"Rhys… what are you doing out here sote?"


    "Kat…"


    "Are you looking at the fruits of yourbor?"


    "I… didn''t even realize it was already like this."


    It was in the dead of night, where even the noises of the horizon of the Danger Zone werepletely silent — or at least, it should have been quiet. But right now, there was an entire city in front of Rhys, where it was but a barrennd and collection of tents just months ago.


    "Back then, the only light I could see when I looked outside at night are the stars, now I can barely even see them because of all the houses and people," Rhys was at the rooftop of the Wilder''s Harem HQ; his eyes, reflecting all the streetlights scattered below, "All these people—"


    "—Are here because of you," Katarina stood beside Rhys before resting her head on his arm, "I don''t know how you did it, Rhys. But you did. And it felt like just a year ago you were a little child… and I tend your wounds back in High School."


    "And now we''re making love."


    "...Lina''s rubbing off on you," Katarina clicked her tongue as she lightly pinched Rhys''s arm.


    "But you''re right, Kat…" Rhys let out a small chuckle as he once again looked at all the lights beneath him, "...I don''t know how I did it because… I wasn''t here."


    "...What do you mean?"


    "I mean I haven''t really been around," Rhys shook his head, "The others are right. This is an Explorer guild, and yet I haven''t even been doing any exploring at all… I realized that when Hannah and the other guild masters arrived."


    "Forget about them…" Katarina then moved away from Rhys''s arm and stood in front of him; grabbing both his cheeks as she looked him in the eyes, "...Move at your own pace, Rhys. You''re doing so well, you don''t have to follow society''s expectations of you."


    "Society has no expectations of me, Kat," Rhys shook his head, "But these people do…


    …and I''m tricking them."


    "Tricking them?" Katarina could not help but let out a soft chuckle as she embraced Rhys and buried her face in his chest, "What are you even saying, Rhys? All of them moved here of their own volition, they have minds of their own — they chose to be here because they believe in you."


    "And that''s exactly why I''m tricking them…" Rhys shook his head, "...I only became an Explorer to garner influence and fame so I could do what I need done, and all of them… all of you will be hit by the crossfire."


    "...Are you drunk? What are you even spouting? Look…" Katarina leaned away from Rhys as she once again grabbed her cheeks, "Were you having fun whenever you dive and explore the Underworld?"


    "...Yes? I think so. But… I just don''t have time for it."


    "Do you still want to dive down the Underworld and explore?"


    "Yes."


    "Then you''re an Explorer," Katarina softly chuckled, "It doesn''t matter if you''re still trying to find yourself in all of this, Rhys — and if you forget yourself, I''ll be here to remind you who you are."


    "...And who am I?"


    "My—Well…" Katarina looked down as a small smile crawled on her face, "...Mine?"


    "...Lina''s rubbing off on you, Kat," Rhys repeated Katarina''s words back to her.


    "Oh, god…" Katarina once again buried her face on Rhys''s chest, "Did… did the three of us really do it together? It feels… so wrong. But… it wasn''t so… bad? Wait, I don''t want to talk about it."


    "Kat…" Rhys then ced his hand on Katarina''s head, "...I''m about to do something stupid."


    "...You''re always doing something stupid, Rhys. But don''t worry… I''ll always be here to clean it up."


    "...Not this time," Rhys shook his head.


    "What do you—"


    "Master, the car''s ready."


    And before Katarina could even ask her question, Maria suddenly emerged from Rhys''s shadow, causing Katarina to just look back and forth between the two.


    "The car…?" Katarina blinked a couple of times in confusion, "Are you going somewhere thiste at night? Wait, what''s this about, M?"


    "I''m afraid I can''t tell you," Maria nced at Katarina before just diving into the shadows again, not even giving Katarina a chance to say anything else to her.


    "Rhys…" Katarina grabbed Rhys''s fist as tight as she could, "...What are you nning?"


    "Something stupid, Kat," Rhys sighed.


    "Then take me with you," Katarina tightened her grip.


    "Let go, Kat."


    "Not until you tell me what you''re about to do."


    "I''m going to kill Ss West."


    "...What?" Katarina could not help but let go of Rhys''s wrist as soon as she heard his words, "Why now? Is it because of Emilia? No… If you are going to kill him, then all the more reason I shoulde with you…


    …You are letting your emotions control you, Rhys. Maybe we should—Rhys!?"


    And before Katarina could even grab Rhys''s arm again, he also dived through the shadows and disappeared.


    "Rhys!"


    ***


    "All the cameras are disabled?"


