A comic book, but a librarian

Yuigahama Yui's face was a little red, not sure if it was because of Uesugi Sumire's arrival or for some other reason, perhaps she herself couldn't explain it clearly.

"I'm fine. Thank you for your concern. My body has recovered quite well so far. I should be able to return to class normally next week."

Uesugi Sumire nodded to Yuigahama Yui, causing her to lower her head somewhat embarrassedly.

"Ah, it looks like a bad love relationship... But it has nothing to do with me, he can handle it himself."

Hikigaya Hachiman thought to himself that it seemed as if Yuigahama Yui herself didn't even realize that she had a crush on her. Anyway, he didn't have such thoughts in high school. After all, he still had to be a cold-blooded exorcist until he had the power to protect himself and his family.

"First, Hikigaya. This thing is for you."

Uesugi Sumire took out a compass that looked quite old. Hikigaya Hachiman reached out to take the compass. The spiritual part in his body suddenly moved, as if it was attracted over. As the compass needle suddenly turned, his perception suddenly became clear.

"These are the souvenirs I brought back after the cultural festival ended last weekend. Everyone should get one, including you, Yui."

Uesugi Sumiya's voice became relaxed and cheerful. When Yuigahama Yui heard this, she looked as if her brain was overloaded. She responded in a daze, not knowing whether she should take the gift.

Hikigaya Hachiman shook his head. The compass was very useful to him. Such good equipment could make him more confident in dealing with unexpected situations when performing the Night Walking Technique. So he was in a dilemma. He had no way to return the gift to Uesugi Cheng. It seemed that the other party had been giving him things unilaterally, but he could not give him equal return. He just did some minor work.

"Mizuko, Yukinoshita-san, this is a talisman. I went to a spiritual place to get it. Please accept it."

Yukinoshita Yukino was very straightforward, but at the same time she was thinking in her heart how to give a return gift to Uesugi Sumiya. After all, he probably wouldn't be interested in ordinary things.

"Hey, Acheng... this thing is amazing."

Yotsuya Miko exclaimed in amazement. This amulet was much more powerful than the ones she got from the shrine. If it were in the past, this amulet would probably be enough to protect her from any troubles in her daily life.

Uesugi Sumiko thought to himself that of course it was amazing, those were all good things carefully selected from the Kujo family's place which seemed like an arsenal of spiritual tools. Currently, the Kujo family is headed by the siblings Masamune and Saya, who have begun the restoration of the Kujo house and the further reorganization of the Kujo family.

During this process, they needed to spend a lot of energy to find people to do the work, and it just so happened that... Uesugi Sumira, or the Uesugi family could provide such services, so they quickly reached an agreement in which both sides got what they needed. The spiritual tool in Uesugi Sumira's hand now was part of the gift from the Kujo family.

"Yui, how about this pendant?"

Yuigahama Yui couldn't take her eyes off the pendant that Uesugi Sumire took out. Of course, she had no way to refuse the gift from Uesugi Sumire. She said thank you several times, then looked at the pendant with a blushing face, occasionally showing a silly smile. Now even Yukinoshita Yukino noticed that something was wrong, but could only pat her head helplessly.

"Since Yui-san is still here, we'll be communicating via cell phone."

Several people were pulled into the group by Uesugi Cheng.

"That high school girl named Himeno Mikoto, do any of you want to go with me to look for her? After all, she saw our faces during the Sarumu incident, so it's necessary to get in touch with her."

"I'll go. After all, Hikigaya-kun scared her enough. I can still talk to her for a few words."

Yukinoshita Yukino stepped forward and took the initiative to take on this task, not only to repay the life-saving grace, but she found that she seemed to be getting a little anxious, as if the feeling of being excluded from something made her feel unhappy.

"Please, I still have a lot to learn. Uesugi, can you really not bear to see me idle?"

Hikigaya Hachiman complained about Uesugi Sumire in the group chat without hesitation. He had just received a brand new book, which was said to be a book about night wandering written in the Faha language. If he could not fully understand the Faha language, then he would not be able to understand the book and he would not dare to try. After all, it was related to his soul.

"Jianzi...I hope you can help me take this back to my house. I can't go back yet."

Uesugi Cheng gave Yotsuya a lot of praise, and the two of them were very happy.

"it is good"

Then he returned to the group and Uesugi Sumiya sent a final message.

