"Shizuka, is it really ok for you to come to a high school classroom?"
"I'm not certain, but there's no school rule forbidding it right? By the way, Mariya-senpai has a cellphone now."
A middle school girl who seemed close to Godou, plus the appearance of Yuri. The boys of the Fifth Class were busy listening in with an expression of "what!"
—Mariya, has a cellphone now?
—Idiot. Don't you know the last virtual girl's IT revolution blog?
—Damn it, the creature known as man truly has the ability to change women?
Subtly sensing their fury, Godou felt an ominous premonition.
By the way, Shizuka was smiling proudly. Yuri was surveying the changes in the surroundings. Erica was quietly watching everything with interest while saying "eh."
"Onii-chan, give your cellphone number and email address to Mariya-senpai. She wants to enter it right now."
"Ah? Didn't I tell her my number before?"
Yuri shyly lowered her head and answered Godou.
"My apologies, Kusanagi-san... I am actually bad with technology. Since I don't know how to operate it I decided to come here to exchange our information after discussing it with Shizuka-san."
"Well, it's actually quite simple, not difficult at all."
So, she is surprisingly unfamiliar with these things. Godou took out his cellphone.
Yuri also frantically extracts the silver phone.
"So, let's do it quickly with the infra-red then."
"Sure. So, does making calls have anything to do with infra-red?"
Did she even know how to send information using the infra-red? To Godou's suggestion, Yuri's hesitant face was full of questions.
...First, it's probably best to teach her the basic way to use the phone.
After reconsidering, Godou told his phone number and email address to Yuri and showed her how to send mail. He explained to her all she need to do was register the incoming mail and showed her how.
The two of them operated Yuri's cellphone together.
Without paying attention, the distance between them gradually shrank.
—Their exhaled breaths were almost reaching each other's faces. Though it was a delicate and beautiful face, it was also a nervous one as Yuri operated her phone clumsily.
Finally aware that she was a beautiful girl, Godou began to feel shy.
In the instant Godou turned his face away, his gaze met with Shizuka's smiling eyes full of challenging intent.
This fellow, what was she planning this time? By the time he discovered it, the boys' riot was about to begin.
"Ah ohohoh, Mariya-san, could you tell me what is your phone number!"
Nanami suddenly yells from his seat on the left near the front.
The boys in the class were making comments like 'secretly confessing with a serious expression that I actually find miko moe', or 'Mariya who seems to be working as a miko, please bury Kusanagi in darkness for the safety of all bathing miko.' It was impossible to pretend not to have heard such words of jest.
"Same here! I also want Mariya-san's phone number!"
"We will never let you keep such important information all to yourself."
"This is for the love of all the boys in the class! The opportunity is here."
"Go die, Kusanagi! We are the poor proletariat, and we swear we will oppose to the utter end the capitalist class who acquired their wealth through illicit means."
As Nanami's roars echoed across the classroom, the room was filled with the yelling of the boys.
Yuri felt surprised by the forcefulness of their desperation, and surveyed the surroundings with a look that approached extreme fear.
"Ah ah, this isn't looking good, Onii-chan. It's tough to be a popular boy."
The sister who came over with Yuri, the focus of attention, was speaking in a rather unfriendly manner.
"Shi... Shizuka, what are you trying to say..."
"Hmph. What a great important character to be so welcomed by the girls, but you need your medicine once in a while."
Dear sister, please don't create situations for me with these kinds of motives.
Godou prayed towards the sky in response to Shizuka's merciless words.
"—Sorry everyone."
It was Yuri who spoke.
She seemed to have recovered from her shock, and spoke with a determined voice.
"I have no intention of exchanging phone numbers with anyone other than Kusanagi-san. None whatsoever. So please calm down and don't make a scene. Thank you."
Though her words were serious and polite, but there was a certain irresistible force to them.
The boys quieted down in an instant and the classroom became peaceful again. However, the entire class of boys angrily watched Godou with eyes of murderous intent.
—You again with all these fortunate happenings.
—This is truly another trial, go to the roof.
—Shot in the back on a battlefield, sigh.
Caught in a silent eddy current, Godou began to have cold sweat from the feeling of danger. Shizuka adds fuel to the fire by making comments like "Wow, such a bold declaration in front of so many people, it really must be true..."
In addition, Erica who was observing everything from the side was laughing to herself.
"Hey Yuri, though it's true that my Godou is quite attractive, but the other boys are really pitiful. They have already been watching Godou and my love life every single day, and so accumulated a lot of stress."
The gazes of the class immediately gathered upon the blonde Italian girl.
Maintaining an elegant motion, Erica began to project her voice as if she was the female lead in a performance.
"Since there's no rain today, let's have lunch on the roof then. Is that fine, Godou? We welcome Yuri and Shizuka to join us. Isn't it true for meals, the more the merrier, right?"
Erica hurried Godou and addressed the two visitors, then took lead by leaving the classroom.
Completely confident that her orders will be followed, she exited the classroom without turning back.
