Hidden Worlds: The Sheltered Princess

Addendum 1.2

[Nora's POV]

"My, my..." I was on patrol one night on the node I was assigned on, when I came across a familiar face walking towards my direction.

"Oh, Nora." Hans quickly recognized me despite how dark it is. Well, there's no need to acknowledge that — as dim as the streetlights are, they still work.

"How have you been?" I casually asked, scanning him from head to toe. Even with a partial fragment of his memory restored, I don't see any significant changes — yet.

"Nothing much has happened, yet." Hans replied as he stood in front of me, "What brings you here?" He added, "When you leave, it usually takes weeks before you return."

"Ah, you remember E.S.P.E.R., right?"

I asked him — E.S.P.E.R. has always affected Hans's life in one way or another. I mean, Hans has also affected E.S.P.E.R. in so many ways as well...

Because of him, I left E.S.P.E.R. for good. Well, there's Sonia, but I have no idea whatever happened to her.

"Yeah, the one who burned down my home." he retorted sharply as he leaned his back on the streetlight beside us, "You're part of them, no?"

"Well, you're not wrong. And yes," so far, that's the only thing he knows about us. "I'm here to recruit a new member. I want you to meet her."

"Sure," he agreed without hesitation, "there's nothing really bothering me right now."

He's bothered.

Probably because I brought that topic up.

Oh, well.

"With what has happened in your first case, can you really say that with confidence like you do before?"

Hans paused for a moment as I grinned at him.

We soon found ourselves walking down the subway station. She should be there waiting for us.

I took this time to recall all the new information I got from him.

First, there's his Halcyon, the burden and risk I have to carry.

I've taken down a few phoenixes before, but with Hans possessing a Hidden World like that, neutralizing him is near impossible. Eliminating an immortal anomaly is out of the question.

His Hidden World is somewhat of a bother — I mean, as long as I don't mention that I've erased his memories the third time now should keep me safe.

Being a vampire is an ace in and of itself; if he can't take a picture of me, there's no way he could recall his memories about us.

Second is Cassia Ambrose and her Paradigm Repeat.

E.S.P.E.R. did a lousy job at that time without me. Sometimes I imagine how things would've turned out if I led the whole operation. Though, even after erasing his memories years before that incident, it didn't take long before he remembered his anomalous abilities.

Miss incendiary must still be traumatized after seeing his flames when they got him enraged.

Regardless, things could've been worse.

It was a good idea to bring Hans to the Ambrose family. With him thinking that Cassia's his sister, he'd eventually assume that his surname is Ambrose instead of questioning where he came from.

The slow escalators brought us further down. The metal handrails and turnstiles were colder than the air tonight. The security and cleaning drones were minding their own businesses to keep this place clean and that they do. Not a single light is broken, dim, or flickering. There isn't even a single litter standing out on these wide-open floors. There's no seat that's torn or in need of patching.