One day after the war and the death of the vice-president, Luna precedes a new election for the vacant position, and at this moment she looks closer to the screen showing the tally of votes to make sure she is always updated until the last second of the election day.
Shortly after, Xylma popped up in the corner of the presidential room, politely bowed, and saluted her firmly.
President Luna let her little mage report and nodded, contending to what she listened to.
Xylma took something in her pouch and gracefully give those to her superior.
Luna grabbed and look at the pictures.
Sattelite images and photos taken by drones show a huge strange wooden ship and its banners composed of several flags.
Given their current location, speed, and course intended to be, this strange ship will likely go to the shores of Catanduanes Island.
This bothers Luna a lot.
What exactly are their intentions? Why would a group of nations from the far east want from them? Although they are too far from the Philippines, these nation-states can still be observed from space and study them.
A slap in her face. It was like the United States of America trying to negotiate with them and want to assert their political ideologies and dominance over the world. Although twice closer compared back to Earth, still they posed a tremendous threat.
Each nation if the data collected is reliable, is nearly powerful as that of Heather and Alkatross Kingdom.
After all, for Luna and everybody, the unknown is terrifying however before this ship goes to the country, they need to confront the Philippine fleets stationed there at the eastern barricade islands.
Upon looking at it seriously, it was twice the size of her cruise ship and arguably enough, infused in some kind of huge bubble similar to that golden ships she acquired yet this kind of defensive structure looks stronger and thicker— rainbow hues upon it when reflecting sunlight.
Luna goes back to her seat and planned again for countermeasures against possible threats these nations could offer to the table.
Xylma straightened herself and look at the monitor for a while before she leaves.
A sudden question passed through her head. She observes the situation, seeks the right timing, and asks Luna without reservation.
“Miss President, may I ask something?“
“Go ahead”
While Luna checked something on her pad together with AI Kiki on it, they suddenly stopped upon hearing a question they always set aside.
“Democracy, Communism, Federalism, Socialism— our neighbors are monarchies and imperialism so Miss President, just what kind of government is the Philippine government?“
Kiki jumped to the next monitor full of glees.
Kiki and Luna looked at each other before Xylma and synchronously said with comforting smiles.
“Secret!!“
Xylma was dumbfounded followed by a strained expression on her face.
“I-I see…”
—————
Right at the time when Xylma ask the question, a young man was walking down a hallway on the secret island of PhilSecta Society. The time was already past midnight, but he had come across more than an average amount of agents and members on their duties.
This was because the President had been kidnapped just this morning but returned safely and announced the death of the Vice President.
All available agents and the Philippine Security Group (PSG) which comprises all elite members, had been deployed to the Presidential Palace after the kidnapping happened.
The President in question, however, simply returned with her special butler as if nothing had happened. Of course, they knew Luna can protect herself anytime but why does she disconnect herself from society and then suddenly announced the death of the Vice President?
Luna always sends her circumstances and location every hour to the main PhilSecta headquarters and always discloses the plans she will execute to her trusted upper echelons.
Anna Montes, who is the Top Head of the Society and in charge of everything on the island was full of worries.
This didn't happen before and mature-looking Anna contemplated that the President started to doubt the competence of the PhilSecta agents.
Is it because they aren't on Earth anymore? Anna issued an order ensuring all members are at the highest capability.
So she sends some agents to the Palace and the remaining were to figure out the peace and security of each province, the integrity of police stations, and check out any strange phenomena and the possibility of foreign entities.
Fortunately, there are numerous video surveillance units in public areas to identify threats and also macro drones in the skies.
After doing their part, the members were called back to the society to reinforce security and stability throughout the nation through intelligence networks, which had doubled the mitigation measures throughout the country.
This means any threat upon spotted capable of disrupting peace and stability will be immediately disposed of.
The young man in the hall whom Luna called Homer, however, wasn’t bothered by it.
Homer utilizing his expertise, sneaked past the guards in the corridor.
Homer recalled his conversation at the time he first met Luna. The time when he was an elementary schooler.
I wish you could be my first primary chess piece, Homer.
Luna had muttered.
Homer wasn’t aware that a trace of a smile formed on his face every time he remembered her remark. But just then, Homer’s expression dampened.
What the president was trying to accomplish seemed impossible to Homer. Just like everybody else, he too barely distinguished reality from fiction after they learn the absurdity of this world.
The president was ready to charge into enemy territory with no regard for her safety and without any measures ensuring she will stay alive a hundred percent after.
Homer assumed that the president was aware of how dangerous it would be without knowing the supernatural capabilities of her enemies like the demons on the Iferanda mountain, but Luna chose to enact her plan anyway on her own accord.
She chose the lives of her people over her own even the hopeless Iclylicians she saved.
While Homer felt proud of the president’s decision, he couldn’t help but feel frustrated at his current position.
Homer, after all, is not powerful enough to fight beside her.
He had no right to criticize, stop, or even help Luna in her countless endeavors.
