I have a childhood friend.

We're the same age and live just a few minutes' walk from each other, so you could say we're true childhood friends.

She's of the opposite sex. A girl.

And... if I may say so, she's incredibly cute.

She has beautiful shoulder-length hair, and her facial features are quite distinctive, with her fair skin, her slightly gray eyes, and her brown hair that make her easily recognizable, mixing simplicity with a relaxing atmosphere that makes her so attractive.

...Although she can be a bit of a prankster, and as proof of that, she often plays little jokes on people she meets for the first time.

She was special to me... We always spent time together on the school rooftop... I... I pushed myself to get into Carmilla Academy... I worked tirelessly, wringing out my talent with constant effort... Despite not being as talented as her, I was able to get into the same school... All to be together...

"And yet..."

Why did I forget her?

That question wouldn't stop going through my head after I suddenly realized something was wrong while I was kissing a student I didn't know; a confusion that I was only able to react to after being slapped in the face by her, who left crying, saying she was engaged.

Since that moment, a week ago, I've been asking myself the same questions over and over.

What have I been doing?

Why did I do that?

Why did I forget her?

...But my questions were never answered, because everyone I asked told me things that only generated more doubts than answers. According to what my family and friends have told me, one day, as if I were possessed, I simply started dating that student, ignoring everything else around me while sickeningly flirting with that girl.

At first, I didn't want to believe what I was hearing... However, the reality was irrefutable, because there were too many witnesses, too much evidence, that confirmed that what I had done... was real.

"I really... am trash."

The worst part was that all the memories of my behavior, which were blurry at first, became clearer over the course of this last week, as I remembered everything I did... how I pushed her away... how I hurt her... I remembered all of that.

"....Saffi."

Even now, the only thing I can do is murmur her name while I look at the sky on the rooftop with worry, ever since she disappeared...

"What should I do...?"

After recovering my reason, what I did was immediately go to look for her to apologize. But no matter how much I searched, whether at school or at her house, in the end I never found her... She had disappeared.

And not just her, because even her sister had also vanished, something that no one, including their own family, seemed to care about.

"This is wrong."

Everything was strange and nothing made sense in this situation.

At first, I thought she had simply caught a cold while I thought about what I should say and how to apologize when I didn't see her. But after a while of her being absent, I realized that something was wrong.

After I realized, I looked for clues, asked in other classes, and called tirelessly... Only to get nothing... No one, not a single person, knew or even cared about what was happening.

"Is there no other option?"

That's why, with no more options or clues, I was looking at the letter that someone had left in my locker.

"....."

The letter was simple, save for one detail.

"After all... it's blood."

It was stained with blood with the words: "LOOK FOR HER" written in blood and inside, a map with a marked location.

"......"

The letter also came with instructions not to inform anyone about the place, besides keeping silent about the information written on it, pointing out that he was being watched while the author proclaimed himself an "ally" acting under the pseudonym of "the messiah".

"All of this is suspicious."

At first, I didn't pay attention to what the letter said and tried to inform someone, but at that moment my body stopped responding and I felt chills that ran through my entire body while I broke out in a cold sweat.

"......."

At that moment, understanding the condition I was in, I knew that Saffi had gotten involved in something extremely dangerous and that I needed to help her.

"..."

But even if I had that resolve, deep down I knew it would be useless, because I was unable to move a single inch under that terrifying unknown pressure, so with no other option, I gave in, leaving aside the option of asking for help.

"I'll do it..."

For that reason, with no other choice, I decided to accept the conditions given in that letter.

"...I don't care about making a pact with a demon if necessary."

To help Saffi, there was no other option but to collaborate with the author of the letter, because if they are able to immobilize me like that and watch me at all times, it must mean that they have "power."

"If it's to help her...!"

That power may be my only hope of seeing her again and helping her with whatever she has gotten herself into.

That's why...

"I would give anything!"

(Talan, talan!)

I made my decision.

And so, after school ended, I headed to the first destination marked on the map.

"A box?"

