"Hmm?"

  Hearing the door suddenly swing open, Ryuunosuke Uryuu spun around, his knife in hand, but there was no ohere.

  Bluebeard: "Ryuunosuke-kun, is something wrong?"

  The Showman: "Nah, it's nothing. Probably just the wind blowing the door open, I—ugh!"

  Before Ryuunosuke could finish his sentence, he colpsed, unscious, after a swift strike to the back of the head from Chihiro.

  Chihiro dropped his invisibility spell, his form reappearing in the dimly lit basement.

  ---

  A muffled cry came from the er, where young Sakura was tied up. Upon seeing Chihiro appear, her tear-filled eyes widened, and she squirmed desperately against her restraints.

  Chihiro hurried over, untying the ropes binding her small body. The moment she was freed, Sakura threw herself into his arms, sobbing untrolbly.

  It had been a terrifying day, and the stant fear and distress had finally takeoll otle girl's fragile heart.

  "There, there… It's alright now. You're safe," Chihiro whispered, trying to soothe her. "How did you end up getting caught by him?"

  Sakura sniffled and mao speak between sobs, "I… I was hiding at the interse, and then… this man grabbed me from behind… and brought me here."

  Chihiro frowned as he listened, his mind rag. He gnced over at the unscious Ryuunosuke, then reached into his robe to pull out a binding talisman. He spped the talisman onto Ryuunosuke, seg him with an immobilizing spell, then pulled out aalisman folded into a triangle.

  ---

  This was a "Truth-Seeking Talisman." Once swallowed, it would pel the target to answer questions truthfully.

  "Wake up!" Chihiro said as he gave Ryuunosuke a hard kick to the stomach, rousing him from unsciousness.

  Ryuunosuke groarying to clutch his abdomen, only to find he couldn't move at all.

  "Wha—what's going on?!"

  Ign his fusion, Chihiro leaned closer and asked, "What were you doing at the Matou estate today?"

  Ryuunosuke's eyes gzed over slightly as the talisman's magic took effect. "I saw someone moving really fast and got curious, so I followed them…"

  "So, it was him whht this trouble here," Chihiro thought darkly.

  With the information he needed, Chihiro delivered another swift strike to Ryuunosuke's head, knog him out cold once again.

  The hapless Ryuunosuke hadn't even had time to uand the situation before bg out for the sed time.

  ---

  Now, Chihiro sidered how best to deal with him.

  "Calling the police isn't an option. There's h penalty in Japan, and someone like him would never face true justice."

  And there was always the risk that Ryuunosuke could escape or receive assistahrough the group chat, potentially leading to even more victims.

  "Killing him is the only way to be certain."

  With a quick, calcuted motion, Chihiro snapped Ryuunosuke's neck. He did it quietly while Sakura wasn't looking; it was better she didn't see that.

  For a depraved person like Ryuunosuke, death without suffering was a small mercy, but it ensured he could do no more harm.

  Chihiro lifted Sakura in his arms and carried her out of the basement, leaving Ryuunosuke's body behind to decay in the dark.

  ---

  [Ding! Group member "The Showman" has died and has been removed from the group chat.]

  Bluebeard: "Ah! Ryuunosuke-kun, who killed you?!"

  Radiant Gnce: "He's dead? Good Riddance. One less monster in this world."

  Director K: "Iing. I wonder if someone in the group was responsible."

  Background Character Chihiro: "o specute. It was me."

  Bluebeard: "It was you?!"

  Bluebeard: "You fiend! I'll kill you to avenge Ryuunosuke-kun!"

  Background Character Chihiro: "You're wele to try… if you ever leave the Throne of Heroes."

  Background Character Chihiro: "Holy, you barely knew each other. How did you get so attached so quickly?"

  Bluebeard: "You would never uand the boween Ryuunosuke ahe shared appreciation for true art!"

  Background Character Chihiro: "No thanks. I have no i in uanding your twisted thoughts."

  ---

  Princess: "Still, isn't it… a bit extreme to kill someone?"

  Director K: "Oh, don't be so na?ve. Are you really a magus?"

  Director K: "Besides, your voice sounds rather familiar. You cimed to be a student, right? Perhaps you're from the Clock Tower?"

  Princess: "Ah, well…"

  Waver began to sweat nervously; he hadn't expected Keo cat so quickly.

  Director K: "Hesitation? Could you be a struggling student?"

  Keh's mind raced, and after a moment, he came to a realization.

  Director K: "Waver Velvet, is that you?"

  Princess: "..."

  Director K: "So, my guess was right. It is you."

  Director K: "Hmph, you're quite fortunate."

  Director K: "Though you're merely the son of a third-rate magus family, you've stumbled upon a miraculous opportunity."

  Director K: "But don't fet, luck like this doesn't e often."

  ---

  Princess: "Um…"

  Director K: "What's wrong? No clever respohis time?"

  Director K: "You seemed quite bold when arguing with me earlier."

  Waver's face was flushed with embarrassment. There was no way he could be bold now, not after what he had done.

  At the moment, Waver was on a pne headed straight for Fuyuki City.

  Determio prove himself, he had decided to participate in the Fourth Holy Grail War. To do so, he had secretly stolen a holy reli Keh, a fragment of Iskandar's cloak earlier that m.

  Now, speaking with Keh, who was both his teacher and the owner of the stolen relic, Waver could hardly muster any fidence.

  ---

  Director K: "Where are yht now? e to my office immediately."

  Princess: "Uh, Professor Keh… I've already left London."

  Director K: "You left London?! Where are you going? Don't tell me you're abandoning your studies!"

  Director K: "Yiving up halfway? Where's your determination?"

  Princess: "N-no, I'm not quitting my studies. I'm… just taking a few days off."

  Director K: "Taking a few days off? Now? Of all times?"

  Keh's suspis grew as he tio question Waver. Abruptly, he seemed to realize something and rushed back to his office. He flung open his et, searg frantically.

  ---

  Director K: "Ah! Waver Velvet, you sdrel!"

  Director K: "You stole the holy relic I prepared!"

  Waver was at a loss for words. As he feared, his secret was out.