3rd POV. Heat Haze Palace.
With a new member in the group, the members of Lamplight were given a task that was similar in their very first one, to get to know each other.
Now, all eight members of Lamplight are now tasked in getting to know each other.
Lily, the leader of the team, gathered all the other girls to formulate a plan.
Lily: Alright! Now, how do we get to know Caelus?
Thea: Maybe we can—
Sybilla: Challenge him into a fight! He looks strong!
Monika: Yeah. He's the only one who actually managed to corner Klaus. I don't even know how the guy did it.
Monika: But if we got to know him during a duel, we can find a way to beat Klaus as well!
Erna: Then......
Erna: I'll fight him!
Annette: But how will you fight him? Your luck is so bad—
Lily: Maybe I can poison him!
Sybilla: Then what? Mess it up?
Lily: Ah, hehe......
Grete: Shouldn't we just get to know him better?
Sara: Yeah. After all, he is our teammate.
Lily: All right, then!
Thea: Then leave it to—
Sybilla: Let me handle this one.
Thea: Hey! Stop stealing my thunder—
Sybilla: We can't have you just seducing men left and right.
Thea: That's—
Sybilla: I, for one, can possibly understand the way he thinks.
Grete: Understand the way he thinks?
Sybilla: Yes. You saw how he's so coolheaded and serious? Yet at the same time, he's not even bothered by anything?
Lily: Like Teach—
Sybilla: No. Teach and Caelus are different.
Sybilla: We saw how Teach is professiomal towards us. But Caelus on the other hand, he doesn't trust us.
Sybilla: Well, I get that because of our lime of work.
Sybilla: But....what bothered me the most is the academy where he graduated from?
Sybilla: And we absolutely know nothing about the guy. Even Teach himself doesn't even know much about the guy.
Lily: That is why we have to get to know him!
Sybilla: That's the thing. He said it himself. A spy must be an elusive phantom.
Sybilla: Think about this. We already have a test.
Monika: That is to gather information in subtle ways, is that it?
Lily: Hmmm......
Erna: But how?
Grete: Maybe I can try this method.
Lily: You have something in mind?
Grete: He still doesn't know our specialties. So....
Thea: Then we have a chance to....
Meanwhile, at Caelus' room.....
He already settled down his luggage. Clothes and equipment.
His room is already furnished and clean.
Caelus: Since I have nothing to do here.....maybe I'll explore the mansion.
Caelus was about to leave his room but he forgot something.
Caelus: Right.
He grabbed one more thing. That is a framed picture of a woman and a child.
Both have striking resemblance to one another.
Caelus: Mom. Wherever you are, please watch me.
He placed the picture on his desk before he went out.
Exploring the place where he'll live is essential. He needs to know the layout, especially if the residence is too big.
Caelus: So there's the kitchen.....
Caelus continued to explore the other facilities.
Caelus: Oh, they also have a communal bath here.
Caelus: But do they have a personal bathroom?
Caelus continued to explore.
Caelus: Oh, they have one. Then.....how about recreational room?
Caelus also noticed....
Caelus: Those girls have been following me. Do they really think I can't sense them? A rule for a spy is to be aware of your surroundings. Especially if you are being tailed.
Caelus: Whatever. I'll just let them be. But if they try anything funny, be prepares for anything, Caelus.
Caelus went to the second floor. To him, it is just as impressive as the first floor.
Caelus: Hmm, do they also have a garden? I'd like to find a place where I can read my book peacefully.
He went downstairs, passed through the main hall, courtyard, until he reached the garden.
Caelus: Not bad.
Caelus: This place is nice. Also.....
Caelus turns around to look at the exterior of the Palace once more.
Caelus: I heard a rumor that the Royal Family of Din Republic once used this residence as their hiding place and has served as another palace. Although, there is no confirmation to such rumors.
Caelus: Although I would say that this mansion was home to another group of people.
Caelus: I definitely saw traces of the past. Then, how long does Teach been here? Does he know the former residents of the palace?
Caelus: Anyways, all eight of them are here.
Caelus: Lily and Annette are hiding behind the bush, 20 meters to my southwest.
Caelus: Monika, Annette, and Erna are hiding on two trees, 22 meters to my east.
Caelus: Sara and Thea are watching me from a shrub just 27 meters away from my west.
