In an instant, their eyes met.
For no apparent reason, an eerie atmosphere spread between the two of them, as if the temperature in the shop had dropped by several degrees.
There was an indescribable aura around this crimson-haired woman, a presence vastly different from ordinary people. Just by looking at her, Eiji understood that this woman was anything but ordinary—mysterious and unfathomable.
"Pardon me, but are you a colleague?"
The crimson-haired woman studied him for a moment before suddenly offering a polite smile.
Her gaze naturally ignored the two ladies beside him, clearly focusing her attention on Eiji.
"What colleague?"
Eiji wore a look of confusion.
Sorry, but he wasn't one for riddles.
Though he could sense this woman was extraordinary, at first glance, he couldn't guess her identity or understand what she meant.
"No, perhaps I was mistaken. Please don't mind it."
Her expression gave no hint of whether she believed him or not. She simply stared at Eiji for a while before smiling brightly.
"Owner, could you introduce me to the desserts here…"
She turned to the shopkeeper, Boudica, and placed a rather large order.
However, even though she wasn't looking his way anymore, Eiji keenly sensed that most of her attention was still fixed on him.
Soon, she left the shop carrying a large bag.
Up until the very last second before leaving, she didn't spare Eiji a single glance.
But to Eiji, this behavior only made her seem even more suspicious.
Ordinary people couldn't help but stare at him, as if admiring a work of art. Even if they looked away, they'd do so reluctantly—it was like a euphoric high for the brain, an addiction impossible to resist.
Only one type of person would deliberately avoid looking at him.
Someone who was wary of him.
"Who was that again?"
Eiji felt momentarily confused.
His sparse memories were of little use now.
At the very least, he needed a name to recall any relevant details.
After that, he stayed in the shop for another half hour.
Thanks to him, the shop's desserts sold out completely. Mrs. Boudica even apologized, saying she couldn't thank him properly—normally, she could give the unsold treats to the staff, but today's customer flow was too high.
Assuring her it was no trouble, Eiji and Raikou set off for home.
As soon as they entered the residential area,
Eiji's eyes flickered slightly.
Several birds circled overhead around the nearby houses, their outstretched wings as black as crows. They flew back and forth, occasionally resting on telephone poles, showing no intention of leaving.
"Well, it's almost bird migration season!"
Raikou, suspecting nothing, merely sighed at the passage of time.
"That's true."
On the surface, Eiji showed no reaction, but inwardly, he grew tense.
These black birds were almost identical to the ones he'd encountered two nights ago while wandering the city. And this time, there were even more of them.
Could they be here to monitor me?
But why?
That night, he'd covered himself completely, not showing even a glimpse of his face, and it had been dark. There was no way he could've been exposed so easily.
Unable to figure out the reason for now, Eiji pretended nothing was amiss.
He did want to uncover traces of the hidden world, but that didn't mean he'd willingly expose himself to danger. Granted, with his abilities, he didn't have much to worry about, but he still needed to protect his mother and sister.
At the very least, he couldn't let them fall under the gaze of magi—those devils in human skin.
The birds circling overhead didn't leave even as night fell.
In fact, most of them gathered around Eiji's house, perching silently on all sides, watching as night descended.
"It's clear I'm being targeted."
After his bath, Eiji returned to his room and instinctively sensed the prying eyes outside, reaching a firm conclusion.
Still, for now, it seemed he was only being watched.
If the other party had ill intentions, they would've attacked by now.
The fact that they hadn't taken action yet likely meant they either hadn't confirmed his identity or were wary of something.
But one thing was certain—this surveillance would probably continue for a while.
"This can't go on."
Eiji pondered his options.
Prolonged surveillance was far too dangerous. Not only did it put his mother and sister at risk, but it would also hinder his own future plans.
He had to find the person behind this.
But he knew nothing about magecraft and couldn't trace the magus through the familiars. Forcing the issue would likely result in the familiars self-destructing like last time. Similarly, charming the familiars would be pointless—it'd only alert the enemy and expose himself.
"If only Aozaki Aoko hadn't taken leave…"
Eiji sighed.
He'd actually planned to look for Aozaki Aoko at the student council yesterday, but she'd apparently called in sick, so he hadn't been able to find her.
"Wait… Aozaki?"
A flash of realization struck him.
"Wasn't the woman at the dessert shop earlier likely Aozaki Touko? Could this be the start of the Mahoutsukai no Yoru storyline?"
The mention of "Aozaki" triggered his memory.
He'd completely forgotten the original plot of Mahoutsukai no Yoru—there was no anime, only a game—but he vaguely recalled that the story took place during Aozaki Aoko's high school years. And Aozaki Aoko was currently a high school student!
Did that mean this was the time when the sisters were locked in their deadly feud?
"I'll test it out tomorrow!"
Eiji made up his mind.
This was a good opportunity.
Pop!
Pop! Pop!
Hm?
A series of sharp cracking sounds came from outside the window, making Eiji's eyes narrow.
What was that?
Thinking that he couldn't be blamed for checking out the noise he hadn't caused, Eiji walked to the window and pulled back the curtain.
In the darkness,
The black familiar birds had vanished without a trace.
With his sharp vision, Eiji could barely make out a few black stains on a nearby telephone pole.
Soon,
Other anomalies entered his sight.
First, a bird.
Unlike the black birds, this one reflected the pale moonlight with a metallic sheen. It circled under the night sky, its eyes glowing like crystal, standing out starkly against the moonlight.
But its presence wasn't the most striking.
What truly sent chills down the spine was the figure of a man standing at the end of the alley, like a shadow walking in darkness.
Clad entirely in a black coat, he even wore a bowler hat, obscuring his features.
As if sensing the curtain being drawn,
The man looked up.
In that instant,
Two crimson crescent moons burned into Eiji's vision.
***
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