By the edge of a field near their meeting place, Jade used her staff to summon a sapling sturdy tree. She plopped down against it, patting the ground beside her for Konnie. "I think it's best if you save this one for the road," she said, setting the Basic Magic book aside. She held up Illusion Magic for Dummies, her grin mischievous. "Which leaves us with this!"

Konnie tilted her head, curiosity asked. "No offense, but... why did you pick that one?"

Jade shrugged, flipping the book open. "Well, do you know what type of magic you're good at?"

Konnie hesitated, then shook her head. "You're not wrong..." she muttered.

"Exactly!" Jade said triumphantly. "Plus, this is the easiest one. If we started with something harder, you might pass out like that one ti-" Her voice faltered as she remembered something, her expression stiffening.

Konnie squinted suspiciously. "What 'one time'?"

"Never mind!" Jade chirped, clearly dodging the question. She thrust the book toward Konnie. "Let's just get started!"

Konnie grabbed the book and flipped to the first page. As she began reading, Jade leaned over her shoulder. "You don't really need this part, so maybe we can just-"

Konnie's hand shot out, holding Jade's wrist to stop her. Her eyes were focused, determined. Jade pulled back with an awkward chuckle. "Okay... you want to go through it properly. I'll be... over here," she muttered, scooting a few feet away.

Time passed, the sunlight shifting as Konnie engrossed herself in the book. Jade eventually groaned, bored. "Ugh... this is so BORING." She turned to glance at Konnie and was struck by the serene expression on her face, her soft smile, eyes gliding over the words with excitement. For a moment, Jade just watched her, a small smile creeping onto her own lips.

Suddenly inspired, Jade stood. "While you're doing that, I'll... experiment," she said, her voice suspiciously playful. Konnie barely acknowledged her, too absorbed in her reading.

Eventually, Konnie snapped the book shut and stood. "Okay, I think I can do this!" she declared, her voice steady with determination.

"Jade!" she called, stepping around the tree. "I'm ready!" But when she reached the other side, she froze. Jade laying on the ground, her head encased in a translucent slime.

Konnie's heart jumped. "AAAAAA! GET OFF HER!" she screamed, grabbing Jade's staff and frantically smacking the slime.

The sudden impact startled the slime, which slithered off Jade's head and into her necklace. Konnie, panicked, delivered a final smack, this time to Jade's face.

"OW! Hey! I'm awake!" Jade shouted, sitting up and rubbing her cheek. "What was that for?!"

Konnie stammered, clutching the staff tightly. "The slime! I-it was attacking you!"

Jade blinked, then burst out laughing. "Oh, that! Sorry, I should've mentioned, they're harmless. I use them to cool off. They make great pillows too."

Konnie's shoulders slumped, relief flooding her. "Oh... sorry about that." She handed the staff back. Jade patted her head reassuringly. "Don't worry about it. Honestly, it's nice knowing someone's got my back, even if you're a bit dramatic about it."

Jade clapped her hands, her grin returning. "Now, back to business! What's the first lesson?"

Konnie flipped open the book. "Projection. It lets me-"

"Don't tell me. Show me!" Jade said eagerly, sitting up straight.

Konnie scanned the field and spotted a butterfly resting on a blade of grass. As it fluttered away, she crouched, raising her hands. A faint magical aura shimmered around her fingertips as she conjured an image of the butterfly. The projection was faint, its edges hazy and its form unstable, but it was there.

Konnie strained to hold the image, but it fizzled out. She sank to her knees, letting out a quiet whimper of frustration. "It was supposed to be clear... and moving."

Jade scooted closer, placing a comforting hand on Konnie's shoulder. "Hey, don't beat yourself up. You got it on your first try, not everyone can do that. Let's try again, together."

She extended her hand, projecting a perfect, fluttering butterfly. "We'll start here, then work on movement. Okay?"

Konnie nodded, her determination reignited. She tried again, the image improving slightly with each attempt. Some attempts were major improvements, sparking celebration. Others felt like setbacks, drawing groans of frustration.

"Agh! I was so close!" Konnie yelled, stomping the ground.

Jade chuckled from a distance, quietly enjoying the scene. After several more attempts, Konnie finally approached her, holding up the blade of grass. A butterfly hovered just above it, her projection was sharp, vibrant, and astonishingly lifelike.

Jade's jaw dropped. "Wait, wh-already?!"

