"Are we going on the broom?" Hayashi Shuichi's eyes lit up, his face full of excitement.
Who hasn't dreamed of soaring through the sky on a broomstick like Harry Potter? Though, he did wonder if a man riding one of those things would... find it a bit uncomfortable for his lower half.
"It's me! Not us!" Seeing his interest in her broom, Akane Koizumi quickly hid it behind her back. "Don't touch my things! If you touch my broom, it'll probably fall apart too."
"Am I really that powerful? What am I, some kind of Imagine Breaker?" Shuichi looked down at his well-defined palms, then looked up. "Does what you just said count as the second condition?"
"Of course not!" Akane stomped her foot, her eyes rounding in an indignant glare. "Are you going to save that person or not!"
"I am," Shuichi said with a sigh. "But if you're flying through the sky on a broom, we won't be able to keep up."
"I'll fly ahead first to pinpoint the exact address where the girl is being held," Akane thought for a moment. "Once you take the train to Haido, I'll lead the way for you there."
"Why don't you just save her yourself while you're at it?" Shuichi's eyes flickered with a sly thought. "That way, I won't have to bother running all the way over."
"Agree to three more conditions!" Akane held up three fingers, immediately starting to haggle.
"Just fly ahead, I'll be right behind you." Shuichi didn't waste another word. He turned and walked out decisively. Judging by Akane's attitude, the three conditions he'd already promised would be trouble enough. He wasn't about to "sell his soul" to the Witch just for one blonde girl.
"...Tch, stingy," Akane pouted. She swung a long leg over the broom, gave a light kick off the ground, and the broom carried her straight out through the open window of the first floor.
By the time Shuichi stepped out of the villa, the Witch was already floating steadily in mid-air. Nearby, Orizasa Midori, standing at the gate, clearly couldn't see the girl flying above her.
Seeing Shuichi emerge, she asked anxiously, "Senpai, how did it go? Did you find Mayuki?"
"Other people can't see you?" Shuichi looked up curiously at the hovering Akane. The Witch was leisurely swinging her legs, the sunlight passing through her semi-transparent form to cast mottled shadows on the ground.
"Of course they can't," Akane rolled her eyes, her face full of impatience. "Do you want them to see me and start another witch hunt? I'm heading out first. You guys better hurry up!"
With that, the Witch urged her broom forward and shot into the sky, quickly disappearing into the horizon.
"Let's go. She might be held near the factory district in Haido," Shuichi explained briefly to Midori at the gate, and the two of them hurried toward the station.
Shuichi didn't visit Haido often and wasn't very familiar with the area; Midori was in the same boat. Fortunately, Akane, having flown ahead, had already located the kidnapping site.
As soon as Shuichi and Midori stepped out of the station, they saw Akane flying toward them.
"I found her," the Witch performed a sharp brake, stopping diagonally above Shuichi. "She's in an apartment right next to the suburban factory."
"Lead the way from above," Shuichi replied. "Midori and I will take a taxi."
"Senpai," Midori looked around in confusion. "Who are you talking to?" The delinquent girl's face was full of worry. She stood on her tiptoes, reaching out to touch Shuichi's forehead—her best friend was kidnapped; if Shuichi started having a mental breakdown too, she would truly be in despair.
"Senpai, are you too tired and seeing hallucinations? Maybe we should find a place to rest."
I actually wish Akane were a hallucination... Shuichi sighed inwardly. "I'm fine. Let's go save her."
The two hailed a taxi and, following Akane's guidance, soon arrived at the Haido factory district. The air here was noticeably murkier, with towering chimneys in the distance constantly belching grey-white smoke.
Shuichi took a deep breath after getting out of the car, only to be sent into a coughing fit by the air thick with the smell of machine oil and chemicals. Aside from the sprawling factories, there were rows of apartment buildings of varying ages for the factory workers.
It was currently the end of the work shift, and the area was bustling and noisy. Shuichi looked around and quickly spotted the massive chimney pouring out thick smoke—the same one Akane had seen in the crystal ball.
However, even with that landmark, finding the girl wouldn't have been easy. The factory district was massive, and the apartment blocks were like a labyrinth. If Shuichi had relied on himself, it would have taken ten days to a month to find her. By then, the girl would likely have been tortured beyond recognition.
"Senpai, which way now?" Midori asked, following behind Shuichi with a lost expression.
"Follow me," Shuichi called out. Guided by Akane from above, they soon arrived in front of a dilapidated two-story apartment building.
"The blonde girl is locked in Room 209, at the very end of the second floor," Akane said. She gave a huff at Shuichi. "I've finished what I promised. Don't forget, you still owe me two conditions."
"Don't worry, I won't forget." Shuichi flexed his wrists. He was about to lead Midori upstairs when Akane drifted down again.
"Hey, there are quite a few people in that room right now, including three men," Akane offered a "kind" reminder. "Can the two of you really handle it? Why don't you just beg me? Agree to two more conditions, and I'll handle them for you."
"No need." Shuichi looked around and found a wooden club near the entrance of the old apartment. Just as he was about to toss it to Midori, the delinquent girl shook her head. She reached under her skirt and pulled out a wooden sword. "I brought a weapon, Senpai."
I almost forgot you have that skill... Shuichi nodded speechlessly, gripped his club, and led the way to the second floor.
Hmph, see if I care! If you get beaten up in a moment, I'm not saving you! Akane sat sideways on her broom, resting her chin on one hand with a schadenfreude smile, ready to watch the show.
Shuichi led Midori to the door of Room 209. He could faintly hear the excited cheers of men coming from inside.
"Senpai!" Midori gripped her wooden sword tightly, her face a mix of tension and fear—she was terrified of seeing her friend in a miserable state.
"Relax, she'll be fine," Shuichi reassured her before raising his hand to knock.
"Who is it?" someone inside the apartment growled impatiently.
"Delivery. The ramen you ordered is here," Shuichi replied in a calm, steady voice.
(End of Chapter)
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