Chapter 335: Komachi's Shock
"What a pain."
At noon on the streets of Chiba, despite the sweltering midsummer heat, the crowds remained dense. Kazuhiro Mitogawa wandered through the masses, searching for a suitable candidate as per the Nine-Tailed Fox's requirements.
"Aside from that Tsuchimiya girl, how could there be anyone else suitable in the Kanto region..."
After several hours of finding nothing, Mitogawa found this kind of time-wasting and meaningless search irritating. Yet, for some reason, the Nine-Tailed Fox was adamant that a girl with strength equivalent to Special-grade existed right here in Chiba.
"A Special-grade human, huh..."
Recalling his meeting with the Nine-Tailed Fox—the way it looked serious and wasn't joking—Mitogawa curled his lip. For someone to possess such power without being officially recorded meant this Special-grade girl clearly didn't want to be found. In other words, finding her in this sea of people was harder than reaching the heavens.
Not only that, but Mitogawa faced many restrictions in Chiba...
Just as he was thinking, he suddenly flicked his gaze toward a side alley. He could clearly sense one mid-level spirit and three low-level spirits lurking there. Because it was broad daylight, the four spirits were currently in a dormant state.
But soon, the air above the alley rippled with golden waves. A pure white fox with a golden tip on its tail leapt out. In just a few seconds, it had slaughtered all four spirits!
"An Inari fox? What a troublesome existence..."
Hidden in the crowd, Mitogawa silently watched the one-sided battle. Although he could easily deal with the fox, doing so would mean entering the detection web woven by the Inari God across Chiba. Due to his previous theft of incense and offerings, if his location were leaked, the five foxes surrounding the Inari God might personally hunt him down.
Clearly, Mitogawa couldn't afford that until the Nine-Tailed Fox's mission was complete. After watching the annoying fox finish off the spirits, he didn't linger and continued walking toward another district.
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"Ugh, it's already noon. Has Onii-chan still not come back?"
After playing games all morning, a weary Komachi complained while enjoying Irisviel's lap pillow.
"Hikigaya-kun went out on business, so he probably won't be back so soon, right?" Irisviel defended Hachiman while gently stroking Komachi's hair. Even though she hadn't been to Tokyo, it was nearly 9:30 AM when he left. Even if he handled things quickly, the round-trip travel time meant he couldn't possibly be back yet.
"Komachi knows that, obviously. I'm just complaining because I don't want to cook today."
"...Um, if you don't mind, I could do the cooking~" Hearing Komachi's explanation, Irisviel volunteered after a moment of silence.
"NO!" x3
Irisviel's words were met with an immediate, strong rejection from three people, led by her own daughter, Illya.
"Eh, how could you..." Irisviel's face immediately looked like she was about to cry, having not expected to be so thoroughly shunned.
"Because Mama's cooking is literally inedible!" Illya ruthlessly exposed the truth.
No! Recalling the fried rice she had tasted once before, Illya decided to retract the word "inedible." To be precise, her mother's cooking was beyond human tolerance—not even a homunculus could survive it!
"Let's go to the convenience store and buy bentos." Komachi, who had been listless on Irisviel's lap, suddenly sprang back to life at the prospect of Irisviel entering the kitchen.
Returning to her room to change out of the "too revealing" clothes Hachiman always criticized, Komachi put on normal summer attire. Carrying her wallet and the hopes of Sakura and Illya, she headed for the nearest convenience store.
"Ah, so hot..." As soon as she stepped outside, the scorching heat made Komachi want to retreat. Going out in this temperature was pure torture. But thinking about the fact that the only alternative was Irisviel's cooking, she braced herself and pressed on.
Ten minutes later, inside the convenience store, Komachi was slumped over a table in the rest area, enjoying the cool breeze from the air conditioner.
"Eh, Komachi-chan?"
A voice full of surprise and curiosity rang in her ears. Hearing her name, Komachi looked up toward the source.
"Onii-chan's friend, right?" Komachi had a deep impression of the boy before her, who was cuter than most girls.
"I didn't expect you to remember me after only meeting once." Totsuka Saika's eyes lit up. He sat across from Komachi, gently fanning himself with his hand to escape the heat.
"Well, you are Onii-chan's friend after all..." Komachi replied with a smile, while secretly observing him with curiosity.
'Is this person really a boy?'
The more she looked, the more curious she became about Totsuka's true gender. Not only was he incredibly cute, but his Adam's apple was virtually invisible. From behind, that frame looked entirely like a girl's. Even his personality and manner of speaking were perfectly feminine!
"By the way, Saika, why are you here?" A few minutes later, having successfully befriended him, Komachi managed to get a cold drink from him. As they sat side-by-side, Komachi asked why he was in the area.
"Actually, I was just passing through by chance." Totsuka tapped his cheek shyly. He had planned to go somewhere else, but since it was his first time, he got off at the wrong station and wandered here in a daze. He saw the convenience store, decided to rest, and ran into Komachi.
"........" Komachi fell silent. Not only was his personality and appearance more girly than a girl's, but he even had the "lost child" trait?
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