Chapter 11: Shy Rin
After walking for not long along the direction the pointer was indicating, they saw a staircase leading to a basement. The stench constantly wafting out from below the stairs, mixed with a bloody smell that was difficult for an ordinary person to detect, caused Shirou to narrow his eyes.
As a pathological serial killer, Ryuunosuke Uryuu had harmed an unknown number of people up until now. After meeting Caster, Ryuunosuke Uryuu's atrocities intensified, as he continuously abducted large numbers of children to torment these innocent children for his so-called 'art.'
Rin, who was walking beside Shirou, looked at the pocket watch in her hand and suddenly let out a gasp. "It stopped...!" The pointer was motionless, pointing steadily forward. Any mage, regardless of skill level, could sense the magical energy fluctuations constantly emanating from that spot.
There was also a bloody odor constantly lingering in the air. Without a doubt, this was Ryuunosuke Uryuu's hiding place. "This must be it." Shirou looked toward the deep darkness ahead.
Just as Shirou was about to advance, he suddenly noticed Rin hadn't followed, and he immediately turned to look. Rin, whose face was pale, was standing rooted to the spot, her body trembling slightly.
Even though she had confirmed the location, her heart was filled with fear. The adult-like composure she had forced herself to wear was now shattered by the terrifying reality. She was afraid of finding clues about Kotone here, and even more afraid of seeing Kotone's corpse. "No..."
The deep darkness of the corridor seemed to hold the breath of something, as if an unspeakable horror was awaiting her. Rin finally realized that this journey of exploration, which she had thought was about rescuing her good friend, was not something that could be accomplished merely by making a resolution.
It was neither child's play nor a performance. If there were no living things inside, but only a pile of corpses, what would Rin do if she truly saw that scene?
"No... no..." Rin couldn't help but feel scared. Although she had always maintained her elegance under the family's tutelage, she was ultimately just a little girl.
She was still only of elementary school age. Even though she was far more mature than her peers, her life experience limited her imagination. Rin had never witnessed the magi or the magical creatures of the outside world, and the sheer horror of them was something the young Rin had only vaguely felt in fragmented nightmares.
For some reason, Rin felt a sharp ringing begin in her ears. It seemed her overwhelming fear was causing tinnitus. The high-frequency sound, as if piercing through her brain and endlessly looping, made her already panicked heart even more vulnerable.
The sound of the tinnitus continuously agitated Rin's fragile nerves. And then, a sound louder than the ringing approached.
Just then, Rin's small, fair hand was taken. In that instant, Rin felt as if she was wrapped in a warm towel, and a sense of relief enveloped her.
Rin lifted her face and looked at the red-haired boy holding her hand. "If you're scared, then just hold my hand," Shirou said in a gentle tone.
The moment she heard those words, Rin's cheeks, being looked at, instantly flushed crimson. Her heartbeat gradually accelerated, her mind began to grow dull, and even her breathing became shallow.
"Your classmate named Kotone should be inside here."
"How can you be so sure?" Rin's body was trembling slightly, the fear from before seemingly still lingering.
Upon hearing her question, Shirou showed a slight smile. The things he had experienced were probably difficult for Rin, at her current age, to comprehend. "Because my hearing is quite sensitive."
While speaking, Shirou reached out and opened the basement door in front of them. She might have been able to feign composure if she were alone, but with Shirou acting as a figure of support, Rin's childish nature was immediately exposed.
Rin's small right hand, following behind, tightly grasped Shirou's hand, afraid to let go easily. Perhaps because Ryuunosuke Uryuu was too arrogant, the door wasn't even locked.
Click— Shirou turned the doorknob, and the slightly rusted door in front of them opened.
Stepping into the space inside, the smell of decay and the scent of blood immediately filled the air. Rin, who was following behind Shirou and smelled these odors, instantly frowned. "This is..." This scent made her feel anxious.
She was afraid that upon entering the room, she would see Kotone having been brutally murdered. If that were the case, the ensuing sight would undoubtedly cause a tremendous psychological trauma in Rin's future life. However, it was also impossible for her to simply stop and not go forward.
Rin gathered her courage and stepped into the room, where she immediately saw her classmate. The girl was currently bound hand and foot, her eyes covered with black cloth, and a wad of fabric was even stuffed into her mouth.
"Kotone!" The moment she saw Kotone, all of Rin's fear was cast aside. "Hey, Kotone, what's wrong!?"
However, even though Rin leaned her face close to Kotone's ear to call her, or directly shook her body, Kotone showed no reaction, as if her soul had been drained. But Rin could still sense breathing, which indicated that Kotone's mind was only temporarily in a dissociated state.
Rin immediately thought of something. "Could it be that she's under some kind of curse?"
While Rin murmured this, staring at the listless Kotone, Shirou had already helped the other children up. "Let's get them out of here first."
Hearing this, Rin was stunned for a moment, then immediately reacted. "O-okay!"
The now-alert Rin quickly went forward to help, leading Kotone and the other children out. After arriving in the alley outside, Rin looked at Kotone with concern.
"What should we do... Kotone seems to be under some kind of curse now...!" Rin shook Kotone in front of her, trying to restore her consciousness.
"Can't you use magecraft?" Shirou's sudden question made Rin feel as if she had just awakened from a dream. "Magecraft...?"
Overwhelmed by the joy of finally finding her friend, Rin had even forgotten that she knew magecraft. After being reminded by Shirou, she quickly held the magical energy pointer in her hand and began to release her magical energy.
"I can do this...!" Rin tightly furrowed her brow, desperately trying to activate her Magic Circuits, and a pale blue light immediately began to bloom.
It must be said that at this age, the talent Rin displayed was truly astonishing.