Chapter 70: Tangible Strings

"Oh? Really?"

"You said it earlier, right? My memories would still return even if I chose to wish? As long as there are triggers in that Devil's fourth world, then it'll eventually return, right?"

Shiho grumbled. "Right, that's correct. But why the sudden change of heart? Not that I'm complaining, though."

Haru looked away, "I think… I have a rough idea what would happen if I chose to take a wish."

"Oh, yeah? What's your guess?"

Haru looked back straight at her once more. "I would be somehow linked to that Devil, wouldn't I? I'd know his whereabouts and intentions and maybe almost everything about him as if I'm part of him. Like I'm really a vessel or something."

Shiho didn't speak as she stared at him agape and wide-eyed. She was genuinely shocked with his guess. She has always known how perceptive the young man is, but never expected it to this extent.

It feels like he's chosen by the Devil himself, not only with the compatibility vessel, but also with his sharp connection with him and his gift of perceptiveness.

Looking back at his actions within the Devil's worlds according to the memories she collected from him, it is fairly understandable that he has this kind of ability.

"Alright, then," Shiho slowly recovered. "What's your wish?"

"I want to return to the Devil's world, at the fourth, of course. The place where you kidnapped me." He answered quickly as if he knew exactly what he was saying.

The witch felt like she could never convince him to make a different wish with how unmoving his determination is right now. And so, she granted it to him.

As soon as he was transported back to the Devil's fourth world, she felt somehow nostalgic and accomplished with what she had seen and done.

'That boy will definitely save that miserable creature…' She thought to herself.

And so, as a parting gift, she returned another piece of his memory as soon as he landed back to the Devil's fourth world, the Grand Blisscade.

The sound of the bleeping and flashing machines from the arcades and the rolling little balls from the roulette sounded like murmurs to Haru when he perceived the continuation of his memories.

Haru remembered being disappointed and infuriated with the old woman's prophetic words then. He cried with his palms still laid out, unable to accept such a destiny.

"But I wanted to be useful to them…" He whimpered. "What if they hate me?"

The old woman smiled, squeezing young Haru's hand. "Aren't you curious who is that 'someone else' that would make use of you? It's not your parents, but someone else will!"

"The workers and nuns from the orphanage…?"

"No, no, no! It's someone special! If it's just those ordinary people, then I would be able to know instantly! But because I can't tell who it is, it might be… hmm… a god, a spirit, a ghost, a siren, an alien, or… even a Devil!"

Haru's eyes didn't light up, but it was washed with some lingering hope. It's as if he was looking forward to that.

Unfortunately, even if he insisted on asking who it was, the witch couldn't find more of that creature's whereabouts.

Soon after that day, the old woman's prediction came true.

A couple was looking for a child to adopt and all their documents were already prepared as if they were waiting for this moment.

Even as the man and the woman were still just talking to the nuns who were accommodating them, Haru knew in his heart that he would be their purpose in that orphanage.

In fact, when his eyes met the woman's, Haru could almost feel the strings of destiny being so tangible across his skin.

And it was only a matter of time when the couple went to meet Haru as he was introduced to them.

He remembered the husband and wife crying as soon as they saw him, as if they saw someone else in him.