Yukino's Apartment.
Yukino, her face flushed, leaned back on the sofa, her eyes wandering toward the ceiling. Just a moment ago, that bothersome Hoshimi, with his mind full of inappropriate thoughts, had been forcibly kicked out of her apartment.
As for Hoshimi's final question, she naturally didn't give him an answer.
That scoundrel's last question was a trap. No matter how she responded, she would have fallen into it. So, she chose the simplest solution—kick the troublemaker, Hoshimi, out of her house!
However...
Yukino sat up straight, her clear eyes gazing at the dark night outside the window.
Hoshimi's last question did remind her of something—she should indeed start preparing for that...
She couldn't guarantee that she'd be able to resist Hoshimi's relentless persistence. Maybe, one day, her heart would soften, and in a moment of confusion, she might really give in to Hoshimi's idea...
At that time, if she wasn't prepared in advance, and if they happened to hit that slim chance, it would be troublesome.
Right now, she wasn't mentally prepared to become a mother...
So, it was better to be safe and prepared in advance. Just in case, it's always better to have precautions.
Yes, that's it. She decided to add that item to her shopping list for this Sunday.
Oh, and once she buys it, she has to hide it well. Hoshimi must not find it. Otherwise, with his persistent nature, the situation might not be as easy to handle as it was today.
"Phew~~"
As her thoughts wandered, Yukino suddenly felt her body heat up a little. She loosened her collar, trying to disperse the warmth building up inside her clothes.
But it was no use. Yukino bit her lip, feeling her body grow even hotter.
She stood up, her face flushed, eyes darting nervously as she headed toward the bathroom.
A shower... maybe that would help...
...
Meanwhile, Nagasaki Prefecture, Hasami Town…
A typical taxi slowly came to a stop at a sparsely populated intersection.
Moments later, the car door opened, and Kotoko, dressed in a white dress and holding a reddish-brown cane, gracefully stepped out.
"Thank you, sir." Kotoko turned back and politely thanked the elderly taxi driver.
"...," the elderly driver, his hair white as snow, waved his hand in response.
He released the handbrake, ready to drive off, but after a brief thought, he hit the brakes again, rolled down the window, and reminded the young girl, "Miss, be careful. Recently, Hasami Town hasn't been very safe."
"Oh?" Kotoko raised an eyebrow and asked, "Sir, can you tell me more about what's been going on?"
The driver shook his head, "I don't know the details either. There hasn't been an official notice. It's just that some neighbors have mentioned people mysteriously disappearing recently. Some of my old pals say it's 'Kamikakushi' (spirited away). Neighbors claim it's human traffickers, and others have their conspiracy theories. Everyone says something different, but no one really knows."
"But it's true that people have mysteriously disappeared. The authorities haven't said anything yet, and it's not in the newspapers. Nobody can confirm what's really going on."
"Miss, you should still be cautious. It's nighttime now, don't wander around the streets. Do you have someone coming to pick you up?"
Kotoko smiled gently, "Yes, my father will be here to pick me up in a few minutes."
Obviously, this was a lie. Kotoko had come here alone, and her parents were still in Chiba. She said this just to reassure the concerned driver.
"Is that so? Well, that's good." The driver rolled up the window, released the brake, and gently stepped on the gas to drive away.
After the taxi disappeared from sight, Kotoko drew a pentagram on the ground with her cane.
Then, she tapped the center of the pentagram with her cane, and a subtle wave of energy rippled outwards.
Moments later, a vague figure peeked out from behind a nearby streetlamp.
Upon seeing Kotoko, the figure floated out excitedly.
"Priestess! You've finally arrived! We've been waiting for you for so long~~" The ghostly figure cried out before Kotoko.
Kotoko looked up and finally saw the ghost's full form.
It was a female spirit, seemingly in her twenties during her lifetime, dressed in office attire, suggesting that she had been an ordinary office worker before she died.
As for the cause of death, judging by the tire marks on the ghost's clothes and the location of the intersection, it was easy to deduce that she had died in a car accident.
What a pity, to die in her twenties from a car accident and then become an earthbound spirit. Who knows how many years it would take for her to be freed and find peace.
"What's your name?" Kotoko asked.
The sobbing ghost replied in a soft voice, "Priestess, you can just call me Miko."
"Alright, Miko," Kotoko continued, "Tell me what happened here. Is it true that people have mysteriously disappeared?"
"The disappearances are real..." The ghost's face showed fear as she said, "I saw it with my own eyes. It was a hideous 'monster' that ate a person. A full-grown adult was devoured in just three bites by that 'monster.' I was so scared that I quickly hid. I didn't dare come out until today when you arrived, Priestess…"
Kotoko furrowed her brows. This was troublesome—a man-eating 'monster'? Could such a vicious creature still exist in modern society? Didn't it fear being hunted down?
Was it a newly-born monster? Or one that had accidentally revived? Or could it be a monster that had fled from somewhere else?
If it was a revived one, it wouldn't be too hard to deal with. She could simply summon the 'Gashadokuro' to destroy it and then eliminate the revival factor.
If it had escaped from another location, things would be slightly more troublesome, as she would need to trace its origins and ensure it posed no further threats.
But if it was a newly-born monster... that would be a major problem...
In modern society, it's nearly impossible for such a savage monster to form naturally. If one does exist, there's a 99.99% chance that someone is pulling strings behind the scenes!
She hoped it wasn't that... otherwise, she would have a lot of work to do...
"Miko, were there any other witnesses?" Kotoko asked.
The ghost, still sniffling, pointed east. "Yako, who lives over there, might have seen it too. You can ask her, Priestess."
"Alright, I understand." Kotoko immediately turned and headed east.
She would settle this matter quickly and return to Chiba as soon as possible.
As the 'Goddess of Wisdom,' she couldn't neglect her duties. Nor could she neglect Hoshimi. She had to handle both responsibilities.
She wanted to resolve this quickly and return home. The last thing she wanted was to come back and see Yukinoshita with a big belly.
She couldn't accept that kind of situation!!
===
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