Memoirs of the Returnee

—That night.

Johanna caught onto something. Recently, for various reasons, she had almost completely abandoned her duties. No, she had lost interest and drive, but her instincts were still sharp, and today she had detected an unusual flow of funds.

“…….”

Johanna silently scrutinized the documents. They were cleverly disguised, but suspicious enough to warrant doubt.

A scheme so well hidden that even she couldn't be certain.

Perhaps it was just a desperate attempt by that guy who had once said he simply 'wanted to live.'

Johanna scanned the papers with emotionless eyes.

In the past, she might have been somewhat angry. But now, she was merely intrigued, not feeling betrayed.

Perhaps because the victim was Derek.

“……1 nteresti ng.”

Derek was a disgrace to Libra. Besides his goddamn overwriting souls antics, he always pursued shortsighted profits and screwed things up more than once.

Hopefully, he wouldn't get caught this time, as he was currently flaunting his face everywhere in the most flamboyant way possible.

Stupidly, wisely, or regrettably, Derek had entrusted Zia with the shares of [Industry] and [Commercial District].

And this was the result.

“Hmm.”

Johanna had quite a few questions. Most of all, it was about the cash reserves.

Zia's operation was, to put it simply, brutishly straightforward. As straightforward as it was difficult to detect, and as straightforward as it required a massive amount of cash…

Well, she could just ask directly.

Johanna clenched the documents and walked out into the hallway. She knocked on Zia's door.

Knock-knock—

At that moment, she wasn't sure what she was thinking.

But when she swung the door open.

Her mind went blank for a moment.

Because of the shocking scene before her.

“…….”

ln the middle of the Living room stood Shion.

Zia was tightly embraced against his chest.

Johanna quietly observed the two, who seemed as if they might merge bodies if left alone. The vivid scene was etched into her retina and iris.

Her face hardened. It stiffened as if all moisture had been sucked out of her face.

“……Ha.”

A hollow laugh escaped her. It was a sneer she didn't even realize she had made.

Johanna immediately turned around and closed the door.

Crash—!

Something shattered. It seemed she had broken the door unintentionally, but it didn't matter.

It was better than breaking the bodies of those bastards.

“…….”

Johanna came and went, and in the aftermath, the door was smashed to pieces, with fragments scattered around the room as if an earthquake had occurred.

Meanwhile, Zia was still asleep.

I laid her on the sofa. She seemed to be dreaming peacefully, her face innocent like a child's. I stared intently at her.

Was she really asleep, or just pretending to be?

Either way, I couldn't be sure with her, but time was running short.

In the current situation, there was only one thing I needed to do.

I went outside to chase after Johanna. I ran down the hallway and stopped in front of her room.

Her face hardened. It stiffened as if all moisture had been sucked out of her face.

“……Ha.”

A hollow laugh escaped her. It was a sneer she didn't even realize she had made.

Johanna immediately turned around and closed the door.

Crash—!

Something shattered. It seemed she had broken the door unintentionally, but it didn't matter.

It was better than breaking the bodies of those bastards.

“…….”

Johanna came and went, and in the aftermath, the door was smashed to pieces, with fragments scattered around the room as if an earthquake had occurred.

Meanwhile, Zia was still asleep.

I laid her on the sofa. She seemed to be dreaming peacefully, her face innocent like a child's. I stared intently at her.

Was she really asleep, or just pretending to be?

Either way, I couldn't be sure with her, but time was running short.

In the current situation, there was only one thing I needed to do.

I went outside to chase after Johanna. I ran down the hallway and stopped in front of her room.

Her face hardened. It stiffened as if all moisture had been sucked out of her face.

“……Ha.”

A hollow laugh escaped her. It was a sneer she didn't even realize she had made.

Johanna immediately turned around and closed the door.

Crash—!

Something shattered. It seemed she had broken the door unintentionally, but it didn't matter.

It was better than breaking the bodies of those bastards.

“…….”

Johanna came and went, and in the aftermath, the door was smashed to pieces, with fragments scattered around the room as if an earthquake had occurred.

Meanwhile, Zia was still asleep.

I laid her on the sofa. She seemed to be dreaming peacefully, her face innocent like a child's. I stared intently at her.

Was she really asleep, or just pretending to be?

Either way, I couldn't be sure with her, but time was running short.

In the current situation, there was only one thing I needed to do.

I went outside to chase after Johanna. I ran down the hallway and stopped in front of her room.

Her face hardened. It stiffened as if all moisture had been sucked out of her face.

“……Ha.”

A hollow laugh escaped her. It was a sneer she didn't even realize she had made.

Johanna immediately turned around and closed the door.

Crash—!

Something shattered. It seemed she had broken the door unintentionally, but it didn't matter.

It was better than breaking the bodies of those bastards.

“…….”

Johanna came and went, and in the aftermath, the door was smashed to pieces, with fragments scattered around the room as if an earthquake had occurred.

Meanwhile, Zia was still asleep.

I laid her on the sofa. She seemed to be dreaming peacefully, her face innocent like a child's. I stared intently at her.

Was she really asleep, or just pretending to be?

Either way, I couldn't be sure with her, but time was running short.

In the current situation, there was only one thing I needed to do.

I went outside to chase after Johanna. I ran down the hallway and stopped in front of her room.

Her face hardened. It stiffened as if all moisture had been sucked out of her face.

“……Ha.”

A hollow laugh escaped her. It was a sneer she didn't even realize she had made.