The place was a temple in which there was a large box on the altar, tied and decorated as if it were a gift.

"Straw dolls...?"

When I opened the box, I was confused by its contents, as inside there were about 6 straw dolls lying on a soft indigo-colored cushion, aligned together.

At first, I didn't understand the intention behind all of this, thinking that maybe this was actually some kind of joke...

"What?!"

...But that slight thought disappeared in an instant at what happened next.

(Is it him...?)

(....It must be.)

(Bond...?)

In front of me, those straw dolls began to move and timidly got up, returning my gaze.

"....I-is this... real...?"

Unable to believe what I was seeing in front of me, I could only stammer from a certain distance.

(...This... for you...)

"Huh?!"

But at that moment, one of those things approached, jumping out of the box to hand me another letter, and then immediately ran back into the box.

"....."

The letter it gave me had the same signature of "the messiah" written in blood on the outside, so after opening it, I proceeded to read its content which began with an introduction.

"Dear Ford,

If this missive has reached your hands, it is likely that your mind, that insignificant collection of neurons, is plunged into deep confusion. I know. Upon contemplating the overwhelming complexity of what surrounds you, the mind of a simple mortal can barely grasp the threads of truth.

I sincerely apologize for not being able to offer my help directly at this time. My humble existence, dedicated to the resolution of the world's problems, is currently indisposed due to an inconvenience that is beyond my control. I had planned, with my vast benevolence, to solve your problem on my own, but the capricious hands of destiny have dictated that another path must be taken.

But do not worry, I have not abandoned you to your fate. I have provided for you. The gift you opened, a vessel of truths and secrets, contained inside the most recently born cloudy tear straw dolls, born as a gift from me to demonstrate the honesty of my word. They are a gift for your crusade, so take care of them and protect them with your life. If my gift suffers even the slightest scratch, I promise you, with the solemnity of a god, that I will make you experience a personal hell so deep and so unbearable that you will wish you had never been born to regret it.

I WARN YOU

Ahem!... Ignoring the subject, they will be of immense use for what you are about to do. You must infiltrate to rescue your precious childhood friend, so in addition to the dolls, I have also granted you a powerful tool that will support you on your odyssey.

Sincerely, The Messiah"

"....."

After finishing reading the letter, I turned, returning my gaze to the box to see that inside, there was indeed something else.

"Is this... a weapon?"

Inside, next to those indigo straw dolls watching me from a distance, there was...

"Is this a frying pan?!"

....A frying pan.

No matter how many times I looked at it, it was just a frying pan; although high-quality and completely personalized, it was still a simple frying pan.

"....."

Seeing that there was nothing else inside the box and after a moment of reflection, I had no choice but to accept that the weapon mentioned in the letter was... the frying pan I held in one hand.

Will I really be okay?

That thought wouldn't stop going through my mind; however, I had already made my decision and even if this wasn't what I expected, or without really knowing if it would be useful, I decided to move forward.

"Umm... Could you follow me...?"

But before moving on, I had to take care of those "straw dolls," so thinking of taking advantage of their small stature, I decided to ask them to get into my bag.

(...Time to go.)

(Let's go...)

(...Quick.)

"What?!"

However, I never expected the action they took next.

One by one, they lined up and jumped, as if it were a pool, into my "shadow," disappearing inside.

"......"

Once all of them had entered my shadow and none were left in sight, that's when I finally reacted.

"Ehm... Are you there?"

In that way, still a bit skeptical, I asked into the air without really knowing if I would receive a response or not to my call.

(Here...)

(...We are.)

(.....)

At their response and their way of sticking their hands out to wave from my shadow, I discovered that they could actually be more useful than I expected.

"That's incredible... What else can you do...?"

In that way, I spent the remaining time before heading toward the destination indicated on the map to learn what these straw dolls could do, gaining confidence with such versatile allies at my disposal.

"With this... Maybe we can do it."

In that way, with renewed confidence and a racing heart, I clenched both fists and started walking without knowing what lay ahead.