Together with Hizumi, we walked toward a nearby café. The crowd around us blurred into nothing—as if the world dimmed whenever we were side by side.
"How did the operation go?" she asked.
"Seemed successful. That's what they say. Seongwan-gu has been reclaimed. Now the General's worried about the rest."
"Did you find anything new for yourself through it?"
"In a way, yes. I've realized I can't tolerate losing those close to me anymore. My purpose is to destroy demons. That's where my strength lies."
"I see. That's quite the ambitious goal."
"Hmm? You think so?"
"We still don't know their full numbers. Sure, there aren't more than a thousand humanoids, but demons are evolving by the day—"
Before she could finish, a passerby bumped into her. She clutched my shirt, her gaze dropping.
"Is it alright if I hold on to you?"
"Of course. Hold tight."
Not long after, we were seated on the terrace of a cozy café on the second floor, gazing at a sky bathed in crimson dusk.
