Frank and Jill left a few days later. Ray temporarily handed over the affairs of the "Devils" to the council members and fully focused on his sister, for whom this period was extremely difficult. The girl was saved only by her innate stubbornness and the professionalism of the doctors.
During this time, Ray stayed in touch with the "Devils" only via video calls. But despite his absence, the work was in full swing.
Two years had passed since the birth of the little girl, whom they named Deya.
Waking from a nightmare in a cold sweat, Ray wanted to scream, but only an indistinct wheeze escaped his throat. This was one of those moments when he was glad he had lost his voice — he didn't want his screams to wake the little one.
Around Ray's neck hung a beautiful locket. It bore the image of Lily with the girls. Inside rested a handful of their ashes. An outsider would call him insane, but Ray didn't need a psychologist to understand that fact.
Ray pulled out a revolver — a six-shot Colt Python. Removing the cartridges, he loaded one, spun it, and sharply snapped the cylinder shut, then pressed the barrel to his temple and pulled the trigger.
He did this far too often. Though his mother had left him an anchor in the form of his sister, he had doubts that he could raise her. Ray loved children dearly, but after losing Lily and the girls, something inside him had broken. A part of him hoped that one day the bullet would blow his head apart, end his suffering, and give the little girl sleeping in the next room a chance at a normal life.
Continuing to spin the cylinder and fire at his own head, not even flinching at the empty click, Ray thoughtfully twirled the last cartridge between his fingers. Then he loaded it into the cylinder, pressed the revolver to his temple, and, preparing to fire, mentally apologized to Lily and Amy, acknowledging his weakness. Ray considered himself strong, but reality had shown how hard it was for him to bear the weight of loss.
Usually, at this moment, the mental image of the little one — her innocent gaze — stopped him. But today, that wasn't enough. He knew that his existence would only bring her a troubled life.
Just as his finger began to squeeze the trigger, warm arms wrapped around him from behind. A trembling girl, for whom he was everything, pressed herself against his back.
Her quivering voice pierced straight into his heart: "Master... please don't. I know you're in pain, but so many people need you. It will be a long road, but I will walk it together with you. You give hope to people like me. I know this is hypocritical, but you have no right to simply leave."
The little one who had embraced him from behind and was quietly crying was named Yuno Gasai. She had endured every form of abuse at the hands of her parents.
After Amy's death, Ray stepped back from the direct management of the "Devils" but began going into the field more often. It was on one of those operations that he had met Yuno. Taking the girl under his care, he hadn't expected such a painfully intense attachment to be the result. Looking back, a part of him regretted his decision. The girl wore a mask of normalcy, but Ray understood: after everything she had endured, she would never be able to live an ordinary life.
"I know what I am to you. And I know why you personally took on my training. If need be — I will give my life for this little one. And if you die, I will do everything to take care of her. But if you take the easy way and decide on suicide... the very thing I gave up only for you... the first thing I will do is kill everyone dear to you. And then I will follow you."
This girl was only fourteen, but there was not a shadow of doubt in her voice. Her words reminded him how much effort he had expended to keep her from suicide. These memories sent a surge of shame through Ray, but it was precisely this that made him pull himself together.
Taking out his voice modulator, he said: "Forgive me for this weakness. I'm sorry you had to see this."
"There's nothing wrong with it. You've seen me in a far worse state. It was your love and care that helped me survive. Just don't forget that I'm always beside you. And if you ever want to put a gun to your temple again — come to me first, so I can hold you."