Back inside the mansion, in the room filled with blood and the unconscious assassin. Kai and Ray stared at one another, until they heard the sound of glasses shattering. Ray looked around confused, while Kai sighed.
"Guess I should have made it more durable after all…"
He looked at Ray, smiling as he said; "Please handle my mom and dad for me. Tell them that I'm safe with the rest, alright!"
As he said so, Kai began walking out towards the window. But Ray asked him to stop, about to ask question when Kai interrupted him as he spoke out first without turning back; saying he knows that Ray has got many questions in his mind, but he will answer them all tonight. He glanced back at Ray one more time, as he said to have faith in him, after all he is Ray's best friend now.
He turned back again, continuing to walking as Ray was left with many doubts in his mind. But as Kai reached the window, he spoke again;
"By the way, there's been no news of trickster these past few days, right?"
As he said so, Ray looked up at him; asking what he meant. To this, Kai just gave him a smile as two magic circles formed around Kai; one at top and other at the bottom of where Kai stood. The magic circle then moved through Kai; the bottom one from his feet to up, as the top one from head to below. As the magic circle moved through Kai, his appearance slowly began to change.
His jet-black hair, changed into long, flowing, black hair with subtle crimson highlights. His facial features changed to of a girl's; large, almond-shaped brown eyes with long, dark lashes and a small, upturned nose. From the lower half as well, his body changed into that of a girls'.
As slowly the magic circles faded, Kai had transformed into a girl right in front of Ray. Ray stood dumbfounded; eyes widened as he slowly said;
"…Trickster…?"
"Keep it a secret for now,"
Kai said so, putting his index finger on his lips. Ray just stared at him, wondering how come his voice changed to a feminine one as well. Just then, the two heard footsteps from outside; Ray looked towards the door when Kai's actual voice came to Ray through the earpiece, saying;
"Sorry in advance."
Ray wondered, looking ahead again when he felt a hit on his stomach, falling back to the wall, as the door to the room opened again.
"Ray!?"
It was Hiro and the rest, entering the room. Kris quickly came up to Ray, helping him up. Hiro and Sakura, with the knights behind them looked towards their front; where stood Kai: in disguise as Trickster. Looking at them, Kai smiled as he spoke up.
"Took you all long enough. If it weren't for me, everyone inside the mansion might be dead already."
As he said so, he turned back to the window to walk away. Hiro by the door tightly gripped on his hand, thinking for a while as he asked if he knew who the attackers were. To this, Kai paused and replied; saying he left one among them alive for Hiro to interrogate.
Hiro looked over the female assassin, who was laying on the floor unconscious. He sighed, when Sakura spoke in;
"My husband said that you saved my son once before. And now, you saved him, my daughter and the other kids in the mansion as well…
Why…?"
At her words, Kai stood by silently, before he softly chuckled and said that he does all this for fun, nothing else. He reached his hand on the window, opening it and jumped out; giving a smile at them.
Everyone was left speechless; especially Ray. But slowly after the event, Hiro and Sakura quickly came to him; asking if the others were safe. Ray stood up, pausing for a moment before he said that everyone was safe and is in his room.
To this, Hiro and Sakura quickly rushed to Ray's room. Ray too slowly followed them, but as they almost reached to his room; Ray remembered.
"Wait a second… Kai isn't there. He just jumped off the third floor! What will I say about him?!"
But it was too late, as Sakura already opened the door of the room, entering together with Hiro. Ray rushed forward, looking inside the room; but to his surprise, Kai was already inside, sitting on his wheelchair among the rest; as if he doesn't know what's happening outside.
Ray just stood by the door dumbfounded, while Hiro and Sakura quickly went up to Elysia and Kai; bringing them to their embraces. Elysia silently sobbed in Hiro's arm, as he comforted her. While Kai, with a calm looked expressed that everything was fine; using the projection showing words. The rest as well sighed in relief, as the royal knights came in as well; checking on Nino if she was alright.
