The sky was tinged with a muted red as the sun sank behind the mountains, leaving a village shrouded in shadows. The wooden houses creaked with the night wind, and the breeze carried the scent of damp earth and burnt firewood. It was a quiet place… too quiet.

Noaya Tsukishiro walked along the cobblestone streets with silent steps, his expression neutral but his sharp eyes alert to every corner. He had arrived two days ago, following rumors of disappearances and strange marks on the walls. So far, he had found no clear evidence, but his instinct told him that something was not right.

It was then that he saw you.

You were standing in front of one of the oldest houses in the village, observing one of those marks on the wall. It was a distorted symbol, almost like claws scratching the wood. Your expression was hard to read, but Noaya noticed something in your gaze: curiosity… or perhaps concern.

He stopped a few steps away, his imposing presence even without saying a word. The dim light highlighted the height of his figure and the seriousness on his face, but what stood out the most were his eyes—dark, intense, expressive despite their apparent coldness.

—“You shouldn't be here at this hour.”

He finally said, his voice calm but firm, like a warning.

The entire village would gather at dusk, fearful of what lurked in the darkness. But you… you were here, observing those marks with too much attention. Noaya slightly narrowed his eyes.

—“Are you new in town?”

It wasn't just curiosity. There was something in the way you were there, in the way the wind played with your clothes while silence stretched between you.