He wasn't sure. He might die from this.

The hungry way Mika had looked at him gave him chills in retrospect. He recognized that expression, he'd seen it before. People who looked at others that way became dangerous if left unchecked.

Their warped psychology granted advantages that normal people lacked. They could endure torture while laughing, and they hungered for violence with inhuman intensity.

The thought of her made him very uneasy. Her Only Sin was torture, too.

But in the end, no psychopath had ever managed to kill him before. He wouldn't give one the satisfaction now.

When everything was brought before Iris, she wore a big grin and spoke:

"Can you take me on a date the day after tomorrow?"

This was unexpected, but knowing Iris, it was obvious she had a plan to share.

When the day came, it didn't feel like a date at all, more like an older brother chaperoning his shy sister.

She followed him like a lost puppy, too nervous to speak to anyone unless Halo started the conversation. Then, gradually, her true personality would surface.

He'd understood she was socially awkward, but now, seeing her struggle with something as basic as talking to a stranger, he finally appreciated how difficult it must have been for her to approach him that first time.

Even so, he was glad to lead the way on everything.

He thought people would stare and make assumptions about them being a couple, the typical reaction to seeing young people together. But the crowd's response was different.

Iris handled all the spending, paying in Sin Fragments as they jumped from one activity to the next. They shared meals throughout, though everything tasted like ash to Halo.

Everywhere they went, people stared at them with odd, uncomfortable expressions. At first, Halo wondered if he was being too harsh with Iris, and strangers were reacting to that. But the truth was something else entirely.

When he brought it up to Iris, she responded with a rather peculiar answer.

"I'm sorry I haven't told you everything, but when the time comes, leave Light here with me. You're not to do anything until he returns."

He resented being kept in the dark. And frankly, paranoia was creeping in. He'd known Iris for some time, but trust only went so far. What if she'd already been turned by the people they hunted?

It grew more suspicious the longer he reflected. Her perfect record of avoiding Chaos Eaters defied probability.

Multiple nighttime outings together, and he'd observed no attacks when she accompanied him. Now she was acting jumpy, almost manic.

Options were slim, true. But he knew that whatever betrayal she might be planning, vigilance would see him through. He'd survived worse treachery before.

Without further ado, he commanded Light to deactivate from his form and join the Child of Sacrifice, giving her two shadows while Tough shadowed the Shadow of Death himself.

Despite his suspicions, he didn't budge.

The day continued without incident until it shattered. Between one breath and the next, Iris went from paying a street vendor to completely vanishing.

He was bemused for the moment. He waited for her for a moment until he realized that she was truly gone.

For a moment, this confirmed his suspicions about Iris. Then two men approached from behind, demanding his attention with a firm touch on his shoulder.

He spun around.

One man towered at nearly seven feet, his piercing stare unsettling enough to raise goosebumps. The other matched Halo's height roughly, with black hair bound in a ponytail. Something about that kind gaze and welcoming smile struck a chord of familiarity.

He'd seen him before. They were the guards of this land.

His expression went deadpan.

"You are under arrest, boy, for the murder of a local chef, Silas."

Halo glanced at them in confusion for a moment before letting out a disappointed sigh.

'Why take this long to make an arrest?'

The giant grabbed and shoved him roughly, parading him like a criminal under arrest. Meanwhile, the other man apologized earnestly to the watching civilians, acting as if Halo's presence warranted a public apology.

He understood now.

The crowd's killing looks and Iris's seamless disappearance made sense.

She'd moved so smoothly he hadn't registered it, and even though he'd seen that level of skill from her before, he'd defaulted to paranoia.

She'd been perceptive enough to sense danger, hence asking for Light to cover fighting while she managed strategy.

But he couldn't entirely dismiss another theory, that she'd known exactly what would happen and timed her disappearance perfectly.

Still, one question bothered him: how had she known? The whole date had been a setup from the start, designed solely to facilitate his capture.

While he dwelt in thoughts, the towering man shoved him into a wagon near the alley. The moment the last one joined, the wagon began rolling.

He gave them a lazy look.

"Would you mind?"

The short one said with a smile and beckoned for one of Halo's sweets.

"Not at all…"

Halo said with a shrug before handing one over.

That smile. Halo had grown accustomed to it, as had all of StoneHaven, a smile that radiated safety and protection.

But the truth was now undeniable: his theories had been right. These men were the architects of the Chaos Eater plague.

'What a pity…'

He sighed.

"The name is Spector, and that is Ren. Would you be so kind as to put this on for me?"

Spector maintained his smile as he handed Halo a sack.

Halo glanced at his sweet.

"Don't worry about that… I can finish it for you."

Spector said with tenderness, and Halo reluctantly handed his sweet over.

His calmness surprised even himself. Obviously, they were transporting him to some isolated location at Mika's command, a place where she could torture him freely. But despite recognizing the danger, he felt oddly detached.

Assuming Spector and Ren weren't uniquely powerful, his guards would match their level. He could read Ren's capability easily enough. And Spector's persistent smile indicated hidden strength, not friendliness.

Soon enough, the wagon came to a halt.

"We are here, dreamy boy."

Spector said, and Ren began pushing him just like before.

Now, Halo began to feel unsettled. Yet, the calm radiance was unmistakable.

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