[Chapter 42] A Package for Frame

[South Korea near Jirisan National Park, Eminence Headquarters]

[Early Morning 6:53 am] 

... 

"So, Yulius..." Chelsea began, holding an ice pack against her bruise head that she got from falling over mysteriously, as she stares calmly at her twin, preparing her interrogation. 

The said twin about to be interrogated, returned the stare, non-impress. "Chelsea, if you have something to say, just say it."

"I don't know sister. Do I have something to say?" She dramatically signaled with her hands. 

Sighing, "Chelsea, just get on with it." 

"Well since you're just begging me to-" Yulius instantly cut her off, "Chelsea, please for the love of god." 

Chelsea: "Hmpt, you're no fun twinie. Anyways, what did I want to ask? Oh, that's right?! What the hell was that?!" 

Yulius: "What was what?" 

Chelsea: "You know, why did I feel like my heart was ripped right out of me?!" 

"Uhm..." Yulius didn't know how to approach the subject of her temporary death. Will her sister explode on her, or will she tease the living sh*t out of her. Both sounds bad either way. 

"Well? Are you just going to sit there and look pretty or are you going to answer me?!" She exclaimed, annoyed by her silence. 

"Hm," she took off her blindfold, revealing the fully awakened sixth eyes, earning a frown by Chelsea who didn't understand what she was doing at first, before finally understanding as a look of surprise took hold of her face. 

"WHAT THE HELL YULIUS! IS THAT WHAT I THINK IT IS?!" Pointing to her clear blue eyes. 

She held her ears, wincing at her sister's raging volume, "yes. Yes, it is. Now there's no reason to shout it from the top of your lungs." 

Chelsea: "Yulius?! Do you not understand-" 

Yulius: "Of course I understand! I'm the one that awakened it after all." 

Chelsea: "Well, I'm just saying, that's all." 

She pouted. 

Yulius: "It's beside the point." 

Chelsea: "Well not really since you died. Literally." 

Yulius: "I'm well aware, but thanks for pointing the obvious out dear sister." 

Chelsea: "My pleasure, darling." 

Making kissy faces. 

Yulius: "So, do you want to know what happened?" 

Chelsea: "Do I have to?" 

Yulius: "I mean, you don't but why wouldn't you?" 

Chelsea: "You died. Isn't that all I need to know?" 

Yulius: "I suppose but like-" 

Chelsea: "I'll stop you right there. I don't need to know what's going on 24/7 in your life. As long as you're okay, that's all that matters to me. Even if you die every now and then, as long as you come back, then we're good."

Yulius rose her right brow, "you're so nonchalant about it." 

Chelsea: "Do you prefer me panicking, sweating balls sack, worrying the living sh*t out of you every single time I feel that painful sensation through our twin bond."

Yulius: "Nope, I'm good." 

She instantly replied. 

Chelsea: "You sure cause-" 

Yulius: "No no, I'm good." 

Chelsea scoffs, "thought so," before continuing.

Chelsea: "Point is, you have my full trust and there's no need to explain yourself. I mean, unless you really have to, but I doubt whatever transpire from earlier is not at all important. Or is it?" 

Yulius: "It's somewhat, but not at all that important." 

Which is kind of true. Because all she did was save a kidnapped child at the cost of angering a Top 10 and the entire organization they're affiliated with. Aherm- Frame. Not that much of a big deal if you ask her. Really not, haha... 

Point is, not at all important. Well not now at least. 

Chelsea: "See, then we're good." 

Yulius: "I see." 

She spoke weirdly, confusing the younger twin, "what's with that depressing tone?" 

Yulius: "Nothing, nothing."

Chelsea: "Well if you say so." 

She said before changing the subject knowing her sister didn't want to delve any further, "so how's it feel? You know, seeing the world with those eyes now. I recall Satoru saying it's beautiful." 

Yulius: "Ume, it's truly an entirely different experience. I feel like I'm on top of the world, being able to wield my techniques much easier without tiring myself out that much." 

Chelsea: "Hm, that's good to hear." 

Sagely nodding, earning an eyeroll from the other Seo. 

Yulius: "By the way, we might clash with Frame very soon." 

Chelsea: "What do you mean by very soon?" 

Yulius: "I mean, the awakeners that kidnapped the girl may or may not be members of Frame." 

She furrows her brows, "what were they doing in Korea in the first place?" 

Yulius: "My thoughts exactly. But from what I heard; they forcefully took the girl away from her parents because they wanted her affiliated with their organization." 

Chelsea thought, "that's weird." As Yulius hums in agreement. 

"I'm assuming you killed them, right?" She asked, receiving a nod. 

Chelsea: "Hm, but even then, they were just members of Frame. I don't see why they will target us."

The elder sister coughed uncomfortably, "aherm, about that, haha." 

"Tsuna?" She sternly called her out, by using her middle name, showing how serious she was being.

Yulius quickly explained, "the person I fought was a Top 100. Moreover, a disciple of a Top 10, Andrei for your information." 

"What?!" She shouted, earning a flick to the head as Yulius holds her sensitive ears, "not so loud." 

Chelsea: "Sorry, but in all seriousness, what the actual f*ck. I didn't know Andrei had any other disciple other than Earthquake?" 

Yulius: "Same here, but here we are." 

Chelsea: "Maybe he died earlier so we didn't get to see much of him in the manhwa." 

"I suppose so." She thought, 'but it would make complete sense. Since they did kidnap Jiyoung who is the daughter of the current head of Shinhwa. And I don't believe Seongik Han who is South Korea's #1 awakener will just sit still and let that happen.'

Then again, it wouldn't surprise her if they did. After all, in the manhwa, when Jiwoo was getting tortured by Baekdu's elder Dusik Kang, he didn't do anything because it would affect Baekho, which was his organization before he handed it off to his disciple. 

