At the break of dawn. Right before the distant steeples was illuminated by the waking sun.
The heavy rain of the night had calmed down at Raphael Cemetery. However, it left a reminder of it, with the soil being loose, mud all over and puddles from different places.
Selina raised her heeled boot and continued to walk, searching for Dunn's tomb and hers.
With the help of Falacy. She soon arrived upon a tomb after searching for almost fifteen minute. Selina finally saw Captain's monochrome photo. It had a gentle expression, high hairline, gray eyes—nothing unusual compared to before.
Under Dunn's photo was his name, date of birth, date of death, and epitaph.
The true guardian,
The most trusted partner,
The Captain forever.
Selina gazed in silence, completely petrified. Somehow her sight grew blurry for some baffling reason. She felt as though she had returned to that day again. She saw the Captain turn his head to everyone and wink. He spoke with a mellow and relaxed voice.
"We saved Tingen."
I'm sorry Captain... I didn't got to accompany you... Selina suppressed in silence.
"No matter where you go, carry yourself away from grief. As Nighthawks, it's one of our restraints"
"Life without constraints is meaningless."
Selina recalled this quietly. She suddenly leaned in and whispered, "Thank you Captain.
"W-We'll miss you."
Saying that, she drew a crimson moon over her chest and sincerely bade a final farewell.
...
After mourning to her heart's content. Selina was prepared to leave. However, right as she takes a turn, she suddenly saw a tomb with her own photo on it.
She wore a gentle smile in monochrome. Wearing an officer's suit and braided-bun hair. Right now, her hair is simply tied to a bun.
As her heart tightens, she saw the inscription and reads, The best, caring and loving future elder sister... The best future sister... The best colleague...
She bent her legs to lower herself down and merely watched as the wind blew onto it, seemingly feeling the sorrowness and despondent of Melissa and Besson.
Heh, they'll be utterly baffled when they see me again... Selina tried to be optimistic as she caressed her tombstone above it.
"Right, maybe my pocket watch is in there." Selina abruptly stood up and looked for a grave watcher's shack. It didn't take her long to find it at a distant.
Returning beck with a shovel in hand. She dug her own grave, saw that there's some splats of dim crimson, but she didn't thought much of it.
When the shovel hit a wooden lid. Selina lowered herself and opened it.
It was like looking to a mirror. She saw her silver hair cascading right at her should length, long white eyelashes that were closed and pale thin lips. She looked mesmerizing, like a sleeping princess.
Selina is really beautiful... She remarked at herself ruefully before seeing the silver pocket watch beneath her own dead body's hands. It still bore her initials, the one Klein sought with effort.
After pulling it out, Selina didn't waste anytime to close the lid and burry her dead husk back into grave.
Let's just say... there's two Selinas... Selina humored melancholically, clutching the pocket watch tighter and opened it to tell the time.
It's not working anymore... likely that Melissa configured it in respect to the dead...
"Phew..." She sighed. "Alright Falacy, let's return home and spook Klein."
Meow~ "Klein is dead."
Huh? Selina's ears buzzed. She turned to the cat perched onto her tomb and asked, "Who is dead?"
"Klein... Mr. Klein Moretti..." Meow~ Falacy's tone was bitter.
Selina's lips opened but she closed it. "You're lying."
Falacy stood up, leaped down and began walking, Meow~ "You can follow me."
Her heart sank. Selina clutched the pocket watch tightly in her fingers and followed her companion.
They arrived on another tombstone. On it was Klein's black-and-white photograph, a very scholarly photograph.
Thud!
Selina lost grip of the pocket watch and it fell from her hand, landing on the mud, stained with soil.
Subconsciously, she raised both of her trembling hands, she covered her mouth and tears grew until it streams down her chin.
"K-Klein?" Her voice was weak and quivering.
Meow~ "I'm sorry." said Falacy.
Reaching closer to the tomb. Selina read the epitaph written below Klein's monochrome photo.
The best elder brother.
The best younger brother.
The best colleague.
Everything around Selina suddenly blurred, as if the focus was onto the tomb that laid there peacefully.
"We'll return home. I promise."
"Idiot. Stupid. Stubborn. Mulish. Brain-dead. Inconsiderate..." Selina listed the amount of fear, angst, loneliness and sorrow as she squatted down and buried her face in her arms.
"You..." Then finally, she couldn't add anymore.
She cried as she wept. Her tears wouldn't stop falling. The sounds of a sobbing woman made the cemetery turn gloomy, as if a banshee is present.
After an extended period of time. Where twilight began to peak in the horizon. Selina stood up.
She forced her trembling hands to wipe her tears. Again... and again... and again.
Finally, she bent down and picked up her silver pocket watch. She gazed at it and saw the S initials frozen in its silver luster.
"No matter what, carry yourself from grief."
