Laetitia hastily swept the needle from the desk and stored it to one of the drawers below.
She then tidied the crease of her blouse before walking towards the door.
The wooden pane slowly swung open from within, and Laetitia, with her chestnut hair, stood before the door frame.
Outside of the room was her grandfather, standing at a slight angle suggesting the degradation of his age.
He wore an indoor coat, coupled with a cane to his right hand and a small scarf wrapped around his neck.
"What is it grandpa?" She asked with a hesitant tone.
The old man furrowed his brows in frustration as raise his cane. "You!"
Bang!
With loud bash on the floor, the old man slammed his cane down with force. "Your carelessness had almost killed Mr. Deimsfel!"
"I-I sorry..." Laetitia's expression turned sullen as she replied.
"Sorry? Sorry!? Is that all!?"
The old man entered the room.
As his grim eyes focused on Laetitia, he gradually close his distance from her. "Do you resent me!?"
"I raised you Laetitia! I took care of you when even your own father didn't!
And now my kindness is being exchanged with resent?"
Laetitia subconsciously took a step back as her grandfather slowly close the gap between them.
One step, two, three...
"I-I'm sorry... I didn't mean—"
Ahh!
Her unmaintained stance broke from her constant backing.
Thud!
Laetitia fell onto the cold surface of the wooden board. Her hands barely supported her fall.
Then, the old man grabbed Laetitia by the arm and raised her forcefully from the floor. "Come with me!"
Laetitia was dragged out of the room and across a corridor. Hair whipping and body staggering from imbalance, her legs couldn't withstand it as she kept trembling from each step.
The old man glared at Laetitia. "Keep yourself in place! Damn brat!"
Soon, they entered a dim lighted room. Candles filled an altar ladened with crimson liquid that is placed on the center end.
Suspended on the altar's head was an idol. The small figure is made of coalesced flesh that forms what seems to be a miniature woman with long hair made of flesh.
The woman figurine is adorned with red robe that extends and connects to the altar's edge. It seems to symbolize a mother's grace that holds back to the physical world.
After arriving, Laetitia was thrown onto the cold floor. The old man kept his resentful sprite as his hand clenched the handle of his cane.
"And because of you. Our The Child of God couldn't reborn!"
Then, the old man raised both of his hands as he continued. "Oh Mother! Great Moon! Forgive her!
Forgive me for I seek redemption from your embrace!"
The old man casted his eyes at the altar. Suddenly, his hand withdrew and revealed a strange pulsing root from the compartment of his vest.
The root then integrated into his skin, as if his flesh consuming the root. His expression turned pale and grimaced.
The next second, he began to chant solemnly:
"The one and only Crimson Moon;
The Symbol of Life and Beauty; Mother of all spiritual forces!"
Within the room, the air suddenly came into a pause. The atmosphere turned heavier and darkness become indistinct from the burning candlight of the altar.
An indescribable fear gripped Laetitia by the heart as she watch her grandfather convulsed in front of her.
Suddenly, as if she's being compelled. Her gaze began to shift towards the blackened altar.
Upon seeing the altar. The scene made her froze.
Before her, the ominous figurine molded and transformed into a pulsing pile of organs.
Laetitia couldn't speak, she refuse to. Her thoughts paralyzed by the blooming horror being etched deep into her heart.
This wasn't first time she watched her grandfather prayed to the organization's goddess.
In their belief, the Great Moon is the origin of all things. In Her embrace, they'll be able to seek salvation and true rest.
Soon, her grandfather regained his body's structure.
Laetitia heaved a heavy breath frantically as she slowly stabilize her emotions.
After the prayer, the old man turned to Laetitia, and commanded in a stern voice. "Your turn...
Pray to the Great Mother!"
The fear that have engraved within her from all the years of watching resurfaced.
Laetitia's hand began to be covered in cold sweat as her eyes exhibits bitter luster.
With great hesitance, she turned to her grandfather and replied. "Of course grandpa..."
Laetitia have done this multiple times throughout her life. Needless to say, she could feel a cold, expressionless aspect creeping into her each time she had done so.
She was able to mitigate the effects before through the excuse of not ready enough for the usage of the root and intentional misinterpretation of the honorifics.
Her grandfather dismissed it often. But now, the situation doesn't seem to be the case.
In order to mitigate the prayer's effects to the best of her capabilities. Laetitia turned to her grandfather and asked. "Grandpa... Could I use the root instead?"
