The small room grew quiet after Rika's words.
Renji stared at her from the bed, his mind still foggy from exhaustion and pain.
"You… knew my dad?" he repeated slowly.
Rika nodded, her expression soft but thoughtful.
"Yes. You can just call me Rika," she said gently.
She pulled a wooden chair closer to the bed and sat down.
"Your father… Yamamoto-sensei… visited this town many years ago."
Renji's eyes remained wide.
"My dad was here…?"
Rika folded her hands in her lap and looked at the floor for a moment, searching her memory.
"I was only five back then," she said quietly. "So most of my memories are blurry."
Her voice softened slightly.
"But I remember that he trained a lot of adventurers here. The guild master respected him deeply."
Renji let out a tired breath.
"…Man."
He ran a hand over his face.
"What is even going on with my life…?"
Rika tilted her head slightly.
"What do you mean?"
Renji stared at the ceiling.
"I didn't sign up for this chaos," he muttered. "I just wanted to get home from school safely."
Rika blinked.
"…School?"
Renji suddenly sat up slightly.
"Ah— wait— no, forget that."
Pain shot through his legs instantly.
"Agh!"
Rika quickly stood and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't move," she said firmly.
"You're still badly injured."
Renji groaned and fell back onto the pillow.
"…Right."
A moment of silence passed.
Then Renji looked at her again.
"Rika."
"Yes?"
"…Can you release Mizuki?"
Rika raised an eyebrow.
"Mizuki?"
Renji nodded weakly.
"She's sealed inside me… somewhere."
Rika's expression slowly turned serious.
"…I see."
She stood up and walked closer to the bed.
"If that's true," she said quietly, "then I need to confirm it first."
Renji watched her with curiosity.
"How?"
Rika took a deep breath and raised one hand in front of her chest.
"Magic."
Renji blinked.
"Oh… right."
She closed her eyes and began chanting.
"Let the mighty rulers of space and time grant me permission…"
A faint blue glow began forming around her eyes.
"…to see within the victim's body."
The light intensified.
"X-RAY VISION!"
Her eyes flashed brightly.
For a moment, the entire room felt heavy with magic.
Rika slowly looked toward Renji.
Immediately, her vision changed.
She could see the flow of mana inside his body.
Blue streams of energy moved through his veins like glowing rivers.
But then—
She froze.
"…What?"
Renji noticed her reaction.
"What is it?"
Rika leaned closer.
Inside Renji's body, there were two separate mana flows.
One was normal.
But the other…
It was strange.
Unpredictable.
"…This is unusual," she murmured.
Her eyes moved toward Renji's chest.
Near his heart—
She saw it.
A powerful seal.
Inside the seal was a faint pink light.
Mizuki.
But that wasn't all.
Rika's eyes widened slightly.
"There's another one…"
On the left side of his chest, she saw something darker.
A curse seal.
Its shape pulsed slowly like a heartbeat.
Rika stepped back.
Her X-ray vision faded.
Renji immediately noticed the change in her expression.
"…Rika?"
She looked at him seriously.
"Renji."
"…Yeah?"
"There's a seal inside your body."
Renji sighed.
"…Yeah, Mizuki told me that."
Rika shook her head slightly.
"That's not the only one."
Renji blinked.
"…What?"
"There are two seals."
The room became silent.
"One is sealing Mizuki," Rika explained.
"And the other…"
She hesitated.
"…is a curse."
Renji stared at her.
"…A curse?"
Rika nodded slowly.
"I don't fully understand it."
She crossed her arms.
"Even I've never seen something like this before."
Renji rubbed his head weakly.
"…Great."
"Just great."
Rika looked back at him.
"Do you still want me to release Mizuki?"
Renji answered immediately.
"Yes."
Rika nodded.
"Alright."
She stepped back and raised both hands.
"Breaking a spiritual seal requires a stronger spell."
Renji watched her carefully.
Again, Rika began chanting.
"Remove the seal and free the trapped spirit…"
The air inside the room grew heavier.
"…my request to the divine rulers of judgment…"
Golden magic circles appeared around her hands.
"RELEASE!"
The spell shot forward and struck Renji's chest.
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Then suddenly—
CRACK.
The seal began resisting.
Rika's eyes widened.
"…What?!"
The magical pressure pushed back against her spell.
"This seal is incredibly strong!"
Renji watched in shock.
"Uh… Rika?"
She gritted her teeth.
"Stay still!"
The magic circles began shaking violently.
Sweat formed on her forehead.
"Come on… break already!"
The seal pulsed harder.
The room trembled slightly under the pressure.
Renji thought silently,
Spell casting, huh…
I've never seen Mizuki do this before.
Rika poured more mana into the spell.
"Break!"
CRACK.
The seal finally shattered.
A burst of pink light exploded from Renji's chest.
Rika stumbled backward.
Her knees hit the floor.
"Cough—!"
Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.
She wiped it quickly.
"…That was… an unbelievably strong seal."
Renji looked worried.
"Rika! Are you okay?"
She waved her hand slightly.
"Yes… I'm fine."
But before Renji could say anything—
The pink light began taking shape.
A glowing figure slowly emerged from his body.
Soft pink hair.
Gentle glowing eyes.
A calm expression.
Mizuki Ayasaka appeared in the room.
She stretched her arms slightly.
"Hmm…"
Then she looked at Rika.
"You did well."
Renji sighed with relief.
"Mizuki…"
He looked at her seriously.
"Please heal her."
Mizuki nodded.
"Of course."
She raised her hand.
No chant.
No magic circle.
Her body simply began glowing.
Warm light surrounded Rika instantly.
Within seconds—
All her injuries disappeared.
Rika blinked in shock.
"…Impossible."
She stood up slowly.
"You cast healing magic… without an incantation?"
Renji thought silently,
Yeah… that's normal for Mizuki.
Mizuki crossed her arms calmly.
"Incantations are unnecessary for spirits."
Rika stared at her in disbelief.
"…That's incredible."
Suddenly—
GRRRRRR.
A loud sound echoed in the room.
Renji froze.
"…Uh."
He slowly looked down.
His stomach growled loudly again.
Mizuki raised an eyebrow.
"Awww…"
"Renji."
"You still haven't eaten anything."
Rika laughed softly.
"Well…"
She turned toward the kitchen.
"Don't worry."