Homer tightened his fists.
Then, Homer saw a light up ahead. Pegging it for a guard on patrol, Homer immediately slipped through a nearby door—after making sure that no one was in the room, of course.
The room appeared to be a private office of someone important. A wide desk sat in the center of the room with a large window behind it and powered off computer screens lining the slightly concave walls.
Double checking that no one else was in the room through his biosensors, he hid behind the only bookshelf and remained silent.
I can’t believe I let my emotions get the best of me...
Homer thought as he waited for the patrol to pass by.
He had always been able to remain cold and collected, completing his mission while banishing all of his feelings.
When it came to that white-haired president, however, those emotions proved impossible to overcome.
Suddenly, he sensed someone nearby.
“...?”
Homer observed the room until he spotted a particularly dark spot.
“Your reputation to higher echelons precedes you... is what I was going to say, Agent 01-0A Cobra. But seeing that you let me get so close, maybe you’re a little overrated.”
A voice came from the darkness, and a silhouette appeared.
Homer recognized the figure with astonishment.
“You’re...”
“Sounds like you still remember my greatness”
The silhouette chuckled.
The person Kuro recognized had no business being here in a desolate room.
Moonlight illuminated the silhouette, revealing the figure in full. It was a woman older than Homer with shiny black—or perhaps carbon-colored—hair and eyes of the same hue that gleamed with a dauntless and piercing light.
Anna Montes... What’s the president’s right-hand doing here?
Homer knew the woman. Childhood friend and most dangerous assassin the president have, and unofficially adopted child of the famous veteran Conrado Cecilio.
The Cecilios had garnered a reputation for producing excellent officers throughout the political dynasty’s history, men whose services were always cherished by the past presidents of their time.
This one included the woman who become famous in PhilSecta at a very young age— the time when the government fights the communist fronts, she captured traitors within the military ranks and chopped their limbs.
However, after Luna took the position of President a few decades ago and Ferguson became a Foreign Minister and Puppet Master to the president, Conrado Cecilio, and his family were relocated to the far-fetched province.
Anna alone had remained in the palace at that time to serve Luna. She excelled at her job as if she was the delete button of Luna's list to kill and supported her for years as her right hand.
Homer had heard rumors that Anna was so knowledgeable that she even had intelligence networks everywhere, but he had never verified that. Of course, it was safe to assume she oversees the agents of PhilSecta as Top-Head.
And most of all, Luna regards her as the only killing machine worthy of her praise. An ultimate death sentence to those Luna wanted to assassinate.
Anna spoke to Homer, who remained in a defensive stance.
“I looked into you. Your work preceded my expectations, I was surprised that I couldn’t find out a particular about your plain background”
Despite saying so, Anna showed no sign of actual surprise. She only stared at Homer with curiosity.
“You perfectly execute any mission I gave to you, from reconnaissance to thievery and even assassinations... But you never settle down despite all your riches. A clinger, bloodsucker, and hopeless to his romantic crush. Does that hit the mark?”
“What’s your point, Grandmaster?”
Homer snarled at Rook, wanting to stop beating around the corner. He didn’t have time to strike up a leisurely conversation. As if she’d seen right through him, Anna grinned.
“You’ve been someone’s dog before, haven’t you?”
Homer froze for a moment at Anna’s assured tone, practically confirming the fact. Still, he tried to deny it.
“What are you—”
“That shook you, huh? So naive.”
Anna chuckled and shrugged.
“You thought you could explain away all your skills and prowess as mere products of talent and experience?”
Anna had accurately deduced that Homer had not acquired all of his skills on his own. An agent’s most important ability was blending into one’s surroundings without being noticed.
Of course, infiltration and combat skills were both important, but not as much as the skill of gathering information. While these all required both talent and experience, Homer’s work had been much too refined for him to have built those skills on his own.
“I can smell a lonely spirit. Besides...”
Anna widened her grin. The moonlight eerily flickered across her face.
“You find joy in serving others... That’s how you were trained.”
Homer’s mind froze. He knew that Anna was right—he had been conditioned that way. Although he reflected, he didn’t even realize that he was being conditioned back then.
Seeing Homer immobilized like a fallen marionette, Anna continued.
“But, you look for a master with the right qualities. That’s why you were drawn to her majesty... and became enchanted by her.”
Anna noticed the ever-so-slight tremor in Homer’s shoulders.
“Even as we speak, you’re scheming how you can be by her side.”
“Shut up.”
“Why should I?”
Anna asked with a teasing tone.
“If you keep reacting like this to the truth, you’re not nearly as professional as you think. What would her Majesty, President Luna think of you if she found out...?”
When Luna’s name was mentioned, Homer lost it.
She was the one person in the world whom Homer wanted to protect from his past. Just imagining Luna’s disappointed look was too much for him to bear.
In all honesty, since he was a child he was accustomed to murdering people.
