Girl in the Box: Please tell me why I was reincarnated as a mimic monster!

If we just go and tell Saiwei and the others, it will take almost a month for them to make a round trip, which is far too slow.

“So,” Xuanze looked at Li, “could I ask you for a favor?”

"...You mean you want the two of us to go there right now, right?" Li sighed; she had somewhat expected it to turn out this way.

"Isn't that good?" Xuanze said casually. "This way, you can quickly collect the geographical information along the way and record it back into your skill. Moreover, you can notify Saiwei as quickly as possible. It's a win-win situation, isn't it?"

"This doesn't seem like a win-win situation at all. This is entirely the benefit our alliance can obtain, isn't it? Besides, isn't this official business?!"

Li quickly found the flaws and then complained about them. This Xuanze was probably thinking about how to trick him out of the country. His meaning was probably: By doing this, you can not only complete the map re-entry as soon as possible, but also help them contact the other principality.

I can understand the win-win principle, but according to Xuanze's explanation, it's as if he was forced to do it, and something feels off.

"Huh? Isn't this a good thing?" Xuanze tilted his head, puzzled. "Why don't you just go and do it?"

“I understand the logic… but…” Li revealed a subtle expression.

Why did she make such a subtle expression?

The answer is her relationship with Saiwei.

She and Saiwei used to be friends, but after she and Ning confirmed their relationship, Saiwei also expressed his feelings, but she ultimately chose Ning. Therefore, the relationship between her and Saiwei is now somewhat delicate.

Back then, for the sake of the world's safety, Li didn't dwell on these minor issues; he was solely focused on stopping Serik. That's why he was able to peacefully communicate and cooperate with Serik. But things are different now. The war is over, and Li has taken a group of Serik's citizens away. Isn't that tantamount to attempting to split the country?

In this situation, it would be incredibly awkward for her to return to the Duchy and confront Sevi as if nothing had happened. Thinking about this, she instinctively wanted to avoid the situation. This was partly why they chose the New Kingdom as their first destination at the start of their journey; Ning certainly knew this, and was quite cooperative.

"Is there a problem?" Xuanze sensed something was amiss.

“Uh…” Li hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded. “No problem, Ning and I will go over there, and then I will set up a portal over there as soon as possible to meet up with you here.”

Sigh... I'll have to face this sooner or later... I hope it won't hurt my stomach too much...

I understand now, but my stomach is hurting terribly. I can only pray that there won't be any major problems when we meet again.

Ning took her hand with a helpless smile, her eyes indicating that she would help her when she got there... Li Zong felt that she probably went there to cause trouble...

"Hey! Sister Li! Sister Li!!" Xiao asked in a panic, "What about me? What about me? I want to go too!!"

"Ah... Xiao..." Li almost forgot about her. "Sorry, we're on our way this time, so Xiao can stay here and help everyone."

"Eh~~~" Xiao became a little sulky.

“Xiao,” Wenser spoke to Xiao in her mind, “Don’t be like this. The sisters need to get to the Duchy as soon as possible. There’s nothing particularly special for you to do along the way. I understand how you feel, but we need your help here… so…”

"Alright, alright... I understand." Xiao suppressed her temper. "I'll stay here, right?"

"Feel sorry……"

Li and Ning both reached out and patted her head to express their apologies.

"We are the ones who should apologize..." Elise said with a wry smile, "We haven't been able to properly entertain you, and we've had to trouble you with your help."

Alice rose and offered a very formal courtly apology. Senno followed suit, apologizing to Li and Ning for their inconvenience.

"It's alright." Li waved her hand. "We shouldn't delay. Ning and I will be leaving soon. Is there anything else you want to say before we do?"

"Oh, right," Xuanze remembered something, "Is that guy still with you?"

"That rascal?"

Li was completely confused. She didn't know who the guy Xuanze was talking about was, so she looked to Ning for help.

Noticing her gaze, Ning sighed helplessly and said, "You mean Kuroba, right?"

“Yes,” Xuanze nodded, “Now is the time when we need her. I want to find out where she is beforehand.”

