"What's this?"
Watching Kinu and Gyokuto appear in the room, Mash couldn't help but widen her eyes slightly.
"Fou! Fou!"
Not only Mash but even Fou, who was lazily lying in Mash's arms, raised its head, looking at Kinu and Gyokuto with shining eyes—a mix of curiosity and joy.
In this situation, Kinu flapped its radiant feathers, flying in mid-air, while Gyokuto landed on the ground, tilting its head.
The two divine beings, symbolizing the sun and the moon, each with their unique golden eyes adorned with three jade beads, gazed at Mash and Fou.
Then, these two divine beings behaved differently from usual.
"Caw!"
Kinu emitted a greeting-like caw.
"Chirp!"
Gyokuto also let out a soft chirp, a sound exceptionally pleasant.
"You..."
Seeing this scene, Rozen was surprised.
In the past, Rozen had indeed manifested Kinu and Gyokuto in front of others, but these divine beings, perhaps disdainful of interaction with mortals, had always shown indifference to anyone but Rozen. Whether the other party was a powerful onmyoji or a remarkable automaton, Kinu and Gyokuto always maintained their aloofness.
However, today, both Kinu and Gyokuto were breaking their usual patterns.
Although it was just a soft greeting, Kinu and Gyokuto were undoubtedly showing an unusual side to Mash.
No, that's not quite accurate.
(Kinu and Gyokuto aren't showing Mash and Fou a different side. They're specifically showing a different side to Fou.)
Rozen noticed this.
Exactly.
Kinu and Gyokuto were undoubtedly displaying an uncharacteristic attitude toward Fou because of Fou's presence.
If you observed carefully, not only did Fou look at Kinu and Gyokuto with curiosity and joy, but even Kinu and Gyokuto looked at Fou with a certain kindness in their eyes.
This kindness wasn't because Fou was cute or had a form different from humans; it was because—
(Seeing the same kind?)
Rozen's heart thumped forcefully, and he couldn't help but look in Fou's direction.
Since the beginning, Rozen knew that Fou was not an ordinary animal.
(Ordinary animals can't possess the qualifications for spiritron transfer, nor can they use mysterious powers to help me when my body undergoes abnormalities.)
He remembered that in the first Singularity in France, he resonated inexplicably due to the unidentified halo in the Singular sky, causing an abnormality in his body. At that time, Fou, who underwent spiritron transfer along with Rozen, helped him resolve the situation.
(Fou definitely harbors extraordinary secrets.)
Rozen was extremely convinced of this.
Now, seeing Kinu and Gyokuto's attitude toward Fou, Rozen became even more certain of his thoughts.
But—
(If Fou isn't an ordinary animal, then what exactly is its background?)
This was the only thing Rozen still didn't understand until now.
(Since Kinu and Gyokuto are looking at Fou with an expression that seems like they're looking at the same kind, could it be that Fou is also a deity?)
The more Rozen thought about it, the more astonished he became.
It's important to know that in this world, divine spirits are higher beings than heroic spirits. In the distant ages of gods, they were active on Earth, interacting with humans, giving rise to numerous myths and stories. However, since the mysterious era faded away and the age of gods ended, divine spirits were forced to leave the surface. Similar to phantoms, they either went to worlds disconnected from the present or gradually weakened with time, eventually becoming ordinary spirits or even disappearing.
In this era, summoning heroic spirits itself is already a rare miracle. Summoning divine spirits is unheard of and, so far, deemed impossible. It was precisely because Rozen discovered the ritual of "Divine Spirit Summoning" among his knowledge that he felt so moved and excited.
Frankly speaking, attempting to summon gods in this world is even more challenging than attempting to summon them in the Tokyo Raven's world.
In the latter, gods were omnipresent, only unable to freely manifest, whereas in this world, the gods have long departed. Summoning them without highly exceptional circumstances and additional restrictions is practically impossible.
If Fou is a god...
(Then who summoned it? Why does it possess substance? What's the reason for its appearance in Chaldea?)
These were all questions.
Moreover,
(I've never heard of any god having an appearance like Fou's.)
Rozen fell into contemplation.
Until...
"Senpai? Senpai!"
Mash's call snapped Rozen back to reality.
"What are you thinking, Senpai?"
Mash stared directly at Rozen, her eyes filled with confusion.
During the time Rozen was lost in thought, Kinu, Gyokuto, and Fou had apparently started playing together.
"Caw!"
"Chirp!"
"Fou!"
Kinu, Gyokuto, and Fou took turns making sounds as if they were conversing, having a joyful time.
Watching this scene, Rozen could only hide his confusion inside and smile wryly.
"It's nothing." Rozen shook his head at Mash and continued, "As you can see, my overcoat is Kinu's manifestation, and besides that, Gyokuto also protects me. They accompany me, one light and one dark—a rare pair of companions for me now. So, in the upcoming Singularities, it won't be just us; they'll be there too."
Rozen just wanted to convey that to Mash.
"Kinu and Gyokuto?"
Mash nodded thoughtfully.
Like Rozen, this girl also had a wealth of knowledge but lacked life experience. Therefore, she undoubtedly recognized the names Kinu and Gyokuto, representing deities of the sun and the moon.
However, Mash had no idea where Rozen obtained these two familiars or who they were.
But Mash didn't ask.
"Since Senpai says they're companions, I'll trust them without reservation."
Mash expressed herself in this way.
This girl, as always, was obedient and pure.
For her, having more companions to save humanity was undoubtedly a joyful thing.
"I just hope there's still time."
Mash voiced her worries.
This made Rozen smile suddenly.
"Don't worry."
Rozen spoke lightly.
"I'll show you something astonishing."
This statement was confirmed a few days later in a way that shocked all of Chaldea.
In a manner that left everyone in awe.