"Ah, Shiki? Your father and I apologize for not being able to have dinner with you today," Emberlyn said with a look of regret.
"It's fine. Andrea will keep me company for dinner. See you tomorrow morning, Father, Mother." Without waiting for an answer, Shiki turned and walked toward her room.
She still had three years to prepare everything to perfection. Beyond that, she knew she needed to seek out a martial arts instructor and begin training a body that had, until now, been thoroughly pampered. Even if the combat techniques of Ignisira were of little use in the Procession Tower, it was better than squandering her time.
"Young Mistress, do you plan on leaving the estate today?" Andrea asked as they arrived at Shiki's room.
"No, I plan to meet someone. Ah, perhaps it would be better if you helped me invite him for dinner, Andrea."
"Oh? And who might that be? I'm sure he would be delighted to dine with you," Andrea replied, starting to comb Shiki's reddish-black hair as the girl sat before her vanity.
"Please summon Mr. Thompson for me, Andrea."
Andrea's hands faltered for a heartbeat. A flicker of disturbance crossed her face, though she quickly regained control of her expression and resumed combing Shiki's hair.
"Mr. Thompson? Whatever reason could you have for wanting to meet a man of his… sort?"
Shiki caught the hesitation and the wariness in Andrea's voice. Thompson was not the kind of figure a teenager like Shiki would typically encounter. Within the Ganko Family, which employed thousands of staff and servants, Thompson was well-known only among the inner circle. This was because Thompson handled the various "grey" affairs for the Ganko lineage.
As the family's crown jewel, Shiki was usually shielded from people like Thompson. Now, however, Shiki didn't care for the opinions of others. After all, her life in this world would end in three years; preserving a pristine reputation was no longer her priority. Besides, Shiki had vital business to settle with him.
"Rest easy, Andrea. I have a specific request for Thompson, and it is of the utmost importance."
"…Very well, then," Andrea replied, able only to nod in compliance.
The floor-length mirror reflected Shiki's flawlessness without a single blemish. She stood tall, chin slightly tilted, gazing at her reflection as if she were appraising the world itself, rather than her own image.
Her skin appeared translucent, catching the morning light like fine porcelain. Her features were sharp yet delicate, with a broad brow that exuded confidence, a small straight nose that added to her elegance, and naturally red lips that always seemed to hold a half-formed smile—a smile that more often signaled disdain than warmth. Her reddish-black hair flowed long, cascading in gentle waves down her back, moving in rhythm with her breath as if it were alive and obedient to her will.
Her crimson eyes stared back, cold and piercing. There was no self-admiration there. Only calculation.
This beauty was not merely a blessing; it was a weapon. Shiki had known this since childhood. The nervous glances of others, the unconscious slowing of their steps, the sudden awkwardness in their voices—all were evidence of how the world reacted to her presence. Few men could meet her gaze for long without losing their composure, and Shiki was accustomed to using that fact as one might use a blade: precisely, efficiently, and without hesitation.
She exhaled a short breath.
The only man who had never been affected was that man with the violet eyes.
Shiki narrowed her eyes, her fingers grazing the reflection of her own face. Back then, in that trash-filled basement, her skin had been filthy, her hair matted, her body reeking of decay. It was no wonder he had treated her as nothing more than an object discarded in a corner.
But now?
If they were to meet under these circumstances, Shiki refused to believe the outcome would be the same.
Searching for that man in the Procession Tower was a nearly impossible feat. The place was too vast, too chaotic, and inhabited by beings from countless worlds. Even with her experience and strength, finding one person without a clear lead was akin to searching for a single drop of water in the ocean.
But Ignisira was different.
In this world, rules still functioned. Data still existed. Lineages, birth records, migration archives—all could be accessed if one knew which buttons to press.
Silvery-white hair and violet eyes were not common traits. With the right age constraints and the resources of the Ganko Family, an initial screening could be completed swiftly. Nevertheless, Shiki didn't rule out the worst-case scenario: the man might not be a Nagawira from Ignisira. He could be human, elven, a phantom, or something even rarer. Someone who was merely passing through before vanishing into the Procession Tower.
She clenched her fist slowly.
If only she could remember his face clearly.
Yet even her Dragon's Eye had failed to capture the details of his face back then. What remained were only fragments: the white hair, the calm violet eyes, and that light smile that seemed to mock the entire world. A memory that should have been impossible to forget felt… blurred.
Shiki did not believe this was a coincidence.
The violet-eyed man was no ordinary person. Someone capable of moving freely through the Procession Tower without being bound, without appearing hurried, as if merely taking a stroll. He must have possessed the power or the ability to shroud his tracks. Perhaps he intentionally did not wish to be remembered. Or perhaps the world itself refused to store his likeness.
Whatever the reason, Shiki had no intention of giving up.
She needed someone capable of searching without limits, regardless of race, nation, or background. Someone who could comb through the world with numbers and data, rather than mere intuition.
Mr. Thompson.
If the white-haired man truly originated from Ignisira, or had ever been recorded in this world, then he would be found.
And if that happened…
Shiki's lips curled slightly, a thin smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"Hehehe."
This time, she would not let him walk away so easily.