Hayama Hayato is the class president of Class 2-B, as well as the captain and star player of Ohananomitsu High School's soccer club. He is the most popular student in school, and almost every girl has a crush on him. With his handsome face, friendly demeanor, and exceptional academic and athletic abilities, he is considered the perfect person by many.
Additionally, his family comes from an elite background. His father owns a prestigious law firm, while his mother is a doctor. With such a background, it's no wonder so many people admire him.
However, behind his warm smile and caring attitude, Hayato always feels the weight of high expectations he must fulfill. He is used to helping his friends and being someone they can rely on.
It is currently 8:10 PM, and Hayato has just finished his homework when his phone rings.
Looking at the screen, he frowns. An unknown number?
But his friendly nature compels him to answer anyway.
"Hello, this is Hayama."
"Hayama-kun…" A woman's voice comes from the other end of the line, sounding slightly anxious. "This is Kakeru's mother. I'm sorry to bother you so late, but… do you know where Kakeru is?"
Hayato immediately sits up straight, a bad feeling settling in. "Tobe? You mean he hasn't come home?"
"Yes… since yesterday. He hasn't contacted us at all. I've already called his friends, but no one knows. That's why I'm trying to call you."
Hayato thinks for a moment before replying, "The last time I saw him, we were hanging out at karaoke. After that, he said he was going straight home. Maybe he's staying over at another friend's place?"
"I've already asked all his friends he usually visits, but no one has seen him." Tobe's mother sounds increasingly worried. "I don't know what to do…"
"Don't worry, ma'am. I'll contact some other friends. If I hear anything, I'll let you know right away." Hayato tries to reassure her.
"Thank you, Hayama-kun. I really appreciate it."
After the call ends, Hayato's expression turns serious. He immediately opens his contact list and starts calling his circle of friends one by one.
The first call goes to Ooka and Yamato.
"Yo, Hayato, what's up?" Ooka's voice sounds relaxed.
"Ooka, Yamato, have you heard anything about Tobe? He hasn't come home since yesterday."
"Huh? Seriously?" Ooka sounds surprised. "The last time I saw him was at karaoke. After that, I thought he went straight home."
"I haven't heard from him either." Yamato adds. "Maybe he's at some girl's place or something?"
"I don't know, but his mom's been looking everywhere. If you hear anything, let me know." Hayato replies.
"Alright, we'll try to find out too."
After hanging up with Ooka and Yamato, Hayato immediately calls Yumiko.
The phone rings a few times before Yumiko finally answers.
"Hayato? What happened?" Yumiko's voice sounds a little cheerful, perhaps even hopeful.
Hayato doesn't notice her tone and gets straight to the point. "Yumiko, have you heard anything about Tobe? He hasn't come home since yesterday."
For a moment, Yumiko's happy expression turns disappointed.
'So, he's only calling because of Tobe?'
She had hoped Hayato was calling just to chat or maybe ask something about her. But reality was different.
"Oh… Tobe, huh? No, I haven't heard anything from him." Yumiko lets out a small sigh, hiding her disappointment.
"I see… alright. Sorry to bother you."
Without waiting long, Hayato quickly calls Yuigahama.
"Ah, Hayama-kun? What's up?" Yuigahama's voice sounds cheerful, but upon hearing Hayato ask about Tobe, her cheerfulness fades slightly.
"Eh? Tobe-kun is missing? I don't know anything either. The last time I saw him was at karaoke yesterday… But after that, I went home early."
After hanging up with Yuigahama, Hayato tries calling Ebina.
As usual, Ebina answers in a relaxed tone. "Hayato! It's unusual for you to call me this late. Something important?"
"Ebina, have you heard anything about Tobe?"
"..."
There's a brief silence before Ebina lets out a small chuckle. "Fufufu~ Maybe he's off on a journey to find forbidden love?"
"Ebina, this is serious."
"Yeah, yeah. I get it. But I really don't know where he is. I also went home early after karaoke yesterday."
After hanging up, Hayato lets out a long sigh.
No one knows where Tobe is.
"Tobe might be careless and act foolish sometimes, but he's not the type to suddenly disappear without a word."
"Could he be involved in something serious?"
With a serious expression, Hayato grips his phone tightly. If there's no news in the next few hours, he'll have to report this to the police.
However, what Hayato doesn't know… is that Tobe Kakeru has already become food for the fish at the bottom of Tokyo Bay.
Even if Hayato reports it to the police, it won't change anything. Tobe will never be found. This case will never be solved. There will be no clues, witnesses, or reliable evidence.
Because those responsible for this "cleanup" are part of the Shinomiya family.
As one of the most influential conglomerates in Japan, the Shinomiya family doesn't make mistakes in their executions. Every step is calculated, every trace erased perfectly. Their cleanup team operates in the shadows, ensuring that nothing is left behind.
On the surface, the world continues as usual. But behind the scenes, a life has vanished without a trace—and no one will ever know.
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The flight time from Tokyo to London on a private jet ranges from 11 to 13 hours, depending on the flight route and weather conditions.
Inside the luxurious cabin of the private jet, Ren casually opens his mouth, letting Hayasaka feed him.
A tender piece of steak melts in his mouth, followed by the rich aroma of red wine sauce. Hayasaka, who serves as both his maid and concubine, attends to him without hesitation. To her, it's only natural for a woman to serve a man superior to her.
"Does the meal suit your taste, Ren-sama?" She asks while looking at him.
Ren nods lightly. "Not bad."
After ensuring Ren is satisfied with meal, Hayasaka takes the initiative to ask, "The purpose of our trip to London this time… does it have something to do with the mystical world?"
Hearing this question, Ren leans back comfortably in the plush leather seat. He realizes he hasn't told Hayasaka the details of his mission. In a calm voice, he explains, "We're going to meet a witch."
Hayasaka, who has grown accustomed to the mystical world since serving Ren, doesn't overreact. However, she remains curious. "A witch in London? Is she more powerful than the witches in Japan?"
"Of course. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother meeting her in person."
Seeing her interest, Ren continues, "She has an extraordinary reputation in the European mystical world. Her name is Alice, known as the Sage Princess. She's also considered a rival to the Black Prince Alec, one of the Campione."
Now, Hayasaka is genuinely surprised.
"A rival to a Campione…? Doesn't that mean—"
Raising his hand, Ren stops her train of thought. "Of course, I'm not talking about combat power. A witch can't possibly defeat a Godslayer. But Alice managed to outsmart Alec in their confrontation. That said, it's only because Alec never seriously intended to defeat her head-on. In the face of absolute power, strategy and intelligence are useless."
"I see… Still, that's not an achievement just anyone can accomplish. No wonder she's called the Sage Princess."
After witnessing the power of a Campione through Ren and Godou's sparring, Hayasaka knows just how absurdly strong Campione are. She can't help but feel a bit of admiration for Alice, even though they've never met.