-1101- Only one survivor

Saikai Academy.

Here is a hill located behind Saikai Academy.

On the hill, there is a small park surrounded by green trees.

In this small park, you can see a gray building turned into ruins.

Around the building, the dilapidated courtyard, flower beds buried in weeds, and rusty tricycle turned into part of the ruins, appeared desolate.

"Is this Adelard's monastery?"

Yukina, carrying a guitar case, looked up at the roof of the building in front of her.

There, there is a relief of a messenger's wand entwined by two snakes.

This is a symbol not often seen in Western churches.

"Is this it?"

La Folia Rihavein also looked at the building in front of her, her eyes flashing slightly.

Rozen was naturally here too, observing La Folia Rihavein all the while.

"I heard that this used to be a very small church, specifically for adopting orphaned children."

Rozen recalled rumors he had heard and spoke them out.

"Five years ago, there was a very serious accident here, almost everyone living inside died, and the church was abandoned. There was reportedly only one survivor, and it's unknown what happened to them. It caused quite a stir in Itogami City."

That was a rumor that had been circulating at the time.

The church was just behind Saikai Academy, and the accident happened only a year or two before Rozen enrolled. A terrible tragedy so close by naturally spread widely, almost as a matter of course.

Moreover, there were many urban legends surrounding this church at the time: some said the souls of the orphaned children who died here still lingered, some said the accident was actually a man-made crime involving magic, and others said one of the adopted children seemed extraordinary, either a pure-blood vampire or a powerful hyper adapter.

Due to their young age, they couldn't control their powers, causing the magic or abilities to go berserk, thus destroying the church and causing the tragedy.

At that time, Rozen was indeed curious about the matter.

However, because Rozen was still focusing on improving himself at the time, he didn't pay attention to other things, so he didn't come to investigate until today.

"Only one survivor..."

La Folia murmured like this, then walked forward.

"Do you want to go in?"

Yukina asked quickly.

"Yes, I want to take a look inside."

La Folia smiled at Yukina, then approached the door. With a creaking sound of hinges, she pushed open the damaged wooden door.

The next moment, the scene inside the church unfolded before everyone's eyes.

Like an ordinary chapel, there were many benches here and a statue located at the deepest part.

However, due to years of neglect and abandonment, the benches here had rotted and collapsed everywhere, even the statue was incomplete. The ceiling was also broken, allowing sunlight to shine through, creating a somewhat aesthetic effect as beams of light descended from the sky.

Rozen's group entered the church.

"Indeed, this place has been abandoned."

La Folia looked around and came to the conclusion, as if she had to admit this fact only now.

Rozen and Yukina also looked around, affirming that this place had been completely abandoned and it was impossible for anyone to live here anymore.

"Is the person La Folia wants to find here?"

Yukina asked La Folia hesitantly.

There was no way. According to what Rozen said, everyone living here had almost died in the accident five years ago, leaving only one survivor, and it's still unknown what happened to them now.

If the person La Folia wants to find is here, then it's very likely that they are no longer here.

La Folia might have come here with a glimmer of hope, hoping that the only survivor is the person she wants to find and still here.

Now, it's obvious that there's no one living here.

So La Folia might have come here just with a faint hope, hoping that the only survivor is the person she wants to find and still here.

Now, it's obvious that there's no one living here.

Therefore, Yukina's tone became somewhat hesitant and cautious.

This made La Folia smile like a smirk.

"How kind, Yukina, are you worried about me?" La Folia said with a mix of happiness and teasing, "Don't worry, I knew there was no one living here a long time ago. I came here just to make sure and this place does have some significance to me, so I wanted to take a look."

Saying that, La Folia suddenly smiled.

"And, although there are no people here, it doesn't mean there are no other beings, you know?"

This sentence made Yukina involuntarily startled.

Then...

"Meow!"

Such a sound suddenly rang out.

"W-What...?"

Upon hearing the sound, Yukina immediately looked over, then widened her eyes as if struck by something.

"Meow!"

"Meow!"

"Meow!"

"Meow!"

Accompanied by the soft calls, in the dilapidated church, shadows began to emerge from every corner.

They were cats.

Very cute little cats, one after another.

"Ah~!"

Yukina's cheeks flushed.

That was due to excitement, due to delight.

"Cats! There are cats! So many cats! Senpai!"

Yukina excitedly tugged at Rozen's sleeve.

"I know, I saw them."

Rozen, who had been observing the surroundings all along, chuckled awkwardly and quickly dealt with Yukina.

At this moment, those little kittens, like nestlings waiting for their mother bird to return, gathered towards Rozen and the others, surrounding them while making soft calls.

"Ah~, so cute! Good kitty, good kitty..."

Yukina immediately threw away her important spear and guitar case, squatting down to pick up the kittens one by one, her face filled with happiness.

That expression, compared to her usual serious and precise demeanor, was like night and day.

"Does Yukina really like cats this much?"

La Folia tilted her head in disbelief.

"It seems so."

Rozen nodded directly.

Besides...

"Since just now, I've been feeling something unusual here, especially over there."

Rozen turned his head, gazing in a certain direction.

There, was a mural.