The diner was quiet, save for the faint hum of the refrigerator and the soft clinking of dishes. But when Bitna and Aera walked in, the atmosphere shifted. It wasn't just their presence—it was the weight of their identities, the silent power they carried in every step.

As they sat down, the waitress approached them—someone older with dark, piercing eyes. When she saw Bitna, recognition flashed across her face. But it wasn't just the woman who noticed; Aera, too, could feel the tension in the air grow thicker. The waitress hesitated but then gathered herself and forced a smile, though it was tight and strained.

"You're Gremory," the waitress began, her voice unsure but steady, as though testing the waters.

Bitna's eyes narrowed, meeting the woman's gaze with cold indifference.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied, her tone dismissive, though a sharp edge lay beneath the surface.

The waitress didn't back down. She stepped forward, her hands trembling ever so slightly.

"Gremory, the demon from the underworld. You can't fool me.

Bitna's lips curled into a smirk. "Really? Gremory?" She chuckled darkly, unimpressed by the accusation.

"I'm Justitia, dear. And you've got the wrong person."

The woman froze, eyes widening in realization. She dropped her weapon slightly and took a hesitant step back.

"I... I'm sorry, Lady Justitia," she stammered, bowing deeply. "I didn't realize."

Aera raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the sudden shift in the woman's demeanor.

"So, you're Gremory, huh?" she said, her tone more playful than harsh.

"Seems like we've got another underworld messenger here."

The woman—now revealed to be Gremory, though she went by the name Lee Arong on Earth—nervously adjusted her posture.

"I... didn't mean to cause trouble," she muttered, her voice low.

"I thought you were someone else, someone important. Someone I was supposed to deal with."

Bitna leaned back in her seat, her eyes narrowing as she studied the woman. "You were sent here to do something, weren't you?"

Gremory nodded, her grip tightening around the knife in her hand, though it was no longer a threat.

"Yes. I'm supposed to eliminate several people. That's my job here. But I thought maybe... you were sent to help me."

Bitna raised an eyebrow, her smirk returning. "I'm not here to help anyone," she said coldly.

"But it seems we have something in common after all."

Aera's eyes narrowed slightly, her tone shifting from playful to more serious.

"You have targets, huh? And one of them happens to be Daon, doesn't it?"

Bitna looked startled, then nodded. "Yes. He's one of my targets. But it's... complicated. I thought maybe he knew too much, and that he needed to be stopped."

Aera's gaze darkened. "You're right about that. He's dangerous. He has to be silenced, one way or another."

Gremory hesitated, clearly conflicted. "You... you want me to kill him, then?"

Bitna's lips curled into a smile, though it was anything but kind. "No. But I need to make sure he stays out of the way."

Aera watched the exchange carefully, then turned her eyes back to Bitna.

"You're playing a dangerous game, you know that, right? One of these days, someone's going to turn the tables on you."

Bitna didn't answer immediately, instead taking a moment to let the weight of Aera's words settle.

"I've been playing this game a lot longer than you've been alive, Aera," she said softly, but her voice was laced with steel.

"I know exactly what I'm doing.

The silence between them grew heavy. As if summoned by fate, Daon entered the diner, his eyes immediately locking onto Bitna. His presence felt like a stormcloud, a direct challenge to everything they were.

Aera's posture shifted instantly, her body tightening with anticipation. This was it—the confrontation she had been waiting for.

"Still chasing ghosts, Daon?" Bitna said without looking up, her voice calm, almost mocking. She didn't care much for his persistence, but she knew this time it was going to be different.Daon didn't waste time with pleasantries.

"You're involved in this, Judge Bitna," he said, his voice resolute, his eyes narrowing as they met hers.

"You can't hide from me forever. I know what you are, and I'm going to make you answer for it."

His words were like a challenge, a defiance that made Aera's lip curl with disgust. Without taking her eyes off of him, she stood up. Every muscle in her body was coiled with the promise of danger.

"You're not going to win this, Daon," she said, her voice a low growl, as though every word she spoke was a threat.

"You don't know what you're dealing with."

Daon stood his ground, not one to be intimidated. "I don't stop," he replied, his voice unwavering.

"You've crossed a line. I'll get the truth from you."

Aera's fury was palpable. In one swift motion, she was inches from him, her hand raised as if to strike. The air around her grew cold, and her eyes were burning with an intensity that could freeze him in his tracks.

"Don't make me regret letting you live," she said through gritted teeth, her words like a whisper of death.

Bitna finally stood, her presence immediately calming the storm between them.

"Aera," she murmured, her voice the only thing that could reach her sister now.

"Stop."

Aera hesitated, her eyes still locked on Daon, her hands twitching at her sides. But the quiet authority in Bitna's voice was enough to pull her back from the edge.

"Fine," she spat, her voice dripping with venom as she stepped back.

"But remember, Daon, you don't know who you're messing with."

Bitna turned to face Daon then, her expression unreadable.

"This is your last warning. Drop this. You don't want to see how far we'll go."

For a long moment, Daon stood in silence, his eyes locked with Bitna's, a mix of defiance and uncertainty clouding his face. Finally, he spoke, his voice quieter now, but filled with an undeniable resolve.

"I'll never stop until I have the truth."

Aera snorted derisively, clearly unconvinced. But Bitna didn't flinch. Her words were soft but carried a weight he couldn't ignore.

"Then you'll have to learn the hard way, Daon."

And with that, the tension hung in the air, thick and unyielding. It was only a matter of time before one of them broke, and Daon didn't seem ready to back down.