Accepting the sworn little brother's praise, Luo Cuilian smiled with satisfaction.
"Expressly going against principles for the sake of offering hospitality to a sworn little brother. Hohoho, even though it was fairly time consuming, the result turned out to be surprisingly favorable."
Faced with this incredible cuisine, Godou eschewed modesty and took up his chopsticks. First he went for the thickly sliced meat.
Amazing! The pork was actually sliced to millimeter thickness then piled dozens of layers together in a manner akin to mille-feuille . The texture was such that it melted in the palate as if it were snow, dissolving into a rich meaty flavor.
Next were the red springrolls. The crispy surface offered the sweet taste of carrots.
The springrolls contained a sweet-tasting sauce. The fillings had a mixture of several types of tubers with thickening added. The complex and wonderful interplay of differing sweet tastes immersed the tongue in pleasure without being overwhelming.
Then there was the secret recipe of transparent soup and rainbow-colored dumplings.
Sipping the soup, a marvelously cool taste of sourness brought a great refreshing feeling to the palate. Biting into a rainbow dumpling, the delicious taste of meat and fish, together with the savory flavor of a great assortment of vegetables played a harmonious symphony upon the taste buds.
Godou was completely unable to fathom what ingredients and cooking processes had been used to produce these marvelous creations.
"Hmm. These are all wonderfully delicious without exception. It's amazing."
Godou offered praise and admiration without flattery as he rapidly busied his chopsticks and his mouth.
"Is it possible that you cook for Yinghua occasionally?"
"Ridiculous. Cooking for the master is part of a disciple's training. Reversal of the master-disciple relationship is not permitted. Tonight is the first occasion for me to step into the kitchen in seventy years."
"...I see."
Was this kind of life the reason his "nephew" became so depressed?
This subtle thought occurred to Godou as he savored the magnificent cuisine. All things considered, he was currently enjoying rare cuisine as uncommon as the occurrence of Haley's comet.
Anyway, just as Godou finished the dishes offered as part of the sworn elder sister's hospitality...
Luo Cuilian casually took out the moon guitar[18] that had been placed by her side.
As her fingernails strummed away gently, a heavenly melody seemed to fill the clear atmosphere. The quick rhythm of her singing resounded as if following the sounds of the instrument.
Placing the qin on a curved stand,
And sitting tranquil beside it, emotions contained.
Why trouble to pluck or strum it?
The wind on the strings makes it sound itself.[19]
She probably played simply as the mood dictated rather than showing off her talents.
Humming casually like an ordinary person, she strummed the musical instrument with her nails. But even in such an act, Luo Cuilian displayed mastery unsurpassed by anyone in the entire world.
Even though he was the only audience, Godou wanted to continue listening along, mesmerized.
But it was probably time for him to ask. About the matter her disciple went so far as to assert as "definitely" suspicious.
"Nee-san. Do you have something you want to tell me?"
Godou's probing question caused the sworn elder sister's hand to pause in her playing.
"Now that you brought it up, yes, that is my intention. I wanted to recount an old tale."
"An old tale?"
"Back then, I was already the Ruler of the Martial Realm, but due to various matters I was traveling in the ancient kingdom of the Turks."
"Come to think of it, you recently came expressly to Japan as well."
"Over there, I chanced upon a rare divine artifact. Yes, a precious item which had the ability to give birth to [Heretic Gods] and release them upon the world."
"--A divine artifact that can give birth to gods!?"
Divine artifacts, were objects similar to grimoires which had been etched with heavenly wisdom and the laws of sacred spells.
It was common for them to possess the attribute of immortal indestructibility. These were objects that were very difficult to dispose of once they manifested on earth.
"After a convoluted series of events, I finally defeated the god that had manifested, and sealed the divine artifact's power."
"Ah... That's great news."
Godou was relieved to hear the sworn elder sister recount her past victory nonchalantly.
"As a safety precaution, I took the sealed divine artifact back with me and kept it for the time being."
The conversation seemed to be taking an ominous turn.
"A few days ago, I noticed the divine artifact had started recovering its powers at some unknown point in time, and was once again about to produce a [Heretic God]."
"Shouldn't you get rid of such a dangerous divine artifact right away instead!?"
He could already guess what Luo Cuilian was about to say.
But Godou suppressed the worry in his heart and went with the flow, probing further. No matter how unprecedented the actions of this sworn elder sister were, he never expected the extent--
And so, the beautiful demonic cult leader, showed an acute expression like a great general leading a million troops into battle.
"Of course not. What the divine artifact created was only a being less than a [Heretic God]. That kind of weak enemy is completely unworthy of receiving even a palm strike from me, Luo Cuilian. Dealing directly with that kind of opponent would be a taint to my honor."
The sworn elder sister who prompted Godou's ominous premonitions, followed up with this kind of statement.
"Godou. Your insight as a king still seems rather inadequate. You need to reflect properly on this."
"No, no, wait a minute. So Nee-san did you ignore that being less than a [Heretic God]? The thing created by that divine artifact! What happened to it next?"
