Leo's footsteps echoed through the pristine hallway of the guild's main building, the sound bouncing off the polished floors like a steady drumbeat of irritation.
His face was set in a tight frown, brows furrowed in a way that warned others to keep their distance.
The receptionists glanced up as he passed, recognized the storm brewing in his expression, and quickly turned their attention back to their screens.
Even though he walked with purpose, Leo's mind was far from focused.
'She really got a job.'
The thought buzzed at the back of his head like an annoying fly.
'And she didn't even need help. She actually pulled it off.'
When he reached the top floor and entered the corridor leading to his boss's office, he paused and took a long breath. Then he knocked once and stepped inside.
Sigfried glanced up from a stack of papers. His expression was calm, but his eyes instantly sharpened as they landed on Leo.
"You look like someone ran over your cat."
"I'm fine."
Leo muttered.
Sigfried leaned back in his chair, arms folding across his chest.
"Really now. You storm in here like the building owes you money and expect me to believe that?"
Leo didn't respond.
"I can guess. Let's see… Is it Luna? Did she beat you in something again? She is terrifying when she wants to be."
Sigfried said, tapping his chin.
"No."
Leo said flatly.
"Hmm. Your mother then? Did she scold you in front of guests again?"
Leo's silence stretched on. Sigfried raised an eyebrow.
"Alright. I give up. The only time you get this grumpy is when it's about your family. So spill it."
He said.
Finally, Leo sighed, dragged a chair back, and slumped down in it.
"It's Nina."
"Nina? Who's Nina?"
Sigfried frowned.
"My older sister."
Sigfried blinked.
"Wait. You have another sister?"
Leo didn't answer right away. That was answer enough.
"…How come I've never heard of her?"
Sigfried leaned forward now, his curiosity piqued.
"I've seen Luna mentioned in media before. She's in our research division. But you—Leo, the number seven hunter in the world—you never mentioned a third sibling."
"That's because it's not anyone else's business. And I'd rather keep it that way. Don't poke around, boss."
Leo muttered.
Sigfried raised his hands in mock surrender.
"Hey, I get it. Privacy and all. I'm not going to start sniffing around—if you say it's off-limits, it's off-limits."
But Leo narrowed his eyes.
"I mean it."
"I heard you."
And still, Sigfried's mind was already racing.
A secret sister?
One not registered anywhere in the guild's extensive database on Leo's background? And Leo looked genuinely annoyed about her getting a part-time job?
That meant this wasn't just about sibling rivalry. There was something deeper here.
And Sigfried didn't get to be the #2 ranked hunter in the world by ignoring his instincts.
As Leo sat back and rubbed his temples, clearly trying to calm himself down, Sigfried offered him a water bottle.
"Here. Try not to stress out. You'll get wrinkles."
Leo grunted but took the bottle.
"If the media finds out, they'll start hounding her."
"And you're worried about her?"
Sigfried asked.
Leo hesitated.
"…She's not… stable."
That piqued Sigfried's interest even more. But he didn't ask.
Instead, he nodded.
"Alright. I'll pretend I didn't hear any of this."
Leo gave him a skeptical look.
"I mean it. But if something ever happens—if she ever ends up in trouble, or if you need help—I expect you to tell me."
Sigfried added.
Leo stood up.
"Only if it's life or death."
"That's usually when I work best."
Sigfried said with a grin.
Leo rolled his eyes and left the office, clearly still in a bad mood.
Sigfried waited until the door closed behind him before leaning back in his chair, eyes glinting with thought.
Nina… huh.
It wasn't every day someone as high-profile as Leo managed to keep a family member entirely off the grid.
Especially not in a world where hunters were celebrities and guilds tracked every move of their top-ranked assets.
Even if Leo's family had laid low, there should've been some trace—some mention, some photo, some background data.
But there was nothing.
And that made Sigfried very curious.
"Guess I'll have to do a little digging."
He muttered, pulling up a secure terminal on his desk.
He wasn't planning to interfere—he just wanted to understand. Because if there was a girl out there capable of rattling Leo this much, she was either a genius, a disaster…
Or both.
______
Nina shivered as she turned the final corner leading to the café.
The sun was out, the street was warm, and yet a chill ran straight down her spine.
She paused, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the area. Nothing looked out of place. Still, something felt… off.
Her Patron's voice echoed in her mind, dry and amused.
[Perhaps someone is thinking about you. That's what humans say, isn't it?]
Nina rolled her eyes.
"No doubt it's Leo. He's probably cursing me out right now for giving him the slip."
[Ah. The boy does have a fiery temper.]
She sighed and pushed the café door open.
The soft jingle of the bell overhead greeted her, followed by the rush of warm, sugary air.
Before she could fully step inside, the manager peeked out from the back, her expression oddly excited.
"Nina! You're early. Perfect. Take a seat and relax—we'll call you if we need anything."
Nina blinked but didn't argue. She shrugged off her bag and took her usual seat at the corner of the café.
From there, she had a perfect view of the entrance and most of the seating area.
Within twenty minutes, familiar faces began to trickle in—customers from yesterday's chaos.
One by one, they spotted her and noticeably stiffened. A few whispered to each other.
One man, mid-step toward the counter, turned on his heel and left.
The others hesitantly placed their orders and quickly found seats, all of them keeping their eyes nervously flicking back to Nina's table.
Nina tried not to smirk. She stirred her drink calmly, the very image of someone unbothered. Her Patron chuckled.
[Your presence terrifies them. I must admit, it's rather enjoyable.]
"They should be scared. I'm not wasting my time on nonsense today."
She muttered under her breath.
And it worked. The customers ate fast, talked little, and didn't linger.
Tables turned over quickly, allowing more guests to be served throughout the afternoon.
Even the front desk girl, though as aloof as ever, gave Nina a subtle glance—this one with a flicker of something like respect.
Nina only had to step in four times.
Two overly flirtatious guests were escorted out with little resistance, one man tried to sneak a second drink without paying, and one stubborn regular refused to leave after his time was up.
That one got tossed—gently, but firmly—onto the sidewalk.
All in all, Nina counted it as a success.
As the sun began to set, the manager approached with a beaming smile.
"Nina, you're a miracle. We turned more tables today than we do on weekends. You really have a knack for this."
Nina stretched and grabbed her things.
"Good to know I'm terrifying and useful."
"You're both. See you tomorrow?"
The manager said with a laugh.
"Same time."
Nina said and walked out, the chill from earlier long forgotten.