Lilia: A New Dawn

Lilia settled back into the plush leather seat of the limousine, her mind still reeling from the day's unexpected events. The luxurious rides Woojin insisted on providing had quickly become a familiar routine, though she doubted she would ever fully acclimate to such opulence.

As the car navigated through the city streets, Lilia found her thoughts drifting to the unsettling encounter from earlier. In that brief, heart-stopping moment, Mordecai's piercing gaze had locked with hers through the window. The intensity in those eyes sent a chill down her spine. Had he recognized her in that fleeting glance?

Lost in thought, Lilia nearly jumped when her phone chimed with an incoming message. Glancing down, she saw it was from Ren, checking in on her after the school incident. Lilia typed a quick reply assuring her sister she was unharmed before turning her attention to the device's browser.

Curious about this mysterious Mordecai, Lilia began searching for any information on the enigmatic figure. To her surprise, numerous articles and videos popped up detailing his sudden rise to prominence.

Mordecai, it seemed, had burst onto the hero scene a mere week ago, swiftly capturing the city's imagination. Eyewitness accounts spoke of his stunning appearance and awe-inspiring abilities, earning him the moniker "The Saint" among an adoring public.

Lilia scrolled through all the footage of Mordecai available on the internet, a halo of light emanating from him every time he called upon his powers. The ethereal glow only amplified his otherworldly allure, enthralling all who witnessed it.

Yet, amidst the glowing praise, Lilia couldn't help but wonder at the NABC's apparent lack of action regarding Mordecai's sudden appearance. She distinctly recalled the suspicion and scrutiny she had endured. It seemed Mordecai was receiving far more lenient treatment in comparison.

As the limo pulled up to her high-rise apartment building, Lilia realized how disconnected she had become from the city's hero scene. Between school, magical training, and her own personal trials, she had scarcely kept abreast of the latest developments.

Stepping out of the vehicle, Lilia made her way inside, her mind still churning. With her friends occupied and no swordsmanship class scheduled, she found herself with a rare day of freedom.

Perhaps, she mused, it was time to pay the Phantom Thieves a visit. After all, they had been curiously silent for the past month, ever since her encounter with them at their hideout. Lilia wondered what new insights they might have gleaned in that time.

 

 

Across town, Tristan lounged in a worn armchair within the thieves' latest safehouse, his expression pensive. Zymir and Tina sat nearby, pouring over a jumble of documents and photographs strewn across the coffee table.

"Alright, let's review what we've gathered on our mysterious Lilia so far," Tristan began, steepling his fingers.

Zymir rifled through a stack of papers before responding. "It's a curious situation. My investigation indicates that Lilia has been residing with the Brooks family for the past few months. But here's where it gets interesting – according to the public records she's the daughter of Song Woojin, the CEO of Bichui Dynamics."

Tina's eyebrows shot up. "Wait, so she's connected to both the Brooks and Woojin? How does that work?"

"That's the question, isn't it?" Zymir mused. "I tried digging into the Brooks family, particularly Ren Brooks, as it seems Lilia had met with her regularly, but Ren’s records are almost too clean. It's as if someone has meticulously scrubbed any irregularities."

Tristan leaned forward, his interest piqued. "Suspicious indeed. And what of James? I couldn't help but overhear some curious rumours around campus."

Tina nodded eagerly. "Oh yeah, apparently the guy up and left for the US right around the time Lilia showed up at his school. Quite the coincidence, don't you think?"

Zymir stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps. Though from what I could glean, James Brooks' history appeared fairly ordinary. No obvious red flags."

"Still, it wouldn't hurt to double-check if he actually made it stateside," Tina insisted. "I can put out some feelers, see what turns up."

As the trio continued to debate the possible connections, Tina's eyes suddenly widened with a realization. "Hold on, what if Lilia and this Ren chick are in cahoots? Like, maybe Ren is Lilia's contractor or even another succubus!"

She leaned forward excitedly. "Picture this: Lilia charms Woojin on Ren's behalf, helping her take control of his fortune. It's the perfect setup!"

Zymir shook his head, unconvinced. "I considered that angle, but Lilia's or rather Lily's background is far too detailed and well-established to be a mere forgery. Creating an identity that thorough would be nigh impossible. Besides it seems that Ren had knew Woojin long before she met Lilia."

"Plus," Tristan added, "Lilia seems to have a dislike towards indulging her nature. There's something more going on with her, I'm certain of it."

