Chapter 29:

Rex Vermillion

The Heracle's Diary - My Story in Another World

Walking down the polished corridors of the headquarters, the steady rhythm of footsteps echoed faintly in the otherwise quiet space. I glanced over at Zephyra, who led the way with her usual air of confidence, and decided to ask something that had been bugging me since we entered.

“That guy at the front desk looked like he saw a ghost. What did you do to him?”

Zephyra glanced back at me with a raised brow. “Why do you assume it was my fault?”

“Isn’t it?”

“Nothing of the sort. When you’re the head of a clan, this is how people react.”

“Just like that?” I questioned, raising a skeptical brow.

“Yes. As you already know, this world is divided into 13 territories, each controlled by a different clan. So, if you’re the head of a clan like me, you’re automatically one of the 13 most important people in this world.”

I blinked at her response and finally replied, “Okay, I think I get it. It’s like a big celebrity suddenly knocking on your door. No wonder some people might panic.”

Now that I think about it, a lot of people have been staring at us since we entered the building.

The feeling of being watched was unmistakable, but there was something else. My gaze shifted back to Zephyra, and I couldn’t help but suppress a sigh. My thoughts trailed off as I took in the sight of her composed demeanor and sharp outfit. I thought I’d gotten over it by now, but nevertheless, I still couldn’t believe that a person who likes to get drunk in broad daylight holds such a high position. I couldn't help but look at her with pity.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked, her tone slightly accusing.

“Nothing, simply... as I thought, in my eyes, Zephyra is simply Zephyra.”

“Did you just use my name as a synonym for something offensive?”

“No, where did you get that idea?” I replied in the most sarcastic tone I could muster.

“Hey,” she said, smilling sweetly—too sweetly. “I think it’s high time you learned how to talk to adults.”

“If you decide to behave like an adult, I might consider it.”

Zephyra’s smile didn’t waver, but I could see the telltale twitch of a vein on her forehead. It was a silent warning, the kind that screamed: You’ve gone too far.

“Lady Zephyra. Master.”

Before our impromptu sparring match could escalate further, a calm yet chillingly authoritative voice cut through the air. Luna interjected, standing a few steps ahead of us with her hands neatly folded in front of her. Her expression was calm, but her eyes carried an icy edge that sent a shiver down my spine.

“This is not the place for such arguments. Please don’t forget where we are.”

Zephyra and I froze as if caught in the act of stealing cookies from the jar. In unison, we muttered, like scolded children.

“Right... Sorry...”

“Great.”

Luna’s frosty demeanor melted away in an instant, replaced by a warm smile.

I glanced at her, feeling a bead of sweat form on the back of my neck.

Right... Luna can be really scary when she’s mad, I thought, suppressing a nervous gulp.

* * *

We finally arrived at the office. I noticed a brass nametag by the door engraved with the words: “Chief of Police Rex Vermillion”. Zephyra gave the door a solid knock, and a gruff voice from inside responded,

“Open.”

Zephyra turned the handle and stepped inside. The office appeared empty at first glance. Neat rows of books lined the shelves, and a pristine desk sat in the centre. Before I could take a closer look, a blur of movement caught my eye.

An old man with a pale complexion suddenly leapt out of nowhere, gun in hand and aimed squarely at Zephyra. In the blink of an eye, Zephyra had her own gun out, pointed directly at him.

The speed of their actions left both Bel and me frozen in place, unable to comprehend what had just happened. Luna, on the other hand, immediately darted in front of us, a dagger seemingly appearing in her hand out of thin air. She took a protective stance, her sharp sapphire eyes fixed on the old man.

For a tense moment, the room was silent, the two of them locked in a deadly standoff.

Then, unexpectedly, the old man started laughing, his voice a deep and hearty rumble. Zephyra, still holding her weapon, cracked a smile before lowering her gun. The man followed suit, and without missing a beat, the two of them stepped forward and embraced tightly.

“Ha, ha, ha! I see my little girl is still in shape,” the old man chuckled, his gun now hanging casually at his side.

“Not so little anymore,” Zephyra replied with a smirk. “I see you haven’t gotten rusty yet, old man.”

“Still got a long way to go before I’m ready for retirement,” he said, his laughter filling the room as he placed his weapon on the desk.

He turned his attention to the rest of us, his sharp eyes scanning over our group. “So, these are the three you’ve been going on about, huh?”