After making sure everyone was safe, Hiro asked them all to stay in Ray's room for a while. Sakura explained that they will look around and come back again, as they all went out. The royal knights stayed back, waiting outside the door; guarding them.
Slowly, Nino came to Ray; hugging him tightly as she expressed how worried she was for him. Ray just smiled to it, slowly patting Nino on her head. But as he looked up, he saw Kai giving him a smile; but then Ray asked;
"When did you came back?"
To this, Kai just tilted his head; making a confused look when Nino pulled back from Ray and asked;
"What do you mean Ray? Kai was with us all the time."
As she said so, Ray got more confused, asking what she meant; but then Kai's voice came to him from the earpiece.
"Didn't I say, I will tell you everything?"
Ray looked at Kai again, who was giving him a serious look, as the voice continued;
"Just wait for them leave."
As he said so, Ray thought for a while before he turned to Nino, smiling as he sighed; saying he just have too many thoughts going on in his mind right now. Nino smiled at him, saying he should take it easy now since Hiro and Sakura are here now.
Ray simply nodded to it, turning to others asking them to just wait here for a little more time; as Hiro and Sakura are still checking out the mansion. But his mind kept asking about Kai, glancing at him from time to time.
Slowly after, Kris came to them saying it's all fine now and that they can rest carefree. Hiro and Sakura came by slowly, checking on them; as Elysia asked if she could sleep with them, scared of the recent event. To which, the two happily agreed. Ana too slept with Lala, with Karina in the same room with them. Nino too slept in a room provided next to Ray's, with the royal knights guarding outside.
Everyone went to rest, with all the events that took place in one night; except for two people.
In Ray's room, he wasn't there. The window was opened, as the wind made the curtain dance in the air.
Outside, using his wind magic, Ray carefully went to the other side of the mansion; to Kai's room window. But to his surprise, the window of Kai's room was opened as well, and he wasn't inside. He stepped on the window, looking inside. Where did he go; Ray wondered.
As Ray was wondering where Kai can be, the air grew still. The gentle rustling of leaves and distant chirping of crickets were the only sounds, creating a serene backdrop.
But then suddenly, a calm, melodic flute began to play, its notes floating gracefully through the night air with the cherry blossoms dancing in the wind.
"This is…," Ray looked around, searching for the source of it, as he began to move back in the air; towards the back of the mansion. The sound was pure and mellifluous, like a whispering breeze that carried the essence of a forgotten lullaby. Each note seemed to dance and weave through the trees, wrapping the whole area in a soothing embrace, as if time itself had slowed to listen to the ethereal melody.
As Ray reached the serene lake, he looked around. The flute's melodic note made an ethereal atmosphere around the serene lake, when Ray's eyes drifted towards the cherry blossom trees lined up by the lake.
By one of the trees, in its branch; sat Kai, playing a long slender, hazel polished flute. He was absorbed in his music, eyes closed. His lips close to the flute, a look of pure focus and calm over his face. Blowing gently into the flute, coaxing out a soft, lilting note that floats through the air like a delicate butterfly. His fingers danced nimbly over the bamboo holes, crafting a mesmerizing melody that resonates with the soul.
As Kai kept his focus on playing the flute, Ray was left stunned; captured by the melody of his play. Inside the mansion as well, the melody reached throughout the corners; the knights, maids, Kris, Hiro, Sakura and everyone else as well had a calm look on their faces. Hiro; slowly falling into sleep as he was sitting on a chair by the bed, next to Sakura and Elysia who slept calmly. The royal knights, who were on high guard on Nino's room entrance, fell asleep as well by the wall, sliding down on the floor.
A calm atmosphere fell upon the mansion, easing the tense from the assassin attack before.
Outside, at the back of the mansion. Ray stood by, listening to Kai as he played the flute. And after some time; Kai slowly; and with a sweet note, ended his play.
Opening his eyes again, he smiled as he looked straight towards where Ray stood. Switching his position towards him, Kai leaned by his right shoulder. Crossing his arms, he opened his mouth, saying;
"Welcome my friend."