Caelus: As for Grete.....
???: I see. You're exploring the palace.
Caelus turns around.
Caelus: Ah, Teach.
Caelus: Or rather, Grete in disguise.
Caelus can already tell that it was Grete because he can see the difference between a synthetic mask from the real skin of a human person.
He also noticed the difference in height.
Caelus: Heh, using something to imitate Teach's height. From the wig, eye contacts, height, clothes, and even voice.
Caelus: Heh.
Caelus walks past "Klaus" and subtly removed the mask.
Caelus: Deceiving me, Daughter Dearest?
Grete: !?
The rest of Lamplight was baffled by this as they can't even process what happened.
Lily: Did he just!?
Thea: Remove Grete's disguise in an instant!?
Sybilla: His pickpocketing was too damn flawless! He just walked past Grete and....
Erna: I didn't smell misfortune! I can't smell misfortune from him! What is this!?
Monika: Damn! Is he really just a fresh graduate!?
Annette: I was blown away, yo!
Thea: He just did that and knew it was Grete in just one glance!?
Sara: Why can't Mr. Bernard even react to him!?
Lily: Is that part of his special abilities? To differentiate between friend or foe?
Caelus: The rest of you, I know exactly where you're hiding.
The rest of Lamplight: !?
Caelus threw his knives and struck where the other seven members were hidden.
Caelus: The moment your cover was exposed by the enemy, as a spy you have already failed.
Caelus: It's either you fight or escape.
Caelus: But then, enemy spies will not give you the chance to even run away.
The other members of Lamplight came out from their respective blindspots.
Lily: How did you even got to know our hiding places!?
Caelus: Simple. You left footprints.
Monika: Footprints......?
Grete points at the ground and there are parts of dirt with footprints left by shoes.
Thea: But how did you even discern—
Caelus: Each of you are wearing different shoes, so it is bound that the design of the soles are different from one another.
Caelus: I may only have a glance about the soles of your shoes, but it was enough to tell me to discern your tracks.
Erna: Amazing.
Sybilla: Yeah. Are you really a fresh graduate from the academy?
Caelus: Yes. I am.
Caelus: Though I would say that my batchmates were much better than me.
Caelus: Yet for some reason, the graduating class hailed me as the strongest.
Sara: Maybe you are really strong!
Lily: Yeah!
Caelus: Anyways. Are you planning to have a sneak attack on me? A part of Teach's curriculum?
Lily: Yes.
Monika: You see, Klaus is an incompetent teacher.
Caelus: I don't think so.
Monika: Huh?
Caelus: He's having a hard time to teach. Besides, teaching students is new to him.
Caelus: So he's walking on unfamiliar territory. That is why needs to carefully tread his way of teaching.
Caelus: Now then......
Caelus: You have to get back to your training.
Lamplight: Yes, sir!
All members of Lamplight left as they were disappointed as they failed in their mission.
However, one member stayed behind.
Lily: Uh, Caelus.
Caelus: Yes? Lily, right?
Lily: Yeah! Can I ask you something?
Caelus: What is it?
Lily: Are you distancing yourself to us?
Caelus: Yes.
Lily: Can you tell me the reason why?
Caelus: Because I don't have a reason to.
Lily: But......wait, do you even know that we're going to be sent fulfilling Impossible Missions?
Caelus: I am fully aware.
Lily: But why aren't you saying anything!?
Caelus: First, because I was not asked to.
Caelus: Second, I have no reason to say anything.
Caelus: *sigh*
Caelus: So, what is it this time?
Sybilla: Caelus, I challenge you to a duel.
Caelus: A duel, huh. Hand-to-hand combat?
Sybilla: Even better!
Caelus: Fine. This location will be good.
The two faced off, getting on their stances.
Sybilla: Now, show me what you got, newcomer.
Caelus: Fine. This is also an opportunity for me to learn how you hold yourself in a fight.
Lily offered to be the referee.
Lily: Ready......
Lily: Set.....
Lily: Begin!
Once Lily gave the signal, Sybilla rushed towards Caelus by giving him a flying kick, only for the newcomer to evade effortlessly.
Sybilla: I'm not yet done!
Sybilla continued her assault by throwing a series of jabs and kicks towards Caelus.
Caelus on the other hand already discerned Sybilla's movement pattern and behavior.
