A beautiful girl who transmigrates into a Herrscher of the Void is treated like an elf and conquered

"Things aren't necessarily like that! Chika... she was..."

He was eager to refute, to point out the sadness, resolve, and heavy sense of fate that Chika had shown at the time, which didn't seem like acting.

He wanted to ask, if she was really so cunning, why did she leave alone?

Why did she show such a helpless and at a loss when Tohka hugged her?

However, his words got stuck in his throat.

What evidence does he have?

Aside from the vague, subjective emotions he himself felt, he couldn't offer any substantial evidence to prove that Chika "was not like that."

Kotori and Reine's reasoning is logically consistent and conforms to the known timeline and Tohka's testimony.

His intuition and emotional perception seemed so pale and powerless in the face of cold analysis and "reasonable" speculation.

He opened his mouth, his lips moved a few times, but in the end, under the gaze of all the crew members and Kotori and Reine, he could only lower his head in dejection, turning all his unfinished words into a heavy sigh, unable to say anything at all.

Seeing Shido's appearance, Kotori's eyes flickered slightly, as if she felt a pang of pity, but it was quickly replaced by determination.

She knew Shido would find it hard to accept, but on such a critical issue concerning the survival of the world, they had to formulate a strategy based on the worst-case scenario.

“I know this is hard to accept, Shido,” Kotori’s tone softened.

"But this is the worst conclusion we can draw at this point based on all the clues we have. We must base our response to her next move on this."

Shido nodded silently, offering no further argument. However, his clenched fists and the lingering doubt in his eyes indicated that his inner struggle had not ceased.

There must be a deeper truth about that white-haired girl that he doesn't know. He can't simply label her as a "schemer" or a "threat."

As Shido listened to Kotori and Reine's logically rigorous and almost flawless reasoning, he felt his heart being tightened little by little.

He understood that, from a rational perspective, their analysis made a lot of sense, and was even the most plausible theory based on the known clues. But…

He shook his head vigorously, his voice trembling slightly, yet unusually firm:

"What you said is logically correct, but... as the person involved, I cannot accept it."

The horrific scenes from the industrial zone kept replaying in his mind.

He remembered Chika resolutely pushing him away, uttering those cruel words about "the truth of the world" and "we can't be together," and then walking towards the ruins without looking back.

He remembered watching her petite figure as she faced DEM's massive mechanical army and the god-like Allen Mathers. From her initial cautiousness and unfamiliarity with power, she gradually became familiar with the power and then let out a chilling, manic laugh filled with a touch of madness and catharsis.

He remembered the final, cruel scene even more vividly—Alan's lightsaber mercilessly slashed through, tearing the girl's arm and half her body apart, blood splattering in the air in a blinding red, and she fell from the sky like a bird with broken wings, following a path of despair...

The shock and heartache of that scene are still clearly etched into the depths of his soul.

Were all those brutal battles, that real pain and struggle, just carefully staged performances?

Would a treacherous elf really pay such a heavy price for acting, even nearly perishing?

He opened his mouth, wanting to shout out these images and feelings, wanting to use this "truth" he had witnessed to refute that cold "logic".

However, when he saw the data-driven and rationally analytical looks in Kotori and Reine's eyes, all the words that welled up in his mouth turned into silent sobs.

He lacked evidence, and his "feelings" seemed so pale and powerless in the face of rigorous reasoning.

In the end, he could only condense all his struggles and resentment into an almost obsessive declaration: "I will find her... and then prove that things are not like that."

He sighed, as if all his strength had been drained, and then asked a question that had been lingering in his mind for some time:

"When she left...it seemed like she said something to me. Have you... figured it out?"

When this was mentioned, Kotori's expression instantly became a little strange. She scratched her cheek, seemingly finding it difficult to talk about it.

She waved helplessly, signaling the operator to retrieve the lip-reading analysis results from that time.

The main screen immediately displayed a close-up of Chika's profile as she looked back, along with the analysis text below:

I don't like guys who are that greasy.

Shidou: "...???"

He blinked, his face filled with astonishment and confusion.

Greasy? Him? When did he become greasy? This is nothing like any farewell he had in mind.

Whether it's a warning, encouragement, or a riddle

—They're completely different!

Kotori facepalmed, looking utterly bewildered, trying to salvage some of the analysis department's dignity:

"Uh... well... maybe it was the angle at the time, or maybe there was a slight error in the AI ​​analysis algorithm? After all, the distance was so far..."

