Although somewhat surprised that a girl with such modern attire would be in such an ancient city, Sisigou withdrew his gaze after confirming she was just an ordinary civilian without a trace of magical energy.
"What is it, Saber? Do you want to buy a dress too?"
Looking at Mordred, who was staring intently at the retreating figure, Sisigou assumed she was admiring the girl's outfit and chuckled.
"Hah?! What nonsense are you spouting? I would never wear something so disgusting!"
Mordred glared at him in annoyance before turning her attention back to the girl, who was now quite far away. "I just inexplicably feel that person is strange. But aside from her clothes, I cannot pinpoint exactly what is wrong."
"Strange?"
Sisigou froze. Realizing something, he immediately grabbed the newspaper left on the table and began reading. After a moment, his expression turned serious.
Mordred noticed the shift in her Master's demeanor. "What is it?"
"Something is wrong. Very wrong."
Setting the newspaper down, a thoughtful glint flashed behind Sisigou's sunglasses. He stood up, scanned the surroundings, glanced at the setting sun, and finally explained to his confused Servant.
"According to the reports, the residents of this town should be aware of the recent serial killer sightings. Judging by the closed shops and lack of foot traffic, the news has definitely spread. If that is the case, why is a young girl walking the streets alone at dusk? Aside from the murders, there have been multiple disappearances of teenage girls. Someone her age should be terrified of such things."
"So you are saying she is definitely involved?" Mordred's eyes widened in realization.
With her exceptional Servant hearing, she had already eavesdropped on Sisigou's earlier phone call with Lord El-Melloi II. After hearing his deduction, she immediately connected the dots.
Sisigou gave a half-nod. "Not necessarily. If the Mage's Association's intelligence is correct, the killer is undeniably the Black Assassin. But as you sensed, that girl possessed no magical energy, so she might not be directly connected to Assassin. However, that does not mean we cannot use her."
A smirk tugged at the corner of Sisigou's mouth. "Since we know the enemy targets magi and young girls, we can use her as bait to draw them out. At the very least, I can use my identity as a magus to attract their attention."
"Whoa, not bad! You look like a brute, but you are actually much smarter than a bear!" Mordred cheered, instantly excited.
She craved battle, especially since her mood had been sour lately due to Morgan and Souya. She desperately needed a fight to vent her frustrations, and the Black Assassin was the perfect target.
"Then let us not waste any time. We move out!" Mordred pumped her fists, brimming with motivation.
"Alright. Let's go."
Without hesitation, Sisigou paid for the massive meal and swiftly led Mordred in the direction the pink-haired girl had disappeared.
Relying on their physical prowess, they quickly caught up despite the head start she had. Following the girl through the ancient city as the sun dipped below the horizon, their expressions grew increasingly strange the more they observed her.
It was not her actions or her route; everything seemed perfectly normal for a girl heading home. What truly unsettled them was that in a town plagued by bloody rumors, the girl showed no fear. In fact, she was singing.
Even though she was completely tone-deaf, she sang with burning enthusiasm. Combined with the eerie atmosphere, it sent a chill down their spines.
Finally, as twilight faded into night, the girl abruptly turned into a narrow alleyway. When Mordred and Sisigou instinctively followed, they were shocked to find she had vanished into thin air.
"What happened?" Sisigou frowned, staring at the dead-end alley. "How could a teenager just disappear? Was she forcefully transported by magecraft, or did the Black Assassin make a move?"
While Sisigou pondered, his senses as a Necromancer picked up on something. The air carried the distinct stench of corpses and spirits.
"Saber! On guard!" Sisigou shouted.
"Understood!"
Mordred's armor materialized in an instant. The next moment, her royal sword, crackling with crimson lightning, appeared in her grasp.
The ground beneath them suddenly collapsed. Several massive hands formed from dirt and rock burst forth, slamming down toward Sisigou.
"Master! Dodge!"
In the nick of time, Mordred surged forward. Crimson lightning roared around her, obliterating the massive hands along with the golem bodies supporting them.
"Is this alchemy?" Sisigou muttered in confusion, staring at the fragmented remains of the golems.
He realized they had walked into a trap and were likely surrounded. As if confirming his suspicions, several figures slowly emerged from the shadows around them.
"Magi?"
Sisigou was startled upon sensing their magical energy. But when he saw their faces, his surprise morphed into sheer horror. It was not just because their pale faces perfectly matched the descriptions of the Mage's Association enforcers who had been killed. It was because they reeked of a necrotic stench far heavier than any graveyard.
These magi were all dead.
Watching them slowly prepare their spells, Sisigou instantly recognized what they were.
Ghouls.