Caelus: Hm. I see. So out of eight members, you're the most athletic.
Sybilla: Is that you're way of distracting me!?
Caelus: No, that's a fact. But there is one flaw.
Sybilla: Oh, yeah? What is it?
When Sybilla threw another punch, Caelus evades it by ducking and sneaking up on Sybilla.
Caelus: You need to control your strength.
Caelus grabs Sybilla's arm, flips her over, and eventually pinning her to the ground.
Sybilla: What the.....!? I can't move......
Caelus: I'm restraining you by pinning down your core. Even if you move your arms, you'll not be able to stand up.
Caelus: As the weight will continously crush your core.
Sybilla: Ow! Ow! Ow! What the heck! I yield! I yield!
Lily: The winner of this match, Caelus!
Caelus lets go of Sybilla.
Sybilla: Damn. Finally!
Sybilla stands up......
Sybilla: I have to admit, his movement is flawless.
Sybilla: Yet I can't help but think I was fighting a shadow when he's on defense. He just evaded by attacks, he never blocked any of it, and because he just evaded, he found a way to counter.
Sybilla: Damn. You really are strong. No wonder why you got Klaus, the World's Strongest Spy.
Caelus: Really? Maybe I just got lucky, that's all.
Lily: Still! That was no easy feat! You managed to beat Sybilla and Teach!
Caelus: It means you guys need to require training. Also....
Caelus: Me, defeating Teach? No. I still have ways to go.
Monika: Cut the crap. Long ways to go? You can literally kill him if you wanted to!
Caelus: No. That's because Teach wasn't being serious at that time.
Caelus: Well, in order to respond kindly, I wasn't being serious earlier.
Lamplight: What!?
Monika: The hell.......! That's it! You! Fight me!
Caelus: All right.
But Monika decided to just attack Caelus......
And Caelus kicked her to the side, making her fly to the shrubs in the garden.
Monika: AGH!
Caelus: That's is your flaw, Monika.
Caelus: Your pride. I can already see how proud you are as you claim to yourself as the "strongest" of Lamplight.
Caelus: However, your pride holds you back.
Caelus: A true spy never holds anything as much as pride.
Caelus: We aren't knights who adheres to the Code of Chivalry.
Caelus: We are shadows that were task to do whatever it takes to fulfill our mission.
Caelus: We are empty to begin with, after all.
Caelus walks out as the other members of Lamplight wondered.
Lily: Empty?
Thea: .....
Thea: Now that I think about it......
Thea: No matter how hard I try, I can't get a glimpse of his heart.
Thea: When I observed his eyes, they show me nothing. As if I'm in the middle of a mist.
Erna: Erna doesn't know but I was wrong earlier.
Everyone looked at Erna.
Erna: What do you mean?
Erna: I thought I can't smell any misfortune at him.
Erna: But now.....
Erna: It's because he went through something so unfortunate.
Lily: Something so unfortunate?
Sara: What do you mean?
Erna: I'm saying that he thinks his life is nothing but a great misfortune.
Lily: .......
The rest of Lamplight looked at Caelus who is heading inside the manor.
Annette: Now that I think about it....
Annette: The bro doesn't express himself, yo!
Grete: Hmm, yes. Out of all the men that I encountered.....
Grete: He seems not to be interested in anything. Hr claims himself as empty.
Sara: Is that why Mr. Bernard can't read him at all?
Monika: Cut the crap. All I know is that bastard thinks he's better than the rest of us.
Sybilla: Hey.
Lily: Don't say that! He can't just contain himself because he's going to live with 8 cute girls from now on!
Thea: *sigh*
As for Klaus who was watching through the window.
Klaus: Magnificent.
Klaus: I have to keep a close eye on Caelus.
Klaus: He's not one to boast his abilities. He just adapts to what he can do with his abilities.
Klaus: Yet he continues to grow.
Klaus: Are you really just a regular graduate?
Klaus: I have to find out the academy where you came from. Maybe I can catch a glimpse of your soul.
Klaus: No matter how much you claim that you are empty now.....
Klaus: I'm certain that you were once a person filled with something.....
Klaus: I pray that you will have that even at present.
Klaus: Even just a fragment of it.
Klaus smiled.
Klaus: But still......
Klaus: Magnificent, Caelus.