Chapter 32: Ken's POV

"I have no business with you Soukoku, I've come here to take back my son"

Her what now? Okay, that makes sense somehow, we knew she couldn't have created a soul from scratch to put on Wolfram's body... but her own son's? That's a bit heartless, even for a vengeance driven soul.

I look over to not-Wolfram and I see in his face the same, probably more, amount of surprise. He really had no idea of who he is, a real stray puppy, just as I thought.

"Witch, are you implying that this is your son?" Shinou asks while signaling not-Wolfram to come closer to us, but when he is about to move and Mirage is about to answer, a strong marioku pins us all to the ground, while the room is suddenly filled with a white blinding light.

For a moment I feel as though a train has just run me over, but I straighten up as calmly as I can trying to get my sight accustomed to the normal light again.

"Yuuri!" I hear not-Wolfram screaming and running footsteps in Shibuya's direction. When I finally manage to see clearly again, I see Shibuya on his knees on the ground with not-Wolfram by his side.

I rush over to him and get down on one knee to help him stand.

"Shibuya, are you okay!?" I ask and he finally looks up. His face is a little bruised up and he has a cut below his right eye, who knows how is the rest of his body, but his clothes have cuts all over. His eyes look tired, but mostly sad.

"Shibuya..."

"Don't worry" he says "I'm fine" that's a lie. I take a pause and together with not-Wolfram, we manage to help him back on his feet.

But the relief doesn't last long.

"How endearing, the comeback of the wounded King" Mirage has recovered from the marioku wave and seems to be completely unharmed. Shibuya looks at the blond by his side, he's trembling slightly and looking at his mother with horror.

"Who are you!?" Shibuya demands and takes a step forward, leaving our support behind.

"Oh, excuse me Heika, we have not been properly introduced" She says sarcastically. "My name is Mirage, and I am the ruler of the tribe your predecessor slaughtered"

Black and green eyes widen with surprise, Shibuya must be starting to understand, but not-Wolfram... he seems to be more and more confused.

"Did you kill my fiance?" Shibuya asks taking another step forward.

"Of course not Heika, what would be the fun in that?" I'm really starting to hate this woman "The one killing him, right now, is you"

Oh crap...

Shibuya's body wavers upon hearing that. I look back and find Shinou's gaze connecting with mine. This isn't exactly good news, but at least now we can be sure of what we've been suspecting all along. This is a curse, and the one, the only one who can break it, is Shibuya.

"Then tell me, young Maou, what will you do now? Will you save your beloved?" she asks in an awfully calm tone. I have a bad feeling about this.

"What kind of a question is that!? Of course I will!" Shibuya answers without thinking it twice.

"Very well then, all you have to do to get your fiance back..."

She pauses and looks at not-Wolfram who is half hiding behind me, I turn back and see how his eyes widen to all their extent for a moment before completely losing any trace of green and becoming like the ones of his mother, he seems to be in some sort of trance. Then he's lifted from his feet and floats above us, to stop at Mirage's side. She smiles and looks back on Shibuya's direction.

"... is kill my son"

I knew it...

Shibuya doesn't move a muscle, it's like he's frozen on the spot, trying to understand what just happened.

"You have an hour to ponder over it as much as you need Heika, or I will make this decision for you" She laughs for herself and disappears along with her son, in Wolfram's body.

The last thing we can see before they're completely gone is a tear falling down not-Wolfram's cheek.

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This "not-Wolfram" thing would sound so much better in japanese