If you find yourself in Titia… you will see a true feast for the eyes… if you are a fan of airships, clocks, and a city that strongly resembles the 1920s, this is the right place for you. There are no cars like in some kingdoms—even the rich do not use cars, but carriages… but why would you need a car when you can board an airship, or when there are so many trains… the bridges for the trains are everywhere…
(Patch) (Patch)
Zantanel: "Hello… Sevasti… how is the work going…?"
(Bzzz)
Sevastie: "Madam Zantanel…"
Zantanel: "I am pleased… I heard you have finally agreed to join our House of the Cursed Children…"
Sevastie: "Hmm…"
(Bzzzz)
Sevasti Wolfski… a Stellaron… he has the head of a television, except it has a single large eye, and he dresses like a gentleman.
Zantanel: "After all, you are the leader of the circus… sorry… I mean the damned circus…"
Sevasti: "Hmph… Madam Zantanel… (bzzzz)… you must understand, I am more like a kind of mafia… we kill and eliminate people, steal money… at the same time, we have many people involved in Titia's politics… as you know… no matter how beautiful Titia seems… it has a problem… people are deeply connected to technology… that's why they wear those devices embedded in their heads… everyone has one… they are required to wear them… they come in three colors… green for peaceful people… orange for those with illnesses or disabilities… or also cursed individuals… red for criminals… of course… only if they are caught… and as I said… these devices are in the head…"
Zantanel: "Hmm…"
Sevasti: "Now watch what happens… if one manages to get into it… with my ability, I can hack the systems…"
He looked at one of the people present…
Sevastie: "Watch carefully…"
He stared at one of them… and became serious… at that moment… he entered the person's mind… the person was asleep… or rather unconscious…
Sevastie: "Now I just need an electric shock…"
(Bzzz!)
The head exploded.
(Splach)
Sevastie: "And dead…"
Zantanel: "Okay… interesting…"
Sevastie: "But my ability is not really just electricity…"
Zantanel: "Oh…"
Sevastie: "I may be a Stellaron… but… I was also cursed… and my ability is… actually very interesting…"
Several televisions appeared above him… from them, hands emerged… dark hands…
Sevastie: "Hehehehehe… we of the Cursed Circus… gladly ally ourselves with the House of the Cursed Children… Madam Zantanel…"
Zantanel: "Haha… hehehehe…"
(Meanwhile)
Violet: "(Yawn)… haaahhhh… time to relax…"
Kai: "(snoring)"
Violet: "Oh dear…"
(Meanwhile)
(Pump!) (Pump!)… (pump!)
Civilian: "…huh?… what is that?"
(pump!)… (pump!)… (pump!)
Civilian: "Huh?"
He approached… on the ground… a black liquid…
Civilian: "Ugh…"
It pulled him toward it…
Civilian: "Urkk…"
(Pump!)
(Splop!)
He came out… but… completely with a different form…
Civilian: "Urk… ghhhhh…"
He had the black liquid on his body… and slowly walked out…
Civilian woman: "Aaaaaaarghh… what is that!"
Civilian: "Aghhh… aaaaaaaaarghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!"
(Meanwhile)
(Knock, knock)
(Door opens)
Casper: "Hello… I am looking for a person… a woman named Fiona Philomela Househould… I… think she works for the Dark Umbrella…"
Chloe: "Oh… you mean Fiona… hehehe… you must be Casper… Fiona!!!"
She shouted loudly.
(Crash)
Fiona: "(Yawn)… goodness… why are you shouting… did someone pee in your coffee… hmm?… Casper?"
Casper: "Sorry for the disturbance, Fiona… but it's really urgent…"
Fiona: "Hmm… come in…"
Casper: "Thank you…"
He entered…
Casper: "So… it's like this… Remy is missing…"
Fiona: "I see…"
Casper: "Huh?…"
Fiona: "And?"
Casper: "…Fiona… don't you care…?"
Fiona: "Well… why should I care about someone who shot me…?"
Casper: "Listen… I know you're angry, and that's understandable… that's why I yelled at him… and well… he got angry… he just wanted to protect you…"
Fiona: "Hahhh… fine… what do you want me to do, Casper… I work with the Dark Umbrella… we barely have any rest time… and you come exactly when I finally have some free time… am I not allowed to rest?… I'm human too… I get tired… so… tell me what's going on…"
Casper: "Well… like I said… he told me he shot you… so you wouldn't fight Lupin… then I yelled at him… and he left… and never came back… it's been 3 weeks…"
Fiona: "Hmm… 3 weeks and you only come now?"
Casper: "I thought he would come back… he often does that…"
Fiona: "Haaahhhhh… listen, Casper… you know Remy… he's always like that… he's probably just with some woman right now… hmph…"
Casper: "But… he left me a message…"
Fiona: "Huh?"
Casper: "Should I read it… or do you want to?"
