??? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ???????

*
"Futatsu to ya...Futaba no matsu wa. Iroyote...Iroyote."

**
The Case Study of Vanitas: The Blue Moon Shines Upon Frozen Flowers

"Whaaat?!" Johann exclaimed in disbelief. He was one of Dante's comrades who met up with him after Y/n, Isfrid, Vanitas, and Noé left to catch the curse-bearer. "You set Riche trailing a curse-bearer?! What in heaven's name were you thinking?!" he yelled at Dante as they raced across the rooftops of Paris.

"Whaddaya mean, 'what'?" Dante asked. "She said to let her help, so I let her take the job, that's all." he says, brushing it off.

"She was obviously worried about you because of your idiotic stunts!" Johann snapped, clearly distressed in worry. "Oooh, Richeee! Please be all right!" he weeped.

"Tch!" Dante scoffed. "...Talk about overprotective. Let her take care of herself."

"Shut up, you imbecile! This is why I can't stand brutes who don't understand a girl's feelings!!" Johann scolded.

**

Elsewhere, Luca placed a hand on the wall, panting in an empty alleyway.

"Hide somewhere safe, please...!"

He recalled Jeanne's words as he clutched the strap of his bag. "I can't...I really can't, I can't make her fight all by herself while I run away!" he says, raising his head, his expression hardened with determination as he turned his head.

"Jeanne...!"

*

Back with the others, Jeanne chased after Noé, Isfrid, and Y/n, dashing at high speed along the walls of the factories lining the streets, her gauntlet raking into walls as she goes.

As the trio runs as fast as they can, with Noé being the slower one, Jeanne leaps into the air and strikes down at the trio. Luckily, Y/n and Isfrid dodged with ease while Noé just barely evaded as the ground explodes underneath.

"Where did he go?! Where is Vanitas...?!" Jeanne demanded in a growl. There was no response from either one of the three as Isfrid stepped in front of Y/n and Noé, using his sword to slash through the air that blew away the debris.

"Right here!!" Vanitas shouted, crashing through from one of the windows nearby, delivering a kick to the female vampire. Jeanne whips around in the blink of an eye and grabs Vanitas by the ankle with her free hand. He grew pale as she yanks him sideways and threw him into the opposite wall. "Whoa?!"

Luckily for him, Noé leaps up and catches Vanitas just in time before he hit the brick wall. "Whoa! Nice catch, Noé!" he says in relief.

"May I throw you back?!" Noé asked.

"Don't!" Vanitas huffed out. He then whips out his dagger, and the wire hidden within it flies out and struck a crate next to Jeanne. The crates collapse onto her from the impact which allowed Noé and Vanitas in his arm to escape with Y/n and Isfrid easily catching up with them.

"She's really amazing." Y/n said in awe as they fled. "Her reactions are so quick, it's hard to get close enough to do anything about that gauntlet. I think she would make a wonderful demon slayer." she says with a bright close-eyed smile, her demon fangs showing.