"Hey, young boy. "
It was Mr. Horitoshi, with a single black coat and a hat on his head. Walking through the road of Hauro.
Hauro is the capital of Etopia. It is as well as the most industrially advanced and populated and polluted city in the entire northern-east continent. It is also a very important city politically and economically.
The place this city is at is mainly just beside the vast open sea. So, it also has a sea port beside large factories.
The young boy raised his head to Horitoshi. It seemed that he was an orphan, who was sitting with shabby clothes and had not eaten for days. It awoke kindness in Horitoshi's heart. He felt pity for the orphan.
"What is your name?"
Mr. Horitoshi asked with a kind voice, which was uncommon for him. But the young boy, who was possibly about eight years, didn't answer the call. He was simply looking at the big man's eyes. With wonder.
"I guess you are hungry. Want to come with me?"
Mr. Horitoshi's left hand was carrying an umbrella. So, he stood up and offered his right hand. And the boy slowly accepted it.
He was barely surviving. It looked like his body had nothing but only a few bones, which were visible from outside. And also made Horitoshi's kind behavior reasonable.
There was a little rain in Hauro at that time. The sky was open. But wore a faded outfit because of the gloomy clouds. And the sun made it possible to shine somehow piercing through the clouds and raindrops. Mr. Horitoshi was walking, holding the hand of the young. Heading towards the end of the city.
Hauro was mainly divided into three parts, based on the city's dwellers' economic status. And the people living there was also in three; Upper class, Middle class and Lower class. Despite being the capital on paper, only the southern part and the eastern part, get the eastern part, where the non-lower class people live, gets the rights of being a capital dweller.
Meaning, Class Division is at its maximum in the city.
"What is your name again?"
Mr. Horitoshi asked once again. But there was still no answer of it.
Horitoshi was heading towards the 'Shadow Club'. It is as same as 'Evernight Club', just in charge of Etopia. Mr. Horitoshi was just a guest there for some society reasons.
The building of the club looked more like a sacred castle more than a club house. Judged by the look, it was more gorgeous than most of the clubs on world.
When Horitoshi with the boy went to the club's inside, the young boy already frightened to see such big structures. His little footsteps couldn't match with that of Horitoshi. So, he decided to slow down a bit.
The young boy was walking behind Horitoshi, while tightly grabbing his coat. And looking around in an unknown fear.
"You wait here for a bit."
Mr. Horitoshi left the young boy on a random room, and moved on inside.
"Are you really sure you want to take that boy with you?"
"Yes, I am."
Mr. Horitoshi was talking with the captain of Shadow Club. And the captain had doubts of that will.
Although Mr. Horitoshi was not the captain of 'Evernight Club'. But he was third of the club's command. So, he was crucial for it.
And the reason behind his coming to Hauro, Etopia, was possibly some kind of mutual of relations.
"What will this boy be for you?"
It was the second in command of the Shadow Club, Lennart Nierman, four years senior of Horitoshi.
"I will make him someone who will save the world."
The definition of 'save the world' didn't get in the person's understanding. And it was not even supposed to get. Because saving the world with a eight years kid is obviously baseless.
"Whatever you do that kid, nobody cares since he is an orphan. So, it's totally your free will."
The man lighted up the cigar he was holding for a long time.
"What is the kid's name?"
But Horitoshi had no answer of it at all. He stood against the wall, and looking down. His hands were still in his pockets. That's the way he always behaved, with no smile to offer anyone most of the time.
"He still didn't say his name. And if he doesn't manage to remember it by himself, I think I have to give him one."
"I see. But that's not uncommon for orphans at all. Do as you like."
"Since I have already completed my duty, when can I return to Forth Land?"
"If you want you can go on now. I will inform captain."
Mr. Horitoshi agreed,
"Then I am heading back now."
Horitoshi during this conversation was just outside the boy's room. So, the young boy heard it all. Mr. Horitoshi reentered the room, the door was already given open.
"Do you remember your name?"
He asked the young. But the answer was as he already guessed.
"I don't know my name."
The boy replied with a broken voice, probably because of the rain's after effect. His eyes were locked still on the ground. Throughout the entire time, he didn't make himself look onto his eyes.
The rain outside still didn't stop. It was ongoing with a little flickers of light from the far sky. But the light was merely surviving, fighting against the clouds and raindrops falling from the sky. But the natural beauty this rain created in the polluted and messed up city is far beyond description.
Who thought a single rain can make a fucked up city beautiful?
Mr. Horitoshi sat down on the floor, in front of the boy. Breaking his legs.
"How come you don't know your name?"
"I can't remember."
Mr. Horitoshi sat down on the floor, just in front of the boy. Breaking his legs. The boy was on a better height than Horitoshi. He put his hand on the boy's messed up hair, and offered a kind smile.
"In that case, can I give you a name to be called?"
The young boy for the first time looked at Horitoshi's eyes, which were bright and filled with kindness. He shook his head. But his eyes were still looking with a site of wonder and respect.
Mr. Horitoshi had already noticed the mark on the boy's left hand.
It was a special mark only seen those exorcists who are from Nierman clan. So, it was a sure guess for Horitoshi that the boy is a Nierman.
"Your name will be, Marco Nierman."