Nero's first instinct was to refuse, spiting in their faces as he cursed and screamed, telling them to go to Hell.

What kind of question was that?!

Why did they even think he would ever allow something like that?!

But then he looked into the eyes of the man standing before him.

There was no malice there, neither was there cruelty.

He could see a calm, steady gaze, like the still of a lake. Those dark eyes that held something that couldn't quite be named.

An enigmatic thing...

Although he couldn't quite make out what it was, Nero could tell it was not a terrible thing.

After all...

"The eyes are a window to the soul of a man,"

His father had once said those words to him, back when he was still alive. It had been when his father had gotten his quota from the Church— a single wild boar that would carry their family on for six months.

As he cut into neck of the boar and watched it bleed, his father uttered those words.

Nero remembered the scene quite vividly now, his father's weathered face and rough hands as he held down the struggling beast.

The way he had looked at the dying creature with that same steady gaze.

Seeing his hesitation, the man shrugged.

"Doing so means that your chances of passing the trial rises, and you will become a Templar of the Church. Refusing however, means that your suffering will end here. You will be released and your days will fall back to normalcy. However, I can see the look in your eyes, Nero. And by the gods, is it ferocious. Surely, one such as you would not be satisfied with such a bland life?" The man said with a smile.

Something in Nero's chest clicked.

The image filled his mind before he could stop it.

That haughty, wicked grin. The billowing tufts of golden hair drifting in the wind. The deep blue eyes that held nothing but contempt. The blade falling, Obed's head rolling across the blood-soaked earth, that sad smile still on his face.

Captain Orpheus.

The man who had killed his friend. The man who had severed his arm. The man who had stood over him like an immovable statue drenched in blood while thousands of refugees were slaughtered.

Nero's lips parted as he hissed through clenched teeth.

"Cut me open!"

The man stood straight again and grinned.

"That's Doctor Lyon to you."

Nero grimaced. "Cut me up, Doc!"

Doctor Lyon chuckled, then waved his hand. Two of the other doctors walked up to Nero and unlocked the restraints around his wrists and ankles. The metal fell away and Nero sat there for a moment, stunned. He rubbed at his wrists.

He was free? They had actually unlocked him.

Doctor Lyon must have seen the confusion on his face because he chuckled again.

"It's fine. Let's get you taken care of, kid. You'll be moved out of the dungeon today. But before that, would you like to eat something?"

The words hung in the air for a long moment.

Nero remained speechless, his mind struggling to process what he had just heard.

Food. How long had it been since he had had something proper to eat?

It felt like an eternity.

An eternity of suffering and anguish...

Doctor Lyon frowned slightly, wondering if the kid had finally snapped.

Then he noticed the tears.

They rolled down Nero's face hot, cutting tracks through the grime and dried blood that covered his skin. His shoulders shook slightly and his chest heaved with the effort of holding back the sob that wanted to escape.

Nero nodded, his voice breaking when he finally managed to speak.

"Yes. Yes, I'd like to eat please."

***

Watching the kid shovelling food furiously down his throat, Lyon chuckled and shook his head.

Then he turned around to face his colleagues,

"Methan, Alvi. What do you both think?"

The first two that had removed their masks turned to one another.

Then the one with the reddish brown hair cleared his throat,

"Frankly, it is unprecedented. I have never seen such strong latent talent. Perhaps such has never been seen in the history of the empire, perhaps even amongst the nobility."

Lyon nodded and placed his hand on his chin, stroking his beard,

"Quite frankly, I am a bit worried. If he manages to garner the wrong attention, even with the Commander's protection, things might not..."

"Then it seems we have our work cut out for us." Alvi said, an excited glint in his eyes,

"Being opportuned to shape this monster... I'd be happy even if I died right after."

Lyon chuckled, "It's no good to jinx yourself. Who knows what is listening..."

Alvi paused uncomfortably for a moment then cleared his throat,

"Beyond that, I think the kid is strong enough to take anything we throw at him. Could we perhaps..."

He turned his gaze to Lyon who had a contemplative look in his eyes,

"That would be risky..."

Methan hummed,

"Sometimes, the potential might be worth the risk. In this case, I couldn't agree more. However, the decision still lies in your hand."

He glanced back at Nero who still had his face buried in the spread of food in front of him,

"I doubt the kid will break, so maybe it might be possible to push until we see how far his limits are."

Lyon was silent. Then he grinned.

His smile was strange and if one looked closely enough, they would be able to see the insanity hiding beneath the surface,

"Alright then. This might be the single greatest thing we accomplish in this lifetime. So that means it must be delicately kept under wraps."

He turned his gaze to the others, "No one can learn of this... Not even the Commander."

The other two nodded.

Lyon nodded then cleared his throat before snapping his fingers.

In an instant, the atmosphere surrounding them changed, although no one else, including Nero seemed to have noticed anything at all...

At this time, Nero was licking off the final crumbs and drops of food in front of him.

Lyon walked up to him and sat down on a chair while he signaled the others to leave the room.

Once they had all left, he turned his attention back to Nero who still seemed rather suspicious,

"So Nero... Now that you've had your fill, I think we should have a talk."

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