Rose rose from her bed, yawning sleepily. "So what?" she muttered, indifferent.
This girl… Nero thought, exasperated.
"I'll do whatever you want for one day," he said, trying to sound persuasive.
"Deal," Rose replied, her eyes glinting with a malicious curiosity.
He closed her bedroom door behind him and ran to the bathroom. The cheap shura he had drunk earlier churned violently in his stomach. He moved the toilet seat aside and emptied its contents into the bowl.
Afterward, he stumbled back to his room and collapsed on the bed, exhaustion washing over him.
---
Midnight School. Main Entrance. 7:32 a.m.
Nero's brother had asked him to investigate Tristine Pestrov. He hoped she would face retribution—after all, he despised her.
Rose walked through the worn wooden hallways, the air thick with stress and fatigue, her dark circles prominent under her eyes.
"Today's a good day to not exist, right, Rose?" a boy called Toward said, smirking as he fell in step beside her.
"Do you know Tristine Pestrov?" she asked sharply.
Toward's expression turned thoughtful, then mischievous. "If I tell you, I can see you naked," he teased.
Rose shoved him lightly in the stomach.
"Okay, okay… she's in Class 3, Section B. Not much is known about her, except she has five siblings," he said, finally relenting.
Toward checked his watch and frowned. "Damn, it's 7:45. Classes start in five minutes!"
Rose's mind raced—she had a math test today. She and Toward sprinted to their classroom, barely catching their seats in time.
As always, Rose's attention wasn't on studying. She chatted with Toward about trivial things, ignoring the looming test.
"Rose, there's a test today," a girl behind her reminded.
"Yes, math," Rose said, half-lidded with boredom.
Chiq, one of her friends, paled, realizing she hadn't prepared at all.
"I'm exhausted…" Chiq muttered.
Mr. Crim, their math teacher, entered, carrying fifty exams—more than enough for the twenty students in the class.
"Sir, I feel unwell. Can I—"
"No. This exam counts for fifty percent of your grade," Crim interrupted coldly, handing out papers one by one.
Rose grabbed a pencil from her worn backpack. To her, the questions were simple.
The first asked: What is the square root of negative one?
Obviously i… she thought, filling in the answer.
She completed the exam methodically, stood, and handed it in. Without hesitation, she dashed toward Section B, finding a spot in the hallway to wait for Tristine.
She watched, barely concealing a smirk. Nero would buy her candy and clothes once the mission was complete.
At last, after about fifteen minutes, Class 3 exited for recess.
Tristine, the girl Rose despised most, was heading toward the bathroom. Rose followed stealthily, pushing her against the wall as soon as she entered.
"What do you want?!" Tristine shouted, struggling, but Rose's grip held firm.
"Tell me everything about your life," Rose demanded, her tone sharp, almost terrifying.
Tristine hesitated, then stammered, "W-why do you want to know?"
"That's none of your business," Rose snapped.
"My parents abandoned us. I have five siblings. I work in the red-light district to support them… I live next to Brothel X," Tristine confessed, voice breaking.
Rose's eyes narrowed with hatred. "I hope you die."
She shoved Tristine to the floor with surprising strength, despite her own malnourished frame. Tristine lay on the ground in shock as Rose walked away.
The day passed as usual. Toward kept up his antics, Chiq remained oblivious, and the world moved on.
---
4:05 p.m.
Finally, the day's chaos ended.
Rose exhaled and slipped through the filthy streets, her mind focused on Nero's group. What were they up to now?
Kimla District. Axel's House. 3:58 p.m.
Rose awoke with a throbbing hangover. Kōri wasn't around. Every joint in her body ached as she forced herself out of bed.
Then she remembered—the spellbook. Now that she was a Sinner, she could use it, though fear held her back.
She left her room and entered the kitchen. Axel lay sprawled on the floor, Lux toyed with his Labrys axe, and Kōri sat casually, calm as ever.
"I'm never drinking Shura again," she muttered.
"It was the worst thing I've ever tasted!" Axel exclaimed. "Tasted like dirt and straw!"
A knock at the door.
Rose opened it to find herself face-to-face with a broad smile. "I did what you asked," she said.
Axel, Lux, and Kōri exchanged doubtful glances.
"This idiot asked me to investigate Tristine Pestrov," she explained. "She's an orphan, has five siblings, and lives in Chim, right next to Brothel X."
Axel stood, expression hardening. "Time to work."
Rose froze at the sight of Lux holding his axe.
They stepped outside.
"I'll activate it," Nero whispered, unseen by the others. He focused his aura on the monocle. Energy surged through him, thrilling and overwhelming at once.
He repeated the process with the knife, the electricity of the aura making his body tremble. The strain forced him to his knees. A crimson liquid spilled from his mouth, turning black almost instantly.
"Idiot, you've drained all your aura," Axel scolded gently. "Don't worry—you'll fully recover in ten minutes."
Axel helped Nero to his feet, guiding him forward as his body recovered. Lux appeared uneasy, and Axel noticed immediately. He draped an arm around the boy's shoulders.
"What, never been to a brothel?" Axel asked teasingly.
Lux looked away, embarrassed.
"Ha… look, Nero, this little guy's a virgin. Want me to help you?" Axel whispered with amusement.
"I'm a virgin, Axel," Nero replied irritably.
"And you, Kōri?" Axel asked, eyes wide.
"First, what business is it of yours? Second… yes, I'm a virgin," Kōri said coldly, elegantly composed.
Axel muttered under his breath, "Damn… I'm surrounded by virgins."
---
Bario Chim. Outskirts.
A black dust hung in the air, carried by the wind, thick and suffocating. The smell of death, pain, and despair clung to the lungs.
The wooden houses were little more than rubble. Only the red houses retained a semblance of structure.
"Fucking whore!"
Nero turned to see a man attacking a woman. He tried to avert his gaze. It wasn't his fight… yet.
The cries of pain and pleasure echoed faintly in the distance.
Each step on the filthy ground echoed with horrifying crunches beneath their boots.
Kōri gripped her sword tightly, eyes wide. Fear and determination mingled on her face.
They looked out of place—dressed in fine clothes amid the squalor.
"What we're going to do is investigate Tristine for three days," Axel said. "Then we kill her."
Rose thought bitterly, Wow, that's the plot of the story…
They entered Brothel X cautiously. Nearly twenty-five women, all between twenty and thirty, surrounded them.
Lux blushed as one stripped before him. Nero forced himself not to look, suppressing every primal instinct.
"Where's Tristine?" Axel demanded.
"She didn't show up for work today!" one girl shouted.
They left, searching the district.
Axel suddenly stopped. He had heard something they hadn't. He gestured for the group to hide in nearby rubble.
From their vantage point, Tristine's house was clear.
Tap… Tap… Tap…
A tall, muscular man appeared in front of the door.
Then Tristine emerged.
"So… you'll become a Sinner."