After a week had passed, Lyra was sitting in her study room, going through details about the academy while also enjoying some nice hot tea.
'Well, this is quite interesting news. So various accidents have occurred in this academy, and then suddenly the students just disappear. Talk about discretion, if you're gonna send a message, then do it properly.'
Ding*
A message was received in her wristband, and her face formed a small frown, but then she quickly deleted the message and left the room.
"I'm going out to meet some friends," She said it at no one in particular, and the servants understood that she was implying that if anyone was looking for her, they should tell them that.
…..
A car was seen stopping outside a small, ordinary, modern home with a perfectly brick-built fence that stretched a couple of meters or so. At the front of the gate, there was a panel that had an automated voice stating
*Please state your identification*
"It's me, I'm here to see my friend Veronica. I know I'm late."
As soon as she said that, the doors opened and the can got inside while Veronica stepped in. Inside the furniture where covered with plastic covers, and at the end of the house seemed empty, like it had been abandoned a long time ago, waiting for a new owner. Lyra walked through the collider and found the entrance to the basement. As she got in, she walked towards a wall at the end of the basement and placed her hand on an incospicious brick different from the rest of the wall. A small blue light lit up on the brick, and the walls parted ways, revealing a small elevator. Taking that elevator down and she was able to see a huge underground cave with various small infrastructures. This was one of the many branches of the black market, and in here, everything can be sold and bought, even people.
As she walked through the small streets and found the building she was looking for, inside, there was a small wrinkled old man who seemed to be blind, and with a dog lying by his side
"Is she here ?" Lyra asked with a cold tone, looking down at the old man. In this place, she knew showing weakness, even a little, would cost dearly.
"She is waiting for you." The old man answered as if not interested even in acknowledging their presence.
As she got in, she saw her friend Veronica sitting on a chair, slouched back with her feet on the table and her eyes staring at the ceiling as if lost in a trance, while Lyra just stayed there looking at her
"You didn't have to come here, you know," Veronica said so while still looking at the ceiling, not even sparing her a glance.
"You're right, but lately my movements are been watched, and I do not like half-hearted information. Besides, I wanted to see my best friend," Lyra said with a small sentimental smile on her face.
"Well, miss best friend, the latest job was quite interesting." As Veronica said so she threw a file to Lyra, and she began opening it and continued
"This Eric guy is quite something, abandoned at the age of 10 with his younger sister, proceeded to stay at the orphanage together until he reached 18, and at the age of 20, he came back to take her sister, then poof, they were gone as if disappeared, until you met him, of course." As she said that, she started stretching as if to see how far back the chair would slouch before falling.
Lyra didn't seem surprised by this, as she already had a hunch about something like this. She already memorized all the first years she's enrolled with and took extra note of the rest of the influential and suspicious people in the academy, but this guy appeared at the last second as if someone just threw him in there.
"So the question would be, why would this guy be interested in you? Is it maybe because you're the mayor's daughter?" Veronica said as she tried to look at Lyra's eyes as if to see any hint of emotion.
"No, this guy was also making small talk with other people, too. I checked the footage, and it would seem like slowly but surely he is trying to get to the good side of some people." As Lyra finished reading the file, she threw it back at the table
"By the way, congratulations on achieving rank D, which is weird that you would announce yourself like that."
"It was an unexpected outcome. We might have to change plans for now. By the way, would you send me everything about Garran Vale?"
"The S-rank, why would you want to step into that dangerous territory?"
"In this age, people value more the destructiveness than the practicality of our abilities. Am pretty sure this man was able to discern what I'm truly capable of, and also, I would like to get him to my side if possible."
"Alright, but you know it's gonna cost ya," Veronica said as she removed her feet from the table and looked at Lyra like a money-hungry shark."
"Wow, I thought we were best friends, and you're charging me again. Also, which academy are you gonna attend?"
"First off, screw you, and second, I haven't decided yet, but I want some washed-up academy, you know, just to lay low for a while."
"Alright, Good luck with that," As she said that, Lyra decided to leave to begin finalizing everything before attending the academy tomorrow.
As she left the black market and got in her car, she started to reminisce about how she first met Veronica.
...
7 YEARS AGO
A 13-year-old Lyra was approached by her father and was taken to the park, where she saw her father talking to a strange man. There was a girl behind that man who seemed the same age as her was and the girl approached her.
"Hi, my name is Veronica, do you wanna be friends?"
As Lyra looked at the hand of this girl, she did not know how to react or what to do, but she placed her hand on hers out of curiosity, and the girl dragged her towards the playground, where they started playing together. Despite enjoying herself during that moment, the moment her father picked her up from the playground, he told her something that she carried deep within her.
"You don't make friends, Lyra, only partners. Friends would not bring you any benefit, and you have no benefit to give to them, do you understand ?"
"Yes, Father."
...
PRESENT
As she reached home, a servant told her that her father had summoned her and that she was expected to be at his office the moment she got home.
'Wonder what got into him, is he going to say goodbye or something'
As she walked towards the office, and upon opening the door, his father wasn't there.
'Must have gone out for a few seconds'
Wondering around the office, she wanted to sit down for a few minutes but decided to sit in his office chair to get the feel of how he must have felt.
'Feels nice, I guess, but I feel like there could be more to be gained.'
As she thought of that, the door suddenly opened, and it was her father. Seeing her sitting on his chair, he was quite shocked, but most shockingly was her eyes didn't have the slightest concern or fear; it almost looked like she felt completely at home.
"It suits you sitting on that chair," As he said that, he walked towards the desk and leaned on the table next to her daughter.
"It should suit me, I am your daughter after all," Lyra answered without even looking at her father.
"Do you know what must be done when you're at the academy?"
"Graduate with a good rank and become the best hunter in the whole galaxy," Lyra said with the cheer of a little girl while looking enthusiastic at her father.
"….."
"….."
"Amass as much power as you can, do whatever you gotta do, I trust that you do not disappoint," Magnus said so with a cold, stern voice.
"Yes, I understand," as Lyra said, so she got off the seat and as she was heading towards the door.
"Lyra, do whatever it takes; you will be on your own from now on."
'Like I ever had anyone to begin with.' As she thought so, she left without ever sparing her father a single glance.