"If you encounter any problems in the future, you can talk about them in this group. Maybe you will meet someone who can solve the problem. Also, try to be careful. Recently, both Kyoto and Tokyo are not very peaceful. Try not to go out at night."

The last paragraph was of course spoken to Yukinoshita Yukino. After all, she was the only one among the four people in the group who did not have any spiritual power, but the amulet in her hand was enough to protect her safety.

Of course, after the short group chat ended, everyone including Yuigahama Yui left the Service Club classroom and went about their business. However, before leaving, Uesugi Sumiko grabbed Yotsuya Miko.

"This... it won't make a sound if you don't use spiritual power. Wear it on your hand, and shake it when you're in danger."

As Uesugi Sumire spoke, he put a bracelet on Yotsuya Miko, completely unaware that her face had turned as red as a boiled shrimp in the sunset.

"I...I understand. I will make good use of this thing..."

Yotsuya Miko's hands were shaking a little.

"Well, just think of it as a special gift."

Uesugi Sumire looked at Yotsuya Miko who was so happy and nodded.

"It can temporarily make most evil spirits retreat, and I can hear it here, so if you encounter danger, you must use it, and don't hesitate."

Uesugi Cheng said so, then picked up his bag and prepared to do his own things.

149

Chapter 149: Making Red Essence and Practicing Music.

Inside the Silent Bookstore, in front of the huge alchemical equipment of the Fluder Gallery, the rising heat made Himegami Sakura, who was sitting on a chair nearby and watching Uesugi Cheng refine the metal, hide far away and even suggested returning to Uesugi Cheng's home early.

Even though she knew that the orange-red liquid gradually forming in the equipment would not have any effect on her now, it was understandable that as a puppet she was naturally afraid of this substance that represented fire and burning. After all, she was just an ordinary puppet now.

"Huh, I finally succeeded... I didn't expect that this thing could be so easy to make with the blessing of the great technique. It seems that this damn place really can't be opened casually."

Uesugi Cheng touched the red essence that he had put into the revolving bottle. As an immortal promoted by a forge, he certainly knew how to make this thing, but to be honest, he probably couldn't have imagined that he could use these equipment to mix a bottle of high-quality red essence under such simple conditions before coming to Silent Bookstore, even if he had all his memories.

【嬗变与解放Lv.4】（5铸）＋【刚毅】（2铸）＋【回忆:先见之明】（2铸）＋【井水】（液体）＋【蜜痂茉莉】（2铸）=【赤化精华】（5铸3灯）（所需要求:10铸＋液体）

Transferring the essence of the refined casting power to the liquid serving as a carrier, allowing it to be changed like magic from an ordinary liquid into a high-grade alchemical raw material. Perhaps this is what those scholars have been pursuing all their lives.

However, Uesugi Cheng did not think too much about it. The color of the red essence was as red as the sunset. It was an excellent choice whether as a pigment or a fuel. However, what he had to do now was not to use it immediately. This was just a technical verification to verify that the manufacturing process and flow of the red essence were completely correct, so that he could use it at any time in the future. As for this bottle of red essence.

"It's really for painting. The colors of blood and fire are very suitable."

Uesugi Cheng carefully put a label on the bottle of red essence, and then focused his attention on another world.

On a street in Tokyo, a male high school student wearing a mask leaned on the seat of a bus, looking as if he had fallen asleep on the bus, but no one reminded him, as if this person did not exist on the bus at all.

So Uesugi Sumiko got off at a certain station, which was a LIVEHOUSE that was well-known in the Tokyo area. Of course, as the older brother, Uesugi Shin only said some very ordinary clichés when introducing it, such as "providing musical instruments of good quality" and "the practice room is guaranteed to be completely soundproof and no one will disturb you" and other nonsense. However, when he arrived at the door of this store, he felt that what Uesugi Shin said was very reasonable in some places, that is, this place is indeed very worry-free.

"Excuse me, sir?"

The black-haired waiter looked at the high school boy wearing a mask, and for some reason his tone became a little weaker.

"Get an annual pass and rent a practice room. No additional services required, thank you."

Uesugi Cheng took out his card very quickly. The reward given by the Kujo family was quite generous. Even if he did not use the living expenses given by his brother, he could easily complete the above operations.

An absolutely quiet practice room. Actually, Uesugi Cheng originally planned to practice in the instrument room called the "Mazarin Room" inside Silent Bookstore, which was built by the second bookstore manager Katie Mazarin, but he soon discovered a problem.

