That conversation, a few moments ago, was perhaps the first real one I had since my descent in this world over a month ago at this point.

...maybe I should make friends with some background characters.

Shrugging my shoulders, I found a nice cafe patio to sit on, overlooking the ocean, and simply sat there for the next few hours, taking a nap.

...

...

...

*BZZT*

My head snapping upward, I looked off the soft table before me, groggily rubbing my ears and pushing back my hair, and checked my smartwatch, the source of the noise.

[Travel Club Reminder]

[All students are to return to the manor by 10 PM as well; we will depart tomorrow morning at 8 AM to arrive back at the academy.]

Checking the time, seeing it was already 6 PM, I awkwardly stood up and stretched my hands while exiting the cafe and re-entering the main street.\

Unsurprisingly, the street was basically full of academy students, and within moments, I spotted a familiar face walking toward me.

With jet-black hair and blood-red pupils, essentially a female version of Leo, Ruby gripped a plastic bag, which I could already guess was full of books, in her hand while walking toward the beach.

Strolling past me on the opposite side of the street, Ruby suddenly paused, prompting me to look back as well.

"..."

"..."

Ah...

There, on the ledges and stairs separating the city from the beach, were over a hundred pigeons, flying around and dropping their...remains all over the place.

Covered in white stains and swarmed with pigeons, the stairs down to the beach were completely blocked off.

And, there, on a sign I had completely missed, lay in red, bold letters, "DO NOT FEED PIGEONS!!!"

Her expectant face instantly turned to one of sorrow as she walked away disappointed, her pupils at the bottom of her eyelids.

Letting out a deep groan, I ran across the street to where Ruby was walking and stepped in front of her as she dejectedly looked at the ground, not even looking up.

"There's a different way down."

Finally, as I spoke, her head instantly flicked upward, her eyes meeting mine.

"Where!?"

With a quick message, I sent her a location off the side of Mikanos, where one could climb down the mountain the city sat on, and onto the beach below.

Seeing Ruby speed away, gazing at her smartwatch, I bitterly smiled and took a deep breath, as if that very action had hurt my heart.

She won't be back at the manor in time at all.

While climbing down the hill to the beach was extremely easy, taking less than two minutes, scaling it once again would take hours.

Yet another plot change...

Perhaps it was just my consciousness, but at the very moment I had seen her strolling down the street, my decision had been made.

There is no need for her to become a villain.

After grabbing a quick snack at my third cafe of the day, I walked to the top of the city and called a cab, riding back to the manor while gazing out the window.

With a relatively quick drive, I hopped out of the car and re-entered the manor, my eyes instantly darting around and scanning every corner of the room.

Walking through the relatively empty living area, everyone most likely still exploring the city, I paused upon reaching the armchair Serena had been resting in earlier this morning.

"Hm?"

The paper note I had left on her lap was lying on the cushion.

Did she not see it?

Confused, I leaned downward and picked up the note, flipping it over to see if my writing was still there.

And sure enough, an additional phrase was left on the note, below my words.

"Run if you value your life."

At that moment, the wrist of my right hand, which was holding up the note, instantly started burning, prompting me to look down.

Just as the pain vanished, I found a red circular mark tattooed on the middle of my wrist.

I instantly knew what it was.

A tracking mark.

Drly coughing, I dropped the note and headed back up to my dorm room, securely locking the door and tightly sealing the window shut.

Sighing, I covered my wrist by putting on a jacket and lay down on my bed.

Just an hour, though, my door suddenly shook, and a familiar voice consequently sounded from the outside.

"Athen! Athen! Can you open the door? This is Leo."

Raising my right hand, I simply twisted the doorknob and pulled open the door, preemptively saying before the door even opened fully.

"I surrender."

I was immediatly met with Leo, but behind Leo, a familiar face.

Simply glancing at Leo, who stood there motionless, Serena strolled into the room, the door slamming shut behind her and leaving us two alone.

Her expression was emotionless, possibly even more than Carissa's, as she sat atop a chair and silently gazed at me, as if beckoning me to bow down to her.

Now raising both my hands, I immediatly began explaining.

"There was a page of the diary left in Carissa's pocket. When you destroyed the diary, Anna's soul remained on that page."

"With that page, Anna possessed me, not Carissa, and saved us both from dying from the fall. Then, when I had woken up, her soul was removed from my body and existence entirely.

Revealing her open palm, where a smartwatch on call with Carissa lay, Serena asked.

"Does that line up with your memories?"

After a brief moment of silence, Carissa's voice sounded through the phone.

"...yes, I think so. I told you...I can tell she's gone."

Nodding her head, Serena hung up the call and then silently gazed at me, as if waiting for me to continue.

Her amethyst purple pupils were motionless, like those of a dead person, and the silence was deathly, until I finally asked nervously.

"That's it...isn't it?"

Looking at me, she simply answered.

"Is it?"

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