3rd POV. Heat Haze Palace.
Caelus: Teach, Grete, change of plans, I will not be joining the assassin hunt.
Grete: !?
Klaus: Why is that?
Caelus: Something came up. I got an update about the intel I gathered. That is actually connected to the assassin we're hunting for.
Klaus: Then....
Grete: You know about Corpse's background?
Caelus: Corpse or rather, Roland......
Caelus: I found out something significant and if I miss it, we won't find a chance like any other.
Klaus: Then, could you at least share with us what you found?
Caelus: Purple Ant.
Klaus: !?
Grete: Purple Ant?
Caelus: Yes. Corpse is definitely connected to Purple Ant.
Caelus: So for now, I'll have to gather more information about Purple Ant.
Caelus: So that when the time comes, we can deal with him.
Grete: Caelus.
Klaus: It seems like you're starting to acknowledge your teammates.
Caelus: Please. All I'm doing is supporting everyone in the background.
Caelus: In the end, I'll have to leave the palace one day.
Klaus: Leave the palace?
Grete: Why?
Caelus: It's not I don't want to.
Caelus: I MUST leave the palace, because I have a much more personal matter to deal with on the other hand.
Caelus: And in order to do that, I will have to leave the palace.
Ever since Caelus had that conversation with Klaus and Grete, the two became concerned about Caelus' overall well-being.
Even after Lamplight had captured both Roland, also known as Corpse, and his associate, Olivia.....
Caelus had never returned to the Palace.
Klaus even sent a letter to Caelus but there was no reply.
Klaus: Caelus......
Klaus: What were you up to?
And because of this, Lamplight became much more concerned as Caelus didn't came back at least two weeks ever since the assassin hunt.
When Grete and Klaus broke the news.....
Sybilla: The hell is that guy thinking!? So the reason why he didn't join the previous mission was because he is on a mission of his own!?
Lily: Sybilla, please calm down.
Monika: I'm not actually surprised that Caelus will do that. I mean, he's a bona fide spy.
Monika: A full-fledged spy. While we didn't even graduated.
Erna: I sense misfortune.
Everyone looked at Erna.
Sara: Misfortune!?
Thea: What do you mean?
Erna: Big Brother Caelus is in danger! I sensed misfortune! We last saw him the day before the assassin hunt, and I sensed it!
Erna: I thought it was about something else but I knew that Big Brother Caelus is in big trouble!
Annette: This is bad, yo!
Thea: Caelus.....
Klaus: I know everyone is concerned about Caelus. He told me and Grete that he'll return probably around a week.
Klaus: But it's been two weeks now.
Klaus: And if we're going by Erna's instinct, Caelus probably landed himself in trouble.
Monika: Can you at least tell us what is his mission all about?
Klaus: He was gathering information about Corpse.
Thea: About Corpse?
Klaus: Yes. But he told us that it is probably connected with his personal business.
Monika: Personal business?
Erna: !?
Erna remembered her visit to Magnolia.
Erna: YEEEEEEP!
Sara: What's wrong!?
Erna: It could be about his mother!
Lily: His mother?
Thea: What do you mean?
Lily and Thea began to pressure Erna, as the poor little girl was cracking under the pressure.
Erna: O-Oh no! I can't! I promise Big Brother that I will protect that secret!
Erna: B-But! If I won't tell......we won't be able to figure out his motives! I believe that his personal business is connected to his mother.......
Erna: But as to how it is connected with his mother......what was it all about?
Erna begins to shake as she is overthinking her options......
Unfortunately for her, she gave in.
Erna: Sorry, Big Brother Caelus.
Erna: It might be connected with his mother.
The rest of Lamplight: !?
Klaus: To Anastasia? Wait, is Erna aware about Anastasia being Ember?
Klaus: Erna, let me ask you a question.
Erna: Yes?
Klaus: How did you know about Caelus' mother?
Erna: Teach, when you assigned me to accompany him when he went out from the palace, his agenda was to visit the town of Magnolia.
Monika: Magnolia!?
Thea: Wait, you mean the Magnolia!? The town that the Galgad Empire razed to the ground!?
