Interest

Pantalone was walking over the icy hallways of the Zapolyarny Palace, crossing the beautiful inner decorations all made of pure ice. But even surrounded by ice, Pantalone couldn't feel any kind of cold as inside the Zapolyarny Palace, the temperature was controlled by the Tsaritsa herself, keeping it bearable and showing her great control.

Finally, Pantalone stopped over a big door, waiting until his name was called to enter. The room had a rectangular shape, extending it forward with the depth in a semicircle form, over there a grand throne stood with an exquisite beautiful white-haired woman sitting over it. Of course, she was none other than the ruler of the Snezhnaya region and the Cryo Archon.

Pantalone made a full bow, full of adoration "Greetings, your majesty."

"You can come, Pantalone" The Tsaritsa instructed, Pantalone lifting his gaze and stated approaching, finally able to see that they weren't alone. There were three more people standing around the Tsaritsa whom Pantalone was familiar with all of them.

At the Tsaritsa's side, stood Sandrone. She was a beautiful brunette girl wearing a white and black maid uniform with a perfect and emotionless face that seemed to have been chiseled by craftmen. She was sat over the hand a of big automaton that always carried her around, seeing her move herself being extremely strange. These facts, plus her usual cold and indifferent attitude made people wonder who was the true automata.

Pantalone wasn't surprised by Sandrone as while she wasn't on a mission, she always stood next to the Tsaritsa as a bodyguard, not that her Majesty needed one. The ones that surprised him were the other two, on the Tsaritsa's right side, Il Dottore, and on the left, Arlecchino, especially Arlecchino.

Dottore had red eyes, pale skin and short, curly pale blue hair, with a black and white mask covering all his eyes. He was wearing a long white coat over a white dress shirt and a pink bow tie with a pinstriped vest and dark pants under it.

On the other hand, Arlecchino was a cold woman with a ruthless and always pissed look on her face. She had white hair with a few black strands and the most characteristic eyes, being black iris with red pupils in form of a cross. Looking at Pantalone entering the room, she didn't even try to hide her contempt towards him, clicking her tongue at his appearance.

Like Pantalone, the three of them were one of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers and they were also the most familiar with Pantalone. Pantalone was in charge of economics, Dottore over industry and Arlecchino over information and external diplomacy, the three of them needing to cooperate with each other most of the time.

Pantalone went next Arlecchino, warmly smiling at him, enjoying the disgust on her eyes before waiting for the Tsaritsa words.

"I summoned you to talk about the two children that you brought today" The Tsaritsa said without emotion.

"Pardon me, your majesty." Pantalone bowed "But they are nothing that would require your greatness's attention. They are nothing, simply children that picked my interest."

"Oh? Simply children?" Arlecchino said with a mocking voice "How much money are you thinking of exorting with them?" Arlecchino knew how Pantalone usually worked, he was only interested in money, not minding anything else or the people that needed to be destroyed to reach his end, like they say the Iron Bank's currency is blood and tears. If he was interested in some children, it was clear that they could gain him a good sum.

Pantalone glared at him, but he said nothing, still waiting for the Tsaritsa's answer.

"I know you well, Pantalone" The Tsaritsa said "I am aware of your intentions behind your acts and as always you have my blessing to act as you wish. But, you are wrong about my intentions. I am indeed interested in those children."

At such words, a complete silence flooded the room, everyone shocked at the Tsaritsa's statement, even Pantalone's smile faltered.

The Tsaritsa was a highly rational and objective person whose acts never showed her emotions. The Tsaritsa's interest? There was only one reason to take the Tsaritsa's interest, strength. She valued strength overall, but to take her interest for even her to act, a normal strong person wasn't enough, even most of the actual Harbingers hadn't picked her interest. Meaning, that the children's potential was incredibly immense.

"Arlecchino, explain their situation" The Tsaritsa finally broke the silence.

"Of course, your majesty" Arlecchino answered taking some file "Allen and Ellen, no surnames. They were found seven years ago, being 1 year old, as the only survivors of a possible shipwreck. There wasn't much information to take, so their origin was unknown, directly being taken care by the authority as orphans."

"At 5 years old, they joined my orphanage. Ellen showed great wits and strength, her potential being apt for further training over my ranks." Arlecchino passed over another file "On the other hand, Allen didn't show any notable talent, shy and weak, his only utility being used as a dissuasion for Ellen."

"At 7 years old, Ellen fell sick. The disease was unknown, symptoms being weakness, lethargy and lower corporal temperature, no normal treatment worked on her. Due to it, she lost her qualifications and both children were taken away from the main orphanage, being moved away and finally finishing over the slums."

"Yesterday, they were attacked by some normal thugs, from the Kumarin group, almost being killed by them until Allen obtained a Cryo vision, that instantly deterred the attacker, the thugs running away."

"After that, both children crossed over the first and second wall using the vision as a permit. Allen ignored the order to immediately join the army, trying to cross over the third wall guarded by an Electro Warhammer Vanguard, Maksim Smirnoff."

"Allen didn't show much combat capabilities but was able to unleash an Elemental Burst, damaging the electro shield. Then, they were finally taken care of by Pantalone."

"Allen presented physical wounds and a starved condition while Ellen's disease seemed to have developed further, weakening her body to the point of immobility and freezing her body and surroundings, the doctor of her analysis marking her as untreatable with only a month of life left."

"Due to the new developments, their assignment had to be revalued. Allen didn't show great strength, but having obtained a vision and unleashing an Elemental Blast on the first day, he is valued as having great control and synergy with elemental particles, becoming a good candidate for further training."

"Ellen becoming hopeless" Arlecchino stopped his reports "However, Pantalone brought Ellen to Dottore, so her final analysis is still pending."

The Tsaritsa nodded at the report, turning towards Dottore "Such useless doctors!" Dottore spatted. "Your majesty, that girl is a monster!" The Dottore said enthusiastically "She is able to absorb and attract the elemental particles of her surroundings at an incredible speed, making her a high tier catalyst. Forget about the treatment! She is an incredible piece of art! I would like to take her under my care, I'm sure that my experiments would take a great leap with her."

"Dottore, you should calm down" Pantalone interjected "Everyone knows how your 'helpers' ends. We should wait more for how she develops before anything else."

"Shut up, Pantalone!" Dottore grinned "For a start, you never were interested in the girl. You can take that future self-inflated fool with you, let me alone with my new toy."

"If you forgive me" Arlecchino was the one that interrupted this time "As young children and orphans, I should be the one to take care of them. I would make sure that they would become useful in the future." Children having the Tsaritsa's interest? He, of course, had to obtain them, becoming powerful resources under his order in the future. He seemed to have made an error letting them away, but errors could be repaired. "Moreover, we all know how they can finish if left with them" She said looking over Dottore and Pantalone.

The three harbingers started arguing with each other, reasoning who would take the children under their care, until the Tsaritsa lifted her hand, stopping any discussion "Before deciding anything, let's listen to the boy."

"Cr!" The door opened, gaining the attention from the three harbingers. There, over the door Allen stood.