Story Reader / Interlude / Albus Spectrum / Story
Cerberus
No. 21 sees her face reflecting on the clean glass. Her image is projected onto an area of flat buildings.
The colors here are bright; the sunlight is supple. Everything seems to be composed of neatly cut white squares.
A few hours prior, she and Vera were put into a Sleeping Pod. After a steady journey, they finally ended up here.
Vera is quietly standing beside her. She looks around curiously as she observes her surroundings.
The door in front of them opens and a woman walks out from within.
...
The woman has a somewhat stern expression and wears professional attire. After looking at them, the woman smiles.
You made it. Come in.
...
Vera remains motionless. The woman walks around them and proceeds directly to the other side of the corridor. No. 21 smells a faint fragrance on her.
As she walks by, sunlight projects into the room through the gap in the door. The scene within the room begins to unfold in front of No. 21.
In the dim room, two men are sitting in the shadows. One of them is sitting at the table. Underneath his meticulous white hairline, his eyes hold a sharp gaze, like that of a hawk or falcon used for hunting.
The other has his back turned to No. 21. His rough and messy red hair on the back of his head looks like fur.
...
No. 21 looks away at Vera, whose eyebrows are tightly furrowed. She cannot decipher Vera's expression. After scanning the room, Vera's gaze shifts to the older man sitting behind the desk.
Were you the one who brought us here, ol' man?
That's Nikola, Commander of the Babylonia Parliament.
The man slowly corrects Vera's address.
Constructs Vera and No. 21, you have been officially transferred to Babylonia's Task Force under my direct supervision.
Babylonia?
No. 21 understands every word the man says, but when put together like that, she has difficulty understanding him. She repeats the only word she could pick out—Babylonia.
Since you are—
Cut the official crap, I've heard it all before. Tell me something I haven't.
Vera cuts him off, crosses her arms, then fixes her glare on the other man.
I'd recommend you keep your arrogance in check now that you're here. Hmph... Anyway. You'll be filled in later.
Why us?
There's a ton of other Constructs in Kurono. Why my team?
Hah... Team. Can two Constructs without a commandant really be called a team?
"Why" doesn't matter. Soon, you'll officially have... something more worthy of being called a "team."
The older man knocks on the table. As if he has received a signal, the man with his back to them turns his head. Sunlight only falls on half of his face.
Half of his body is hidden in the shadows and half is exposed to the sun. He leans back in his chair and turns to look at Vera.
Hmph. Am I really going to be stuck with you two?
The red-haired man smiles, showing his fangs like a vicious dog.
What'd you two do to land yourselves here?
