In Crotho, power was divided between 50 ministries. But the real power was concentrated in the hands of 6 ministries: Military, Detectives, Journalists, Medics, Technologists, and Merchants.

Each ministry had its own academy, where students were enrolled immediately after leaving school. By the end of the summer, a small window was opened for each graduate: a portal to the future.

──── ✧《✩》✧ ────

Custeau Street used to be quite long. Life glimmered on it; there were booths with coffee. But everything changed when a black round building with a multicoloured stained-glass roof appeared nearby. All sorts of rumours spread around Crotho, and Custeau Street became the shortest in the city.

Every September 30, pupils gathered at the building from 6 am to find out their fate from Father Reno.

Boys and girls were crowded in the corridor.

“Next,” said the secretary. She was a long-haired brunette, fully dressed in black.

“Thank you,” said the dark-haired girl with cold eyes. Despite their blue tint, the eyes burned with hatred. And her “thank you” contained an infinite number of negative emotions. She has been waiting for this moment all her life.

“Oh, come in, dear, have a seat,” said a man in a black robe, sitting at a small obsidian table.

The room was dark, and the only source of light was a constantly rotating cube in the middle of the table.

“Will this thing tell me about my purpose?” Reia asked, staring in disbelief at the rotating golden structure.

“Cube? Ahahahahha,” Reno said with a grin. “No, it's just for beauty. The only one who can say what your destiny is - is you.”

“And how can I do it?”

“Let's do a little test. Close your eyes.”

Reia closed her eyes.

“Forget everything, you have to plunge into emptiness. Now, come on, imagine a city. Any. Imagine what it looks like. What's the weather like? What is the sky? Are there people in this city? What are you doing there?”

Father Reno fell silent. The silence lasted for several seconds.

“Open your eyes.”

Reia opened her eyes. Her gaze did not change a bit.

“I saw a lonely city. It is completely grey and is not needed by anyone. This is a ghost town. The sky is preparing for a thunderstorm and heavy downpour. It’s about to start. A little girl is sitting in the centre of the city. She makes some strange noises and draws something on the floor. Ghosts slowly revolve around her. They drive her crazy. There is a thunderstorm. The ghosts have their faces distorted, and they start to run away. The girl looks at the sky, and rain begins to fall on her. She smiles. The rain turns to a downpour, and her smile grows wider. Huge drops of water fall into the eyes. And she still looks up, falls on her back, and begins to hysterically laugh.” Reia finished her story and grinned.

“Wow. Absolute straightforwardness and fearlessness.”

“Yes?”

“Yes. And, perhaps, arrogance. And the thirst to show it all.”

“You can think whatever you want,” Reia said and turned her head away.

“Yes-yes.”

“Father Reno, I want to know where I will go.”

“It does not matter. Future, destiny, where will you go. Wherever you go, everything will be the same.”

“Is it?”

“Yes. But why torture you? Here's my answer: your destiny will be a detective academy.”

“Detective Academy,” Reia mused. “I understand. However, as I thought.”

“I'll tell you, as a bonus, but your destiny, wherever you go, will be the same. You want to interfere with all the cards and take revenge on someone. I'm feeling it.”

Reia furrowed her brows. Someone read her thoughts and secret desires. But she had to be silent.

“Thanks. See you.”

“In general, students rarely see me a second time.”

“Ah, that's true.”

“But you know, so be it. I will remember you,” Father Reno smiled.

“Thank you,” Reia said and left. “Yeah, he will remember me, I suppose he says so to all the students,” she thought in her head.

“She's a funny girl, I like it,” Father Reno said and then shouted. “Next!”

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