After the woman asked her question, her eyes shifted to Levi, who stood to the side with a broom in hand. She looked worn out and tense.
"Uh, I'm not really—" Levi began, uncertain.
"Yeah, this is the place," Evangeline cut in, a lollipop lazily hanging from her mouth.
Rin and Rina turned toward the newcomer, but their expressions didn't shift much. It felt routine—like this sort of thing wasn't uncommon. Still, their eyes quietly stayed alert.
The woman stepped in fully, walking slowly toward the counter. She placed her hand on it for a moment, then quickly pulled it back, as if unsure. Her other hand clenched her coat tightly.
"My… my husband is missing," she said, her voice trembling.
Grim Archives, Chapter 9: Hex, beings of one's failure
The atmosphere inside the Archives was still. No one spoke.
Levi remained where he was, surprised but quietly attentive. Rina, sitting on the couch, listened in, while Rin, though reading, had shifted his focus subtly toward the conversation.
"Someone I know said… this place could help me with whatever I was dealing with. If that's true, can you please… look for my husband?" the woman asked, her voice low and uncertain.
Evangeline listened closely. Without a word, she pulled a notepad and pen from beneath the table.
"What's your name, Miss?" she asked.
"M-Misa. Misa Suzuki," the woman replied.
Evangeline lifted the pen to her mouth, biting the cap while still holding her lollipop between her lips. She scribbled something down. "Misa Suzuki – Client" then calmly placed both the pen and notepad back beneath the counter.
Misa watched her movements carefully, visibly confused by the process but saying nothing.
"Alright, Lady Misa, we'll investigate your case," Evangeline said in her usual tone—casual, but with a clear edge of seriousness. "But in return, you'll have to give us more details. And we'll tell you what we are."
After hearing Evangeline's words, Misa let out a quiet sigh and glanced down. Silence lingered for a moment before she finally spoke:
"Last Thursday night, my husband and I were just at home. I was preparing dinner while he was upstairs in his room, working on his laptop. I tried calling him from downstairs, but when he didn't respond, I went up to check. That's when I found him… lying on the floor. Eyes closed."
Everyone in the Archives remained silent, listening intently as Misa continued her story.
"He was breathing normally, but I didn't know what was wrong. So I rushed outside to ask for help. But by the time I returned with the authorities… he was gone. Nowhere to be found. The only clue was the window in his room—wide open. No signs of struggle. No footprints. Nothing. Even now, no one has found a trace of him. Not even the police."
She paused, swallowed the weight of her words, and added quietly, "His name is Takumi Suzuki."
Evangeline was quiet for a moment, eyes focused. She was deep in thought, piecing together what little she'd heard.
"Hm… I see."
"I think we can manage this case. Thank you for telling us. In return, you deserve to know what we are."
She leaned slightly forward. "We're people called Harbingers. We help those facing unnatural situations—things beyond normal understanding. Though we also take on real-world cases, as long as they're within our grasp. I know it might sound like nonsense, but the person who sent you here? We've likely helped them too."
Her tone sharpened just a bit.
"But before we proceed, let me ask you something important: Do you trust us?"
Misa hesitated. Her eyes dropped again, lost in thought. Seconds passed. Then, with a breath, she met Evangeline's gaze. "Yeah… I'll trust you. Just please—bring my husband back."
Hearing that, Evangeline softly closed her eyes and nodded. She could feel the sincerity and quiet desperation behind the words.
"We appreciate your trust. Thank you, Lady Misa. We'll do our best with your case."
At those words, Misa smiled—just a little. But it was genuine. A small flicker of relief washed over her, as if someone had finally understood her pain. For the first time in a while… it felt like salvation might be coming.
Then suddenly, Evangeline reached under the table and handed Misa a lollipop.
Misa blinked. "Eh?" Her expression was caught between confusion and surprise. But eventually, she took it with both hands and offered a polite bow.
"Thank you."
"We'll need your guidance for the clues later," Evangeline said, turning to Misa with a calm but professional tone. "So, if it's okay, could you wait over there, at that seat in the corner? One of our employees will keep you company. Until then, please wait while we discuss this matter further."
Misa gave a small nod and quietly made her way to the seat, accompanied by Rina, who gently guided her with a kind presence.
Evangeline then turned toward the others. "Levi. Rin."
Levi leaned the broom he'd been holding against a chair and walked over, while Rin closed his book and placed it carefully on the table before joining them. Evangeline placed her hands on the table. "Oh right—I never introduced us properly. My name's Evangeline Essworth."
Rin gave a quiet nod. "Rin Shirahara."
Levi followed up, "My name's Levi Kurose."
To his surprise, Evangeline tilted her head and said casually, "We already know your full name."