He closed in on Anna in the blink of an eye, thrusting the icepick that seemed to appear in his hand straight toward Anna’s grinning face.
Anna smilingly dodged the attack with ease, albeit only so easily because Homer had lost his cool, making his attack predictable.
Under circumstances, he could have taken Anna in a decent fight enough to contend with her.
Of course, he knew she could kill him within a second if she wanted. That is just how terrifying an assassin she is.
After his stab failed to connect, Homer lowered his center of gravity and turned to kick Anna in the torso.
Anna saw that coming too and caught his kick with one hand. Homer glared up at her, almost audibly grinding his teeth.
Anna calmly met his glare.
“What a disappointment. Didn’t expect to shake you this easily. Did I overestimate you so much?”
“Overestimate...?”
Homer relaxed. Finally realizing that he was being tested again, he regained his cool. Anna released his leg and cut to the chase.
“Cobra, will you be the President’s next right hand?”
Homer gulped. It was precisely what he wanted the most. Still, he saw many obstacles in the way for him to assume that position including his internal struggles.
“But I’m...”
He couldn’t finish his sentence, so he only shook his head and stared at the floor. Anyone who served the president was required to have a reputable background like the executive secretary.
At the very least, he would have had to be born into a rich influential family.
Homer, by contrast, was an underground killer to hire who had abandoned his pitiful life to roost in the dark side of Manila.
What’s more, he had committed numerous crimes throughout his career. Even as he longed for the position, Homer couldn’t help but wonder if he would be allowed at the president’s side.
“I’ll make you a new background. Don’t worry about your criminal record, either. We can even do a trial run if you want.”
Anna declared, as Homer silently struggled with the decision.
She had begun researching Homer ever since Anna enter and rise the ranks.
Using her network, she had uncovered everything she could about him, as well as the work he had performed.
Whenever Homer gathered information, he always made sure that his target didn’t even realize that anything had been taken from them.
He never put any informants in danger, either. He never accepted assassination requests without a good reason behind them, and he never killed anyone he didn’t have to.
In particular, he never accepted any mission to assassinate a child, no matter the price. Any such requests proposed to Homer always vanished in a matter of days.
After looking at every piece of information he had gathered about him, Anna found out about his deceased sister and was sure that he was the only one suitable to become Luna's right hand.
Anna had intended to propose the idea to Luna all along, and the kidnapping had only sped up the process.
If by chance Luna choose him over her.
“What do you want?”
Homer asked, expecting Anna to use him to get to the president.
Anna’s answer, however, blew Homer away.
“Just one thing. For you to stay by her side.”
He looked up at Anna’s blood-colored eyes piercing through him.
“Stay with her majesty, help her, protect her, and support her with your life on the line. Otherwise, do whatever you want.”
“Don’t you think I’ll betray her...?”
Homer countered, glaring back at Anna.
Anna scoffed.
“Could you hurt her if you tried? You can't even put a dent on her flawless skin.”
He couldn’t deny that.
“What say you?”
————
An elementary student by the name of Homer spotted a beautiful cosplayer girl in the fountain plaza near BGC standpoint as evening approached.
She was a slender lass of about sixteen to eighteen, with hair the color of polished silver and porcelain skin —she sat on the edge of the fountain, staring into space.
There were very few people around, and it would be dark soon. Even in the prosperous part of Metro Manila, it wasn’t entirely safe for a teenager to be out alone after dark.
Homer thought of his deceased big sister and couldn’t help but call to the girl.
“What are you doing here, big sis?”
The girl jumped slowly. She looked at Homer, then immediately glanced away.
“I don’t... know,” she muttered with intimidation flowing through her black abysmal eyes.
“But it’s getting dark. It’s not safe out here... you have to go home.”
Homer’s suggestion was met by silence. After a moment, he relented and step backward.
It wasn’t unusual for a teen to run away from home after fighting with their parents.
“Then why don’t you hang out with me?” he offered, planning to walk her home once she had changed her mind.
The girl's bloodshot eyes gave him an unpleasant look.
“I’m not supposed to follow strangers... Especially a suspicious kid who thinks he's innocent.”
“Suspicious?! I’m a cute good kid though!”
Homer sighed, rubbing his chin.
“I guess I do look untrustworthy. My name is Homer. I’m on my way home. Can you perhaps tell me your name, big sis?”
“Luna Lo Csia...”
“What a pretty name.”
Homer flashed a smile to not upset her.
It was the time when Luna meets her first assistant.
————
Homer closed his eyes at the question. What he saw in the darkness was Luna sitting beside the fountain of the BGC and quietly watching the water dance. He had no doubts about it.
“What do you think?”
Anna nodded in satisfaction and turned her back.
“Then let’s get started. First things first, leave that past of yours or do some psychological treatment. After you clear up your head, meet me in my private room. You know where it is, don’t you?”
Homer nodded and blended into the dark of night, leaving Anna behind.
Anna felt slightly troubled and sad after he leaves.