"So, why did you follow me, Yasir-san?"
"I can't just leave you. You're sick, so I have to be with you. By the way, what are we here for? What are you looking for?"
His eyes showed that he knew nothing. He kept peeking at the little girl from this bench, in the middle of the bustling city.
Andre helped me because he saw the condition of my body that looked pale. He's even alert if I'm in trouble. Even so, I don't want to involve him in this, it's dangerous for him.
"Well, I was just idly following them."
"Eh? Seriously?"
"Yeah, seriously."
Even though the memory of the dream seems hazy, but I'm sure that this girl is the one in the dream. However, right now the little girl and her mother were buying a toy in this toy shop in front of me.
"Then why don't we go back to the dorms?"
I can't go back, I still have to prevent that from happening, I'm the one who knows about their future. If I go back at this time, I can't change their future, and the outcome thing, they... die.
"Maybe later, I still want to be here."
"Why? Do you know that little girl?"
"I don't know. But even so, I want to help her."
"Help her? What for?"
"For her safety."
"..."
Andre was silent for a while, and several times glanced at the toy shop.
This is a natural thing for anyone because indeed I did not provide clear information why I am here. If I told the obvious, maybe Andre's response wouldn't be like that.
"I don't understand, why did you save her? Did something happen to her?"
"Well, you could say it like that."
When they came out of the shop, I saw in her hand the girl was holding a box of the toy plane. The shape of the toy plane was similar to my dream at that time, this made me even more convinced that they were the ones in my dream.
"Mama, this plane is so cool, I can't wait to fly this plane."
"Later the toy plane at home, okay?"
"Yes, Mom."
"We'll follow them."
I walked, following them from behind, and Andre seemed still unsure of what he was doing. Even so, he still came beside me.
I can't suddenly appear in front of them and say they're going to die, I can't do that. The thing I need to find out right now is the clock of the incident, the incident that killed them in the park. If I had known the hour, maybe I could have stopped them before it was too late.
And my hunch is that the hour will come in the afternoon.
This is just logical. When viewed from the time of gathering togetherness between daughter and mother, it is most appropriate in the afternoon.
"Isn't this a crime?"
"I know that, but what can I do."
"What's the matter, Akio-san?"
I hesitate to say this to Andre. However, his mentality was not yet ready to meet those creatures, let alone an S-Rank Astral. I don't want to harm him. It's my job to protect this world and prevent things that I don't want. I'm a human chosen as a Huoltaja, so I shouldn't risk other people's lives just to help me.
"Actually… at first glance, I liked that little girl. Hehehe." I deliberately put on a perverted face to follow the flow of my speech.
"Ugh, that's disgusting. You're a lolicon, Akio-san?"
"Hehehe, that's how it is."
"I just found out about it. But really, you're disgusting, Akio-san."
Even though those words hurt a little, I was just pretending, but I have to be able to endure this condition.
"Hehehe."
"You mean... you want to kidnap that little girl?"
"No, no, no, it won't. Why do you think your thoughts are only getting worse, Yasir-san?"
"After all, if you're a lolicon, your goal must be to kidnap the little girl, just like any other lolicon."
"No, no, no, I wouldn't do that."
"Ah~ thank goodness, I thought you would kidnap her."
We followed them on these streets, full of people enjoying the night. As usual, people remained calm on these streets. But I'm sure, if the creature suddenly appeared again, people would panic and abandon their humanity. I'm one hundred percent sure of that.
Well, I didn't expect that to happen either.
To confirm the building on this street, I took my cell phone from my pocket, opened the map of this city.
"Hmph, there are only a few buildings that can access the basement here."
"Eh? Why are you saying that, Akio-san?"
"I just want to check every building."
"Will Astral appear again?"
"I don't know. But what is clear, at least I know a building that is a safe place if the monster appears again."
Well, I know Andre was scared when I checked the building that had access to the basement. From his question, it shows that he is still afraid of the appearance of the creature. Although Fujita's words calmed him down a bit, it didn't mean his mind would change that quickly. Whoever it was, whose mental state was still low, would choose to run away instead of having to fight the creature. So to confirm the escape route for the humans here, I checked the map of this city.
While I was checking this map, suddenly an incoming call from Karin Nakano appeared on my phone screen, making me panic.