Truly, Erica's experience in this area was no joking matter. Whether as the speaker or as the listener, she had ample insight. Godou took his lunch bag out of his school bag.
Gesturing for his sister and Yuri to follow him, Godou ran after Erica.
"Feels like things have become more interesting, Godou?"
Erica's mood was great as she spoke after Godou caught up to her.
"...You're just having fun without concern for others. It's probably just you who thinks it's funny. Meanwhile I am being burdened by these strange troubles... Shizuka has also started to notice something is abnormal."
"Don't worry, no matter what that child thinks, she will soon understand the difference in power."
"Difference in power? What is that?"
Erica made a glamorous smile at Godou's question.
"No matter what troubles the sister-in-law or the secondary wife cause, the one with the most power is still me—Godou's first wife Erica Blandelli. Anyway, don't concern yourself with such trivial matters, for them to seek support is fine with me!"
"Don't say something like sister-in-law, where did you learn that kind of Japanese anyway!"
* * *
This day, what Godou brought was an ordinary lunch with rice balls and all sorts of pickles.
The salmon and the fish roe in the rice balls should be fine.
...Originally, Erica's situation was that she would comment with a subtle expression that eating dried plums and the like was a challenge to everyone except the Japanese. However, starting from some point, she started describing the extremely sour Kishu plum as "a fruit with an amazing taste," and even ate it along with the seed by shattering it with her teeth.
A girl with a well-developed body, who turned out to be someone who would eat anything.
This is probably the success of the elite education of the knights to better accumulate stamina in the body by
avoiding picky eating.
She was now wolfing down the rice balls Godou made.
"Last time when I was having sushi at Godou's home, I wondered if this was something I could make myself? Isn't it just rice with some fish mixed inside, very simple, right?"
"If that's what you think, try it yourself some time."
Godou had never seen Erica cook anything other than instant noodles, probably since her primary concern towards food was the "eating" part.
"Those passes, really are troublesome."
To Erica's change of subject, Godou nodded at the expected response.
The sky was cloudy, and there were a few other groups eating lunch on the roof apart from them.
Next to Godou was Yuri eating her own lunch brought from the classroom, while Shizuka was having the sandwiches she had bought.
"So that's what Onii-chan was making in the kitchen early this morning... Really! You had to spend so much effort!"
Shizuka complained as she ate her sandwiches, while Yuri slowly worked her chopsticks at her mini-sized lunchbox.
In it was a small amount of rice, fried yellowtail fish with soya sauce, as well as fried egg and side dishes like spinach.
A few touches of tomato greatly enhanced the overall color, and looked very appetizing.
"...The content looks a lot less than what Godou made for lunch."
"Erica, don't speak so tactlessly and stare at other people's lunch with such interest. My apologies Mariya, please don't mind and continue eating."
"If, if you want to try, please feel free to pick what you like."
Though her tone of voice seemed slightly forced, Yuri spoke with a smile.
Perhaps she wanted to improve the initial rocky relationship she had with Erica.
As Godou thought to himself, the blonde girl beside him reached her hand out without hesitation.
Directly grabbing a piece of fried egg and putting it in her mouth, Erica's manners were poor but the motions of her hand was very elegant.
"Hmm, the taste is not bad. If you made it slightly fluffier with a more sticky texture then that would be my favorite style. If Arianna made it, it would have been perfect, but that's asking for too much."
"You don't know how to cook but you sure know how to talk."
As he commented about Erica, Godou also reached out to try some of the fried egg.
The fried egg with sauce was very delicious, and the skipjack tuna sauce was very enjoyable to the taste buds.
"Ah, this is really great. Is it Mariya-senpai's mother who made this? Unlike my own mother, this cooking is wonderful."
Her interest piqued, even Shizuka took a portion of the fried egg to try out, but the answer to the question shocked everyone.
"Ah, no. My mother didn't make this. I made it myself. It's wonderful that it suited everyone's tastes."
"Mariya's cooking is pretty good... Do you make your own lunch every morning?"
"Something like that, however since I used some of the leftovers from my mother's cooking last night, it doesn't really count as my own exclusive work."
"Well, still it's quite amazing. Compared to my house... it's very different."
Godou spoke extremely impressed.
And then he glanced at the younger sister beside him.
"What now, Onii-chan, your expression is saying something."
"Let me make this clear, Godou, the cooking that Arianna does is something prepared specifically for me the master. Don't forget that."
Shizuka was feeling indignant about her lack of cooking talent, while Erica was simply selfishly throwing out her own willful comment.
Compared to these two, Mariya seemed much more noble no matter how you looked at it.
By the way, it was completely different from Godou who had tried very hard to knead the rice balls with the appropriate amount of force.
"Once you get used to it, it doesn't feel so amazing right? If you'd like, I can share some tips on how to prepare food quickly."
"That sounds quite interesting. Thanks. If possible, those two should—"
Godou turned his head around to find Shizuka glaring angrily at her brother, while Erica was deliberately averting her gaze and staring at birds flying in the sky.
