After reaching Iwate Prefecture, he had various things he had to do, such as hotel reservations, investigating Sucha High school, and so on.

Among them, investigating Sucha High school was the top priority of this trip.

The police might not have been able to learn much from the old ruins, but Kitagawa Tera was different.

He could see 'spirits,' and 'spirits' were created from human thoughts. The lower-level irrational wraiths might not be able to communicate with Kitagawa Tera, but he could perhaps obtain precious information from the unconscious howls of these 'spirits' during his investigation.

Kitagawa Tera did not dawdle any further. After cla.s.s, he went to his teacher to ask for a few days off and then headed straight home.

After returning home, Kitagawa Tera called Kamiya Mirai and asked her to take care of Kitagawa Eri for the next few days.

Kamiya Mirai did not seem very surprised when she heard him. After all, it was what they had agreed on.

After hanging up, Kitagawa Tera called Kitagawa Eri. He briefly explained that he was going to Iwate Prefecture for a few days and hung up on her, ignoring her weird tone.

He told her yesterday about this, but Kitagawa Eri had not listened to him seriously, so she could not complain that Kitagawa Tera took on this att.i.tude.

His younger sister had to grow some memory.

Kitagawa Tera sighed softly. He looked at the things in his backpack—two sets of clean clothes, a portable charger, three flashlights, and a ghastly white ball.

With everything ready, Kitagawa Tera nodded in satisfaction. He strapped his watch on after checking its accuracy and zipped up his backpack.

He then checked his wallet, student ID… Everything seemed to be in order.

He nodded satisfactorily and simply carried his bag downstairs.

"Time to set off."

Kitagawa Tera did not turn back. He buried half of his face into his scarf as he left the Kitagawas' house far behind him.

…

He reached Morioka in Iwate Prefecture through the high-speed bullet train and then from Morioka to Ha.s.san City, taking Kitagawa Tera nearly four hours.

It was already half past eight at night, even though he left at four in the afternoon.

The street lamps lit up at half past six, and the sky had been dark for some time.

Kitagawa Tera was anxious to find the hotel he reserved, but he encountered something troublesome.

"You came to Ha.s.san City to visit your relatives, but they gave you the wrong address? Your phone ran out of battery, and you can't find the police on duty?"

Kitagawa Tera frowned at the large and small figures in front of him.

One of them was a middle-aged countrywoman with a thick palm, and the other was a seven or eight-year-old little girl with a pure, pinkish face.

The little girl seemed to have been out with her mother for quite some time. Pale red marks had appeared on her fair pinkish cheeks.

It was possible for simple farmers from the countryside to be lost in a big city, but it was too unreal for someone like that to continue being lost with her daughter so late at night.

Kitagawa Tera eyed his watch.

It was eight forty-six at night. It would probably have to drag until nine o'clock should he send this pair of mother and daughter on their way.

He loosened his frown. Seeing the little girl s.h.i.+vering with a runny nose, he shook his head.

"Let's go. However, I'm also a tourist who has just arrived in Ha.s.san City, so I might not be able to bring you to the right place."

"Thank you very much! Thank you very much!" The farmer-like woman bowed to Kitagawa Tera again and again, expressing her gratefulness for his help.

Kitagawa Tera waved his hand casually.

He glanced at the little girl again.

Not only was she not afraid, but she even showed Kitagawa Tera a cute and innocent smile.

Under this smile, the expression on Kitagawa Tera's face softened considerably.

A smile during the winter night always warmed the heart.

"Come with me." Kitagawa Tera took his phone out, opened Google Maps, and gauged their approximate location.

It would still take some time to get to the nearest police station. He beckoned the two of them to follow him.

The night of Ha.s.san City was different from that of Tokyo. It lacked the throb of a city and was more tranquil.

On this cold night, the cold wind sc.r.a.ped Kitagawa Tera's hair as it roared past.

Under the suppression of the night, tranquility became dead silence. Kitagawa Tera could even hear his own breathing.

He continued forward this way, answering the question of the middle-aged woman behind him from time to time.

Most of her questions were trivial. For example, she asked why Kitagawa Tera came to Iwate Prefecture alone, or she would nag at the little girl by her side.

Kitagawa Tera also learned their names and purpose for coming to Iwate Prefecture.

"So, Nis.h.i.+kujo-obasan brought Karen to see her biological father?" Kitagawa Tera asked with slight surprise.

The middle-aged woman was Nis.h.i.+kujo Mika. She divorced Nis.h.i.+kujo Karen's biological father a few years ago and brought the little girl to live in the countryside alone.

Originally, both parties agreed in court that Nis.h.i.+kujo Karen's father should pay a portion of Karen's child support.

However, that man had not wired money since three months ago. Nis.h.i.+kujo Mika was from the countryside and could not shoulder Nis.h.i.+kujo Karen's school fees, so she could only bite the bullet and bring her daughter to Ha.s.san City.

But the address the man gave was wrong, causing Nis.h.i.+kujo Mika to lose her way. Later, she encountered Kitagawa Tera and asked him for help.

So this is what happened.

Kitagawa Tera could not help shaking his head.

The night wind became even chillier now.

The weather seemed to be getting worse, and even the shaking street lamps looked as though they were about to fall.

Kitagawa Tera wrapped his scarf tightly and heard Nis.h.i.+kujo Mika ask, "Why did Kitagawkun come to Ha.s.san City alone?"

"I'm here to do something similar as you are. I'm searching for someone as well." Kitagawa Tera blinked and looked back at Nis.h.i.+kujo Karen with the red marks on her cheeks. His heart melted a little, and he wrapped the scarf that retained his warmth around her.

After he was done, Kitagawa Tera stood still and took Nis.h.i.+kujo Karen's little hand.

He turned around to face Nis.h.i.+kujo Mika and said, "We're here."

Nis.h.i.+kujo Mika was not in front of the police station but a neat row of rental apartments. They were blinking under the night sky.

Nis.h.i.+kujo Mika was in front of Kitagawa Tera.

Her image had long since changed from a benevolent mother to that of a wraith with scarlet eyes, emitting vicious black aura.

Her black nails shone like paper cutters, and her forehead was stained with blood. Looking carefully, there was a huge hole with black fluid oozing from it.

Yes, Nis.h.i.+kujo Mika… including Nis.h.i.+kujo Karen by Kitagawa Tera's side…

… Were no longer among the living.