Not a detective

Page 175

Her laughter was especially wild, even smug.

Yes, that's the real unequal bargaining chip. Does that mean countless lives are the chips in this game? Actually, she is! Even if she fails, it's just a matter of breaking free from the possession!

She has many other bodies to choose from! This failure doesn't mean she can't try again next time!

Blinded by excitement, Prajna didn't notice a thing.

That was the Zashiki-warashi standing to the side, trembling:

"No, that's not right... You, you didn't even realize it."

There are some things in this world that the ignorant are never afraid of.

The weak may not notice, which is why they are fearless. But when they reach a certain level and see something of a certain caliber, they will be immediately terrified and unable to move.

Just as an ant cannot see the body of an elephant, only when it reaches a certain height can it realize just how enormous this creature truly is.

"You... took that coin."

The zashiki-warashi spoke to Asakawa Riku, knowing full well that he couldn't possibly hear it.

But this time, he wasn't looking in the wrong direction; he was staring intently at this spot.

No matter how the Zashiki-warashi retreated or dodged, it could not escape that cold, chilling gaze.

—Just a moment ago, Hannya did not notice that Asakawa Riku made a seemingly insignificant move.

He forcibly pried open the zashiki-warashi's hand covering the coin, then lifted the coin high into the air.

It was a coin conjured by magic; it didn't exist in reality. So, theoretically, an ordinary person with zero inspiration shouldn't be able to pick up that coin.

Furthermore, one should not be allowed to touch the Zashiki-warashi, or even pull her hand away.

"Prajna...you didn't understand anything at all..."

The last words of the Zashiki-warashi were left unsaid, their meaning fading into silence.

Her head was forcibly torn off by Asakawa Riku, and half of her body was forcibly ripped off, turning her round body into pieces.

He couldn't even see his movements clearly.

Imagine your head as a ball, placed beside your feet, moving it little by little to feel its volume and weight.

"Since I first came into contact with the world of yokai last year, I have been thinking about how to deal with enemies who are yokai, since I have zero inspiration. This is indeed a very difficult problem that I have never considered before. I can't see the shape of yokai, let alone hear their voices. All the sensory means that I usually rely on have become useless. In the world of yokai, I am like a disabled person who has lost all five senses. I am completely blind and have no way to do anything. This once caused my cultivation to hit a bottleneck, and I could not make any progress. It was very difficult to move forward."

“I know I can’t rely on Chizuko-senpai forever. Even though she’s a professional Onmyoji and an expert at dealing with yokai, I prefer to protect others rather than be protected by them. Besides, it’s not right to keep using her right hand as a weapon, and she can’t stay by my side forever… Just like now, if she’s not around, I need to be able to fight yokai on my own. I can’t just sit here and wait to die. That’s not my style.”

"The foundation at the beginning was 'meditation.' I initially practiced this to resist the ability to dream and hallucinate, but unexpectedly, it turned out to be a wonderful thing. Half a year ago, I met an executive officer from the Inspection Department named Kirisame Aoi. Her 'Imaginary Blade' gave me a great surprise and became the final piece of the puzzle. I remembered that I had been using meditation to train, such as imagining myself dragging an excavator while running to increase the load on myself. If I could change the purpose of this meditation from resisting hallucinations to creating fantasies..."

"My experience on Red Stingray Island was just like that. I imagined phantoms of Chizuko, Yukie, and Suezuki to help me think and organize the situation, which ultimately helped me escape. But this obviously does more than just thinking. I can also imagine powerful opponents and spar with them in my mind in the void. This can make up for my lack of real combat experience and make up for my laxity. To be honest, it works quite well. At first, it was a champion boxer, then a 200-pound mantis, which made me sweat profusely every time... Finally, it was a monster."

"Yes, I also treat monsters as my imaginary opponents, because ordinary opponents can no longer defeat me. They can be defeated in a few seconds, which is no fun. It is the intangible existence of monsters that allows me to imagine their strength to my heart's content, so every time is an exciting challenge. I quickly became addicted to it and would practice like this whenever I had free time. I have learned a lot of interesting things from it... Of course, the most important thing is that I have learned the ability to see monsters in the void. As long as the imagination breaks through the limits, that is enough."

As Asakawa Riku spoke, he had already walked up to Hannya.

"You...you can't see me...you can't hurt me!"

Prajna watched all this in horror. Although she denied it verbally, her body was too terrified to move, and she couldn't even run away.

The boy kicked the head of the god of fortune, his body stained with the blood of the elves, like a god of death in the night, exuding a terrifying aura.

"Yes, you can't see it, but you can also see it."

