He looked up and realized that he was lying in someone's arms, wearing a very gorgeous and expensive-looking haori.

"I……"

He opened his mouth, his voice hoarse.

Kii Kanade stepped forward, blocking Matsuo's view, and explained gently:

"You must be Hasegawa Teru? We are exorcists who came at the request of the village chief."

Because the ghost of Yoshida Yuta was still nearby, he didn't explain things very clearly, but the clever boy should be able to understand their identities.

"You are safe now, don't be afraid."

Upon hearing this, Hasegawa Teru's eyes trembled, his chapped lips shook, and a surge of intense emotions overwhelmed him, leaving him speechless for a moment.

"take it easy."

Masashi Yukimura also spoke, his voice deep yet as gentle as he could.

Hasegawa Teru listened intently, then his peripheral vision caught sight of another unfamiliar figure, arms crossed, looking in their direction. For some reason, he instinctively reached out his arm, only to be stopped by Yukimura Masashi.

"Your injury hasn't healed yet, so you can't move for the time being."

Hasegawa Teru seemed not to hear him, and spoke in a weak voice, as if talking to himself.

“In that darkness… I could never reach the end.” His words were somewhat incoherent. “I couldn’t find the way… it was the same everywhere.”

“But I know I can’t stop. If I stop, it will all be over… I have a feeling that way.”

"But I feel so cold... I'm losing heat, my legs are so heavy I can't lift them, and my consciousness is fading. It feels like I'll feel better if I just give up."

"...Just when I was about to collapse, I saw a light."

He stared intently at Willy, then reached out his hand to the boy once more.

"Warm light..."

"I know, that's the way home."

He stubbornly refused to let go.

Willie sighed and finally walked to his side.

A warm sensation spread from my hands to my limbs, like being bathed in sunlight.

He said—

"It's alright now."