"He's here. Ince Zangwill is in Tingen."
Klein felt something within his dropped. His heart skipped. Almost instantly, he was reminded of Dunn's cautionary of this criminal, it certainly left a distasteful stain in his mouth.
Selina was stammering her words, "I-I don't know how to put this. But we have to tell Captain!"
"Wait!" Klein took hold of her wrist. "How did you know this? Did Ms. Lovers told you? Are was it 'Her'?"
In both cases, this would act as a deterrent to actually enable Klein to comprehend both entity's objectives toward Selina.
He knows Ms. Lovers, but not down to her bones. The exact same sentence is applied to the White Maiden. If their aim was to locate Ince, then that would open a few details in understanding them.
But firstly, how did they know about Ince Zangwill?
Selina was torn and scared, she wanted to answer but for some reason she could only open her mouth and close them.
"D-Don't you believe me?"
Believe? Klein's eyes froze, suddenly he began to tremble within. Those exact same lines mirrored Old Neil's pursuit of being spared!
It's fine. We're heading straight to Captain... He'll know what to do and will likely ask the same question...
Amid the faint shivers of his fingers. Klein was about to let go when he suddenly gritted his teeth.
"Do you understand that once you told Captain about this, won't this end in a different result?"
He took 0-08. A Sealed Artifact plagued with mystery. If Selina saw her and he's here, all I need is one evidence! And that you're not losing control!
The glint is Klein's eyes shouted desperation.
Selina's trembling hands closed. She finally mustered up the courage to say, "I saw him in a dream. A very vivid one."
She can't say about the Dreamworld. As that would invite the dangers of the Primordial Moon faction.
Selina had long figured this out. That the Child of God did not simply died, it was laying dormant inside her. Allowing her to enter that special Dreamworld.
Noticing that he couldn't simply force answers from Selina. Klein reluctantly and painfully let go.
"In a dream? Alright, I believe you."
...
In the captain's office. Blackthorn Security Company.
Dunn stood beside his desk, eyes distant as he stared at the mug Old Neil once gave him. He looked deeply solemn.
Unknown to him, he traced one of the vertices of the desk before retracting his hand back into the pockets of his trench coat.
At that moment, the door was swung open.
Selina, in her braided-bun hair, intrude with urgency, following behind her was Klein who's unusually vacant.
"Captain...! I..."
However, Dunn was expecting her. He allowed his tranquil, dark eyes to reflect Selina's figure. He said in a gentle tone, "I thought Rozanne told I was calling you.
"How do you feel? Does your red hair still flare up when you sleep?"
Selina froze.
What? H-How? How did the Captain realize or even know?
Did Crestet divulged this? But he told me he wouldn't! This... this!
"Selina." said Dunn slowly. "You do not need to hide anything. Tell me what you came here first."
Klein's hand clenched.
Right! Selina's heart skipped and she felt overjoyed. "I-Ince... Ince Zangwill is here. In the city!"
"How did you find him?" asked Dunn as soft as he can possibly could.
"In my dream." Selina leveraged her earlier answer to Klein. However, instead of an immediate action, she was met with silence.
Twenty-seconds later, Dunn finally replied, "Do you think your red hair advances whenever you dream of something?"
"Huh?" Selina was growing terrified as she was stunned. "I don't. I-I... I'm asleep, that time in the alchemy room."
Dunn turned his head away. Stared at the direction of the Chanis gate for some time before saying, "We'll need you stay."
"What?" Selina's eyes widened.
She stammered her words, "Y-You don't believe me? Was it because of the red hair?"
W-Why did I acted rash? Wasn't I supposed to console Klein and join in convincing everyone? Right! A dream! I just need to construct a sort of similar dream where I saw Ince in the crowd!
Selina fell silent before she finally replied, "Very well. Then, you can pull me into a dream Captain."
Almost instantly, her auditory senses blurred. Her vision became hazy and her thoughts sluggish. It only took seconds before Selina fell asleep.
Klein caught her.
...
The hazy darkness shattered like the inside of a glass globe.
Selina found herself in a room—the alchemy room. In front of her was a replica of Old Neil, similar to the one she previously reformed.
However, she didn't felt like the whole was her body, like apart of her. Thus, she ruled the possibility that Dunn Smith unknowingly reeled her into the Dreamworld.
The door outside was opened and Dunn walked in. He took out his pocket watch and saw the long hand turn by each seconds.
Alright, I need to shift the current dream somehow... I can do this! Selina, mimicking what she can do in the Dreamworld, tried focusing in a black point—a Cogitation.
Then, she expand it out, picturing what could be a venue near Vlad Street. Where pedestrians mingled in a tapestry of society.
In response, the dream went hazy again and Dunn saw this, but didn't do anything.
When the darkness receded, both of them found themselves in a crowded street. Selina was now standing, very glad but also exhausted. What she did took immense will to dream the place.
Then, feigning languidness, Selina turned her head to the direction where she saw Ince, hoping Dunn would notice.
Indeed, he noticed. Dunn traced where she was looking and peered between the people. When he couldn't, he simply went and walk toward it.
However, there was no one there.
When Selina saw Dunn returned, she almost broke out of her dreamy facade in joy. But when he got close, she saw his expression remained the same.
D-Did you not see him? No! I swear Ince was there! At the center!
Selina wanted to break her character, to see and confirm it herself. However, Dunn stopped in front of her and only watched as the time moved on.
Then the dream shattered.
...
Selina woke up in Klein's arms, seated on the high-back chair whilst Dunn Smith got up from the edge of the desk.
Everyone, saw her silver hair cascaded down, revealing unmistakable red-tinged fibers, like stains in her silver hair.
At this moment. Dunn didn't add anymore words. Because it's undeniable.