There was no dialogue, yet there was dialogue.

Asakawa Riku uttered a seemingly philosophical sentence, muttering meaningfully to himself: "You can't hit it, yet you can hit it. That's the true 'Imaginary Fist'."

His outstretched hand slowly grasped the slender, snake-like neck of the prajna that was suspended in mid-air.

At this moment, the monster was filled with nothing but panic and extreme fear:

"No...no...no!!!"

"Don't you like me a lot?"

Asakawa Riku's expression revealed a true face that hadn't been seen in a long time, a face that only appeared on special occasions:

"That referee died too quickly, you'd better play with me for a while."

Zashiki Warashi’s Autumn: Zashiki Warashi’s Autumn AFTER1

Shinonome Suetsuki climbed to the fifth floor of the school building, and then one more floor to reach the rooftop.

It's very lively here today. The narrow corridors are crowded with people lining up in long queues, a stark contrast to the quietness of previous visits.

That's why hardly anyone noticed her as an outsider; even though she looked like a model or celebrity, it didn't cause any unusual sensation.

...Or is there something more eye-catching up there?

Today, Moyue wore a long-sleeved shirt, a dark blue vest, and long, shapely suit pants. The outfit had a slightly androgynous feel, but it suited her perfectly.

You might say, "This guy finally dressed properly," but actually, this outfit was styled by Xingyu; Moyue wouldn't bother with such things.

Xingyu also said, "It would be even more perfect if you added an earring," but unfortunately, Moyue's ear piercings heal instantly every time she gets them, leaving no room for any jewelry.

It seems that while this ability is safe, it also has certain limitations. At the very least, she cannot freely control whether or not wounds are left, and she will force them to heal.

Lost in thought, Mo Yue finished the long queue and went up to the rooftop.

The school rooftop was open for limited hours today, and many people probably came to join in the fun, but once they got up there, they found that it was very different from their last impression.

When I arrived here a few days ago, it was still dusk and night. A heavy and oppressive atmosphere, shadows of terror and unease lingered around the place, with demons and monsters lurking around.

But it's early morning now. The sky is clear and cloudless, the weather is quite nice, the warm sunlight is shining on me, and the cool autumn air keeps the temperature from getting too hot.

Everything is just right.

The rooftop is no longer so empty; instead, a simple plastic shed has been erected and carefully decorated. To prevent it from being blown away by the wind, the table corners have been tied with straps.

The tables and chairs are covered with special cushions and fabrics, and are decorated in a very professional manner. They would not be much different from those in outdoor restaurants.

It seems that his classmates did not let Asakawa Riku down after winning the opportunity, and they have run the shop very well.

—The shop's sign reads "Kilimanjaro" Cafe.

"Miss Dongyun! You could have just let us know you were coming, no need to queue!"

Kato Mio, wearing glasses and dressed in a black and white maid outfit, quickly came forward, holding a menu and a menu.

It seemed she already knew Moyue's real name, and she warmly led him to a relatively quiet empty table in a corner.

After sitting down, Mo Yue didn't immediately look at the menu, but instead glanced around.

This cafe seems to be marketed as a "maid cafe," with girls, including Class President Kato, dressed in pretty maid outfits and greeting customers everywhere, which is very cute.

Although from her perspective, these maid outfits weren't very formal and felt more like cosplay, she thought it was better that way.

“...I have specified someone.”

"Eh... Oh!"

Class President Kato paused for a moment, then suddenly understood what she meant, and smiled as she reached out to greet her, "Asakawa-san! A guest is looking for you!"

Asakawa Riku, with his keen hearing, heard the sound and slowly walked over, muttering impatient complaints:

"Who has such a heavy taste... wait a minute."

He stopped.

Although they realized it was a trap, it was too late; they couldn't turn around in time and were seen.

Asakawa Riku was wearing a maid outfit, just like the girls, only a slightly looser style. The chest area wasn't too loose, but rather filled with pectoral muscles.

"So you have a penchant for wearing outlandish clothes, assistant."

Shinonome Suetsuki quickly picked up her phone and took a picture.

Asakawa Riku reached out and snatched it, deleting both "Album" and "Recently Deleted": "I just don't want you to say that to me."

"You guys have fun, I'm going back to work now~"

Squad Leader Kato covered his mouth and chuckled before quickly slipping away.

"So, why is this happening?"

Mo Yue pondered how to successfully take photos without being discovered, and asked as she did so.

She noticed that not all the boys were dressed as maids; to be precise, only Asakawa Riku was dressed as a maid. Most of the other boys were responsible for making coffee and desserts, or doing odd jobs.

