Chapter 90
The Missing Children (4)
Swish— swish—
The hand holding the pen busily darted across the wide map on the table, marking points.
"See? This is what happens when we mark where the kids disappeared. We can't pinpoint exact locations, but if we divide the streets by numbering..."
At Philip's words, Veronica responded with the demeanor of a competent, seasoned investigator:
"Looking at this, it's clear the disappearances cluster in the north. We can probably narrow down where the next one might occur."
"I suppose so. Hmm. Maybe ghosts took them?"
Veronica flinched at the word "ghosts." The experienced investigator countered:
"Philip, ghosts don't exist."
"Why not? They could. Magic exists—why can’t ghosts?"
"I’ve never met anyone who’s actually seen one."
"Just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean they’re not there."
"If you can’t see them, they don’t exist. That’s my stance."
"Mana’s the same. You can’t see it."
"......"
"But it undeniably exists."
Veronica thought: Winning an argument against Philip in this lifetime seems impossible.
Her razor-sharp tongue, honed against stubborn shopkeepers, formed an insurmountable wall for this former bookstore heir.
But ghosts truly don’t exist. They shouldn’t.
The mere idea of such horrifying beings lurking nearby made her shiver. Moreover, as a skilled, attractive investigator, losing a logical debate was unacceptable.
"...!A realization struck. She played her trump card:
"Mana! Ray can see mana!"
"Uh..."
"And mana’s existence is proven through magic. Ghosts lack any such proof."
"About that..."
Their renewed debate raged, but none reached Ray’s ears as he pondered deeply.
We’ll handle the disappearances—you two gather intel.
He’d told Melom and Dnine at the vacant lot. Efficiency dictated it—if magic was involved, ordinary people would struggle to find clues.
Better we investigate. Redirect all searchers to intel-gathering.
Yet another reason drove his involvement.
Red light. Tommy mentioned a crimson glow.
That red light might connect to Mercrade—an organization Graham described as trafficking humans and committing endless crimes.
Focus first on northern streets...
As Ray solidified their plan:
"Ray, do ghosts exist?"
"Ray, what’s your take on ghosts?"
Philip and Veronica whirled to ask simultaneously.
"Ghosts?"
"Yeah! You don’t believe in them either, right?"
"Hey, that’s blatant leading."
Ray’s mind flashed to his Sector 50 nickname—Ghost Ray—earned through silent movements and expressionless demeanor. The dictionary later taught him:
Ghost
The spirit of a deceased person lingering due to unresolved attachments or grudges.
His immediate answer: "Ghosts don’t exist." He’d never seen one, trusting only direct experience.
...Dead people.
Yet inexplicably, he wished ghosts were real.
Ray opened his mouth to reply—
That evening,
Melom and Dnine watched in confusion as Ray pressed his palm against each gang member’s back before lifting it away.
What’s he doing?
Dunno. Looks like he’s stamping them? Ranking system?
Unbeknownst to the mana-blind leaders, Ray was casting binding spells.
Whooom—
With the final spell, thirty boys’ presences sharpened in his perception—invisible threads linking them, allowing location tracking within a radius.
"Disperse now. Patrol the streets as usual."
Pairs formed and scattered seamlessly.
"Sir Ray... Can we really find clues about the missing kids?" Dnine asked hesitantly. Refusing help was impossible, even ignoring their compelled obedience. Yet the vague method bred doubt.
"One of them will likely vanish tonight."
Ray gazed at the hazy moon. Disappearances occurred every 2-3 evenings—today marked three days since the last.
Tonight, a red glow will appear in the northern sector.
Though few witnessed it, multiple confirmed its reality.
If it’s magic...
Tracking its emergence might be feasible. Veronica had said:
Tracking magic itself? Unheard of... Spell elements bond tightly, becoming as hard to detect as atmospheric mana. Normally impossible—but for you?
Magic was condensed mana and elemental compounds. Detecting residual traces posed little challenge for him.
