Chapter 75

"The result is — no problem."

About ten seconds later, the Calendar Doctor's voice rang out again, and the originally violent spiritual power wave vanished without a trace in an instant.

Uesugi Toru froze in place, thinking he was just about to properly observe and perceive the flow of this spiritual power, but the result was that this grand detection ended just as he had prepared for it?

— I was fully concentrated, and you just show me this?

Nanjo Ai spread her hands calmly to the side: "I said long ago, there is no need to suspect Uesugi Toru."

Kondo Tomoya's complexion did not change: "Reasonable suspicion always needs facts to refute; if Nanjo Minor Officer you alone killed a Four-Star or higher Ghost God in private, then I would do the same."

"Mm..."

After the spiritual power disappeared, the room still remained pitch black, as if it had no boundaries.

The Calendar Doctor's voice suddenly rang out: "Kid, do you know?"

"Originally I was actually going to conduct a soul search on you with the premise of 'not damaging the soul'." The Calendar Doctor said, "It was because Nanjo Minor Officer strongly guaranteed for you that it was changed to the current detection that only observes whether you are a yaoguai."

"And last time too, she protected you like this as well."

Speaking here, he deliberately paused, his tone carrying great curiosity: "So, what relationship do you have with this Nanjo Minor Officer who usually cares about nothing except work?"

Nanjo Ai was expressionless, merely raising her eyebrows slightly: "Your Excellency, if you just want to watch the fun, there's no need to come all the way here."

The Calendar Doctor did not speak; he was waiting for Uesugi Toru to ask himself.

And Uesugi Toru, with this prompt, also discovered something was very wrong.

First the puppet that could let him check Ghost Old Man, later she was almost responsive to his every request, and now it was exposed by someone who was clearly her superior that she had staked herself to guarantee for him.

This question, indeed could not be held back any longer.

So Uesugi Toru directly asked: "Nanjo Sister, why are you so good to me?"

"— Didn't I say early on, value investing."

Nanjo Ai's expression was without fluctuation: "Just like investing in stocks that are still cheap, buying in full position when their price is far below actual value, in the future one can obtain extremely rich returns."

She said blandly: "Uesugi-kun, in the foreseeable future, there will be who knows how many Onmyoji Minor Officials wanting to get acquainted with you; and no matter how many so-called friends you know, you will remember that the first Onmyoji Minor Official who helped you was called Nanjo Ai."

Kondo Tomoya and the Calendar Doctor both did not speak, but Uesugi Toru estimated the two of them were definitely holding back laughter in their hearts.

So he spread his hands somewhat embarrassedly: "No, Nanjo Sister, I myself don't know I'm this amazing, how did you reach this kind of conclusion?"

"Since it's investing, one must bear corresponding risks... did you think I would say that."

Nanjo Ai sighed and said: "Uesugi-kun, do you know —

Geniuses and geniuses attract each other, and from the first moment I saw you I was incomparably certain of this point."

She tapped her toe, saying calmly: "Wonder if this answer satisfies you, Calendar Doctor Your Excellency?"

"Genius! Genius?"

The Calendar Doctor laughed loudly: "Nanjo Minor Officer, do you mean a genius would waste five years idly in the Minor Officer transitional position?"

Nanjo Ai shrugged: "Perhaps."

The Calendar Doctor couldn't help but applaud from a thousand li away: "This trip today, really was worth it."

"— Nanjo Minor Officer, very happy to see you under too much pressure seriously tell me a joke."

The laughter gradually faded, and the darkness and art in the room also retreated along with it, letting this place return to that ordinary room.

Kondo Tomoya: "Nanjo Minor Officer, you really need to change this personality."

Nanjo Ai threw Kaga Kiyomitsu back to Uesugi Toru: "I'm just speaking the truth, Kondo Major Officer need not refute me, time will prove everything."

"Uesugi-kun, let's go."

She pushed open the door, leading Uesugi Toru out.

Shizuku, who was originally cultivating in fragmented time at the doorway, saw them and her complexion showed a slight joy, but it instantly vanished: "Finished?"

Uesugi Toru said somewhat uncertainly: "Should be?"

"More or less."

Nanjo Ai beckoned to the two: "But we need to discuss your arrangements going forward first."

Nanjo Ai: "I have two ideas, the first is you two stay at the Special Affairs Division to cultivate from now on, school and family side we will handle."

This proposal is not bad.

Uesugi Toru touched his chin and pondered, although he couldn't timely collect the props Ghost Old Man dropped from eating other yokai, purely in terms of safety there is indeed no problem.

"The second is a bit dangerous — I hope you two still attend school normally, let Aibetsuri hiding in the sea of people reveal itself again."

Nanjo Ai: "The Special Affairs Division will monitor the school around the clock twenty-four hours, will arrive the first moment Aibetsuri appears."

Uesugi Toru: "Meaning using us two as bait?"

"— Whether to go or not depends entirely on your willingness, no one will force you."

Shizuku: "I don't mind. As long as I can regularly discuss swordsmanship with Kondo Your Excellency every week."

Aibetsuri ah...

Uesugi Toru chewed on this name for a good while, nodded: "Premise is giving Shizuku and me the same life-saving means."

"That is natural."

"— Then no problem, Shizuku, see you at school tomorrow."

Because Shizuka Mafuyu was frantically processing the paperwork ruthlessly pushed by her superior, this time it was Nanjo Ai driving the van who sent Uesugi Toru to the front of his home.

"About here is fine, Nanjo Sister."

After changing out of the hospital gown, Uesugi Toru who got a brand new school uniform for free said.

Nanjo Ai seemed to sense something and raised her head, facing the single cold pupil revealed through the curtain crack eye to eye.

A moment later, she turned her head to look out the van window, lit a cigarette and said: "If there's anything you need help with, don't be embarrassed, just call me."

Deliberately saying this again at this time, Nanjo Ai discovered something that went without saying.

Uesugi Toru stopped his steps and nodded at her: "Certainly."

——After seeing the van drive away, Old Man Ghost returned to the sofa and sat motionless, showing no reaction to Uesugi Toru who had returned home.

Old Man Ghost looked unchanged.

While eating the Convenience Store Bento, Uesugi Toru noticed nothing unusual about Old Man Ghost.

This showed Nanjo Sister's influence on it was not great, and he could still harvest vegetables with peace of mind.

After greeting Old Man Ghost as usual, Uesugi Toru hung the Ghost Old Man's Puppet outside the room door, then returned to the room and threw himself onto the bed.

——Arakawa Ghost Village, I'm coming!

This time, Uesugi Toru, who had harvested Sōgen Fire and Qigui Quiet Room, wanted to have a good chat with the little guy at the Blacksmith Shop.

End of Chapter