Kitty Killer Wasn't So Cold

Nana slowly took her laboratory ID from the inner pocket of her suit jacket. She was already used to dealing with this kind of inspection... Her profession and ID were real, and so was her residence. They could check whatever they wanted.

Seeing how cooperative the girl was, the Liberi who had been standing two steps away on guard with one hand on his combat knife and the other gripping a shield stepped forward to take Nana's ID.

"CASA investigation—Columbia Tobacco and Alcohol Arts Unit and Originium Products Administration. A large batch of Originium Prime was lost nearby at Loken Watertank, so we had no choice but to establish a checkpoint. I need to inspect your backpack now... Please understand, this is a legal procedure."

"Before you inspect it, please take a good look at my ID..."

"Sorry, ma'am. Even if the governor himself came today, he'd still have to submit to an inspection."

Though he said that, the Liberi in the CASA uniform obediently glanced at Nana's ID. The man immediately stopped his companion from reaching for the girl's backpack and even took a step back himself.

"Y-you... You're with the National Laboratory... which means, one of the Department of Defense research projects..."

"National Laboratory. The classified portions are omitted... My ID should state that I am legally permitted to carry light semi-automatic firearms. Also, my backpack contains Originium explosives intended as samples. Be careful during the inspection, and handle them gently... Why are you backing away?"

Though it had been an unconscious reaction, after the girl pointed it out, the officers deliberately backed away even farther... The CASA employee leading them stood there with Nana's ID, unable to advance or retreat. But when several others in plainclothes arrived, the Liberi finally let out a breath.

"...Stan... Take a look at this..."

"No need. This young lady is indeed a resident of the apartment building ahead. This isn't our first time meeting."

The beige-suited man she had met before took the ID from his subordinate and returned it to Nana with a smile. She caught it and was about to tuck it into the pocket against her chest, but he held on tightly. Their hands, both pinching the ID card, froze together.

Under the neon lights of the night market and the streetlamps, Nana was forced close enough to feel his breath. The corners of this man's mouth seemed to carry that mysterious smile at all times. The light stubble on his face did nothing to diminish his handsome features. His hair and temple feathers had been painstakingly slicked back with pomade, gleaming under the light, and his voice was deeply magnetic... If his gaze had not been as cold as Nana's, he would certainly have been very popular.

"We didn't introduce ourselves last time. I work for CASA. I used to be Andy's colleague."

"Hello. You've already seen my ID."

"Yes, of course... Here you go. As for dangerous items... Ah, an Originium containment case would be quite large. Your backpack probably couldn't hold one anyway. And since you are legally permitted to possess Originium products, we won't abuse the department's trust by making things difficult for you... Still, since you are Andy's neighbor, perhaps I can offer you a bit of advice?"

"Go ahead."

"CASA has identified several suspects. Andy is the primary suspect... Perhaps you don't know, but he is currently the only person in this neighborhood who suddenly became one of the Infected... Mm, we will probably arrest him and his family tomorrow."

As he spoke, the man in the beige suit watched the girl's every emotional reaction. His smile seemed painted onto his face.

"Mm, you seem... very calm?"

"All National Laboratory projects are related to Originium. I come into contact with that stuff often, so I don't have any strange aversion to people with Oripathy... But you, telling me this information specifically—what exactly do you want me to do?"

There was cold madness in the man's eyes, and the girl responded with mad indifference... Though there was a slight difference in their height, Nana's presence was not much weaker than that of the man called Stan.

Their standoff ended when Stan raised both hands and took a step back first, conceding defeat.

"Ah, I didn't mean to discriminate against Oripathy patients. I was merely reminding you that things might get rather lively next door tomorrow at noon..."

"Then you'd better keep it down. This is an old apartment building. The soundproofing probably isn't as good as in the newer districts."

"We'll be careful."

As she headed back toward her safehouse, her agent's indignant voice came through her earpiece.

[What do they mean, "he's the only one who became one of the Infected"? Wasn't it because that man had no power to change his fate as one of the Infected that he was forced to accept Loken Watertank's plan?!]

