"What. The hell. Are you doing.?"

  ".!?"

  The man didn't miss and neither did the girl duck. She got shot and yet she stood. Even though the wound obviously wasn't fatal, it was bad enough to make her return look silly.

  "You shot me. You just shot me. You tried to kill me, so you have to be fine with getting killed too, huh? I will not die or get killed. I am not male or female. I can't give birth or get pregnant — I only go one generation. I am done! I mean, all the lower life forms just have baby after baby after baby! And because I don't do that. I don't die! I am immortal! There is no way that you can kill me!"

  The way that she screamed and bawled — her destroyed logic was sheer animalistic. Her thought processes were already on the fringes of sanity, and even the functioning of her body was not that far behind.

  "Eeeaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!"

  "Wha—!? What the fuck are you?"

  Seemingly oblivious to the fact that her opponent was weaponed, she attacked him head-on. Such a disposition might be described as the berserk rage of a madwoman, but all of this would by no means seem so plain-cut. She held fanatically — with every shred of her existence — that she would never die. The squally force of her charge seemed to assume a corporeal form.

  "Ghh, guhh. Ghahhh!"

  Two more bullets fired straight into her flesh, but even those were not enough to cause her fanaticism to waver. As if it were the most normal thing possible, her insane zeal at last yielded to a demon miracle.

  "Gwahh!"

  She survived four bullets before stepping in range to boot the man out of her path. He weighed close to twice hers — the attack was clear proof of her inhuman power. The girl's lips curled back in a mad grin as blood oozed from her body like a fountain.

  The man looked at the madness before him as he pushed aside the pile of rubble that almost crushed him to the ground after the attack, and rose to his feet.

  "What the hell? How insane is this bitch!? I shot and I hit you! Why ain't you dead? What the hell?"

  "Ahahah. Ahahahahah. Hurts. Hurts and I'm bleeding. It's been ages since I got shot! Hey, Mister, you're not very good at this, are you? You have courage, but your marksmanship's too weak. If you keep relying on that contraption. I might just behead you soon."

  "."

  The mixture of sarcasm and flattery made the man wrinkle his brows and grunt. From the previous exchange offenses, it was easy to declare he suffered an embarrassing defeat, but that a far cry from declaring him weak. In fact, he should have been praised for managing to stay long. Harassing by that girl was such that it would paralyze any run-of-the-mill human being, exposing them to a very quick murder, much less having the energy to shoot guns. The man possessed remarkable grit and flexibility.

  Putting aside the ethical issue of him callousness for having it in him to shoot without hesitation, nobody could take issue with her decisiveness. After all, the girl, whose strategy looked suicidal, mentioned that it had been some time since she'd been shot. After all, the numerous dead scattered around the place were hacked up without being able to fire a single bullet. But the fellow himself was not that type to forgive his earlier stupidity just because of the fact. "Fine by me. Ya got some good jokes goin' on here, freak. Come closer and I'll kill ya real good." He dropped the gun, stood up, and invited her silently. The man was clearly furious with himself for resorting to something so cowardly as a gun. And with the girl for making him look so pathetic. He hated her and was determined in every way to make her understand that he was the stronger one — the true fanatical, inhuman monster.

  "Eheh, eheheheh. Well, well. You're very fine, Mister. You put me in the mood. May I know your name? I want to remember this evening's thrill and at times submerge myself in it. So go on, give me your name! I want to know it!"

  "Heh. You stuck-up little shit."

  They both hated those line themselves and already felt rivalry between themselves. No animal ever could itself to lose another animal. That was a noble law — a truth for all who went off the path of the good. Both of them knew that losing was equal to death.

  "Wilhelm Ehrenburg. And you are.?"

  "Wolfgang Schreiber. The ones who named me are long gone, but I guess you're the same in that regard."

  "Yeah, I killed and burned them a long fucking time ago."

  "Ahhahahahahah! That's great!"

  "Yeah, you're so much like me that you make me sick."

  "Eheh, eheheheheheh."

  "Ahh, ahhahahahahah."

  They bared their fangs and laughed, which was a clear manifestation of their desire to kill one another.

  They could not co-exist under the canopy of heaven. The Reich capital was too small for two humanoid abominations who would not have anyone else rivalling them. Each of them knew that intuitively.

  "I'll tear you to shreds!"

  "I'll dry your hide and tan it on my bed!"

  "You shit. I'll stick ya on a fucking cross."

  "Let's do this!"

  ___________

  _______

  ___

  Year 1939. Germany, Berlin.

  "Beginning the cursed World War, the streets of skulls' Reich were colored with shades of fear, madness, mania and chaos by the flames. I do realize your intention of muzzling the scandals of General Dirlewagner and agree that it is right according to your line of duty, but I question your action of sending your men on a suicidal mission. I know that you don't regard my prophecies as true, but I could not afford to have my much esteemed Lieutenant General entangle themselves in something so trivial, so I took it upon myself to give you advice through this letter. Much esteemed Reinhard Heydrich, I firmly believe in your glory and fate. Therefore, for the purpose of purifying your name and authority, I chose to put myself into action to apprehend the serial killer in question. I would be deeply thankful if you tolerated this action of mine."

