Inside the Sorcerer Mansion's dining hall, Koji sat with his boots on the table, leaning back in the chair. He poured liquor into a glass and took a few slow sips, as his eyes drifted toward the chandelier above.
Nicholas stood nearby, posture straight and his face tense.
"Master Koji, why have you not acted against Miss Ayano if you believe she is the one who will take my life? This delay is not only reckless but endangers my life. Do you not call me a friend?"
Koji gave a lazy grin and gestured loosely with the glass of alcohol towards him.
"Of course, my good friend. I care about you very much. However, you should know by now that I don't like to kill people just because of a prediction. The future isn't a straight path after all, things can shift."
He took another sip and continued.
"You've heard of the butterfly effect, haven't you? Also known as 'Chaos Theory'. In this theory it says that one tiny insignificant event or choice can change the future entirely. Now, this has never truly occurred in my case but it does not change the fact that it could possibly happen. Also, personally, I'd like to see that theory come to fruition. It's been a dream of mine, since I found this crystal shard all those years ago, the idea's been stuck in my head."
Nicholas's frown deepened.
"You gamble with my life, Master Koji? Don't you realize that one day, fate may collect its due!"
Koji smirked, eyes narrowing.
"Then I'll drink to that. But until then, I'll keep my eye on Yuki Ayano, just like I said I would. I mean, come on, she's just one ordinary girl. And I've been watching her for the past…"
He glanced toward the ornate clock hanging on the dining hall wall.
"Oh, it's already eight a clock. Fascinating. This means it's been four hours, and she hasn't lunged at you once. Maybe your death may not arrive at all. Well, at least not by her tiny little hands…"
Nicholas slammed his fist against the table, the echo cutting through the hall.
"Forgive my bluntness, Master Koji, but this is no laughing matter. Did you not notice the violet phoenix-shaped mark upon her chest, with the chains that coil around it? That symbol is known as the Deathmark. It grants the bearer the power to kill and extract the truth from its victims. I was informed of this during her breakfast with the Sorcerer King. Such power is not one a mere girl would possess."
Koji froze mid-motion, the glass of alcohol hovering just shy of his lips as his eyes narrowed.
"Uhm…Understood. I'll keep that in mind."
In the corner near the dining hall door, Sayuri Kanzaki observed from a distance, jotting quick notes as she watched Nicholas step out of the dining hall and leave the mansion. The moment she saw him go, she followed, passing by Koji who sat calmly, nursing his drink. But his hand shot up, stopping her in her tracks.
"You must be the demon who came with Yuki Ayano. Where do you think you're going?"
Sayuri kept her expression composed and wrote on her notepad.
"Out to get some fresh air."
Koji grinned.
"Why don't you stay and have a drink with me? I'd enjoy the company of a lovely woman."
Sayuri wrote back, a faint grin curving her lips.
"You know what I am, and still you call me a woman? Be careful, human."
Koji couldn't help but laugh as he said,
"Yes, yes, of course, you're right. My apologies. Demons do take many forms, after all. I wouldn't want to find myself in a vulnerable situation with you. You may go."
Sayuri nodded and left the mansion, moving quickly to catch up to Nicholas and find out where he was headed.
Yuki sat at the desk in her guest room, working through her practice math exam. She had found a laptop tucked beneath the table earlier and decided to make use of the free time she had while Sayuri searched for information on Nicholas.
A knock at the door pulled her from the screen just as the final question faded and her score appeared: 100%.
"Who is it?"
"Yuki, it's me Riko. Can I come in?"
Riko stepped inside after Yuki opened the door. Her eyes stayed low, guilt weighing on her face. Yuki didn't need to ask why she was here; she already knew. This was her chance to finally explain why she had refused Riko's apology during the gondola ride.
"Yuki, you've changed, not just emotionally but physically. There's a mark on your chest that wasn't there before. What happened to you?"
Yuki took a deep breath and began to explain everything to her. She told her about the moment she woke from unconsciousness and found the mark burned into her chest, how strange memories of how to utilize her ability surfaced in her mind, and how she couldn't recall where that knowledge came from. Then she described the night she killed the bandit leader with the Deathmark and how she inherited his paranoia trait.
She also explained how Koji Hoshigiri told her that she would kill Nicholas the butler. However, Yuki understood that if she truly was meant to kill him, it had to be for a good reason. The crystal shard held too much power but there had to be a way she could use her Deathmark on him without Koji interfering.
When she finished recounting everything and how it had changed her, Riko stepped back, fear flickering across her face. A bead of sweat slid down her temple as she whispered,
"Yuki…i…i didn't know you were going through all of this. I'm sorry. "
Yuki scoffed.
"It's fine, but now I need your help. What can you tell me about your uncle Koji?"
Riko sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes drifting to the side as she tried to recall something about him.
"Well, Uncle Koji isn't the type to kill without reason. His relic gives him glimpses of what's to come, but he always told me and my older brother that no matter how certain the future looks, there's always a chance things can turn out differently."
Yuki frowned, tilting her head.
"Oh, you have an older brother? Where is he? I haven't seen him around the mansion at all."
Riko sighed.
"Well, he left right after my mom died. He said something about the way she died didn't sit right with him… almost like she was murdered. After that, he told me to leave too. So, I listened, and I ended up moving to the city, while my brother went his own way."
One question hit her out of nowhere, were the disappearances somehow connected to Riko's mother? The thought made no sense, yet it wouldn't leave her alone. She closed her eyes and pressed her fingers to her forehead, trying to pull the pieces together.
Riko stood from the bed and said,
"If you really believe Nicholas is behind the disappearances, then I'm with you a hundred percent. But if Koji already knows what you're going to do, there's almost nothing we can do about it."
She let out a small chuckle and continued,
"Unless, of course, there's some way to change the future. Am I right?"
Yuki's eyes widened.
"Wait, you're right… the future can be changed! How did I not think of this sooner? Riko, you're a genius!"
Riko blinked, a crooked smile spreading across her face.
"Wait… I'm a genius? Really? Uhm, I guess I'll take the compliment then."
Yuki shot to her feet and gripped Riko's shoulders, her eyes blazing with sudden conviction.
"Listen to me, Riko. Because of you. I'll be able to defy fate itself."