Mysterious disappearance

In the shadowy midnight veil, Reo drifted aimlessly, the city's radiance punctuating the darkness around him. On his journey, he ventured towards the muffin shop. As a spectral figure, he seamlessly passed through the wall to inspect the otherwise inaccessible interior. The shop was shrouded in an eerie darkness, triggering his decision to depart. Yet, as he prepared to make his exit, a faint dripping sound echoed in the hollow space. His ghostly form, untouched by light, left him with no alternative but to promise a return visit. Perhaps by then, Luna might have left.

Propelled by an unseen energy, Reo glided effortlessly towards the clock tower, drawing a breathtaking panoramic of the city into focus. The city was alive with the constant hum of lights and the ghostly presence of nocturnal pedestrians. The omnipresent view steeped him in a profound sense of divinity, watching over the city and its inhabitants.

The resonant buzzing abruptly roused Reo and Michael as they promptly proceeded with their daily regime. They ventured out of the dormitory, progressing towards the junction down the street.

Reo, who was initially intending to proceed straight at the crossroads instead of veering left, mentioned, "I must visit my workplace. However, you're welcomed to accompany me if you wish."

"I'll accompany you," Michael articulated as they both promenaded along the pavement, eventually halting before a seemingly desolate and shadowy muffin boutique.

Discovering the door to be unlocked as he turned the knob, Reo gently nudged it open to reveal a pitch-dark interior. Upon illuminating the region, he was greeted with the sight of an uninhabited muffin boutique, the eerie silence punctuated only by their footfall resonating within the premises.

As Reo patrolled the room, he noticed a suspicious red fluid on the ground behind the front desk. He moved closer for further investigation.

To his horror, he discovered Luna lying mortally wounded, her abdomen marred by a severe claw slash. Trying to suppress his nausea at this gruesome sight, he urgently reached out to Michael. He entreated him to view the chilling scene, after which they both hurriedly left the store to inform the local police.

Upon guiding the police officers back to the location, they discovered an eerie sight: both the blood and Luna's body had mysteriously disappeared.

Reo stated her presence, while Michael insisted to have seen a body. However, the police remained unconvinced, suspecting a prank played by Michael and Reo. Consequently, they were detained for 24 hours.

In the confines of their cell, they maintained a solemn silence, haunted by the bloody scene they had witnessed. An infuriated Michael broke the silence, recounting a past similar incident, resultant of which was his family's mysterious disappearance. It dawned upon Reo that both happenings, though seemingly separate, were ominously linked.

Following the passage of ten hours, the duo was released from the police station. An officer sternly warned them against participating in future pranks.

Subsequently, they returned to their dormitory as it was too late to attend school. They agreed to explicate the situation to their teachers the following day. As a result, they spent the majority of the day contemplating the incident, unable to release it from their thoughts.

After a moment of quietude, Reo questioned, "You did in fact witness the body, correct?" The response was affirmative, "Yes, I have seen it and I've been in this situation previously. However, similar to the last time, the police were of no assistance."

Reo, not wishing to revive any distressing memories, refrained from interrogating further about the incident involving his family.

"Would you trust my word if I claimed to identify the culprit?" Reo queried. Michael, however, countered skeptically, "I seriously doubt your knowledge about the individual truly culpable for this mishap."

Reo could only bring to mind one person - the king. Darren had acquired some confidential knowledge he was not supposed to, and according to Darren's statements, a clandestine figure persistently followed him.

"I suspect it's the king," Reo expressed, cautiously. Michael's eyes widened in disbelief as he questioned, "Has sanity eluded you? What logic justifies the king murdering people unconnected with him?"

Reo had intended to elaborate about Darren's predicament to Michael, but he figured it was best to conclude the dialogue at this juncture. Reo subsequently responded, "This is merely a conjecture".

Upon reaching the dorm, Reo opted to visit the library. There he planned to engage in reading, as a way to pass time and distract himself from the incident that unfolded at the muffin shop. Meanwhile, Michael initiated a meditation session.

Following a lengthy reading session at the library, Reo returned to his room. As he entered, he came across a traveler's paper, penned by Amelia. The paper inquired about his absence from school that day and the circumstances regarding Michael. It suggested that Teacher Olivia was seemingly distressed over the situation.

In response, Reo retrieved another traveler's paper from his drawer. He briefly mentioned an encounter with the police as the reason behind his absence. However, he refrained from sharing specific details about the incident that had happened at the muffin shop.

Upon noticing that it was already 7:09 pm, he decided to commence with his food preparations. After dinner had been shared, he contacted Michael, who at the time was meditating. Michael subsequently made his way to the kitchen where he thanked his friend before proceeding to eat his meal.

Reo decided to forgo his meal for the time being, citing that he did not intend to sleep. Instead, he planned on observing the muffin shop to see if Darren would notice his friend Luna's sudden absence and subsequently return. Meanwhile, Michael went to bed, leaving Reo on the upper bunk where he engrossed himself in meditation amidst the general darkness.

At one point, he opened his eyes and seemed to drift towards the sky - heading for the muffin shop. Here, he assumed the role of a vigilant observer, waiting to see if any unusual activity would occur.