journal ⚔️ a warning

[discourtesies]

Sender: Barok van Zieks

[The writing is hurried, a cursive that just manages to be legible. In his rush, his usual formalities are cut short. The message is more important than the form it takes.]

There is a demon in the wilderness — a bestial man. Powerful and violent, able to heal itself in an instant. Anyone unable to defend themselves should avoid the woods until [until what? It's killed? If there's any shred of the man still in there, he can't condone that.] further notice.

[Is that a drop of blood on the page? Eh, it's fine.]

It was Kazuma Asogi. I don't understand it, but I wasn't able to reason with him and he became this thing before my eyes.

[After a moment, he adds:]

He cannot be left like this.

Comments

Sender: Susato Mikotoba

[judicialassistant]

[ Susato's spent enough time with the book that she more or less figured out how it works. After scrolling through so many names she didn't know, though, she didn't think she'd find out she... did. ]

He became a what??

[discourtesies]

[It's almost hard to tell her, having seen her close connection with the man, but he's still trying to move out of the forest himself and can only afford so much time to write.]

I have no other words to describe it. He was no longer himself.

[judicialassistant]

Is he hurt?? Are you hurt

[ Oh, freakin' nuts to this. She's not gonna wait around for answers in this thing. ]

I'll come. Maybe I can get through to him.

[discourtesies]

Absolutely not.

[No, no, five hundred times no. Even if Susato has some sort of profound things to say that might possibly draw Asogi out of whatever this is, he cannot condone her putting herself in that kind of danger. Her questions remain unanswered, if just because her suggestion was that much more important to reject.]

[judicialassistant]

[ Really? Does that mean the five-hundred-first time will be a yes, because do not test her. ]

Do not make me beg, sir

[ Susato, chill, you're like sixteen. ]

[discourtesies]

Don't waste your efforts.

[NO MEANS NO.]

It's far too dangerous.

[judicialassistant]

[ YOU'RE NOT HER REAL DAD. ]

Then what will you do?

[discourtesies]

[HE'S BASICALLY YOUR UNCLE AT THIS POINT]

Someone must know something. [Thus his message.] If such a threat exists, so must a solution.

[Even so, he knows he's not the one who can enact it currently. And he hates it.]

I must leave it to those more able.

[judicialassistant]

[ Yes, yes, stupid question, Susato. He's already doing something... Damn. ]

Can you relocate somewhere safe?

[discourtesies]

[He's starting to question if anywhere is safe at this point, with how quickly Asogi corrupted that spot near the lake, but.]

I'm trying. I believe I've lost him. He was taking his time to follow.

[judicialassistant]

[ He was following him... hunting him down. Oh, Kazuma, why...? ]

Hold on. I can send for my father to help you

[ Which is such a thing a child would say, she hates it so much. But her father would know what to do. She's sure of it. ]

[discourtesies]

Thank you.

[But he won't just leave it at that. Asogi is clearly important to her, and he wouldn't dream of keeping the state of things from her, however much he might try to keep her from physically approaching.]

I'll pass on any information I'm given.

[judicialassistant]

[ She hangs on those words, "thank you." For some reason they mean more coming fron van Zieks, but she doesn't have time to reflect. She allows herself to smile for the briefest of moments, before writing a quick response, and then she shuts her book. ]

Please.

[ Now where did her father go? ]