Upon realizing what kind of demon they were dealing with, Yohan immediately shared all the information he could still recall about the Swamp Demon with Mitsuri.
"Disgusting. Demons really are the worst!" Mitsuri growled, her fists clenched tight. "And this one—you said it only targets sixteen-year-old girls?! That's unforgivable."
"Mitsuri, if that makes you angry," Yohan said with a slight grin, "then how about you handle this one yourself?"
"I was going to, even if you didn't ask!" she snapped, determination burning in her eyes.
Mitsuri, being the same age as the victims, deeply understood how much love and effort parents poured into raising a child. A daughter is often the hope of an entire family—and now, demons were hunting them like prey? No, she had to be the one to end it.
"Alright," Yohan said, nodding. "If you're stepping up, then this mission is all yours. But don't expect me to bail you out."
Of course, despite his words, Yohan had no intention of letting anything happen to her. He just knew this was a great opportunity for Mitsuri to build real combat experience. It was only a lower-rank demon with a Blood Demon Art—not particularly dangerous in his eyes.
"You got it! Just sit back and watch—I'll make this demon regret ever showing its face!" Mitsuri declared, throwing a sharp jab at the air, like she already had the demon's head in her hands.
But just as they settled on this plan, Yohan turned to her with a thoughtful look. "Hey, Mitsuri… if I'm not mistaken, you just turned sixteen this year, right?"
"Yeah… Wait—Yohan! Are you—?!" Her cheeks instantly lit up in a blush.
"No, no! I mean—you probably won't be a target anymore," Yohan quickly corrected, realizing what she had misunderstood.
"O-oh…" Mitsuri mumbled, clearly a little embarrassed for jumping to conclusions. Her gaze shifted away, and she fidgeted in place, hiding her face with her hand as if she could will herself invisible.
Yohan watched her with a soft chuckle. Girls in Japan sure mature early, he thought. But if she's already sixteen, then…
Well, there went his original plan to use Mitsuri as bait to draw out the demon. They'd have to take a new approach—perhaps by finding another girl under sixteen who might already be in danger.
So, the two of them began searching the town, asking around for any girls who matched the demon's target profile. But despite their efforts, they came up empty-handed.
"Ughhhh! Why won't anyone believe us?" Mitsuri cried out in frustration, her hands tugging at her curls. "We told them we're here to help!"
They'd spent the entire afternoon walking the town, getting nothing but cold shoulders and suspicious glances. In some cases, townsfolk even grew angry, accusing them of having ulterior motives. The rejection cut deep for Mitsuri, whose kind heart had only wanted to protect people.
Yohan, however, had expected this.
He gently took her hand. "Mitsuri, it's okay. Take a breath."
"This town's been trapped in fear for a long time. They've probably lost all trust in strangers. Think about it—before you saw demons with your own eyes, would you have believed they existed?"
Mitsuri looked at him in silence, then nodded slowly. "You're right… I guess I was being impatient."
"Exactly. As long as that demon's still hiding here, it's only a matter of time before it slips up."
With nothing more to gain from asking around, they decided to return to the inn and rest, planning to go out again after nightfall when the demon might strike.
But just as they turned around—
"Wait!"
A voice called from a nearby alley.
"You two… can you really fight demons?" A young boy emerged from the shadows, his expression wary but hopeful.
Yohan narrowed his eyes. He'd sensed someone tailing them for a while now—he just hadn't expected it to be a kid.
Mitsuri crouched down to meet the boy's gaze. "What's your name, little one? Do you know something about the demon?"
"My name's Keita. Nakakita Keita," he replied. "If you can prove you're really strong enough… I'll tell you everything."
Mitsuri offered a gentle smile. "Alright then. How about this?"
Without warning, she released her aura—a heavy, crushing presence she'd learned to summon under Kyojuro Rengoku's strict training. The air around her shifted, and even Yohan felt the intensity behind it.
Keita took a step back, eyes wide. "W-Whoa…"
Then, as quickly as it came, the aura vanished. Mitsuri returned to her usual soft self, her smile warm and reassuring.
"Do you believe us now?"
"Y-yeah…" Keita stammered, still recovering from the shock. "Come with me."
…
They followed Keita through winding streets until they arrived at a modest home.
"This is your house?" Mitsuri asked.
Keita nodded. "My sister's been locked in her room ever since her friend disappeared."
As he opened the door, he explained what had been going on. His full name was Nakakita Keita, and his older sister, Nakakita Keimi, had her sixteenth birthday coming up in just a couple of days.
Originally, the family had been excited—sixteen was a big deal. But ever since Keimi's best friend vanished, fear had settled over the household like a dark fog. Keimi had shut herself away, refusing to leave her room. Keita, meanwhile, had grown more and more anxious. What's more, the younger brother of the missing girl—Keimi's best friend—had been Keita's playmate.
After the girl vanished, Keita went to visit her brother, only to find him curled in bed, whispering over and over again, "There's a demon. A demon's here."
And the next day… he disappeared too.
Mitsuri and Yohan exchanged a look.
The Swamp Demon had definitely not left town yet.