Adding on, he used the excuse of freeing Jiwoo from Baekdu's grasp if he became his disciple even after he refused him from before. Sh*tty people am I right? If Kayden knew that, he most likely wouldn't have heed Seongik Han's suggestion and instead rebel against him too. 

Sighing, she brushed those needless thoughts aside as she refocuses on the main problem. Frame. Especially Andrei, who's one to hold some serious grudges. Also, he's petty. Extremely petty. 

Going as far as accusing Jiwoo as the perpetrator of No.6 murderer when it was Duke Grane. And he knew this but chose to paint Jiwoo as the villain in order to get back at Kayden. Talk about being the King of Pettiness, am I right? 

So who's to say he will not do the same to Eminence. Painting himself and Frame as the victim while EAO are the villain. That will be such a pain in the a*s, if you ask either of the twins. 

But they know it's inevitable. Rumors are bound to go around, terrorizing Eminence Awakened Organization's good name. Well, it's whatever. It is what it is. All they can do is focus on damage control. 

Hopefully it isn't much. 

...

{~𝕊𝕔𝕖𝕟𝕖 ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕖~} 

...

[Somewhere Under the Rainbow, Frame] 

[Early Morning 7:00 am]

... 

On a mountaintop, reside an infamous criminal headquarter known worldwide. But not for a simple reason as that, but because 3 Top 10's are affiliated with that organization. The organization is none other than Frame. 

The weather there was especially windy with some snow fall deepening the cliffs. Luckily for them, it wasn't piling up to a certain degree where mobility was disable completely.

As a helicopter could be seen landing on a launchpad, men exiting the vehicle carry a box with a letter tightly tied to it. From an outsider's view, it would seem like any neatly wrapped present, and whoever the receiver is, is sure to be surprised by what's inside. 

They walked through the somewhat thick snow, dropping the package off at the front gate before returning to their ride and flew away. Once gone, the camera watching the front gate sent a notification to an awakener to fetch the box. 

Slowly but surely, the gate open as a number (what awakeners from Frame are called) grabbed the package and made his way inside the building, immediately feeling the warmth rushing in, pushing away the cold as he closed the door. 

Instantly, he greeted the other numbers passing his way with a cold glare like they all do before making his way to deliver the package to Earthquake, Andrei's favorite apprentice. 

He met up in front of Earthquake's assigned room, dropping the package off before knocking a couple of times, "a package for Andrei-sama." After saying his piece, he left to join in on the others training sessions at the gym. 

The reason why he didn't deliver it directly to Andrei is because he, as a plainly number, does not have authorization to do so. He has to give it to someone close to a Top 10. In other words, you must be their disciple in order to have permission to walk into their quarters. 

Which was why anyone who receives a package regarding a Top 10, has to give it to either Earthquake, Muse, or Roist. As they are the only current awakeners that are the disciple of the 3 Top 10's affiliated with Frame. Earthquake being Andrei's, Muse being Supri's, and Roist being Schnauder's. 

Earthquake, who was busy filling out some paperwork, would've normally ignored whoever was at the door, but due to hearing his master's name being uttered, caused him to drop everything he was doing as he made his way to the door, picking up the package before heading towards the residence of the Top 10's, where Andrei resides. 

Seeing the familiar tall, gigantic red and black door lace with gold in hindsight, caused his steps to increase just a bit more before he stopped just right outside the door. Taking a deep breath in, he knocked twice announcing his presence.

"Who is it?" Andrei's husky dark voice rang. 

"It is Earthquake. I've come bearing a package in your name my lord." 

"Come in." He invited, allowing his apprentice to enter. 

Without need to be told twice, he pulled on the long gold rings, hauling the door back towards him as he entered his master's throne room. With the sight of his master sitting dignifying on his royal majestic seat, he kneeled lowly as he put the box right next to him. 

"I greet you on this fine morning my lord." He bowed respectfully. 

"At ease," his reply earned Earthquake the right to meet his master's red pulps. 

Andrei stared at the package for a good while, not expecting to receive anything for quite some time. And as much as he would like to throw the box out, his curiosity got the betterment of him, as he rose one of his hand, swirls of red lifting the present up as he slowly unwraps it. 

Pulling the bow apart, he saw a letter dropped as he manipulates it to float towards him. Before reading it, he opened the box and what was inside, shocked both him and his apprentice to their very core. 

Ben's head. 

How, is the question. 

Ben was a newly awakener he found and care for very much. His talent was beyond any he has ever seen before. Especially for a late bloomer so, he quickly took on the young awakener as one of his apprentices. 

Earthquake didn't feel any sort of jealousy towards Ben who earned his master's affection. In fact, as a senior, he felt responsible for guiding the young naive awakener. Teaching him the cruelty of the awakener world, being there for his first kill, etc. 

So to hear and see his death, spooked him greatly. He just couldn't understand or grasp how such a thing could happen. Ben was in no way, shape, or form, weak. He was personally trained by Andrei-sama and himself. 

He made his debut challenging and defeating some Top 100's, almost making it towards the Top 50's. So, how could he have died all of a sudden? He was just assigned to do a little mission regarding a young raven head he found interesting. 

They of course didn't get the girl's name, but judging from the blondie's praise, they took his word for it and allowed him to go through with recruiting the girl into Frame. It was an easy and simple mission. 

As nobody in South Korea was anywhere near a Top 100's strength, so they didn't worry too much about Ben failing to do such an easy task. And yet, here he was, dead. And headless. 

A disturbing and uneasy silence deafened the room. Neither awakener knew what to feel about the current situation. All that came to mind, was hell.

...