"Hoho. Your elder sister was not careless. Naturally, there was a plan."
The sworn elder sister displayed an arrogant smile.
Not only did Godou's ominous premonition not subside, it became even stronger. From his experience, it was certain that Luo Cuilian would proceed to reveal something completely beyond his expectations--
"The divine artifact wishes to bring vengeance upon me. However, slaughtering that loser would taint the honor of me, Luo Cuilian. And so I communicated the following to the other party."
Alas, this was the key sentence. As expected.
"My sworn little brother, Kusanagi Godou, is located at the Japanese capital of Tokyo. If you wish to have a rematch with me, Luo Hao, defeat my younger brother first to demonstrate your strength. Then we shall see."
"I knew it... At least tell me beforehand."
As Godou hung his head, the sworn elder sister smiled gently in return.
"This comes from your elder sister's vast love, to bestow upon you this trial with a merciful heart. Riding upon this victory, you shall continue along the glorious path of heroism."
"Well, since the situation has already come to this, there's no other way around it."
Wow, my adaptability is surely surprising. Greatly impressed by himself, Godou said:
"Even though I know only two names out of the gods slain by Nee-san, it really seems like you fought many gods in the past."
To Godou's knowledge, Luo Cuilian's victories included an Om pair of Buddha Guardians and the goddess Gayatri.
Well, this was the sworn elder sister after all. It felt like she had fought all sorts of gods in the past.
"Yes. The name of the god I slew a century and a half ago is Saturnus.[20] A god from the Roman Empire and associated with land and harvest. Furthermore--"
"Furthermore?"
"Although I get the sense there were all sorts of causes, I've forgotten
them."
Recounting her victory, Luo Cuilian asserted thus.
As for this statement, rather than her memories of the past had faded over time, it would be more accurate to say she never had any intention to reminisce over her past battles.
"The divine artifact seeks revenge... Nee-san, didn't you mention that just now?"
"Correct. The divine artifact, [Crown of Saturnalia]. Even though it is not a living object it can carry a conversation. An existence infused with divine qualities to a certain extent. Since this sacred vessel displays will and perception, perhaps it is possessed by some kind of spirit."
"The same kind of existence as Ama no Murakumo!"
Well, even if it was also made by the gods, Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi must be ranked on a much higher level.
However, there was no doubt the artifact was a troublesome existence.
After that, Godou was once again given "that elixir."
The secret elixir which resembled mercury, said to be concocted personally by the sworn elder sister.
Informed that he would return to Tokyo by drinking it, Godou had no choice but to obey. Immediately, enchanted with the demonic cult leader's instantaneous transportation technique of [Terrain Reduction], Godou found himself crouching on the rooftop of the mixed ethnic building in Kubukichou.
Naturally, Lu Yinghua was not present. He was still in the middle of his special training(?) at Mount Lu.
After arriving back in Tokyo, Godou did not return home at once. Instead he instantly contacted his usual friends. A troublesome foe was apparently coming to Tokyo to defeat Kusanagi Godou -- was what he told them.
"More accurately, it has already arrived."
Deep into the night after Godou's return to Tokyo from Mount Lu, an emergency meeting was being held at the Sayanomiya residence.
The one who spoke in an awkward tone of voice was Amakasu. Even though Ena was not present due to her mountain training, Erica, Yuri and Liliana had all hurried here. Obviously, Kaoru was also present.
"Indeed. More than enough time has already elapsed for it to travel here."
Kaoru agreed with her subordinate's opinion.
"But didn't Yuri fail to sense any divine presence?"
"Yes. I have not had that kind of feeling at all lately."
The Hime-Miko confirmed Erica's question with great confidence.
"Produced by the divine artifact, also something not a god -- something less than a [Heretic God], that was what Her Eminence said?"
Liliana asked for confirmation, prompting Godou to nod and grumble:
"Ah yes. Exactly that. Damn it, do I really need to go over there to ask Nee-san for more details?"
"What do you expect to happen? Considering Her Eminence, even if Godou goes there with a list of questions, I don't think she will properly tell us everything we want to know."
"That's right. In this regard, even Lu Yinghua can only face her in panic."
Godou agreed with the red and blue knights' comments.
Come to think of it, even for the youth who knew the demonic cult leader best, "face her in panic" was the best he could do.
"Regarding Heretic Saturnus, let's start investigating from other avenues."
Erica proposed as if trying to brighten the mood.
"Even though it was a battle between a [Heretic God] and a Campione that occurred a century and a half ago, it is very likely that records have been left behind by people near the scene and involved in the world of magic. I will contact Milan's [Copper Black Cross] to begin urgent investigations."
"That's right. Turkey is actually not too far away from Italy."
Godou recalled it was a place regarded as the boundary between Europe and Asia.
Thus ended the meeting that night, and the next day arrived.
Amakasu had History Compilation Committee members running around all over Tokyo, but no clues concerning the divine artifact [Crown of Saturnalia] had been found yet.
Without the arrival of spirit visions, Yuri's repeated meditation did not bear any fruit in obtaining divine revelation.