    "Yes."


    "The guards?"


    "Incapacitated, as you ordered — no bodies."


    "...Good."


    Rhys was now in the lobby of arge and obviously expensive apartment building, almost a hotel. One would expect there to be people lounging around the ground floor, but since it was a couple of hours past midnight, everyone was either asleep…


    …or put to sleep by Maria.


    "Follow me, Master," Maria then gestured to Rhys as she made her way to the elevator; swiping the ID card of one of the guards she incapacitated so they could get in,


    "And while we are stuck inside this elevator, can I say something to you?"


    "You really should stop calling me Master," Rhys breathed out; his eyes just looking straight as the elevator doors closed on them.


    "K is right, Rhys…" Maria then stood in front of Rhys and looked him in the eyes, "...You are letting your emotions control you — this is not the right time to kill Ss West."


    "Do I look like I am letting my emotions control me?" Rhys returned Maria''s gaze; his eyes,pletely devoid of anything.


    "Yes," Maria did not stray her eyes away, "You may not realize this, Rhys — but you are usually meticulous. Impulsive, yes — but surgical. You always put yourself in the position where you are in control of the situation."


    "You think too highly of me, Maria," Rhys sighed and shook his head, "I''m… just a damaged kid from Old York."


    "Rhys. This is—"


    And before Maria could finish her words, the elevator doors opened.


    "—Justice, Maria," Rhys whispered as he moved past her and stepped out of the elevator, "Now…


    …which room?"


    "24C…" Maria could really only close her eyes before nodding and proceeding to follow behind Rhys.


    "And are you sure Emilia is with him?"


    "Yes," Maria sighed; a hint of disappointment, obvious due to her otherwise monotonous tone, "My sources say she moved in with him today."


    "Good work," Rhys then ced his hand on top of Maria''s head; patting it several times. If others were to see this, they would surely cringe… but Maria seemed to wee itpletely as the disappointment on her face disappeared. The growing smile on her face, however, disappeared as fast as it crawled on her face as she saw Rhys pull out a camera.


    "Emotions, Master," Maria grabbed Rhys''s hand, "You are letting it control you."


    "Haven''t you read my file several times, Maria?" Rhys breathed out as a smile crawled on his face, "I''m… clinically insane."


    And as soon as Rhys hit record, Maria disappeared into the darkness.


    "..." And with him now alone in front of Ss West''s apartment, Rhys let his head rest back as he let out a very long, almost snarling sigh. And with another release of his breath, he just pushed the door open; destroying its lock without even caring about the noise it made.


    "Ss…" Rhys then whispered loudly as he made his way inside the spacious apartment. He knocked on the walls, letting it echo through the dark silence,


    "...Come out, Ss."


    It was quiet, eerily so as the only thing that Rhys could really hear was the sound of his own heartbeat drumming — almost as if telling him to march on. Rhys continued to make his way through the dark apartment, and soon, he heard a noiseing from the only part of the apartment that still had a light on.


    "Hm…" Rhys smiled as he let go of the camera, letting the drone activate and follow him as he made his way to the light.


    "What do you think, Ss? I think this one would be tastier than the liver?"


    Rhys could hear the sound of his sister''s voice. And… she truly was happy. If Rhys just turned around and left, she would probably continue to be so with Ss…


    …but that is not going to happen.


    Starting now, it is Ss''s turn to be humiliated in front of everyone — and his sister would once again be here to see everything.


    Rhys then stepped into the light, and there she was — her sister, with a smile on her face and happily cooking a meal for Ss.


    "...Brother?" Emilia turned around and quickly noticed Rhys standing at the corner of the kitchen. Rhys, on the other hand, just quickly grabbed the drone flying above him… and shattered it in his hand.


    "...Brother?" Emilia tilted her head to the side; seemingly confused as she looked her brother in the eyes, "What are you—"


    And before Emilia could even finish her words, Rhys walked toward her and embraced her,pletely ignoring Ss who was at the table.


    "Chloe…" Rhys then whispered.


    "What… what are you doing, Rhys?" Emilia let out an awkward chuckle as she tried pushing Rhys away before turning to look at the table next to the kitchen, "Ss… Ss is looking at us. Why…


    …why are you always embarrassing me?"


    "...I''m sorry, Chloe," Rhys tightened his embrace as he also turned to look at the table, and there was Ss…


    …or rather, his decapitated head and whatever was left of him… neatly resting on a chair.


    "I''m sorry I didn''t see, Chloe. I''m here now… I''m here now…


    …your brother''s here now."