Lorenzo entered the laboratory accompanied by the young girl whose face was adorned with olive-toned skin, almost mulatto. Her name was Francesca Simoncelli, daughter of Corgi. Her eyes shone with a dark brown hue, gentle and kind. Her hair, also a deep brown, cascaded softly and fluently over her shoulders, igniting the air around her.
The young Blendbreed, with a slightly overweight build, carried a small hammer hooked to her belt. She wore a bright red sweatshirt with effortless confidence, its fiery glow contrasting vividly with her skin. The ripped jeans hugging her curves added to an informal look, yet one that carried a certain boldness.
They were both still shaken by the news of Tefine's mysterious son.
The girl had been there and had witnessed the event with her own eyes. She had met Ien's son at the entrance of the Ninth House, still trembling, yet she hadn't hesitated to step up. They had known each other for a long time, but that event seemed to have bonded them deeply in some way.
The blond stretched. "Finally!"
"Here we are. I've been trying to find a moment to work on the project since this morning."
Francesca rolled up the sleeves of her rust-colored sweatshirt and crossed her arms.
"Listen, is it okay if we finish making the bullets for now?" Lorenzo asked. "I have to go home afterward, so you can finish the project."
The girl set aside the blueprint of a chariot. She had been preparing it for the end-of-year tournament.
"Are you sure? No problem, I'd be happy to… you know… as a way to repay you."
"Repay me for what? I didn't do anything."
"For helping me. Without you, I don't know if I would have been able to tell Mr. D'Agostini everything…"
Lorenzo smiled. "Don't even mention it. Actually, thank you for helping me with the bullets."
Francesca lowered her gaze. "Oh, well, that's a pleasure… you know I enjoy it."
Lorenzo stepped closer and placed a hand on her shoulder. The daughter of Corgi flinched slightly before giving him a warm smile.
Just at that moment, Marina entered the laboratory casually, looking for her wristbands. Then she noticed the two and gave a small smirk.
"Hi!"
Lorenzo turned around, surprised. "Oh, Marina!"
"Hey!" Francesca greeted her with a wave.
"Am I interrupting? I can leave, no problem."
Ien's son stepped away from Francesca and smiled awkwardly. "No, no, don't worry, really. We came here to finish the bullet project. I told you about how we want to modernize the park, right?"
Marina looked slightly confused. "I don't think so… and honestly, I feel offended by that, ah!" she smiled.
"Well, dear stepsister, we're building firearms. For now, we're sticking to regular pistols, but we have bigger plans."
The blonde stood watching the boy, debating whether to ask him when he had gotten approval from Lyceum D'Agostini for that project. In the end, she chose to remain silent—she suspected he hadn't mentioned it at all during his visit to the Grand Manor.
Her thoughts slowly drifted toward Shirei and the mysterious son of Tefine. She was supposed to go see the divine Aena, but she had promised herself to gather some useful information first before wasting the goddess's time.
Lorenzo noticed her thoughtful expression and took the opportunity to distract her with his project sketches. "Since you're here, what do you think?"
"Not bad…" Marina shook her head, trying to push away her thoughts, and focused on the project. "Here, though, it would be better to give it more thickness, at least in my opinion."
She pointed to a spot on the large work sheet, and her brother nodded.
"Yeah, you're right, but that's just the outer shell."
"Ah!" Francesca's eyes lit up. "I should still have the notes to improve its efficiency and reduce the weight."
"You mean mine?"
"Yes, you left them when you came to visit me two da—" the daughter of Corgi froze.
Lorenzo's eyes widened instantly. "Right! When I came to… call you for that assignment from Lyceum, of course!"
In an instant, the entire section of the laboratory dedicated to the Seventh House fell into complete silence. Marina clearly felt the tension in the air and was on the verge of bursting into laughter, but she decided to hold back and pretend she hadn't heard a thing. She had known for a while that Lorenzo had a crush on the daughter of Corgi, but she had never imagined it was mutual.
"Interesting… have you ever thought about a magnetic charge?" the blonde replied, resting her right hand on her chin. "It's a big project, but it could be really useful."
Lorenzo finally remembered to breathe. "Hm, not really, so far we've only worked with gunpowder. So? Shall we get to work?"
