The cool morning air of Caria City brushed against my skin as I stood before the polished mirror, finalising my adjustments for the day ahead. Two months had dissolved into the rhythm of the capital since that bittersweet afternoon at House 132, where I had discovered Roxy's sister, Evelyn. The knowledge that Roxy was out there, alive and tearing through high-tier bounties under her real name, had breathed a quiet, resolute fire back into my soul. I was no longer mourning a ghost; I was preparing myself to stand by her side again.
I tucked in the crisp layers of my uniform. Unlike the striking white and scarlet attire worn by Evelyn and the elite Luminous Knights, us Capital Knights wore a tailored white tunic paired with a pleated black skirt, reinforced by a polished, lightweight steel breastplate. The stark monochrome palette felt grounding… a visual reminder of the duty and order I had sworn to uphold. Snapping my silver-framed spectacles into place, I gathered my things and stepped out of the grand entryway of the Calico Manor.
To my surprise, a lavish family carriage was already waiting on the cobblestone driveway, the horses puffing white mist into the dawn air. Standing by the carriage door were my two half-brothers, Calix and Constantine.
I paused on the stone steps, tilting my head slightly.
"Brothers, why are you here? I thought you both had duties within the estate this morning."
Calix looked up, the lingering shadows of the Flower Manor siege still reflecting faintly in his eyes, though his posture had regained some of its old rigidity.
"We were just waiting for you, sister, we're heading down to the central sector. We are going to the Bureau... to officially resign from adventuring."
Constantine stepped forward, adjusting his collar as he chimed in.
"And well, since we're heading to the headquarters anyway, I need to talk to our father regarding the family's asset transfers."
Hearing this, a wave of older sisterly protectiveness washed over me. The Bureau was a labyrinth of political shadows and high-stakes bureaucracy, especially with our father, Roman Calico, running the entire CKBA operation. If my brothers were going there to close the chapter on their adventuring lives and face the Chief, they wouldn't have to do it alone. As an older sister, I knew I needed to be there to support them.
"Then let's not waste the daylight," I said smoothly, walking down the steps.
Calix smiled, holding the carriage door open for me. The three of us hopped onto the cushioned leather seats of the carriage, the door clicking firmly shut behind us. With a sharp whistle from the driver, the carriage jolted forward, rolling past the iron gates of the Calico Manor as we set off toward the towering spires of the Bureau.
The carriage sped up, the rhythmic clip-clop of the horses' hooves echoing loudly against the grand stone avenues. The Capital Knight Bureau Association headquarters was located all the way in the 8th district. Since we were starting in the 3rd, it meant we had a long trek ahead, effectively circling our way through the heart of Caria City's massive layout.
Thanks to our family status and my official uniform, we bypassed all the inner district tolls with a swift wave of our clearance credentials, making rapid progress until we finally crossed into the 7th district.
As the carriage slowed down to navigate a grand pedestrian plaza, I glanced out the window… and my eyes immediately locked onto a familiar figure. It was Evelyn. She was clad in her signature pristine white and scarlet Luminous Knight uniform, walking alone toward the sector's administrative buildings.
I blinked, momentarily stunned. In the short span of two months, she had noticeably shot up. She used to be about 5'3", but now she stood at a commanding 5'6"... nearly a three-inch growth spurt. Even in the bright morning light, the bioluminescent blue-green tips of her cascading hair pulsed with a soft, ethereal glow.
"Stop the carriage, fetch a ride for that girl over there."
The driver responded instantly, pulling the horses to a smooth halt right along the curb near her path. I leaned forward, unlatching the heavy carriage door and pushing it open.
"Hey, Evelyn! Wanna ride?" I called out with a welcoming smile.
Evelyn paused, turning her green eyes toward the carriage. When she recognized my silver bob, a look of pleasant surprise crossed her face.
"White? Oh, absolutely. Walking this sector in full armor is exhausting."
She readily agreed and climbed inside, the carriage jolting back to life and restarting its journey the moment the door clicked shut. Because the seats were relatively occupied, she slid into the empty space on the bench, sitting directly between my two half-brothers, Calix and Constantine.
The contrast in the cabin was immediate… my brothers in their formal civilian attire, me in my monochrome white-and-black Capital Knight uniform, and Evelyn sitting right in the middle, radiating the elite, colorful energy of a Luminous Knight.