Public agencies always need a pretext for their actions... That crate of Originium Prime was one, and so is CASA...

[Clearly, Loken Williams's operation is exactly as we suspected. What are you going to do next?]

Activate the other safehouse, and unseal the backup identity. After today, "saleswoman Nana" will probably have to disappear from this land. Put up the ICA commission. Also, arrange a moving service for me... I'm taking the Bruce family out tonight.

[Understood!]

After discussing the division of labor with her agent, Nana tucked her phone back against her chest and raced up to the fifth floor.

When she saw corrupt cops keeping watch on the fifth floor as well, the girl had no choice but to put on an act and return to her own home first. But before she even had time to take her potted plant, Nana, backpack on her shoulders, sprang out through the balcony and slipped into the neighboring apartment in a flash.

"Cole? Are you there?! I need to talk to you about something—!"

Even with her voice lowered, Nana could not hide the anxiety in it. But after feeling around in the dark on the bed for quite a while, she still could not find Mrs. Cole... She could not find Kate either.

Instead, when the neighboring bedroom door opened, Matilda entered the master bedroom with the twins. The boys held a kitchen knife in one hand and raised baseball bats in the other.

"Big Sister Nana?"

"...You're not a bad person?"

The black-haired Feline had no time to explain why she was there.

"Where are Cole and Kate?"

"Mom and Sis went to see Dad... that man."

At the elder twin's words, Nana's heart skipped a beat, but she immediately pressed for more.

"See Andy... You know that he... No, this isn't the time for that. When did they leave?"

"Not long after lunch, I think... I remember Mom and Sis only took two bites of their food before leaving."

"Cole... They left you kids at home by yourselves?!"

Seeing Nana's incredulous expression, the twins puffed out their cheeks together.

"We're in our first year of high school. In three more years, we'll be college students..."

"We're adults!"

With no mood to deal with the twins' back-and-forth, the young assassin noticed something else... If Cole and Kate had been called away at noon, then Loken Watertank's malicious intentions were already obvious.

Andy's death had happened after six in the evening. Calling them away at noon could only mean it had been premeditated for a long time...

Though Nana wanted to say Cole was not the kind of person who would leave children home alone, Kate... Right. They probably had not known about Andy's death at the time... What summoned them was likely not a death notice, but a critical condition notice.

Cole was the kind of woman who would only look for work for her daughter right outside their home. There was no way they would leave three children unattended.

In that case, Kate had most likely insisted on coming along... After all, who could bear to deny a daughter a chance to see her father for the last time?... It was simply that Loken Watertank had never intended to let Kate return to take care of the children.

Only the three little ones remained in the Bruce family's home now. Meanwhile, the local police, prosecutors, and courts were all Loken Watertank's people. The surrounding roads were blocked off, and even the stairwell had their lookouts... No wonder Loken Williams had looked so certain of victory while "celebrating" in the laboratory.

But if that was the case... Why had ICA not noticed Cole and Kate leaving? Was it because she had placed the order to watch the other members of the Bruce family long after Loken Watertank's operation had already begun yesterday at noon?

"Nana... Did something happen?"

Matilda's words reminded the young assassin that this was not the time to think about such things.

"Yes, something happened... Your home may not be safe now. I need to take you away."

Hearing Nana's tone, the twins exchanged suspicious looks. Their weapons were still raised, and they kept Matilda behind them.

"Um, do you know?"

"What you just said sounded..."

"Like a kidnapper."

This time, even Matilda joined in on the jab. But just as Nana was preparing to forcibly take the three away, a muffled sound from downstairs made her furry cat ears prick up.

[Number Seventy-Seven, your earpiece picked up a lot of footsteps. At least five people... and they're carrying heavy equipment.]

"...Matilda, hide with your brothers first... I need to deal with those people outside."

As she spoke, she reached behind her waist. A silver pistol fitted with a suppressor appeared in her hand. Only after confirming once more that all three children were hiding in the master bedroom at the end of the hallway did Nana turn her attention to the door.