"There's beauty in that. It's called progression."
"Captain. Old Neil. And now... you?" Selina couldn't control another emotions from erupting. Her heart ached and she felt she's now truly alone.
Now, it only took her ten minutes to collect herself again, a little bit more stable. Her bun-tied rosy-brown hair coursed gently in the wind as she looked at a distant horizon.
In the mist of her emotions, she muttered, "Progression. Restraints."
After that, she turned for Klein's grave, caressed his photo that was placed there on top of the epitaph.
"Ince Zangwill. Lanevus. Marvik." Selina muttered as she listed names that she will remember throughout her life. Suddenly, she bent her legs and took something out of her baggage—her wide-brimmed mocha shaded sunhat.
Selina wore the sunhat, anchored it with her left hand as she stood up, securing the suitcase with the other.
Then, right as the wind blows through the north. She muttered, something she didn't had the chance to say, "I love you too Klein.
"May you rest in peace."
...
As a former Nighthawk, a Nighthawk who had to regularly patrol Raphael Cemetery, Selina was quite familiar with the routes of the guards, as well its surroundings. She managed to leave the cemetery just in time without causing any alarms. She followed the gravel road into Tingen, using the shade of the trees as cover.
The morning dew and the distant trees had their peaks are slowly illuminated by the cast of the sun. Selina walked in silence with Falacy beside her. She would sometimes considered her plan for revenge, sometimes thinking back to the times she spent with the Captain, sometimes recalling Old Neil's hidden grief beneath his humorous facade and Klein's advises on how to save money...
"What am I now? Am I just a banshee? Just a sinister phantom out to seek revenge?"
Meow~ "You're Selina Roy, and you are my master. My lady." Falacy remained at equal pace as it leaped from time to time due to the puddles.
Selina grinned gently. However, it didn't stop her brooding thoughts.
Falacy lifted its small head and big round eyes that would occasionally hide from its thick fur to ask, Meow~ "Where are we going now?"
Hearing that, Selina looked ahead in silence. It took her sometime to answer and when she did, there was anguish in her tone.
"I feel that... there will be opportunities for us to grow. To grow more powerful."
But then, she restrained her welling emotions as she smiled gently. Recalling Yesir, Kothe and her believer's situation in the capital city.
"To the 'Land of Hope', the 'City of Cities', Backlund."
...
Finally reaching the train station. Selina noticed the brimming platform filled with passengers from different places.
It reminded her of how she first came into Tingen. The soft, exhilarating freedom that came after severing her clutches from Milo.
But now. That same sensation for returning back, brought a tearing ache.
She clutched her grasp of the suitcase. The same mocha-shaded sunhat fits her head.
As from the first time she arrived and for her departure. Selina always wore a braided-bun hairstyle.
However, when she saw her image on a glass wall of the cashier. She saw that her dyed hair no longer frames her past looks.
So even if I returned, they'd be skeptical of me being Selina... she turned and booked a ticket for two o'clock half-mindedly.
Here. It takes about four hours to get from Tingen to Backlund by train. A luxurious first-class seat cost about three-quarters of a pound, or 15 soli. A second-class seat cost 10 soli, or half a pound.
The packed, poorly-maintained third-class seats were rather cheap at only 5 soli.
Selina bought a seat for first class and waited outside to gaze at the sceneries of Tingen. To try and rekindle those times again. To feel the fresh air and to reminisce. Falacy is by her side even if they stood.
When it was finally time. The platform became packed with people.
Falling into a daze by the amount, she absently look around.
Selina suddenly found a gentleman in parallel to her on the side.
Just like her, he seems to be leaving as well. The gentleman's physique made her thought of a certain someone.
Klein? she instinctively said. But her hands clenched tighter.
The man had similar side profile to him. Same demeanor, equal posture.
However, reality dictates his condition. That he's already in a tomb.
He's dead... as much as Selina wanted to rush toward him. A pang driven by truth kept her from going.
In the end, she stayed. Klein is already gone...
She turned around and faced the pouring gates. Witnessing different faces storm the station until the train has seats available.
Once again, after seemingly long period of time. Selina patted her knitted dress.
There it was, the revolver of her father, intact by a leg-strap holster.
Ensuring that her only weapon that accompanied her from arriving didn't fell away. Selina took a heavy and difficult step.
Ding! But then, an announcement.
"A train will be arriving from North Winter County an hour after."
An hour after... Suddenly. It occurred to her.
Plap!
Unexpectedly, she opened her silver pocket-watch, blurred on the corner of her eye was Falacy, the black cat watching her with confusion.
There's still time... Selina remembered that the 'Return of the Count' begins at one o'clock and ends an hour later.
It's now 1:50!
She thought about Melissa, a responsible sister she never realized she needed. Benson, who would crack cold jokes in the table. Both would ask her what's for dinner and breakfast and Klein who would report to her each night.
