Frozen in place, Laila stared at the monster slowly sinking into a black pool. She didn't even notice that the woman was no longer standing in front of her. Laila's thoughts were whirring. Relief washed over her. The moonlight shimmered behind the leylines like a quiet dance.

"So, so, my dearest. Are you enjoying your daydreaming?"

Laila twitched, but her memory quickly returned. The threads glued her body to the floor like shackles. Kurumi leaned over her. Her twin tails of hair dangled as she smiled.

"It's impressive how shortsighted you become when the fear of death leaves your body. By the way, you can call me Kurumi." Only now could Laila see her right eye. It seemed tinted red, while the left pupil was shaped like a gold-plated watch.

"Tha, thank you... I don't know, so..." stuttered Laila.

"Are you my master?"

"?"

"Still a bit dazed, aren't you?" asked Kurumi, patting Laila's cheek. "But I'm assuming that you're the person who summoned me."

"I, I don't know. There was this voice and..." Laila began before she was interrupted by the woman.

"You don't know? Are you serious? You almost had a train booked to the afterlife." Kurumi shook her head. "Unbelievable, just unbelievable. Mhh, what do I do now?"

Laila remained silent. Was she still dreaming? None of this could be real. Yes, it had to be a dream. She would wake up in bed in a moment, and everything would return to normal.

"You seem to have unconsciously joined Heaven's Feel. Ahh, that must be it. You wouldn't happen to feel like joining the war, would you?"

"A... a war?" stammered Laila. The words echoed as if she could still hear Kayneth's muffled voice through the wall. Her body felt weak. She definitely hadn't signed up for a trip like that. Why was so much happening? She blinked as everything in front of her began to swim.

Kurumi raised her finger as if to say something but closed her mouth again and ran her hand over her face. The girl before her spoke the truth; she could practically see it in her eyes. But at the same time, she felt uneasy. How did she know about this ritual? It was simply there, slumbering deep in her mind as if she had always been aware of it. But it couldn't be. She hadn't even heard about it.

"Where do I start... At least you know that a ritual is performed in this town, right?" Kurumi began.

Laila nodded.

"I don't know all the details either, but as far as I know, seven magi, also known as masters, summon a heroic spirit with which they go into battle to fulfill their most ardent wish by the Grail. You summoned me, and I answered your call... Well, more or less, a light surprised me and swept me away, but the small stuff is irrelevant. The important thing is that I'm here looking for a master."

"But I didn't summon you..." Laila murmured cautiously.

"Don't be so shy; you even have the mark on your hand. So the Grail has undoubtedly chosen you." Instinctively, Laila moved her head, but... "Oh right, you can't move yet. My mistake. Hold still for a moment..."

Kurumi effortlessly tore the threads from her body. The wooden floor splintered and caught on the sticky fabric. Then she flung the threads backward and pulled Laila to her feet.

With her body back under control, Laila looked at the back of her hand. Two firearms sat in a circle-like clock hands. On closer inspection, she found it oddly similar to the woman's left eye. Only her tattoo was white, not gold.

When she looked forward again, the woman stood in front of her, grinning.

"You're so cute. The tattoo looks good on you." Her voice was calm, perhaps a little excited. Who wouldn't be, given the circumstances? Suddenly, Kurumi looked around as if she had heard something. "Mhh, we should get out of here for now. Yeah, would probably be best," Kurumi agreed with herself.

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Laila shook her head and took a staggering step back. "I didn't summon you. There was this white voice that offered to help me and..." Laila faltered as Kurumi lifted her eyebrows.

"I... I don't remember," Laila stated, startled. "I accepted the help, and suddenly everything happened."

There was a cracking sound as a piece of wood broke from the ceiling and thundered onto the floor. Kurumi pulled her flintlock towards the door. But it remained silent. Still, her eyes kept an eye on the entrance as if she expected an uninvited guest.

"It's fun chatting with you, but we should urgently find somewhere safe. Whoever the spider belongs to will surely know it's dead."

"Are...are we in danger?" Laila almost whispered but had to lean against the wall to remain on her feet. By now, her knees were wobbling and wouldn't stop shaking.

