Evening settled quietly over the estate.

  The sun hung low on the horizon, its dying light painting the sky in shades of amber and crimson, shadows stretching long across the manicured grounds. Akitsu Shouga crouched behind the thick trunk of an ancient tree, its rough bark pressing into his back as he surveyed the mansion ahead.

  Haruya Takeda’s home stood tall and elegant—too elegant. White stone walls reflected the fading sunlight, and wide windows stared back like unblinking eyes.

  “Looks like there are no guards out here,” Akitsu whispered, voice barely audible.

  Floating beside him, Seraphine Orion flicked her tail impatiently. “Well then, you better make a run for it. Otherwise, you won’t get another chance like this in a century.”

  Akitsu inhaled deeply, chest rising and falling slowly.

  Then he moved.

  He dashed from the shadows, sprinting toward the fence. One hand grabbed the top while the other balanced against the post—he vaulted recklessly over it, feet barely skimming the ground as he landed unsteady but upright.

  Seraphine rolled her eyes. “Not exactly graceful, are you?”

  “Grace isn’t required,” Akitsu muttered.

  He ran along the side of the mansion, eyes scanning for any sign of movement. At the second-floor window, he didn’t pause—he shoved the frame open with a grunt, stumbled slightly, and tumbled inside. He landed hard on the wooden floor, dust rising in a small cloud around him.

  “Careful!” Seraphine snapped, though she was already floating beside him.

  Akitsu wiped the splinters from his sleeve, scanning the room hastily. Soft pink walls, lace curtains swaying in the evening breeze, and a neatly made bed adorned with stuffed dolls and ribbons.

  “…This is a girl’s room, right?” he muttered.

  “Looks like it,” Seraphine replied. “So, what are we supposed to do now?”

  “All we have to do is kill Haruya Takeda and leave,” Akitsu whispered. “After that, we can go back home.”

  “OI!” Seraphine suddenly barked. “I hear someone coming—hide!”

  Akitsu didn’t hesitate. He dove toward the closet, yanking open the doors and squeezing inside. Hanging dresses and neatly folded clothes enveloped him, the faint scent of flowers pressing against his senses, making his chest tighten.

  The door creaked open. Footsteps.

  Through the narrow crack between the closet doors, Akitsu saw her—a small girl with white hair and blue eyes, moving with careful grace as she sat on the bed.

  His heart skipped. No—raced. Memories of Sunwind Village surged violently, uninvited and sharp.

  Seraphine floated closer. “What’s wrong? Why are you acting strangely?”

  “…It’s nothing,” Akitsu whispered, forcing himself to slow his breathing.

  “Looks like we’ll have to wait until she falls asleep or leaves,” Seraphine said.

  Akitsu nodded silently. Time crawled.

  By the time the girl finally left the room, night had fully claimed the sky.

  Akitsu slipped out of the closet and peeked into the hallway.

  “…The coast is clear. Let’s move.”

  They bolted through the corridor like shadows.

  A door stood slightly open. Inside, Haruya Takeda lay asleep, chest rising and falling in a calm rhythm.

  “Let’s hurry up and get out of here,” Seraphine urged.

  “I agree,” Akitsu whispered.

  Then—the air turned cold.

  A presence surged outward from Akitsu’s body. Chains rattled softly.

  Ayaka Tachibana emerged. Her form was horrific—bloody rags clinging to her frame, eyeless and mouthless, chains wrapped tightly around her limbs. Thick spiritual energy poured from her like a suffocating mist.

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  Seraphine stiffened. “…This energy—”

  Ayaka phased through the door effortlessly.

  “Tachibana-san, what the hell are you doing?” Akitsu whispered urgently, following her.

  Inside the room, Ayaka stood motionless at the center while Haruya continued sleeping, unaware.

  “…Good thing he’s asleep,” Akitsu whispered, relief flickering through him.

  Ayaka moved closer to the bed. She stood beside Haruya. Watching him.

  “Here’s a knife,” Seraphine said quietly, handing Akitsu a small, sharp wooden blade. “Kill him.”

  Akitsu’s hand trembled. “…Do I have to do this?”

  “You’re the one who bonded with a vengeful spirit,” Seraphine replied firmly. “So you’re the one who has to fulfill the conditions.”

  Akitsu swallowed hard. “What if I don’t?”

  “If you don’t,” Seraphine said coldly, “death is the only suitable punishment. Ayaka is a powerful spirit.”

  His legs felt heavy as he approached the other side of the bed. Haruya slept peacefully.

  “…Here goes nothing!”

  He stabbed Haruya Takeda’s throat.

  At the exact same instant—Akitsu screamed.

  His own throat split open in the same place, warm blood spilling down his chest. Pain tore through him, and he collapsed to his knees.

  “Do it!” Seraphine yelled. “You have to finish what you started!!”

  Gritting his teeth, Akitsu forced himself to stand. He raised the blade again and stabbed Haruya’s heart.

  A second later—his own heart was pierced.

  Agony consumed him. Akitsu collapsed. Both bodies lay still.

  The world went black.

  Akitsu opened his eyes. He stood once more in the ethereal void. A small red island floated beneath his feet. At its center, a red cherry blossom tree stretched upward, branches heavy with glowing petals—exactly sixteen drifting lazily through the air.

  Black water surrounded the island, upon which countless red doors floated aimlessly.

  “…What the hell happened?” Akitsu shouted. “Was I supposed to die? Was death a condition that had to be fulfilled?! If so, what’s the point if I’m just going to die?!”

  No answer came. Then—among the sea of red doors—he saw it: a single blue door.

  “…What’s that? I’ve never seen a door like that before.”

  He clenched his fists. “Am I supposed to go through it? Oh well. I’ve got nothing to lose anyway.”

  He stepped onto the black water, walking past countless red doors until he reached the blue one.

  “…What do you do?” he muttered. “Let’s find out.”

  He opened it.

  Silence.

  Akitsu opened his eyes again. He was sitting on the bench near the tall statue in front of the academic building at Fiester Academy.

  “…What the hell happened?” He looked around. Campus. Daylight.

  Pain stabbed suddenly into his head.

  “Ah!! That hurts!”

  Seraphine hovered beside him. “What’s wrong? Do you feel pain?”

  “…What happened?” Akitsu asked.

  “You were telling me something,” Seraphine said, “then you suddenly closed your eyes.”

  “…Where is Tachibana-san?”

  “Who?” Seraphine tilted her head. “I don’t remember anyone by that name.”

  “…Don’t you know Ayaka Tachibana? The vengeful spirit I bonded with?”

  “The only spirit you bonded with is me,” Seraphine replied. “I don’t remember anyone else.”

  “…How about Haruya Takeda? Where is he?”

  “I don’t know who that is either. Why are you suddenly asking about people’s whereabouts?”

  Akitsu exhaled slowly. Relief washed over him. He leaned back against the bench, looking up at the sun.

  “…So it never happened.”

  Or—It happened, but the world forgot.