Imagine this: You’re sitting in a dead-silent classroom where the only sound is the soft scratching of pens on paper. You secretly pull out your phone, but you forgot to turn off the media volume. A loud noise blares out. You frantically shut the phone off, look up, and find the entire class staring right at you. The homeroom teacher’s icy glare delivers the final verdict:
“Hand it over.”
How would you feel in that moment?
Well, right now, I feel something very similar.
Except something is missing, and something else has been added.
The past can never return to the present, and the present can only linger in the now…
Heh, what will become of me? In this world where fame, fortune, and emotional debts intertwine, I am nothing more than a puppet that shuffles about aimlessly, bound by countless invisible strings.
No, calling myself a puppet is too generous. “Walking corpse” fits better.
After an indescribable silence, I thought I had passed the danger zone unnoticed. But the moment I turned my head, I locked eyes with a man wearing a vicious expression. Reacting quickly, I yanked my hood down tight and lowered my head again.
At a critical moment like this, the less I reveal myself, the better. No need to invite more trouble.
“Captain…” a voice whispered softly. It had to be someone’s underling, informing his superior of my presence. I couldn’t be certain, but I guessed the man was this person named Pawa.
“Oh… oh, I see.”
After a few eerie murmurs of acknowledgment, silence fell again. Then, suddenly, footsteps approached. Looking up, I found myself face-to-face with a man who had a pale complexion but piercing eyes.
Why do I describe him that way? Because compared to this man, Kailan’s gaze seemed almost warm and spirited.
“Hello there, little one.”
His voice came out of nowhere, like a snake striking its prey. It startled me, but I calmed down quickly. He extended his hand, as if inviting me to come forward. That series of simple yet deeply unsettling gestures made me extremely uneasy. I refused his offer, choosing instead to stay hidden behind The Tower.
Seeing my reaction, his smile vanished. He turned his head and spoke.
“Little Captain Kailan, it seems you’ve made an unexpected find… Why didn’t you tell me?” Pawa laughed smugly, clearly pleased to use me as leverage against Kailan.
Since I’d already been spotted, I figured I might as well gather more information. I cautiously peeked out. The instant I did, someone grabbed the back of my collar and hoisted me high into the air.
In that split second, my hood fell open once more. My long, azure hair spilled out, and my golden eyes were caught plain as day. The silent crowd erupted again, relaying some kind of message to the surroundings: The bounty-worthy target is right here.
In a situation like this… what’s the normal reaction? Pointless struggling, of course.
“…”
“Little Captain Kailan, what is your decision? How shall we deal with this little creature?”
“We take her back to the Correctional Office and await judgment.” Kailan’s spirit hadn’t diminished one bit. She retorted sharply, and for a woman her age, she carried herself with considerable authority.
“And if I recall correctly, Captain Pawa, you are currently on duty enforcing the Wheel Law… So why are you here wasting time with me?”
“Because you are so beautiful, Little Captain Kailan.”
The moment I heard that line, I stiffened involuntarily. I’d never heard such nauseating flattery. If anyone ever told me I was “beautiful” to my face, or even wrote it down, I’d probably die of embarrassment.
Feeling me tremble, the person holding me gave me a rough shake, forcing me to stay still.
—Hey! Snap out of it! I’m taking you to a doctor!
Huh? Who was that… Never mind, probably nothing.
“…Disgusting…”
“Hmm? Little girl, what did you say?” Pawa had clearly noticed. He twitched his bat-like ears and walked over to me, still wearing that smile.
“Disgusting.”
I stated it clearly this time. Then I activated Impression Blink, teleporting behind him.
“She vanished?” His bodyguard seemed surprised, then utterly shocked to see me appear right behind Pawa. He rushed forward immediately, ready to protect his captain.
Pawa stopped him with a raised hand. Without even turning his head, he smiled.
“It seems you have me by the throat, don’t you, little girl?”
“No. I just moved behind you.”
Pawa chuckled softly, then slowly raised both hands in the air, acting as if my words were just a passing breeze.
Suddenly, I felt my body go unstable. My right foot stepped forward to catch my balance, but then all strength drained from my legs, forcing me to half-kneel on the ground. I heard the steady drip, drip, drip of liquid hitting the floor. Inside, my organs felt like they were in complete turmoil.
I reached for my abdomen. First, I felt wetness. Then, something hard. An iron sword had pierced me from behind, straight through to the front. It seemed they had deliberately aimed for my lower abdomen to keep me alive. I hadn’t even noticed anyone approaching me from behind. I hadn’t been able to react at all.
