[R1999] Short Stories' Collection

A chaotic incident in Sicily (5)

With her usual vague smile, she took a quick glance at each of her companions. Then, her sight stopped at Click.

"I heard that Mr. Click here used to be a war correspondent. Can I ask you some questions to satisfy my curiosity?"

Hearing his name being called, Click changed his sight from the film roll to Tennant.

"Of course, you can refuse to answer my questions if they make you feel uncomfortable."

He slightly nodded.

"As a war correspondent, you will never intervene in the war, right?"

"Yes, a war correspondent just does things they should do on the battlefield. Stay neutral, record what happens and bring the truth back." He answered.

"What will happen if someone breaks the rules?" asked Tennant.

"Whatever the reason is, that person can't be considered as a war correspondent anymore." Click said, "They will be seen as a target and attacked by any side."

"Assuming that we are joining a war, will you stay neutral to continue your job or..." The woman watched his expression, "...choose our side and fight?"

It was hard to see any change in that ghost's expression. He always seemed to be lackadaisical in anything, except when he was picking up his camera.

Was becoming a ghost made him look like that? Or was his personality like that from the beginning?

"Now, I'm not only a war correspondent, but also an ally of you from the moment I chose to become a member in Mrs. Vertin's suitcase."

His expression remained the same, but somehow Tennant could see the seriousness within it. She knew that he was telling the truth, like he always did with the photographs he captured.

"I believe in Mrs. Vertin's choice. She will never begin a meaningless war or join it without any reasonable reason."

Humans were formed by many elements, which made them the most complicated beings of this world. Arcanists were no different from them, except their abnormal abilities and their fewer in number compared to humans.

If you could see a person's nature at first glance, would you be interested in them anymore?

Tennant chuckled.

"Thank you for your interesting answer, Mr. Click."

"You're welcome."

He nodded and once again continued checking the film roll in his hand.

The next person who started a new topic was Pavia.

"Quick question. Who will keep the secret forever?"

"The deceased?" Tennant guessed.

"It used to be the answer, but now she exists."

He looked at the girl in black dress with a small glass cage in her hands and shrugged his shoulders.

"So there is no right answer until she kicks the bucket."

Pavia raised his head to watch the full moon that peeked through the tree leaves.

"Those cunning old men had no clue about her existence as well as our arrival."

"They believed that the previous answer was still right."

That burnished full moon on the pitch-black sky seemed to urge the mysterious instinct deep within him to emerge. Unconsciously, he had licked his fang.

"If there were no one coming back from this wedding, no one could point out who the culprits were."

"So that they could blame anyone, especially, their rivals."