A series of heavy footsteps in an old apartment building was no small disturbance. Though it was already deep into the night, there were still bleary-eyed workers who wanted to open their doors and see what was happening.

Naturally, all those people whose dreams had been disturbed and who opened their doors to curse were shouted back inside by heavily armored special police carrying shields marked CASA, under the excuse of "police operations." During that time, Nana heard a familiar voice... The name "Stan" was not concealed in the slightest.

As the footsteps quickly reached the end of the corridor, Nana silently flicked the hammer safety with one hand behind her back. Her deadly Arts weapon could fire at any moment... Yet just as the footsteps stopped outside the door, Nana heard Stan, standing outside the Bruce family's apartment, suddenly speak.

"Ah... Right... Forget this place for now. Come here... Bruce's neighbor... Miss Nana, you must have just returned... Though there was no notice, I'm very sorry, Miss Saleswoman, but the enforcement action has been moved forward... Are you there? I imagine you probably aren't, because—"

You were right here!!

Like the heavy footsteps of something returned from hell, they came back to the Bruce family's door with crushing pressure. Then, without any warning, a barrage of gunfire slammed into the door.

How could an apartment door made of ordinary wood withstand a volley of shotgun Etch Rounds from heavy firearms? Amid the children's screams inside, the wooden door, riddled with holes, was blasted open with a boom!

"CASA enforcement! Hands up—"

Before the shield-bearing heavy trooper at the front could finish speaking, a bullet hole appeared in the half-open wooden bathroom door at the first corridor beyond the entrance.

Compared to CASA's assault, the assassin's attack was so quiet that it seemed almost nonexistent.

But attacks were objective, and bullets were material. The Arts-activated .45 rounds seemed guided by themselves. Sightless though they were, they avoided the helmet. The dead man's heavy armor became a burden instead, and the armor-piercing bullet wrapped in Blacklight smashed straight through his headset and accurately entered the special officer's brain.

The sudden collapse of the Forte man wearing over forty kilograms of protective gear created a massive obstacle for the assault team. Then the smoke grenade rolling out from the half-open bathroom door forced the CASA squad to abandon any attempt to carry away their companion and withdraw directly from the Bruce residence.

"Call headquarters! Someone's down! Someone's down!"

"I saw it, shut up! Don't we all know no one is coming to deal with this place—?! Shut up, all of you!!"

Following Stan's shouted reorganization, Nana began a standoff with the CASA personnel through the wall. For a moment, the sound of heavy firearm rounds being loaded one by one in the hallway was louder than everyone's breathing.

"Miss Nana, you truly have surprised me... Or rather, when I suddenly saw your commission on ICA's official site, I knew you had become our little 'surprise'... But it seems the real situation is even more surprising.

"Though we are both part of the public system, it is rather difficult to explain why a Finance Division saleswoman possesses combat capabilities greater than CASA's Operations Department... At first, we thought you merely knew how to plant explosives. That was why we specially had people wear heavy bomb-disposal armor... But it seems he still had to face an unexpected turn in life.

"But that doesn't matter. Williams distributed the shares a week ago. His family will receive the compensation they deserve.

"Of course, if you wish to redistribute it, that is no problem either... After all, judging by your value, whether you are a National Laboratory saleswoman or that assassin whose name and true appearance remain unknown... you are, like this suit of mine—sufficiently distinguished."

As he spoke, Stan loaded the heavy firearm in his hands with shotgun Etch Rounds capable of turning a person into a sieve. Once the smoke began to thin, he tilted his head toward the house, signaling to the subordinate across from the door who was also holding a rapid-fire heavy firearm.

"So, what do you think?"

The moment he finished speaking, the two staggered their positions, one above and one below, and emptied their magazines into the apartment—

The roar of firearms came with shouted orders of "GOGOGO!" The remaining two CASA guard operators entered one after another, wielding long blades and short swords glowing with Originium Arts. When the lead man rushed onto the master bedroom balcony, he deliberately stepped over a small yellow rubber duck—

"Bathroom clear!"

