One of them was the pair of twin girls who would one day be discovered by Suguru Geto—an event that, in my memory, became one of the important triggers that pushed him toward a darker path.
That was why I created a special Cursed Tool.
The tool was designed to help me track their whereabouts from an early stage. If I could find them before everything unfolded the way I remembered, there might be a chance to change part of that tragedy.
At least, that was my hope. But those two girls were not the only ones on my mind.
Two other names kept appearing in my thoughts: Maki and Mai.
Twin sisters from the Zenin Clan.
I knew what kind of life awaited them inside that clan. A harsh environment, filled with pressure and dominated by standards that were nearly impossible to meet.
In that place, a person's worth was often measured solely by the strength they possessed.
And for those who failed to meet that standard, life could quickly become something cruel.
Memories from my previous life made me understand that all too well. The images of how they were treated by their own family were still vivid in my mind.
Looked down upon. Treated like burdens.
Even from a very young age. That suffocating feeling still lingered whenever I thought about it.
Then a simple question appeared in my mind. Should I take them away from the Zenin Clan?
The problem was not my desire. If it were only about that, the answer would already be clear.
I wanted to do it. The real question was whether it was even possible.
The Zenin Clan was not an ordinary family. They were one of the great clans, bound by harsh traditions and a rigid mentality.
If I simply showed up and tried to take those two children away, the only result would be a conflict that was not meant to happen yet.
Because of that, another option slowly formed in my mind.
Buying them.
It sounded inhumane.
As if they were nothing more than objects that could change hands in exchange for something of value.
But if that clan truly cared more about reputation, power, and profit than the lives of two twin girls they considered failures, then the right offer might be enough to make them let the girls go.
A calm and measured approach was still possible.
But if that method failed… another thought surfaced before I could stop it.
Kidnapping them.
Kidnapping babies.
I remained silent for quite a while after that thought appeared.
Was I starting to become someone who cared less and less about boundaries? Or was this simply a form of pragmatism born from the fact that this world had never truly been fair to begin with?
In a place like this, morality was rarely as simple as right or wrong.
More often than not, the only thing that mattered was who managed to survive.
Even so… still.
Kidnapping babies was not something that could be taken lightly.
In the end, I let out a long breath, trying to calm my own thoughts.
No. I would not act recklessly.
It was only the year 2001.
There was still enough time before the various important events began to move according to the fate I remembered.
I could still think everything through more carefully.
Alright.
Let's wait until the year 2002.
And before that time arrived, I would make sure that every step I took had been carefully considered.
...
...
...
Now the year had changed to 2002.
Two days ago, New Year's fireworks still lit up the night sky, their colors blooming above the quiet city of Akiruno. The explosions echoed between the low buildings, bouncing off concrete walls and rooftops covered in cold dew.
The winter air was still sharply biting, piercing the skin until it felt as if it reached the bone. The breath leaving my mouth turned into thin white vapor.
Right now, I was standing alone inside the temporary headquarters, a room that wasn't particularly large, with a window slightly fogged over by the cold air.
In the palm of my hand rested a small compass.
Jack Sparrow's Compass.
A Cursed Tool that I created myself, inspired by the film Pirates of the Caribbean. The legendary compass belonging to Captain Jack Sparrow was known for its unique ability—it did not point north, but instead always pointed toward what its owner desired most.
The idea was far too interesting to ignore in this world.
By combining my cursed technique with a fairly deep understanding of the structure of Cursed Energy, I attempted to create a replica of it. Of course, this was only an imitation. A copy far from the perfection of the original artifact, yet still useful enough for certain purposes.
The compass did not point north.
The needle trembled faintly inside the small circular glass, moving as if it were something alive. The light from the room's lamp reflected off its dull metal surface.
The needle would always point toward one's deepest desire. And at this moment, my desire was very clear.
To find the location of Mimiko Hasaba and Nanako Hasaba.
I focused my mind, calming my breathing, then clearly imagined those two names in my head. I remembered the future I had once seen—two little girls with twin ponytails, their innocent smiles bright and cheerful, yet ultimately dragged into a dark tragedy.
But what happened next made me frown.
The compass needle spun.
It spun without any clear direction.
The needle continued to move, turning endlessly as if it had lost its purpose. There was no steady vibration, no subtle pull toward a particular direction.
Only chaotic movement.
At first, I thought the tool was broken.
But that felt impossible.
I had already tested the compass many times before—to find certain objects, to search for distant locations, even to locate people who already existed. Every time it was tested, the needle always moved decisively toward the correct direction.
The results had always been accurate.
So why was it not showing anything now?
I stood silently for quite a while in the quiet room. Only the sound of the winter wind occasionally echoed outside the window. My mind traced every reasonable possibility.
Until one conclusion slowly emerged.
They had not been born yet.
Yes… that made sense.
If they were still in the womb at this moment, then in terms of existence they had not truly "appeared" in the world yet. This compass worked based on the desire toward something that truly existed.
If the object or being did not fully exist yet—had not formed a clear identity, had not left an independent trace of existence—then there was nothing for the compass to point toward.
It might not even be only because they were still in the womb.
Perhaps it was also because they had not been given names yet.
My desire was specifically "Mimiko Hasaba" and "Nanako Hasaba." If those names had not yet been attached to them, then the concept I was searching for had not truly taken form. In this world, identity carried a certain weight.
A name was the anchor of existence.
Without a name, someone's presence felt vague.
Damn it.
I had never considered such a ridiculous possibility before.
Since that day, every morning and every night, I always opened the compass and checked it. That small routine gradually became a habit without me realizing it. The compass needle continued to spin wildly just like before, as if mocking my patience.
Day after day passed.
Eventually, that habit caught the attention of Shizuka and Rika.
They often saw me sitting quietly at the wooden table in this room, staring at the small compass with a serious expression, as if waiting for something invisible.
Shizuka, who usually looked absent-minded and relaxed, finally could no longer hold back her curiosity.
"What exactly are you looking for?" Shizuka asked one afternoon.
The pale winter sunlight slipped through the base's window, casting long shadows across the floor. Shizuka stood near the door, looking at me with her eyebrow slightly raised.
There was no way I could explain everything. It was far too complicated. So I chose to tell a half-truth.
------------------------------
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