that?"

"In a moment, Akane, in a moment," he assured her nervously, walking to the shelves, and hurriedly looking for a book. "Can you help me? Can you please go into the bedroom and look for a book? Its cover is leather and richly decorated and it is locked."

Reluctantly, Akane left the living room of the little hut when she saw him rummaging through the books quickly, and entered the bedroom, on whose shelves countless leather books were lined up against the wall. As she scoured the covers of the books in search of an ornate, sealed book, she realized that he had confessed his love to her and, although she was happy, must be happy, she felt no happiness in her heart that she felt nothing. The young woman froze at her knowledge, her hands sank down and tore a heavy book down from the row, which hit the floor with a loud noise, but did not open because it was locked.

The black-haired man carelessly tossed countless books down his spine in search of a single, special cover, hoping he wouldn't be able to find the book, when he heard a thud like an object dropped on the floor, and hurried over it books lying on the floor in the bedroom to see what had happened, but couldn't see anything extraordinary, only his young apprentice, who was standing in front of the bookshelf, her vacant gaze fixed on the heavy book at her feet, on a leather rich one ornate cover that was tightly closed and cast a spell over the young woman who was now looking at him.

"What is happening here, Ranma?" The young woman asked flatly. "Why can't I feel anything, no happiness, no joy? Ranma? Ranma? What is happening here?"

"In a moment, Akane," he consoled the young woman. "How many locks is the book locked with?"

"Ranma, what is happening here?" She asked again because he hadn't given her an answer.

"Answer me!" He snapped at her.

"Three."

While Akane was still forming the syllable in her mouth, an unnatural silence fell over the master and apprentice a second time that day, until after a few moments of silence the door to the hut was pushed open with a loud rumble of thunder by a strong gust of wind.The two young adults walked slowly back into the living room and watched the confusing apparition spellbound: as if the time outside their house had slowed down, they saw how the disproportionately strong wind blew a single leaf past the open door as if in slow motion.

Finally, in the shadows of the nearby trees, the young woman recognized a figure so completely engulfed in the darkness of its surroundings that she seemed to be a shadow herself. As if that person had sensed the apprentice's gaze, they broke out of the shadows just as Akane was looking at them and walked slowly towards the hut. The old man, whose black shoes seemed to slide across the floor, approached the two people in the house, his gaze fixed on the floor, his steps supported by a wooden walking stick, which was of the same piercing black as his raven-black coat. who only hinted at the collar of his white shirt and offered a perfect transition to his black pants. A silver ring flashed on his hand to match his silver-gray hair.

"Hello, Ranma," he whispered when he reached the two adults and offered his hand in greeting.