“She’s still in Akihabara,” Ning shrugged. “She spends all day at our house reading and does nothing. Well, we’ve already signed a permanent contract, so we’re not afraid she’ll suddenly run away sometime.”

"A permanent contract..." Xuanze was slightly surprised. "She can actually sign a permanent contract? Tsk... It's a little infuriating that you guys took such a useful book like that..."

"There's nothing we can do about it, since our family can produce an endless supply of books," Ning said smugly, shrugging.

"I feel like the direction of your conversation has changed..." Li complained.

For some reason, the topic suddenly took a strange turn, so Li quickly steered them back to the main point.

"By the way, what happened between you and Kuroba?" Rin asked. "She was supposed to be working with you guys before, right? And you guys seem to have a contract between you..."

“Heh… I’m fine with her no matter what.” Xuanze avoided the topic. “You have a permanent contract with her now, right? Perfect timing, I have something to ask her. Xiao, take me to your house.”

"Huh? Oh~"

Xuanze continued to act at his own pace, without asking for anyone's consent or permission. The others were already used to it and said nothing. He must have his reasons for doing this, just like when he became the Demon King of the Demon Clan; he probably found some clues…

Xuanze didn't say a word, and just left with Xiao... Why is Xiao so obedient to him...?

After watching the two leave the hotel, Li looked at Alice again.

“We’ll be back soon,” Li said. “Now that the Kingdom and Akihabara are connected by a portal, you can talk to other people while we’re away.”

"Well...be careful on the road."

Alice opened her arms and gave Li a small hug.

Chapter 5: The Demon King's Reunion with the Book Spirit is truly special!

"Wow, what a fantastic town!"

Xuanze followed behind Xiao, sighing as he spoke.

"Xiao doesn't know what you're talking about." Xiao turned her head and rolled her eyes at him. "Akihabara is Akihabara."

"...Never mind, I'd better not tell you."

"...?? What??"

The two walked along the streets of Akihabara, which was undergoing reconstruction. Akihabara was gradually taking on the appearance of a modern town, and it was probably the most vibrant place of life among all the human settlements. While other places were on guard against attacks from elves and monsters day and night, Akihabara was the only place where people dared to engage in some daily entertainment and leisure activities. Every now and then, the two could see a few people playing chess or board games as they passed by.

While the three sisters were away from the labyrinth, a construction team led by the Black Dragon King Negi was repairing the roads within the labyrinth. The roads in Akihabara's main town had already been repaired, and they were now working throughout the labyrinth. Meanwhile, the experimental farm project centered around the Living Dragon King Chuchu was also progressing steadily. Genze could see a field near Akihabara that was growing exceptionally well.

In short, thanks to everyone's efforts, Li's initial plan is proceeding in an orderly manner. Xuanze is slightly envious of her because since Aiye left, he has been handling most of the affairs of the Demon Clan alone. Finding talent also takes a lot of time, and it will probably be a month or two by the time they are found and trained... It will still take some time for him to escape this predicament...

Returning to the previous topic, Xuanze was actually comparing this Akihabara to the Akihabara on Earth. Although the two Akihabaras are completely different places, compared to the Akihabara on Earth, this Akihabara could practically be called a holy land. Xuanze said this with a hint of teasing, but Xiao seemed to sense something else in his tone, judging from her trembling ears, she was probably displeased.

The astute Xuanze stopped the conversation, and although Xiao didn't understand, she didn't press the matter. He'd only known this girl for less than a year; before the war, she seemed like just a child, and now she'd blossomed into such a beautiful young woman. Xuanze sighed… This world truly was chaotic in every sense of the word…

Unfortunately, there wasn't much to report.

Xuanze's gaze lingered on Xiao's slightly heaving chest.

"You've been acting strangely ever since just now," Xiao suddenly glared at him. "What are you doing?"

"It's nothing," Xuanze said, raising his hands in surrender. "I was just looking around."

"........."

