Codename: Mist 2.4

“Hiss…”

Lily was forced to stop her work; she had pricked herself again.

There was nothing she could do—her mind was restless, making it impossible to concentrate on her tasks. The sky had already begun to darken, yet John’s “screening patrol” team had not returned to the largest orphanage in Dunlon, the British Empire. Not a single member had come ahead to inform them that this time, it would take longer than usual.

Glancing at the wound on her finger, seeing the bead of blood emerge, Lily suppressed her urgency and raised her voice toward the stairs: “Ander, are you there? Could you bring me a band-aid?”

She soon heard a child reply from downstairs:

“Sister Lily, Ander should be in the common area on the third floor. I’ll go get him.”

Footsteps echoed from the spiral staircase, quick and light.

Lily immediately called out, “Will, be careful! Don’t run on the stairs.”

Not long after, she heard hurried footsteps again. A boy with short, flaxen hair poked his head out from the staircase, tossed a box of band-aids to Lily, and dashed back down.

Lily couldn’t help but cover her face, wondering what on earth he was up to.

“He must be playing on the computer again! Even at a time like this, he’s still in the mood,” Lily silently grumbled about Ander.

She sighed softly and turned toward the enormous round window at her side.

On the glass, she could faintly see her own reflection: brown, softly curled long hair tied loosely behind her, a slightly raised nose, pale blue eyes appearing silent in the dim light