The second day, he finished preparing the breakfast like usual and called out to Hinagiku’s family. Her parents and her began to enjoy the bountiful breakfast.
Yukiji’s a teacher at Hakuo Academy so she’s normally not at home but at school, hence normally she son’t be seen here. Of course it’s lucky that she’s not, even if she’s Kaichou-sama’s family member, he would need to think carefully before deciding whether or not to come live here.
The 4 leisurely ate their breakfast before her father said his farewell and went to work. While Hinagiku’s mom watched the news, she sat on the dining table reading with much seriousness the daily newspaper, her eyes would wander occasionally over to Wu Yan.
Today’s a weekend so there’s no cla.s.s, that’s why the two was able to pa.s.s time in such a relaxed manner. Given, for awhile that is…
“Oh yes, I am gonna go out in a bit, I would probably be back by noon.”
He notified her after he finished doing the dishes.
She can’t help but question him.
“Where are you going?”
Cleaning his hands with a handkerchief he looked at her with much amus.e.m.e.nt.
“Could it be you’ve forgotten, I have an appointment with Miss Saginomiya, a visit to her home.”
“Isumi is it?”
She was stunned and began to ponder about something.
Soon, she stood up and made her intentions clear.
“I’m going with you!”
He felt something strange as he watched her before a smug smirk slowly floated up his face.
She glowed red at his smirk before vexatiously shouting at him.
“Don’t misunderstand me, It’s jsut… just because staying at home would be boring so I wanted to go check out Isumi’s house!”
So she says but the tinge of redness on her face is very suspicious, flailing her arms like that he just sighed at her before saying with a spirit of chopping nails and slicing iron (Tl: resolute/unhesitating. source: )
“If you’re worried about me picking up some flowers or trampling some gra.s.s then just say so, I won’t laugh at you for it!” (to pick flowers and mock gra.s.s, pick up chicks, go to brothels, philandering source: )
Her body stiffened up and unreasonably spouted.
“Who’s worried about you picking up chicks? You’re not my zing or anything, I’m just worried… worried about you laying your hands on Isumi, yes, that’s right, it’s like this!”
This is tsundere isn’t it? Definitely so isn’t it! (Tl: really)
“Okay so it’s like is it?, Well I won’t be going to Isumi’s house afterall, I’m going to pick up some chicks….”
Before he could finish, she pinched the soft meat between his waist making him howl out of pain.
Furiously leering at him she just gave him a ‘hmph’
Meanie, a jerk who only bullies other people…
Turning her head, she walked towards the door.
“Let’s get a move on!”
Feeling the muscle around his waist, he helplessly shook his head.
He didn’t believe that this was the sure kill technique of females before, but he’s a believer now…
…..
“This is Isumi’s house? It’s huge!”
They are standing at the Saginomiya family’s entrance, looking at the huge a.s.s door she can’t help but exclaim at the structure.
She’s seen bigger doors before, like Hakuo Academy’s door for example being bigger than this, but that’s a freaking school and this is someone’s home, is the two even supposed to be comparable in the first place?….
“As expected from someone loaded.”
He nodded in agreement before proceeding to ringing the intercom on the side of the door.
“Yes, this is the Saginomiya’s!”
Promptly, a voice came from it, he doesn’t who this is but he responded anyway.
“h.e.l.lo, I’m Wu Yan and I’ve been invited by Miss Saginomiya Isumi, I’m here for a visit!”
“Very well, please hold on!”
Seeing that the conversation has finished, Hinagiku walked over.
“Isn’t that Isumi’s voice just now?”
“No way…”
Rubbing his cheeks he guessed.
“Maybe it’s the receptionist of Saginoiya or something, since we’re talking about a big family here.”
She agreed with while nodding.
And during their conversations, the door slowly opened and Isumi walked out from within.
“Mister Wu Yan, Miss Hinagiku, good morning!”
Like before, she used the long sleeves of her waf.u.ku to cover her mouth while talking and giving them a bow.
“Good morning! Miss Saginomiya!”
He doesn’t particularly take note of mannerisms and just casually waved his hands.
“Morning, Isumi!”
Although she isn’t that familiar with her, her mannerisms are better than Wu Yan that’s for sure.
“Would the both please follow me inside, esteemed mother awaits you guys in the guest hall.”
She was saying it just fine until she reached the esteemed mother part and her smile began to look a bit forced.
He felt humored inside because he knows that her has serious tuning issues. He’s not feeling strange at her reaction.
To be able to give birth to a daughter who can get lost all the way to Kyoto and has ridiculous level of natural air headedness, her mother’s personality should still be the same as the one in his imaginations.
Isumi brought them to a guest hall just a bit smaller than a plaza. There, a girl who looked much more mature then Isumi and looks very alike to her albeit with short hair is currently staring at the both of them without blinking.
The two is awkward at being stared so much while Isumi’s covering her slightly blus.h.i.+ng face with her long sleeves. She ran over in small steps toward her mother in that fas.h.i.+on and mewled at her.
“Mother…”
Her mother turned over and tilted her head as she observed Isumi. As if she realized something she beamed.