"Trust me. I’ll find clues faster than you ever could."
Melom and Dnine brightened visibly, their concealed worry over missing subordinates easing.
Exiting the alley, Ray sat on a plaza bench near the fountain.
"Guard me from distractions. I need focus."
"Yes, sir!"
"Understood!"
Flanking the bench, the leaders scanned surroundings vigilantly as Ray closed his eyes.
Their position—the northern sector’s central plaza—allowed rapid response to any incident.
As I focused my mind, the sounds of people's voices and footsteps grew faint, and my physical senses began to dull.
"……"
Gulp.
A sensation like sinking into deep water, my body gradually growing heavier.
In contrast, my mental senses became razor-sharp and acutely sensitive.
The tangled elements around me touched upon a vast area through my mental tendrils.
The position and form of each element.
The concentration and flow of each element.
And the locations of children spreading through various alleys.
I could vividly sense it all, my detection range steadily expanding from where I sat.
It was like a radar network.
If any magic manifested within range, the mana's ripples would be faithfully transmitted to Ray.
Tick.
Tock.
I could no longer perceive time's passage.
Tick.
Tock.
How many seconds had passed?
Tick.
Tock.
How many minutes?
Tick.
Tock.
Or perhaps hours?
Unaware, I poured all my concentration into detecting only mana's ripples.
How much time had passed like this?
"……!"
At a mana ripple from one alley point, Ray's eyes snapped open.
"Did you find it?"
"Have the children disappeared?"
First in sight were Melom and Dnain with shocked faces. Philip and Veronica, who had returned after confirming the children reached their designated spots, were also visible. But there was no time for explanations.
"18-2nd Street."
Leaving only these words about where to follow, Ray kicked off the ground and sprinted. Leg muscles enhanced to their limits by magic propelled him at beast-like speed. Through alleys. Across bridges. Cutting through yards.
The mana's undulations persisted as Ray closed the distance instantly.
But.
'It's moving.'
The disturbance was advancing steadily toward a child marked with binding magic.
'Petro. Alley vicinity.'
The child's name.
And the terrain, memorized from maps, where the anomaly now headed.
Breath tearing.
Body straining.
Just before the disturbance met Petro's presence—
Thud!
Screeeech—!
Ray skidded to a halt before an alley.
No Petro in sight.
Only a human-sized crimson glow undulating ominously.
Woom—!
The red light collapsed into a central point and vanished before Ray could act.
'Petro's presence is gone.'
But another anomaly emerged:
Mana pooled in the air rippled outward, forming a streak moving rapidly skyward—as if an invisible force tore through the mana sea.
Instinctively understood:
'The glow is moving.'
Ray pivoted and chased the rippling trail.
"Ray, wait—whoa!"
The belatedly pursuing children wheezed as they changed direction.
Thudthudthudthudthud!
Footsteps echoed through streets while the mana disturbance across rooftops refused to draw nearer.
'Running isn't enough.'
A roadside bicycle entered his view.
He mounted it without hesitation.
Crunch!
Squeak!
Screech!
"Hey! My bike! Thief!"
Shouts followed, but Ray had no luxury to care. His pedaling legs doubled the speed effortlessly.
Squeak!
Squeak!
SCREECH!
The distance to the disturbance narrowed until—
SCREECH!
THUD!
The bike halted before towering rust-red mansion walls.
Spiked vines crawled over the barrier, the darkened building exuding eerie stillness.
"……"
Silence dominated the outskirts.
No passersby.
No more mana disturbances.
Then Petro's presence flickered back into perception—as if spat out by the vanished glow.
'Not moving. Unconscious?'
Few clues remained.
Only certainty: Petro was inside.
Circling the walls revealed nothing except one detail—
'Less dust on the doorknob. Proof of entry.'
Likely an owner or caretaker, now absent.
"……"
Ray assessed his options.
Possible actions.
Risk thresholds.
Decision made, he approached a barred window.
And channeled mana into the lock.