  "Fool."

  Reinhard Heydrich folded up the letter and stood from his chair. While his heart was brimming with displeasure, his face did not show a single trace of it. When he quickly walked out of his office, the subordinate walking at his side hastened to keep up with him.

  "Your Excellency. What is wrong? What could be going on at this hour?"

  "I am leaving. Get the car ready."

  "Of course, but where do we go?"

  "To see Minister Goebbels. I have to give him a few lessons in how to take care of underlings."

  ".P-Please wait. The Minister is accompanied by our Führer to an opera performance of."

  ".Nibelung again, I assure you. How childish. It does not seem as if they can get tired of it. I do not even try to keep up."

  "Your Excellency, wait! Your Excellency!"

  Not having a clue as to why he was so annoyed, Reinhard strode down the corridor.

  He could not even hear the sound of his subordinate's voice as he slipped into the car outside the building and sprawled back in the seat.

  Despite being totally ignored, the subordinate unquestioningly did what he was told to do. He did what he was told, despite his opinion about it. Actually, that was all he could do. Reinhard humorously considered the man an ideal subordinate for people like him. "Drive." "Where to, Sir?" "The National Opera House. No. Where are the fools who will be heading towards the rebels we discussed?" "They would be in the vicinity of Berlin's Cathedral." "Drive there, then." "B-But Your Excellency." "But what?" "I-It's nothing. Understood."

  "Make it quick."

  "Sir, yes, Sir!"

  The few words left no opportunity for comment. The chauffeur obeyed the instruction as Reinhard took possession of the rolling carriage and surveyed the streaming scenery of the Reich's capital.

  ".That fool. What is he thinking?"

  Karl Kraft — the strange swindler-magician he met a few months back. A smug, annoying guy who irked Reinhard with his obnoxious smile and condescending air. Fooling the guy made Reinhard feel like he was losing himself. While the sensation was akin to fear, that was definitely not it. He had some idea it was something quite different, but he could not articulate.

  It was a mood alien to Reinhard.

  He could not even decide if he wished to understand it better or just find out if it was just an illusion and leave it at that.

  Bullying himself with the question did nothing to dispel his irritation.

  That was why he put aside his urgent responsibilities and went ahead to deal with something that seemed nothing but a light-as-air issue. It wasn't his, but, now, he couldn't help but make a guess about what actually would have been. Reinhard was like a child who couldn't find and place the exact connection between himself and the world. He imagined the thrill that he would feel if only he could clamp his sides and roar with laughter at himself now, but his mimetic muscles were as firm as steel. In fact, Reinhard never felt that he had a good laugh. His gaze went down to the creased letter in his hand.

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  He opened it once more and read his eyes out of the words. The perfect print made him feel like listening to the man's voice. "Since hostilities intensified with the invasion of Poland, ominous astrology began to encircle the capital. An Orient culture calls it 'Rahu-Ketu' — the destructive stars that call for an eclipse and consume both moon and sun. If even one among the more powerful stars are involved in the affairs now, no common man could do anything to take care of it. Your Excellency's star is Monarch, so it is your habit to command the ones below you. But you should not confuse the people you hire. Fiendish enemies require the right subordinates. The women whose star is Alkaid will be pre-occupied by default in this case, so you would do well to hire them." ". " The contents surprised Reinhard. "Women? But I have none under my command." "Also, both Antares of the Scorpio and Gemini appear to have some affinity with them, as well. The latter one, your shadow star, is especially dear to you, so don't allow her to slip through your fingers. Highly esteemed Lieutenant General — Your Excellency — I hope that you become aware of the hunger plaguing your life as soon as possible. I hope for that enlightenment to be my blessing, as well. Very yours truly, Karl Ernst Kraft. *P.S. You only read this part of the letter and allow your rage guide you to your vehicle, no? Don't worry. I will be waiting in the shadows right until your arrival. Fighting evil stars is much too scary for me."

  "Khh."

  When he realized he was tricked, Reinhard smashed the letter once more. It was not a performance befitting The Hangman.

  "What a stupid man. When will he tire of playing tricks on me?"

  "Huh? Did you say something, Your Excellency?"

  "It is of no matter. A certain impudent swindler did something quite funny is all. In good conscience, he should just be a Jester."

  "I see.?"

  "Look straight when driving. I need to be there as soon as possible."

  "M-My apologies!"

  "Heh."

  Reinhard hoped that perhaps he was indeed the true Jester in the end. At least, he was succeeding in getting that man to laugh, so maybe he did possess what it took. He didn't want such a thing to occur, and he certainly didn't like that in the least, but it seemed as if he always wound up the Fool when there was Karl Kraft included.

  He slanted his head and looked out of the window into the starry sky gleaming down over the nighty quiet of the Reich capital.

  The man insisted evil, ominous, and other stars were gathering together.

