Chapter 669: New Directions for the Investigation

"Hermit!" Itsuka Kotori slowly spat out a name.

"Hermit? Commander, how did this Swordsman get involved with the Hermit again?" a crew member asked.

"That is exactly what you all overlooked! Rewind the footage here, then look at what that AST captain did and said after the ice seal on her body was lifted," Itsuka Kotori said.

"The AST member holding the instrument said that another Spirit power fluctuation was detected, and the source of that fluctuation was the Swordsman!" one of the crew members exclaimed.

"Because it has now been discovered that the Swordsman and the Nightmare have identical Spirit power fluctuations, we cannot determine whether it was the Nightmare or the Swordsman who took the Hermit away earlier. But now, we can be largely certain that the Hermit should be in the same place as the Spirit who took her away!" Itsuka Kotori said.

"In other words, if we can find the Hermit, is it very likely we can find the Swordsman or the Nightmare?" Itsuka Shido asked.

"That's right. So, our goal now is to track the Hermit's trail. We can't find the elusive Swordsman, but surely there won't be any problem finding the Hermit's trail when she appears, right?" Itsuka Kotori asked.

"Commander is truly peerless in strategy; we guarantee the mission will be completed!" Kannazuki Kyouhei appeared in front of Itsuka Kotori at some unknown moment and said with a fawning expression.

Watching Kannazuki Kyouhei constantly moving closer to her, Itsuka Kotori threw a punch, slamming it heavily into Kannazuki Kyouhei's stomach and sending him flying.

"Many thanks for the Commander's reward." Kannazuki Kyouhei climbed up from the ground, clutching his stomach with an intoxicated look on his face.

Seeing Kannazuki Kyouhei like this, Itsuka Shido couldn't help but quietly take a step back. He was truly worried about whether he might be infected by Kannazuki Kyouhei being like this.

Inside the small shop, Tokisaki Kurumi held Yoshinon's hand and was saying something with a smile. Although Yoshino was a bit timid, perhaps because both were Spirits, or perhaps because Tokisaki Kurumi possessed an aura similar to Lingyun's, she did not resist Tokisaki Kurumi's approach. In the gaze she directed at Tokisaki Kurumi, there was also a hint of closeness.

"I made some snacks; let's eat while we talk," Lingyun said, walking over with a plate.

After placing the plate on the table, Lingyun took out a tea set and poured a cup of tea for everyone.

"To think Lingyun cooked personally? Yoshino, you really are lucky!" Tokisaki Kurumi said with a smile, looking at the exquisite snacks on the plate.

"Thank you, Brother." Yoshino whispered a thank you to Lingyun, then reached out to pick up a piece of the snack.

Because she would be hunted by the AST the moment she appeared in this world, Yoshino had actually always been on the run, never having enjoyed the beautiful side of this world, nor had she seen such small snacks.

After imitating Tokisaki Kurumi by putting the snack into her mouth and taking a small bite, Yoshino's eyes couldn't help but narrow slightly, and an intoxicated expression appeared on her face.

"Is it good?" Tokisaki Kurumi asked.

Yoshino chewed the snack in her mouth and nodded gently.

"If you like it, Lingyun can make it for you all the time!" Tokisaki Kurumi said with a smile.

Looking at the expectant Yoshino, Lingyun smiled and said, "If Yoshino really likes it, I have no problem with that!"

"Kurumi, if you want to eat some yourself, just say so; it's not like I wouldn't agree." At the same time, Lingyun's chuckle echoed in Tokisaki Kurumi's mind.

"Hee hee, I'm not as cute as Yoshino. If I were the one to ask, it wouldn't have such a good effect!" Tokisaki Kurumi responded with a giggle.

"Yoshino, do you want to meet more friends?" Lingyun asked Yoshino.

"More friends?" Yoshino tilted her head, a hint of anticipation in her eyes. "Are they kind people like Brother Lingyun and Sister Kurumi?"

"As for that? They are all very kind people, though some of them might have rather strange personalities," Lingyun said with a smile. "Yoshino, do you want to change your introverted personality?"

Yoshinon raised its hand, seemingly wanting to say something.

Lingyun waved his hand slightly, interrupting Yoshinon: "Let Yoshino speak for herself!"

"Yes!" Yoshino was silent for a moment, then nodded vigorously.

"It's good to have that thought. Among those children, there are a few who are the energetic type; with them around, Yoshino will definitely be able to become cheerful," Lingyun said with a smile.

"Are you planning to bring those children to this world?" Tokisaki Kurumi asked with some curiosity.

"My place is a small shop after all, so I still need some people to help out. Besides, children like Enju have said many times that they want to see other worlds. And in this world, as long as we don't run into Spirits or the DEM company, there basically won't be any danger," Lingyun said.

"I'm just worried that they won't run into the DEM company, but the DEM company will find us on their own," Tokisaki Kurumi said. "After all, you know the personalities of some of them."

"If they really find us, then we can just steamroll right over them," Lingyun said.

"That really is your unique tone, Lingyun!" Tokisaki Kurumi said with a light laugh.

"That's called confidence, okay!" Lingyun rolled his eyes. "Besides, with the combined strength of everyone we have now, even Takamiya Mio in her complete state would only be able to drink hatred, wouldn't she?"

"Brother, will those people you mentioned be afraid of me because I'm a Spirit?" Yoshino asked in a small voice.

"As for that, of course not. Those children aren't ordinary people either! They will definitely be very happy to see Yoshino!" Lingyun said with a smile.

"That's good." Yoshino breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"By the way, Lingyun, you said you descended into this world as a Spirit; will the Ratatoskr where Itsuka Kotori is located send people to攻略 you?" Tokisaki Kurumi, who was on the side, suddenly popped out with this sentence.

"Itsuka Shido, 攻略 me?" A bunch of black lines suddenly appeared on Lingyun's forehead. "What kind of joke are you making! The one in this world is Itsuka Shido, not Itsuka Shiori!"

"No, no, no, that's not necessarily true!" Tokisaki Kurumi shook her index finger and said. "What if they make Itsuka Shido become Itsuka Shiori?"

Hearing this, Lingyun's body trembled, and he couldn't help but break into a cold sweat: "If they really dare to do that, I wouldn't mind making Itsuka Shido become Itsuka Shiori forever!"

"There's even that kind of operation?" Tokisaki Kurumi was a bit dumbfounded.

"Why wouldn't there be that kind of operation?" Lingyun flicked his hand, and a small bottle appeared in his palm.

But before Tokisaki Kurumi could see clearly what the label on the bottle was, the bottle disappeared from Lingyun's palm once again.