Konnie blinked, surprised by her reaction. "What? Am I... not supposed to hold it?"

Jade flipped through the book, stopping at the final page. Her eyes widened as she pointed to a note, interacting with projections was an advanced technique. "Oh... that's why I'm-"

Before she could finish, Konnie's body gave out, collapsing from the strain of using too much magic. Jade caught her just in time, muttering to herself. "Doing that as a beginner... are you actually... proficient in illusion magic?" Her voice trailed off as a chill ran down her spine. Her ears twitched, sensing something unnatural.

Konnie's eyes slowly open, and she sees Jade's face above her, visibly concerned. Jade's expression is covered with fear, her gaze lingering on Konnie as if waiting for a sign that she's fully awake. When she notices Konnie's eyes shifting, her voice comes out in a soft trembling whisper

"Konnie... can you come with me? I need to... check on something."

Meanwhile, Shuzuka finishes his cup of orange juice, and Akane and Touma finally return home. Akane beams, waving at Shuzuka as she enters. He smiles and waves back.

"MOOM! We're home!" Akane calls out, heading upstairs with Touma.

Shuzuka, who had been sitting casually, suddenly straightens in his seat. His eyes widen as he flips a coin with a muttered phrase under his breath.

"Heads..."

The coin lands on heads, and a deep sigh of relief escapes him. Nothing's changed.

He watches Akane and Touma head upstairs before standing and heading downstairs to meet Red. Red hands Shuzuka his repaired jacket with a smirk.

"Thanks for the challenge," Red says, her voice light. "Not everyone brings that type of fabric or uses that color. I had fun fixing it."

Shuzuka smiles, nodding his gratitude. Just as he's about to leave, Akane's voice calls out.

"Uh... before you go... can we play one last game of cards?"

Shuzuka laughs softly, raising an eyebrow.

"You sure you know how to play?"

He sits down at the table, and as his hand glides over the surface, several cards appear, revealed through a seamless sleight of hand.

Everyone is taken aback, their eyes widening in surprise at his trickery.

"Sure, let's play for a bit," he smirks, passing the deck around.

Meanwhile, Jade and Konnie approach the edge of the forest. The atmosphere is tense, the woods unnaturally still. Jade's eyes flicker back and forth, her senses heightened. Without warning, Jade bolts forward, and Konnie is left behind, confused.

"Hey! Where are we going?" Konnie calls after her, but Jade doesn't respond, only continuing to rush ahead.

Konnie stops in her tracks when she notices something through the trees, an opening leading out of the forest, but it's not the clearing that catches her attention, it's the talismans attached to the trees. Jade's pace slows as she surveys them, her hands trembling as she looks closer.

"I... can't read them," Jade mutters, her fear barely masked by her smile.

She turns to Konnie, her voice shaky but determined "Wanna practice on these?"

Konnie, feeling the tension rise, steps forward. With a quick gesture, she extends her hand, manipulating the lingering magical residue in the air. Slowly, the energy forms into the shape of a crouching figure, hooded and silent. The figure seems to be carefully placing the talismans along the trees.

The hooded figure removes its hood, revealing a face Konnie did not expect. Jade's eyes widen in horror, her mask of composure slipping entirely. Her hands tremble.

"Konnie..." Jade's voice cracks, her fear fully displayed. "I need you to run to Red and tell her- tell her it's important."

Jade's breathing quickens, her tone urgent, but her voice barely more than a whisper.

"Please..." she whispers under her breath, almost as if speaking to herself.

Konnie's heart races, and without a moment's hesitation, she turns and runs back toward the village, her pulse pounding in her ears.

Back at the house, Shuzuka and the others laugh together, caught up in the lighthearted atmosphere of the card game. Suddenly, a sharp knock on the door interrupts the moment. Akane cheerfully gets up from her seat and skips over to open it.

Shuzuka's grin fades, a cold shiver running down his spine. He flips another coin, his fingers trembling slightly as he mutters under his breath.

"Heads..."

The coin lands on tails. His stomach sinks.

"Don't open the door!" Shuzuka shouts, his voice urgent.

Akane freezes, her hand on the doorknob. She looks back at Shuzuka, confusion in her eyes.

"Wait, what?" she asks, but before she can process, she opens the door.

Outside, she's greeted not by a face, but by the cold, hard end of a barrel. The moment her eyes register the danger, there's a deafening bang.