Journey to Godhood Begins in Frieren Chapter 178: Yoshino and Yoshinon

"Smack—!"

The girl hit the ground hard, sending up a splash of water.

The rabbit hand‑puppet on her left hand flew off as she fell.

She lay there face‑down, motionless.

Shichen found the sight almost funny.

Shaking his head, he walked over, knelt beside her, and lifted her so she could rest in his arms.

"Are you all right?"

Only now did Shichen get a good look at the girl.

She seed about the sa age as Itsuka Kotori—perhaps even younger. Wisps of ocean‑blue hair peeked from beneath her hat. Her soft lips were the pink of cherry blossoms, and her delicate, doll‑like face was as fair as porcelain.

She was, in a word, adorable.

"Mm…"

The girl murmured, opened her eyes, and fluttered long lashes; her sapphire‑blue eyes were beautiful beyond words.

Then, as though startled, her small body went rigid.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Shichen asked gently.

His words had no effect. Her face went deathly pale, her gaze unsettled, her lips trembling.

She tried to get up, as if to escape his embrace, but fear had robbed her of all strength. She could only shake and stare at him in terror.

"Don't be afraid—I'm not a bad person," Shichen said.

He already knew who she was and why she was frightened, yet being feared like this still stung.

"Let help you sit up, okay?"

"N‑no… p‑please… don't co… closer…" The girl's voice was barely a whisper.

"Huh?" Shichen froze.

"P‑please… don't hurt …" she repeated, sounding on the verge of tears.

In that instant, anger flared in Shichen's chest.

He suddenly realized he had misjudged sothing. What was insignificant to him was of grave importance to her. He had known the facts, but only now did he see her helplessness with his own eyes—and he had actually found it amusing?

"Um…"

Sensing his anger, the girl trembled even more and dared not look at him.

"Sorry, sorry—did I scare you? I didn't an to." Shichen forced himself calm and apologized.

Her eyes flicked toward the puppet lying nearby.

"You want that? I'll get it for you."

He started to set her down, hesitated, then simply lifted her in his arms and walked over to the puppet.

Startled, she clutched the front of his shirt and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Relax—I won't hurt you," he soothed, stopping beside the rabbit puppet.

Frowning at its comical face, he squatted and picked it up.

"Here's your puppet."

"Mm!"

Her shoulders shook. She kept her eyes shut for a long mont before finally opening them—and saw the puppet right in front of her.

Blinking in shock, she looked up at Shichen.

He gave her a gentle smile. "Really, I won't hurt you."

The girl pressed her lips together; sensing his sincerity, she nodded timidly and accepted the puppet.

She slipped it onto her left hand with practiced ease—and then sothing miraculous happened. The puppet's mouth moved, and a sharp little voice rang out:

"Hello—thanks a lot for helping us!"

The girl's own lips hadn't moved; the voice truly seed to co from the puppet.

"Hello there," Shichen greeted it with a smile.

"Oh?"

The puppet stared at him in surprise; the girl, too, looked up in disbelief.

"Onii-chan, are you talking to ?"

"What else?" Shichen chuckled.

"You don't think I'm weird?"

"What's weird about it?"

"Ho‑ho~ You're quite the remarkable Onii-chan," the puppet said approvingly.

"Mm…" The girl, apparently agreeing, nodded lightly.

"Then, could you tell your nas?"

"Nas—plural? Haha, that's nice!" The puppet shook with laughter.

"All right, Onii-chan: she is Yoshino, and I am Yoshinon~"

"Yoshino and Yoshinon, got it. I'm Shichen. Pleased to et you both."

"Shichen-nii! Nice to et you!" Yoshinon said excitedly.

"I'm glad to et you, too."

"By the way," Yoshinon teased, "how long do you plan on holding Yoshino?"

"Ah—sorry, I forgot." Shichen moved to set the girl down.

"No, no!" Yoshinon stopped him.

"Hm?" Shichen looked puzzled—and so did Yoshino.

"Yoshino, isn't this nice? This Onii-chan is truly kind. I can feel it. He even helped us just now. Why not entrust your whole life to him?"

"Mm!" Yoshino blushed deep red.

"Yoshinon, what are you saying?" Shichen shook his head.

"Hmph, don't play dumb. You can't bear to let go of Yoshino's soft, petite body, can you? You lecher—acting all innocent!"

"You've got it wrong. I'm only worried she hurt herself in the fall. She's so young—how could I think that way?"

"Who knows? What if you're a lolicon? Yoshino is awfully cute."

"Oh? Did I hit the mark?"

"Not at all… I'm just hurt." Shichen feigned sorrow.

"Huh?" Yoshino and Yoshinon tilted their heads adorably.

"All I wanted was to help you, yet you slander —it breaks my heart."

"Oh… that's true, I guess." Yoshinon looked guilty.

"Mm‑mm!" Yoshino flailed in panic.

"Haha—just teasing." Shichen burst out laughing.

"Uhh…" Yoshino blinked in confusion.

"Oh! Onii-chan, you're really sothing!" Yoshinon rocked with laughter.

"Right? So how about we be friends?"

"Friends, huh…" Yoshinon glanced at Yoshino, then nodded. "Sure! You're a good guy. From now on, we're friends."

"Wonderful."

"Hmph~ Since we're friends, I'll allow you to hold Yoshino a bit longer—consider it a perk."

"Mm!" Yoshino's face went crimson; she curled up in embarrassnt.

"You're awfully mischievous," Shichen sighed.

"Don't you like it, Onii-chan?" Yoshinon shot back.

"Well… fine, I admit I do. Yoshino's very cute. If you insist, I'll respectfully accept."

"Mm!" Yoshino shrank into a ball of shyness.

"Hahaha!"

Yoshinon laughed uproariously. "Onii-chan, you're so much fun—if only we'd t you earlier."

"It's not too late now, is it?"

"True—eting you now is still wonderful."

"Mmm…" Yoshino, still curled up, nodded.

"Flattery won't get you much—at best I'll play with you a little longer."

"You're really fun, Onii-chan… but we have to go."

"It's getting late—shall I see you ho?"

"No, no." Yoshinon's voice turned serious. "Onii-chan, keep your distance from us. Getting involved will only bring trouble—lots of it."

"Is that so?" Shichen seed unconcerned. "Trouble is the thing I fear least."

"Oh dear—don't you believe us? Let us go, or sothing bad will happen."

"I do believe you. I'm just not afraid of 'sothing bad.'"

"Onii-chan, you…?"

"Yoshinon, you can sense it, can't you?"

"Sense what?"

"Don't play dumb. The aura inside —doesn't it feel familiar?"

Yoshinon fell silent. Yoshino looked back and forth between them, puzzled.

After a long pause, Yoshinon sighed. "So you knew all along, Onii-chan."

"Of course. If you can sense a familiar aura in , I can sense the one in you. That's why I found you so easily."

"I see… Then you're here to hurt us?"

Shichen shook his head. "No."

"Then…?"

"I'm here to protect you."

~~~

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