"So, what is it about Elite Loretta?" Nolan asked, sitting on the bed in his room as Selena paced back and forth in front of him.

She remained silent for a few seconds before stopping and turning to him, their eyes locking. "Can I ask a question first?" she said in an unusually hushed tone.

Nolan remained quite for a beat, before slowly nodding his head in approval. 'Selena taking permission before asking a question? It's definitely pointed at me,' he thought.

"What exactly are you trying to do?" she asked.

"Pardon?"

"I understand the part where you are also trying to uncover the truth behind the whole human-demon conspiracy thing, but... what exactly are you trying to do? What's driving you to do this? It does not seem like that is the only thing you want to know. I hope you know curiosity is not a good enough reason."

Nolan watched her as she spoke, hand on his chin, blinking like he didn't understand a single thing she said.

She raised her hands, "Did you even hear me at all?"

"Of course I did," he replied with an exhale, leaning back on the bed. "I'm not deaf, am I? Asking if I understood would have been more reasonable."

"I asked if you heard, because I knew you would understand, if you did. Since you heard me, I would like to assume you are about to give me an answer," she said, dropping her hands.

Nolan scoffed as he looked down, a small, almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips. "Why do you want to know? Why should I tell you?" He then raised his head to look at her again. "I hope you know curiosity is not a good enough reason."

Selena stared at him blankly. "Really? My words against me? Great."

She dragged the wooden chair near the table and sat in front of Nolan, with one leg crossed over the other, arms crossed. "Come on, Nolan. You let me in on your secret, I let you in on mine."

"What secrets do you have? I know your name and where you are from. What more do I need to know? You are a person who works for a price. Staying here made it clear that you have left whoever you are working for. Unless..." Nolan trailed.

Selena gulped. He wasn't completely wrong. He did know the one thing she was trying to hide from everyone. And she also abandoned the ones who sent her to Cloveland in the first place. But, "Unless what?"

"Your main objective is to spy, watch or perhaps even kill me at the right time," Nolan said, his expression serious, eyes half-lided.

"What?!" Selena exclaimed, looking offended. "Why would I do that?"

"Uh, let me see. Because it's what you do?" Nolan said.

"Alright," Selena exhaled. "You got me there. Yes, it's what I do. But no, I'm not spying, watching or trying to kill you."

Nolan remained quiet, watching her.

"Trust me. I'm not," she added.

As if on cue, the system screen flashed before Nolan's vision, and what he saw made his eyes widen.

It finally appeared again.

[Path Found!]

[ Selena Hars (Fate Changed).

• Potential: The Uncanny Ally

• Ability: Master of Stealth and Mischief.

• Fate: ???]

Selena frowned. "What? You just realized I'm not lying or what is it with the face?" Nolan didn't reply. He seemed lost in something that was in front of him, but she knew it definitely was not her. "Hello?"

She looked behind back, thinking there was something there.

"What are you looking for?" Nolan suddenly asked.

She turned around and he was focused on her again. "A question I should be asking you, but nevermind. So...?"

Nolan thought about it for a moment before saying. "I'm trying to solve something."

"And what is that?" Selena asked, her curiosity piqued.

"... This world," he completed.

"Uh... wow," Selena blinked. At first she thought he was just messing with her, but then the seriousness in his eyes told her he wasn't joking. "What is it about this world that you are trying to 'solve?'" she questioned.

Nolan let the question hang in the air for a beat, before saying. "I don't know. Even if I told you what it is, you will not understand me... yet."

Selena waved a hand dismissively. "I'm already confused enough, thank you. So, about the lady. She's got dirty hands, Nolan, if you get me."

"I know that much," he replied.

"Oh, good. At least you are not blind too. Okay, so she asked me where we met," Selena continued. "I wondered who she was talking about."

. . .

"Where did you meet?" Elite Loretta asked, sitting with Selena in her office.

"Sorry?" Selena arched a brow.

Elite Loretta smiled. "Nolan of course."

Selena figured something was wrong, brows furrowing. "When I came in to help the team."

"Oh dear, you don't have to lie to me. It's okay. Just between us," Elite Loretta said.

"Lady look, I'm grateful that you used your blue clovers to heal me and all that, but that does not give you the right to question my life in any way," said Selena.

For a second there, Loretta's fist clenched on the desk as she struggled to keep her calm, though her smile not faltering. Selena noticed it.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door, then the door slowly creaked open.

But, no one was there. No one was close to the door rather, because far from the door, in the darkness stood a hooded figure.

Selena turned to Loretta, but the lady seemed unbothered. A matter of fact, after looking out the door, Selena noticed Elite Loretta tense up for a split second, before calming down.

Elite Loretta then repeated a request she had made earlier: "Will you please join the Cerulean Guardians, Lena, is it?"

"Lena, yes. Join, no," Selena replied blankly. "You don't seem worried about... whoever that is," she said, turning to the hooded figure again.

The figure then raised his head, making his smirk visible.

Selena's vision suddenly started to get hazy, save for the person's lips as they started to move, Elite Loretta's voice came in.

"Please. Not because I want to watch you or anything. For the sake of the lives we are trying to protect."

The lip movements suggested the figure was saying the same thing. However, Selena found herself stuck in place, and she also couldn't take her eyes off the figure. "I said no. What part of 'N' and 'O' do you not understand?" Selena said.

"You have a good heart, Lena. I know. I would not want to lose a talent like you."

Selena's mind started to sleep, as she couldn't understand what was happening anymore.

Then, Elite Loretta's voice started to get assisted by a deeper, masculine voice. And they said something that made her eyes widen.

"Selena," they said. "That is your real name, right? Will you join the Cerulean Guardians, Selena?"

Selena had no idea she even replied, saying, "Yes."

. . .

"I honestly do not remember saying 'yes.' I don't even know who that was. You have been in the guild for long, so do you know him?" Selena asked Nolan.

Nolan shook his head. "I have not seen him, but I know about him."

"How?"

"He has been watching me, and looking at the things that have happened, I think..." Nolan trailed, looking at Selena.

"He's the man from the cave," they both concluded.

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