The maids who were responsible for greeting the guests were all girls, and the presence of Asakawa Riku in the middle was quite abrupt.

"They repaid kindness with enmity."

Asakawa Riku said indignantly, and sat down in the seat opposite her.

He felt uncomfortable sitting down; it was chilly down there, and he wasn't sure if he should put his legs together.

This is a long story. Ever since he sent the good news back to the class that he had won a great victory in the Battle of the Summit and successfully obtained the qualification for the rooftop stall, Asakawa Riku naturally received a hero's cheer and treatment. Everyone applauded enthusiastically and expressed their gratitude. However, there was no need to mention the matter of the "monster" on the rooftop to the classmates.

But while preparing the stall was underway, class president Kato approached Asakawa Riku and said that all the students, including the boys, would have to dress up as maids to greet the guests that day.

Asakawa Riku didn't want to be different or do anything special, so he reluctantly agreed.

He should have realized this was a trap sooner; maybe he could have found out by asking Haoji... No, that guy must be an accomplice too, damn it.

It wasn't until today, at the school festival, when he put on the maid outfit, that he realized he'd been tricked.

These guys are just taking advantage of his easygoing nature... Even so, seeing them expectantly saying, "You're the one who attracted so many customers today, Asakawa-kun," he couldn't bring himself to refuse. Asakawa Riku is indeed a soft-hearted person, as can be proven in every way. However, he also has his own principles that he absolutely cannot compromise on.

　That is, "not wearing white stockings".

So now, he still keeps his legs bare under his skirt, which looks a bit strange.

"Completely unsuitable for you."

Shinonome Suetsuki ordered a signature coffee and, as always, gave her evaluation without any emotional intelligence.

She was right. When Asakawa Riku put on women's clothes, he didn't suddenly transform into a stunningly beautiful girl like in anime or novels. Perhaps it was because his bone structure and appearance were naturally more rugged. Although he had a youthful air, it wasn't the soft kind. His tall stature, well-defined features, strong muscles, and prominent Adam's apple were all undeniable.

Asakawa Riku looked speechless: "This kind of evaluation doesn't make me sad."

"I'm actually a little sad..."

Suddenly, another voice rang out. It was Xingyu approaching with a grin.

She placed the coffee tray between them on the table.

"I should have done a proper makeup job on Asakawa-kun, otherwise he doesn't look like him at all."

Zashiki Warashi’s Autumn: Zashiki Warashi’s Autumn AFTER2

Hoshino was also wearing that classic black and white maid outfit, but it looked completely different on her; she truly lived up to her reputation as a regular soldier.

Her apron was embroidered with delicate white lace, which contrasted sharply with her smooth skin. Her slender waist was gently outlined by a corset, and she wore white over-the-knee socks and small leather shoes.

It was as if she looked exceptionally radiant in it; even with her originally brilliant blonde hair tied back with a hair tie, her natural charm remained undiminished.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you from Class A? You're a lackey of the student council, our enemy."

Higashino Suetsuki remained blunt in her speech, taking a sip of her coffee and savoring it carefully.

Xingyu didn't mind at all, smiling happily, as if she had returned to the way she used to feel when she was with her young lady:

"...I'm sorry for the trouble I caused you a few days ago, so I came to help out and make up for my mistake."

Xingyu lost her memories of the time she was possessed by Prajna, so when she woke up, she didn't remember why she was on the rooftop.

Asakawa Riku and Suetsuki tacitly avoided telling her about the "life-or-death gamble," only saying that being possessed by a yokai was a bit troublesome, but it was resolved smoothly.

The intention was not to make Xingyu feel too guilty, but Xingyu still vaguely sensed that something was wrong, so she took the initiative to ask Asakawa Riku to come and help out at the shop.

In fact, she was a great help. Hoshino is indeed a very good leader, planner and organizer. Together with Kato, she ran the coffee shop very well. With the endorsement of the "student council president" status, everything went smoothly in terms of procurement, operation, food, and publicity. There were no accidents, and business was good from the morning.

More importantly, her maid skills are completely irreplaceable. If she hadn't specifically trained the female students in her class, they wouldn't have become this professional.

"Even today, I still can't remember what happened that day... I just feel a bit confused..."

"I'm glad you're alright."

Asakawa Riku smiled and said that being able to return to such an ordinary daily life, basking in the autumn sun, and enjoying the noisy hustle and bustle around him was the greatest happiness.

Shinonome Suetsuki is a professional atmosphere destroyer. She put down her coffee cup and said:

"This is not Kilimanjaro coffee at all; you're engaging in false advertising."