5

Shortly after his arrival, Raito picked up another activity along his research. While I was following him, he was following someone else. Raito’s target was another man who served Her in the city, who himself was pursuing his own target. Raito had begun to stalk him with surprising skill. I suppose I could have warned the man about Raito, but I didn’t. Camaraderie isn’t a virtue that has been instilled in us.

After nearly a week of this, Raito’s target made a move on his victim. I hadn’t paid much attention to her; it was just some woman She had decided to hurt. Raito was more invested; when the man attempted to attack the woman in an alley, Raito stabbed him from behind with a knife.

The woman’s name turned out to be Liz. After saving her, Raito took her to his hotel, where he told her about the people pursuing them. Liz was more of a traditional victim than Raito, Scared, lost, and with no understanding of what was happening to her. Had it not been for Raito, I have no doubt she’d have been broken like all other victims.

Still, my assignment was to follow Raito, not Liz. Unless I received orders otherwise, I had no intention of doing anything to her. She was someone else’s business as far as I was concerned.