"No! This is absolutely an expression of love!!!"

Just then, Vice Commander Kannazuki Kyohei appeared out of nowhere, his hands clasped to his chest, his face flushed with ecstasy, and he shouted in an aria-like tone:

"It's clearly Miss [Tiancai] who's jealous! She saw Shido-kun's 'enthusiastic' conversation with Origami Tobiichi and Tamae Okayamine, and her heart is churning with jealousy."

"Yet, bound by their proud persona, they can't say it directly, and can only use such sharp criticism to cover up their inner concerns! What a tsundere! What..."

Before she could finish speaking, Kotori, unable to bear it any longer, delivered a precise and powerful kick that sent the ailing vice commander off the bridge, and the world instantly became quiet.

Reine pushed up her glasses, ignoring the little incident, and calmly replied, "Although Kannazuki's way of expressing herself is problematic, the possibility is not zero."

She pulled up another set of data, a global monitoring chart of spiritual energy fluctuations.

"Look here. Since the industrial zone incident, the spiritual energy fluctuations of the [Heavenly Judgment] Herrscher have completely disappeared worldwide."

"If she really did inherit the core of the 'Herrscher of Reason' and know the so-called 'truth' as ​​we speculated, intending to take revenge or carry out the 'Anti-Entropy' plan, then DEM's various bases and facilities could not possibly be so peaceful."

She pointed to the screen, which displayed real-time monitoring data from several key locations of DEM, and everything was normal.

"With her spatial and thunderous powers, even though her 'reason' power has not fully recovered, it would not be difficult for her to launch a precise strike against a DEM stronghold that lacks a permanent presence of a powerhouse like Allen Mathers. But she did not."

"More importantly, her appearance today was accompanied by extremely suppressed spiritual energy fluctuations. If it weren't for Tohka's testimony and our prior detection, it would have been almost impossible to detect. This is completely different from the scene when she first appeared, where her mere presence caused wind pressure to destroy the area."

Kotori crossed her arms, reached her final conclusion, and looked sharply at Shido:

"What does this mean? It means she's not an out-of-control disaster, but rather deliberately controlling her power to avoid unnecessary destruction and attention. And she chose to appear today, while you're engaged in 'real combat'..."

Mentioning "real combat," Shido lowered his head guiltily, his mind flashing back to himself as he expressionlessly repeated flirtatious lines like "marriage" and "smelling the gym uniform," his cheeks burning. Although he was just a broken record, Chinatsu had no idea what was going on!

Seeing Shido's expression, Kotori snorted irritably and uttered the conclusion that shocked Shido:

"This means that this girl is probably watching you from somewhere all the time! As soon as she saw that you were being trained by Fraxinus to become one of those greasy scumbags who 'talks dirty without batting an eye,' she couldn't sit still and jumped out to give you a dressing down! That 'I don't like greasy guys' comment might actually be what she really meant!"

Shido was completely stunned.

This conclusion subtly aligns with his deep-seated intuition that he doesn't want to believe Chika is a pure villain.

If she really had ulterior motives, why would she care if he was "greasy"? Why would she deliberately show up during his "real-world" moments?

Why leave behind such a statement...laden with personal emotions?

Everything seemed to have come full circle, but this time, a different kind of light seemed to shine through the fog.

Chinatsu's purpose was far more complex than they imagined, and Shido's place in her heart did not seem insignificant.

Are you staring at me...?

Shido stared at the "greasy" lip reading analysis on the main screen, his feelings a complex mix of emotions.

Chapter 141 The Flames of Betrayal and Purification

The next day, due to the "precise demolition" of Laichan High School by the space earthquake the previous day, the entire school was given a temporary holiday.

The sun is shining brightly, perfect for outings (and for loitering sprites).

Senin figured that today, with Tohka's silent manifestation, Shido's lucky day had arrived!

As a good brother, I have to create opportunities for him! And while I'm at it... watch the show.

He had arranged to meet Shido and Tonomachi Hiroto well in advance, ostensibly to "celebrate a three-person stroll through the streets to celebrate not having to go to school."

"Hey! Shido! Such a beautiful day, how can we waste it! Let's embark on the Grand Line to conquer the shopping district!"

With one hand on his hip and the other pointing towards the commercial street, Qianyuan spoke in an exaggerated manner, like a stage actor.

"That's right! Shido, I heard there's a new amazing crepe shop that opened in the shopping district! And they even have a limited edition today!"

