Kairen read the papers he was given. The victims were all people working for well-known and top-ranking companies of the country. They were normal people doing business and living a normal life. Most of them disappeared after leaving their work in the evening. It was weird that not even a single CCTV could capture what happened to them after that.
The police didn't think it was a serious case until a few days ago and treated it like normal missing person cases. The investigation of the case started two days ago after realizing that disappeared people had some kind of similarities with each other but they couldn't do much until now.
After reading all the documents, Kairen, lieutenant Thain, one detective, and an officer got in a car. He was told that they were going to visit locations where the victims were last seen before their disappearance.
"We have arrived."
The car stopped in front of an alley and everyone got off. Kairen knew this place. Here was where the first victim, Ain Warld, was last recorded by CCTV's. After driving into this alley that he always passed to get to his home, he vanished. Kairen could see a white expensive-looking car parked on one side of the alley, it was the victim's car that he was driving before going missing.
"You should know where this place is if you've read the documents."
"Yes."
"Well then, go on. Start your work."
"..."
Kairen wasn't given an explanation of what he was supposed to do, but he had some hints. He could get some information after searching the internet and hearing lieutenant Thain's words. He took one step forward and cast a spell.
Trace
Trace spell, as its name could show was a magic spell used to track down people. It could show the traces of people who used to be in a location, the direction they came and went, or give small information about what they had done in a place. If used while combining with other spells, it could give more accurate information.
Kairen used the spell in himself and lieutenant Thain. He could feel a dark layer covering his sight as if he just wore sunglasses. In his darkened vision, he could see different colors flashing in front of him. Everywhere was covered in different colors, some shiny and some faint. He looked at Ain Warld's car. The car was full of colors as well but he could see a faint and weak light blue colored thin line coming out from inside the car. But that was all. The thin line came out of the car and got mixed up with all other thick and shiny lines outside.
Kairen canceled his spell and looked at lieutenant Thain who was massaging her eyes. Kairen's eyes hurt as well from all those colors.
"I guess we are too late to use Trace in Mr. Warld. Two weeks have passed and his trace has gotten weaker. In addition, so many people have passed here that all their traces got mixed up."
"Yeah."
Kairen nodded. Each of those lines belonged to one person who had passed this place in the last month. As time passes, a person's trace gets weaker and thinner till it disappears after one month. But that didn't mean Kairen's work was done. He once again used magic, casting two spells at the same time.
Trace - Focus
Now that he knew how and where Ain Warld's trace was, he could use Trace and only focus on his trace. Casting two spells at the same time was a little bit burdening for him as he felt his body getting heavier, but he still cast the spells.
This time, all the extra lines were removed and both of them could see the light blue colored line moving out of the car. The line moved towards the wall on the opposing side of the car and stopped there. It didn't move anymore and didn't return. The trace ended there.
"...."
"...."
"How strange."
Kairen nodded his head at lieutenant Thain's words. It was as if the man suddenly turned to air.
The lieutenant asked Kairen to use the magic on the detective that came with them as well. After that, they went to 4 other locations and repeated the same thing again. All of the results were the same. The victim's trace just stopped at one point and didn't move anymore.
Kairen felt like he would die from exhaustion if he continued doing this. Probably lieutenant Thain also saw his near-death expression as she didn't ask him to do anything more and even gave him a ride until they reached the dormitory.
"Ower here, ower here."
When set foot in the cafeteria, he could see Serria waving her hand towards him. Kairen dragged his tired body towards her desk and plopped down on a chair.
"Whoa! You look like a corpse!"
"I feel the same."
"It isn't mealtime, why are you here?"
Kairen could see Serria's empty plate on the table. Seeing his gaze, Serria explained.
"I had nothing to do after coming back from my mission, so I thought I would wait here till you guys come."
"You sat here 3 hours waiting for us?"
Nod nod.
"...."
"You are the first to come back. So, explain. What was your mission?"
'I don't have the energy to talk!'
Kairen ignored Serria's excited voice and placed his head on the table to calm his headache a little bit.
"Bring me my food first."
"Ok~"
Kairen started eating the food that Serria gave him. Reyan also arrived there after some time. Unlike the half-dead Kairen, he didn't seem even a little bit tired. Serria as well. She was as energetic as ever.
'Why am I always the only one who is out of energy?'
Kairen decided to train more while he started talking about what happened tonight.
"That is indeed weird."
"Right? It feels like there is something complicated behind it."
"But isn't it too interesting? I wish I could switch places with you."
"What is your mission, Serria?"
"Me? I was sent to work as a firefighter. It is super cool. I thought it was the best mission until I heard about yours..."
Serria made a gloomy face as she said that last sentence.
"Good for you guys..."
Reyan, who was silent until now suddenly said those words with a really envious voice that was surprising to hear from him.
"I was sent to work as a prison guard...."
He didn't even wait for them to ask about his mission.
"It is... really..."
Reyan had a sad and disappointed face. It seemed like he didn't like his mission at all and had suffered the whole day.
"...."
"...."
Serria placed her hand on her mouth to suppress her laughter and kairen coughed awkwardly. They didn't know why Reyan was so sad, but just seeing him make that kind of face was funny.
"I'm glad... it's just one week."
"Ahem. Y-yeah! It w-will end soon..."
Serria's voice was shaking because of her suppressing her laughter. Reyan would start a fight if she laughed at him like that...however, he seemed to not mind it this time. Maybe he really had a hard time today.
***
The next day Kairen didn't have much to do in the police department as the detectives were still working on the case. He could hear their discussion while sitting in the hall where all the desks were placed.
"What if their trace was purposely erased?"
A young detective, who accompanied Kairen yesterday, said that while folding his arms and leaning against her chair.
"You want to say someone kidnapped them?"
An assistant reacted to his words.
"Well, we can't say it is impossible, right?"
Another detective joined the conversation.
"Do you have any evidence?"
"No. But it is better to have that possibility in mind."
"Lieutenant Thain said that as well. There is a high possibility of someone kidnapping people on purpose."
The assistant who was watching the two detectives asked again.
"You mean someone with a unique skill is doing this?"
"I am not sure, but why not? Unique power users can do lots of things."
"But still, I don't think that is possible..."
The detective turned towards Kairen at that moment.
"Um, what was your name?"
"...Kairen."
"Yes. Ahem, Kairen. You tell her. Isn't it possible to erase one's trace using magic?"
Kairen thought for a moment. A spell that can erase one's trace?
"I don't think so. Even if there is such a spell, I have never heard of it."
"Is that so..."
The detective lowered his head with a dejected expression. However, Kairen continued on with what he was saying. He actually had a thought. It came to his mind yesterday but he didn't say it to anyone.
"I am not sure about magic, but if someone with unique power is involved... then what about someone with the power of Space?"
"....?"
The detective raised one of his eyebrows and turned to him again.
"If it is space, then moving someone without any witnesses is possible. It is also possible to cut down a person's trace. It was written in the documents that even those people's phones couldn't be tracked... that is also possible if someone with the power of Space is involved."
"...."
"...."
One of the detectives scratched his chin as if he was deep in thought.
"I didn't even think about that... those with the power of Space are... more than rare. I guess it may be possible."
"I forgot about that as well."
The other detective suddenly rose up from his seat and walked towards a room.
"I will check it out. Everyone with the power of space."
"Tell me if you find something."
"Okay."
"Ah, I will help you as well."
The assistant also followed him to the room.
"...."
'Did they really not think about it?'
It was surprising. How do you call yourselves detectives? Tsk Tsk.