Johanna immediately turned around and closed the door.

Crash—!

Something shattered. It seemed she had broken the door unintentionally, but it didn't matter.

It was better than breaking the bodies of those bastards.

“…….”

Johanna came and went, and in the aftermath, the door was smashed to pieces, with fragments scattered around the room as if an earthquake had occurred.

Meanwhile, Zia was still asleep.

I laid her on the sofa. She seemed to be dreaming peacefully, her face innocent like a child's. I stared intently at her.

Was she really asleep, or just pretending to be?

Either way, I couldn't be sure with her, but time was running short.

In the current situation, there was only one thing I needed to do.

I went outside to chase after Johanna. I ran down the hallway and stopped in front of her room.

Her face hardened. It stiffened as if all moisture had been sucked out of her face.

“……Ha.”

A hollow laugh escaped her. It was a sneer she didn't even realize she had made.

Johanna immediately turned around and closed the door.

Crash—!

Something shattered. It seemed she had broken the door unintentionally, but it didn't matter.

It was better than breaking the bodies of those bastards.

“…….”

Johanna came and went, and in the aftermath, the door was smashed to pieces, with fragments scattered around the room as if an earthquake had occurred.

Meanwhile, Zia was still asleep.

I laid her on the sofa. She seemed to be dreaming peacefully, her face innocent like a child's. I stared intently at her.

Was she really asleep, or just pretending to be?

Either way, I couldn't be sure with her, but time was running short.

In the current situation, there was only one thing I needed to do.

I went outside to chase after Johanna. I ran down the hallway and stopped in front of her room.

Her face hardened. It stiffened as if all moisture had been sucked out of her face.

“……Ha.”

A hollow laugh escaped her. It was a sneer she didn't even realize she had made.

Johanna immediately turned around and closed the door.

Crash—!

Something shattered. It seemed she had broken the door unintentionally, but it didn't matter.

It was better than breaking the bodies of those bastards.

“…….”

Johanna came and went, and in the aftermath, the door was smashed to pieces, with fragments scattered around the room as if an earthquake had occurred.

Meanwhile, Zia was still asleep.

I laid her on the sofa. She seemed to be dreaming peacefully, her face innocent like a child's. I stared intently at her.

Was she really asleep, or just pretending to be?

Either way, I couldn't be sure with her, but time was running short.

In the current situation, there was only one thing I needed to do.

I went outside to chase after Johanna. I ran down the hallway and stopped in front of her room.

Her face hardened. It stiffened as if all moisture had been sucked out of her face.

“……Ha.”

A hollow laugh escaped her. It was a sneer she didn't even realize she had made.

Johanna immediately turned around and closed the door.

Crash—!

Something shattered. It seemed she had broken the door unintentionally, but it didn't matter.

It was better than breaking the bodies of those bastards.

“…….”

Johanna came and went, and in the aftermath, the door was smashed to pieces, with fragments scattered around the room as if an earthquake had occurred.

Meanwhile, Zia was still asleep.

I laid her on the sofa. She seemed to be dreaming peacefully, her face innocent like a child's. I stared intently at her.

Was she really asleep, or just pretending to be?

Either way, I couldn't be sure with her, but time was running short.

In the current situation, there was only one thing I needed to do.

I went outside to chase after Johanna. I ran down the hallway and stopped in front of her room.

Her face hardened. It stiffened as if all moisture had been sucked out of her face.

“……Ha.”

A hollow laugh escaped her. It was a sneer she didn't even realize she had made.

Johanna immediately turned around and closed the door.

Crash—!

Something shattered. It seemed she had broken the door unintentionally, but it didn't matter.

It was better than breaking the bodies of those bastards.

“…….”

Johanna came and went, and in the aftermath, the door was smashed to pieces, with fragments scattered around the room as if an earthquake had occurred.

Meanwhile, Zia was still asleep.

I laid her on the sofa. She seemed to be dreaming peacefully, her face innocent like a child's. I stared intently at her.

Was she really asleep, or just pretending to be?

Either way, I couldn't be sure with her, but time was running short.

In the current situation, there was only one thing I needed to do.

I went outside to chase after Johanna. I ran down the hallway and stopped in front of her room.

Her face hardened. It stiffened as if all moisture had been sucked out of her face.

“……Ha.”

A hollow laugh escaped her. It was a sneer she didn't even realize she had made.

Johanna immediately turned around and closed the door.

Crash—!

Something shattered. It seemed she had broken the door unintentionally, but it didn't matter.

It was better than breaking the bodies of those bastards.

Her face hardened. It stiffened as if all moisture had been sucked out of her face.

“……Ha.”

A hollow laugh escaped her. It was a sneer she didn't even realize she had made.

Johanna immediately turned around and closed the door.

Crash—!

Something shattered. It seemed she had broken the door unintentionally, but it didn't matter.

It was better than breaking the bodies of those bastards.

“…….”

Johanna came and went, and in the aftermath, the door was smashed to pieces, with fragments scattered around the room as if an earthquake had occurred.

Meanwhile, Zia was still asleep.

I laid her on the sofa. She seemed to be dreaming peacefully, her face innocent like a child's. I stared intently at her.

Was she really asleep, or just pretending to be?

Either way, I couldn't be sure with her, but time was running short.

In the current situation, there was only one thing I needed to do.

I went outside to chase after Johanna. I ran down the hallway and stopped in front of her room.