Fiona: "Do I look like someone who wants to be read to like in school? Give it here…"
She took it…
Casper: "Hmm…"
Fiona: "Dear Casper… I can honestly understand your anger toward me… even if I think I didn't deserve to be yelled at so often within two days… anyway… I… ugh… I met a woman named Zantanel… and joined her… organization… House of the Cursed Children…"
Casper: "You see… that's why I'm worried…"
Fiona: "That idiot!…"
She handed him the letter.
Casper: "Ugh…"
Fiona: "He is now our enemy… does he realize that?!… no… you know what… that makes it easier… I'm allowed to kill him now… and I will… he is an enemy of the Dark Umbrella, so my enemy… I work for them…"
Casper: "Wait… wait Fiona… what if he was tricked…?"
Fiona: "Tricked?… I don't care… Casper… that's not my problem… why should I make an exception for him?… because I know him?… listen… I killed my aunt who tried to kill me… she raised me… like a mother… but when she attacked me… I killed her… simple as that… well… it wasn't me, it was Mona… but that's because I was lying on the ground… take the letter… and go, Casper… Remy is lost… I will find him… but I won't bring him back alive…"
Casper: "Fiona… please… why…?"
Fiona: "Because he works with Zantanel… do you know who that is?… the daughter of death… the woman who wants to kill everyone who is not cursed, not a mage, and not a Stellaron… she wants to kill innocent people… and he joined her group… House of the Cursed Children… that's it…"
She took off her jacket…
Casper: "Ugh…"
Fiona: "Take this jacket with you… it's his gift… but I don't want it anymore…"
Casper: "Fiona…"
Sophie: "That's enough, Fiona…"
Fiona: "Huh?"
Sophie arrived.
Sophie: "Don't you see you're taking your anger out on the wrong person… he's just a friend who's worried… don't yell at him like that…"
Fiona: "Ugh… s-sorry…"
Casper: "…hmm…"
Fiona: "Sorry, Casper… it's not your fault…"
Casper: "…it's okay…"
Fiona: "There's nothing else in the letter… nothing about where he's going…?"
Casper: "No…"
Fiona: "Hmm…"
Sophie: "Anyway… Fiona… this is dangerous… he knows you… either we make him change his decision and stop serving the House of the Cursed Children… or… we have to kill him…"
Fiona: "Kill him…?"
Sophie: "You just said it yourself… he is our enemy…"
Fiona: "But… hmm… I only said that out of anger… he… was only angry because of me…"
Sophie: "He shot you… it was his fault…"
Casper: "I agree with Sophie, Fiona… you are not to blame…"
Sophie: "So Fiona… we have to be serious… if necessary, we kill him… if you don't… I will… an umbrella protects from rain… but only the one who holds it… you know that quote, right?"
Fiona: "Yes… an umbrella… is only there to protect one or two from the rain…"
Sophie: "Or the last one… an umbrella… also protects from blood… when it flows… but only the one who holds it…"
Fiona: "Okay… do you want to keep talking about that now?… Casper… do you have any idea where he could be?"
Casper: "No…"
Fiona: "Hmm… damn… is he in Eagerbrunn?"
Sophie: "I doubt it… he doesn't know you're back in Prussia… that means he would never return there… because he probably thinks you're still there… because of the wound…"
Fiona: "Hmm… then where…"
Casper: "Hmm…"
(Patch!) (Patch)
Meliodas: "Hmm?… we have a visitor?"
Casper: "Oh… sorry… uh… I'm Casper van de Hag…"
Meliodas: "Oh… I see… Fiona, Sophie… we have learned something important…"
He briefly went back into his office, then returned.
Meliodas: "Well… there is something… someone was spotted who closely matches the description of Zantanel… you should take a look."
He handed them the photos.
Sophie: "Hmm… she looks… too young… doesn't she?"
Fiona: "Ugh… wait…"
Black hair… a brown hat, not black… long black hair and yellow eyes… long pants and a white suit… the outfit is different… but it can only be her… the daughter of death… Zantanel…
Sophie: "Hmm?"
Fiona: "That's her… Zantanel… Kafka…"
Sophie: "What… she looks… young…"
Fiona: "Mhm… I know… but she still looks… strange here… as if… she's relaxed… like on vacation…"
Meliodas: "Mhm… and look who is next to her… there was a boy…"
Fiona: "Huh… ugh… Remy!!!!"
Casper: "What!"
Fiona: "That… idiot…"
Casper: "Where was it taken!?"
Meliodas: "In Titia…"
Casper: "Ugh… I'm going to Titia…"
Sophie: "No… you have nothing to do with this…"
Casper: "Oh yes… it's my friend…"
Fiona: "Hey you two… Sophie, he won't go with us as a Dark Umbrella member…"
Sophie: "But he must not interfere… you take the train with us… but we haven't seen each other… and you don't sit near us… understood…"
Casper: "Okay… if that's how it is…"
Fiona: "Hahh… that means no vacation for me… great… thanks, Remy…"
Casper: "I'm sorry, Fiona… really…"
Fiona: "It's fine… my vacation still exists… we leave tomorrow…"
Casper: "Why tomorrow?"
