The servants were protesting as Noé took the Book of Vanitas from my hand before throwing it at Vanitas' face to my surprise.
"Why are spacing out ? Let's get moving, Vanitas !!" Noé screamed at him.
Vanitas' nose was bleeding. "Huh...? Ohhhhhh !? Have you finally decided to help me, Noé !?" He wondered, excited.
"No !!" He denied.
"Huh ?" I said at the same time with Vanitas, not understanding.
Noé pointed a finger at the Book of Vanitas that Vanitas was holding as he hovered over him with a furious look. "I am not helping you. You are helping me !!" He declared to a stunned Vanitas.
Vanitas then laughed as we were walking out. "Brilliant ! I knew it. You really are interesting !" Vanitas exclaimed with a big smile.
I leaned forward, tilting my head curiosiously seeing him smile, Vanitas noticed it and glanced at me.
"What is it Iona ?"
"You should smile more... It suits you." I simply stated softly before standing back properly, leaving him with a surprised expression on his face without noticing.
"Noé. Hey, Noé, wait a minute !" Vanitas called out to him as we were behind the vampire.
"What !?"
"...Do you even know where to go ?" Vanitas asked him.
"No, I do not !!!" Noé exclaimed, harsly opening the door.
"Of course you don't !! I thought not !" Vanitas pulled Noé by the back of his collar. "Well, for now, calm down." He told him.
"I'll thank tou not to pull on me !" Noé exclaimed.
I went beside Noé. "Vanitas is right tough, you need to calm down. I understand you want to help Amelia but---"
I cut myself off as a bat went to Noé's face.
"A bat...?" He wondered.
"It's cute." I commented looking at it.
"Hey." We heard a voice calling us and turned around to see the man that was with Vanitas on the airship. "You look like you're having trouble, Vanitas"
"Dante !" Vanitas exclaimed, surprised before walking up to him. "You...! You left Amelia Ruth and ran away by yourself, didn't you !?" He accused him.
"My contract with you for that day didn't include protecting the target." Dante retorted in his defense. "I don't do more work than I get paid for."
"Miser !"
"Can it, quack !"
I watched awkwardly with Noé as they were fighting. "Um..."
Vanitas sighed. "I suppose I'd better introduce him to you, Noé, Iona. This guy is Dante." He said pointing at him. "He's an information broker I use frequently... Or rather, he's a Jack-of-all-trades who'll do practically anything as long as you pay him." He explained.
"Whoa ! Why're you're with that lad and that chick, huh !?" He asked, looking at us.
"Ahh... Baldy, was it ?" Noé wondered even though I heard his name from Vanitas.
"Hey. Don't you dare remember me like that. And I'm not bald." He said angrily.
I tapped Noé on his shoulder as he turned to look at me, I pointed a finger at Dante. "Vanitas just said that his name was Dante, Noé." I reminded him.
"Ahh... Right."
"I don't know why you're here, Dante, but you're out of luck ! I've already found a new "shield" to replace you !" Vanitas told him laughing.
"Say what ? Huh ? That guy !? And I never was your shield !!"
"No, he hasn't." Noé deadpanned.
"He's stronger and sturdier than you, and he doesn't cost money ! How do you like that, Dante !? Unlike you, he's the perfect partner !!" Vanitas kept saying, infuriating Dante.
"No, I'm not." And infuriatind Noé as well...
"Heh... I'm sorry, Dante, but that's how it is. If you want to earn pocket money, you'll have to go elsewhere."
"... Is that right ? I see. That's too bad." Dante said. "Just when I'd figured where the "Nine-fold murderer" is and come to find you. Yeah, it's a real shame !" Dante exclaimed this information then Vanitas proceed to hug his leg.
"Master Dante, I love you !!! Splendid fellow ! I knew you could do it ! You're so incredibly cool !!" He said to make himself forgiven but that also attracted people's eyes who began to mutter.
"We just need to follow this bat, then ?" Noé asked, looking at the bat perched on his finger.