Yuri and Godou could not help but look at each other and smile.
Part 3
'Hoho, lunch together at noon, good job! Though this is just a small step, but it will matter a lot in the future. Please continue doing your best like this.'
"Yes, yes..."
Yuri was talking to Amakasu on her cellphone in her room at the Nanao Shrine.
After returning from school, it was almost dusk. Yuri called Amakasu to report the day's results and to discuss some concerns.
'In the end, you went with cooking for him, and developing into a heart racing event of having lunch together. Looks like you have to continue working hard for this... Ah, did you look at the materials beforehand?'
"Yes, yes, I took a look."
Back at the Nanao Shrine after school, Amakasu had given an envelope to Yuri which seemed to contain reports.
In it were a thick stack of documents with a suspicious report title of 'The Difficulties of Approaching Males by Females Who Were Not Straightforward: Analysis and Solutions?'
'Those were just some hastily summarized materials prepared last night. How were they? Any reference value?'
"Are, are these written by Amakasu-san!? I seriously read all the lines and dialogues written in there, but that kind of method for expressing affection! How could one utter those shameful words!"
Recalling the content of Amakasu's special report, Yuri's face went red.
—Here, lunchbox. Last night I accidentally made too much, throwing it away would be a waste.
—Don't misunderstand! I definitely don't like you, there's nothing to it at all!
—You idiot brother, you don't understand how I feel...!
And so on...
'Hahaha, that's very important. Since ancient times, we Japanese have been very subtle in our ways of love. It should feel something like the case of Lady Aoi in "The Tale of Genji"?'
"Eh? It should feel something like that?"
'No no. That Genji had inexplicable attributes like Oedipus or lolita complexes which are no good. A normal male would definitely fall for the slightly older tsundere childhood friend who was the young mistress of a high class family and betrothed to him. Decidedly, Sakurano Youko was an adorable existence, but the current trend is towards older women fetishes!'
"I have no idea what you are talking about, could you please translate!"
This kind of idiotic conversation had no meaning at all. Yuri decided to change the topic.
"So, Amakasu-san, about the grimoire yesterday—"
'Ah ah, about that. Are there any concerns?'
"Yes, if it's possible, could you let me take a second look at that book?"
'...That I don't mind, however, is it related to you fainting yesterday?'
"Yes. However, I can't explain it clearly at this stage, but I seemed to have witnessed a strange hallucination at the time. Just to be careful, I'd like to confirm by having another look—"
Things would become serious if the name Sasha Dejansstahl Voban was mentioned.
Due to these concerns, Yuri only described things in a vague manner.
'Ah, I don't really want to be lectured by the shrine elders for the same thing two days in a row... Oh well, sure, after all we were the ones who involved Yuri-san in the first place. Since you agreed to assist us, I have no reason to refuse you.'
Unexpectedly understanding, Amakasu appended a sentence.
'Regrettably, I will be busy later so I will arrange for someone else to drive you there and back in my stead, please wait at the shrine for a little while.'
—Thirty minutes later.
Yuri walked down the stone steps of the Nanao Shrine and headed towards the shrine entrance.
Wearing her miko outfit, Yuri got on the
locally manufactured sedan provided by the History Compilation Committee that was waiting for her. Since she intended to return immediately after using her spirit vision, there was no need to change her clothes.
After being shaken in the back seat for forty minutes, she finally arrived at the library in Aobadai.
After some polite words with the History Compilation Committee member who drove her here, Yuri got off and went to the entrance.
—Why?
The building felt even quieter than yesterday.
Precisely because it was a library, having peaceful surroundings was natural. Was she becoming a little neurotic? With a slightly worried feeling, Yuri entered the library.
At the reception hall.
Yesterday, there were several bored History Compilation Committee members sitting around. This was to prevent unauthorized people from entering, by force if necessary.
However, all these people were absent. Did they all go on a break?
Yuri felt a sense of foreboding and anxiety as she continued onwards.
The spacious corridor, the reading room on the first floor, the stairs. There was not a single soul in sight.
Come to think of it, should there not be a guide to substitute for Amakasu? Furthermore, no one came to receive Yuri.
As if trying to dispel the sense of worry and loneliness, Yuri quickened her footsteps. She tried to find another person amongst the shelves and in the corners of the reading room that housed tens of thousands of books.
However, there was none. Yesterday there had been a few library staff, and Amakasu was present. However, today there was no one at all—
Hurrying to the second floor, Yuri felt relieved at the sight of a human figure.
"Excuse me, what is going on today? I felt surprised that there were no other people here..."
As she spoke her greeting, Yuri began to lower her voice.
Yuri discovered that the person was white, literally as white as snow—face, limbs, body, everything was white.
Salt.
—Legends tell of a city which incited the wrath of God and all inhabitants were transformed into pillars of salt.
The person Yuri discovered was the same. The roughly thirty-year-old man was nothing more but a solid piece of salt now.
With intense fear, Yuri began to run.
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