Klaus: The Town of Magnolia is a strategic point to the Galgad Empire as it is a merchant town, even more so that it has a port of its own.
Klaus: So, the Empire decided to occupy it to drain the Republic's supplies during the war.
Klaus: And the Empire committed a war crime there.
Klaus: They massacred the civilians living there.
Lily: Massacred?
Sybilla: Wait, you're not saying that Caelus......
Klaus: There is one explanation.
Klaus: Caelus witnessed the horrors of war more than anyone else here in Lamplight.
Klaus: If that was the case, then Anastasia is already.......
Klaus: Going back on topic about Caelus' mother.....
Erna: I saw him visiting the grave of his mother.
Klaus: So that's how it is. She died as a casualty of war.
Klaus: And the attack on the Town of Magnolia was around 10 years ago.
Klaus: The attack on Magnolia became the decisive factor in ending the war.
Klaus: The Republic's battle to take it back paved the way in ending the war itself.
Klaus: When the Republic was able to take back Magnolia, the Empire was also defeated by the Allied Nations.
Klaus: That is why, today....
Klaus: The Town of Magnolia was hailed as the Town of Victory.
Klaus: And it can be attributed to a story connected to it.
Sara: A story?
Klaus: It was said that during the attack, a mother and child was running away amidst the chaos.
Klaus: But seeing as there was no other way out....
Klaus: The mother decided to protect her child.
Klaus: To do this, the mother asked her child to run away and never look back.
Klaus: The child followed their mother's orders.
Klaus: As for the mother, she fought off the soldiers that was going after her child. The mother took out as many Imperial Soldiers as she can, until the injuries and wounds she sustained in the process lead to her death.
Klaus: That is why, the story of the Mother and Child of Magnolia became such a famous story.
Klaus: Now that I think about it.....the Mother and Child could be......
Klaus: Anastasia and Caelus.
Klaus: To think that Anastasia was still able to fight like that. If she wasn't injured, she would've been able to massacre all the Imperial Soldiers that attacked the town.
Klaus: But since she has an injury.....
Lily: Then......
Lily: What happened to the child, Teach?
Klaus: Who knows? But the story is a representation of the people of Magnolia. Those who survived, shall one day return and revive the town itself.
Klaus: And those who died shall be remembered forever.
Klaus: And when the Republic took back Magnolia, our countrymen took it with such courage, to show the Empire that we won't allow anyone to trample upon our people.
Klaus: And to think that Caelus was born in Magnolia.....
Klaus: Is that the reason why he became a spy?
Erna: I don't know. His purpose was probably to visit his relatives and his hometown.
Klaus: I see.
Klaus: Now, going back to the matter at hand.....
Klaus: We have no clue as to where Caelus could be.
Klaus: He could be everywhere in the world and if Erna says that Caelus is in danger....
Klaus: All right, I'll point out the possible places where he could be. I believe he would be there to accomplish his mission.
Klaus: Operation: Heaven, shall commence. The objective of this operation is to locate and if things gets worse, rescue Caelus.
Erna: Teach, I'll try and go to Magnolia, there could be a chance he would be there.
Klaus: Alone?
Erna: I'll take care of it. I met some of Caelus' friends there. They might tell me anything about Caelus' recent activities.
Klaus: Magnificent. Then, the rest of us shall cover his locations.
Klaus: And if you find valuable intel alomg the way, report it to us immediately.
Lamplight began their operation.
Erna went to Caelus' hometown, Thea insisted to join her.
Erna agreed as she wouldn't know what awaits them.
Monika, Sara, and Annette went to Galgad Empire.
Klaus went to Lylat Kingdom.
Lily, Sybilla, Grete searched around Din's Capital.
The question remains, where is Caelus as of this moment?
He......is in Magnolia, and he is currently dealing a threat to his hometown, he actually sensed it when he visited Magnolia with Erna two weeks ago.
Caelus thought that it could be connected to his mission, and he was right on the money.
Caelus is currently interrogating an Imperial Spy.
Caelus: So.....
Caelus: What the hell are you doing here in this peaceful town?
Imperial Spy: As if I'd tell you, brat.
