By the time Shigure Ryoko woke again, the scene before her had changed completely.
Perhaps so she would at least understand how she died, her blindfold had been loosened a little, allowing her to vaguely make out her surroundings.
In the pitch-black night, the stillness beside the lake felt particularly profound. Moonlight fell across the water, its shimmering reflections forming a dreamlike scene. Moisture hung in the air, and the gentle night breeze brought waves of refreshing coolness.
Shigure Ryoko lay alone on a battered wooden boat in the quiet night. Although her blindfold had been loosened a little, her vision remained blurry. She strained to open her eyes wider and see her surroundings clearly, but could only vaguely make out the dark water and the outline of woods along the shore.
As the boat rocked gently on the water, Shigure Ryoko's emotions rose and fell with it. Rough hemp ropes bound her hands and feet tightly. Fear and helplessness filled her heart, and she felt her fragile life slipping in and out of reach in the endless darkness. It was an indescribable torment. The water lapped against the hull beside her, sounding like fate's mocking laughter and deepening her helplessness and despair.
Despite the silence around her, Shigure Ryoko could still sense life stirring in the night. Something rustled in the wind, as though whispering a secret. In the distance, something seemed to sweep through the darkness with a piercing cry before vanishing into the boundless night.
The scene left her feeling even more desolate. As a double agent working for both the Nathen Conglomerate and the Alt Corporation, Shigure Ryoko had never expected her life to end in such a dramatic fashion.
"Do we just throw her in?"
Esnie's voice came from beside her.
"What if the Arbitration