Trouble Comes Knocking

Fuyuki City, Shinto.

Evening.

Compared to Miyama Town, Shinto gives one the impression of developing too rapidly.

Most of Fuyuki City's high-rise buildings are located in Shinto.

Because they have been thriving in the business world, the Hirata family resides in a courtyard house in Shinto.

The courtyard is a traditional Japanese-style building, relatively simple yet not lacking in elegance.

Inside the main hall, soft, dim light spills across the silent space, the atmosphere heavy with solemnity and grief.

The center of the hall is filled with white flowers, surrounding the funeral portrait of a middle-aged man.

This middle-aged man is none other than the eldest son of Sakura Masayoshi's close friend, Ichiro Hirata.

He was also the middle-aged man who often personally delivered goods to Fish Fresh House.

According to information from the police investigation at this stage.

Ichiro Hirata went missing mysteriously on the night before last while driving home from work; even his vehicle had vanished into thin air.

Even more bizarrely, while the surveillance camera on the road Ichiro Hirata was required to take captured him, he never appeared on the next one.

Because it was already midnight that day, there were no other vehicles on the road, so no witnesses have been found as of now.

As for Ichiro Hirata's body, it was only discovered this morning.

The location was a thicket on the outskirts of Shinto.

The body was severely mutilated; even an intern police officer at the scene couldn't help but vomit.

Even veteran detectives frowned at the scene.

This was because the injuries on Ichiro Hirata's body did not look like they were caused by a sharp weapon, but rather as if they had been torn and bitten by insects.

This is not the first such incident in recent times.

Due to a lack of evidence, the Fuyuki police have no idea where to begin their investigation.

The details of this matter have not yet been made public, and some members of the public still assume it is just an ordinary missing persons case.

But paper cannot wrap up fire; if such things continue to happen, it will likely become impossible to keep hidden.

As for Ichiro Hirata's body, it could be said that even the morticians shook their heads upon seeing it.

Although they had done their best, Ichiro Hirata's wife fainted the moment she took a single look.

At this moment, in the study of the main house, two old men are sitting by a tea table, smoking cigarettes.

The ashtray is already piled high with cigarette butts, and empty cigarette packs are scattered all over the floor.

Toru Hirata, the head of the Hirata family, sits slumped in the main seat, eyes closed as he smokes. Deep wrinkles are etched into his forehead and cheeks, his white hair is sparse like silver threads atop his head, and his eyebrows are as pale as walnut wood.

He looks incredibly weathered.

After all, having to endure the tragedy of a white-haired man burying his own son in his twilight years is a devastating blow.

Sakura Masayoshi, dressed in a black kimono, smokes with a regretful expression, silently keeping his old friend company through this act.

From the moment they met until now, the two have not spoken a single word, save for smoking.

Sasuke sits expressionless beside Sakura Masayoshi.

Over these past three years, it was mostly Sasuke who received the deliveries Ichiro Hirata brought to Fish Fresh House, so they had spoken quite a bit.

He was indeed a decent elder.

It is a pity that he met such an end.

Perhaps because Sasuke has experienced too much, he feels nothing beyond that.

Seeing the two men like this, Sasuke decides to head to the living room to get some air.

Because this is the main house of the Hirata family head, ordinary people are not allowed to enter.

In the spacious living room, only Sasuke and Illya are present at the moment.

As for Kaoru Sakura, she is in the inner room comforting Ichiro Hirata's daughter, Saori Hirata.

Since tomorrow is the day for the official wake, not many people have come to the Hirata residence today.

The Sakura family and the Hirata family have a deep relationship.

Therefore, Kaoru Sakura has known Saori Hirata since childhood; the two are as close as sisters and get together from time to time.

And when Saori Hirata encounters such suffering, Kaoru Sakura naturally has to be there to support her.

Although Sasuke has seen Saori Hirata many times, he has had no real interaction with her.

Illya, on the other hand, does not know her at all.

Thus, the two of them are the only ones gathered in the living room.

After coming out of the room, Sasuke leans against the wall with his arms crossed.

Illya, meanwhile, lies bored on the sofa, her clear eyes fixed on the ceiling as she says:

"Where do you think people go when they die?"

Sasuke did not have an answer for Illya's question.

Although there were concepts like Heaven and Hell, Sasuke did not believe in such intangible things.

After all, for Sasuke.

A person dying did not necessarily mean they were truly gone.

It was not as if Sasuke had never encountered resurrection before.

Furthermore, back in his prime, such a feat was not beyond his own capabilities.

Though by the time Sasuke had achieved that power, he had already lost everything.

Seeing Sasuke remain silent, Illya sat up from the sofa and looked at him, saying:

"Sasuke."

"It shouldn't kill you to say a word to me, right?"

Hearing this, Sasuke, who was leaning against the wall, finally deigned to open his eyes, gazing at Illya with a blank expression.

Illya felt a chill run down her spine under his stare, and she huffed before lying back down.

"Fine, fine, just listening to me is enough."

"You can't refuse that, can you?"

Seeing that Sasuke still did not speak, Illya continued, though she deliberately lowered her voice:

"Ordinary people really are fragile."

"But in the end, it's that mage's fault."

"You must have noticed it too, right?"

"The faint traces of magical energy in the hall."

Just as Illya had said, when they first arrived at the main house, their group had gone to the hall to pay their respects.

They only came here after the mourning was finished.

The coffin placed in the hall had indeed held faint traces of magical energy.

It was clear that Ichiro Hirata had been killed by magic.

As for what kind of magic, Illya, not having seen the scene, could not determine it.

Sasuke had naturally noticed it, but he still did not say anything.

Finding Sasuke truly dull, Illya closed her eyes to take a nap.

She didn't know how Kaoru Sakura was comforting Saori Hirata, but the two in the inner room had actually started sobbing out loud.

Though, that was to be expected.

Sakura Masayoshi had once told Sasuke about the situation with Kaoru Sakura's parents.

When Kaoru Sakura was still young, both her parents had passed away in an accident.

Although Kaoru Sakura appeared carefree, Sasuke knew this was merely a facade she used to disguise herself.

In truth, Kaoru Sakura's heart was more fragile than anyone else's.

Seeing Saori Hirata now, she was likely empathizing with her pain.

Illya, who had only intended to lie down for a short nap, had actually fallen asleep, and by the time she woke up, night had already fallen.

Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Illya slowly pulled off the blanket covering her, looking at Sasuke in a daze as she asked:

"Sasuke..."

"What time is it?"

"Where is Kaoru?"

Sasuke, who was sitting on the sofa opposite Illya, replied with a calm expression:

"Ten o'clock."

"The two of them must have cried themselves out; they're asleep together."

There was little hope of returning home today.

But for Sasuke, it made no difference where he was.

The same went for Illya; sleeping was sleeping, regardless of the location.

It was just then, however.

A hysterical scream suddenly erupted from the courtyard!