Prologue
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'I believe in no such thing as free will, only will as permitted by a consciousness one has no say in developing. Nonetheless, nothing changes otherwise. Action must be done because it does not wait for the answer… Action must be done because it doesn't wait for the answer.'
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For all of Carmine's life, she has been a killer. Born into it. Her parents did it, theirs did, so – because they did – she does. Given that, one can expect her childhood wasn't ordinary – she spent that period of her life perfecting the art of her family: assassination of things that propagate 'mystery,' the unknown, precisely that which hinders human advancement. 'Auditing' one can call it. Because in this world there are strange beasts… and monsters. Vast riches, plus hidden treasures. Evil haunts, uncharted frontiers. And certainly, magical forces wrought from the idea of 'mystery.' The people who are captivated by such forces in words like it are called Hunters. And those responsible for moderating that captivation are not Hunters, rather, the supervisory body. Auditors.
Yes I. Am Fifteenth Prince Carmine Hui Guo Rou of The Kakin Empire, and child of such Auditors. Third-person self-reference is a habit of my mother's I seem to have inherited. Nonetheless, as of now, I stand in a cubic training room that has no features other than blood and sweat etched into the otherwise white walls.
"—Carmine focus. What happened to your aggression!? Hit me like you want to kill me! The enemy won't wait for you to finish dozing off." My new mentor's – Biscuit Krueger's – deafening voice cuts into my daydream.
Whoosh, wild air currents from our ceaseless strikes narrowly averting one another. When I'm training with Bisky I truly feel alive even though I'm outmatched. She's faster than me, more creative, more experienced. All of those things despite being pint-sized – hardly taller than my waist. Missing one punch, I get hit back twice with anything in her arsenal but never in the same spot. For a kick, a sweep and slam. I can't seem to get a word in edgewise with any of my moves. And somehow every strike is becoming heavier and heavier.
"Is something different today? Huh?" I can't believe my eyes. "You've become taller, and your body's a little more built. Jeez, you kinda starting to look like me."
Bisky smiles at me. "I was waiting for you to notice. I've been growing closer to my true form since we began. This seems to be your limit against my physical form when I'm not using aura."
"Ha. My limit? I'm not done yet," I lay my open palm flat against the air. "Baihu—"
Thud, a crushing weight connects to my torso, pressing the breath out from my lungs along with the will to fight from my body. The pain is deep and hot. I almost gag.
"Don't invoke your Nen Beast so easily… That's all for today's session." Bisky walks away without looking back at me.
"Come back here! I order you to come back!" She doesn't obey. I intend on tearing her heart out for such insubordination yet for some reason… everything becomes black. Right, I see. She punched me in the face that quickly. Clack, clack… Footsteps – echoing – that sound to be coming from inside the floor itself. I'm downed? "Don't be so quick to anger, your bloodlust makes you easy to read." I hear those words from Bisky's blurry face looking down at me.
"Uh-huh." Comes out in my daze as I try to get up, but the floor becomes a steep wall I can't quite climb. Crack. In typical fashion, she finishes the job with a kick that evicts my consciousness from my body… I've been training for the Hunter Exam since I was born. To become an Auditor, you at least must be fit to be a Hunter, and this is just a taste of what I'm up against.
Freaks. I've killed people before. But Hunters are different, I can't imagine what an Auditor is like. One'd think I'd know, being in a family of them and all. But Auditors are rarely seen. They're too busy dealing with matters of 'mystery' in some country somewhere.
It's a few hours before I wake up on the training room's cold floor…
Exiting the training room, I enter the grand corridor. House servants are about as always, tending to the hundreds of rooms on either side of the corridor. Behind each door are the quarters of every absent family member , all of which being on duty. Meaning there's rarely an occasion when I'm not the only one alone with my mentors and house servants. And yes, there are in fact hundreds of us in the Hui Guo Rou bloodline seeing as the king – my grandfather – likes to indulge in female company to say the least – I'm descendant of the 2nd Prince Camilla. Hardly a person one can call a mother. She could hardly bear to take care of me let alone carry me in her body for nine months, using a surrogate – one murdered shortly thereafter no less – instead for the reason that her body was too valuable to be violated. I don't know what sort of man could please such a self-centred and controlling woman.
Guess I'll figure it out since I'm just like her.
"My servants, by my side. Now. My body is unclean." I command. The swathes of servants freeze and stare at me. "…Would you prefer that I take my pick from the lot?" Some of the servants part from the pack, following behind myself as I walk toward the staircase leading up to the third floor on the corridor's far end.
Admittedly, I have my unsightly habits also.
As we walk the staircase, Kakin's crooked skyline looks back at me through the windows. It's a mystery to me what is out there. I oft only go outside to carry out missions. Everything I need is in this building. Thankfully, it's not an expectation that Carmine, I, assimilate with the chaff.
Elsewhere... The rest of the Hui Guo Rou convene.
"How would you say our little experiment Carmine is developing?" From Camilla Hui Guo Rou who nurses a glass of wine.
"Carmine is your experiment. That girl is like a machine. I don't think she even has any real thoughts of her own, if that's what you wanted then well done... But don't think of it as above her to betray your organisation as soon as she leaves that prison of a household you've got her in," Biscuit speaks with a dire expression. "As for how she's developing, I think she's the best I've ever trained. I have to be rougher than I'd like to be to reign her in."
"I see. Remember that your remit is to train her, not care about her... Carmine doesn't seem to mind—"
"Because it's all she's ever known you fool! All she does is as you say: train, kill, sleep. Once she sees the outside world—" Bisky laughs. "Be careful."
"I'll overlook your outburst this once. The 7th Heaven requires a candidate with those qualities, someone who can execute Magi, Clergymen, and – if need be – Hunters alike. Cammy wants her daughter to be the very best," Camilla smirks. "The Hunter Exam is soon anyways; you'll get your wish. She'll see the world and make her choice. I know what she'll choose. She takes after me after all."
Prologue End – Carmine Hui Guo Rou