Although the Silent Bookstore had electric lights and electricity in 1936, electric guitars and basses were still too rare for the bookstore at that time. The precious musical instruments stored in the Mazzaqilin Room were more classical instruments, such as bass drums, cellos, harps, and grand pianos.

"Hey, hey, hey, you can hear me, right?"

Uesugi Sumire fixed his phone and answered the video call. The girl with bright yellow hair sitting opposite him looked full of energy and greeted him very lively.

"Good afternoon, Uesugi-kun! Today we're going to do as you said and compose music together, right?"

Ijichi Hinikaka, after the Bond Band finished their first performance, the four girls in this small band have been practicing intensively to make the next performance more attractive. Besides, in return for Uesugi Cheng's help, they are also helping Uesugi Cheng to complete his arrangement, which he searched out from the corners of his memory. Not only the music from the waking world, but also many of them are from the memories of the ordinary college student 'Li Cheng' in his previous life.

"Excuse me, I'm sorry that I can only talk to you via video chat here today because I have something else to do."

Uesugi Sumiko nodded. His current condition was not suitable for him to get away from the four members of the Bond Band. After all, who knew if they would suddenly touch him and find that his body was as cold as ice, with a big hole in his abdomen that had not yet healed completely.

[Music Performance]: You are trying to reproduce the music in your memory and let it be reborn in this world. (This behavior requires the use of the Sexual Lamp, Dome, Heart, and Moth to advance)

On the other side, at dusk, Yotsuya Miko skillfully avoided the evil spirit in front of her, ignoring its question "Can you see me?", holding the small package given by Uesugi Cheng as if it were a rare treasure. She couldn't feel what was in the package, but she knew that she had to complete the task given to her by Uesugi Cheng, after all, she had just been given such a precious gift.

Thinking of this, she looked at the string of bells on her white wrist. Even when shaking, the small bells still did not make a sound, but she could feel that the special patterns and structures on the bells did require spiritual power to activate.

The door of Uesugi Sumiko's house was as ordinary as usual. When Yotsuya Miko walked to the door, she remembered that she seemed to have forgotten one thing. She did not ask Uesugi Sumiko how to get in when the things were delivered to his house. After all, there was no one at home, and Uesugi Sumiko did not look like someone who would hide the key in a corner of his house.

Just when she was wondering whether she should call Uesugi Cheng to ask, the door opened quietly.

"!"

Yotsuya Miko subconsciously wanted to ring the bell she had just received. The evil spirit that could hide in Uesugi Sumiko's house was probably not an easy one to deal with. Even if she died here, at least she had to remind Uesugi Sumiko not to be ambushed.

"Welcome, Ms. Yotsuya. This way please."

A cold but beautiful voice reached Yotsuya Miko's ears, and she saw the petite 'girl' who was only half her height, standing behind the door and looking at her calmly.

150

Chapter 150 The third gift and the inexplicable promise.

"Eh? You..."

Yotsuya Miko covered her head with her hands. She suddenly seemed to remember something, but her fragmented memory did not seem to allow her to recall the scene so easily.

"Anyway, please come in and sit down. I will explain to you what happened."

At the feet of Himegami Sakura, a docile grey mist caught the bag that fell from Yotsuya Miko's hand. Yotsuya Miko instantly realized that the girl in front of her was not an ordinary person at all, and might not even be a 'human' at all.

"Sir, he took me in. On the day you were sent into the sewer, he took me in even though I should have collapsed and died with that huge illusion, and allowed me to stay in this world as his assistant."

The spreading mist was as convenient and practical as tentacles. Yotsuya Miko was lying on the sofa in Uesugi Sumiko's house. She felt countless fragments of memories emerging in front of her eyes, which made her extremely painful.

She finally remembered how Uesugi Sumiya led her out of the encirclement. It seemed that the collapsed illusion overflowed with a large amount of resentment and spiritual power that impacted her soul, so she forgot this memory in order to protect herself.

"Please drink it. The master has instructed that it will calm you down a little."

A glass of water was placed on the table in front of Yotsuya Miko. She had drunk it before. When she first encountered the ghost who jumped off the building, Uesugi Sumiko gave her this kind of water to drink. She even joked at the time, "This is pure well water airlifted from a small island in the UK."

But when I drink it now, even if it’s not some high-end water airlifted in, this water is definitely not from the tap.

"Oh, it's those damn bastards again. I've already told you that the person they're looking for isn't here. Aren't they annoying to be hanging around here every day?"