“Isn’t this Isumi? When were you here?”
“I was here from the start, Mother!”
Glancing over at Wu Yan and Hinagiku, she got a little bit upset at her.
“Is that so?”
She slightly shook her head before raising her head and patting her.
“Is that true? Don’t lie okay? A lying girl is a bad girl…”
“Mother!”
Wu Yan and Hinagiku looked at each other in dismay, rendered speechless they gave her a sympathetic look.
It really has been tough on you hasn’t it…
Hinagiku in particular felt more empathy towards her, what with her having the honor of looking after a certain problematic sister…
“Madam Saginomiya, greetings, I’m Wu Yan and I’ve come to you this time to consult with you about something!”
She blankly looked at him before responding to him.
“Consultation? On how to maintain one’s body?”
“….actually, I want to ask Madam whether or not you recognize this crystal!”
Ignoring the details because that’s for ⑨, he overlooked her comments and just took out the crystal and showed it to her. He doesn’t have a high hope for this out of frequency Hatsuho but at least….
“I know it…”
Nodding understandingly he subconsciously blurted out.
“Oh, is that so, so you don’t know as well huh? Then I have a favor to ask of ….”
Freezing his smile like he’s cursed by a body stoppong spell, it took awhile before he recovered. Still donning a bright smile he asked of her.
“Could you please repeat what you said just now one more time? I implore you!”
Continuing to pat Isumi’s head she looked at him before slowly nodding.
“The way to main one’s health?”
“…”
Facepalming herself, even if she didn’t take part in this conversation, she can feel the same sense of futility at talking with this woman.
“Mother!”
Oh how she wish she to bury her face into the ground, she can only think about one thought, embarra.s.sment. (Tl:她現在只有一個念頭,那就是丟人 can also be translated as, she wants to throw somebody if 丟人 is taken literally. Hang in there Isumi)
But much to her ignorance, he didn’t mind it, not even if Kaichou-sama started giving benefits out again would he mind it much less this kinda of thing. He’s completely absorbed in celebrating inside his mind.
There’s a clue to the final mission at last. How can this not send him to cloud nine. Thus he quickly followed up.
“Madam Saginomiya, is what you said true? This crystal…”
Shoving the crystal to within a centimeter of her face he can’t hold his excitement in any longer.
“Do you really recognize this?”
“Yan…”
Hinagiku tugged at his s.h.i.+rt because she felt like he was being a bit rude. She gave an apolegtic smile at Isumi’s mom while doing so.
She didn’t resent this, she’s out of tune herself even if he were to dance around naked in front of her she would most likely just smile while happily brewing tea and then sit back and enjoy the performance. (Tl: what is this. I don’t even.)
“I remember this piece of crystal…”
Poking the crystal with the tip of her finger, she responded to him in a laidback manner.
Tugged once more by Hinagiku did he realize he’s being intrusive. Giving her a bright smile, he turned serious again.
“If you know the background of this crystal, then please by all means tell me, this crystal means a lot to me so…”
“Mother, please help mister Wu Yan, he a.s.sisted me before with that… exorcism…”
With a voice so meek anyone there barely can hear her she pleaded. Looking at her flushed face, he’s very moved, her mom just nodded, while Hinagiku feeling very jelly.
“Sure…”
Grabbing the tea on the table, she sipped in a way that looks like she’s organizing her thoughts into coherent speech before speaking.
“The name of this crystal is mysterious crystal, but I like the term sealing crystal better.”
“Sealing crystal?”
“Nn, because inside this crystal, there’s a monster sealed inside!”
“Sealed monster?”
He can’t but frown as he pick up the crystal to observe it.
A crystal used to seal monster? System, why would you give out this kind of mission, why crystals with sealed monster inside them?
“Why would there a monster sealed inside this crystal?”
He turned his head over to the direction of Hatsuho.
She retrieved the crystal from his hand and tilted her head while looking at it.
“A long long time ago…”
No tsukkomis.. must not throw tsukkomis…
Holding himself back by pinching his thighs he gave Hinagiku a few dry laughs before sitting upright and still.
“Sometime during ancient periods, there was a time when youkai roamed the lands. During that period, human civilization was still developing and under the threat of monsters they could only live trembling in fear. However, one day a powerful youkai was born, this youkai had tremendous strength. The youkai lord at the time l.u.s.ted after its power and wanted to devour it to enhance himself.”
“To obtain this youkai’s blood and flesh it decided to send his youkai minions in droves, not because it wanted to capture the youkai alive but because it wanted to debilitate it and drain its strength. The youkai lord erred however, due to underestimating this youkai, his minions were all annihilated at only a part of the youkai’s strength. Even then the youkai lord still could not best the opponent and finally he ironically was devoured by this youkai.”
“At the time, there’s a clan of exorcist who chanced upon this battle. To avoid the youkai from creating further harm amongst humankind the clan’s head decided to lead his clan into a battle to seal the youkai away while it’s still weak.”
“And the artifact that sealed this monster away was this mysterious crystal!”