Levi blinked. "Wait, what? How? I'm pretty sure I only told you my first name."
With a sudden shift in tone and a dramatic seriousness in her expression, Evangeline leaned slightly forward. "We know… because we've been aware since before the dawn, of your existence!"
For a moment, Levi saw her as a towering, dark figure looming before him. A single sweat drop rolled down his face as he gave her an expression that clearly said, What the heck was that?
"Kidding. The boss told us," she said, recalling Anastasia cheerfully blurting out earlier: "Levi Kurose!"
"Where is she, anyway?" Levi asked, glancing around in search of Anastasia.
"She went back to her apartment," Evangeline replied, waving a hand lazily. "Probably doing whatever she finds entertaining."
As she said that, a vivid mental image flickered in her head: Anastasia fast asleep in a chaotic mess—her blanket barely hanging onto the bed, pillows tossed in every direction, stuffed animals crowding every corner, and her wrapped in oversized penguin pajamas like a cocoon of chaos.
"…Yeah, she's probably busy," Evangeline added flatly.
Rin watched the brief exchange in silence, her gaze shifting between them. Then, Evangeline exhaled slowly, her playful expression fading as she closed her eyes. When she opened them again, a calm seriousness settled over her face.
"Before we tackle Mrs. Misa Suzuki's case," she said, her tone now firm, "Im sure you're already aware of everything that has happened to you right? Beginning from the Zen'en Arts, and up until now."
She turned slightly to glance at Rin from the corner of her eye. "Rin, can you explain what the Hex Protocol is to Levi?"
Rin nodded. "You might already know that everyone in this world is capable of wielding a Zen'en Art — that includes sentient animals. But the timing differs greatly for each being. The Zen Trial only manifests to one individual at a time. When it does, that person must face the trial of their life and accept the answer it gives.
"The trial isn't based on good or evil. It's about choice — whether that's letting go of someone you cherish, realizing the truth about your life, or choosing to face your darker side without hesitation. The key is acceptance. Only by accepting the answer can the trial move on to someone else."
Rin paused briefly.
"But what about those who fail? If someone can't accept the trial's answer, they become trapped. Caught in an endless loop that feels like eternity — even if, outside, only minutes or hours have passed."
Levi's eyes widened, a mix of surprise and unease settling in his chest. "I could've been trapped there forever?" he thought, swallowing hard as a chill ran down his spine.
Rin continued. "But there are worse outcomes. If someone is consumed by the trial, or if their will is shattered, they turn into something called a Hex."
"What is that?" Levi asked nervously.
"Hexes are beings who were defeated by the Zen Trial. Those who are merely stuck remain in the Trial. But those completely broken become Hexes. They lose all life and spiritual essence. Their will is locked inside them, unreachable. Hexes have one instinct — to consume the Life and Spiritual essence of others, especially Zen'en Artists, to grow stronger and eveolve. Eventually, they can evolve to the point of threatening everything"
He looked ahead.
"And that's why we, the Harbingers, exist," Rin said. "We're here to preserve the peace of this world. Each of us was developed, scouted, and trained by Lady Anastasia herself. And she also established the Hex Protocol. Which stands for: Purify and Execute. Secure and purify if possible… or exterminate if it's too late."
He paused briefly, then continued with a quieter tone. "The protocol emphasizes purification above all, as long as the person can still be saved. But if they've evolved too far… if they've lost themselves completely… then the unfortunate choice must be made to prevent greater harm."
Levi remained silent, still absorbing everything. His jaw hung slightly open, a bead of sweat trailing down his temple as he stared at the floor.
"I didn't know the consequences of the Trial could be this… severe," he thought.
But just as the weight of it all began to settle, Rin spoke again. "Don't dwell on it. You passed the Trial—that's what matters."
He said it plainly, without expression. Was it reassurance? A simple fact?
Levi closed his eyes, exhaled quietly, then looked up. "Alright. Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."
Rin gave a simple, "Hm," in return.
"Great," Evangeline chimed in. "Now you two can work together. Who knows, maybe treat this as a date." Both Rin and Levi shot her a sharp side glance.
"Kidding,"
"I'm officially assigning you two to this case. Rin, mentor him however you see fit—help him develop his techniques and arts. Yada yada. Good luck, you two."
Levi gave a slight bow before walking over to Misa and Rina.
Rin was left still standing near Evangeline. "Miss Evangeline," he called.
"Hm?"
"Am I allowed to use any method for mentoring him?"
She paused. Rin had always been odd—void of emotion, always serious. Something about him never quite settled.
After a moment, she nodded. "Mm."
"Thank you," he said, then turned to follow Levi.
Left alone, Evangeline watched them from the corner of her eye. "Strange kids you've brought in, Anastasia," she thought, eyes slowly closing.