"Well..?" The blond's smirk widened, his stare was getting a too little annoying for her sake. Mireille sighed inwardly, wondering what was up with the Prince. Why was he so keen of sticking his nose into his business? Clearly, in the beginning he had no interest in the matters of her life and death; in fact, he would so gladly be the one to end her life. Well, there was that weird incident in the Varia's place but it was probably nothing...?

The blond assassin drew a knife out from his sleeve, tracing its edge against the coffee table.

"Caelum Famiglia...," He said after a pause and she coughed at the mention of Caelum.

"W-what?" She asked cautiously, wondering if she had misheard him or does he know about it? The family was always so careful about letting outsiders know about them.

"That armour-like white dress you always wear," He said, pointing the knife at her chest, "The material was high-class and extremely hard to get. Even among the Vongole, not many have access to the materials. And that necklace you carry always, the insignia of the Chiavorones - they run a trading business and is famous among mafias."

She unconsciously reached for the necklace, her mind travelled on his words. Did he just say 'the Chiavorones'? This thing is...

He reached out and grabbed her hands, fiddling with the ring on her index ring. "This is not your regular lightning flame ring, is it?" She pulled her hand away, almost immediately after he touched her ring.

"I was curious how a nameless flame user could get into Varia so easily," He mused, putting the knife on the table. "Who wouldn't be?"

She could not fathom what he was trying to do and it made her nauseous. His grin dissipated as he noticed a crease forming on her forehead, eyebrows scrunched. She looked a little pale.

What was she supposed to say? What did he wanted her say? She stood up suddenly.

"Mireille...?" Why did she feel obligated to give him an explanation? She shook the thought off; being with him drives her nuts. It should not matter how he thought of her.

She attempted walking out of the conversation but he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him. A wide grin plastered across his face. She looked up, annoyed, "What?" "Who is it that you're looking so hard for that you would risk getting yourself killed for?"

"Why does it matter?" She muttered, diverting her gaze. "Look, we're attracting a lot of attention here. Would you let me go now?"

While he had let her arm go, he had not the slightest intention of letting her run from the question. Stop running away.

He stuck his face close to hers, their noses almost touching. "Now, milady. Tell the Prince what he wants to hear." She flinched a little, feeling sort of intimidated from his words. She pushed his face away, in order to regain her composure.

"...The tenth boss," she said reluctantly, finding it almost impossible to look at him in the face. When did he start having that sort of power over her?

He grabbed the hand that was pushing him away. Ceasing all movements, as if deep in thoughts, till he finally spoke once more. "Of Caelum's? Any idea who she or he is?" She shook her head. "Or where she or he is?"

Once more, she shook her head. "The ninth only told me that the tenth looked like the first. And that sticking around Varia would make the operation easier..." Taking a step back, she continued, "Anyways, it's none of your business so you sh- mpmhhh."

He pulled her into a chaste kiss. "Your business is my business, ushishishi～" He grinned, it was not every day he get to see her so docile. And that itself had driven him to do things he would not normally do.

She froze. What did he just-? Did he just kiss her? Did he—? Her face darkened, something felt like it was going to break out of her chest. What was this uncomfortable feeling— It was hard to breathe and neither could she look at him. What was this? She gripped at her chest.

"S-shut up!" She stumbled over her words and stumbled her way to the door. "I-I'm heading back!" He chuckled and licked his lips. "What an amusing prey." He got up and followed behind as she desperately tried to lose him— not that it matters; they were heading the same way. Her head was in such a mess, she could not be bothered with the people that were following them.

Varia's temporary residence, Namimori Street (Reading Room)

Belphegor stared idly at the passage of time that was hung on the wall in place of a wall clock. He stay cooped up in the reading room after returning from the cafe with Mireille. She had not spoken to him since that little exchange. Not that he regret a thing. It would be of no concern unless she left the house without him. Pretty sure the house is under surveillance now by her assailant. Hours passed with him just staring at the clock. He broke his gaze, and his eyes fell on the work desk in front of him— files and folders left scattered on the table. He was looking at them early but thereafter, the clock seemed much more interesting... not.

