A woman with long dark hair smiles in the shadows and asks, "WHAT DO YOU THINK OF IT?" She continues, "...AND THAT IS MY SUPPOSITION, BUT" A sharp reaction sound cuts through as the spiky-haired boy glares. The woman states, "IS ME." In a safe yet efficient way, she explains, "I'LL SPEAK CANDIDLY, THE ONE WHO CAN USE NANIKA'S ABILITY FOR THE ZOLDYCK FAMILY" A figure sits alone in the darkness. The woman, now shown in profile, declares, "THE WAY THINGS HAVE STOOD, ALLUKA IS A ZASHIKI-WARASHI LIVING HER WHOLE LIFE IN A LOCKED ROOM." An elderly man with a wrinkled face listens intently. She adds, "BUT IF I MANAGE HER AS YOU HAVE, AT A MINIMUM, I'LL GUARANTEE HER FREEDOM." Nearby, a long-haired man reacts with surprise, a stern-faced man and a girl in a hat watch closely, and someone calls out "ANIKI,"