Tina huffed, crossing her arms. "Fine, but you have to admit there's something fishy about her supposed origins. I mean, a succubus with human parents? It doesn't add up. Demons emerge fully grown, not as babies!"

Tristan opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by the door bursting open. Aria strode in, slightly out of breath, a folder clutched tightly in her hand.

"Guys, you won't believe what I just found," she announced, dropping the folder on the table with a heavy thud.

The others leaned in, curiosity piqued. Aria flipped open the folder, revealing a stack of documents and photographs.

"So, I did some digging using my connections, and it turns out Woojin had a daughter named Song Naree. But get this - she and Woojin’s wife vanished from the public eye almost five years ago. People speculate they died in a tragic accident involving supers."

Tina's eyes lit up with excitement. "I knew it! That has to be Lilia's secret identity. She's assumed the persona of Woojin's daughter! Man, I am good."

Aria raised a hand to pause the burgeoning excitement, her expression thoughtful. "Perhaps, but before making any rash judgements, you should check this out."

She slid a photograph across the table, tapping it with a perfectly manicured nail. The image depicted a teenage girl, no older than fourteen, with long black hair and dark eyes. Her features, while youthful, bore a resemblance to Lilia's.

"Wait a minute," Zymir interjected, leaning in for a closer look. "If you changed the hair and eye colour, cleared up the blemishes, and aged her a bit, she could easily be mistaken for Lilia, or at the very least, her sister."

"Exactly," Aria affirmed, her gaze intense. "I'm not saying we have conclusive evidence, but the resemblance is uncanny, and it doesn’t seem like Woojin had any other daughters."

Tina gaped at the photograph, her mind racing. "Hold up, are you suggesting Lilia is actually Naree? Like, Woojin's daughter became a succubus somehow?"

Aria shrugged, her expression unreadable. "Honestly, I don't know what to think. It could be a bizarre coincidence, or it might explain Lilia’s atypical behaviour. Just imagine, a human mind trapped in a succubus’ body. That's bound to cause some psychological strain."

She tapped the folder with significance. "And there's another piece to the puzzle. Ren Brooks? She's had ties to Woojin that go back four years—around the time Naree disappeared."

The group fell silent, each grappling with the implications of Aria's findings. The web of mystery surrounding Lilia seemed to grow more tangled by the minute.

Tristan was the first to break the silence, his tone measured. "Well, I suppose this gives us even more reason to uncover Lilia's true motives. Speaking of which, any progress on deciphering her interest in those Blades of the Apocalypse?"

Tina leaned back, her brow furrowed. "I've been chasing down some whispers about those relics. Word is, they might not be the world-ending weapons everyone assumes."

Zymir raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what purpose do these rumours suggest instead?"

A faint voice from the outer room cut off Tina's response. Before the group could even rise from their seats, a familiar yet puzzling figure breezed into their midst, the perfect timing of her arrival sending uneasy glances between the assembled thieves.

"Hello everyone!" Lilia greeted with a friendly yet cautious smile. All eyes locked onto the mysterious woman who had just become the focus of their clandestine investigation.

Aria instinctively closed the folder full of Lilia's pictures, while Tristan stood up to cordially welcome their guest. "Lilia, what a delightful surprise! To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?" He asked smoothly, trying not to betray the uneasiness they all felt at her sudden appearance.

Lilia's gaze swept across the room, taking in each thief's guarded expression. She could sense the tension in the air, a stark contrast to their easy rapport.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything important?" Lilia asked lightly, though her eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion. "It's just been a while since we last spoke, and I thought it prudent to check in."

Tristan waved away her concern with a practiced smile. "Not at all, my dear. Your presence is always a welcome distraction. Please, have a seat."

As Lilia settled herself on the couch, the thieves exchanged loaded glances. The secret of her potential origins hung heavy in the air between them, yet none dared voice it aloud.

Instead, they fell into a carefully crafted dance of small talk and veiled insinuations. Tristan probed delicately at Lilia's recent activities while Aria watched her every reaction with a hawk-like gaze.

Tina, never one for subtlety, barely refrained from bombarding Lilia with pointed questions. Only Zymir maintained an air of calm detachment, observing the verbal sparring with a strategist's keen eye.

Throughout it all, Lilia remained guarded, deflecting their queries with polished ease. It was clear she had secrets of her own, and the thieves' clumsy attempts at uncovering them only seemed to put her further on edge.

