As the quiet wind blew by, Ayuri was already heading away towards the P.H.G. Center.
"Well, that was kinda rough." Kenji stretched his arms.
"…Yeah."
Hiroki didn't add more. His mind was already slipping elsewhere.
But then…
"Hey! Guys!"
A familiar voice called out from a distance ahead.
"Miyu…?" Hiroki didn't expect her to arrive.
She hurried down the hallway towards them, holding her usual notebook tightly against her chest.
"Did I miss anything important guys?" Her smile was bright as always.
However, on her way, she noticed.
Ayuri had just passed by her with a calm but unreadable expression. She didn't say a word, nor did Miyu try to stop her.
Something in her eyes left an unusual tension in the air. But she just overlooked it and moved on.
As Miyu reached to Kenji and Hiroki, she slowed down, her smile slightly dimming.
"…Uhh. What's wrong?"
Kenji looked away.
Hiroki was the one who responded to her with some struggle.
"Amaya… she was abducted. Last night. By the same people"
Moments of silence, blank stares.
"H…Huh?"
Miyu froze. Her eyes widened slightly.
Her grip tightened around the notebook in her arms.
"…So… it is."
She forced a soft smile, but the pain behind it was clear.
"We shouldn't worry too much… P.H.G. and Royal Guard will surely take action… Right?"
Neither of them responded.
"I guess… I'll just focus on my research for now. I need to keep going anyway."
Her tone was calm, but her steps turned quick.
Miyu turned around and began walking back toward the P.H.G. main wing, with her gaze downward, unreadable.
She did not look back.
Meanwhile, Yoru, who had separated from them a while ago, was leaning against a tree. She noticed Miyu rushing toward the center, but her features seemed unusual.
"Miyu?"
She raised her hand, slightly reaching out… But the words never came.
Miyu was already too far. Her figure faded around the hallway's corner.
Yoru's hand slowly lowered. She said nothing.
The doors of the Central Library swung open. It was Miyu who passed by, but her face carried a shadowed look.
Miyu stood before a table covered in old books, blueprints, and magical theory pages. Her hands were shaking slightly as she opened her own notebook.
"How…" Miyu nervously clutched her head, her eyes reflecting panic,
"How, how, how! How did it come to this…?!" Her voice was barely audible.
After a few while, she collected herself and felt a bit of ease.
"I… have to figure it out." She muttered quietly.
"I must reveal the truth. The Golden Book, the secrets of Yumix… and the mystery surrounding Hiroki."
"Even though I can't fight like Kenji and Yoru... Even if I'm unable to stand on the battlefield."
"I am the only one who can unveil the truth!"
Her eyes scanned the pages with intensity, flipping between dozens of references and ancient records.
"If I can find it… maybe I'll be useful too…"
Amaya's image crossed her mind. Her friend who was taken away.
"I have to do this… for her… I can save her too."
Her fingers clenched her pen like a blade.
No more fear.
No more helplessness.
She would explore every hidden aspect of Yumix's history, myth, and truth.
Even if it cost her peace of mind…
Later that night…
Somewhere far into the forest… A silent room under the ground.
Damp walls. A dim white light filters in, barely illuminating the dark room.
There was a chair beside, someone was on it... It was Amaya.
She was tied to the chair.
Her mouth and eyes were covered in thick cloth, and her arms were tied tightly behind her back with a coarse rope.
Her breathing was uneven. The air felt heavy with tension.
Suddenly… the door creaked.
Quiet, slow footsteps approached.
Then…
A hand pulled the cloth from her mouth and eyes.
She immediately gasped, squinting at that figure in front of her.
"W-Where am I?! LET ME GO!!" She tried to scream at the top of her lungs.
Amaya fought to get her hands to move but failed. It was tightly bound
Renne stood there, smiling calmly.
(Illustration Artwork: Renne standing with Amaya inside the room)
"Don't even try," she said softly. "You are somewhere unknown. And trust me, no one is coming to save you."
Amaya trembled, fear evident in her gaze.
"W… what… do you want from me?"
Renne crouched beside her.
"Oh, what a great question. What I need is… some answers."
"Huh?"
Renne's cold left hand rested on Amaya's hand.
"So… What exactly do you know about Hiroki Kurogane?"
Her voice was too gentle.
"Where did he come from? What secrets is he hiding?"
"I DON'T KNOW!" Amaya shouted, shaking her head. "No clue! Please… let me go!"
Renne stared at her for a long moment.
"I see… So it's like that…"
She stood up.
"Well, I'll give you this simple choice. If you want to stay alive… join us, and assist in our mission."
"NO WAY!! There's no way I'm doing this! Leave me alone!"
Her scream echoed loudly.
Renne's chuckle was soft, almost friendly. "Oh, Amaya… you don't need to rage about that at all. We're not your enemies here. Rather, I'm with you, trying to help you make the right choice."
She turned her back slightly forward.
"We want the same things… To fix Yumix. To end corruption, racism, class divides… To stop the people from suffering."
Amaya instantly froze at what she just said.
"How… do you even know my name…?"
Renne didn't answer.
She didn't want to reveal that Eldarion was among their allies.
At that moment, two unknown figures entered behind her.
"You shouldn't worry about those things. In the end… You may end up thinking differently about Hiroki."
She waved a hand over the table in the back corner, which was previously hidden behind a long quilt.
The cloth dropped.
Amaya's eyes widened.
Dozens of plans… targets… pages related to Hiroki… diagrams of the Golden Book…
And… A figure on paper, had a girl who looked exactly like Ayuri.
Amaya's face lost all its color.
"N–No…"
Renne tilted her head slightly. "You see now. Maybe… you'll change your opinion about Hiroki."
"What… what do you mean?!"
Renne only replied with her sly smile.
"You can't scare me… Ayuri wanted me to be strong… I won't… betray them. I'll never betray her! Never!"
"Oh? I see… You're doing well at protecting your friends," Renne smiled, almost warmly. "You shouldn't be scared, Amaya…"
She lifted her hand, and white mana lights sparkled and spiraled around it.
Her hair began to shift and shimmer while the lights were dancing around her.
Amaya's eyes brimmed with shock and disbelief.
"W-What… what are you?!"
But Renne didn't respond.
"Wh… What… Do you mean by that?"
She turned and walked slowly towards the exit.
A wave of dark mana cloaked her as she crossed the doorframe.
"I guess we'll need to teach her the meaning of pain," she spoke calmly to the two figures, "so she may help us in time."
"H…Huh?"
Amaya's eyes were entirely pale, devoid of any spirit.
One of them stepped forward, his voice low.
"Sorry about this. We're just doing our job to keep our own lives."
Unable to speak, tears of fear welled up in her eyes.
The last sound…
Was a piercing cry of hers, echoing deep through the forest.
The nearby trees shook. Crows burst from their branches, flying into the black night sky…
[ To Be Continued ]