A Never ending curse akaiXreader

Tragedy of the red woman pt.3

You watched the police detective collapse backward with barely restrained shock, his eyes wide as he scrambled to his feet, realizing what you'd just revealed. The room had gone completely silent—Sumika, Tamami, Ninda, even Uehara and the others froze mid-motion, trying to process the deduction you had so casually laid out.

"Exactly," you said, crossing your arms with a smug grin, your voice carrying a calm authority that made everyone stop in their tracks. "The so-called red woman who attacked Sumika wasn't outside the villa at all. She was here all along... carefully planning every step, every scare, and making sure to mislead all of you."

Conan's eyes flickered between you and Sera, both of you clearly in sync. "Y/n is right," he added quietly. "If the cut on Sumika's back is a clean horizontal slice, there's no way she could have inflicted it herself while running or fending off an attacker. Whoever did this knew exactly what they were doing."

Sera stepped closer to you, her sharp toothy grin spreading wider. "I told you, witches, ghosts, evil spirits—none of that nonsense exists. Everything you think you saw outside that window, every scream, every shadow, it's just a human being pretending to be a supernatural threat." She looked over at the group, her confidence radiating. "And the person responsible is incredibly clever... but still human."

Sumika, still pale, slowly lowered herself into a chair. "I... I don't understand. If it wasn't the red woman... then who?" Her voice trembled slightly, the edge of fear still lingering from her supposed encounter.

You smirked, tilting your head slightly. "It's not just about who attacked you, Sumika. It's about why. Everything points back to the Hakuya incident, doesn't it?" Your gaze shifted to Ninda and Tamami, who were squirming in place. "Hakuya's death, the tomatoes in the bathtub, the staged 'attack'... it's all connected. And the culprit wanted to mislead everyone, including the police."

Tamami fidgeted nervously. "W-what do you mean? I swear I didn't—"

"Shhh," you interrupted gently, putting a finger to your lips. "I'm not accusing anyone... yet. I'm simply stating facts based on evidence. The cut, the timing, the so-called red woman sighting... none of it aligns with their story. Someone wanted you all to believe a ghost was responsible."

Uehara, who had been silently observing, finally spoke up, her voice tense. "But... if not someone inside the villa, then who? How did they manage to be everywhere at once?"

You smirked, almost enjoying the rising tension in the room. "That's where it gets interesting. The culprit isn't bound by simple logic or timing. They had access to the villa and knew exactly how to manipulate events. Think about it—who's left with the freedom to move unseen, someone who can stage a distraction outside while orchestrating chaos inside?"

Sera's grin widened even more. "Exactly. And that's why the police detective just fainted. He realized the possibility before even thinking it through. Whoever did this... they're dangerous, but not supernatural. Human, cunning, and very well prepared."

Conan nodded in agreement. "If the attacker was outside, there would've been footprints, mud, moisture, something. The villa shows no signs of forced entry. The window wasn't tampered with. That rules out anyone sneaking in from the outside."

You leaned back against the wall, fingers tapping rhythmically, enjoying the subtle gasps around the room. "And there's one more thing everyone seems to be overlooking." Your silver eyes glimmered with mischief and intensity. "Sumika's scream. She said the red woman was at her window, right? That means whoever staged it had to know exactly when she'd be there. They weren't just attacking randomly—they were timing it."

Tamami's eyes widened. "But... that would mean—"

"Yes," you interrupted, walking toward the kitchen counter to grab a glass of water as if casually moving while delivering a lecture. "The culprit was watching from somewhere inside. And if they were inside, it had to be someone who could move around without being noticed. Someone... familiar with the villa layout, someone trusted or at least unsuspected."

Masumi stepped forward, still wide-eyed. "So... it's someone among us?"

You grinned, tapping your chin thoughtfully. "Not exactly among you... but connected enough to know your routines, your movements, and when you'd be alone. That's why the staged attack and the Hakuya murder line up perfectly. The tomatoes, the bath salts, the timeframes... everything was meticulously planned to mislead the investigation."

Sera leaned closer, whispering excitedly, "And that's where I come in—my jeet kune do and sharp instincts help notice things adults might overlook. Like me noticing how Sumika couldn't have inflicted that cut herself." She chuckled softly. "It's like catching a magician mid-trick."

You nodded approvingly, your eyes narrowing on Sumika. "Exactly. But here's the kicker—there isn't just one red woman. There are two. The second one... well, that explains the clean cut and the sudden appearances that nobody could account for."

Sumika's face drained of color, realization dawning. "Two... red women?"

"Yes," you said, stepping closer, brushing your fingers lightly over the edge of a chair as if your very presence made the truth undeniable. "The cut you received was from the second red woman, who had inside access. The first red woman's story is just a legend, a misdirection to cover the real culprit. The person trying to scare you? That's someone exploiting the legend to hide their own crimes."

Uehara's jaw tightened. "So the attacks, the cut, the ghost sightings... all of it was fabricated by someone to mislead us?"

You smiled, the edge of mischief and authority in your gaze cutting through the tension. "Exactly. And the most telling evidence? The timing, the precision, the ability to manipulate multiple locations almost simultaneously. Only someone with intimate knowledge of everyone's movements could pull this off."

Conan stepped closer, eyes scanning the room. "And the person we've been overlooking... the one who disappeared during the critical moments and had the opportunity to stage everything."

"Yes," you whispered, your grin widening. "The person who wanted to remain hidden, avoid suspicion, and test everyone's assumptions. And we have enough clues now to confirm it."

Sumika's breathing was ragged, her panic returning, but now it was tempered with the dawning horror of the truth. "I... I see... so it wasn't the red woman. It was... someone... human... all along..."

You nodded, turning toward the window, lightning briefly illuminating your sharp features. "Human. Cunning. And dangerous. But no ghosts, no witches, no supernatural forces. Just cold, calculated actions by someone who thought they could manipulate everyone's fear of a legend."

The room fell silent, the storm outside echoing the tension inside. Everyone's eyes were glued to you, realizing that the seemingly chaotic events of the past hours were part of a meticulous plan—one that only someone with intelligence, courage, and keen observation could unravel.

You glanced at Sera and Conan, sharing a subtle nod. "Now," you said, your voice calm but carrying unmistakable authority, "it's time we prepare. The culprit will try something else, and we need to be ready for them."

The detectives and police officers exchanged wary glances, knowing that for the first time, someone had pieced together the puzzle in its entirety—and that someone was standing right in front of them, unshaken, unafraid, and utterly in control.

Outside, the storm raged on, lightning illuminating the villa's darkened corridors, hinting at secrets still hidden—and at a truth that was only beginning to surface.

You took a deep breath, hands on your hips, and smirked. "Alright, let's see who's brave enough to show themselves next. Because whoever's behind this... they're about to meet the people who are smarter, faster, and sharper than they ever expected."

💚🖤