Corin looked at Wise in his Bangboo form with clear anticipation, but the moment he turned toward her, she flinched and grew flustered again.
"Ah, yes, I am sorry, Investigator. I only wanted to help. It is definitely not because Investigator is too cute and I wanted to hold... Ah, that is not what I meant. I did not mean you are not cute, I just..."
As Corin struggled to fix her own words, Wise could only nod helplessly. Even that tiny reaction made her brighten with joy.
She hurried forward and lifted Wise with surprising ease, her hands gentle and careful, as if she feared that applying even a little pressure might hurt him.
'I know she is really strong, but she controls her strength incredibly well,' He thought while relaxing in Corin's soft embrace.
A few metal ornaments from her outfit pressed gently against him, yet none of them reduced the warmth of being held by her.
Once her excitement settled, he felt her favorability rise, and the system panel appeared before him again.
[Ding! New favorability target detected.]
[Name: Corin]
[Gender: Female]
[Charm: 94]
[Unique Traits: Her growth is currently on pause due to special circumstances. She keeps a gentle personality and is usually a bit clumsy.]
[Hobbies: Cleaning]
[Current Status: Happy]
[Current Favorability toward Host: 40]
[Evaluation: Corin possesses remarkable strength, so please be cautious when letting her handle valuable items, or she may accidentally break them. Her personality is soft and kind, but that does not mean she is someone to be taken lightly. However, if her favorability reaches a high level... (Little Corin, you don't want to make me unhappy, right?)]
[Inner Thoughts: The Investigator is so soft. His scent is calming, and he is incredibly cute. I want to rub against him, but would that be rude? No, I need to control myself!]
Although she tried to reassure herself, Corin still tightened her arms without noticing it.
On the other side, Nekomata who had been watching realized what was happening and stared at Corin with clear envy in her eyes.
There was even a hint of regret, as if she were wondering why she had never tried hugging Wise before. The feeling looked surprisingly pleasant.
As for Wise, the moment he sensed Corin's intentional or unintentional movements, he looked up. His eyes met hers just as she glanced down.
"I'm, I'm sorry, Investigator, did I use too much force? Should I loosen my grip a little?"
"Uh, no need, this is fine."
Wise shook his head as he spoke, and that little motion ended up fulfilling Corin's quiet urge to nuzzle close.
It was not exactly what she wanted, but it still brought her a small wave of comfort.
[Ding! Target: Corin has increased her favorability toward the host by 5. Her current favorability is now 45. Additionally, 200 Emotional Value has been obtained.]
[Current Emotional Value: 4400]
Later, the three of them encountered some Ethereals along the way, but they posed no challenge for Nekomata and Corin.
Corin carried Wise with one hand as if he weighed nothing, while her other hand swung the 'chainsaw' with effortless grace, cutting down every Ethereal that stepped in their way.
Despite her small frame, she showed just how strong she truly was. She even took care of pushing the boulder to activate the switch.
[|Attention! A Hollow exit has been detected within a hundred meter radius. The temporary companion Corin's commission can now be fulfilled.|]
"Hmm? Are we separating already?"
Hearing Fairy's announcement, Wise let out a quiet sigh. Being carried the whole time had been far more comfortable than he expected.
"Wise, did you say something just now? Nya!"
"Oh, nothing. I just meant that our little Corin can leave the Hollow now."
"Ah! Really? We found the exit? Phew, that's great!"
Corin lit up the moment she heard Wise's words, her excitement so strong that she unintentionally tightened her grip.
"Ah, I'm, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. Investigator, are you alright?"
"Ugh. I'm fine, I'm fine."
Once she loosened her hold, Wise finally caught his breath. Corin looked at him with sincere gratitude.
"Um... thank you very much, Investigator. If it weren't for you, I would have been lost in this Hollow forever."
"You're welcome, little Corin. Thanks to your chainsaw, we moved so fast. You helped a lot."
"Eh? R-Really?"
Corin froze, then her expression slowly softened. As his words settled in, quiet tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.
"Waaah, t-thank you so much, Investigator. It is truly wonderful that I could help!"
[Ding! Target: Corin has increased her favorability toward the host by 25. Her current favorability is now 70. Additionally, 500 Emotional Value has been obtained.]
[Current Emotional Value: 4900]
'Hmm? Such a large increase in favorability at once? It seems my words had a stronger effect on Corin than I expected,' Wise thought, then gently reached out and stroked Corin's small head, a gesture that made Nekomata beside them pout quietly.
"Oh, by the way, Investigator, take this."
Before leaving the Hollow, Corin seemed to recall something. She pulled out a little note and passed it to Wise.
When he unfolded it, he understood right away. A phone number was written neatly across the note.
"This is?"
"It's my contact information. I know I shouldn't hand this out so easily, but I believe you are not a bad person, Investigator. And if the chance ever comes, I want to repay you properly."
Wise nodded at her sincere tone. Right in front of Corin, he gently slipped the note into the Bangboo pocket.
"Hmm, I will remember it. But it is better for little Corin to head back now. You might make your companions worry."
"Okay, okay, then see you next time, Investigator."
With clear reluctance, Corin turned away and walked toward the Hollow's exit. Most of that reluctance came from the soft, comforting feeling she had while holding Wise in her arms.
"Nya! There's no time to stay here, we still have our main mission!"
With that shout, Nekomata scooped up Wise again and sprinted down their original path.
They soon reached the tunnel where a train was speeding ahead. This section had no external surveillance, so no one would notice whatever they planned to do.
Even while carrying the Bangboo, Nekomata ran fast enough to briefly keep up with the moving train. Her steps hit the ground with sharp precision, and her ears flattened from the rushing air as she pushed herself forward.
"Go, Wise!"
Using both hands, she swung her arms and launched the Bangboo onto the train with a powerful throw.
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