"Maybe if we stay longer," Kurumi replied, trying to grab Laila. To her surprise, however, Laila formed her hands, looking like she wanted to pray.

"Please, I have nothing to offer you, but my friend Amalia should still be upstairs. I can't leave her behind." Laila briefly saw Kurumi's eyes move to the side. A strange feeling spread out from her. It felt like a sphere that stretched in all directions.

"I hate to say this, but there's no one here but us."

Perhaps Laila was still in shock. Even though the world was already beginning to spin before her eyes, she nodded. She did not utter another word. Kurumi waited a moment, unsure what to do.

"Do you have any luggage? Suitcases, valuables, or something else?"

Laila nodded again but didn't move. How exactly was she supposed to feel? She might be trembling but otherwise perceived everything clearly. Her lack of emotions scared her.

Kurumi hesitated before sighing, "Come on. When everything is safe, you can lie down and rest first before we continue to plan."

Laila was picked up almost like a princess. She had trouble seeing, but that didn't seem to apply to Kurumi. 'I can trust her, can't I?' As Laila wondered this, she felt Kurumi's grip tighten, and they flew effortlessly over the collapsed section of the stairs.

'The way she killed that monster, I couldn't escape anyway...'

Before she could think further, they reached the room. Kurumi hesitated, then nodded, and with a kick, she pushed the door off its hinges.

"What do you need? I want to leave quickly."

"Can we take everything with us?"

Kurumi stopped briefly and stared at Laila as if to say, Are you serious? Then she shook her head and hurried to the cupboard. Laila bent down and shuffled the countless pieces of paper scattered around like a carpet. It was frightening; everything played out like a movie as if she had lost all emotion.

"Mhh..." Kurumi paused.

Suddenly, Laila realized her trembling body. Why did she escape? Why not Amalia?

"This is taking too long," Kurumi cursed. Laila could just make out the entire wardrobe sinking into a red-black mass with a slight shimmer.

"We'll sort later... Get out of the room for a minute," Kurumi whispered, holding a finger over her lips.

The dress swung as she jumped to Laila and shoved her into the hallway. The fact that Kurumi was pushing while whispering could only mean one thing. There was someone else nearby.

But she didn't get any more time. Kurumi spread out her arms. Before Laila knew it, the floor had turned into a swamp. Paper, table, and bed disappeared in the blink of an eye. Then Kurumi turned to her.

"We're leaving before..."

A loud cry of breaking roof tiles rumbled. The house shook. Laila staggered and screamed, muffled by Kurumi's fingers that stuck to her mouth like glue. Then she felt something cold on her legs. A red light shimmered upward.

The substance had formed under her feet, and they were slowly seeping down. Her heart beats faster. The thought of disappearing into the unknown pressed on her chest, making it hard to breathe, and she tried to hold on to something. Were the eyes already waiting? Would she fall again like in her dream?"

"You are safe; everything will be all right," Kurumi whispered in her ear. The reassuring voice somehow had a calming effect. "Nothing will happen to you. We'll just disappear over my shadow."

Laila closed her eyes, tensed her whole body, and held her breath. Then she heard something. With a bang, the window broke, and heavy footsteps thudded across the floor. The door splintered with a bang.

A red spike protruded into the hallway like a blade before they disappeared into the swamp. They seeped deeper until suddenly, a suction grabbed their legs. Gravity returned, and she landed with full force on the floor.

The room she found herself in was barely larger than the hotel room. The black walls towered imposingly high while the paper covered the floor. The wardrobe had a broken foot. The bed hadn't fared any better. The fall must have torn the frame.

Laila sat on the floor among all the debris. Frowning, she rubbed her legs to get the cold out. She didn't notice anything. It was a simple, dark room. She felt nothing behind the black walls, and it was bright.

"Oops," Kurumi said, landing on her feet. All signs that there was a connection to the outside world disappeared as the swinging ceiling became a solid mass. This space was strange. Laila felt something she had never before experienced. Sadly, she couldn't say what it was. It almost seems like they stayed in a different world layer.

"We'll stay here until the coast is clear."

Laila's eyes buzzed, trying to find a pattern or sense in this room. It was cramped, and there wasn't a single exit. She swallowed. But for now, she decided to trust Kurumi.