Neutral Ground in a Divided City
Under the pretext of on-site investigation, Lildar Church followers—who were steadily expanding their influence in Rain Code—had gathered near the central city hall for a protest. "Stop this defiance against God!" one man bellowed, and soon the crowd echoed the chant. The overlapping roars filled the area around the city hall, but the nearby street vendors showed no particular reaction, their faces as impassive as those long accustomed to the noise.
Bell and the group brushed past the scene. When a few stares lingered on them, Lucia sensed the vibe and quickened her pace. Bell turned her gaze toward the city hall. It feels like the city's split right down the middle. An invisible boundary line seemed drawn straight through the heart of the city. Red-haired Bonyaks and black-haired Harkens stood noticeably apart, with other races awkwardly filling the gaps between them.
"We're here!" Lucia led them to a stop right in the middle of that boundary line, in front of a restaurant. Proudly introducing a place she knew well, she straightened up with a beaming smile. In stark contrast, the other three exchanged glances amid the protesters' chants. They all felt the same pang of sympathy for Lucia. Of all places, why here?
Bell wondered if she'd even be able to swallow food in this atmosphere but decided to play it off. "Come on, let's go in!" Lucia spread her arms wide, pointing to the entrance. Her pure, excited expression sparkled like it was lit from within.
"Let's hurry before we draw more eyes." Bell grumbled bluntly and grabbed Lucia's arm, darting inside like a shot.
Rough-hewn tables, a wooden bar steeped in years of stories. The creak of old chairs and the murmur of conversations blended into an oddly cozy warmth. It looked like a plain old eatery from outside, but inside felt like a tiny neutral zone plopped in the midst of a fractured city. True to that, Harkens and Bonyaks sat at separate tables without any overt hostility—no glaring stares, no open animosity.
Yet as Adolf stepped in, the Harkens eyed him with curiosity, while the Bonyaks couldn't quite hide their tension. "Over here!" Lucia pointed eagerly to a dimly lit corner booth, her eyes sparkling.
"Nice atmosphere," Adolf said with a grin, matching her enthusiasm.
"Yeah?" Bell glanced around too. The packed wooden chairs gave it a snug, comforting feel.
"Stopping by the Management Bureau first would've made it an awkward hour, but coming straight here was the right call." Bell's lips quirked up slightly in satisfaction. Spotting that tiny smile, Lucia's eyes lit up as she plopped into the inner seat. Then she called out to Kelun. "Kelun, sit next to me!"
At her urging, Kelun sat beside her almost reflexively. Turning to Adolf, Lucia added, "You've already experienced Captain Bell's charm, so I'll graciously yield for you, Senior Adolf!"
"Oh, what an honor." Adolf slid into the inner seat casually, flashing a grin at Bell as if offering her the spot beside him. Her face twisted in embarrassment. She shot Lucia a pouty glare. "Lucia, seriously."
"Eep, but why not, Captain...?" Lucia's innocent, sparkling eyes left Bell no choice but to surrender silently. Settling in, Bell subtly made sure she wasn't pressed too close to Adolf. But he chatted casually with Lucia and Kelun about the place, tossing in light jokes, utterly unfazed—as if she were the only one overthinking it.
Don't let it get to you. Bell shot a sidelong glare at his profile, then rested her chin on her hand, scanning the room to distract herself. Her eyes landed on a man at the bar near the counter, cloaked in a robe despite the heat.
Aren't you hot? It was an odd sight. The owner was chatting with him, laughing heartily. The man was a burly Bonyak in his mid-forties, with a thick mustache and a military insignia tattooed sharply on his beefy arm.
Retired soldier, maybe. Sensing her gaze, the owner whipped around, menu in hand, and approached with a delighted grin. Looming over their table, he boomed, "Welcome! What brings proxies all the way here?"
His eyes naturally settled on Bell's white silver hair. His first thought: She's tiny. A flicker of recognition hit—the face from Management Bureau propaganda vids. He instantly pegged her as the Red Eye proxy. His friendly smile masked a quick scan of the group. His gaze lingered on Adolf, his expression twisting briefly. Not because he was Harken, but because he wielded a sword. It evoked the Grand Marshal. He smoothed it over fast. Finally, his eyes drifted to unfamiliar Kelun, then locked on the lush brown hair.