Xiao didn't speak, but her hand was already on the hilt of her sword. Her meaning was clear: if she discovered any inappropriate behavior from Xuanze, she would not hesitate to draw her sword and kill him. As a Demon King/Hero, Xuanze couldn't possibly be afraid of such a little girl, but her two older sisters behind her were not to be trifled with, and he was also wary of the several seemingly divine techniques that Xiao possessed.

"Okay, okay, tsk, why are you so sensitive?"

Although Xuanze complained verbally, his behavior had become much more subdued. He didn't want to offend this little miss on someone else's turf. However, he wasn't joking; he was serious. The once innocent and carefree Xiao now seemed inexplicably prickly towards others. Why were all the lolis he knew this prickly? Xuanze couldn't figure it out.

A woman's heart is as unfathomable as the sea.

Xuanze has sighed countless times today.

They gradually left the main town area of ​​Akihabara and began to venture deeper into the labyrinth. Xuanze had been to the labyrinth once before, after Ning detonated the hydrogen bomb, but he had only conducted a rough survey then, so he was not familiar with the labyrinth's structure.

He could guarantee that if Akatsuki abandoned him now, he would simply smash through the maze walls to advance. As things stood, Akatsuki showed no inclination to abandon him, nor did he intend to create a hole in the wall to shorten the journey. Peace be with him.

However, this was also the first time he had experienced just how complex this labyrinth belonging to the Dragon King really was, because since leaving Akihabara, they had already turned more than ten corners and encountered more than twenty intersections in the labyrinth.

There are three possibilities.

The first scenario, which is the actual situation, is...

The second possibility is that Xiao is deliberately taking a roundabout route to make Xuanze lose his sense of direction.

The third possibility is that even Xiao herself got lost.

First of all, this girl doesn't seem to have many ulterior motives; at least Xuanze has never seen her lie before, and no matter how you look at it, she has no reason to do so. Therefore, the second possibility is unnecessary, and the third is even less likely, since she walked without the slightest hesitation... In short, that's how it appears.

After a short journey, the two finally arrived at the house deep within the labyrinth. The scene here was so bright that it felt as if they were not underground at all. The layout was exactly the same as when they were in the Duchy, but the Soul Flowers growing here were even more luxuriant, and the great tree that gave off a sense of holiness swayed its glowing branches.

"...This is truly a wonderful place." Xuanze looked around and exclaimed, "The Dragon King certainly knows how to choose a location."

Xuanze rarely offered a normal compliment, but Xiao didn't seem to react much, simply walking silently behind him and pushing him along. Xuanze felt as if he were being treated coldly, his feelings quite complicated. How could this little girl have changed so much in just one month?

"Hurry up and let's go!" Xiao urged.

"Okay, okay, I'll go."

Unable to resist the girl's insistence, Xuanze had no choice but to obediently follow her instructions. They crossed the newly built wooden bridge over the small lake to the front of the villa. Xiao took out her guild card, passed through the gate's authentication, and led Xuanze inside.

There was no one else at home at this time; everyone had gone to work. The Flame Dragon King, Salid, was on duty with his guards; the Frost Dragon King, Finoar, was busy with various chores; the Living Dragon King, Chuchu, was probably at the experimental fields; and the Black Dragon King, Negi, was busy wandering around the labyrinth. The family's maid, Xia Ling, was probably working at the neighborhood committee...

It feels a bit empty...

Xuanze looked at the furniture inside the villa. It showed signs of use, but it seemed like it hadn't been used for several days. Were these people all incredibly dedicated? So diligent…

“It’s on the second floor.” Xiao pointed to the room in the middle of the second floor. “Miss Kuroba should be there. She doesn’t usually go out.”

"Ha, I can imagine."

Xuanze knew very well what kind of book spirit Heiyu was; wherever there was unknown knowledge, she would be there. He remembered Li saying that Ning's room was actually a study, and most of the books there were from Earth. If Xuanze were Heiyu, he would never leave this treasure trove. In fact, Heiyu did just that; she hadn't left the house once since she arrived.