With those words, he eagerly got up to grab his aluminum prototype. Before everything was set, he wanted to make sure he wasn't causing any unintended damage. A good project is one that always works perfectly, he constantly reminded himself.
"So basically, we're designing weapons to be tested on people from our own world. Fantastic…!" Marina remarked with a grimace.
Francesca laughed. "You didn't have to put it like that, considering they're supposed to be used only on monsters, but yeah, that's the gist of it."
── ⋆⋅❂⋅⋆ ──
While the Blendbreeds were having fun, Shirei passed the cafeteria, heading toward the laboratory. The boy walked slowly, scanning his surroundings to make sure Salix wasn't following him.
Once he was done with his meeting with the son of Corgi, he would head to the Twelfth Houseto look for him. He wanted to learn more about his past, and he wouldn't take no for an answer.
He stopped when he reached the fork in the path.
To the right stood a modest yet imposing building with a solid structure. Thin wisps of smoke rose from its chimneys, unmistakable signs of the relentless activity within. This had to be the favored place of the sons of Corgi, where flames danced to the rhythm of hammers, forging new weapons. The sturdy stone walls and robust roof protected the place where the heirs of the god of fire were free to shape molten metal.
To the left, in stark contrast to the forge's simplicity, stood a majestic building. Shirei immediately understood that this must be the laboratory commissioned by the divine Didreus, lord of science. The imposing structure, adorned with transparent glass panes, allowed the last light of the day to filter through its sections, illuminating the interior. Dalia had explained to him that it was divided into various sections, each dedicated to the respective houses of the gods.
Beneath it lay an underground level, inaccessible to common Blendbreeds, reserved exclusively for the offspring of Didreus. A secret laboratory where the inhabitants of the Sixteenth Houseexplored science away from prying eyes.
The violet-eyed boy walked toward the forge but, upon noticing Marina heading toward the building and getting distracted, decided to change direction and approached the entrance. The voices inside piqued his curiosity, so he entered the fourth door on the left—the only one that was open. Silently, he made his way toward the two Blendbreeds, who, strangely enough, neither noticed his presence nor saw his frame. Then, he joined the conversation.
"When will they be ready?" he asked, glancing at the blueprints.
Francesca and Marina jumped in unison, stepping back as they turned to look at him.
Ien's daughter clutched her chest, trying to calm herself. "Gods! You're everywhere! You almost gave me a heart attack!"
"That's how specters work."
"You're a specter?" Francesca asked curiously. "Seriously? That's so cool! I've never seen one before!"
"You think?" Marina shot a glare at the violet-eyed Blendbreed. "No, that's just the nickname I gave him."
Lorenzo returned, holding his prototype. "Everything okay!? I heard you scream," then he noticed Shirei. "Oh… are you here for Marina?"
The son of Cragar said nothing, merely adopting a confused expression.
"Evidently not. Anyway, it's important that you don't tell Lyceum about this—let alone the goddess Aena."
"We're not exactly on good terms," the boy replied.
"Makes sense. Speaking of which—well, this has nothing to do with that," the blonde shifted his attention to his friend. "Fra', did I show you the taser I added? I finally finished it."
The daughter of Corgi remained silent, too captivated by the mysterious violet eyes of the Blendbreed. She had never seen anyone like him before, and for some strange reason, his presence began to weigh on her. Suddenly, she was no longer Francesca Simoncelli, daughter of the god of fire, but simply a girl standing before someone who seemed terrifying. The aura he emanated was different from his face, which appeared kind and entirely devoid of ill intentions.
All at once, she wanted to understand where Marina had met such a Blendbreed. Her teeth clenched—truthfully, she just wanted to get away from him as soon as possible.
Francesca moved closer to Lorenzo and gave a nervous smile, shifting her gaze away from Shirei. "No, you absolutely have to show me!"
"Anyway, I have a request for when the bullets are ready," the son of Cragar finally clarified. "I want you to shoot me."
"If Lilia were here, she would've volunteered immediately," Marina commented, thinking he was joking.
"There's something I'm training on. I think this is the best way to see if it works."
"I'll try to finish them soon," Lorenzo replied.
Francesca's frightened gaze darted between the two of them before landing on Marina. Ien's daughter stepped in immediately, preventing the situation from spiraling further.
