Outside Fuyuki Station.
Rin stared at the empty plaza before her. The deathly silence and the ominous atmosphere felt even more sinister and terrifying under the dim veil of night.
"This is… completely different from the daytime. It gives me a really bad feeling."
A chill ran down her spine.
Should I go back?
The moment that thought surfaced in her mind, Rin shook her head vigorously, as if trying to drive it away.
No way!
I have to find Kotone no matter what!
Out of habit, Rin pulled the pocket watch from her collar to check if everything was fine—only to freeze in shock when she saw the magical needle spinning erratically back and forth like a crazed compass.
"Does this mean there are traces of magic everywhere? What happened in Fuyuki while I was gone?!"
Her heart tightened, but she clenched her fists.
Rin gathered her courage and encouraged herself. "I need to hurry and find Kotone!"
That was all that mattered.
Her small figure tirelessly searched through the deserted streets and alleys of Fuyuki.
Whenever she encountered a dark area, she would take a gemstone from her pocket, infuse it with a bit of magic, and it would transform into a soft source of light.
Like something out of a horror game, every shop along the street was lit…
But there was no one inside.
Rin forced herself not to think about the reason behind it and continued her search.
After reaching the area she had in mind, she slowed her pace slightly, breathing heavily.
As soon as she caught her breath and passed through an alley, Rin noticed that the hands of her pocket watch spun two or three times in rapid succession—faster than ever before.
This is not a good sign.
She was about to leave the alley when suddenly she heard the sound of aluminum cans clattering inside, followed by a faint cry for help from a child:
"Help… someone help me…!"
"!!!"
A violent shiver ran down Rin's spine. Her body froze for a moment, as if her instincts were screaming at her to run.
But… as long as I find the culprit, I'll definitely discover where Kotone was taken!
With that thought, Rin tightened her grip on the few jewels in her pocket, gathered her courage, and tiptoed into the darkness of the alley, pressing close to the wall and holding her breath.
"Help! Someone save me!"
The desperate voice was closer now.
Just as she was about to reach a corner, the child's cries grew louder.
And then another voice.
"Stop shouting. It's starting to get a bit annoying."
"Help! Mom, I want to go home!"
"I told you not to scream."
Thud—
A dull sound echoed, and then silence fell over the alley once more.
Rin immediately covered her mouth, forcing herself not to make a sound. Her eyes began to sting.
No…
No…
No…
Gathering what little courage she had left, and using a trash can in the corner as cover, she peeked through the gap between it and the wall.
All she could see was a young man with orange hair, his back turned to her, crouching.
His movements were calm, as if he were carrying out an ordinary task.
He was placing the body of a boy into a bag, like someone who had done it many times before.
Beside him, a girl stood motionless.
Her eyes were empty, her face expressionless.
The ground was stained a deep crimson.
A metallic smell reached Rin, making her stomach churn.
Judging by the amount of blood…
The boy was already…
"!!!"
This was the first time Rin had ever witnessed a murder.
Her eyes widened to their limits, her pupils trembling.
Her entire body began to shake uncontrollably.
Immediately after, a suffocating sensation overtook her.
The air refused to enter her lungs.
Her breathing became irregular.
She wanted to leave.
She needed to leave.
But her legs wouldn't move.
It was as if they were nailed to the ground.
As if something invisible was holding her there.
When she finally forced her body to move, Rin accidentally bumped into the trash can.
Clang!
The sound echoed far too loudly in the silent alley.
It immediately caught Ryuunosuke's attention.
"Hm?"
He tilted his head slowly.
Then turned around.
His eyes met hers.
"!!!!!"
Rin's heart pounded like never before.
Without thinking, without hesitation, she channeled all her magical energy into a gemstone and hurled it with full force at the young man.
A flash of light exploded in the alley.
Then, without looking back, she ran.
She ran like she had never run before.
"Ah—my eyes!"
The gemstone's light struck Ryuunosuke directly. He covered his face, stumbling back.
By the time his vision returned, the little girl had vanished.
"That damn brat!"
Rin only stopped running when her legs finally gave out.
She collapsed to her knees, gasping, her chest burning.
The girl she had brought with her was in the same state—but her eyes remained empty.
"Can I ask your name?"
"..."
"Wake up! Wake up!"
Rin shook the girl's shoulders desperately, but there was no response.
It was like shaking a doll.
"What should I do…?"
Her mind spun in panic.
She still had to find Kotone.
She couldn't carry someone in this condition, but she also couldn't abandon her.
Rin slapped her own cheeks, trying to pull herself together.
"Yosh! For the young and genius Rin, nothing is impossible!"
Even with trembling hands, she decided to act.
Without realizing just how dangerous it was.
Her fingers began to glow faintly.
She took a deep breath and pressed them against the girl's temple.
"Ah! That hurts!"
The girl screamed, collapsing to her knees and clutching her head.
Her eyes finally focused.
"Hmph, I really am a genius!" Rin tried to sound confident, placing her hands on her hips, though her body still trembled slightly.
Before she could do anything else, red and blue lights appeared in the distance, accompanied by the sound of sirens.
Rin's smug expression froze.
"They finally arrived."
She quickly retreated back into the alley, hiding in the shadows.
Silently, she watched as the police rushed to the girl, wrapping her in blankets and escorting her to a patrol car.
"Phew! I can't just let them take me home like this." Rin let out a long sigh.
She leaned against the wall, exhausted—but then something touched her shoulder.
"!!!!!"
Rin spun around abruptly, her heart hammering in her chest, only to come face to face with the orange-haired young man. He stood close, staring at her with a crooked smile that felt completely out of place.
His right hand, adorned with a purple bracelet, rested casually on her shoulder… as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Rin's pocket watch spun violently once more.
"Hey, little girl, are you lost?"
Ryuunosuke asked, tilting his head slightly, like an adult speaking to a child in a park… completely ignoring the smell of blood in the air.
"I…"
Rin's eyes began to lose their light.
A thin strand of saliva slowly slipped from the corner of her slightly open mouth as her expression turned blank, her body relaxing unnaturally.
Her mouth, which had opened as if to say something, slowly closed.
Like a puppet having its strings pulled.
"Yoshi~ Caster's stuff really is useful."
Ryuunosuke smiled in satisfaction, his eyes gleaming with a twisted, childlike excitement.
Holding Rin's hand in one of his, and the hand of a newly abducted little boy in the other, he turned and began walking calmly toward the depths of the alley.
As if he were simply taking two children home.
However, without Ryuunosuke noticing, all of Rin's magical power was desperately resisting the bracelet's mind control.
Deep within her dimmed eyes, a faint glimmer of light appeared.
---
(End of Chapter)
Rin -