Yamka tilted her head in confusion at Haruki's enthusiastic suggestion, narrowing her eyes as she tried to remember who he was talking about, then said hesitantly.

  "You mean that transparent woman?"

  Haruki's face lit up completely.

  He clenched both fists together and shook them with excitement in response to Yamika's question.

  "Yes! Yes! We can contact her through the gem!"

  "I threw it away."

  "You did WHAT?!!"

  Haruki shouted in shock, completely unprepared for Yamka's indifference toward throwing away their only means of contact with someone they knew in this world, someone who might have the information they needed to escape it.

  Yamka frowned, the corner of her upper lip curling upward in defiance as she puffed out her chest with clear pride, saying with irritation and arrogance.

  "I don't need some blonde woman telling me what to do!"

  Haruki disapproved of Yamika's dismissive attitude toward Seraphine, but decided not to argue with her and instead focus on his own idea.

  "Well, good thing I kept the stone right here,"

  he said confidently.

  He slipped his hand into his pocket to check for the stone, but then…he froze.

  The color drained from his face as his hands began frantically patting over his body in panic.

  Then, with utter despair, he dropped to the ground, hugging his knees to his chest and muttering weakly.

  "I lost it…"

  Yamka laughed at his sulky, round face.

  He looked like a child who had lost his favorite toy and couldn't find it.

  She bent down toward him, placing her hands on his shoulders and shaking him gently to restore his hope as she said.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  "Come on, Haruki, don't be depressed. We don't need blonde women, right, Crow?"

  Yamka lifted her head to look at the crow …. Noroi ,who had stopped walking to glance back at them. He sighed deeply and said indifferently.

  "I still have the stone."

  Haruki's face lit up instantly, snapping out of his despair.

  He rushed on his knees toward Noroi, arms wide open, trying to hug him as he exclaimed with joy.

  "Noroi, you're the best!"

  Noroi placed a hand on Haruki's face to stop the hug, then said in a dry tone.

  "I know. And keep your physical affection to yourself… I'm not your girlfriend."

  Noroi looked at Haruki's face at that moment , the boy looked like a sad little puppy that had just been kicked out; all that misery simply because he hadn't been able to hug Noroi.

  Noroi's expression didn't so much as twitch.

  He opened his bag and began rummaging through his metallic belongings until he finally found Seraphine's white stone placed along one side of the bag.

  Wrapping his fingers around it, he pulled it out and said.

  "Catch."

  He tossed the stone toward Haruki, who caught it with both hands as if it were something precious. His cheerful expression returned as he said gratefully.

  "Thank you! Now, how did Seraphine say we're supposed to use it?"

  Haruki watched the stone for a few moments, turning it between his fingers, anticipating that some kind of instructions might be written somewhere on it.

  Noroi let out a long sigh and raised his hand to rub his forehead, trying to ease the headache he got every time he realized just how foolish his companions were.

  He stepped closer to Haruki and smacked him on the head with his palm; Haruki's head jerked forward from the force of the slap, and before he could protest, Noroi said coldly.

  "Just rub it."

  Haruki spread his fingers apart, his expression lighting up as he exclaimed enthusiastically.

  "Riiight!!"

  And as soon as Haruki's hand rubbed the stone several times, it emitted a faint flash then, in an instant, that light burst out with force, sweeping across the entire area.

  Haruki dropped the stone from his hand because of the intense brightness, instinctively shutting his eyes to protect them.

  At the same time, Noroi turned his head to the side, while Yamka raised her arm high to shield her eyes completely with her forearm.

  "Hello, Haru."

  A feminine voice echoed, and Haruki immediately recognized it as Seraphine's.

  He opened his eyes slightly, but his vision was still blurred by the lingering colors from the powerful light, so he shook his head to clear it before looking at Seraphine again with a joyful expression.

  "Seraphine!"

  Haruki's face was full of happiness, and his wide smile lifted his cheeks high as he saw Seraphine again after the days that had passed since their first meeting.

  Seraphine smiled gently, her golden hair cascading over her shoulders like a waterfall of sunlight.

  Even though she appeared transparent, she still retained a captivating beauty; her face carried a warm expression as she responded to Haruki's greeting.

  "Oh, little Haru! How have you been? I see you've found friends… Yamka, and dear Noroi."

  Noroi glanced at her from the corner of his eye after his vision had cleared from the glare, shooting her a cold look as he replied sharply.

  "I'm not your dear, you old w-"

  Haruki moved just in time, placing both hands over Noroi's mouth to stop him from hurling any harsh remarks at Seraphine.

  Noroi protested behind Haruki's palms, but Haruki ignored him, smiling warmly at Seraphine as he said.

  "Just ignore him, we need your help."