"This is all I do."
Gng back at the abandoned boratory, Ren stood still for a moment.
He didn't know the identities of the people who died here, nor did he know what they'd endured in life.
But death was absolute.
The moment they died, everything about their past vanished.
No names. No stories. Nothi.
He didn't know them.
And maybe that was for the best.
Leaving their lingering spirits here to wander aimlessly ointless cruelty.
At the very least, eliminating their final obsessions would give them some measure of peace.
"I'm probably just meddling."
Ren chuckled softly, almost self-mogly.
But even knowing that…
He couldn't just walk away.
---
With a final flick of his hand, a gray fme ignited, engulfing the boratory.
When the fire burned out, Ren was already gone.
The gray fog reappeared every few kilometers, making his figure blur and shift like a mirage.
Ihan 30 seds, he was baear the hot spring hotel.
With a familiar gesture, Ren opened a spiritual door and stepped through.
---
The momeered, he she air.
"Hmm. Good. The gray fog worked."
No lingering smell of blood, burnt flesh, or chemicals.
Satisfied, Ren headed toward the main hall.
As he approached, he caught the tail end of Saginomiya Isumi's nervous voice.
"…The power from that hand… I've never seen anything like it."
Hearing what she said, Ren's steps faltered slightly.
A trace of helplessness crossed his face.
She saw it.
Sefirah Castle's power was on a level far beyond ordinary perception. Only individuals with extraordinary abilities could glimpse it and even then, only under specific circumstances.
Usually, without the corresponding authority, the gray fog that apanied his power remained invisible.
Unless… he actively suppressed his status and someoh spiritual sensitivity happeo withe moment of maion.
Which was exactly what had happened.
Thankfully, only Isumi had the capability to perceive it.
Ren shook his head with a sigh and stepped into the hall.
"Were you talking about me?"
The sudden voice startled the group.
For a moment, everyone froze except one person.
Fujiwara immediately jumped up and stood in front of him.
"Amamiya, what kind of power did you get?"
"…"
Ren exhaled slowly.
"You really aren't afraid of anything, Fujiwara-san."
"Why would I be afraid?"
Fujiuffed out her chest with absolute fidence.
"You wouldn't hurt us."
"And holy, do you think anyone here is scared of you?"
The temosphere immediately lightened as the girls exged smiles.
Indeed, none of them were afraid.
If they were, they wouldn't have gathered together to wait for him.
Kaguya shook her head slightly.
Sometimes, she truly appreciated Fujiresence.
That troublesome girl always had a way of breaking the tension in the room and lifting everyone's spirits.
"pared to fear, we're actually more curious about what you saw in the back mountain that made you so angry."
"Not to mention, your rea was a bit… excessive."
"Miss Isumi was scared half to death whenessed what you did."
"Based on her description, it's hard for us to imagine what could have happeo provoke such a response."
Kaguya's words were reasonable, and Ren could sehe curiosity hiddeh the .
He hesitated for a moment before replying.
"The back mountain… I did see some things."
He lowered his eyes.
"It was those things that made me decide to deal with the evil spirits immediately."
"My methods… might've been a bit extreme."
Kaguya wasn't surprised by his answer.
Seeing something unbearable could easily lead to impulsive a.
"Amamiya-san, you tell us what you saw?"
"…That's not something you o know."
"No." Kaguya's expression turned firm.
"That's exactly what we o know."
Her refusal to back down was clear.
"Amamiya-san, you said it yourself, our fates are now iwined."
"There are some things we'll have to face together, even if we don't want to."
"We don't need you to protect us from everything. We help carry that burden too."
Her voice was calm, but her words struck Ren's heart like a sharp bde.
He sighed softly.
"I never denied what I said."
"We're ected through the diary, and our fates are indeed entangled."
"But this… this is too much for you."
Kaguya shook her head.
"Isn't it the same for you, Amamiya-san?"
"I have decades more life experiehan you."
"That's ordinary life experience, isn't it?" Kaguya's eyes didn't waver.
"But when it es to what we're dealing with, you're just as o this as we are."
Her logic was sound, and Ren, who was never good at debates, found himself at a loss for words.
"Hehe~ Amamiya, you should just give in."
Fujiwara grinned, eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Kaguya's the best when it es tuments. You won't win against her."
"…"
Looking at the triumphant look on Fujiwara's face, Ren chuckled helplessly.
"You really are a good friend to Shinomiya-san."
He shook his head.
"Fine, fine. But ter, after I've had a bath."
"Half an hour."
"And, Ms. Maria… for dionight."
He turned his gaze toward the petite figure sitting on the couch.
"Also… Sanzenin, you should sit this o."
"I'm not a child."
Nagi immediately stood up in protest.
"Isumi is my best friend."
"If she knows something this important but keeps it from me, I'll never let her hear the end of it."
"There are things I o know too!"
Ren cast a questioning look at Isumi.
She gave a resigned sigh and shook her head.
The message was clear: it was impossible to stop Nagi from joining them.
Re out a soft sigh of his own and turoward Maria with an apologetic expression.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Maria."
"You'll probably have to deal with a very restless Nagi tonight."
Maria gave a light, knowing smile.
"Don't worry about it, Mr. Amamiya."
"This… isly new."