"You got it." Dante confirmed. "My friend is tailing the "Nine-fold murderer" as we speak. This little guy will take you to that friend."
"I see." I said at the same time with Noé.
"...Rrgh..." Vanitas was in the corner, crying because of the amount of money he had to give. "You completely skinned me for that information,Baldy !!"
"Shaddup ! You thought info even old Orlok doesn't have was gonna be cheap !?"
As they were arguing, Noé tapped me on the shoulder before pointing his finger up, I nodded in understanding before looking around just like him.
"...It will be faster to go over the top." Noé stated.
"Huh ?" Vanitas was confused.
Noé hrabbed him before jumping to the roof with Vanitas screaming in surprise, followed by myself, I landed next to him.
"All right. Let's hurry, Vanitas."
Vanitas looked shaken up by the jump before looking at me. "Iona... You could have told me..."
I turned to look at him with an apologetic smile as we were running. "You looked busy arguing with Dante. And stop calling me Iona, call me Cyndelle." I told him, looking ahead.
""Thomas Berneux."" Vanitas stated after a moment making us both vampires look at him.
"Beg pardon ?" Noé asked.
"That's the name of the vampire who appeared from beyond the barrier two months ago and has devoured nine people in rapid succesion. I'd been chasing that vampire right up until I received that letter from Amelia Ruth. I already have information on him."
"Ah ! Then you were the doctor Mlle. Amelia mentionned !" Noé said in realization.
"Oui." Vanitas confirmed. "From what she'd written in her letter, I knew Amelia Ruth's symptoms could manifest at any moment... ...So I put my research for the "Nine-fold murderer" on hold and boarded La Baleine, where she was. His previous crimes suggest that Thomas Berneux's fits are cyclical." Vanitas explained. "If he's going to act again, it will probably be today."
Then we heard a loud noise far in the distance.
"That's the riverside factory district. Hurry, Noé !"
When we arrived, the curse-bearer was approaching a girl laying on the ground.
"! There !" Vanitas exclaimed.
"That's Thomas Berneux, all right." Noé acknowledged.
"Stop him, Noé !" The doctor ordered.
"Understood !" Noé answered, before pulling back Vanitas to my surprise.
"Wait ! What are you---"
I couldn't finish my sentence as he threw Vanitas on the vampire, then Vanitas landed in a pile of boxes as I landed on the ground.
"Hey ! Are you trying to kill me !!?" Vanitas yelled angrily at Noé as I was dodging the curse-bearer attacks before hitting the pressure points of his body paralyzing him then Noé pinned him to the floor.
Vanitas stood up. "Noé, keep him pinned like that !" He then used his book to cast a spell on the target I think. "That will paralyze him a bit longer. I didn't know you could do that." He commented looking at me.
"Of course. You never saw me fight." I retorted, putting a hand on my hip.
"Ah... That's true..." He answered, with a hand on his chin as if he was still in thoughts when he said while Noé went up to the girl.
"Are you all right ?" He asked, helping her to stand up.
"You must be Dante's friend. He realized he was being tailed and lured you into a deserted area, am I right ?" Vanitas guessed.
"Yes... Thank you. You saved me."
I felt a strange presence as they were speaking so I picked up a rock and pulled my arm back to their confusion as I could judge by the look on their faces.
"Iona ? What are you---" Icut him off as I threw the rock.
"Who are you ?" I asked softly but firmly.
We heard footsteps approaching and two figures appeared, one was a child and the other was a girl wearing a cloak and carrying a big... coffin.
"...That was amazing. To think you'd seal a curse-bearer's movements instantly like that. You're... "Vanitas," correct ?" The child asked. "I'm Luca. Her name is Jeanne." He introduced.
"...What're you two ? Humans ? Vampires ?" Vanitas asked back.
"Oh, excuse me. We're vampires." Luca said showing his canines. "Monsieur Vanitas. It's impudent of me, but I've come to ask a favor." He explained.
"That book... ...The Book of Vanitas... Would you give it to me ?" He requested.