I turned my head toward the bench, offering a calm smile as I introduced her to the family.
"Brothers, this is Evelyn. She's Roxy's sister."
The reaction was instantaneous. Both Calix and Constantine froze, their jaws dropping in unison as they stared at the tall, striking Luminous Knight sitting right between them.
"Wait... Roxy's sister?! But she looks almost exactly like her! I mean, aside from the uniform... and, uh, a few other very noticeable physical differences." He flushed slightly, clearing his throat. Constantine stammered, his eyes darting from her glowing blue-green hair tips to her face.
Calix looked equally stunned, adjusting his collar nervously.
"It's an honor to meet you, Lady Evelyn. Our sister told us Roxy was alive, but seeing you... it's like looking at a completely different, elite version of her. We owe your sister a great debt for what she did back in Town Allure."
Evelyn offered a polite, slightly amused smile at their flustered comments.
"Nice to meet you both. And please, just Evelyn is fine. My sister definitely commands a room differently than I do."
The lively chatter helped ease the tension of the journey, but it didn't last long. The carriage soon ground to a halt, the shadow of a colossal, sprawling Gothic fortress looming over us. We had arrived at the 8th District… the heart of the Capital Knight Bureau Association. The sheer scale of the headquarters was breath-taking, with thousands of knights, bureaucrats, and high-ranking officials swarming the grand marble plaza.
As we stepped out of the carriage and entered the massive grand lobby, the reality of our differing duties immediately caught up to us. The sheer volume of the morning rush swept into the hall, forcing us to part ways.
"Well, this is my stop, the Luminous Knights have a briefing in the eastern wing. See you around, White!" With a crisp wave, she disappeared into a sea of elite soldiers.
Calix and Constantine gave me a resolute nod.
"We're heading up to the administration offices on the upper floors to file our resignation papers and track down Father, stay safe out there, sister."
"You too," I replied.
With a final wave, my brothers turned toward the grand central staircases, leaving me standing alone in my monochrome black-and-white uniform. Taking a deep breath, I turned toward the lower levels where the standard Capital Knight division was stationed, ready to face whatever my own day of service had in store for me.
I adjusted my spectacles and smoothed the front of my white-and-black uniform as I walked down the high-ceilinged corridor of the executive wing. While my brothers were off handling their formal resignations, I knew I had a word of my own to settle with my stepfather, Roman Calico.
I arrived at the heavy mahogany doors of his office and pushed them open. Inside, sitting behind the grand desk, was Roman himself, radiating his usual imposing authority as the Chief of the CKBA. Standing just beside him was his personal secretary, Nautilus Cotton… a young man with a remarkably sharp, professional composure.
Roman looked up, his stern eyes locking onto me.
"Sit, White. I have a word for you."
I walked over and took a seat in the leather chair across from him. As I settled in, my eyes immediately caught the pristine, unblemished surface of the desk. It was entirely different from the scarred, ancient desk he used to have.
Noticing my gaze, Roman let out a dry, tired sigh.
"Well, two months ago, Eirene's older brother Elias came in here. He destroyed my previous table out of pure, unbridled rage during our meeting. So, I had to procure this brand-new one."
I blinked, keeping my composure despite the mention of the Shadow Walker himself.
"I see. And why exactly did you call me here today, Father?"
Before Roman could answer, Nautilus Cotton stepped forward, holding a neatly rolled parchment seal. He offered me a respectful bow.
"White, I am officially resigning from my position as the Chief's executive secretary. We have requested your presence because we want you to take my place."
I looked at him in surprise.
"Take your place? But what about you, Nautilus? Where will you go?"
Nautilus offered a small, proud smile.
"I will continue my primary duty as the Principal of the Caria Mastery Academy. Balancing both roles has become too demanding with the current political climate, and we need someone highly competent, loyal, and organized to manage the Bureau's classified rosters. You fit the criteria perfectly."
The weight of the offer settled over me. As the secretary to the Chief of the CKBA, I would have direct access to the high-level files, the restricted bounty contracts, and the executive logs. If I wanted to find out exactly what Roxy… Eirene… was doing out there in the field, this position was the ultimate vantage point.
"I understand, I accept the position."
Roman nodded, a rare, genuine flash of approval crossing his hardened features.
"Good, White. From this moment on, you are officially the Executive Secretary of the Capital Knight Bureau Association. Go settle your paperwork; your new duty begins immediately."