In Eichenheim, they now had a house and a guild. But today, there would be an interesting mission for the Phantoms group.
Nacht: "Hmm?"
Academician: "I want you to find Margaret's magic staff for us."
Nacht: "Margaret?..."
Diego: "Hmm?"
Academician: "Please... we've been searching for it for years. Well... to even reach it, you first have to find several instruments."
Diego: "Hmm?"
Academician: "It is located in a place beneath the ground... and there you will find a house... and inside it is the staff. The house is located in a city beneath the earth. To open it, you need these instruments."
He showed them a painting.
Nacht: "Hmm... a small bell."
Kisa: "A drum."
Diego: "And what's this here? A flute?"
Charlotte: "Hmmm... and a violin."
Jeanne: "And this is a piano, right?"
Mona: "Yeah... and what's this, a key?"
Academician: "You will have to find that key somewhere in the city."
Nacht: "That's quite a mission. Where is it?"
Academician: "In Erfurt in Breisgau, more specifically in Hann am Main."
Jeanne: "Oh..."
Academician: "Besides those cities, there are of course Homburg, Erfurt, and Hamelnburg."
Jeanne: "Yeah... yeah... that's true..."
He looked at her somewhat shocked.
Jeanne: "Hmm? Hold on a moment."
She stood up, grabbed his hand, and pulled him aside.
Jeanne: "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Academician: "I know you... Jeanne von Einhoven. You are a famous assassin."
Jeanne: "Hmm?..."
Academician: "Yes, I know you. You wiped out an entire group... you killed a total of 500 people."
Jeanne: "Approximately... hehe."
She grinned.
Academician: "They also call you the Woman with the Black Gloves... the Lady with Dark Gloves."
Diego: "Hmm?"
Jeanne: "Hmm... listen, you don't have to tell everyone everything. Besides, I never gave you permission."
She suddenly stood in front of him with a frightening expression.
Jeanne: "Or should I bite your throat out instead? Hehehehehe..."
She grinned with wide eyes.
Jeanne: "Hmm?"
She held his cheek.
Jeanne: "You'd better keep your mouth shut... or I'll kill not only you, but your family too. Do you understand me?"
Academician: "You don't even know my name."
Jeanne: "Oh... that's not a problem."
She took something out of her pocket.
Jeanne: "Yours?"
Academician: "Ugh."
Jeanne: "Hmmm... Friedrich Heinrich... what a name... So, Friedrich... I don't like repeating myself. You keep your mouth shut... or I'll kill your family... and make sure you bathe in their blood. The past is the past... but if you endanger me... I'll kill you..."
Friedrich: "I... I... won't say anything."
Jeanne: "Good."
She smiled.
Jeanne: "Now then... get out of my sight and go back, would you be so kind? I don't want to hear about my old life. I did it for my kingdom... and I'm not exactly proud of it. Okay?"
Friedrich: "...Oh... okay."
Jeanne: "Good."
She stroked his cheek.
Jeanne: "Sorry for being so strict... now go."
He went back.
Jeanne: "Mmmm... (...he still knows. That means the people at the academy still remember me...)"
She bit her finger and looked serious.
Jeanne: "(Damn it... can't I ever have a peaceful life... I guess I'll have to kill them...)"
Kisa: "Jeanne, what are you waiting for? Come on."
Jeanne: "Hmm? Yeah... coming."
She walked on.
Jeanne: "(As soon as we're in Erfurt... and Heinrich leaves the group... I'll kill him... and then I'll kill all the academy people. Nobody... absolutely nobody is allowed to disturb my peace...)"
Nacht: "Hmm?..."
Nacht slowed down so he could walk beside Jeanne.
Jeanne: "Hmm?"
Nacht: "Listen... I like it when you feel safe... but not when you think you can just threaten our people."
Jeanne: "I see, you heard that."
Nacht: "Of course I did. I hear like a normal person, but Crane and Ichabod are there too. If you tell me now, I'll let it go."
Jeanne: "Hahh... can we at least discuss it at the hotel when we're alone?"
