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I opened my eyes to the faint glow of the train car's interior, the rhythmic clatter of wheels on tracks humming in the background.
My gaze immediately found the same child from my dream—the trembling boy who had tried and failed to cut the thread of my consciousness.
He stood frozen, his small frame pressed against the wall, his eyes wide with fear as they darted between me and the sleeping forms around us.
I turned my head to the side and saw Mitsuri still deep in her sleep, her chest rising and falling gently. Her pink and green hair spilled over the seat, giving her an angelic, almost serene appearance—except for the bizarre murmurs that escaped her lips.
"No, I can't eat anymore, Shinobu-san. Here, here, eat," she muttered, her tone halfway between pleading and insistence.
I arched an eyebrow, a small smirk tugging at the corners of my lips. "What is she dreaming about?" I wondered aloud. Whatever it was, it seemed oddly food-centric.
My gaze shifted back to the boy. His hands were clenched tightly at his sides, his knuckles white. He hadn't moved a muscle since I woke, like a deer caught in headlights.
With a casual flick of my wrist, I gestured for him to speak. "What is it, boy?" I asked, my voice low but firm, carrying just enough weight to snap him out of his frozen state.
The boy flinched, his small frame trembling. "I-I… I didn't mean to…" he stammered, his words tumbling out in a rush. "It wasn't my fault! Enmu made me do it!"
"Enmu?" I repeated. "So you're one of his pawns." My tone wasn't accusing, just matter-of-fact, but it still made him shrink back further against the wall.
He nodded rapidly, his eyes filling with tears. "He said he'd let my family live if I… if I—" His voice broke, and he couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.
I let out a sigh, leaning back in my seat. "And so you decided to sneak into people's dreams, huh?" I tapped my finger against the armrest, considering him. "But let me guess—you didn't think you'd run into someone like me."
The boy shook his head frantically, his tears spilling over now. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't want to hurt anyone! Please, don't—don't kill me!"
I tilted my head, watching him for a moment. He was just a scared kid, desperate and caught in a web of fear spun by a demon. "Relax," I said, my voice softening slightly. "If I wanted you dead, you wouldn't be standing here."
His trembling subsided slightly, but he still looked like he expected me to lunge at him at any moment.
"Sit," I said, gesturing to the seat across from me. "You've got some explaining to do."
The boy hesitated, his gaze flickering to Mitsuri and the girl tied to her wrist. When he saw they were still asleep, he crept forward and perched nervously on the edge of the seat.
"Start from the beginning," I instructed. "Why did Enmu choose you? And what does he want with this train?"
Even though I know the answer to that, I still asked as I don't know for sure if my presence here has changed anything significant.
The boy swallowed hard, his voice shaky as he began to speak. "Enmu… he came to my village a few months ago. He… he killed everyone." His voice faltered, and he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "He said he'd spare my family if I worked for him. He made me go into people's dreams, to… to destroy them from the inside."
I nodded, my expression neutral. "And this train? What's his plan here?"
The boy hesitated, glancing at the sleeping passengers around us. "He said the train is full of food for him. He's going to merge with it, control it. Everyone on board… they're all going to die."
"Ambitious," I muttered, leaning forward slightly. "And what about you? What happens to you when he's done?"
The boy looked down, his voice barely a whisper. "He… he said I'd see my family again. My family is also on the train."
I let out a dry laugh. "In other words, they died."
The boy flinched, "I don't know."
I leaned back, resting my chin on my hand as I studied him. He was just a pawn, a tool to be discarded once his usefulness ran out. Typical demon behavior.
"Alright," I said finally, standing up and stretching. "Here's what's going to happen. You're going to stay right here, and you're not going to try anything stupid. Understand?"
The boy nodded rapidly, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and confusion.
"And as for Enmu…" I smirked, my eyes glinting with anticipation. "I'll deal with him personally." Then I stretched my arm and evoked a spell towards Mitsuria, "[Mirage Protection]."
Mitsuri stirred beside me, letting out a soft yawn as she blinked her eyes open. "Alex-san?" she murmured sleepily, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. "What's going on? Did I fall asleep?"
"Yeah," I said, glancing at her with a small smile. "But it seems we've got some work to do."
Mitsuri's gaze shifted to the boy, who was still sitting stiffly across from us. Her eyes widened slightly, but she didn't say anything, waiting for me to explain.
"This kid was working for the demon controlling the train," I said, gesturing to him. "Long story short, he's scared out of his mind, and I don't think he'll cause us any more trouble."
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