...
After some time, Belle had already brought Zane to the entrance of the assembly hall. Once Zane put on his mask and stepped out of the vehicle, he prepared to enter with Eous, who was disguised through electronic camouflage.
Just before leaving, however, Zane caught sight of a familiar figure.
"No. 11 is here too."
He murmured quietly, his gaze settling on No. 11 in a distant corner. Though she wasn't wearing her usual outfit but the Falkenhayn uniform instead, Zane still recognized her. After all, aside from her white hair, those distinctive orange goggles made her stand out immediately.
As if sensing his gaze, No. 11 looked over. She paused slightly when she noticed the mask on Zane's face, then quickly recognized him. His masked appearance was unfamiliar, but the two people beside him—and Eous—made it easy enough to tell.
She wasn't surprised by Zane's presence. As one of the members responsible for security, she already knew parts of the operation's outline. What surprised her was that Zane had come personally. She had thought there would be some kind of "representative" instead.
When she'd first heard the news, she'd even imagined what that might look like—after all, anyone chosen as a spokesperson would have to be someone trusted, a close friend or family member.
Did Zane have any family? No, that much was certain. Then among friends… she might have stood a chance.
She had imagined herself entering the hall as the Fire Pickers' representative instead of a security officer. But Zane never came to find her. She knew the idea was a little far-fetched, yet once a thought appears, it's hard to dismiss. Fortunately, in the end, it wasn't anyone else—it was Zane himself who came.
Just as No. 11 was debating whether to greet him, she saw Zane walking toward her with Eous.
"You're all here?"
Beneath the mask, Zane's eyes gleamed as he spoke softly. No. 11 steadied herself and responded once she understood his question.
"The trigger's positioned at the high point—see, right over there. I'm handling this front section. Other areas have their assigned personnel, and there are more people stationed inside the hall…"
She gestured toward a direction, explaining every detail of the outer setup in just a few seconds.
Zane blinked in surprise.
"Wait, I only asked a simple question, and you told me everything? Isn't that a bit inconsistent with your current role…?"
"It's fine. There's nothing wrong with you knowing."
No. 11 didn't seem concerned. Half of this entire operation revolved around Zane anyway. As the key figure, it made sense that he should be informed. Besides, he wasn't just her friend—he was also her superior. She was on his side, so both emotionally and logically, it was appropriate.
After a brief exchange, Zane was about to leave when No. 11 tugged lightly on his sleeve, lowering her voice.
"Zane, try not to cause any commotion this time. Their trust in you seems thin. If there's any conflict, it could interfere with your objective."
Zane nodded. He'd already anticipated that this meeting might not go smoothly—there were bound to be some difficult people here. He was prepared for it. No. 11's words made sense.
But just as he thought she was advising him to stay calm, she continued,
"If anything goes wrong, just contact me directly. We'll handle anyone troublesome—it'll have far less impact than if you deal with them yourself."
"Besides, they're just representatives. We're part of the Falkenhayn. There won't be any consequences."
Eous stood beside Zane, staring blankly toward the large hall doors. It listened quietly but didn't record anything. As Phaethon's personal Bangboo, it was actually quite intelligent—certainly more so than No. 6 or Panda.
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Zane paused briefly, then replied and walked toward the hall with Eous.
...
There weren't many people moving in or out of the assembly hall—aside from the representatives of various factions, only a few staff members were present. Zane, masked and accompanied by his Bangboo, naturally drew some attention.
Inside the vast hall, a few among the conversing crowd noticed his mask.
"That mask of yours… it looks an awful lot like the one worn by the masked fool who caused that trial."
A man in a suit approached, smiling politely as he spoke.
"As a representative, it's understandable to hide your identity—but that mask is rather inappropriate. The Masked Fool isn't exactly popular. You might want to choose another one."
Hearing the man's friendly warning, Zane raised an eyebrow and chuckled softly.
"The Masked Fool is associated with the Fire Pickers. By saying that, sir, are you suggesting that many also dislike the Fire Pickers?"
"Isn't that obvious? Aside from ordinary citizens, hardly anyone has much fondness for them. Most are simply indifferent."
The man waved his hand casually as he spoke.
"I see… how unfortunate. Because I happen to be the unpopular Masked Fool you're talking about—and I represent the Fire Pickers."
Zane spread his hands helplessly. The man, who had been about to say more, froze instantly, his body and expression stiffening. He didn't even dare look Zane in the eye.
The mask that had seemed ordinary moments ago now appeared haunting and terrifying in his mind. After all, the Fire Pickers' danger was mostly rumor—but the Masked Fool was something he had witnessed with his own eyes!
He had been there during that trial. He had seen the blood. It had splashed onto him.
"Th-there are actually people who admire both the Fire Pickers and you, Mr. Masked Fool. Like me! After seeing your righteous actions that day, I was truly impressed…"
The man scrambled to cover himself, but Zane had no interest in listening. He hadn't been offended anyway—it was the truth.
He knew he was a savior, and many knew it too. But in the eyes of those who didn't, he was nothing more than a villain.
Waving the man away, Zane waited for the meeting to begin. As the man hurried off, the others—having realized who Zane was—silently kept their distance.
All except for two or three people who didn't back away. Instead, they approached him.
Zane recognized them.
Ellen and Rina.
And… Hoshimiya.