"I'm cooked."

Normally, Isaac would have slithered his way out of Furina's scheme. However, today, her plan had left him with no choice but to run for his dear life— for it there was anything any man ever feared, it was accompanying a woman to shopping. Some might even say it was the bane of all men.

As for Isaac, it was no different.

The moment he was dragged out of his cafe by Furina, he didn't even manage to utter a word of complaint. He was just... dragged away.

He could have refused and stopped her, however, he had a deep gut feeling that if he did so, there would be dire consequences.

As such, here he is now, wearing a barely passable disguise with Freminet as they both walked under broad daylight.

Isaac, who was wearing a half top hat and a pair of tinted glasses, looked at Freminet beside him and whispered.

"You know, you didn't have to do this, you know? I know how busy you are sometimes helping your siblings."

Freminet shook his head in response.

"No, it's fine, Mister Isaac. I had nothing else to do today anyway so... I'm happy to help."

"Yeah? What a nice kid." Isaac smiled.

As they walked, Freminet couldn't help but be curious and asked him a question.

"By the way... How did you even get into that situation, Mister Isaac? It seemed like... Lady Furina was really hunting you down."

Despite the young man's upbringing and side profession, his tone was surprisingly innocent. Isaac noticed this and couldn't help but be amused.

He was then reminded that, even though the child with him was a trained professional spy, he was also but a child that had yet to take on the truly mundane side of the mature world. As such, aside from disposing of unwanted bodies, he wasn't quite aware of the... other bodies.

Isaac lightly chuckled. "It was just a matter of disagreement. I felt like I was gonna sink into something I'd regret, as such, I ran away."

"I'm sure you'll encounter this kind of situation in the future." He added.

Isaac was sincere with his words. The young diver might not know it, but he had garnered quite a bit of attention in the cafe with his soft demeanor and looks. Isaac even managed to get a glimpse of a few young female customers occasionally eyeing the young man.

If Freminet wasn't so introverted, then perhaps he would have been far more popular with other people. Isaac even wondered if he could influence the child in that direction.

But he feared that by doing so, he'd invoke the wrath of not only the other two siblings, but also their Father. As such, he quickly disposed of such a notion, never daring to think of it again.

It was enough for one pretentious scamp to work in the cafe. There was no need for another one.

'Should I say it's fortunate that he's soft-spoken?' Isaac entertained the idea before discarding it shortly after.

Freminet looked at him, the soft innocence glistening in his eyes.

"I don't think that will come any time soon though..."

"For now, I'm just content with helping out my siblings and Father... As well as you."

Isaac lingered for a moment before replying. "That's great. How dependable of you. As expected of my pupil."

Freminet, upon hearing him, paused for a moment giving a response. "There's no need to inflate your ego..."

"Uhh..." Surprised by his reply, Isaac was slightly startled. "...A bit blunt, but true nonetheless. Where'd you learn that?"

Freminet quickly replied.

"I learned from that Inazuman woman that frequents the cafe. She knows a lot of things and sometimes teaches me."

"Of course... I should have known." Isaac scowled. Knowing that fox, she has definitely taught the young man.

As the two walked though, Isaac couldn't help but notice the direction of which they were heading. He hesitated for a moment before asking the young man beside him with skepticism.

"Uhh... Freminet, where exactly are we going?"

Isaac couldn't return to his cafe since he knew Furina would quickly find him there, as such, he decided to follow his pupil somewhere to hide.

It's just that the place they were heading was...

Freminet turned around and looked at Isaac. "Don't worry. You'll be safe with us."

'Ah, I knew it.' Isaac smiled wryly. 'I'm going to the House of the Heart, aren't I?"

In other words, Arlecchino's territory.

There was a reason Isaac had avoided that location whenever he disguised himself as Gehrman at night. One was because the children there were good at investigations, and the other is because he might encounter Arlecchino.

...not that it matters since she already knows his other identity though.

But still. It would be rather awkward so Isaac actively avoided them.

But now...

Looking at the familiar hotel that the Hearth is currently staying at, an ominous feeling rose up from Isaac's chest.

'Oh boy...'

He just hopes he and Arlecchino were still on good terms.

---

Meanwhile, somewhere in Fleuvre Cendre, in a secluded location where barely anyone could ever notice, two figures can be seen conversing.

"Report."

"Yes, Father."

The woman, with the sharp silver hair and crimson crossed eyes, emanated a sense of cold ruthlessness and dominance. Yet also a cold and calculating gaze.

She looked at one of her children— or spies— and waited for a report.

"The organization responsible for the production of Sinthe has well expanded over the past few weeks. Currently, many high profile targets involved in the business have been forced to realign with the new rising organization."

"Merchants, nobles, and even public figures tied to the criminal rings all submitted to this new force. Those who defied were... later found hung upside down."

As the spy reported, she handed a few photographs of various people that ranged from pictures of men meeting up in secret to men hanging upside down in the outskirts of the city with life drained out of their eyes.

Arlecchino looked at them one by one with her usual cold indifference, but this time, a frown appeared on her face.

"It seems like our clown has been busy. Don't you agree?"

The spy nodded.