Nacht: "If we must..."
Jeanne: "(Sharp as ever, this Nacht... but I have to admit, he's alright. He's like me... a killer too...)"
Nacht: "Hmm..."
Several hours later...
Diego: "Ugh."
Mona: "Huh."
Charlotte: "Ugh."
Diego: "How..."
Charlotte: "Cooooool!!!"
They held each other's hands.
Nacht: "Woow."
The kingdom was enormous... and beautiful... and even modern. Not only were there trains... there were airships too.
Diego: "Ugh..."
Nacht: "Hmm..."
Heinrich: "Alright then... I'll be going now."
Nacht: "Sure. We'll take care of the rest."
He left.
Nacht: "Let's go to a hotel. Jeanne, come with me."
Jeanne: "Sure."
She followed him.
Diego: "Huh?"
Kisa: "Hmm?"
Charlotte: "Why Jeanne?"
Mona: "No idea."
A few minutes later...
Nacht: "Alright... we're alone now. Go ahead."
Jeanne: "Mmm... hahhh..."
Nacht: "Hey..."
Jeanne: "...I used to work for the government."
Nacht: "Hmm?"
Jeanne: "More specifically, I was an assassin... for the Breisgau government."
Nacht: "Hmm?"
Jeanne: "And I killed a lot of people..."
Nacht: "Hmm. No reason to hide that. What's so terrible about it?"
Jeanne: "It was for King Edward of Petterson."
Nacht: "Ughh..."
Jeanne: "Exactly. The guy who once destroyed a city in Eichenwalde as well as Mudeke."
Nacht: "Hmm... and why is it so important for you to keep it secret?"
Jeanne: "Hmm? Were you even listening?"
Nacht: "Yeah... but is it really your fault? Diego once said you wanted to become a model... but then changed your mind. Is that why?"
She nodded.
Jeanne: "My father was in debt back then... and they told him either I worked for the government... or he would be executed."
Nacht: "Hmm?"
Jeanne: "Before he could decide, I stepped in and said it would be an honor to fight for my kingdom... Hmph... I pretended to be happy about it so he wouldn't get the idea of sacrificing himself. They took me, and from then on I worked for a group called the Sickle of Roses."
Nacht: "Hmm. I see... but that makes me understand even less why you think it's so terrible if people find out."
Jeanne: "I killed innocent people."
Nacht: "You worked for the government and wanted to save your father. Anyone would have done it. Family comes before everyone else."
Jeanne: "But... the others don't think that way!"
Nacht: "Hmm?"
Jeanne: "Hahh... after the wars... the group was disbanded... and people treated me like a murderer. They refused to give me food. They threw me out of the city where I lived... why do you think I stayed away from Eichenheim for so long?"
Nacht: "People seem to have forgotten about it. Tell me, how old were you back then?"
Jeanne: "When I worked for the government... around fourteen."
Nacht: "Hmmm... so that was ten years ago?"
Jeanne: "Well, I was sixteen when it was dissolved... so eight years ago."
Nacht: "I see..."
Jeanne: "...Mm..."
Nacht: "Haaahhh."
He slowly walked toward her.
Nacht: "Come here for a moment, please."
Jeanne: "Huh?"
She stepped closer. He flicked her forehead with his finger.
Jeanne: "Ow."
Nacht: "Stop tormenting yourself over it. And here I thought you'd done something really terrible... I've done far worse things... as a child. And not even for my family, but for myself. You were just a kid, and you did it for your family. No reason to hold yourself back over that."
Jeanne: "...I still don't want the others to know."
Nacht: "Fine. Tell them later."
Jeanne: "Hahh... okay."
Nacht: "Good. Then let's head back... oh, first we need to find a hotel."
Jeanne: "Wait, I already know one. It's not far."
Nacht: "Hmm?"
A few minutes later...
Nacht: "Hey, we're back. We found a hotel."
Jeanne: "Come on, hurry."
They followed them.
Diego: "Umm... this creepy place?"
Nacht: "Well, it's cheap."