He scanned the documents slowly— trying to join the dots. The headers of files wrote "The C-Hunt", "Heiress Missing in Action" "Mass Murder of the Chiavorones" dated few years back from now with much details missing. Dino Chiavorone made sure everything was erased and nothing leaked out when it came to the family that shared the same name with the mafia family. Nothing could be gathered about the Caelum, more like all there was rumours.

A box stood out amongst the papers and documents; it was the same box Mireille took from those thugs back in Italy. The Chiavorone insignia. She had left it in one of her drawers in her room. And he took it without asking. Inside was a broken pocket watch with a similar insignia. Behind it were the words, Caelum Decimo.

There must be some sort of connection between Caelum and Chiavorone. Was her assailant from Chiavorone or was someone (with much more influence behind the family) ordering them from above, in return for some favours? He scratched the back of his neck. But, where does Caelum come in this family feud shit?

Curiosity had always been a thing for him—a wide grin spread across his face. He pulled out an envelope from his pocket. Inside was a report from observing Tsuki Sawada. For the moment she called out to him on street, he had his men observing her.

Reports of her snooping round the cafe after the rest of the Vongola Family have gone and there was a perplexed expression when she left. While Mireille was in hospital, there was a bodyguard protection plan for the Vongola Decimo with the help of the Shimon Family. And Tsuki Sawada has been acting suspiciously since then.

His underlings caught her carrying with her a strange photo and they manage to take a photo of the photo when she was staring at it.

Belphegor stared intently on the photo in the photo, while reading the report. A man that resembled Vongola Primo was seen smiling with his arms on two individuals; a red-haired man and a blond-haired maiden who seems to resemble the First. Was there a relative the Family did not know of? There were no records of a sister...? Or anyone who looked like her. Tsuki Sawada acted like it was the first time she saw the photo but there were no signs of anyone approaching or giving her anything before. So, there was not a clue of where the photo originated from. In the report, Tsuki Sawada was said to be acting real se

He needed to get his hands on that photo. Was that related to Caelum or to Mireille? What is Caelum? Who is Mireille looking for? Is Caelum truly just a lowly family that does bookkeeping for the Vongola like the rumours said? Or is there more to the story?

He carefully lit fire onto the envelope, along with the reports, photos and everything else and threw them one by one into the trash can. "Mass murder," He mumbled and burned the last of the folders. Images of a familiar garden, though it was not his house, he could swear that he know of that place.

His eyes took in the burning and the way the fire died off. He gazed upon the remnants of the materials that were papers and photos before and then he had a glint of nostalgia—remembering how he was once there... He closed his eyes, as if trying to immerse himself in a long lost memory, a memory he had as a child.

The burning smell, the screams and her tears.

What he saw, he deeply regretted. He gasped, for a moment and opened his eyes at the same time. The Prince scowled in obvious annoyance. He clicked his tongue. Unpleasant thoughts, unworthy of his time. He then ruffled his bangs, concentrating his thoughts on the clock on the wall. A dry smile made its way to where his scowl once formed.

How careless of him. He sighed unconsciously as he ruffled his hair more.

Varia's temporary residence, Namimori Street (Mireille's Room)

Mireille plopped to bed, face forward. The moment, her face was completely covered by the sheets; she was flushed red to her ears. It was beyond her understanding. Nothing she learnt back in Caelum HQ could prepare her for this. Her thinking capacity was overloaded with the scene replaying in her mind. Over and over. Over and over.

Ah, how frustrating. Why was she acting this way? Why over something as trivial as a kiss? Was this something normal a person should be feeling for a first kiss? She screamed mentally, flailing her legs and hands. And alas, she could not hold it in and screamed. Very loudly.

So loudly, the Prince practically clambered his way to her doorstep. "Mireille?"

"Shut up! I'm going to bed!"