(2 years ago, when Nacht was 13)
"Hehehehe… hehehehe… come on… let's celebrate."
The door suddenly opened.
"Huh? What's that?"
"Someone's here, huh?"
"I see… bandits, right?"
"Ugh…"
A boy sat at the table wearing dark clothes.
"Who are you?"
Nacht: "I was sent to find your leader.
So tell me who he is… and where he is."
"And what if we don't?"
Nacht: "You have three options.
One: you tell me, and I spare your lives.
Two: I kill all of you, leave one alive, and torture him.
Three: you surrender and confess everything to the guards."
"Oh yeah?"
Nacht: "Hmph."
A few minutes later…
He left the house. The bodies of the men lay scattered around.
Ichabod: "Are you sure it was a good idea to kill them all…?"
Nacht: "What? Feeling pity?"
Ichabod: "No."
Nacht: "Crane, go find the leader. One of them mentioned a village nearby."
Crane: "Mhm."
A few hours later…
"Ghhh… where are they? Those idiots…"
"Wooo… woooo…"
"Huh?"
He turned around. A huge raven with glowing yellow eyes stared at him.
"Hm? Were they captured? Damn it. I need to find my wife and kids."
He sprinted toward his house.
He opened the door.
"Merlene… ugh…"
Nacht: "Well, took you long enough."
His wife sat tied to a chair.
"Who are you?!"
Nacht: "I killed your men."
"You… a child?"
Nacht: "Doesn't matter. Now tell me quickly—
where are the people you abducted?"
"My wife has nothing to do with this."
Nacht: "Wrong. Your wife knew exactly what was going on.
She even helped lure young men by showing off her body.
You have three options.
One: tell me where they are.
Two: I kill your wife and children right in front of you.
Three: I torture you while your family watches."
He bit into an apple.
"You bastard…"
Nacht: "I'll count to three.
One…
Two…"
"Okay! Okay! They're… they're under the sewer.
There's a hidden room there."
Nacht: "I see."
He stood up.
Nacht: "Good. One more thing. I'll tie you up so they can take you in."
He tied the man tightly.
"You'll leave us alone now, right—?"
Nacht: "You misunderstood something, my friend.
Alive or dead… I get paid either way."
His yellow eyes suddenly glowed.
The room darkened.
"Hhhhhh…"
Merlene: "Mmmm…"
Multiple glowing yellow eyes appeared.
Dark hands rose from the floor, grabbing them and dragging them down.
Merlene: "Mmmm—!"
"AAAAAAAAARGH!"
(Splop!)
They vanished.
Nacht: "…hm."
Crane: "Ppp—" burp
The raven spat out their skeletons.
Crane: "Thanks for the meal."
Nacht: "Hm."
Back then, Nacht wasn't a hunter.
He wandered from village to village solving problems for money.
People called him "The Night Boy"
or
"The Boy With Yellow Eyes."
But most called him:
Ditya Nochi — Child of the Night.
Nacht: "(Snore)…."
Ichabod: "You really like apples, huh?"
Nacht: "Mhm."
Ichabod: "By the way, Nacht… your arm has been bleeding for an hour."
Nacht: "I know. I don't feel anything."
Ichabod: "I heard about a group called Hunters.
Why don't you join them? You could get money and information about your sister."
Nacht: "I've been thinking about that."
A few days later…
Nacht: "This must be it… what…?"
He walked inside.
Isolde was there.
Isolde: "Oh… how can I help you?"
Nacht: "(She's blind… no warmth from her eyes…)
I want to become a hunter.
My name is Nacht. Nacht van Zephir."
Isolde: "Oh? From the Zephir family… impressive.
Very well—welcome. Your first task will prove yourself."
During the first mission…
Nacht: "So this creature is called a Vinka… this is—"
(Gulp!)
Nacht: "Ugh!"
(Crash!)
Nacht: "Damn!"
A monster attacked him—a Vinka, large and powerful.
Nacht: "Ghhh… what kind of creature is this?
I've fought some before… but this one is different…"
He closed his eyes.
Nacht: "Its weak spot… I see it.
Its feet!"
He slashed its legs.
"Roaaar!"
Nacht: "Now!"
He sliced off its head.
Nacht: "Hahh… hahhh…"
A few days later…
He had completed several missions.
It was his first week as a hunter.
Kisa: "…hmmm."
Nacht: "Huh?"
He heard someone crying.
He followed the sound and found Kisa.
Nacht: "Hmm?"
Kisa: "Hahh… hahh…"
Nacht: "You're that girl from the guild."
Kisa: "Huh?"
Nacht: "Why are you crying?"
Kisa: "Ah… it's nothing important."
Nacht: "Hmm… here."
He handed her an apple.
Kisa: "Huh?"
Nacht: "Eat it."
She took it shyly and tasted it.
Kisa: "Ugh… it's delicious… thank you so much…"
Nacht: "Hmm?"
Kisa: "You're new here, right?"
Nacht: "You're not here long either."
Kisa: "Mhm… but longer than you.
I'm Kisa Pushkin."
Nacht: "Nacht van Zephir."
Kisa: "This apple… Nacht… it's really tasty.
Thank you.
You're a kind boy… hehe."
She smiled.
And then—
Kisa: "Ugh… hehe… what's happening?"
In the circus where Nacht grew up—after his family died—
the ringmaster, Jodge Holden, was a cruel man.
When he discovered Nacht's curse,
he tortured him and even killed him repeatedly in front of the audience.
Eventually, through endless torture, Nacht became emotionless…
feeling no pain at all.
But one day… he felt something.
A feeling he had forgotten.
The moment he saw Kisa…
this emotion returned.
Nacht: "Ugh… (How… how cute… and pretty she is…)"
He quickly walked away.
Nacht: "Something's wrong… why… why can't I forget her smile… I barely even know this girl…"
Ichabod: "Hate to interrupt, Nacht, but what in the world is going on with your—uh—little friend?"
Nacht: "Ugh!"
"Aaaaaaaaaaaargh!"
He grabbed himself, panicking.
Nacht: "What is happening to me?!"
Ichabod: "Oh my goodness…
Don't tell me…
You fell in love with that girl."
Nacht: "HOOOOOH?!"
Kisa: "Hehe… thanks again for the apple."
(End of memory)
Kisa: "I see… so we all suffered…"
Of course, Nacht never told her any of this.