Caelus: *sigh*
Caelus: Looks like you don't value your life.
Caelus strikes the spy with a whip full of barbed wire.
Imperial Spy: AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! IT HURTS! IT HURTS! IT FUCKING HURTS!
Caelus: Of course it does. I'm just going to do this until you're dead.
The wires went deep into the spy's skin, and when Caelus pulls out the whip, blood and bits of flesh were scattered.
Imperial Spy: AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!
Caelus: So, mind telling me what are you doing here?
Imperial Spy: N-No.....
Imperial Spy: I heard a legend of someone kidnapping random people here in Magnolia, some say it is one of the residents who died here when the Empire attacked this town.
Caelus: Did you know how your Imperial Soldiers ravaged this beautiful and peaceful town?
Imperial Spy: !!!!!!!!!!
Imperial Spy: N-No, please! Please! No more! I-I'll tell you everything!
Caelus glared at the spy.
Caelus: Everything?
Imperial Spy: EVERYTHING!
Caelus: Speak, and one wrong word, your flesh will be scattered here.
Imperial Spy: A-All right! I'll talk!
Imperial Spy: I was assigned here by my superior to set off a bomb.
Caelus: Oh, you mean this?
Caelus shows the bomb he just defused.
Imperial Spy: !!!!
Caelus: What's your purpose of setting off this bomb? You Imperial bastards are going to start another war?
Imperial Spy: N-No, that's not it! I was tasked to just terrorized this town!
Caelus: Is that only the reason?
Imperial Spy: To kill someone!
Caelus: Someone? That's a too excessive. Setting off a bomb on a peaceful place, just to kill one person.
Caelus: Mind telling me more about your target? Starting from their name perhaps?
Imperial Spy: G-Gerard, a soldier from the Republic, the one who escaped from Endy Laboratory. The Empire placed a bounty on his head.
Caelus: Dad!
Caelus: All right, Endy Laboratory, a prisoner of war? *sigh*
Caelus: For human experiments?
Caelus: You bastard, now you made my blood boil.
Caelus readies his whip, as he struck fear into the Imperial Spy.
Caelus: Next question, tell me about Gerard's last location.
Imperial Spy: According to our intel, he was last spotted in Lylat Kingdom three days ago, and then he is here today.
Caelus: He's here!?
Caelus: All right, who sent you to kill Gerard?
Imperial Spy: Purple Ant......he was tasked on eliminating Gerard. He is a top priority target in the Empire as he holds valuable intel from the Empire.
Caelus: Of course he does. He is a veteran and a prisoner of war. He witnessed those horrendous human experiments your mad scientists conducted on his comrades.
Caelus: So it was Purple Ant of the spy team.....
Caelus: Serpent.
Imperial Spy: !!!!!
Imperial Spy: You.....you're.....
Caelus: Codename — Angel.
Caelus: Your requiem has begun.
Caelus "silenced" the Imperial Spy in an instant by decapitation.
He quickly disposed the body by burning it until no ashes was left.
Caelus: Hmph.
With the information that Caelus acquired regarding about his father, he deduced where his father could be.
Caelus: Dad. Wait for me.
Caelus went out and searched for his father, and then.....he found the man he's looking for.
Although the man was older, Caelus definitely recognized his father.
Caelus: Dad?
???: !?
The man turns around and saw a man with dirty blonde hair and piercing indigo eyes.
There was no mistaking it, it was Gerard, the man Caelus has been searching for years......his father.
Gerard: Caelus......? Wait.....is that really......
Caelus: Dad.....yes.....it's me.
The father and son embraced each other.
Gerard: Caelus, I'm very glad that you're alright.
Caelus: That's my line, you stupid old man!
The two broke off their embrace as Gerard looks at his son.
Gerard: Back then you were just so small but you're as tall as me.
Caelus: You aged, Dad.
Gerard: Been 10 years.
Caelus: Just what the hell happened to you, Dad?
Gerard: Let's go talk to our house—oh, wait.
Gerard: Right......
Caelus: Let's just find a nice place to talk.
And they went to the park.
The father and son caught up on each other.