"Are you out of your mind?! You think we're actually going to shoot you? No way, not happening, forget it." She unconsciously stepped closer to him, nearly jabbing him in the chest. "What exactly are you training for?"
"A technique I have… a technique. You know about Spectral Travel…"
"Yes… what are you planning?" Ien's daughter narrowed her eyes.
"Am I the only one not understanding this conversation?" Francesca asked.
"No, me too," Lorenzo confirmed to Corgi's daughter.
Shirei decided to explain further, hoping it would convince her to agree. "If, instead of transporting my entire self to the Interworld, I let only a part of me slip through, I could pass through matter while still being in a spectral form—hypothetically speaking."
Marina couldn't contain herself and raised her voice. "What do you mean—what do you mean, only a part?!"
"Let's say… I'd temporarily let only part of my body slip into the Interworld, remaining physically in the same place but taking on an ethereal form for a few moments."
The blue-eyed Blendbreed continued to stare at Shirei. "And have you ever managed to do it?"
The son of Cragar looked away. "Like I said, it's something I'm training on."
"That's not an answer… you can't risk getting shot just to test an idea!"
"That's not for you to decide."
"Oh, really?!" Marina clenched her fists, on the verge of hitting him for his stupidity. "Then I'll be the one to shoot you, with pleasure!"
Shirei nodded in gratitude. "Thank you. Now, I'll leave you to your work—I have some matters to attend to."
"Sure! See you around!" the girl replied, eyes gleaming with mischief.
The son of Cragar gave a small wave and was engulfed by shadows. The Blendbreeds stood still for a few minutes; suddenly, the building seemed to have become eerily silent.
"Let me know as soon as you're done," Marina said, trying to suppress her anger.
You worry about someone, and they have the nerve to talk back… fine, Shirei.
The daughter of Ien left without even saying goodbye, too irritated by the violet-eyed boy's attitude.
Francesca watched her leave, struggling to hold back a laugh. "What just happened?"
"I have no idea," Lorenzo said, "but I hope it happens more often."
── ⋆⋅❂⋅⋆ ──
Shirei materialized in the forge of the sons of Corgi, scaring Chris half to death. The boy had been tinkering with pieces of some automata, but due to the sudden appearance, he dropped the machinery, breaking it.
"I'm back," the son of Cragar confirmed.
"No way, man! You can't just do that!" The Blendbreed caught his breath. "No Spectral Travel in here."
Shirei nodded. "Understood."
"Did you bring my lava?"
"Yes." The boy removed his dimensional ring, which transformed into a massive crate.
The object hit the ground with a loud thud, and Chris hurried over to inspect it. The son of Corgi was doing his best to stay calm, but all he wanted to do was jump for joy at that moment.
"Did you manage to do what I asked?" Shirei inquired.
"Well…" The boy glanced at the watch on his wrist. "Yeah, but you've got no more than ten minutes. I convinced their representative to fake a malfunction."
"Can I go now?"
"Hurry up, prince of the dead. I'll go let him know, but if you get caught, I'm not defending you."
Shirei didn't need to be told twice. He simply watched as Chris headed off toward the laboratories. He waited a few cautious minutes before following him outside. Once near the entrance, he crouched behind a tree until a group of Blendbreeds exited the main door. At the back of the group were Chris and a gray-haired Blendbreed wearing a lab coat. The boy—evidently the representative—helped his half-siblings move away, promising to return and fix the issue in the underground levels.
The son of Cragar didn't hesitate and quickly slipped inside the main corridor, where he was immediately enveloped in an artificial layer of smoke. Without slowing down, he kept moving until the gray mist finally dissipated. Only then did he notice an open hatch a few meters away.
Shirei descended the stairs into an underground laboratory. The walls, coated with dark metallic materials, reflected the light from various sources scattered throughout the space, creating a kaleidoscopic effect of reflections. Despite being underground, the atmosphere was anything but gloomy—the combination of colorful lights gave the room a vibrant energy. Luminous columns framed shelves filled with scientific instruments, test tubes, and specialized equipment.
