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II: Lily of the Valley
Chapter 94: Uncollected Chess Pieces
In the hot air, the sound of cicadas is still noisy.

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The chirping of cicadas in summer was loud and clear, echoed in the ancient and empty mountain forests.

The mottled tree shadows were reflected in the stone carvings of Komainu under the eaves, and the golden sunlight filled the flat stone tile floor.

This summer was extremely hot.

Megumi was sitting under the tiled eaves of the temple. Sunlight poured down along the eaves. A stone torii stood quietly at the other end of the approach.

"It's so hot."

Under the eaves, the girl sitting side by side with him looked at the blue sky washed by water, moved her lips, and her expression was unusually dull.

"Yeah." Megumi lowered his head and looked at the neat gaps between the stone bricks and responded.

"Let me tell you first, I won't cry for that kind of country boy." Nobara said without warning, "Is this your first time experiencing the death of your age?"

"Yeah." Megumi responded casually with a paralyzed face.

Megumi didn't know how to explain to Nobara that Yuji was still alive. Last night they were sitting together playing with the dogs and eating potato chips and popcorn.

The boy with the sea urchin head casually glanced at the girl sitting next to him out of the corner of his eye. The sunlight poured down from the roof slantingly, softening his facial features, and the tightness on his face had not yet been removed.

'If you say it now, you will be beaten, right?'

Megumi thought, falling into silence. He was not very good at lying. Thanks to his always expressionless face, even if he lied, people who were not familiar with him would not be able to tell that he was lying. If the other person was Satoru, he could tell at a glance that he was holding something back.

He was thinking about how he could have his cake and eat it too, while telling Nobara the truth and not being slapped by her afterward.

Having said that, Kugisaki didn't seem to want to hit him for this matter, right?

Megumi's face was paralyzed, and while he was thinking deeply, he glanced at Nobara, who looked a little melancholy, from the corner of his eye.

No, it felt like she could still carry a hammer.

"Hmm, what kind of weirdo are you?" Nobara raised the corners of her lips and made a sound.

"Oh."

"..." Nobara really felt that this guy was a topic-stopper, with a bad mouth and an unflattering expression, so he was definitely not popular.

The chirping of cicadas filled the air kept rising and falling, showing no sign of stopping.

The lush broad-leaved trees blocked the sky, and the branches were too ugly to be broken into pieces. After layers of sifting, the sunlight fell to the ground was already uneven.

Nobara held her chin and rested her elbows on her flexed thighs, letting her thoughts flow along with the rising and falling cicada chirping.

She had only known Yuji for two weeks. Two weeks was not a long time. In the decades of a person's life, it could only be regarded as the time to drink a cup of tea. During this time of drinking a cup of tea, the idiot sitting and drinking tea with her was one of the few people she liked.

Her impression of Yuji was not only stupid, but also very stubborn in some aspects. What was there to worry about such a person?

She hadn't cried for a long time. When the tears fell, she felt inferior. From a certain period of time, she stopped crying. She couldn't remember the last time she cried.

A person who had not cried for a long time suddenly wanted to cry after the death of the idiot who was quite pleasant to her eyes. A sour feeling like a tide surged to the tip of her nose, and a warm touch spread in circles in her eye sockets.

Her lips were pressed together tightly and they couldn't stop trembling.

She had to admit that the time spent drinking a cup of tea was enough for her to remember Yuji, a super idiot, for the rest of her life.

A moment later, a panda appeared in front of the torii gate in front of the two second-graders. They knew in advance that one of the first-graders had 'died', and there was one other person...

Panda hid behind the stone-carved Komainu and lowered his voice to frantically alert the woman carrying a long package.

The first thing that impressed Nobara was Maki Zenin with her ponytail tied high. There were very few female sorcerers. After arriving in Tokyo, except for Yayoi and the second-year senior sister in front of her, Nobara had not seen any other female sorcerers.

However, according to Yayoi herself, she did not participate in the sorcerer rating. Now she was not even a fourth-level sorcerer. She was a half-assed person. Her heart was riveted on Satoru as an assistant and Yuji, and she would occasionally deal with what Satoru thrown at her. The tasks and wages were all paid by Satoru.

So far, Nobara had seen only one and a half female sorcerers in Tokyo, and Yayoi was the 'half'.

Furthermore, there was the surname of this second-year senior—Zenin.

Before high school, Nobara lived in a remote countryside. Anyone who came from a sorcerer family would have some understanding of the famous Big Three Sorcerer Families. Nobara didn't know much about the Big Three Sorcerer Families. She was so exhausted that she could only remember three surnames, and then Yayoi. Two weeks ago, she beat up a guy called Zenin. After receiving the news, Satoru laughed like crazy.

Yuta Okkotsu, the only one worthy of respect, went on a business trip overseas. The girl with the long bag was the cursed weapon user Maki Zenin, the boy who talked about rice ball fillings was the Cursed Speech sorcerer, and Panda... he was panda.