The old man's eyes reveals cold indifference. But inside, the request made him wary if his granddaughter is trying to achieve something.
Nonetheless, he reached for the compartment of his vest and took out a piece of root.
The root exhibits a wilted skin, revealing a flesh of what seems like blood and organs.
He handed it to Laetitia and said. "Seek forgiveness and we'll return to Her embrace."
Laetitia nodded before she took the strange root and assumed a solemn poise towards the altar.
Her face became deathly pale, yet she couldn't disobey her grandfather, not now.
She swallowed a bit of her saliva and said in a low voice. "Oh Great—"
Just as she was about to pray. She suddenly, she recalled a rumor made by one of the faction's member, Mr. Felric.
He said he have dreamed of their goddess in a long, white corset gown, being obscured by a pure, white divine light.
He depicted it as a revelation. A testament that She had been reborn and returned.
The goddess she was about to pray to didn't seem to have any connections with The Child of God.
And the members who have easily believed him didn't managed to establish a bridge between themselves and the goddess that had been reborn through multiple attempts of rituals and prayers. Failing to get any response.
It wouldn't make a difference if she attempts it herself. Right?
With this realization, she clasped her hands, holding the strange root and muttered in a low, almost inaudible voice. "Oh great Child of God."
Afterwards, before her grandfather could notice, she shifted her tone and raised her voice piously. "Forgive me... Please, redeem us once more!"
...
In 16 Daffodil Street. Inside of a terrace house.
Selina, having finished washing her clothes and tidying her bed, suddenly heard a low and ringing voice from the back of her ear.
At that moment, her pupils suddenly constricted.
Alerted, she quickly turned her head to her back and withdrew her hand to her revolver.
But to her surprise, she saw nothing. The corridor shows only the painted walls and its classy furnishings.
"What was that?" She said, confused of the sudden noise.
Moments later, failing to see anything out of the ordinary. She sighed in a self-deprecating manner and muttered to herself. "I can't even take care of myself anymore and now I'm hearing things..."
Selina brooded over her irresponsible actions after the Milo incident. She then dismissed the strange sounds to the back of her mind and turned the door of the bedroom open and entered.
...
Failing to acquire any response. Laetitia felt a resounding relief.
But still, she decided to keep her act of praying to their goddess. In an effort to persuade her grandfather that she's being zealous.
The root didn't integrated into her skin. Having failed to receive any results from the prayer, the root wilted in her hand and faded into multiple dust that was swept by the wind.
Afterwards, she propped herself from wooden floor, turned to her grandfather and said. "The Great Moon responded... She tacitly gave her forgiveness in the wilting of the root."
Laetitia kept her still poise. She wasn't certain that her act would convince her grandfather and spare her of redoing the attempt.
After a few moments, the old man nodded, confirming that the prayer worked.
Then, he turned to the door.
As he was about to leave. With his back facing Laetitia, he emphasized. "Keep praying to our Great Mother, I believe what you've said wasn't the case."
Laetitia didn't exhibit any fearful expression.
The attempt she made didn't gave any response, and she could do this each time she was forced to pray to the Great Moon.
The only thing she would have to be wary of is being discovered praying to the wrong goddess.
With a restrained relief. She said solemnly. "Yes grandpa."
The old man finally exited the room and left Laetitia in the dim lighting of the altar.
"..."
Laetitia watched as her grandfather closed the door from the outside.
...
Seated at the edge of her bed. After taking a shower, Selina had been considering matters concerning the secret organization, tailing her.
Then, as her eyes stared blankly at the crimson light filtering from the windows.
Selina suddenly pricked her brows in frustration and said to herself. Sigh... Where is this noise coming from?
For the past ten minutes. She have been pestering by buzzing-like noises persistently to the back of her ear. This made her skeptical of a certain thing.
Don't tell me... There are mosquitos even in this world!? Selina grumbled inwardly. Wishing she could go back to Earth and bring an incense with her to deal with these annoying pests.
Suddenly, she recalled how Mr. Hanged Man mentioned similar species with a sarcastic tone. The species was only added with a name "black" to its beginning, suggesting its possible difference but identical nature.
This made her impression of the world altered slightly.
The noise vaguely resembles a voice and at the same time, sounds similar to a buzz being produced by mosquitoes back from her home and apartment.
Seconds later, the noise gradually receded.
Finally... Selina muttered in relief as she stabilize her focus towards the secret organization.
During the time, the buzzing noise is harassing her. She have thought of relocating herself earlier than she had expected.
