder exploded outside, tearing the night apart.
Two paths lay before Kaelith.
Fight back—and even if no one died, her family would be left as empty shells.
Or bow her head, become a puppet, and keep them alive.
Her teeth trembled as she forced the words out.
"I don't know anything…"
A gun barrel pressed against her mother's head.
"Bitch. We know you're gifted with machines.
Don't make me get rough."
"Kealith, you can't do this—!"
Her parents cried out together.
The soldier laughed.
"HAHA. Such touching love.
But you don't want your precious daughter dead, do you?"
Under pressure.
Under threat.
That was when the devil's contract began.
She was trained.
Implanted with a microscopic tracker.
Forced to infiltrate groups, teams, anyone—
feeding internal information so VOID could eliminate obstacles.
Every time she entered a new group,
she watched people who trusted her fall—
all because of signals she herself had sent.
Each time… something inside her died a little more.
Now—after meeting Noir—
she thought she could break free.
Thought she'd finally fight back.
But the past still held her by the throat.
And Noir was too fast.
Too sharp.
The Organization could never lay hands on her.
Kaelith, on the other hand…
was always the betraying link.
A shadow walking beside everyone—unseen.
She clenched the fabric of her clothes, head bowed, whispering into the dark:
"I'm sorry… Noir."
Fog clung low to the night.
Noir and Kaelith received their next mission, quietly leaving the bunker, heading toward the Organization's old signal station.
Silence ruled the path.
Only footsteps blending into the biting wind.
Noir was always quiet—but tonight, every step felt heavier.
Her body felt like it was sinking.
A strange sensation. One she had never felt before.
Kaelith walked beside her, stealing glances.
Her eyes were cold. Empty.
Like iron armor hiding something rotten underneath.
She quickened her pace, moving one step ahead—
pretending not to notice Noir.
At the edge of the signal station—
Noir suddenly staggered.
Her hand hit the freezing metal wall, breath coming fast.
"…Something's wrong…"
The dizziness struck like a blade.
She collapsed.
Her eyes flickered weakly… then slowly closed.
Kaelith froze.
She couldn't bring herself to look at Noir.
Her hand trembled—then…
She sent the signal.
From the darkness, Lysander stepped forward.
Cold eyes.
As if he had been waiting for this moment for a very long time.
He bent down and lifted Noir into his arms.
Gentle—yet twisted.
Familiar—yet dangerous.
In his grasp, Noir looked like a small black cat, fragile and unconscious.
"At last… I've brought you back,"
Lysander whispered.
Kaelith stood there, expression blank, eyes hollow.
Only inside her chest, waves of guilt crashed endlessly.
She knew she had sold Noir out.
But if she hadn't—
the Organization would have crushed everything.
Pain tore through her heart.
Yet her lips remained sealed, cold as ice.
Lysander carried Noir away from the forest.
Kaelith turned back toward VOID—her mission complete.
Noir's companions were still waiting for her return.
They just didn't know—
the days ahead would no longer be easy.
At the same time, in the underground bunker.
Specter paced back and forth, his face tense.
He tightened his grip on the gun, unease flooding in.
"How many hours has it been? Why haven't they come back yet?"
Orion frowned.
"That's not like Noir. She's never disappeared for this long."
Mrs. Ari sat in her office, her hands trembling slightly, eyes locked onto the signals on the screen.
A suffocating feeling slowly spread in her chest.
This isn't good… this time, it's really not good.
Specter noticed and asked,
"What's wrong? Mrs. Ari, what do you mean?"
"I have a bad feeling… Noir is in danger, and Kealith is nowhere to be found…" Ari replied, her voice shaking.
Dr. Aurel walked out from the dining area. He didn't fully understand what was happening, but seeing the serious expressions on Specter and Orion's faces, he could already guess something was wrong.
Mrs. Ari turned toward him, tears filling her eyes.
"Doctor… Noir…"