Himegami Sakura complained helplessly, and Yotsuya Miko shook her head, trying to let the drowsiness and pain leave her brain, but it was obvious that too many memory fragments had overwhelmed her, but she still raised her head and took a look.

"what is that?"

She subconsciously hugged her arms tightly, her curled up body representing the most primitive fear, the fear of death. The black figure seemed to be made of pure black mist, with only a pair of white spots where the eyes could barely be considered. Yotsuya Miko didn't know what that was, but her yin-yang eyes told her painfully that it was a being that could bring her death.

"According to what you said... should it be called the God of Death? I don't really understand. After all, I have never seen such things before. Since last week, they have been following you every day. No matter how hard you try to drive them away, they won't leave. It's so annoying."

Himegami Sakura looked angry and waved her arms. Countless mists spread over and pulled her into the surging gray fog. The 'God of Death' struggled twice and then became motionless, but Himegami Sakura still looked unhappy.

"Isn't that already resolved?"

Yotsuya Miko asked in confusion. She had just seen the girl's joints exposed. Those were the joints of the doll. This was a powerful spirit born in the doll's body. She understood this fact instantly and asked her question.

"It's useless. It won't be long before new things come here and sit there, doing nothing. They won't move unless you move them. It's creepy to see them standing here every day."

The mist dissipated at the cuffs of Himegami Sakura, as if nothing had happened. However, solving the problem of the Grim Reaper seemed to make her a lot happier. At least she no longer pretended to be indifferent in front of Yotsuya Miko.

"By the way, the master said...if you bring this thing here, he will give it to you directly."

"Eh?"

Yotsuya Miko looked a little dazed. She never expected that Uesugi Sumire actually prepared something for her.

"The original words were, 'This is a prototype, so I can't say for sure how effective it will be, but as Miko-san said, I'll definitely put it to good use.' Those were the original words of the gentleman, and I've paraphrased them."

A small flag appeared on Himegami Sakura's hand, which was tucked into the wide sleeves of her kimono. The flag was painted white, but the white color made her unable to take her eyes away.

"This is what you brought here. Now I will complete the final process for you."

Yotsuya Miko saw clearly that something was forcibly "stuffed" into the flag, and then the small flag was handed to her.

"Just shake it with your spiritual power when you use it."

Yotsuya Miko did as she was told, and then she was shocked to find that there were two ghosts in black clothes in front of her. Their faces could not be seen, and it was as if they were just a piece of clothing floating in the air.

"The inspiration seems to be an online novel from a country across the ocean. But it is very practical. After all, it was specially prepared by the gentleman, and it also has a certain combat effectiveness."

Yotsuya Miko was having a lot of fun ordering the evil spirits around like a kid who got a new toy. Seeing this, Himegami Sakura stuffed the words "Although these two things are actually temporary tools that the master modified using the evil spirits he caught last night" back into her stomach.

[Military Flag]: An experimental product of an immortal who has quickly forgotten his skills. This tool is made to drive spirits in the same way as the colonel commands the dead army. It is crude, but useful. (2 Winter 2 Blades)

[“Soldier”]: A spirit transformed by the Great Art, whose only principle is to execute orders. As a dead person, its combat power is weak (2 Blades 3 Winter)

Uesugi Cheng modified the two evil spirits from 'Sarume Dream' that he caught last night with his unskilled techniques. Although the results were somewhat embarrassing, it also showed that he had not completely forgotten this skill and he could still use it with more practice.

"Um...did he say anything else about these things?"

After the novelty wore off, Yotsuya Miko looked a little cautious and asked, "Uesugi Sumire gave her so many things that even if he gave her his body in return, she felt that she was not worth the price."

"To be honest, he hopes that you can protect yourself. Then, on that basis, if you can help him, that would be even better. That's enough."

Although Uesugi Sumiya didn't say anything when he gave the instructions, Himegami Sakura watched him make these things every day and the words he muttered while flipping through the books, and expressed Uesugi Sumiya's expectations according to her own understanding.

“Is that all…?”

Yotsuya Miko was stunned. She chewed on her memories, thinking of the boy who was covered in wounds and carried her out of the sewer. Her eyes looked a little red, but she finally smiled.

"Then it's a deal. No matter when or where, as long as Cheng needs me, I will stand by his side without hesitation and do whatever I can. Please help me convey this to him. This is the only promise I can make as Yotsuya Miko."

"?"