Soft sunlight slowly crept through the window.
The warm light slid across the wooden floor, climbed the edge of the bed, and finally touched Renji's face.
He groaned quietly.
"…Five more minutes…"
But the unfamiliar smell of wood and fresh air quickly reminded him—
This wasn't his room.
Renji's eyes opened halfway.
For a few seconds, he just stared at the ceiling, trying to remember everything that had happened.
Then it all rushed back at once.
Another world.
Magic.
The Demon Lord.
His father.
And Mizuki.
Renji sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes.
"Mizuki…?"
No answer.
The room was empty.
The bed across from him was untouched, and the morning breeze moved the curtains gently beside the window.
Renji frowned.
"…Did she leave already?"
He stood up and walked toward the window.
Something caught his eye.
A figure sitting on the roof outside.
Renji blinked.
"…Of course she's on the roof."
A few minutes later, Renji climbed out through the window and carefully stepped onto the slanted tiles.
Mizuki was sitting near the edge of the roof, her knees drawn slightly toward her chest.
The early morning sunlight painted the sky in shades of orange and pink.
She didn't turn around when he approached.
Her eyes were fixed on the horizon.
Renji sat down beside her.
"Good morning."
Mizuki responded without looking at him.
"…Morning."
Her voice sounded different.
Quieter.
Renji glanced at her face.
Something was off.
Mizuki was usually confident… even playful.
But right now she looked distant.
Lost in thought.
Renji tilted his head slightly.
"What's wrong?"
Mizuki shook her head.
"It's nothing."
She continued watching the sunrise.
Renji didn't buy it.
"Yeah, I don't believe that."
Mizuki sighed softly.
"I told you. It's nothing."
Renji leaned back on his hands.
"I may have known you for less than a day…"
He looked toward the rising sun.
"But even I can tell something's bothering you."
Mizuki stayed silent.
The wind moved her pink hair slightly across her face.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Mizuki finally exhaled.
"…This morning I saw something."
Renji glanced at her.
"What?"
"A little girl."
She paused.
"She was walking with her father."
Renji blinked.
"And that reminded you of…?"
"…My father."
Renji turned toward her fully now.
"Wait."
His brain caught up with what she just said.
"I thought you said you were a magical spirit."
"I am."
"…Then how do you have a father?"
Mizuki looked down at her hands.
"Magical spirits weren't always spirits."
Renji frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Mizuki's voice softened slightly.
"Before we become spirits… we were human."
Renji blinked in surprise.
"…Seriously?"
"It's extremely rare."
She looked up at the sky again.
"Most humans die and simply pass on."
"But once in a thousand years or so…"
Her voice became quieter.
"Someone becomes something else."
Renji studied her expression.
"…And that happened to you."
Mizuki nodded slowly.
Renji hesitated before asking the next question.
"…How?"
For a moment, Mizuki didn't answer.
Her eyes reflected the sunlight on the horizon.
Then she spoke again.
"…It's connected to your father."
Renji froze slightly.
"My father?"
"Yes."
Renji leaned forward.
"You actually knew him?"
Mizuki nodded.
"He lived in my village."
Renji's mind struggled to process that.
"…So my father was actually in this world?"
"Yes."
"And you met him?"
"Yes."
Renji stared at her.
"That's… unbelievable."
Mizuki gave a small smile.
"You're not the only one who thought that."
Renji folded his arms.
"So what happened?"
Mizuki turned toward him.
"…If I explain it, you might not believe me."
Renji shrugged.
"At this point, nothing surprises me anymore."
Mizuki lifted her hand slowly.
"…Then I'll show you."
A faint glow formed around her fingers.
"Vision Magic."
Before Renji could ask anything—
The world around them began to fade.
The rooftop disappeared.
The sky darkened.
The air became colder.
And suddenly—
They were standing in the middle of a forest.
Renji looked around in shock.
"…What the—?"
Tall trees surrounded them in every direction.
The moon hung high in the sky.
But something about it was wrong.
The light was red.
Deep crimson.
Renji slowly pointed upward.
"…Why is the moon red?"
Mizuki stood beside him quietly.
"That's a Blood Moon."
Her voice sounded distant now.
"During a Blood Moon…"
"…monsters become much stronger."
Renji felt a chill run down his spine.
In the distance—
Screams echoed through the forest.
Renji turned toward the sound.
Beyond the trees, a village was burning.
Flames climbed into the night sky.
Smoke swallowed the rooftops.
Renji's stomach tightened.
"…What happened here?"
Mizuki's voice trembled slightly.
"…This is my village."
They stepped closer to the scene.
Villagers ran through the streets in panic.
Children cried.
Monsters moved through the flames like shadows.
Renji clenched his fists.
"This…"
He looked around helplessly.
"…We can't stop it?"
Mizuki shook her head.
"This already happened."
Her eyes reflected the firelight.
"That night…"
Her voice cracked slightly.
"…everything disappeared."
Suddenly—
A small figure ran past them.
A young girl.
Her pink hair was shorter, messy.
Her clothes were torn.
She was crying desperately.
"Mom!! Dad!!"
Renji's eyes widened.
"…That's you."
Mizuki didn't answer.
The girl kept running through the burning village.
"Where are you?!"
Then—
A massive shadow leaped from the darkness.
A demon wolf.
Its jaws clamped down violently.
The girl screamed.
Renji's breath caught in his throat.
"…No…"
The monster's teeth tore into her body. Her lower half—
Was gone.
Blood splashed across the ground.
Renji couldn't move.
He couldn't even breathe.
Then—
A flash of steel cut through the air.
The demon wolf collapsed instantly.
A man stood there holding a sword.
His presence felt powerful.
Calm.
Unshakable.
Renji's heart skipped a beat.
"…Is that—"
Mizuki nodded.
"…Your father."