His face split into a massive grin. "No way—Lucia?!"
His loud exclamation drew every eye in the place to her. Lucia fiddled with her hair shyly and waved. "Hi! Long time no see, Uncle Mordan."
Mordan Brendar. He'd left the military long ago to run this self-proclaimed "neutral zone." He'd known Lucia's parents back in the day.
"Holy crap, I heard you went to Lumen Guard, but..." He trailed off, stunned. He'd once dug into why she'd vanished, and now here she was in full proxy uniform—the same innocent kid from his memories, now a symbol of the military.
"Hehe, does it suit me?" Lucia flashed her unchanged bright smile.
Mordan paused, as if choosing his words. Just as Bell sensed something off, he broke into a wide grin. "Yeah, yeah—it suits you perfectly. Look at me, forgetting your friends!"
"These are my seniors up front, and the kid next to me is my peer!" Lucia slapped Kelun's shoulder proudly. He glanced at her, and she shrugged with a smug look. Kelun chuckled softly, letting it slide this time.
"Take good care of our Lucia," Mordan said smoothly, extending a hand to Bell. She took it without thinking. "Haha, thanks to her, I get to shake hands with famous proxies." He pumped her arm like a tree branch in the wind, jolting her whole body.
Lucia jumped up, smacking his arm. "Hey, don't rough up my captain!"
For the first time, Bell felt grateful to her. She couldn't just punch an acquaintance of Lucia's. Mordan released her hastily, and Bell rolled her shoulder.
"Whoops, sorry about that. With Lucia here, eat whatever—on the house today!" He stroked his mustache and laughed heartily again.
As they waited for their food after ordering, Bell muttered softly, "He's a lively one."
"Sorryyy, Captain—is your arm okay?"
"Feels a bit torn." Bell teased, but when Lucia clutched her head wailing "Nooo...," she quickly added, "Kidding. Relax."
"Okay..." Adolf and Kelun stifled chuckles, heads down.
Bell propped her chin, gazing out the window to avoid eyes. "Anyway, those stares outside—they were definitely weird, right?"
Adolf touched his lip thoughtfully. "Yeah. Proxies get a warmer reception in Lumen Guard, but here the wariness is stronger."
Kelun nodded. "Exactly. There's this baseline distrust." He paused, squinting one eye. "They might think proxies could turn on them someday."
Bell's eyes widened at his cool assessment. It sharpened the reminder that he was from Nantigar. A bitter pang hit her. Feigning nonchalance, she replied, "I get it. But at least nothing direct's happened here yet."
Kelun looked up sharply. "Sorry—I didn't mean to diss all proxies."
"Nah, you're not wrong." Bell met his eyes with a strange kinship. Comforting words rose but stuck in her throat.
Quietly watching, Adolf ventured carefully, "What if someone's deliberately stoking that fear?"
All eyes turned to him. "We know the rumors about Freigel Shtafenberk aren't true."
Bell nodded. "Right. Especially the redheads—they're extra wary of proxies. But there's no record anywhere. For something people whisper about, the Management Bureau not knowing doesn't add up."
Lucia hesitated, then piped up. "There's the Lildar Church.. The religion the Bonyaks follow.. Maybe clues there? The leader's received divine revelations from the goddess..!"
Bell grinned to spare her embarrassment. "Revelations, huh? Sounds intriguing. Gives me an idea how to dig in. Thanks."
"Hehe..!" By now, the protests outside had died down, and dusk settled over the streets. Streetlights flickered on one by one, drones twinkling across the sky. Bell gazed out briefly. "Let's call it for today. It's dinner time—time to try Lucia's recommendation."
"Can't wait. Thanks for the great spot, Lucia." Adolf's soft smile lit up her face too.
"Night, Captain! See you tomorrow! Kelun too!" Unlike morning, Lucia was fully cheerful, waving vigorously in the military dorm hallway. Kelun bowed and vanished into his room. Bell waved back and headed upstairs, her mind a whirl. No real progress on day one—she'd go plainclothes tomorrow, blend in, or infiltrate the church.
