19 Can we handle it?

Unmoving, Wakana looks down at her gloved hand. In the last 7 years, it's not like she didn't come across the gruesome crimes. She tried her best not to be affected. Though she didn't touch Morita Aiko, her heart and mind aren't unaffected by Morita Aiko's words. It's quite detailed. Wakana can see that Morita Aiko never forgot the night that changed Morita Aiko into the person she is today. Even if another 18 years pass, Morita Aiko may never forget.

Though she hasn't touched Morita Aiko once, she can feel her emotions that are permeating from Morita Aiko. It's suffocating in this flower shop.

After hearing about the phantom artist, she can't leave. She's the next target.

"In the apartment, I felt like the time stopped. I lost my sense of time. Did I spend days or a month? I can't tell." She inhales sharply and looks at her with weary eyes. "To my surprise, only a few hours passed in the outside world. The strength that I felt in the apartment withered away by the time I reached the end of the corridor. I fell and lost consciousness. Someone helped me. I knew that nobody would believe me. Nobody could see it other than me. I told the story that the other victims said. I didn't go back to that apartment."

The other women told a different story. They didn't remember the person who came to the apartment. Nobody else saw any man with the victim when she went to their place. The cameras didn't catch anything either.

It makes sense. If it was a demon, then only the victim could see that thing -- not all the victims. Something is different about Morita Aiko and her.

"What about Yoshiyuki San?" She asks with a soft voice, looking toward the window. It's getting dark. Is Minami Sei still waiting for her outside?

"The attention that he paid to me was due to the demon's effect on me," Morita Aiko replies quietly. "I attracted the person's attention. The effect was gone after the demon was imprisoned in that apartment. But Yoshiyuki never met me outside the work. It was always the Phantom who walked me home. I should have never invited him to my place."

Things could have been different if she didn't invite the phantom artist. If she had a small inkling, she would have never invited him.

"I was not surprised." Morita Aiko continues speaking with a low voice. "After the cruel awakening, my eyes were fully opened to the world hidden within this world. The awakened blood of Yaya within me helped me save myself that night. Maybe he wouldn't have killed me, but I don't know what he would have done."

The r@pes did stop after that night. Morita Aiko turns her head and glances at Wakana who is fiddling with her fingers. The girl is half awake. 18 years ago, Morita Aiko was not fully asleep, but she was not half awake either. This girl is most likely the next victim.

"I looked into that demon. It's a low-grade demon who wants to get powerful by sucking the powers from the humans with a trace of otherworldly creature's blood. The character that he draws beneath the victim is a spell that enables him to drain the witch's powers from the victim's body during the full awakening."

"Why others couldn't remember?" Wakana meets her gaze. "If your theory is right, the others must have some traces of supernatural creatures' blood too."

"I don't know about others. Perhaps, they can't remember because the powers were completely drained along with the memories from the moment they met the phantom artist," Morita Aiko composes herself and answers her objectively. "The only reason why I was able to leave is that the blood guided me instantly after the awakening. If I was a second late, I would have ended up as the other victims."

"Draining powers..." Wakana mumbles to herself. Is she a witch too? Does she have the blood of some supernatural creature? How is that possible? Her two sisters are completely normal. "Morita San, what does it mean to be awake or asleep?"

Seven years ago, the ghost also said that she was 'half-awakened' in the cemetery.

Morita Aiko gives her a nod. It's natural for Wakana to be curious. She has met many others like Wakana since she was awakened in such a way. "The blood must be strong in you. A full witch is strong. If she has a child with a human, the child has some of the witch's blood. The descendants of that child also inherit the blood."

Wakana is sure that she has no witch ancestor. Should she ask her father to confirm? Would he know though? If her ancestor married a witch around thousands of years ago, there's no way that her father could tell.

But why she's the only one? How did genetics play a role here? Though she can see ghosts and all, she's not someone who doesn't follow the logic.

"However, the blood dilutes over time. The last descendant might barely have any trace of the witch's blood. The phantom usually looked for humans like those. Those humans might not know anything. They live a normal life. They are fully asleep. Unless they are awakened by a supernatural entity, they won't wake up. However, if the blood is strong, the witch's abilities begin to wake on its own. I think that you are one of them."

Wakana sighs. She knows that she's one of them.

"He needs 13 victims to gain completion and become stronger." Morita Aiko's voice is barely a whisper. "He couldn't suck it from me. You told me that he chose you. I am afraid that he will come for both of us. I will go to the apartment building tomorrow. Come with me. We won't let that thing escape."

Going back there? Wakana's eyes bulge out. "Morita San, can we handle it?"

"I am not sure." Morita Aiko wraps her arms around herself, trembling. "Is there any way? We should attack our enemy before he comes for us."

Wakana lets out an exasperated sigh. At least, she has a fully awakened witch with her. Having Morita Aiko beside her is better than having Minami Sei.