After her vision was cut off, the captivating power of the figure in the mist weakened significantly.
Nijika finally regained her reason, and her brain began to function and think normally again. Thinking back carefully, she had indeed been acting strange. Knowing full well that her mother had passed away, she had so easily believed the words of the person in the mist. Her thoughts had even come to a standstill, her mind unable to wrap itself around the situation.
If she hadn't been thinking about her sister, she might have actually agreed to leave with that person at that moment... Now that she could reflect on it, as she guessed what "leaving" really meant, a cold sweat broke out over her skin.
Admittedly, the girl still brooded over her mother's accidental death, but now she had a sister to look after, Kessoku Band was flourishing, and her dreams had yet to be fulfilled. There was no way she would choose to leave.
Thinking about it this way, that "mother" was extremely suspicious.
As Nijika cleared her head, the voice of the entity wearing her mother's appearance—which had been a roar of rage—gradually turned into a wail, tinged with a hint of fear.
"W-Who exactly are you?"
"Just a passing magician, you don't need to remember me..." the youth behind Nijika said clearly.
For some reason, the girl's chaotic and fearful emotions calmed down quite a bit upon hearing his words.
"Why... can't I see your heart...?"
"It would be a bit too stupid if I could be seen through by something like you, wouldn't it?"
Nijika, feeling as though her own heart had been seen through: "..."
As if sensing the girl in his arms wavering from being caught in the crossfire, the youth continued: "My heart is covered by [Scale]!"
The phantom in the mist fell silent for a moment. Just as Nijika, whose eyes were still covered, thought the entity had vanished, its terrified voice rang out again.
"How... why...?"
"Knowing you are a supernatural object with the trait of bewitching humans, how could I just rush in without making any preparations?" The youth let out a light, mocking chuckle. "Just like I said... the moment I appeared, everything was 'already okay'."
"I understand. Your power has gained my recognition... From now on, you are my new master, and my power belongs to you—"
"What nonsense are you talking? I don't want that kind of filthy power."
"A-Are you serious? I possess the power to resurrect the dead..."
"Whether it's Soul-Returning Incense or a Resurrection Stone... your so-called resurrection is either turning the dead into zombies who crave the flesh and blood of their loved ones, or creating illusions that turn the hope in the hearts of those longing for the dead into despair." The youth's voice was cold and decisive, laced with contempt. "I have no need for something more disgusting and lowly than frog piss! An existence like you doesn't even deserve to die by my hand!"
Whether by accident or because a backup plan was in place, even though Nijika's vision was blocked to prevent her from being influenced by the entity wearing her mother's skin, the connection established when it first tried to hypnotize her hadn't completely broken. While the entity could no longer influence her, she could, in turn, vaguely sense its emotions.
After being so insulted by the youth, the first thing she felt from that entity wasn't rage or annoyance, but an irrepressible joy.
Not deserving to die by his hand meant, in other words, that he wouldn't kill it.
The moment it realized this, the entity was overwhelmed by the massive joy of a narrow escape. It wasn't until a few seconds later that it realized something was wrong.
"Click..." the youth said softly.
Nijika keenly sensed that something else had entered the room. A massive, fluffy object—smelling of wild beasts mixed with the sandalwood scent often found at shrines—slowly walked past her.
"What... is that thing...?"
"No... don't come over here!"
"You damned beast...!"
Nijika felt unease and anger from the entity wearing her mother's appearance, but those emotions were soon swallowed by an even greater amount of terror.
"You monster!"
"I surrender!"
"Save me...!"
"No...!"
What followed was the sound of chewing, like a beast gnawing on bones.
Nijika's body couldn't stop trembling.
Though she knew the fluffy monster was on their side, perhaps she could feel the horror and pain radiating from the Resurrection Stone's phantom. Fear welled up in her heart like a black swamp; it was an almost physiological response, impossible to suppress.
As if sensing her fear, the hand the youth had around her waist tightened slightly.
It was a minuscule change, but the tangible warmth radiating from him gave Nijika an indescribable sense of peace and comfort. She even felt an impulse to turn around and bury her face in his chest, pressing closer to feel more of his warmth.
However, the stress-induced stiffness in her muscles hadn't fully faded, leaving her frozen in place, unable to do anything but maintain her current posture.
"I curse you...!"
"I will never forgive...!"
"Let everything be reduced to vanity...!"
"What are you ravings about?"
The final sounds of the Resurrection Stone's phantom vanished amidst the crackling of flames, as if its final desperate struggle was merely a soap bubble that shattered instantly at a light touch of a finger.
"Ah..." After the entity vanished, Nijika suddenly realized she had finally regained full control of her body.
She hesitated for a moment before asking nervously, "That voice... is it Asakura—"
In the next instant, Nijika snapped her eyes open and found herself sitting on the sofa. Everything in the house seemed unchanged.
"Huh?"
Was everything just a dream?
No, no, no—the main point is, why would I have a dream about being held in Asakura's arms? Is my true nature actually quite lewd... wait, no, am I just really suited for playing Rock 'n' Roll?
Nijika clutched her head, her mind a complete mess.
Then, as if remembering something, she instinctively reached into her skirt pocket, but she couldn't find the small black stone that child had given her earlier.
Did she lose it on the way back?
"Dammit, I don't understand any of this!"
Nijika fell into a strange state of inner turmoil.