The night was bright, and the winds were strong—just like always.
Moonlight washed over the empty roads as Akitsu Shouga walked toward the address Kaito Morikawa had given him. Each step felt heavier than the last, as though the night itself were pressing against his shoulders. The houses grew fewer, the streets quieter, until only the sound of the wind and his own breathing remained.
When he finally reached the destination, Akitsu stopped.
Before him stood a large mansion, its iron gates towering over the road. The building loomed beneath the moonlight, elegant yet unsettling, as if it were watching him.
Akitsu froze.
His heart sank.
“…This place,” he muttered.
Seraphine Orion floated beside him in her small white kitsune form, tails swaying lazily.
“Why are you scared?” she asked. “Let’s go inside. It’s not like you’ll die. Well… maybe you’ll possibly die in there.”
Akitsu swallowed.
“Doesn’t Haruya Takeda live here?”
Seraphine tilted her head.
“Who’s that? Never heard of the guy… Didn’t you mention him this evening?”
Akitsu sighed deeply.
“This is going to be a hassle.”
She looked at the gates again.
“Should we just make a run for it? There are no guards at the gate.”
“…Yeah,” Akitsu said, tightening his fists.
“Let’s do this!”
He sprinted forward, leapt cleanly over the fence, and landed silently inside the grounds. Without stopping, he ran to a nearby tree, climbed swiftly, and perched himself on a sturdy branch.
“That was quick,” Seraphine said, impressed.
“I thought you didn’t like climbing trees.”
“I’m afraid of heights,” Akitsu replied, gripping the branch tightly.
“But that doesn’t stop me from achieving my goals!”
Seraphine looked toward the mansion.
“Looks like we can get to the second floor through that window.”
“Create some vines so I can climb up to that window.”
“Alright!”
Akitsu leapt down from the branch and ran to the side of the mansion. From above, vines rapidly formed and slithered downward. He grabbed them and climbed quickly, stopping just below the open window.
He peeked inside first.
“…No one’s here.”
He climbed in.
Seraphine floated after him, looking around.
“This room seems a little girly, don’t you think?”
Pink walls. Soft curtains. A faint floral scent.
“It looks too girly to me,” Akitsu muttered, already walking toward the door.
He slowly opened it and peeked into the hallway.
Empty.
“The coast is clear.”
“Where could Kaoru be in a place like this?” Seraphine whispered.
“The most likely answer is the cellar.”
“…Good point, but how do you know that?”
“I just randomly guessed,” Akitsu admitted.
“Trust me, I don’t even know this house that much.”
“…Which way do we go?”
“Stop talking like a background character,” Akitsu snapped quietly.
“Of course we have to go down!”
Suddenly—
Soft footsteps echoed through the hallway.
Seraphine stiffened.
“Quick! Hide! I hear someone coming!”
Akitsu bolted into the nearest room and shut the door just in time.
When he turned around—
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
A girl with white hair and blue eyes stood silently in the middle of the room, staring straight at him.
“…Uh?” Akitsu froze.
“Hello… may I come in?” he asked nervously.
The girl nodded without saying a word.
Akitsu stepped inside cautiously and moved toward the window.
Should I jump out and run for it? he thought.
No… she’ll catch me before I can even land.
“Why are you so scared of that girl?” Seraphine whispered.
“She’s a wandering spirit. She cannot hurt you.”
“What do you mean?” Akitsu whispered back.
“She’s human. She isn’t a spirit!”
“She is a spirit,” Seraphine replied.
“How could you not tell she’s not human?”
“The last time I saw her was at Sunwind Village,” Akitsu said.
“Or… a few hours ago.”
“How do you know her?”
They both slowly stopped talking.
Slowly, they turned toward her.
“…Father?” the girl said quietly.
Seraphine shivered.
“This is kinda starting to creep me out.”
“I do agree with that,” Akitsu whispered.
“Wanna get out of here?”
“…Yeah.”
They slowly turned toward the door and began walking.
Before they could reach it—
The door opened.
A small girl with white hair and blue eyes walked inside.
“Brother, where are you?”
The room froze.
The next second, the girl screamed.
Akitsu dodged past her instantly and ran out of the room.
Seraphine panicked and flew after him.
Akitsu sprinted toward the staircase—and saw three people coming up.
Without hesitation, he jumped over the railing, dropping from the second floor to the first.
“You’re crazy!!” Seraphine shouted.
He landed hard but kept running, bursting into the nearest room.
“Where are you going?!” Seraphine cried.
“Isn’t this the dining room?!”
“The cellar should be in the kitchen, right?!”
“What are you saying?!” Seraphine shouted.
“It’s in the great chamber, right?!”
Akitsu changed direction and burst through the great chamber doors.
Haruya Takeda sat there, frozen in his chair, eyes wide.
“It’s you!!” Akitsu shouted.
Haruya screamed in fear.
Akitsu ignored him and rushed into the cellar.
Nothing.
“…Where is it?!”
“I don’t know!” Seraphine said.
“You said she was supposed to be here!”
“That old man tricked me!!” Akitsu snarled.
“I’ll kill him!”
He kicked the wall in frustration—
The wall rotated.
A hidden entrance revealed itself.
“Hey!! Stop! Intruder!!” Haruya shouted.
“…Jackpot!!”
Akitsu ran down the stairs.
“You either have insane luck,” Seraphine said,
“or this was just a coincidence, right?”
“…I don’t know.”
At the bottom—
Kaoru sat tied to a wooden chair.
Behind her stood a giant wooden cross, drenched in blood.
“…Creepy,” Akitsu muttered, rushing toward her.
“We have secured the package!” Seraphine declared.
“That’s something you couldn’t do.”
She ignored him.
“Looks like she’s unconscious… and what’s with that creepy cross?! It has blood dripping down!”
The room felt wrong.
Too quiet.
Too late.