  Reinhard didn't know whether the words had any meaning or sense to them but felt it could at least work to end his boredom.

  If he actually did have a hunger for it that he wasn't even aware of.

  He was fully open to witness it with his own eyes.

  ___________ _______ ___ "But, Lieutenant, are we actually doing something so far beyond our field of responsibility? It is the Gestapo's work. We have nothing to do with it." "Don't spout such bilge, Kircheisen. As an excuse for idleness, let alone its failure as a good argument, your words are wide of the mark." The idle grumble of her subordinate produced nothing but the cold glare of her superior officer. The woman's eyes, coupled with a height that permitted her to quite readily overspread the average man, exuded an aura of keen strictness.

  Her face was, without doubt, of the "Beautiful" type, though there was not even so much as a hint of gentleness or of tenderness in her features.

  Most people in her face would definitely be rendered subservient by a mere glance.

  But the younger sub seemed clearly too flighty to react so.

  The superior's glacial glare only had the effect of rendering her look dazed in a somewhat dorky fashion.

  The way she rolled wide-open eyes with her lean physique gave her a somewhat squirrel-like appearance.

  "Well, I admit that I like to slack off, but what's 'miss the mark'?"

  "One fellow who has an important role in national defense almost died going after debased pleasures. That alone is sad enough to get him shot on the spot. You learned about the army in the Jugend, didn't you? A failure of a guy is.?"

  ".Collective responsibility." "And that's the very reason that to claim it's not related to us is utter crap. Being ones privileged to be a part of the army, we cannot ignore this. It's not even hyperbole to say that our inability to warn the General from doing something so idiotic is a demonstration of our ineptness." "But we're in a different division from him. How could we warn someone we never even met." "What? Speak so I may hear you." "Oh, nothing. Nothing at all. You look so lovely today, Lieutenant. Were you to make an appearance at a high-society event, I daresay most gentlemen wouldn't be able to take their eyes off you."

  ".

  ".Apart from that, as you yourself said, this is a shame to the army, so I guess that the authorities are making an effort to cover it up. So is it not quite such a wonderful notion to go insert ourselves here? I've heard the chief of the Gestapo is really about as hard as iron and ice."

  "I've heard that too."

  "Then—"

  "I've also heard he is wise and practical. So, I'm sure he will completely identify with us."

  "I-I see. Where is that unjustified confidence coming from? Well, I'll go along if you insist, but how about finally letting me know where we're going?"

  "Lebensborn."

  The superior kept walking as the girl confusedly cocked her head.

  "Ummm, Lebensborn is. The thing which they produced at the Olympics three years ago, isn't it?"

  "It's a farm, basically. A Babylon for all shameless she-dogs who want the seed of capable men. Basically, it's just a brothel with the roles reversed."

  "Hmm. You don't like it a lot, I suppose, but I think there is respectable meaning to it. One of the Negative effects of war is that it is not difficult for foreign blood to become intertwined with ours. I do not object to it all that much, though we both know about keeping our heritage valuable, right? Both our Families are like that, anyway. I'm sure they also pounded all that about: 'Don't taint our proud blood or honor of our family' into your head when you were little."

  "I have nothing whatsoever against the preservation and protection of noble blood. What I abhor is the suffering of trying to buy it. Kircheisen, pride is something one inherits from their parents and passes on to theirs — definitely not something one steals from someone else or trades. I cannot bear such shamelessness. These trash are corrupting the country."

  "Hmm, I understand. You're making sense. Most women hate the concept of political marriages, but when they can choose the men who are rich and wealthy, they instantly salivate and give you a dog's tail-wagging. Scandalous to the core. Double standards. For real."

  "Don't take it out."

  "Excuse me. Anyway, gentlemen just happen to like this kind of thing, so the earth keeps on turning. Honestly, things being as they are, I don't think we ever will be married. Wouldn't you agree, Lieutenant?"

  ". "

  "Why are we going to Lebensborn, anyway?"

  The superior let out a sigh back. She knew for sure scolding the subordinate was an absolute waste of breath. But for some reason, maybe it was her nature or an unexpected degree of trust in the girl, she still had respect for her integrity.

  "I know someone there. Send a thief to catch a thief."

  "Huh."

  "What?"

  "So basically, Lieutenant, you're angry that a friend of yours is getting married ahead of yo— Gyahh!"

  The woman struck the impudent girl with a fist to the face. Though she held herself back, the difference in their builds made the punch extremely painful. She looked down at the sobbing subordinate menacingly in a low voice.

  "What an odious assumption. She's not a friend."

  "I-I thought so. I'm the only one who can become pals with you."

  "Be quiet, idiot. You're just a dog roaming around my backyard without a leash. Don't get arrogant."

  "Woof!"

  ". "

  "Hurry up!"

  The girl went ahead with a pleasant smile on her face, not paying any heed to her boss's horrible grimace. The woman wanted to say a word, but there came out only a sigh from her lips. They were sisters-like, who, although completely different from one another, had a good balance between them. And so.