Recalling these. Selina was in dismay that she'll be leaving without having to see them.
"Ah ah excuse me!" she turned around. Her melodious voice resounded as the passengers clustered in.
In this stampede, she swam her way back to the entrance.
...
Klein took his pocket watch and saw the longer hand moved.
He already bade farewell to his siblings. The yellow chrysanthemum costed him almost a pound. But its value was equal.
Upon tipping his top hat. He saw the gates pouring in. Multiple faces brushed pass him.
However, instead of saying anything in his mind. Klein allowed himself to be affected by the streams of passengers.
And in the midst of this. The rush of people suddenly made him turn to the other side.
Due to the many heads bobbing from his periphery, he could only see a glimpse of a mocha-shaded sun hat.
The height and width was the same. He had an exceptional memory thanks to the Clown potion being digested.
Selina?
Klein felt a sharp ache in his heart. Immediately he thought.
Perhaps he's mistaken?
Was she just resurrected a bit late?
She's a transmigrator, the gray fog wouldn't let her be!
She's alive!
The hope still haven't left him, it stuck to his mind, haunting him.
His pupils dilated. He turned and tried to challenge the currents of people entering the platform.
"Excuse me. I'm coming through. I'm sorry...!"
Haaah... Haaah... Klein finally managed to get where the lovely lady recently stood.
But sometimes, reality isn't what we expect and a heart wrenching truth greeted him:
In the sea of face. The one he sought to find.
Only to see that there was no familiar face, standing there waiting for him.
...
The black cat Falacy followed behind her closely as once she bought another ticket, took another carriage and alighted, she searched everywhere in the municipal square.
Luckily, she saw Melissa in a black dress, black dress and black veiled hat. Benson was in a shirt, vest, trousers, coat, and hat, all in black. They both had numb, sullen expressions.
They're still there! The have just watched the 'Return of the Count' and was about to return home!
The erected tents burned bright under the sun.
Many clowns and acrobats came around the people.
Melissa, is that bones showing on you? And Benson! you look like a zombie!
Selina's instinct was to return home and prepare dinner. However, she's aware she cannot do that again. Her heart winced in pain seeing them like Klein was when she was gone just for a day.
They're about to leave...
Selina suppressed her urges and turned for Falacy. Together, they found a route the siblings might take.
...
After seeing the strange and mysterious clown left.
Melissa was torn and at a lost.
The golden chrysanthemum that rests onto her palm stirs an odd reflection of a certain someone
A person they held dearly in the face plastered in the shades of primary colors.
Just then. When Benson and Melissa was about to strode a heavily populated street.
A woman wearing a wide-brimmed mocha shaded sunhat strode pass them.
Their shoulders brushed and due to the woman's hastiness, Melissa tripped.
"Ah!"
A hand caught her right arm.
"Oh! sorry... are you okay?"
Melissa staggered to regain her balance.
"I-I'm alright..." she said, still trying to be polite.
But when she lifted her head to see the woman's face. The sunlight obscured her vision.
She instinctively covered her face with a hand.
Benson was infuriated, perhaps due to something else that kept stirring his emotions. "Miss, you do not own this street. Could you be more responsible?"
During this moments, he was prone to be easily enrage.
But instead of refuting. The woman smiled under her sunhat that concealed her eyes except for her lips.
Those luscious but thin mouth chuckled.
Benson and Melissa was taken aback.
Seeing the younger girl stand again. The woman, who's face remained behind the sunhat pointed at the flower.
"Did you buy that?" she said softly.
Melissa was bit unsure of how to interact with her, so she simply answered, "Yes."
Meow~
Then suddenly, a fluffy black-furred cat with green eyes appeared from the woman's heels. It caressed itself against her.
Falacy? Melissa was hit by a sudden realization that she lifted her gaze up.
She was trying to peek through the woman's sunhat. Her first thought was Selina, but the rosy-brown hair made it difficult for her to confirm.
Hence, all she could do was to validate it from her face. To which even the sunlight hinders her to see.
Even if her brother is gone. At least leave a sister to stay!
"Thank you. For accepting Selina..." suddenly, the woman's voice spoke. It was calm and gratified.
Both Melissa and Benson fell into a momentary daze when they heard her resume.
"I'll be taking Falacy back..."
Then, the lady followed up with a flower from her side. The same as the one Melissa held but with different color.
"Here." she smiled softly.
The lady then resumed her walk. They each saw her silhouette slowly fleeting in the distance.
Casting her gaze down. Melissa now held two variations of the same flowers.
The Golden Chrysanthemum and the Silver Chrysanthemum.
One signifies happiness and the other signifies peace.
It was beautiful, colorless, and an untainted memento, bidding farewell.
(End of the First Volume.)