Something unusual was happening.

    I sensed it after my encounter with Ethan and immediately began organizing the clues I had gathered.

    ‘Was that what I overheard on the radio earlier? Apparently, Anser, who I met during the day, is now causing enough trouble on the underground tracks to warrant police intervention.’

    Of course, it made no sense to me at all.

    Anser had neither the means nor the motive to cause such a commotion.

    A clumsy demon who trips over her own feet and sobs like a child when she loses to kids... is now rampaging so badly that the police can’t even handle it?

    The idea that Anser was secretly hiding enormous power was one thing, but the idea that the police of Nighthaven — and not just any police but the elite force — would be that incompetent? That didn’t add up.

    ‘If I had to guess, there are two possibilities. Either the demon rampaging in the underground tracks isn’t actually Anser, or... a third party is involved.’

    I leaned more toward the latter.

    The basis for that conclusion lay in none other than the napkin contract that Anser had handed me.

    The words densely inscribed on the napkin were trembling precariously, as if they could scatter at any moment. It was like the contract itself had reached a state where it could no longer be maintained.

    In other words, something had gone terribly wrong.

    Possibly to the extent that I might never see Anser again.

    “Yuria! Look at this!”

    While I was staring intently at the napkin, Sabrina, who had been fiddling with her terminal, pulled it out and thrust the screen toward me.

    On the screen, a live news broadcast was playing.

    The view was from a high vantage point, likely from a helicopter, looking down at a subway station. The scene showed police officers working frantically to block civilians from approaching the area.

    Just how big of an incident was this for the police to be mobilized on such a large scale?

    Anxious, I frowned, unable to shake the feeling that the situation was spiraling beyond control.

    [“...Currently, reports have come in that a bomb has been planted on the underground tracks, and all subway operations passing through Liveira Station have been suspended. The police have stated that the control measures are unavoidable in order to ensure the safety of citizens...”]

    “A bomb? They’re saying it’s a bomb? That’s got to be a lie, right?”

    “....”

    I silently nodded at Sabrina, whose face was now filled with worry.

    If I had to pick between believing the media or the police — especially the information of a special unit trusted by the police chief — of course, I would trust the police. R?аNO?bΕS?

    This was probably a directive being strongly pushed by the Dragon Mayor.

    That person had a tendency to avoid situations where specific races were cast as villains.

    Whether it was a demon rampaging or a bomb threat, the result would be the same — subway operations would be halted.

    But if you consider the aftermath of the incident, it would be far easier to sweep things under the rug if the official story was “a crazy group planted a bomb” rather than “a demon went berserk.” Bomb threats are practically routine at this point.

    ‘...Wait a second. If that’s how it is, then there’s still a way to help Anser.’

    A ray of light pierced through the storm clouds in my mind.

    If this was still the current situation... didn’t that mean there was still a chance?

    Okay, let’s think.

    The worst-case scenario I had anticipated was that Anser would commit an irreversible act, and that her actions would be exposed for all to see.

    If that happened, there would be nothing I could do.

    There would be too many eyes watching, and nothing I did would be able to change it.

    But as long as the story being reported was “a bomb threat” and the situation remained uncorrected, it seemed there hadn’t been any clear victims so far.

    If I could somehow help clear the misunderstandings surrounding her now, I might be able to prevent her from being branded as a dangerous criminal.

    ‘Of course... it won’t be easy. I might even end up regretting it, thinking I should have just stayed out of it.’

    Logically speaking, I had no reason to help her.

    Anser was someone I had only met for the first time today.

    She wasn’t even a main character from the original story — just a random resident of Nighthaven.

    This was completely different from the time with David.

    Yet, here I was, considering walking into the police’s hands — right into the heart of a place swarming with monsters much stronger than me?

    It was a reckless, foolish, and arrogant idea.

    The best choice was to go home and hope things resolved themselves peacefully.

    And if it turned out that Anser had been pretending all along, hiding her true nature from me?

    Then I would be the one clutching a bomb of my own — taking unnecessary risks and exposing my identity for no reason.

    Yeah. It was better to just give up.

    No matter how I looked at it, it wasn’t a rational choice.

    “...?”

    “Switch clothes with me. The dress I’m wearing is pretty common, so it probably won’t draw any attention.”

    Sabrina’s suggestion was surprisingly reasonable.

    What I was wearing right now wasn’t store-bought. It was a custom-made maid uniform, crafted by some eccentric scientist.

    If I wore the tablecloth over my outerwear, it would be uncomfortable. But if I took off the coat, I’d be left in that maid outfit under the tablecloth, which would stand out even more.

    Switching clothes with Sabrina would definitely be less conspicuous.

    But if I ruin her clothes somehow, won’t she be upset...?

    I glanced at her with a bit of hesitation, but Sabrina stared back with a serious look, as if to say she didn’t care about that.

    I snapped my fingers and used telekinesis to set up a makeshift changing room in a secluded alleyway, away from prying eyes.

    Then, Sabrina and I quickly swapped clothes.

    Fortunately, there were no security cameras nearby, nor any pedestrians, so I avoided an embarrassing scene.

    Still, the sheer fact that we were changing clothes in the middle of the city left me feeling on edge.

    “Hehehe... Y-Yuria, you were just wearing this a moment ago, huh...”

    “...?”

    “Ah—ah! It’s nothing, nothing at all!”

    As I was tightening the straps on Sabrina’s dress to adjust the fit, I noticed her awkwardly pressing her face into her shoulder.

    Is she cold?

    I offered her my coat, but she shook her head furiously, waving her hands as if to say that wasn’t the issue. What is she even thinking?

    Ah, right. Since I’m already at it, I should hand this over too.

    While swapping shoes with Sabrina, I suddenly remembered something I had forgotten.

    Can’t believe I almost missed this.

    I tapped Sabrina on the shoulder, drawing her attention.

    Startled, she flinched like a nervous cat and spun around.

    I took off my fox mask and handed it to her.

    After all, it wouldn’t matter how well I disguised my clothes if someone spotted me with the same mask.

    Sabrina was someone I could trust with this. Even if my face was revealed, she wouldn’t betray me.

    “...Huh?”

    Sabrina’s eyes blinked slowly, and then they widened until they were as round as saucers.

    Her gaze was locked onto my face, staring blankly in awe.

    Through her wide, shaking eyes, I could see my bare face reflected like a mirror.

    Thump. Thump.

    For a brief moment, the sound of a heart pounding loudly filled the air.

    It wasn’t clear whose heart it was.

    ***

    Meanwhile, deep inside the underground tracks.

    In the darkness where the cold air hung heavy, a black-haired girl was walking precariously along the thin railway tracks.

    Her arms were stretched out to her sides like she was balancing on a tightrope.

    The sight was so innocent and childlike that it matched her youthful appearance perfectly.

    “Hmm-hmm-hmm~ When will I finally get to meet my big brother~?”

    Her pitch-black eyes shimmered faintly with a splash of violet, like a drop of paint seeping into water.

    Behind her, from the path she had just walked, an indescribable, gut-wrenching scream echoed.

    Startled by the sound, the black-haired girl flinched and lost her balance, falling off the tracks.

    Her face puffed up like an angry pufferfish, and she mumbled in a sullen voice.

    “See? This wouldn’t have happened if you’d just done as I said. Why do you have to make me do extra work?”

    With a flick of her finger, the stones scattered on the ground shifted on their own, lifting her back onto the railway tracks.

    Once again, she stretched her arms wide and continued along the tracks, her steps playful and carefree.

    Her appearance was that of a pure and innocent child.

    But there was nothing pure about the aura lingering behind her.