Gerard told his son about his life in the frontlines, how it became dire for him and his comrades, their imprisonment, witnessing how his comrades were brutally subjected into experiments by the Galgad Empire scientists.....
And his escape.
Gerard: And who would've thought that I'll be a wanted man.
Caelus: You really went through a lot, Dad.
Gerard: Yeah. So? What about you? How did your mother......
Caelus: I think you are aware of what happened to Magnolia.....to this town......10 years ago.
Gerard: So, that's how it is. I heard the Empire used heavy artillery to attack this town.
Caelus: Yes. The sound of explosives, gunfire, the screams of the people living here, the soldiers who laughed as they watched us suffer.
Caelus: And how that one man killed mother.
Gerard: One man?
Caelus: Yes. I'm searching for his whereabouts.
Gerard: Tell me the description of this man.
Caelus: Black hair and his attitude was that of someone who dominates his targets.
Caelus: The lowest of the low.
Gerard: Wait......I think I saw that someone who had that description.
Caelus: !
Caelus: Really!?
Gerard: His name is Purple Ant, an Imperial Spy.
Gerard: He attempted to capture me during my escape from Endy Laboratory.
Gerard: But.....I know how to deal with spies, my division was tasked in dealing with them during the war.
Gerard: We are what they call as counterintelligence.
Gerard: I heard that the Republic focused on training spies, but they neglected defense.
Gerard: And my unit was specialized on that aspect.
Gerard: So, it's safe to say that I am a spy.
Caelus: A spy!?
Gerard: I know it sounds ridiculous.
Caelus: Is that why you rarely write letters to us....is because of....
Gerard: I'm sorry. I did that to protect you. But seems like I should've been here instead, then maybe I could've protected you and your mother.
Caelus: Don't blame yourself, Dad. Besides, when Magnolia was attacked, you said that was also the day you and your division was captured.
Gerard: That's right.
Gerard: Anyways, how about you, Caelus? I know life must've been much harder for you.
Caelus: Don't worry, Dad. I'm currently studying.
Gerard: Is that so? But....Caelus, although we haven't seen each other for years, there is one thing that I will always know.
Caelus: What is it?
Gerard: You're lying about studying.
Caelus: !?
Caelus: How could I forgot! Dad can tell that I am lying!
Gerard: But you have a reason why would you do that. Part of it must be my current situation.
Caelus: So, he understands.
Gerard: You're a smart kid, son.
Gerard: Anyways, as much as I'd like to spend more family time with you, it seems like there are two people coming for you.
Caelus: Dad caught on quick. He wasn't in the counterintelligence for nothing.
Caelus: Huh?
Gerard: As much as I would like to meet them in person, maybe next time.
Caelus: Until then, Dad.
Gerard: Yeah.
Caelus: Oh, and by the way.....I know this is long overdue but....
Caelus hands over a necklace with four shells, and on those shells were engraved the letters, "G", "A", "C", and "O" respectively.
Gerard: Hmmmm.....
Caelus: Olga and I made it for you. But well......
Gerard: .....
Gerard: The letters represent each of our names.
Gerard: Gerard, Anastasia, Caelus, and Olga.
Gerard: Thank you, son. I'll keep it.
Caelus: See you later, Dad.
Gerard: Yeah. See you soon, Caelus.
Gerard: Be careful out there, and one piece of advice.
Caelus: What is it?
Gerard: Once you meet the right girl.....
Gerard: Treat her right, and make sure that both of you are happy with each other.
Gerard left, and Caelus wondered upon his father's words.
Caelus: Oh, Dad. You do know I can't settle down yet. Not until I fulfilled my promise to Olga.
Caelus turns around and calls out the two persons his Dad was talking about.
Caelus: So, you did tell them.....
Caelus: Did you, Erna?
Caelus: Not to mention, bringing Thea along with you.
Erna and Thea flinched as they found out their cover was blown, and they have no choice but to reveal themselves.
Erna: The misfortune was gone, but I think the misfortune I smelled was mine.....
Thea: S-Sorry, Caelus. We were worried as you already left the Palace for two weeks now.
