When Pascal saw Kira's interest, he smirked confidently. "I think I know just the right words to get your attention."
Kira had already gotten out of bed, impatience evident in her voice. "Are you taking me there or not?"
Pascal chuckled and then jumped down from the window. He looked up at her, hand in his jacket pocket, and replied casually, "Sure, I will."
Without hesitation, Kira followed him, jumping down as well. They entered the woods, Pascal leading the way. Suddenly, he stopped abruptly, causing Kira to turn toward a nearby tree.
There, lying on the ground with arms and legs splayed, was a naked girl, her dress torn and blood trickling from the corner of her lips.
Kira's eyes flashed blue. Pascal, standing behind her, took a step back and said quietly, "I think she was raped and murdered."
Kira's voice deepened, almost a growl. "Who did this?"
Seeing her reaction, Pascal realized it wasn't the moment for jokes. He kept his tone steady. "I just found her on my way to your home. It was done before I arrived."
Kira turned sharply toward him, her voice cold and filled with fury. "And you didn't chase after the culprit?"
Pascal was caught off guard, his lips twitching as he struggled to respond. He took a deep breath and said softly, "Calm down, Kira."
But she was already stepping toward him, claws extended, voice trembling with rage. "Men like you are scum. They prey on the weak to prove their strength. They deserve to die! All of them—they all have to pay."
Panic flashed across Pascal's face as he shouted, "Kira! Kira! Kira!"
Suddenly, she stopped advancing, lowering her head. Her claws retracted into her fingernails, heavy breaths racked her body. Beads of sweat traced down her forehead as she panted, her mouth opening slightly.
"You've lost control again," Pascal said gravely.
He added, "If you keep this up, you'll give yourself away to the authorities."
Kira snapped at him, her voice steadier. "Don't worry. I'll be fine."
Pascal remained silent, thoughtful. Then she asked, "You know who did this."
A faint smile touched Pascal's lips. "I can't hide anything from you, can I?"
Kira nodded firmly. "No, you can't. So, tell me—who was it?"
Pascal paused, then asked, "And what should we do about the body?"
In the quiet woods, distant voices echoed—calling out "Alexander," then "Alex!" followed by, "Where are you, Alexander?"
Pascal turned to Kira. She nodded silently. Without hesitation, they moved, their footsteps quickening. Moments later, the sound of approaching footfalls announced others nearby.
A woman and a small group of men appeared, approaching the corpse on the ground. The woman in front froze suddenly, her face draining of color as she stared at the body. Her trembling lips parted as she called out, "Alexander." Her voice broke as she hurried forward, clutching the corpse and wailing uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face and snot mixing with her sobs.
From a safe distance, Kira watched the scene with clenched fists, her jaw tight. Pascal stood nearby, his face an unreadable mask, calm and composed.
"Take me to them," Kira said firmly.
Pascal responded without hesitation, "Come with me," and they moved away from the woods.
They emerged into the bustling town, where the carnival was still alive with loud music, laughter, and dancing. Bright lights flickered, and the air was thick with joy.
Pascal paused, watching the lively crowd gather around the stage, where a band played and people danced carefree. He looked at Kira and asked, "You won't lose control, right?"
Kira's voice was cold and steady. "I won't."
He nodded, and together they blended into the crowd. They soon found their way to a nearby bar, where a group of men with tattoos sat drinking, laughing loudly and joking recklessly.
Kira's gaze fixed on one of the men—he was joking around, holding a jug of liquor, clearly drunk and carefree. His antics made her eyes narrow.
"He's the one," Kira said softly.
Pascal turned to her. "You're sharp. What do you plan to do?"
Kira lowered her gaze, silent and contemplative. Pascal, sensing her intent, warned, "Don't murder him."
Kira shot him an icy glare, and Pascal quickly forced a smile, falling silent.
The man remained unaware of her stare. He took a long swig from his jug, chuckling as he announced, "Tonight's been a good one. I gotta pee, though. Be right back."
One of his friends teased, "Use the toilet, dumbass."
The man scoffed. "That's for guys with small cocks—afraid it'll be seen."
Laughter erupted around him as he staggered out of the bar, heading toward the bushes. He pulled down his zipper, about to relieve himself, when suddenly he froze—fear overtaking his drunken bravado. Footsteps sounded behind him.
He looked around, panicked, swallowing nervously. "Who's there?" he asked, voice trembling.
Before he could react, a strong grip seized his arm. In an instant, he was yanked into the bushes.
He fell hard onto the ground, rolling until he slammed against a tree. Ignoring the pain that shot through his entire body, he scrambled to his feet, his face twisted with fear and dread. His lips trembled as he stammered, "Who's there?"
He looked around desperately, and his eyes caught a shadowy silhouette ahead.
A soft voice responded, "The ghost of the girl you killed and raped."
At those words, he immediately soaked himself in urine, trembling as he clutched his sides. His voice quivered with horror: "Y-You're dead… There's no such thing as ghosts!"
Suddenly, the silhouette vanished from his sight. He let out a piercing scream and bolted away, stumbling and falling repeatedly. Each time, he scrambled to his feet and kept running, driven by pure terror.
Then, a strong hand seized his shoulder. Frozen in place, he couldn't move. A whisper tickled his ear: "I will haunt you until your last breath."
He screamed again, swinging his arms wildly as he spun around, but saw no one behind him. Tears streaming down his face, he begged, "Please… ghost, stay away from me… stay away!"
He thrashed and wailed, overwhelmed by fear. A few meters away, Kira and Pascal watched the scene unfold side by side.
"Do you think this will work?" Pascal asked quietly.