Kana lay in bed, curled beneath the thick blanket Irielle had tucked around her the night before.
The morning sun had softened into a golden hush, filtering through the curtains in narrow beams, and the silence of the house was so absolute it pressed against her ears.
But no matter how long she kept her eyes shut, sleep refused to return.
She rolled to one side. Then the other. She pulled the blanket over her head. Then kicked it off entirely. Her limbs twitched restlessly, her thoughts looping endlessly.
Her body didn't feel tired anymore. It felt too alert, like it had used up all its fear and panic the night before and now didn't know what to do with itself.
Every time she drifted close to unconsciousness, something inside her jerked her awake. A tightening in her chest. A phantom noise. A memory.
She gave up.
Throwing the blanket aside, Kana sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Her bare feet touched the cool wooden floor with a soft thud.
"I hate this."
She muttered.
The house was silent. After nearly an hour of back and forth with Irielle, the elf had reluctantly left for work, still wearing an expression like she was being forced to abandon a wounded animal.
Half an hour later, Lysera had received a summons as well—a mandatory report for the authorities about the previous night's events. She hadn't looked happy about it either.
They'd both locked the house with layered magic before leaving.
Kana had tested it out of curiosity. The doors were warded. The windows shimmered when she touched them, repelling even the thought of escape.
"Not even one inch of freedom."
She said aloud to no one.
She understood. She did. They were worried. And after what she'd been through, maybe she should be kept under observation like a patient on suicide watch.
Still, knowing that didn't make it less boring.
Her world had been loud. Constantly connected. Phones, music, notifications, background noise.
Even boredom had its own playlist. But here—without a phone, without the internet, without so much as a TV—boredom felt like suffocating inside her own head.
So, Kana wandered.
She moved through the hall, past the glowing ward at the door, past the kitchen where Lysera's teacup still sat unfinished, and finally toward the shelves tucked into the far end of the sitting room. Books lined the walls—real ones, old ones, thick with parchment and stitched spines.
She stood before them for a while, eyes skimming the shelves.
Her fingers brushed against a familiar spine.
'The Wolf and the Lightless Gate.'
She hadn't finished it. It was the one about the wolf named Rimeru who had followed a girl across frozen lands.
The story had made her chest ache in strange places. A longing she couldn't place.
She pulled the book out again, her fingertips settling against the worn cover.
"Maybe I'll finish it today."
She whispered to herself.
But just as she lifted the book, a voice—not loud, but deep and there—brushed against her thoughts.
[Help me…]
Kana froze.
Her hands trembled, and the book dropped from her grip. It hit the ground with a thud.
For a moment, she could only stare at it, the sound still echoing in her ears—not from the book, but from within her.
She swallowed hard.
"…Nope."
Grabbing a thin sheet from the nearby table, Kana wrapped it around the book like it was something toxic. She didn't want to touch it again.
Then, with slow, careful steps, she slid it to the farthest end of the top shelf and shoved it deep behind a row of thicker tomes.
"Stay there."
She whispered, as if the book could move on its own.
She sat back on the couch, arms folded tightly over her chest. Her heartbeat was still slightly fast, but she could at least feel the tension beginning to fade.
That was enough for one day. No more weird books. No more ghostly voices. No more magical anything.
She exhaled and sank deeper into the cushions.
And then someone knocked.
Kana jolted upright.
The knock was short. Precise. Not hesitant, but not angry either.
Kana stared at the door. Her eyes flicked toward the glowing ward.
Lysera had told her not to answer the door.
'Don't open it for anyone, Kana. If someone knocks, don't speak. Don't respond. Don't even move if you can help it.'
That warning rang in her head now, sharp and clear.
The knock came again—firmer this time.
Kana held her breath. Maybe if she stayed silent, they would go away. Whoever it was. Maybe it was just a neighbor. Or a delivery person. Or—
CRACK.
The ward shattered with a sharp, audible sound like breaking glass. The front door swung open on its hinges, and cold air rushed into the house.
Kana stood up instinctively, backing up toward the kitchen.
A man stepped in.
He was dressed in a uniform not unlike Lysera's—dark fabric with a pale emblem stitched to his shoulder. His hair was neat, his gloves white. His expression was impassive, but his presence filled the space immediately.
In his hand was a piece of parchment.
"I'm not here to hurt you. This is a summons for temporary custody."
The man said, voice calm and formal.
Kana's back hit the edge of the counter.
"Wh…what?"
"You are not under arrest. But we are detaining you for questioning related to last night's incident. You will be treated respectfully. However, if you resist, force will be authorized."
The man clarified, though his tone didn't offer comfort.
Kana stared at him.
The parchment glowed faintly. She could make out her name on it.
Her hands clenched into fists. Her knees were stiff.
She didn't know what to say. Didn't know if she should scream, run, or collapse.
The man took a step forward, his expression still blank.
"You are not being accused, but you were present in a location currently under investigation for severe magical anomalies and potential foreign influence. For your safety—and ours—you must come with us."
He repeated, Kana shook her head, only slightly.
"This has to be a mistake…"
Her voice barely came out. But her instincts screamed that this wasn't a mistake.
It was just the beginning.
The officer took another step into the room, his voice steady and practiced.
"You have the right to remain silent, but you are required to come with me, Miss Kana."
Kana swallowed hard.
"Fine. I'll come with you. Just—don't come any closer."
She said, her voice tight.
He didn't listen.
His eyes flicked up and down her body, and something shifted in his expression—curious, even intrigued.
"Hey, you…"
He reached out toward her.
Kana reacted before she could think. Her fist flew up in a reflexive swing and connected solidly with his face.
The officer's eyes rolled back.
He collapsed on the spot with a dull thud, completely unconscious.
Kana stared at him, breath caught in her throat.
"W-What… what just happened?!"
A soft chime echoed in her mind, and her system's voice responded calmly:
[Reminder: All stats are currently maxed. Even a casual strike will result in excessive force. Please exercise caution.]
Kana looked at her own fist in disbelief.
"You couldn't have reminded me a second earlier…?"
The officer groaned faintly, but didn't move. Kana panicked, backing away quickly, heart pounding as the weight of what she'd just done began to settle in.