"Ugh..."
"Why?"
I quickly gave my phone to Yasir.
"You pick up this call, I don't want to deal with her."
"No, I can't."
Yasir gave my phone back to me.
"Why?"
"You know, I might get electrocuted later when I hold your phone."
"Oh, that's right."
Yasir is not as stupid as Fujita, he knows and remembers this. So, like it or not, I'm the one who has to pick up this call.
"Hello."
"Akio-kun, where are you? Why aren't you in your dorm?"
The voice at Karin's place was a little noisy like she was in a room filled with many people.
"I-"
"Akio-san, jhash annzc askh..."
I heard Fujita's voice so clearly where Karin was, it took me by surprise.
"Eh? Fujitora?"
"Fujita, desu. Hecn mo jasnnc ncnzn(Help me, I'm locked up)! Yeah, Ryo is very useful. Uh? What?!"
There were so many voices there, there was Shiva's voice, there was also Fujita's voice as if something was gagging.
"Akio-kun, where are you? You're all right, aren't you?"
Karin was so worried about me, it sounded in her voice.
"I'm fine."
"Come back! Don't wander out there, it's too dangerous for you, Akio-kun. Akio-san, jakzb akasknc acasjja asm casczx(Akio-san, return it as soon as possible, and help me)! Noisy! Shut up!"
I had a hunch that Fujita was going through something like what I had in the past. But it's just that, I had heard Karin's voice was so cruel when she told Fujita to be quiet.
"Oi Fujitora, are you okay there? What happened to you?"
"Akio-kun, hurry to go back! Otherwise, I'll pick you up there right now."
Karin ordered again. She was so worried about what I was doing right now. Even so, I still have to do my duty as a Huoltaja.
"Sorry, I can't return to the dorms at this time. Sorry..."
"Eh? Why? Why can't you go back to the dorm? What happened? Tell me, Akio-kun!"
With that surprised tone of Karin's voice, I hung up the call and looked at the little girl.
"I… I still have to save them."
"Are you okay, Akio-san?"
Andre was a little silent while I was communicating with Karin. He seems curious about what happened earlier.
"Ah~ don't worry, I'm fine. But it's just, Fujitora isn't doing well at the moment."
"Oh, I see. But that's not what I meant..."
Hearing Andre says that I immediately turned to him with a shocked face.
"Eh? What do you mean?"
"I mean, are you okay in your soul? You look even paler, like an undead right now. Your lips are so pale, your face looks doubtful, your eyes don't look like eyes that want to look into the future, your legs keep shaking, you look on the verge of death, Akio-san."
I was surprised to hear that. My body had been feeling a little strange from earlier, continued to feel the cold and excessive fear, but I was still able to endure this far.
To confirm Andre's words, I walked over to a large mirror reflection in the fashion store.
But before I went there, I realized that all this time a lot of people were watching me.
"..."
I tried to ignore the people who were looking at me and walked over to the mirror. When I got there, I saw my reflection in the mirror.
My lips are blue. My skin turned pale white, it was something I didn't expect. My teeth turned yellow like I rarely brushed my teeth. My tongue is blackened, but I deeply feel the taste so good. My eyes were filled with tears, so it made me see a little less clear. And what's worse, I feel like I have no soul.
"What's this? Why? Why is it like this?"
"Akio-san, are you okay?"
I heard Andre's voice behind me, but instead, I turned to the side, at the little girl and her mother.
When I looked over there, I didn't find them there.
"Is lost?"
Feeling I lost them, I immediately ran there, leaving Andre.
"Akio-san..."
"Yasir-san, hurry up, they are disappearing."
I don't care about my body, my mind just keeps wanting to save them. This is my job now, being a Huoltaja. I have to be able to do my job to the best of my ability, no matter what happens to me.
When I managed to find them, I unconsciously kept running.
"Oh, shit..."
I couldn't stop, and the result was hitting them in front of me.
BOOK!!!
"Ow."
"Akio-san..."
I heard Andre's voice so faint like it was slowly disappearing in the wind.
And when I realized, while I was lying on this ground, I saw a human with skin covered with fur on the roof of a building looking at me.
"Xixixixi, gotcha."
As that person jumped onto the roof of another building, my eyes slowly closed.