The next morning.
"Hwaa…"
Mikoto walked out of the room and stretched lightly. Although there had been quite a commotion yesterday, thanks to the quiet environnt, she had slept very well.
"Good morning, Yakumo-senpai…"
Shido ran into her in the hallway and greeted her sowhat timidly.
"G-good morning, Shido."
Looking at the bright red five-finger mark on the boy's face, Mikoto rembered that awkward, embarrassing scene from last night, and her face instantly turned red.
"Um… I'm really sorry about yesterday."
"No, it's all right."
Mikoto gently shook her head at Shido's apology. After all, it had only been an accident, and Shido had not done it on purpose.
"Let's go have breakfast."
Mikoto said.
"Yeah."
Shido nodded and went with Mikoto to the hall. There, Natsumi was already sitting on a chair, sipping milk in small mouthfuls.
"Natsumi, you're already awake?"
Mikoto said, a little surprised.
"When I thought about staying in the sa inn as Miku and Origami, I just couldn't sleep peacefully."
After dealing with Miku and Origami, the instigators of last night's incident, Natsumi had returned to her room. However, even after the two had received their punishnt, she still felt danger everywhere.
"Well, I think they should have learned their lesson."
Mikoto glanced toward the corner of the room. There, the two of them were obediently kneeling on the tatami, each with a small sign hanging from her neck. Written on the signs were the words: "I am a cute Spirit, not a horny baboon."
Yes. According to the result of everyone's discussion, the two had been made to wear those signs and stay in the hall for the entire night.
"Mmm… To leave Origami-san and in the hall like this, Darling and Mikoto-san are so an."
At that mont, Miku said with flushed cheeks. Although she had knelt in the hall for the entire night, she looked unexpectedly satisfied.
"If Shido likes it, I can kneel for another twenty-four hours."
Origami looked at Shido and said seriously.
"Yakumo-senpai… They… they haven't learned their lesson at all!"
Looking at the two who were enjoying themselves, Shido let out a despairing cry.
"Ahaha…"
Mikoto could only respond with a wry smile. It seed the two had interpreted the punishnt as so strange kind of play.
After that little farce, everyone began enjoying the lavish breakfast. For a hot spring inn that promoted "one night, two als," the breakfast was not luxurious, but it was extrely refined and appetizing.
"Huh?"
Not only that, the proprietress had also thoughtfully prepared the day's newspaper. Mikoto glanced at the headline and revealed a surprised expression.
"What's wrong, Yakumo-senpai?"
Noticing Mikoto's attitude, Shido asked while eating a piece of grilled fish cooked to perfection.
"No, it's nothing. Let's talk after we finish eating."
Mikoto shook her head. It was not pleasant news. Rather, it would seriously ruin one's appetite.
And so, after breakfast…
"A serial murder case? And a dismbernt killer?"
Looking at the headline in the newspaper, Shido said in shock.
"And it started the week before last. I have a feeling this is connected to the deaths of Doma-san's family."
Mikoto said seriously. To be honest, serial murder cases themselves were rare. For one to continue for half a month without being solved was even more unbelievable. Setting aside the pressure from public opinion that would force the police to desperately solve the case, killing and dismbering people was itself the kind of act that would make it difficult not to leave any clues behind.
It gave the sense that so power far beyond human understanding was at work.
"Could it be… Kurumi?"
Shido said uneasily. When speaking of a murderer, the first one he thought of was that worst and most evil Spirit with over ten thousand lives on her hands.
Although according to Mikoto, Kurumi should currently be in Tenguu City, that girl had countless clones. It was not impossible that one of them had co to Izu to stroll around, soak in hot springs, and kill a few punks as a snack.
"It's hard to say it definitely isn't… but judging from the news, I don't think this is Kurumi's style."
Mikoto said doubtfully. Kurumi was indeed murderous, and she would blast people she disliked into pieces with her flintlocks. However, it was worth noting that because she had her convenient four-dinsional shadow space, Kurumi was extrely efficient when it ca to handling corpses.
In fact, the places where she appeared were more often reported for unexplained "disappearances," rather than corpses found in a dismbered state.
"I don't think causing news like a dismbernt case is sothing Kurumi would want."
Mikoto thought for a mont and said. In the end, devouring people was for Spirit power. Anything beyond that was unnecessary. Not to ntion, causing society-wide panic would only create more trouble for Kurumi.
"That's true."
Shido nodded. He also did not want to believe this was Kurumi's doing.
"But no matter what, this matter really is concerning."
Mikoto sighed. She had thought it was only a matter involving Doma's family. Now it seed that not only were there quite a few victims, the number was still increasing. Judging from today's newspaper, at least seven people had already been killed.
"I'll handle the AST side."
At that mont, Origami raised her head and said. Although ninety-nine percent of her reason for coming to Izu was Shido, the remaining one percent was because she was concerned about the matter of Doma's family that Mikoto had ssaged her about.
"What are you planning to do, Origami?"
Mikoto asked.
"Infiltrate the AST base."
Origami said briefly. Although she had already left the AST, she was still familiar with the conditions inside their facilities. Most branch bases had the sa defense systems, so there were several shared weak points she could exploit.
"I understand. Please be careful."
Mikoto nodded. Although she was a little worried about Origami, she believed the girl would not be caught so easily. Rather, with Origami's abilities, the Wizards stationed there were probably the ones who deserved more concern.
"Shido, let's go to the shrine."
It was getting late, so Mikoto stood up and looked at Shido.
The two said goodbye to Origami, Miku and Natsumi, then went to Hie Shrine.
Today's original plan was to help Doma recruit so part ti shrine maidens. Unlike Mikoto's own shrine, Hie Shrine was more like a tourist spot. Whether it was selling omamori and fortune slips at the shrine office, maintaining the shrine's cleanliness, or receiving tourists, it would be impossible to run properly without a certain number of part-ti shrine maidens.
Because of what had happened to Doma's wife, the shrine had begun to grow quiet recently.
"I'm sorry, Yakumo-san, Itsuka-san. I need to go to the police station today."
However, Doma did not seem to have ti to observe the work of recruiting part-ti shrine maidens. He briefly greeted Mikoto and Shido, then drove away from the shrine.
"Doma-san is very busy."
Shido said.
"Yes. I hope… nothing happens."
Mikoto nodded. Watching Doma's car disappear into the distance, her gaze carried a hint of worry.
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