"Let's go home, Riko." Suguru extended a hand to a sobbing Riko.

Between crying and wiping her cheeks on her sleeve, she nodded in agreement at his words, finally muttering, "Yeah."

Her hand reached out for his. A touch was imminent; the dream that had newly bloomed in her heart was about to come true. With Satoru and Suguru by her side, everything she ever desired could come—

BANG!

The gunshot's echo reverberated through the chamber, ringing loudly in his ears. With raised eyes and parted lips, Suguru watched as she crumpled to the ground, her blood pooling under her head and oozing onto the cobblestone path.

"...Riko?"

That day, there were three things he vowed to never forget: the scent of Riko's blood, the monkey who shot her, and the resounding applause of those who claimed to care about her destiny.

I can't waver. I must fulfill my duties as a jujutsu sorcerer. No matter how much he scrubbed himself in that stall, the gentle patter of water did little to soothe the inner tug of his mind on his heart. And, alas, a sinister conclusion came:

Damn monkeys.

As his mentor, you could not help but notice the change in your star student. He who once excelled so greatly in his training and exams had become a husk of himself, allowing both his strength and mind to wane. Upon closer inspection, his weight was plummeting, and his eyes were heavy with exhaustion. It worried you, so you called upon him outside class to discuss.

The two of you sat on a bench outside the school, far from any curious eyes or ears that straggled nearby. His eyes were downcast as he twiddled his thumbs in clasped fists on his lap. His face was drawn and pale, the hard set of his mouth betraying the sleepless night that haunted him. You figured that he just wasn't ready to talk and waited.

And then he spoke.

"Teacher," he whispered, "Would the world not improve if all non-sorcerers were to die...? Without them, cursed energy would not manifest, and curses would cease to exist."