Chapter 346: The Beginning of the Turmoil
"Sorry, I didn't mean it that way. It's just... there's really no need to get you involved, Irisviel."
Before Artoria left, she had used Avalon (The Distant Utopia) as a trade to ask Hikigaya Hachiman to take good care of the Irisviel mother and daughter. Since Hachiman had agreed to the deal, he naturally would not bring them into harm's way.
"Thank you for thinking of me, Hikigaya-kun."
Irisviel clearly understood Hachiman's good intentions. She reached out and lightly brushed his face, then stood up and walked to the window in the living room that led directly to the garden.
"But some things cannot be dodged. The guarantee that Illya and I can live in this world without being disturbed by the outside and use magic freely rests entirely on you alone, Hikigaya-kun."
"If you fall, Illya and I will definitely not survive."
After all, the concept of a "Homunculus" did not exist in this world. Without Hachiman's protection, Irisviel and Illya—who possessed little combat power—would inevitably be targeted by some local faction...
"Therefore, helping you now is actually helping ourselves. Putting it that way... can you understand, Hikigaya-kun?"
"I understand."
Hearing Irisviel's words, Hachiman sighed inwardly. In her words, he could sense the deep-seated anxiety hidden beneath her light and cheerful tone.
But it was true. Even though Irisviel usually acted like a child—even fighting with her daughter Illya over game consoles—at her core, she was a mother. She was a mother who, to ensure her child could live a stable life, did not hesitate to follow a stranger she had only known for a few days to a different world.
After arriving in this world and seeing that his strength was already the "ceiling" of normal combat power, Irisviel had undoubtedly felt a deep sense of relief. But after today's events, it was only natural for her to become uneasy again. After all, if even Komachi was attacked, what about two outsiders like her and Illya?
"The guy who attacked Komachi just moved again."
"That guy currently controls the psychics in Tokyo—you can think of them as magi. Anyway, he's currently controlling two of the strongest ones among them."
"And now I'm worried that if those families, who are still in the dark, encounter those two..."
"It would be a slaughter."
Although Hachiman did not elaborate, Irisviel already envisioned a scene of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood in her mind.
"Normally, even if such a thing happened, it would have nothing to do with me," Hachiman shrugged and continued. "After all, I don't know those people at all."
"But since the Nine-Tailed Fox is manipulating those two to massacre those families, it definitely has a purpose. So, Hikigaya-kun, you absolutely cannot watch the Fox's plan succeed."
Irisviel traced the logic and immediately deduced what Hachiman had to do next.
"Are you leaving now?"
Although Irisviel felt that Hachiman departing at this time wouldn't be much of a problem given the urgency, Komachi had only just been attacked. Moreover, the previous deduction was just a deduction. What if nothing happened, but the moment Hachiman left the house, the Nine-Tailed Fox attacked again?
"Komachi just woke up; of course I'm not leaving."
Hachiman gave Irisviel a reassuring look.
"Oh?"
Seeing Hachiman's confident expression, Irisviel tilted her head and watched curiously as he began fiddling with the back of his hand.
A few minutes later.
"So you want me to go?"
The Inari God, who had rushed over after being told there was an emergency, was currently looking at Hikigaya Hachiman with utter speechless.
"Well, I'm not exactly in a position to leave right now."
Spreading his hands, Hachiman indicated that this was his only choice.
"I'm truly at a loss with you. To actually ask me, a dignified deity, to act as a bodyguard..."
The Inari God shot Hachiman a glare, but then a teleportation circle quickly expanded beneath her feet, and she vanished from the sight of Hachiman and Irisviel.
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Tokyo, Isayama Clan Estate.
Isayama Naraku, who had just finished a clan meeting, dragged his weary body back to his residence.
"Who's there?"
Although he had been forced to retire from the front lines after losing an arm in battle during his youth, Naraku's perception had not weakened with age. The moment he stepped into the room, he keenly sensed that someone else had infiltrated the space.
"It is I, Father."
Isayama Yomi, standing in the shadows, turned on the light, exposing herself to Naraku's sight.
"Yomi? You're awake?"
Seeing Isayama Yomi—who was supposed to be lying unconscious in a hospital bed—standing right before him, the momentary excitement made Naraku completely forget how eerie her presence in his room was.
"Yes. Father, I just woke up. I caused you so much trouble before; I am truly sorry!"
While apologizing, Isayama Yomi performed a dogeza (prostration) toward Naraku.
"No, it's enough as long as you are awake."
Naraku looked at his adopted daughter with an expression full of love. If Yomi was awake, then all his previous toil was completely worth it. After all, his successor was confirmed again, and the entire Isayama clan would stabilize accordingly...
"Um, Father, since I am awake, could you entrust Shishio to me once more?"
Gazing at the Shishio (Lion King) sword at Naraku's waist, a flash of longing crossed Yomi's eyes. She remained prostrate on the tatami as she made her request.
"Of course, there's no quest—No! You aren't Yomi!"
Subconsciously, Naraku was about to hand Shishio over. Shishio had long been Yomi's exclusive weapon; he was merely keeping it for her. Since she was awake, he naturally should return it to its rightful owner.
However, the moment his hand touched the scabbard, bolstered by the power of Shishio, he keenly sensed a faint, almost imperceptible trace of evil aura in the room. Simultaneously, he realized that the real Isayama Yomi would never actively ask him for Shishio!
"Have I been found out?"
The moment Naraku called out Yomi's disguise, she had already climbed up from the floor.
"Who are you? Why do you look exactly like Yomi?"
Gripping the hilt of Shishio with one hand, Naraku directly summoned the spiritual beast Nue housed within the blade.
"Ranguren, kill her!"
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