Chapter 5: No One Knows
At the police station…
Rena sat quietly on a bench, her wrists slightly bruised and a thin line of dried blood near her hairline. Her eyes scanned the room like a ghost drifting through the world.
Suddenly, a familiar voice broke through the chaos.
Joile (rushing in):
"Rena!"
She looked up slowly and gave a soft smile.
Rena (calmly):
"Hey, hubby."
Joile ran to her, wrapping his arms around her.
Joile:
"Are you okay? The police called me—I thought something terrible happened!"
Rena:
"I'm fine, Joile. Just a small misunderstanding. They asked a few questions and said I could go home."
He looked at her arms and forehead.
Joile:
"You're hurt…"
Rena (brushing it off):
"Just scratches. I'm okay."
---
Later at home…
Joile gently applied ointment to her wounds while Rena stayed silent, staring at the ceiling. After dinner, just as they were settling down, her phone buzzed.
Rena:
"Hello?"
Voice (on the phone, female, confident):
"Echo, good job. You took out every one of them. But… take care of yourself. You're slipping."
Rena (smirking):
"Thanks for checking in. I'm fine."
Voice:
"Also, the big boss? Dead. Army shot him during a raid."
Rena (laughing quietly):
"I know. One less devil in the world. Take care of yourself too. Bye."
She ends the call.
Joile:
"Who was it?"
Rena (smiling softly):
"My boss. She just wanted to make sure I was safe. Told me to take a few days off."
Joile (nodding):
"You need rest… a lot of it."
---
That night, they went to sleep. While Joile slept soundly, Rena stared at the ceiling again, eyes wide open. Her fingers traced the scar on her wrist.
Rena (whispering):
"I'll rest when all the monsters are gone."