Moreover, because the villa was very quiet with hardly anyone around, they could hear everything that was happening in the second-floor rooms. Xuanze went upstairs and pushed open the door to the room.

swish swish swish swish —

Several open books floated in the messy room. A black-haired girl sat in the center of the bed, using magic to control the books. She waved her fingers like a conductor, and the sound of the pages turning quickly was surprisingly pleasant, like a song.

"Ugh... I can't find it... How do you pronounce this word again??"

The girl spoke fluent Chinese, her delicate brows furrowed as she frantically searched for something in front of her, looking utterly adorable. If Xuanze hadn't recognized her, he might have truly mistaken her for the fourth transmigrator. Xuanze sighed, glancing at the contents of the book behind her before surveying the books in the room.

"Here."

Xuanze reached out and used magic threads to pull the book over, then slammed it heavily on Heiyu's head, who had just reacted.

"Ouch?! That hurts so much, you damned demon king!!!"

By the time Kuroba realized what was happening, the heavy book had already hit her on the head, and she didn't have time to dodge.

“You’re still the same as always.” Xuanze sat down next to her.

"What?! Get away from me!"

Kuroba moved from the center of the bed to the edge like a frightened little animal, looking very resistant to Genze. Akira, who was watching from the doorway, couldn't understand what had happened between the two, but it seemed quite complicated.

"I just came here out of kindness to teach you," Xuanze said nonchalantly. "These two characters are pronounced 'taotie,' understand?"

"What?! Do you understand or not?!" Kuroba grabbed a book and threw it at Xuanze's head. "What the hell are you doing here?!"

"What else could it be?" Xuanze caught the book. "You know very well why you're looking for a book spirit, right? Besides, this is a valuable dictionary, perfect for a beginner like you who's learning Chinese."

"I don't need you to teach me!!! I can learn it myself!!!!"

Kuroba immediately used magic threads to wrap around the dictionary and pull it back. Genze wisely refrained from grabbing the dictionary too tightly, letting it return to Kuroba's hand. Kuroba's reaction was much more intense than he had expected; he didn't think he had done anything particularly egregious to this guy before.

"Why are you reacting so strongly?" Xuanze asked, puzzled.

"Huh? Huh?! You have the nerve to ask me?!" Kuroba roared furiously, "You bastard, don't you know what you've done?! I—!!"

"Alright, alright, I didn't come here today to listen to your complaints." Xuanze immediately interrupted her. "Let's get down to business. You should know something about elves, right? Tell me all about it."

"Huh?!?!?" Kuroba grew angrier the more he listened. "You bastard...!! Can't you even understand human language?!"

“I can hear and understand,” Xuanze retorted, “but that doesn’t affect what I need to do later. You know about the elves outside, right? The situation is complicated, and I need your help.”

Kuroba paused for a moment, then said, "...Let me make this clear first, I have no obligation to answer you."

“But you have an obligation to answer her, right?” Xuanze grinned mischievously and pointed to Xiao at the door of the room.

"whispering sound…………"

Kuroba initially intended to ignore him and use every means at her disposal to drive him away. However, after seeing the serious look in Xuanze's eyes earlier, she changed her mind, because he didn't seem to be joking. But remembering past events, she hesitated for a moment. However, this demon king is truly utterly despicable!!

Xuanze dared to come over like this because he knew that Heiyu's permanent contract partner was these three sisters. He knew that if he came alone, he would probably have to spend half a day talking to Heiyu. So he asked Xiao to bring him here. As long as he asked Xiao to ask a question, Heiyu would have to answer it. This saved a lot of trouble.

"Well, even if you don't answer, I'll find a way to get you to say it."

Xuanze spoke with a devilish tone, inching closer to the bewildered Heiyu. There was less and less room to move on the bed, and Heiyu was about to fall off, but Xuanze showed no sign of stopping.

That's enough.

At this moment, Xiao intervened in time to ease the awkwardness between the two. She grabbed Xuanze and pulled him off the bed, throwing him hard onto the floor, which relieved Heiyu, who was in deep trouble.