'Araya Souren. '

There 's a brief lull in the room that follows after Satoru-niichan 's simple statement.

Remember Araya Souren?

' Yes, Shiki remembers the man. His name is one that she hasn 't heard for quite some time, and it 's not one that she finds herself particularly pleased to hear again.

Araya Souren.

That 's the sorcerer who 'd masqueraded as a loyal vassal of the Kamo Clan, prior to masterminding Shiki 's kidnapping with Kamo Matsuhime as his unknowing puppet.

With all the time that 's passed since the kidnapping incident and the relative peace in these past few years ' Shiki had occasionally found herself wondering if she had been overthinking things that day. That day when she 'd been kidnapped, when Kiyohira-sensei had lost his arm. Satoru-niichan had reduced Araya to a bloody smear on the ground, but '

Her first reaction had been

Something doesn 't seem right,

instead of relief at the man 's presumed death.