The pounds were a waste, but it was the safest option for her as it would prevent the possibility of affecting other people and as well as hinder the organization from tracking her.
Very well... We'll leave tomorrow. Again...
Just as she begins to prepare her baggage. An indescribable feeling suddenly tugged a string in her heart.
It wasn't guilt, or anguish. But rather, a realization of cyclic regression from fleeing to rebuilding and back again.
This will happen again in the future... And again. If this continues, I won't be able to make progress. She muttered silently to herself.
She thought that eventually, she would have to confront the forces looming behind her. And if she keeps on hiding and running, she won't be able to form connections, hindering her chance of getting the formula of her next Sequence.
But right now... I'm not strong enough. She muttered in a low voice accompanied by a hint of melancholy.
Her hand, holding a crease of the bed's cover tightened by the second.
Moments later, a certain thought resurfaced from her mind. Before she couldn't search for help as every townspeople in Milo have been subjected to a gruesome demise and replaced by insect-like individuals.
But right now, she's in a city. A city that is populated by people and governed in sections by churches.
The organization wouldn't dare to take action indecisively.
But regardless, the memory of Deimsfel referring to her as the individual who is too important to be left behind still etched gravely in her mind.
If he truly intends with the idea of retrieving her as fast as possible. They wouldn't dismiss any leads or perhaps a chance to retrieve her once the opportunity was given.
Even now, at this instance, Deimsfel might very well already determined her whereabouts, and is only preparing cautiously as to not alert her and the officials.
With a deep breath, Selina exhaled vigorously in an attempt to relieve her anxiety and stress, even for a bit.
Unlike Milo, there are people... True people, residing in this city. She muttered.
And if I continue to flee... Progression will keep resetting.
Selina slumped to the bed, releasing her grasp of the velvet sheet. She began to reminisce the days where death wasn't certain. Where she only needed to do was to figure out how to pay for her rent, food and necessities daily.
After moments of contemplation, she settled to herself internally:
Let's get the officials to help while they're still here...
In order for her to live without fear. She would need to cut ties with the organization that still haunts her. And in order for her to even be able to severe them, she would need to lead them to the officials as they retrieve her.
Their operation will then be used against them.
It was a risk that clearly outweighs the possibility of success and when failed, death is almost certain.
Selina wasn't a daredevil, rather, she understood that without severing her connections with the Milo incident, she won't be able to move forward.
With this in mind. Selina began to formulate a plan once more. One that can lead the organization to the officials during or before they take action.
"Let's consider factors that can affect my escape..." She said inwardly, caressing the rather smooth surface of her leathered suitcase.
"Firstly, the environment. My current residence contains a back door at the living room and easily breakable glass windows.
"The secret organization tailing me have a high possibly of taking action during the night. This isn't only because vision is limited and that officials would have a hard time tracking them. But rather, this is because they're most likely a vampires as well."
Selina recalled how some of the townspeople that have shed their appearance exhibited pitch-black wings made of bats and eyes that glowed brightly with heinous crimson hue. This made her reached a conclusion that the organization revolves around a pathway that have vampire as its ability.
"It's probably a potion name since vampire can refer to a person... Can it be called the Vampire pathway?
"But if that's the case, staying here after dusk would be the most advantageous for me. Not only does it gives geographical familiarity, it can also limit the movements of the organization retrieving her."
As she rattled her mind in condensing a plan. Selina addressed a certain factor she have only thought of until now.
"How should I buy time to make distance once they take action?"
Her goal was to keep a fair distance from the flying foes that are aiming to retrive her. She wouldn't know when they arrive, she could only hope for the worst and prepare for it.
"...A distraction, or something that can momentarily disorientate them.
"But what can I use?"
Selina's mind stirred as she began to list things to consider.
Moments later, she settled. "An explosion should do...
"But I don't want anyone to be harmed because of it... "
Then, upon contemplation, she added. "A smoke granade...
"That's right! A smoke or a flash grenade should suffice!"
After confirming her choice, Selina was again reminded by the state of the world. "That's right... This world isn't advance enough to be producing such weapons.
"But how about we make our own?"
Making our own... She asked herself internally with a slight grief.
This is because she's not familiar with such weapons. How could an ordinary secretary would be aware of such military confidential knowledge?
Nevertheless, her general knowledge of chemistry and how granades operates should be enough in crafting a crude version of it.
With a resignated sigh, she said to herself. "Let's still try... "