Serena Moretti
Lucy bolted off to find Agner the moment Iva appeared. That left the four of us sitting side by side on a pile of trash, watching the scene unfold. I had no idea what was going on, but one thing was clear—the tension between those two was off the charts.
But something else piqued my curiosity even more.
"...Hey, Soo."
"Yeah."
"Did you only give Serena and Elder Salvador the side path directions on purpose?"
"Yeah."
"...Why?"
"Uh... yeah..."
I tilted my head, munching on a potato chip. Instead of telling them to enter somewhere between the junkyard entrance, climb the hill, turn left after 120 meters, right after 72 meters, then head down the visible slope to the house with the blue fence...
It was way easier to just say, take the side path left of the junkyard entrance.
But if I spelled it all out, Angela and Enoch would hit me with a lecture. So I handed out chips one by one as I replied.
"It's a surprise."
"A surprise... I see."
"...Two surprises like that, and my heart might give out."
Intended to shock Enoch, but it ended up startling Iva instead. Well, she was shocked, so mission accomplished. And now we had this entertaining show to watch—bonus points.
I perked up my ears, thinking just that.
"...What makes you think you can just show up here... Wait. Did you take the side path?"
"No, Iva. I... I can't wrap my head around this. Why are you here?"
"I asked first, Serena Moretti."
Ooh, I let out a soft murmur of admiration. Iva had only shown her gentle side until now. I figured even if she got mad, it wouldn't be scary—but she had her own brand of authority. Especially when she dropped the full name like that; it hit with real force.
"Why'd you come here?"
"A contact called me... so I came, but a side path? No idea. Why are you asking? This is just... just a junkyard."
"You didn't do your homework before coming?"
Iva sneered.
"If you're a Luthien exec, scraping intel on a dump like this should've been child's play."
"...I know it's owned by Agner Etherdam."
"Guess you didn't know he's my husband."
Serena's eyes widened like they might split open.
"...That bastard... married that guy?"
"We have a daughter."
"H-how old?"
"You figure it out. How old do you think?"
"Ah..."
Serena bit her trembling lower lip. Her trash-grimed hands balled into tight fists.
"Gasp, what? What's going on...? Are they exes or something...?"
Frey whispered, hands clamped over her mouth. Enoch shot another stunned glance at Serena and Iva, while Angela tilted her head.
"Doesn't seem like it."
I shook my head. It looked like the defeated rival hearing about a first love's marriage, but not quite. Something felt different. Having observed Serena's past, her unconscious habits, what set her off, where she drew the line on emotions—I knew.
"They were comrades."
Like Soo, Enoch, and Angela. A team that worked together.
"Comrades?"
Enoch stared at me, face screaming no way. He knew Serena had been a mercenary once. Even before that, a drifter like him. But now? A Luthien exec, exploiting the weak for profit. Her and the head of a law firm protecting the vulnerable—comrades? With that gap, they probably never clicked. No team held together by blind trust would've lasted.
"People get swept up by their surroundings. If you don't want to be, you compromise."
Not sure if she read Enoch's mind or just wanted to say it, but I chimed in with sparkling eyes, humming lightly.
"Especially if you're the leader type. Gotta protect the team."
Enoch munched the chip I offered, lost in thought. Angela's expression darkened as she looked down. Frey pulled a sad face too. No clue what was up, but the mood called for it...
"Keeping your left hand in the dark from your right is cool in theory—from afar. Up close, it's just frustrating melodrama."
Life's a comedy from a distance, tragedy up close. A famous line from an actor in my old world—maybe it existed here too. I liked it. But it might not fit this world. No time to reflect on the past; push yourself in the present or die. In a place like this, the past doesn't become fond memories—just raw experience. Even from afar, it feels tragic.
So I wanted to help turn that experience into actual memories.
"People who tried deserve a reward."
What had happened back then? What turned Serena into a corp exec, Iva into who she was? When all came out, how would they react?
"Kinda curious too."
I turned to Enoch and Angela, flashing a smile so lovably wicked it could steal your breath.
"Sounds fun, right?"
Enoch and Angela, who had been watching me quietly, exchanged a glance and smiled faintly. They finally grasped why I moved the way I did.
"Fun aside, it'll make bank. Both loaded to the gills."
"Money's secondary. I'd like to lend a hand."
They got it, and accepted my pitch. Fun and curiosity aside, the idea of rewarding effort hit home.
"Money's secondary? Fair enough... Angela, you've got cash to burn."
"Pfft, we're comrades now. Who cares about rich or poor? When times are tough, we help each other."
"Is that so? If I get stuck on a rough dispatch, can I hit you up for gifts? Heard the new Resurrection Tuner dropped."
"Soo, should we head out?"
"Hah."
Enoch let out a dry chuckle as Agner rushed back, forcing a grin to wedge between them. Crisis averted—for now. I half-wondered if Agner was a comrade too, but if so, Serena wouldn't have shown. Still, she knew him; her glare screamed wariness.
No group dinner tonight.
Even if we stuck around, it'd just be Agner. This split meant nothing more between Iva and Serena. But since both were teaming up with me, drama was inevitable.
Call 'em over often. Both.
My lips curved into a sly grin.
"Go wash up first."
I stood and trotted over to Serena, left standing alone in the distance.
*****
"Serena."
"Soo... Was that entrance you told me a side path? Why on earth... why send me through a side path?"
"Couldn't dig up that Agner Etherdam married Iva?"
"I asked first..."
Serena trailed off with a heavy sigh. No point; she knew I wouldn't answer straight.
"Yes. Absent from Luthien's database. Lena Marietti's network too."
"Weird."
"Luthien doesn't know everything in Eden. If it did, you'd be exposed first."
"A Northrica junkyard this size? Should've been on record."
Serena's eyes blinked slowly. When they reopened, they were narrower.
"What do you want to ask?"
"You know what kind of guy Agner is, right?"
"Owner of this junkyard. Name's Etherdam Waste Incinerator."
"Besides that."
My blunt gaze dropped to her hands. Faint blood seeped between her clenched fists.
Serena flinched. Emotions boiling over—she hadn't noticed gripping that hard. Thought she'd suppressed it...
"Hate Agner?"
I met her eyes straight on, tilting my head.
"Why?"
"...What changes if I answer? We're working together anyway. Junkyard aside, Iva—Etherdam—runs law firm Eterno."
"True, we're teaming up. But it still changes things."
"Changes how—"
I pondered for a split second, eyes lighting up.
"Serena's nemesis."
Serena swallowed a sharp breath. Ignoring it, I pressed on.
"Killed your family? Her dad?"
Serena's gaping mouth snapped shut. She steadied her breathing with effort, voice strained.
"...Wh-what... the... wh-what."
"You figured the one who killed your dad was tied to Agner."
"N-no..."
"Agner was government back then."
"St-stop—"
"Yeah... So you took Luthien's offer to protect your team from blowback after messing with gov types."
Serena shuddered violently. Her eyes shook, lost; her loosened hands refisted, blood dripping.
"Right?"
I beamed like a kid nailing a quiz answer, pure white smile and all.