"Yes, Father. Revolts and gang wars have been happening frequently ever since he appeared— but they were all suppressed by him alone with nothing but his cold brutality and revolver. Some are even starting to spread urban legends about him."

She then questioned. "What's the name of this organization?"

"Yes, it took a while, but I've now confirmed it." The spy responded. "They seem to be calling resembles..."

"The Syndicate."

Arlecchino listened as her eyes borrowed, finding herself drifting off to a thought while simultaneously listening to her child.

'How utterly risible.'

Indeed, ever since Isaac had appeared, the chaotic undercurrents of Fontaine have only grown more turbulent. It was as if a rock had fallen into a lake, causing ripples to spread out.

For years, the House of the Hearth had discreetly operated in the shadows of Fontaine, treating it as their headquarters. Sometimes, they'd do missions in the nation itself, while in other times, they'd infiltrate another nation for an espionage mission.

Suffice to say, Arlecchino had a decent knowledge of every figure in Fontaine that upholds the delicate balance of the nation. Be it someone corrupt or an absolute holder of justice, they are all the same in her eyes— gears that keep everything running.

...so imagine her utter disbelief when the intricately designed machine of gears that she watches over was suddenly pulled out and rearranged by another person by pure force.

This new force that seemingly spawned out of nowhere had, in a short amount of time, built itself as a new overlord in Fontaine's darkness.

Brazenly storming in...

It felt disrespectful to her, to say the least. But she isn't petty enough to start a meaningless feud.

Although Isaac has indeed made things difficult for her, she still managed to find a decent silver lining in all of it.

Indeed, she could have done the same thing as he did, after all, she didn't lack any power and doubted that she was any weaker than Isaac. But her principles and the nature of the Hearth had prevented her from doing so. So when someone else has arrived and had put a leash over everything...

It became a favorable opportunity for her to also put her leash on him.

Arlecchino released a soft hum before speaking.

"That's enough. I'll now return to the Hearth. Continue observing this new organization and report any new major movements immediately."

"Yes, Father."

With that said, the two parted ways, each going their own way and walking in the shadows. To them, the darkness was a familiar friend which could both serve as a shield and an accomplice, making it useful for traversal... and stalking.

Arlecchino then left Fleuvre Cendre and walked on the streets of Fontaine.

As the director of the House of the Hearth walked under broad daylight, she had mostly kept to herself and didn't make eye contact. She rarely appeared in public, as such, some people who saw her became a bit skeptical to approach her menacing figure.

But she did not mind. So long as they steered out of her way, then there would be nothing more than that.

Soon, Arlecchino saw the familiar hotel where her children were staying at. There, the warm embrace of the fireplace sheltered them from the cold reality outside, thus giving them a safe roof.

And it wouldn't have been possible if not for their Father.

Arlecchino approached and gently opened the door.

She expected to see her children to either be playing or preparing for their next mission. That was the common sight she always sees, after all.

But this time, something else was happening inside the lounge of the hotel.

"Now watch this, everybody. I'll make this dagger disappear in front of your very eyes!"

She recognized that voice. For it was none other than the new troublemaker she has just been thinking of earlier.

What followed next were the voice of her children.

"What? That can't be possible!"

"Yeah! Unless you're Lyney or Lynette, I doubt you could pull something like that with all of us watching!"

"I think Mister Isaac can do it! He even swallowed a bullet earlier and made it appear in his ear!"

"But how would he make a dagger disappear with no other props?"

Isaac smiled as he listened to their voices. Then, as he held the dagger with one hand, another hand slowly descended on it. As it descended, the dagger slowly disappeared from their view.

Soon, the dagger was gone.

"Ta-Dah!"

Upon seeing the magic trick, both the children and the young adults of the Hearth couldn't help but be impressed.

It was a shame that Lyney and Lynette weren't here to witness it.

"Woah!"

"That's amazing!"

"How'd you do that?"

"Now swallow the dagger!"

"Uhh... Maybe sometime, kid." Isaac replied with a wry smile.

Of course, he was only able to do this trick with the help of the inventory function of the system. It was a crude trick, but it works.

Suddenly, while Isaac was performing, he suddenly felt the icy cold gaze of the newly arrived person.

Turning around, he looked at the door and saw the familiar indifferent and cold depression of Arlecchino, one that radiates deadly allure and ruthlessness.

Upon seeing her, Isaac slightly tensed up. He conjured up a smile then greeted her.

"Oh, uh... Hello? Good morning?"

There was a momentary silence between them before she replied.

"...would you mind following me upstairs, Mister Isaac? I wish to discuss something with you."

She didn't clarify what exactly she wanted to talk about, and that made Isaac both suspicious and nervous.

Hesitant, he convinced himself that she wouldn't do anything to him and lingered for a while before reluctantly nodding.

"Oh... Okay... If you say so. But I won't reveal any magician's secret though!"

She didn't reply.

'Ah... I'm cooked.'

He had a feeling that this was going to be much more dangerous than what Furina had planned for him today.

'I made a mistake... I want to go back to my Archon...'

As they say, regret comes last.

* * *

A/N:

Remember fellas, don't cheat. Else you'll end up like Isaac.