“Gah…”
If he was confident about my chances of survival, then I have to say—aren’t you being a bit too smug? If I really were just an ordinary little girl, I’d probably be dead already.
“Oh wow, you went a bit overboard there, Carter… As she said, she just moved behind me.” Pawa’s tone was dripping with insincerity. It infuriated me.
“…You gave the order. I simply followed it.”
With that, Carter yanked the iron sword out. The entire sequence of movements told me he had done this countless times before. But that youthful voice told me this man was in the prime of his life.
As the iron sword left my body, blood began gushing from the wound. My left leg gave out completely, and I collapsed forward onto the ground. My body temperature plummeted as blood poured from my abdomen. My mind went blank, mirroring the loss of warmth.
I had never suffered an injury this severe before. Not even when that Vampire hit me in the head with a hammer did it compare. Close-range trauma, a sharp blade slicing flesh…
I’m just a criminal. I was meant to die anyway. Surely, no one here would be willing to save me.
Ah, seems there’s no way out. Heh heh heh… Am I really dying? Ah-ha… Sweet release…
“Pawa! How could you—”
My hearing still works fine…
“As you can see, it was merely self-defense. Or are you suggesting, Little Captain Kailan, that you wish to shield this criminal? Do you intend to plead her case for what she’s done?”
“…You bastard… Kaizi, get a medic. We’re returning to the Correctional Office immediately.”
“Yes, Captain Kailan.”
“Now now, Little Captain Kailan, our business isn’t finished yet…”
The sound of a blade being drawn.
“Oh my? You seem quite angry. Very well, very well. I do need to attend to that Wheel Law matter. Carter, let’s go.”
…Ugh… Ugh… Is it over? Why… even though the wound was so serious…
Uh… Huh? Someone’s carrying me? Why…
The wound is healing? Why… wasn’t it a deep injury?
Though it’s not healing very fast…
Wh-what should I do?
Where are we going? I suppose I’m headed to prison logically, but… what comes after?
What about Elph?
What am I supposed to do?
What now?
What?
Hazuki Toro…
You deserve this fate.
You don’t deserve to help them get home.
You deserve this. You’re not worthy.
…
Finally. Finally, I feel sleepy.
Finally. Finally, I can sleep again.
But… I still want to die so badly!
…
…
I collapsed to my knees before the town gate. My exhausted body could no longer command movement. My complete mental fatigue made it impossible to cast lethal magic.
I looked back. The residents who had already fled, those who still drew breath, ran without a backward glance. A smile involuntarily tugged at the corner of my lips. Summoning the last of my strength, I stood up and faced the horde of massive, hideous creatures before me.
I spread my arms wide and closed my eyes.
Fierce winds howled. Blazing flames scorched the earth. Buildings crumbled around me. I did not die. Instead, I grew stronger.
…
…
As my vision gradually brightened, I awoke peacefully. Realizing once more that the scenery was unfamiliar, I understood I had been taken somewhere else again, without any say in the matter.
My hand instinctively moved to my abdomen, the former site of the injury. As expected, the wound had healed beautifully. Someone else had even treated me—the bloodstained bandages wrapped around me were proof. What is this place?
When you arrive somewhere new, you assess your surroundings. I’ll simplify it here: The walls had no cracks. In fact, they were adorned with various decorations. The floor was exceptionally clean, furnished with various pieces of furniture. I was supposed to be in prison, but everything here felt off.
I glanced at the picture frame on the nightstand. It showed a harmonious family: a married couple and a pair of twins. Nothing else stood out, except the husband’s uniform. He was definitely one of the officers of the Correctional Squad.
Just as I reached out to pick up the frame for a closer look, the door across the room swung open. A woman walked in—Kailan. I didn’t know her, but I recognized her purely because she had been the one to catch me.
“How is… your injury?”
I nodded. I cracked my knuckles, climbed out of bed, stretched, and let out a soft “Whew.” The cold tension on Kailan’s face eased. She walked over to the nightstand, picked up the picture frame, and asked me:
“Were you looking at this?”
“Yeah… Sister, why didn’t you arrest me? Am I not a criminal who should be dealt with?”
The question slipped out instinctively. Words that might provoke hostility should have put me on guard, but they didn’t. I remained relaxed. I felt I could trust the person standing in front of me.
…