As the conversation lulled, Lilia took the opportunity to redirect their focus. "I couldn't help but notice you've been keeping a rather low profile lately. No grand heists or daring escapades. Is everything alright?"

Tristan laughed, though it sounded slightly strained. "Ah, even master thieves need the occasional sabbatical. We've been using this time to gather intelligence and plan our next move."

Lilia nodded, her expression unreadable. "I see. And does this next move involve a certain set of ancient relics, by any chance?"

The air in the room grew thick with tension as the thieves froze, caught off guard by Lilia's blunt inquiry. Zymir was the first to recover, clearing his throat roughly.

"We may have stumbled across some intriguing rumours regarding the true nature of those blades," he admitted carefully. "But as of yet, nothing concrete."

Lilia leaned forward, her eyes glinting with an impish curiosity that was at odds with her demure air. The thieves found themselves simultaneously entranced and perplexed by their magnetic visitor, whose true essence always seemed just tantalizingly out of reach.

Before Lilia could probe further, however, Tina abruptly changed the subject, her brash nature overriding any pretence of tact. "So Lilia," she blurted out. "Know anything about the name Naree?"

The room fell deathly silent as all eyes swivelled to Lilia, gauging her reaction to the unexpected question. Lilia's brow furrowed in confusion for a moment before realization seemed to dawn.

"Naree? That's just Lily in Korean, just like Lilia is Lily in Latin." she said slowly, her tone quizzical. "But why bring it up like this? Is it about my connection to Woojin?"

Tina opened her mouth to press further but was silenced by a sharp look from Aria. Lilia continued, her voice growing slightly exasperated.

"Look, if you have questions about my background or identity, just ask me directly and I will share what I can. There's no need to probe me like this. It's not like my identity as Lily Song is some secret."

Tristan smoothly interjected, trying to steer the conversation back to safer waters. "Apologies for the abruptness, Lilia. We meant no offence. It's just that your origins are still quite a mystery to us."

Lilia sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I understand your curiosity, but as I've said before, there are aspects of my past that I'm not yet ready to discuss with you. My relationship with Woojin is...complicated."

She fixed the group with a serious look. "What I can tell you is that Lily Song is my identity now. Whatever I may have been before, this is who I am right now."

An uneasy silence descended upon the room as the thieves grappled with Lilia's cryptic statement. It was clear she was holding back, but pushing further would likely only cause her to shut down completely.

Hoping to break the tension, Lilia switched gears. "While we're on the subject of sensitive matters, I wanted to make a small request in regard to us working together."

The thieves leaned forward, curiosity piqued. Lilia took a deep breath before continuing.

"I truly appreciate the help you've provided in locating the blades. But in the future, I would greatly appreciate it if you refrained from involving me in missions like the one with Delgado."

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Using my abilities in such a manner, it doesn't sit well with me. I hope you can understand."

Tristan nodded solemnly, a flicker of guilt crossing his face. "Of course, Lilia. We should never have put you in that position to begin with. You have my word, we won't make such requests of you again."

Lilia managed a small smile, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. "Thank you, Tristan. I knew you'd understand."

Sensing the conversation had reached its natural conclusion, Lilia rose gracefully to her feet. "Well, I won't take up any more of your time. You can go back to whatever I interrupted."

She turned to leave but paused at the door, glancing back over her shoulder with an enigmatic smile. "If you do uncover anything about those blades, I trust you'll let me know. Until then, happy hunting."

With that, Lilia swept out of the room, leaving the thieves to grapple with the unsettling realization that their mysterious ally was far more complex than they had initially assumed.

As the door clicked shut behind her, Tristan heaved a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Well, that was enlightening."

Aria shot him a sardonic look. "If by enlightening, you mean we've got even more questions, then yes."

Tina slouched back in her seat, frustration evident on her face. "Seriously, what is her deal? One minute she's all friendly smiles, the next she’s mysterious like some sort of femme fatale."

Zymir, ever the voice of reason, interjected calmly. "It's clear Lilia is playing her cards close to her chest. We'll need to tread carefully if we hope to unravel her true motives. But the question is, should we? She clearly trusts us and digging behind her back could jeopardize this trust."

Tristan nodded, his expression pensive. "Agreed. And I have a feeling we’ll learn the truth from her, sooner or later. We just need to be patient."

The others murmured their assent, a renewed sense of determination settling over the group. Whatever Lilia's endgame might be, they would stop at nothing to uncover the truth.