Hiroto Tonomachi excitedly chimed in from the side, the two of them singing in unison, a perfect pair of idiots.

Itsuka Shido covered his face, wishing he could disappear into a crack in the ground.

"I'm telling you guys... I just came out to buy some groceries..." he sighed helplessly, with obvious dark circles under his eyes.

Thus, the following scene unfolded in the shopping street: Senin and Tonomachi Hiroto, these two lovable characters, walked side by side in front, sometimes shouting at the models in the shop windows, and sometimes laughing so hard at silly jokes that they were doubled over, perfectly embodying the saying "chuunibyou teenagers have a lot of fun".

Shido, who was a few steps behind them, looked haggard from lack of sleep. He held his forehead with one hand, trying to distance himself from the two guys in front of him who exuded an aura of "I don't know them".

Last night's debriefing meeting... was pure torture. I kept replaying my conversations with Tohka and Chinatsu, getting criticized from head to toe by Kotori and that bunch of unreliable advisors. I barely slept a wink...

Shido sighed inwardly, feeling his eyelids drooping.

"Buying groceries? That would be even better!"

Chiin's eyes lit up, and he suddenly patted Shido on the shoulder.

"As the saying goes, 'Even a skilled cook can't cook without rice,' the importance of ingredients is self-evident! Let me and Hongren, your two strongest allies, share this heavy burden with you!"

“Yes, yes, yes! We’ll help you carry it!” Hongren nodded immediately, his eyes practically screaming “wanting a free meal.”

Shido looked at his two "close friends" on either side of him. One had a bright smile but it carried "malicious intent," while the other had a calm expression but it exuded "unyielding authority." He sighed helplessly.

He had indeed planned to go out to buy groceries today. Now, with two more "bodyguards" who were also "freeloaders," his plans didn't seem to have deviated too much.

Those two guys' thoughts were practically written all over their faces.

"……All right."

He did need to make purchases, and he did enjoy this rare, ordinary moment without having to think about elves, spacequakes, and complicated emotions.

He even temporarily put the issues concerning Chinatsu and Tohka out of his mind.

The three of them walked noisily towards the shopping street. Shido was calculating the food supplies at home, preparing to replenish some vegetables and meat.

Chiin and Hiroto were arguing about which flavor of crepe was the best.

The trio transformed into a small purchasing team.

Shido walked ahead, selecting ingredients from the list on his phone, while Chiin and Hiroto faithfully played the role of bag carriers, quickly filling their hands with various vegetables, meats, and seasonings.

"Oh! Shido, this beef looks good!"

"Buy more potatoes, we can make mashed potatoes with meat sauce!"

Wow, this fish is so fresh!

Hongren appeared exceptionally enthusiastic, constantly offering "suggestions," as if he himself were the one cooking to entertain the guests.

Although Chiin doesn't talk much, she will point to a certain ingredient and simply say "this is okay" when Shido hesitates, with a level of accuracy that surprises Shido.

Seeing his two friends being so "enthusiastic," Shido's initial helplessness turned into warmth.

Although he knew they were probably just there to freeload off tonight's dinner, the everyday banter and shopping together with his friends did help ease his tension and fatigue from the past few days.

Meanwhile, in a beautifully decorated dessert shop, Kotori Itsuka was contentedly scooping up a spoonful of waffles topped with strawberries and cream, while Reine Murasame next to her was sipping her black coffee.

"Mmm~ Vacation is definitely the best."

Kotori squinted her eyes, enjoying the pleasure brought by the sugar.

"Let's put those troublesome elves and DEM company out of our minds for now."

Lingyin gave a soft "hmm," her gaze sweeping over the bustling crowd outside the window, yet a hint of worry still lingered deep in her eyes.

On Shido's side, he was carrying the vegetables he had just bought, listening to Chiin and Hiroto's pointless argument about whether or not corn should be added to croquettes, while enjoying this hard-won peace.

He even started to wonder whether to make curry or hamburger patties for dinner...

However, this brief tranquility was abruptly shattered a few minutes later.

"——Shidou!"

A clear, slightly disgruntled female voice rang out.

Shido froze. That voice… He slowly turned his head and saw a girl with long, dark hair and a gorgeous amethyst-like dress standing not far away.

She stood out from the ordinary-looking people around her, like a princess who had stepped out of another world. It was Tohka!

"You were the one who asked me out, weren't you, Shido?"