He simply watched it retract slowly before finally appearing incredibly small that without scrutiny would pass everyone's attention.
"Captain..." Selina weakly called.
Dunn, swallowed a lump in his throat as he declared, "You are to be kept here for probation. Any acts that opposes, resist or violate would extend your stay.
"Selina, we'll keep in mind of what you said about Ince being here, but we'll have to place higher priorities to the well-being of our teammates. An Archbishop would come visit here by next week and assess your condition. Remain here and allow yourself to be administered by medicines the Church had provided in emergencies such as this."
Then, he solemnly said, "Selina, you're losing control."
L-Losing control!? Selina couldn't believe what words came out of Dunn's mouth. She turned to Klein, hoping he'd retort.
But reflected in her eyes, Klein looked away, staying silent.
"Klein... I'm not losing control because I'm not lying... y-you know that... right?"
Klein faced away and firmly said, "That's what Old Neil said."
Selina's eyes dimmed, her fingers loosened and her breath hitched.
Why... I'm telling the truth... Didn't I said that my red hair is not an issue? It's... It's just... Selina trembled, her hands tightened around Klein's arm. Even her vision eyes began to blur before she finally closed them.
With a sigh, she left his embrace, "Alright."
Selina turned her head away from Klein and extending her hand to lift the strands of her hair, curling them up in place. Just like she always do.
Then asked, "Where will I be staying?"
At that moment. The door pane was slammed open. Leonard, panting heavily, following closely behind him is the Nighthawks Royale, Seeka, Frye, Kenley and the civilian staff Rozanne and Madam Orianna.
Leonard exclaimed, "Captain, is this true? Selina is..."
He paused right after seeing the vacant eyes of their team-member, who's about to leave quietly. Dunn said, "Don't worry, we might still be able to prevent the initial onsets of losing control. Head back now."
Then, he walked closely with Selina, intending to guide her to her room.
As the door closes, Leonard turned to Klein who couldn't even met his eyes. He looked morbid, clenching his hand and his silver-inlaid cane, as if he was a statue forever seated there.
Judging by this. Leonard, who's behind the door, had many things run past his mind, compelling him to enter the office.
There, he looked at Klein, not with pity, but with indignation.
"Klein?" he asked. Once.
"What happened to Selina?"
Seeing that Klein kept a close mouth. Leonard asked, again, now with a slightly raised voice, "Seems like you didn't heard me. I said what happened to Selina?"
He was met with silence. Again.
Now, Leonard's patience was running short. He couldn't grapple with his thoughts that at some point, he yelled in frustration, "Damn it! Klein! What happened to Selina? Answer me!
"Aren't you the person closest to her among all of us? I thought you'd protect her!"
"I am!" at last, Klein suddenly lashed out. "I'm trying!"
Everyone was caught surprised, especially Leonard. Then out of nowhere, he grabbed Klein's collar, lifted him up and yelled, "Then what kind of trying is this then? Tell me! Because right now it definitely looks like it was you who's losing..."
"Stop!" Rozanne shouted. "What in the name of the Goddess are you two fighting about?"
Klein gritted his teeth, but he couldn't mustered up the strength to defend himself.
Finally, he answered, "She said Ince is here. In this city."
Leonard was triggered from his discontinuation. He was about reply in anger when Frye appeared behind him, restraining his arms by both elbows.
"Leonard, interrogating him through this will not solve the issue. Let Klein breathe." Frye's cold temperament made him look calm in the situation.
After being pulled away and accepting it. Leonard did not changed his frustrated expression. He probed, "If she said that, why didn't you believe her?"
"Because there's no evidence. It was in a dream and Captain found nothing." Klein raised his hands, shivering indiscernibly and collected himself up using his cane.
"What do you mean there's no evidence?" Leonard's emotions became grim.
He knows and that Klein knows, a Goddess is behind Selina. She's a Blessed of the White Maiden. Thus, whatever she might inform may have a chance that it came directly from the Goddess Herself.
One thing that Leonard had observed, it's that the White Maiden do not have any ill intent, projected from Selina's behaviors.
If she claimed to have seen, heard, or dreamt of someone so vividly. They could very well exist.
Leonard calmed his nerves down, giving Frye an indication that it's safe to let go. Then, he turned toward the door and said slowly, "I need to talk about some things with Klein. Alone. Everyone please return upstairs."
The Nighthawks knew of Leonard for years. Thus, they reluctantly abide. However, some do have a glint in their eyes that perhaps this was the first time they actually saw him and Klein be unraveled in front of them.
"We'll be in the lounge. Don't fight." Madam Orianna told her farewell words before leaving with the casted-down Rozanne.
...
There was a room at the second floor of the Blackthorn Security Company. Facilitated for emergency.
Built in accordance to a law that in any departments, they must have a room reserved for staffs that might've experienced sudden illness or injuries.
Dunn figured that in the mean time they held Selina in probation. This room would be fitting. As officials who have displayed the initial stages of losing control must immediately be admitted to the Holy Churches in Backlund.
Selina would have to be transported there, and would be promoted to another department, as what the telegram stated. Nothing else could change it.
Dunn opened the door first, allowing Selina to enter.
He watched her taking in the simpleness of the room, the minimalist of the furnishings before sitting on the edge of the bed.
"There are clothes folded on the bed. Just ring the bell using the rope over your right side and Rozanne or any of the staffs would come get you your needs. Stay here until an Archbishop arrives." Dunn listed in a deep voice.
"Every hour, a Nighthawk would come monitor you. Don't be afraid to talk to them as they'll just be outside."
The sunlight coursing from the two large oriel windows refracts from Selina's glistening silver hair. She smiled gently, "Thank you."
Dunn fell silent. He clenched his fist and replied, "You're welcome." before closing the door.