Jacob accompanied Nyx out of the corner office and down the quiet hallway toward the private client lounge.
As they walked, he glanced at her and said, "By the way, I can take you to Whitehill Crest myself. The estate is quite far from here. It isn’t technically within Alder City’s official boundaries, so you may not recognize the area even if you have the address."
Nyx looked at him.
"Whenever you plan to visit, I can drive you there," Jacob continued. "It would probably be easier than having you search for it yourself."
Nyx’s expression became thoughtful. She slowed slightly, as though seriously considering his suggestion, before shaking her head. "There’s no need to bother you. I’ll find my way there myself."
Jacob raised an eyebrow, asking, "Are you sure?"
"Yes. And if I get lost, I’ll call you."
For a moment, Jacob simply stared at her, and then he laughed. "All right. Fair enough. If you insist."
Nyx smiled faintly.
They reached the private lounge a moment later, where Lucian was already standing when he saw them approach. The tablet Jacob had given him was resting on the armchair, and the drink beside it was nearly finished.
"Done?" Lucian asked.
"Yes," Nyx replied.
She turned toward Jacob to say, "Thank you for everything."
"It was the least I could do."
Jacob extended his hand toward Lucian. "It was good seeing you again, young man."
Lucian shook his hand politely. "Thank you, sir."
Jacob’s expression softened as he remarked, "I’m glad she has someone looking out for her."
Nyx smiled at Lucian with a sideways glance.
Jacob laughed again. "I’ll have everything prepared for the transfer. If you need anything before then, call me."
"I will."
They exchanged one final nod before Nyx and Lucian stepped into the elevator. Jacob remained outside, raising one hand in farewell, and Nyx returned the gesture as the elevator doors slid shut, cutting him from view.
The moment Nyx and Lucian stepped out of the corporate high-rise, the bright morning sunlight struck her face, and the heat was stronger than she expected. Around them, Alder City continued as usual: office workers hurried along the sidewalks with coffee cups in their hands, cars moved steadily through the intersection, businesspeople spoke into their phones while crossing the street, and the glass towers of the financial district reflected the clear blue sky.
Then the System spoke, its voice sounding directly inside Nyx’s mind and carrying an unfamiliar urgency: [Nyx, high-priority anomaly detected.]
[The spatial structure at a nearby location is becoming unstable.]
A faint chill ran through her despite the heat. "What are you talking about? Where?"
The System answered immediately: [A spatial fracture is an unnatural tear between the physical realm of Earth and an intersecting dimension—in this instance, the Beast Realm. At L’étoile Fine Dining.]
Nyx froze. For a moment, she thought she had heard incorrectly, but then the System continued.
[A spatial fracture is forming beneath the restaurant. The disturbance is being caused by a concentration of Beast Realm Essence.]
Nyx was surprised at the mention of L’étoile—the restaurant where she and Lucian had eaten breakfast only a few hours ago. "How long?"
[Approximately seventeen minutes until the spatial fracture reaches full rupture.]
Seventeen minutes.
Her thoughts accelerated, but the System continued before she could ask another question: [This is not an isolated phenomenon. Over the past ninety days, ten similar spatial anomalies have been recorded across the world.]
Nyx’s breathing slowed. Ninety days. Ten incidents. Before Realmfall.
The System continued, [One anomaly has been recorded within the Seren Sector.]
Nyx’s eyes narrowed. "What happened?"
[The incident was officially classified as an industrial gas explosion. The actual cause was suppressed.]
Nyx stared ahead. So the government—or someone within the government—already knew. Maybe not everything, and maybe they didn’t understand what they were dealing with, but they knew something was happening.
[Spatial fractures of this type may create temporary enclosed spaces. Once the fracture reaches full rupture, the affected area will become isolated from its surroundings.]
Nyx’s fingers slowly curled. "What happens to anyone inside?"
[External entry and exit will be severed.]
Her expression hardened. "In other words, they’re trapped."
[Correct.]
Nyx glanced toward the car waiting near the curb. "How long does the lockdown last?"
[Until the invading entity is eliminated.]
Her eyes sharpened. "Invading entity?"
[The fracture is attracting a Beast Realm entity.]
A brief silence followed before the System added, [This will be your first mission.]
Nyx’s expression became completely still as the notifications echoed in her mind: [Mission: First Anomaly Extermination.]
[Your first objective is to prevent civilian casualties within the enclosed space.]
[Your second objective is to eliminate the Level 0 Beast Realm entity.]
Nyx stared at the traffic moving around her. A few hours ago, she had been sitting inside that restaurant with no idea an anomaly was forming beneath it; if she had simply gone home after breakfast, she never would have known, and seventeen minutes from now, everyone inside could be trapped.
She turned toward the car. Lucian, who had been watching her with increasing confusion, followed her gaze and asked, "Sister?"
Nyx walked toward the vehicle. "Get in."
He hurried after her as the driver stepped forward and opened the rear door. Nyx climbed inside first, carefully maneuvering her injured arm before settling into the seat, and Lucian climbed in beside her. Once the driver closed the door, Nyx immediately looked toward him.
"Take us back to the restaurant we went to this morning."
The driver blinked. "The restaurant?"
"Yes." Nyx’s tone sharpened. "And hurry."
The driver nodded quickly. "Yes, Miss Arden."
The car pulled away from the curb, and Lucian looked at her in confusion. "Why are we going back there?"
Nyx turned toward the window, watching Alder City’s streets continue moving outside. She lowered her gaze and said, "I forgot something."
Lucian frowned. "You forgot something?"
"Yes."
He stared at her face for several seconds. "What?"
Nyx looked at him, her expression completely calm. "I’ll tell you later."
Lucian watched his sister intently. Her eyes were fixed on the blurring cityscape outside the tinted glass. Her right hand rested lightly against her knee, but her fingers were slightly curled.
"Sister," Lucian began softly, his brow furrowed as he leaned closer. "You’re acting strange. We just left there three hours ago. What could you possibly have forgotten that requires driving like this?"
"Just an oversight," Nyx replied, her voice smooth and measured, showing none of the adrenaline surging through her blood. She finally turned her head to look at him, her expression softening just enough to soothe his growing anxiety. "Nothing for you to worry about, Lucian. But when we pull up, I need you to stay inside the car."
"Stay in the car?" Lucian’s eyebrows shot up. "Why? If you’re going back inside, I’m coming with you."
"No," Nyx said, her tone leaving no room for negotiation. "You stay with the driver in the parking area. I won’t be long."
Lucian opened his mouth to protest, but her stare silenced him. He nodded reluctantly, leaning back against his seat.
Ten minutes after leaving the corporate tower, the driver pulled the sedan up to the polished granite driveway of L’étoile Fine Dining.
Nyx didn’t wait for the driver to round the vehicle. She threw the rear door open with her good right hand and stepped out.
"Stay here, Lucian. Do not step out of this vehicle until I return," she instructed firmly without looking back.
"Nyx!" Lucian called out from the open door, "Be careful!"
Nyx gave a nod before turning on her heel and marching toward the restaurant’s glass double doors.