Liliana also attempted to use witchcraft to investigate, but did not obtain any results.
But there was other good news. Godou received a call from Lu Yinghua through his cellphone.
"You're safe and sound, Yinghua!"
'Yeah I suppose. Pursuing each other with that troublesome monster that Master had found from goodness knows where, running all over the mountain made me half dead with exhaustion. I'm now taking advantage of the chaotic situation... no, resting near the foot of Mount Lu.'
Despite having the disposition of an extraordinary genius prodigy, he was such a crafty and slippery customer.
'That's what Master said. If I can't defeat it completely, I will surely suffer a fatal counterattack from that monster. I have no choice but to defeat it in a slow but sure manner."
Like master, like disciple? Godou felt like Yinghua always had the ability to see through the master's bluffs.
Even though Godou was greatly impressed by Yinghua's sharp perceptions, he still decided to go ahead and inquire about the matter.
"So Yinghua, what kind of monster is the enemy?"
"Uh, its body looks like some kind of cross between a tiger and a bull, plus wings as well as fur like a hedgehog. Its howls are similar to a dog's. Can swallow a man whole in one bite. Cannot be hunted down like a normal tiger..."
What he described was an unimaginable monster, supplemented further by a few outrageous statements.
Yinghua definitely hunted tigers barehanded. Concluding that to himself, Godou listened as Lu Yinghua continued:
'Not only is it vicious, it's also quite smart. A crafty fellow that cannot be underestimated. What about this monster?"
"Defeat it as quickly as possible. Even a day earlier would be good. Then report immediately back to Nee-san."
Godou was well aware he was issuing difficult orders.
Then he briefly outlined the issue with Saturnus that had happened so far.
"If you can say some good things to Nee-san, wouldn't you be able to find out roughly what happened a hundred and fifty years ago, as well as the nature of that god? We need as much information as possible, every detail counts. I know it's tough, but you're the only one I can rely on."
'S-Since it is Honored Uncle's orders, of course I will put forth my best effort into it.'
Far away in distant Mount Lu, the nephew replied in a trembling voice.
'This is very challenging on many levels. Whether hunting the prey, or the task after the hunt. In fact, the latter is three times harder than the former... Nevertheless, whatever, I will try to find a solution.'
"I am counting on you."
'However, the surroundings of Master's convent include not only the depths of Mount Lu, but also a forbidden area sealed away by Master's barrier. There's no network since cellphone signals are out of reception, and even electricity, gas and running water are absent. So I will be out of contact for now. Please understand.'
Indeed, such a description brought to mind natural reserves in Japan such as Yakushima[21] or Shirakami-Sanchi.[22]
Recalling where the reunion with his sworn elder sister had taken place, Godou immediately understood.
'After all, it's a place where I can't even bring in gaming devices for killing time. There was one time when I brought a satellite cellphone and it was mercilessly crushed. Master truly believes that the decline of modern countries began with the invention of the steam engine.'
"That's even earlier than Edison's invention of electrical power distribution..."
'If something requires me to go to the village to handle, I'll secretly try to send a progress report by computer. Anyway, I don't expect many opportunities for that either.'
"Then just try your best without breaking the rules."
'That's good enough. I just need to borrow without asking for a minute or two.'
Offering mild advice to the foster nephew seemed to have
secured a confident guarantee instead.
'Oh by the way, if Honored Uncle wishes to contact me while I'm at Mount Lu, please feel free to give orders to my subordinates over at Shinjuku. So, Honored Uncle, Yinghua takes his leave.'
News from Erica came a few minutes after Lu Yinghua's call ended.
The manifestation of the [Heretic God] Saturnus in Turkey a hundred and fifty years ago. Members of the [Copper Black Cross] had successfully confirmed the sacred fruit he had left behind on earth.
Part 4
A small package was sent from the faraway place of Istanbul using Mailing magic.
The sender was Erica’s friend who resided in Turkey’s largest metropolis, Istanbul. He easily attained the desired results when he was dispatched to the country where the demonic cult leader’s previous battle took place to investigate its traces.
The first stop of his investigation took place within Turkey’s records which recorded a 200 year period of heretic god appearances.
His focus was on the recorded history from 138 years ago where a god appeared in the Anatolia[23] plains, so he immediately went to the scene of that occurrence. By interviewing an elderly magician, he was fortunate to find out that his father was also an investigator for the battle in this region.
Therefore, he immediately proceeded to hear out his father’s investigation.
In the end, he had learned from those records that it was basically something along the lines of a fight between an earth god and some Campione.
However, he was fortunate to ensure himself that the fruits could be brought back as data.
It appeared that after receiving this report, Erica immediately contacted him.
“Don’t worry about whether or not it’s ethical at this time. You can do it however you want it, just quickly send the fruits over here to me!”
As a result, the little box holding the fruits was sent to her with astonishing speed.
It was said that these were the sacred fruits left behind by the heretic god Saturnus in the past. Yuri, who came into contact with the item, finally received a spirit vision.
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