Nobara: "...I said, do you just call a panda, Panda?" Didn't he have a name?

Megumi's face was paralyzed.

The two second-year students and a panda first apologized for disturbing the first-year students during their mourning period, and then briefly explained their purpose of coming, roughly inviting the first-year students to participate in this year's Kyoto sister school Goodwill Event.

Japan's only two sorcerer education institutions hold a two-day exchange meeting every summer. The event was centered on second and third-grade students. Unfortunately, the third-grade students have been suspended this year. There were obviously not enough manpower for the second-grade students to participate, so they thought about the first grade entering this year.

There were no taboos in the sister school Goodwill Event. Except that you couldn't kill, the rest didn't matter. Human beings were creatures full of contradictions and struggles, and sorcerers were no exception. While they have to exorcise the cursed spirits, they have to face all kinds of battles. In order not to be killed, sorcerers would also undergo various intensive trainings. The Goodwill Event was just a small microcosm of the sorcerer's career.

"You will participate, right?" Maki grinned with an arrogant smile, "After all, all your classmate is dead."

Megumi: "..." No, he didn't die, he was mauled by a bear in the basement.

Megumi knew very well that Maki was not the kind of bad person who would use the death of his classmate to poke wounds, but that was the case with sorcerers. Winning or losing not only determined success or failure, but also life and death. If either party lost, they would not only lose victory, but also the life of their companions or themselves.

The battle in the juvenile detention center completely aroused the competitive spirit of the three people in this grade, especially Megumi who witnessed Yayoi and Sukuna fighting with bare hands. The gap between him and them before was too big.

Not only was it about winning or losing, they no longer want to export important things together.

The two of them agreed to the invitation to the second grade without hesitation.

Nobara subconsciously said, "I haven't seen Yayoi-san in the past two days."

After all, Yayoi was Yuji's sister, so she should handle his funeral affairs.

"Who is that?" Maki asked curiously, holding a long bag.

"Gojo-sensei's teaching assistant." Megumi said, "She is also... Itadori's sister."

Maki raised her eyebrows, not expecting this to happen.

"Speaking of which, Maki-senpai, do you know anything about, what Zenin?" Nobara made a fist with her right hand and knocked it on the open palm of her left hand.

"Who the hell?" Maki was confused.

"It's that one..." Nobara tried hard to remember the name that Yayoi had beaten up in his mind.

"Naoya Zenin." Megumi said expressionlessly, "It is said that he is the heir to the Zenin family."

Maki: ???
Why do you have anything to do with this guy?

"Yes, yes, that's the name." Nobara nodded vigorously a few times, "You all have the surname Zenin."

Maki snorted, being compared to this guy really made her unhappy, but this was an unchangeable fact. They had the same surname, were born in the same shabby family, but their status was as high as clouds and earth. The difference was that the former took that shabby family as his glory and capital, and had a character that was rotten to the core. She was completely opposite to that guy. Except for her sister, that shabby family never gave her anything. Instead, it trampled her pride into the dirt.

"So what?" Maki raised the corner of her mouth. Things were different now than they were then.

"Our assistant teacher beat him up." Megumi said.

"It's amazing." Nobara curled her lips, "Aren't you the heir to a big family? Yayoi-san has no cursed energy or technique, right?"

"You can't beat Yayoi-san, can you??" Megumi drooped his eyes. "The technique is not a problem."

Megumi, who had fought against the King of Curses in a duel, was deeply touched by this.

"It depends on strength and speed." Megumi continued, "Without any techniques or circumstances, the opponent is a human being and can be beaten down without the use of cursed energy. Then Yayoi-san will not consider the issue of cursed energy, relying solely on strength and speed is the same."

"And no one said that Yayoi-san has no cursed energy or technique." He added at the end.

"Huh? But I can't feel it at all." Nobara curled her lips and remembered Yuji punching through the wall. "She is indeed that guy's sister."

"Relying solely on strength and speed?" Maki touched her chin, "This is really interesting."

"Where is she?" Maki was eager to ask.

She heard about it when she was chatting with the assistant director a few days ago. After being beaten, the guy had to be carried to Shoko's infirmary for treatment. She was also wondering which hero did it. It turned out that the hero was in the high school. Ah, it’s impossible not to meet such a hero.

"She must have been asked to do some work by Gojo-sensei." Megumi said calmly, "After all, she is a teaching assistant specially recruited by Gojo-sensei."

"Are you sure Gojo-sensei really just wants her to be his teaching assistant?" Girls' sixth sense was always sharper than that of boys. Nobara kept talking, "Yayoi-san doesn't look like... clever." I'm afraid Gojo trying to fool her.

"What are so many people gathering here for?" As soon as Nobara finished her words, she heard a familiar voice, and the three second-year students turned around and saw the red-haired woman standing behind them.

