[Sugawara-Ya] Bound Beyond Escape! - PART 1
As the sun set on another day of the bustling festival, Kanon found herself in the midst of the crowd, her senses on high alert. The air was filled with the aroma of street food and the sounds of laughter, music, and stall vendors hawking their wares. Dressed elegantly in a kimono, Kanon moved gracefully through the masses, her focus sharp as a razor.
Her mission was simple: find the missing woman before the festival ended. The distraught husband who had hired her had pleaded for help, his wife vanishing on the first night of the celebration. All Kanon had were vague clues—the woman was last seen near a row of game stalls.
Days had passed, and Kanon had scoured every inch of the festival grounds, blending in with the crowd and observing from the shadows. She'd struck up conversations, eavesdropped on whispers, and followed leads that turned out to be dead ends. But tonight, her persistence paid off.
A rumor circulated among the vendors about a shady shopkeeper who had been seen leading a woman matching the missing woman's description away from the festival grounds and down an alleyway across the street. With renewed determination, Kanon made her way to the empty stall where the shopkeeper had once plied his trade.
Just as she was about to enter the alleyway, a hand grabbed her shoulder, sending a shiver down her spine. A hazy figure stood before her, their sweet metallic scent filling her nostrils. "You're a sharp one," the figure said with a chilling laugh. "But not sharp enough."
With the threat looming, Kanon knew she had to act fast. She gathered her strength and prepared for whatever was to come next—a confrontation, an escape, or maybe even something more sinister. The tension was palpable as she stood her ground, ready for whatever challenge awaited her in the darkness of the alleyway.