Sensing Adolf behind her, she turned abruptly. "Lieutenant. You headed up too?" Her eyes screamed why are you following?
"Yes. Lieutenants and above are upstairs, I heard." Adolf tapped his wrist comm, pulling up the assignment holo to prove it.
"Hm... okay." At the top, their rooms were opposites. As they turned, he called, "Captain."
"What." Bell half-lidded her eyes, dreading whatever earnest line was coming.
He extended his hand. "It's been a while working together. How about a handshake?"
She blinked in surprise. Does he want to hold hands? Remembering Mordan's rough shake, she almost laughed. "Outta nowhere?"
His shoulders shook visibly. He averted his gaze. "Uh... if it's uncomfortable, no need."
As he withdrew regretfully, a small hand grabbed his. She shook it vigorously side to side. "Lieutenant, you're hilarious. That good?"
Adolf froze, stunned. Bell—smiling—was shaking his hand. Afraid the sight might vanish, he gently clasped it. Unable to hide his surging emotions, he smiled his happiest smile of the day.
To Bell, it was just funny. "Yes. Good. Looking forward to more."
She shook it twice more and let go. Was holding my hand all he wanted? Weird guy.
"Night, Lieutenant." She waved lightly, forcing a smile as she entered her room. Only after closing the door did she register her own grin, inhaling sharply at the belated embarrassment.
Night fully blanketed Rain Code. Mordan locked up and ambled to the central bar. The robed man still sat there, idly swirling his iced glass.
Mordan was shocked by the four proxies barging in, but Lucia among them hit harder. "Beloche's kid, huh?" the robed man asked flatly.
Mordan slipped behind the bar, wiping a glass with surprising delicacy. "Yeah. Her vanishing was baffling enough, and now Lucia—poof—shows up as a proxy."
"Ha, world's gone mad."
"Kids barely in their late twenties acting like my equals? Yeah, weird times." Mordan eyed him teasingly and chuckled. "Speaking formally now would just be awkward after all this."
"Just kidding." Mordan laughed, setting down the glass and waving his hand awkwardly. "For a 0th Generation, she's surprisingly light on her feet—girl or not."
"Don't underestimate. 0th Gen aren't 0th for nothing."
"Think you'd win against me?"
A short laugh escaped the robe, then he shifted topics. "Splitting races makes no sense. Just breeds grudges—no winners. Who's behind it? And the church... doesn't seem to stop it."
"Same thought. They got their reasons, probably." Mordan trailed off meaningfully.
The robed man sighed deeply. "Funny you keep this 'neutral' bar. That's your schtick now. You're scared of real conflict too."
Mordan silently pulled whiskey from the fridge, stacking it in a box unbidden. Another question followed. "Secret base somewhere?"
"Something like that. Not curious?"
"Not at all. Not now."
"Bigger secrets?"
The man shrugged off the robe. Rough features, unkempt beard, jet-black hair.
"Nope. I'll stay neutral. Like your bar."
Mordan chuckled at the firm tone. "So, Shatter Light Freigel—what'd you think of my 'juniors'?"
"Nothing." His aura was as solid as ever, but his eyes looked wearier, like someone just letting time pass.
"Freigel. We might turn it back. Those glory days."
He scowled. "No. My sun set long ago."
"Shatter Light sure rings hollow now."
Freigel gave a low, self-mocking chuckle. "Yeah, broken light. Cut the weird talk."
His voice held deep regret and bitterness. Bar owner Mordan grimaced wryly. "Because of Cheisi?"
"Yeah. Until whoever's fanning this conflict vanishes, I'm neutral here."
"As a 0th Gen proxy, you'll keep both sides in check with that power, eh?"
Freigel Shtafenberk nodded slowly. "But I won't side with either. Not even that shady group you're nudging me toward. Just like old times."
Mordan laughed a few times and refilled his glass. "And Mordan—if it's for the kids, stop smuggling Luminot through this neutral zone."
Mordan flinched but fiddled with his mustache casually. "Proxy senses are sharp, huh."
"You look antsy. Not joining risky stuff. So, Mordan."
Freigel paused, then downed his drink. The awkward plea to keep things as-is—he swallowed with the liquor.