Sunlight leaked through the gaps between the stacked branches and leaves, reflecting on the bright red hair. The visitor was wearing a high school uniform, and the wide collar covered most of her face under the cloth.

Panda: "..."
Toge: "..."
Maki: "..."

Two people and a panda stood stunned in front of the temple door. Three pairs of eyes focused on her bright red hair.

Yayoi: ???

After a while, Maki stretched out her elbow to challenge Panda, "Do you feel the curse on her?"

Panda stretched out his elbow to hit Toge, "Toge, do you feel the cursed energy on her body?"

Toge: "Fish flakes." No.

Megumi: ???
Nobara: ???

"...little redhead?" Maki asked tentatively.

This nickname was one that Satoru and Shoko often talk about.

Megumi: ???
Nobara: ???

Yayoi: "...Gojo told you?"

Panda: "..."
Toge: "..."
Maki: "..."

Yes, yes, no more running, no running away.

"The living gossip... the little redhead!" Yayoi heard an excited cheer when she heard the black and white round plump. He walked up to her with a vigorous posture, stretched his neck, raised his head, moved his nose, and smelled a smell. The smell of fresh and sweet orange shampoo.

The panda-like curse moved his nose again and smelled a familiar smell, which seemed to be... the smell of Satoru?

Panda: shocked.jpg

Maki: "..."
Toge: "..."

Nobara: "...what's going on?"

Megumi: "...I don't know."
As expected, only Okkotsu-senpai in the second grade deserved respect.

The expressions of the three second-graders were excited, the living little redhead, the living gossip, Satoru's gossip! A source of gossip!

"Hand." Yayoi raised her hand and spread her palm towards Panda.

Panda obediently put his furry hand into her palm. The other person's soft fingers contracted and squeezed his paws. Her eyebrows curved, and the background was filled with happy little flowers, and then it seemed she's realizing something. She suddenly took a deep breath, her expression changed from shock to sorrow to seriousness.

Yayoi looked at the black and white round figure with a very serious expression, "Which zoo did Gojo abduct you from?!"
Gojo, you were not a good person, not only just bit her, but you didn't even let the panda go! What did the panda do wrong to deserve to be taken to school by you?!

Panda: "..."
Nobara: "..."
Megumi: "..."

There was nothing to say, this did look like something Satoru could do.

Maki: "...pfft."
Toge: "...salmon roe."

Satoru: Ahchoo—

•

Yuji's dormitory,

The clear sunlight passed through the gaps between the layers of branches and leaves, hitting the windowsill mottledly, and the chirping of birds echoed in the ancient mountain forest.

The black and gray fox lay on the windowsill, with its front paws folded under its chin, surrounding itself with its big fluffy tail, closing its eyelids, and slowly dozing off.

The mat was prepared by Megumi before he went out. Yuji's dormitory was empty. Megumi, who loved small animals, took the initiative to take care of the small animals. He bathed and fed the gray fox without complaint. Suguru was bathed for the first time in his life. Come and live a wasteful life with a hand to eat and a mouth to open.

Geto the Fox: "..."
Not to mention, it’s quite comfortable.

He could finally understand why Satoru liked to boss people around so much.

He had become accustomed to existing in a non-human body, eating, sleeping, and occasionally going out for a walk in the high school.

The fox's life was more leisurely and comfortable than when he was the leader of the Star Religious Group. He didn't have to swallow cursed spirits or deal with hordes of monkeys.

The only things he needed to worry about were his adopted daughters and his companions from the Star Religious Group.

He had to find a way to ensure their safety.

Suguru shook his furry ears, and the rustling wind was surrounded by the undulating chirping of cicadas.

He raised his eyes through a slit and closed them again.

The endless chirping of cicadas went further and further away. Thick blackness swept through his mind, and his consciousness sank into darkness. A pair of dark purple eyes opened in the darkness. The black tide gradually receded, revealing the long and narrow person hidden underneath. The fox eyes, the angular facial features, the cassock monk clothes.

Suguru realized that it was his own face. He watched helplessly as the other person narrowed his fox eyes, and a smile exactly like his own escaped from his lips. Everything was the same as his, except for the glaring suture on his forehead.

The closed eyelids suddenly opened in the midsummer sunlight, the dark purple pupils trembled in the eye sockets, and the cicadas were still noisy in the hot air.

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· Genuine translation can be found only in OchatimesBlogspotCom, FanFictionNet, and Wattpad

• Omake •

Brother Suguru: My fcking account has been hacked.

#No responsibility extra:
Suguru watched helplessly as Satoru waved his skull, so excited that he danced like a chicken and a cat, "Suguru, I'll help you get your account back!"
Yayoi reminded him: "Take it out and return it to Geto!"
Suguru: "..." Thank you, I suddenly don’t want it anymore.


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