He took a few steps closer, his pale face now marked with an amused smile. “Let me introduce myself. I’m Rex Vermillion, Chief of Police for this territory. Zephyra’s told me quite a bit about you guys.” His gaze settled on each of us, his eyes lingering on Luna. “Let me guess… that elegant maid with the dagger is probably Lunaria?”

“Yes, it is a pleasure to meet you.” She bowed in the perfect manner of a maid, her composure flawless.

Rex’s expression softened further. “How elegant. And judging by the fact that you managed to react so quickly to my little test... Zephyra has trained you well.”

Luna straightened up and responded modestly, “Yes, Ms. Zephyra’s teachings have been very useful. However, I still have a lot to learn.”

“Good attitude. Keep it up,” Rex said approvingly, his voice warm.

His gaze then moved to Bel, and his grin widened. “And that little boy with the dog ears must be Bel?”

“Yes, Bel I am. Nice to meet you.” He gave a small bow, his tone as polite as his posture.

Rex crouched down, reaching out to ruffle Bel’s hair. “Oh, please, what a well-behaved boy.”

Bel’s face lit up with a bright smile. In that moment, he looked like a child basking in the attention of a doting grandfather—or perhaps like a puppy enjoying a loving pat from his owner.

Then, Bel added with pride, “Big brother used to tell me that by showing good manners at my age, I can establish my dominance over others. That way it’ll be harder for others to look down on me.”

...If I remember correctly, we were supposed to keep this a secret.

“Ah, I wasn’t supposed to talk about it.”

Glad you remembered.

I forced a smile, the corners of my mouth twitching slightly as I tried to mask my reaction.

Rex let out a lighthearted laugh. “It seems that your brother is very smart.”

Bel nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, my big brother is the best!”

“Oooooh...” Rex straightened up, his attention now fully on me. He strode over, his imposing yet friendly presence filling the space. “So you’re—?”

“Noah Naberius. Nice to finally meet you.”

I know many of you are confused, so let me explain. Zephyra and I came up with a plan some time ago.

Since I resemble her dead son, we decided I would take on his identity. The reason was simple. We concluded that during that burning night, Victor—or more likely the Director himself—expected us to die. So we decided to use that assumption to our advantage. If it became known that Zephyra was still alive, and not only that, but she had one of the facility’s experiments with her, there was no way they wouldn’t react.

As for why I had to pose specifically as her son, it was because people would be more interested in the surprising return of a noble heir than of Zephyra having some new assistant.

At first, I was reluctant to agree, but that no longer mattered. Zephyra and I had made a contract. We promised to use everything we had, even our lives, for our revenge. Our personal feelings don't matter anymore.

To keep it short—we became a bait.

“Ah, It's okay. You don’t need to pretend in front of me. Zephyra already told me everything about your plan.”

I turned my gaze toward Zephyra, silently asking for confirmation. She gave me a single nod, calm and composed. I blinked once and returned my eyes to Rex.

“Then let me reintroduce myself. My name is Sora—.”

I began, but before I could finish, Rex suddenly pulled me into a tight hug.

“Huh?”

“Thank you.” Rex’s voice softened, filled with genuine emotion.

Before the moment could drag on, a loud slap echoed in the room as Zephyra struck the back of Rex’s head with her open hand. “What the hell are you doing?”

Rex flinched, rubbing the spot where he’d been hit. “Ouch! I can’t help it. All these years, when you were pursuing Victor, you have been ignoring my calls. Then suddenly, I find out you’ve taken in a child?! And on top of that, you talk about him non-stop.”

“Oh? I’d love to hear more about it.”

Hearing Rex’s comment, I leaned forward with a sly grin.

“Okay, enough with the introductions. The old man and I need to discuss a few things.” Zephyra glanced at me, Luna, and Bel. “How about you guys take the tour around the city?”

Bel immediately lit up, his dog ears perking with excitement. “Yes! I want to see the city!”

I shrugged casually, playing it cool. “Actually, why not. In that case...”

I glanced at Bel and Luna, and without missing a beat, we all extended our hands simultaneously, plastering on our most innocent expressions.

“Pocket money please,” we said in perfect unison.

Zephyra gave us a look that practically screamed, Really? She sighed, clearly irritated.

“You planned this from the very beginning, didn’t you?”

“More or less.” we said also in unison.

She groaned, reaching into her bag.

“Fine. I don’t carry cash, so you’ll have to use my card.”

She handed the card—not to me, of course—but to Luna. I frowned, not even hiding my annoyance.

“Why is it Luna who gets the card?”

“Because, out of the three of you, she’s the most responsible.”