Lina and I walked back to the alley where I'd knocked everyone out. Lina moved with a purpose, her steps strong and vigilant as she walked past me.

"They're all here."

Which surprised me. Why had these people not woken up and walked away by now? Surely I had not hit them that hard.

She didn't hesitate to bark her orders.

"Officers! Detain every single one. Search their pockets, check for magical devices, restrain them, and transport them to holding."

Her people rushed forward and within moments, unconscious kidnappers were being lifted onto stretchers or dragged unceremoniously across the pavement.

Lina stood with her arms crossed, her expression carved from stone.

I exhaled softly.

"Thank you for the help."

"I'm only doing my job. But I don't like how you're involved in almost every incident recently. I don't trust you."

She replied without looking at me. Then her gaze flicked my way, sharp and unfiltered.

"I know how it looks. But I'm not causing these accidents, and I don't want trouble either. I'm doing my best to stay out of it."

I said calmly.

Lina studied me for a long two seconds.

"That would be ideal. For everyone's sake."

She turned sharply.

"I'm heading back. File an official statement later."

"Understood."

With that, she marched off with the officers, leaving the alley strangely quiet behind her.

I finally made my way back to the bookstore, already craving a cup of tea and a few hours without disasters.

But the moment I opened the door, I felt the tension.

Nyx and Erebus were huddled behind the counter. Luna hovered protectively near them. And sitting at one of the tables, with a teacup untouched in front of her, was Reeze Spencer.

Her posture was elegant, composed. But her eyes… too intense. Too focused on me the moment I stepped inside.

She rose gracefully.

"Shopkeeper. Thank goodness you're back."

She said, voice smooth but heavy with urgency.

I forced a polite smile.

"Miss…Spencer. What brings you here?"

She folded her hands, affecting the image of a noblewoman seeking help.

"My people have gone missing."

I paused.

She continued, tone trembling at the edges.

"It began days ago. A few stopped reporting in. Now dozens are gone. You're the only one I could turn to. Please-help me."

Her words gave me an off feeling.

Just like Emma Jones earlier.

Reeze watched me closely-and when I didn't respond immediately, her face changed. The gentle expression slipped. Her eyes sharpened into something predatory.

"So, you noticed."

She said slowly.

That was all the warning I got before the female raised her hands and formed a spell in it to send it my way.

"Sleep."

She whispered, but nothing happened. The spell washed over me-then dissolved like mist under sunlight.

My system chimed:

[Hostile magic neutralized.]

Reeze-no, the imposter froze.

"What…? That's not possible. No human neutralizes my spells!"

"Looks like you met the wrong person to mess with."

Her eyes widened. She raised her hand again, magic crackling.

I prepared to move, but Leo was faster than me and he moved first. Before anyone knew what happened, he had grabbed the female's arm and held it behind her back. His glowing eyes serve as a warning for her not to move.

Her spell shattered with a sound like glass cracking.

"You-let go-!"

She hissed, trying to yank free.

Leo's grip tightened, but he looked otherwise unharmed by her attempts to break free. If anything, his grip tightened even more as he gave her a glare.

"You shouldn't attack the shopkeeper."

His voice was neither polite, nor understanding.

She tried again to pull back, panic finally creeping into her voice.

"W-wait-this isn't-listen-!"

He didn't loosen his hold. If anything, he shifted his stance subtly, preventing her from escaping, his presence suffocating in its calm precision.

I stepped a little closer, tapping the cane gently against the floor.

"So, are you going to stop pretending to be Reeze? Or do you want to keep embarrassing yourself?"

I said and her lips curled back, half snarl, half fear.

"You people… don't understand what you're interfering with."

"Probably not, but I am tired of this fakeness by now."

I admitted.

She bared her teeth and tried to throw a blast straight upward to destabilize the room. A spark formed-but the moment the mana left her fingertips, it got crushed by an invisible force radiating from Leo.

Her eyes widened.

"What are you? How are you doing that?!"

Her pupils tightened as she asked this question. But it was my turn to ask questions.

"Tell me who you are."

She stared at me, breathing hard. Then her jaw clenched.

"I won't."

Leo held the struggling woman tighter, and I could see the strain in his jaw as he waited for her to answer me.

I kept my voice steady, even though something cold had already settled in my chest.

"Why come after me? What exactly do you want from me?"

I asked her.

For a moment, she said nothing. Her eyes flicked between my face and Leo's grip on her arm. Then, slowly, a small smile curved her lips-thin, humorless, unsettling.

She opened her mouth and released a low chuckle that grew sharper, louder, until it wasn't laughter anymore but a rasping sound that scraped the air.

"You? You'll never achieve your wish. Not in this life. So you should surrender your power and this town to my master."

She finally said, not missing a beat. Her words were not clear, but her eyes were.

Leo growled under his breath and tightened his grip, forcing her forward.

"Speak clearly. What are you talking about? Who sent you?"

He said.

Instead of answering, her laughter grew more unhinged. Her eyes no longer resembled the calm innocence of the woman she was pretending to be-burned with a twisted satisfaction.

And then she screamed. Her loud voice caused Leo to flinch and he accidentally lightened his hold on her, giving the unknown enough time to erupt into flames and disappear.

"No wait-!"

He called out but it was too late. Just like that, the female he was gripping so harshly was gone.

Leo stared at the empty dress, his expression unreadable. Luna gasped and slapped a hand over her mouth, stepping back in horror.

"What was that? What just happened to her? How did she-?"

She whispered.

I exhaled slowly, feeling the pressure build behind my eyes-the warning sign of another headache forming.

The smell of burnt fabric mixed with something metallic and wrong lingered in the air.

"I don't know. I really don't know what's going on."

I told her honestly.

I bent down and touched the singed cloth carefully with the end of my cane.

There was no residue left behind when she had disappeared.. It was as if she had never existed in the first place.

This was the second imposter today.

Leo let out a frustrated sigh and dropped the clothing onto the floor.

"She killed herself rather than answer a single question. Whoever sent her must have placed some kind of failsafe in her mind."

I nodded.

"That's the only explanation that makes sense."

Luna stepped closer, her expression still shaken.

"Shopkeeper… what should we do now? If more people like this come, what if they try something worse next time? You can't be everywhere at once."

That was exactly the problem.

"I think we should stop inviting guests in for now. No exceptions. If anyone comes asking for me, I want them kept outside until I personally confirm who they are."

I said slowly.

Leo agreed instantly.

"That's for the best. And I'll add extra wards around the bookstore tonight."

Luna nodded as well, though I could see the unease still stirring behind her eyes.

"I'll make sure no one gets inside without your permission."

I rubbed my forehead, the headache pressing deeper now-sharp, insistent, almost pulsing.

My mind felt cluttered, pulled in too many directions at once. I had barely returned home last night after the cult released me….and now this was happening.

I leaned against one of the shelves, closing my eyes for a moment.

"This is getting ridiculous. I'm trying my best to stay out of trouble, but trouble keeps dragging me in by the collar."

I whispered before I turned to look at the kid to tell them what to do next. Whatever was happening around this town was a secondary concern to me.

"Alright…For now, let's lock the doors and stay alert."

I said.

Everyone nodded as they went back to their work. We would likely need a secret way to communicate with each other and make sure none of us was getting replaced by an imposter.

'Let's tackle tomorrow's problem tomorrow. There is no point in worrying about something that has yet to happen.'

And as the bookstore settled into tense silence once more, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. Something was looming over the horizon, waiting for me to come and make my move.

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