Caelus: Really? Two weeks have already passed since I began conducting my investigation on Purple Ant?
Caelus: I see. I initially thought that will take me at least a week.
Caelus: Never thought that it will take me for two weeks.
Caelus: And to correctly guess where I might be.
Thea: Rather than unfortunate.....we were fortunate to find you here.
Caelus: Erna's ability to sense misfortune really came in handy. So, what misfortune did you sense?
Erna: I don't know, I just sensed that you might be in danger.
Caelus: I see. But maybe you're the one in danger.
Erna: Y-Y-YEEEEEEEP!
Caelus: I'm going to have a long and proper talk with you, young lady.
Caelus: Especially when it comes to keeping secrets.
Erna: How unfortunate.
Thea: Please, don't be so harsh on her. If it weren't for Erna, we wouldn't made the trouble of looking for you.
Caelus: *sigh*
Caelus: Let me guess, it was Teach's idea?
Thea: Yes.
Caelus: Figures.
Caelus: Anyways, you two, come home. I still have some unfinished business here.
Thea: What!? No way! We promised to bring you back!
Erna: Y-Yeah!
Caelus: *sigh*
Caelus: Suit yourselves. I have somewhere else to be as of the moment.
Caelus: I suggest you two should eat at the Rinewater Restaurant.
Caelus: I recommend their fish and beer dishes there.
He left the two girls.
Thea: So that means.....
Erna: He's coming home with us.
Thea: So it seems.
Thea and Erna informed the rest of Lamplight.
Thea: This Dreamspeaker and Fool.
Thea: We found the target. He's safe and sound.
Thea: And it seems like we have a wonderful information about him, and a good story to tell.
As for Caelus who went to visit the fountain at the plaza......
Caelus: "Find friends you can trust with. When they finally earn your trust and they are genuine about it, then they you can trust them with your life as well."
Caelus: That's what you told me about making friends and the bonds that we'll create.
Caelus tossed a coin on the fountain.
Caelus: I see, so that is how Lamplight became a team.
Caelus: And Erna proved it to me. To think that out of all people, she'll prove to me how bonds are important.
Caelus: And she is younger than me.
Caelus: I wonder, you would also tell me the same thing, wouldn't you, Olga?
Caelus smiled and decided to leave that thought for another time.
A few moments later......
Caelus finally came home with Thea and Erna....
Lily: Ah! There he is! Caelus, welcome back!
Sybilla: About damn time!
Sara: I'm glad you're all right, Caelus.
Annette: We were worried about you, yo!
Monika: What took you so long?
Grete: It seems like you came back from a long mission.
Caelus: Yes......
Caelus finally felt that fatigue has caught up to him as he is about to fell, only for Klaus to catch him.
Klaus: Magnificent, Caelus.
Caelus: Teach.....
Klaus: You've done very well. You rest for a while.
Caelus: Right, now I can sleep peacefully, after 10 long years.
Thus Caelus closed his eyes and slept.
Lily: But, Teach, how are we going to bring him to his room if the one who can open it is asleep.
Klaus: Then let him sleep to one of your rooms.
Lamplight: EH!?
Lily: Why don't you let him sleep in your room!
Klaus: My bed is only for one person.
Sara: Then......
Sybilla: One of us has to temporarily give up our rooms.....
Monika: As if I'd let that happen!
They drew lots.......
And......
Lily lost.
Lily: WHY!?
Thea: WHY DID I LOST!
Grete: Lily.....
Lily: Fine! But I will not leave my room!
And so, Klaus carried Caelus to Lily's bedroom.
Klaus: As Lamplight's leader, it is your job to look out for your teammates.
Klaus: Lily, I entrust Caelus to you.
Lily: Leave it to me, Teach!
Klaus: Magnificent.
Klaus left as Lily watched over Caelus.
Lily: He looks so tired. Even if he is strong, he still has his limits.
Lily: ......
Lily brushed Caelus' hair.....
Lily: I never thought that his hair is so beautiful......
Lily: Caelus, it's all right to rely on us from time to time.
Lily: We are a team here, after all.
And so, Lily grabbed a chair and slept on the bedside to keep watch on Caelus.