"Living room clear."

"Kitchen clear."

"Bedroom... clear!"

"No enemy found..."

"Balcony... There's a rope on the balcony!"

Hearing the reports of his subordinates' smooth progress, Stan's expression darkened.

Even while carrying out a dangerous mission, the man insisted on wearing a suit. He only wore light armor in the form of a soft vest beneath his shirt and jacket. With bloodshot eyes, he rushed furiously toward the balcony. He stared blankly for a second at the cable tied to the balcony railing with a simple rope knot, then immediately grabbed the railing and leaned out, trying desperately to look down.

But even with a Liberi's excellent night vision, he saw nothing.

Seeing the reward in his grasp vanish without a trace, the man became extraordinarily furious.

"The assassin got here fast as hell!"

Just as the man turned around to give orders, his vision suddenly went completely white. Several bodies were forced to hastily endure the blast, the thunderous boom, and the flames... It was as though the man's world had fallen into silence, and the Bruce family's entire balcony exploded apart.

However, the Originium Arts reinforcing his body and his soft ballistic vest saved Stan's life. Unlike his colleagues, he did not lose consciousness. Dazed, he grabbed the rope fluttering in the blast wind from the balcony's ornate iron railing... and ultimately survived...

That rope had actually been long enough to let someone descend to the first floor... As he stood on the ground, the man's head rang while he considered that utterly irrelevant question.

At this point, Mrs. Jackson, the apartment manager for the building, could no longer endure it. Wearing only her nightgown, the elderly woman climbed upstairs carrying an emergency lamp under the eyes of countless tenants. Facing the smoke, she angrily shouted.

"Why won't you leave that poor family alone?!"

After striking that pose for a while, the old woman surprisingly received no response... When she slowly stepped into the Bruce residence, the kind-hearted elder saw only a complete mess, with even the wall to the neighboring apartment blown through.

Whether it was the corpse-strewn Bruce home or Nana's apartment next door, there was not a single person in sight.

"Oh... My God..."

The old woman's exclamation blended with the sounds of police cars, fire engines, and ambulances.

But the old woman, who had never visited the room at the far end of the fifth floor, naturally could not see that a potted plant had somehow disappeared from the neighboring windowsill.

Rosemary's Embrace: 011 Taking a Step Forward

The wailing sirens tore through the night sky, and red and blue police lights illuminated the darkness... The Laytonson Police Department cordoned off the scene with a response speed surpassing even that of the wealthy districts. At that moment, the deputy chief of the police department was briefing the military forces that had been urgently deployed.

Ahead of the flashing police vehicles was a full column of sand-painted armored vehicles. At the rear of the convoy, a massive humanoid machine could be vaguely seen beneath a shoulder-draped dust cover.

Veterans atop the military vehicles supported the mounted weapons as they pointed at the damage to the building... As sand-uniformed soldiers descended from the trucks behind them and crossed the cordon, the hastily deployed National Guard began confronting the equally heavily armed CASA personnel.

The LTPD deputy chief, caught between both sides, shot one last glare at Stanfield, who was still being treated by the hospital's subordinate Arts users... The only surviving CASA agent from this incident was at the center of the confrontation.

"...Yes... No, it wasn't a wild beast. There's no need for tanks here, and no need for armored guards either... The explosion on the fifth floor may have been an accident, perhaps a gas stove or some other Originium product... Yes, the extent of the damage is still being investigated... No, you cannot take Stanfield away. He is investigating the case involving the stolen Originium Prime from Loken Watertank, and the higher-ups are pressing us hard..."

"...But are you sure he can investigate anything in his current condition?"

Unlike the deputy chief, who instinctively lowered his voice even when speaking, the Feline soldier with the rank of lieutenant spoke loudly. His eyes had never once settled on the evasive man in front of him.

"An explosion in the middle of the city can't be brushed aside with a single claim of accident. I don't know what your police system is doing with Loken Watertank, but explosive reactions appeared in a public area. This is no longer something the mayor can cover up."