The boy scanned the room until he found what he had been searching for—the very reason he had gone through all this trouble. Hidden away in a secluded corner was an almost secret chamber. A single dim light hung from the ceiling, casting a weak, flickering glow that created long shadows along the walls. The air was steeped in a palpable silence, broken only by the faint hum of machinery from the main hall.
Shirei approached it and immediately noticed how the temperature was significantly lower than in the rest of the laboratory, summoning a chilling, penetrating aura. It seems like they're trying to preserve something special, exactly what the son of Cragar had come looking for.
He grabbed the handle and turned it with a dull clunk. Here we go.
Stepping inside, he was met with a horrifying sight. The carcasses of fifteen harpies lay there, lifeless witnesses to a recent battle against an unknown enemy. Under normal circumstances, the bodies of monsters or mythical creatures would disintegrate after death, but Shirei had listened carefully to the whispers of the ghosts ever since he had arrived. A few well-placed questions had confirmed his theory and led him to try and break into this place.
The sons of Didreus, as heirs of the god of science, sought to study the remains of these creatures. To do so, they had built cryogenic structures capable of keeping the corpses intact for research purposes.
A thin, involuntary smile crossed the son of Cragar's lips, satisfied at having finally found what he was looking for. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and raised his right hand, attempting to manifest the power of his ring.
Cragar explained to me exactly how this works—the souls will go directly into the ring. Now I just have to try to summon as many as possible.
Violet flames flared to life before him, one for each fallen creature. A shimmering light spread through the room, engulfing everything in its glow, while tendrils of darkness began to swirl at his sides. A wave of ominous energy filled the chamber as the harpies' souls—those violet flames—separated from their bodies, shrouded in the creeping darkness.
I just have to focus, he repeated like a mantra.
I know what to do, and I know I can do it.
The shadows twisted violently, threatening to disrupt the technique and throw the laboratory into chaos. However, Shirei felt no real difficulty in the process. It was almost as if it wasn't even him performing it. As he completed the soul capture, Cragar's ring began to shine intensely, emitting a violet light that illuminated the entire floor.
It's working. How strange—I thought this would be much harder.
When he opened his eyes, the boy saw ten spectral figures before him—the harpies, now transformed into cursed creatures.
Only ten, he thought, disappointed.
This must be my current limit.
Slowly, the croaking harpies were drawn into the ring and vanished, leaving only the son of Cragar behind. With his objective achieved, Shirei headed toward the hatch, ready to climb back up.
That was beyond easy. Coming here to Lilies Park is already starting to pay off.
As soon as he emerged, he hid in the compartment assigned to the Thirteenth House, waiting until all the sons of Didreus had returned to their places.
Chris was waiting for him outside the laboratory, an impatient expression on his face. When he saw the son of Cragar, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
"Done?" he asked. "Everything okay?"
"I just needed to check something. I'll say it again—everything remained intact."
"That's more than a little unsettling, but it's none of my business."
Shirei walked past him, still keeping his right hand hidden in his jeans pocket. "If you ever need something from the Underworld again, you'll find me at the Thirteenth House. I'll be available."
"Next time, are you going to ask me to sneak you into the Lyceum office?" the son of Corgi shot back sarcastically.
"No, simple information will suffice."
"Then I might consider it," the Blendbreed concluded, extending his right hand. "It's been a pleasure."
Shirei gave a small nod and allowed himself to be consumed by the shadows. Chris took a step back, caught off guard by the son of Cragar's powers.
"What a guy… Oh well, at least I got what I wanted."
── ⋆⋅❂⋅⋆ ──
Marina, still lingering nearby, had been drawn in by the sudden issue at the Didreus laboratory and decided to approach to make sure nothing serious had happened. The daughter of Ien had then kept to the sidelines, watching as Shirei silently emerged from the laboratory and spoke with Chris. From her position, she couldn't make out what they were saying, but she suspected that everything had been orchestrated by the violet-eyed boy himself.
Shirei was swallowed by the shadows, and Marina could no longer follow him. However, her doubts about him only continued to grow.
Shirei, what are you really up to?
That question echoed in her mind for a few seconds.
I'll find out, that much is certain. Probably not today, though.
Once she had calmed down, she decided to head back to her home. The next day, she would gather more information about the violet-eyed Blendbreed, but first, she had to deliver a brief report to the Grand Manor.