Fiona: "I'm tired, Casper… okay… tired!…"
Casper: "Ugh… I understand… sorry…"
Fiona: "Sophie, wake me up… I've been taking care of Cossette's fever the whole time… she should have woken up much earlier… and Melina stays with her all the time… and now she's so exhausted that she's been sleeping for 8 hours…"
Casper: "What's wrong with Cossette…?"
Fiona: "I don't know… we thought it was a normal illness… but apparently… it's not… maybe something with her curse… I have no idea…"
She went upstairs…
Fiona: "Hahh… if someone wants to wake me up… for something important… just knock, don't come in… Sophie… tell Chloe that if she tries to wake me again…"
Sophie: "Okay…"
She went upstairs and closed the door…
Sophie: "Hahh… sorry about earlier… it's just… too much at once… first the death of Hoodi… a comrade… then a legend, Claire Petterson… and now the thing with Cossette… she just won't wake up… and that worries everyone… Fiona worries the most…"
Casper: "I understand… okay…"
Sophie: "Alright… I apologize, I need to prepare things for the trip… bags, clothes… and food… hah… for some reason…"
Casper: "Wait… you take care of all of that?"
Sophie: "Yes… have you seen how chaotic Fiona is when it comes to traveling… she always forgets her toothbrush… and if there's no sweets… she sulks like a child… she may seem serious… but she's clumsier than you think…"
Casper: "Oh… okay… then I'll go…"
Sophie: "Good… come tomorrow… at 9 in the evening…"
Casper: "Okay…"
Sophie: "Alright… then I'll go…"
Casper: "Mhm… thank you for the help…"
He left the room…
Sophie: "Hahh…"
She went into Cossette's room…
(beep)… (beep)
Cossette: "Hahhhh… hhhhh… hhhhh…"
Sophie: "Cossette… please wake up… Fiona… cries every day… because she's worried…"
(Meanwhile)
(Klacks!)
Fiona: "Ghhh… I can't sleep…"
She stood up.
Fiona: "Hahhhh… huh?"
She saw blood on the floor and touched her own nose.
Fiona: "Great… this is what happens when you can't sleep for 5 days straight…"
Bird: "(Chirp)"
(A few hours later)
Meliodas: "Hahh…"
(Ringing!)
Meliodas: "Yes, hello?"
Dark Umbrella member: "Master Meliodas… something has been spotted in Titia…"
Meliodas: "In Titia…"
Dark Umbrella member: "Did you check the photo?"
Meliodas: "Yes… it's Zantanel… Fiona saw it, and since she saw Zantanel in Weimar… and I have also seen her… we are certain it is her… but that is not why you are calling…"
Dark Umbrella member: "Yes… exactly… in Titia… something has appeared… people… who have transformed into… Nemesis…"
Meliodas: "What!?…"
Dark Umbrella member: "We have sent the Seekers… they are investigating the situation…"
The Seekers… there are different groups in the Dark Umbrella… there are the regular employees… who handle computers, technology, guards, or soldiers… then there are the Seekers… they investigate situations across kingdoms and cities if something important happens… the detectives… the normal ones are called foxes… while the more skilled and experienced ones are called crows… then there are the Contract Killers… former criminals who are cursed… these people are sent on dangerous missions… and since they were criminals anyway… it does not matter to the Dark Umbrella if they die… however… there are powerful ones called the Black Clover… among them is Lucy de Carlotta… known for robbery and the killing of more than 50 officers…
(Patch!) (Patch!)
Lucy: "(Phew)… what is it?"
Dark Umbrella member: "The Seekers are going to Titia… you must go there to protect them… it is too dangerous… and since you are a criminal… it does not matter if you get injured…"
Lucy: "Hahahahaha…"
She stood up.
Lucy: "I… Captain Lucy de Carlotta… my blood is more worthy than the blood of ordinary people… I am the queen… well… captain sounds cooler… but I am more beautiful than any princess… any queen… one might think I am a fairy!"
Dark Umbrella member: "Enough with the theater… and get ready already… how bold of you to talk like that… you have killed 60 officers and several innocent people…"
Lucy: "Hahh… there are no innocent people… and besides, I only killed officers… officers are never innocent… hehehe…"
Dark Umbrella member: "Before we send the crows… you must assess the situation…"
Lucy: "Which crows are there?"
Dark Umbrella member: "Sophie Valeria and Fiona Philomela Househould…"
Lucy: "Hehehehehe… I see…"
She wore a brown t-shirt and a black jacket… her midriff exposed… with long gray hair and light blue eyes…
Lucy: "Well then… I'll be on my way… you now have the honor of being accompanied by me… I wouldn't be surprised if the monsters surrender to my beauty…"
Dark Umbrella member: "(Sweating)… now go… ghh… you sweat so much…"
Lucy: "Huh?… this sweat is more valuable than your entire generation, asshole… watch how you speak to me…"
She walked through the door.
Lucy: "Both I and you know… I could escape from here without any problem… and snap your neck… these chains do not hold me…"