Because he come back

Some of them smiled as if they had found a forgotten note in a pocket. The image she had of his silent entrance had been shattered.

"Ah. If we had known you would go this far, that would have been the subject of last month..."

"Yes. How to bring this man to our side. It would make a good newspaper headline."

Nero laughed, barely taking her comments seriously. Even he was sure he would do that. Maybe he wouldn't have stepped forward if he had been under pressure.

"I can't do anything about it. Even if no one knows, a good part of that company is mine too. They knocked on my door... So why not? Unless I'm not accepted..."

"Don't be silly..." her fan beat rhythmically on her wrist. "I knew about her entry, you warned us, after all. But it's still interesting that you chose to enter. And on top of that, choosing this group. I know you have good ties with half of this room," that seemed to be information that few knew, since the elegant woman had become a little brighter and... prouder.

Some widened their eyes. Others exchanged whispers and solemn sighs.

Diana paid more attention to an interesting group. Their leader had just taken a step back.

They were the young women they had met in the elevator hours before.

Just like them, there were several small groups that stood out or tried to get involved with their peers. Diana was starting to realize who would be entering today and who was already part of it.

The conversation continued.

"So that puts us in the top three."

Only silence. Some even swallowed hard.

Nero just smiled.

"Don't make me work anymore...", it seemed like a threat.

She smiled back, neither disagreeing nor agreeing.

'Yes. Definitely a threat.'

It didn't seem very natural, the newbies coming in and threatening the veterans. But for that man, anything was possible. Their smiles seemed to even become more amusing.

"Sure. No more than necessary," those green eyes didn't look good.

Diana wanted to go home.

"Yeah... really, you wouldn't be a good little puppy. We'll decide that later."

"Yes, for now, let's continue. Welcome, and please don't mess with our girls."

Nero put a hand on his chest, apparently hurt by those sharp words. Taking a step back, he wiped away his fake tears, a little closer to another group of girls.

Frowning, Diana would make sure to reinforce this warning when they left.

"Okay. Who are our newbies this time?"

Diana took a deep breath before taking a step forward. And at that moment, everything changed.

The lights went out in an instant, she was pulled in the next. She couldn't see anything, but she felt as if figures were using the wind to glide across the room.

She was one of those figures. Dragged by Nero's arms, her body trembled, sharing his anxiety.

Diana could barely call it anxiety. She only knew that she was seeing a new side of her beloved.

"A-and the girls?..." Diana's voice trailed off.

"They were taken."

To her surprise, Nero's voice was as calming as ever... only more disturbing. His tone was low. Silence was everywhere, so she didn't find the whisper strange.

But rather his tone and his words.

'They were kidnapped? By who, or what?'

Nero was still moving, his full attention on the sounds, so he felt her fear.

"Erin took them," Diana sighed, tightening her grip on the arm that was wrapped around her chest.

So all that was left was the situation.

Which was beginning to change. Voices were speaking again throughout the hall. Some moans, laughter, and even bloodthirsty promises.

Diana smelled the iron in the air. Nero felt much more. Every wound, every drop of blood, sweat, or poison in the wounds. There was a group beside him, just a cut on one of them, he could hear their whispers. That poison was not simple.

The stage lights came on. Only two of them. The attackers. Beings with clothes and masks, besides the bearing of great assassins. And on stage...

A small massacre. Nero covered Diana's eyes just in time. She swallowed hard. The man in the center of the lights cleared his throat before speaking. He had a handkerchief in his hands that was stained red. Even though his black suit was the same color, only his hands mattered.

"Okay, I think that's enough. Less than I expected, but still a good show for the future."

His eyes scanned the audience. In almost every group that came there, one of their pillars was suffering.

The poison hit the right people.

'Well, not all of them. But these monsters don't matter.'

"I apologize for the late presentation," he removed the spell from his face. Some stepped forward. The man smiled. "As you can imagine, the host can't come today. Luckily they realized it too late...", he placed his foot on one of the bodies on the floor.

One of the castle servants and servant of the owner of that face.

"Alright, it seems we have a comedy show tonight. Come on little clown, crack the jokes, before I come up there and rip your tongue out", a furious and threatening hiss came from the middle of the crowd. A man took a step forward.

Diana felt her body tremble completely. A chill down her spine would never do that. This was a greater terror.

Nero brought her closer.

Everyone observed the heat of the threat. The assassins... at least those who remained - some of them gave their lives to poison their targets - were motionless without any reaction.

Death was not what they feared. Proof of that was the man in the center.

He laughed.