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

Shido's heart jumped: "Is it... a follow-up to what happened at the night market last night?"

“Not only that.” Kotori shook her head, her eyes sharp. “We checked the city’s surveillance system this morning and caught Phoenix Inu Senin’s whereabouts.”

Shido was somewhat surprised.

He took the day off today, saying he wasn't feeling well.

“I know.” Kotori nodded, her eyes sharp. “That’s exactly the problem. The surveillance footage shows that early this morning, not long after dawn, Chiin rushed out of her house.”

"—First, he ran wildly around his residence, then he ran to the vicinity of the night market where the incident occurred last night, where he stayed for a while, seemingly eavesdropping on the conversation between the police and the stall owners."

She took out a portable terminal, pulled up several processed surveillance video clips, and showed them to Shido.

In the footage, Chiin can be seen rushing out of his house early in the morning, looking panicked, and even nearly bumping into a neighbor. He ran all the way, eventually stopping near the night market where the bloody incident occurred the previous night!

Although the surveillance cameras couldn't capture the sound, they could clearly see him mingling in the crowd, intently eavesdropping on the conversation between the police and the vendors. His expression gradually changed from anxiety to shock and... fear.

Then, like a headless fly, he ran wildly through the nearby streets, seemingly frantically searching for something.

Shido frowned as he watched his friend's unusual behavior on the monitor.

"Why would Chiin... go there? And why are you in such a panic?"

"That's the key!"

Kotori tapped the terminal screen with her fingertips, her tone filled with deep doubt.

“Last night, the alternate personality codenamed [Judgment] carried out the massacre at the night market. This morning, Chiin, who should have been completely unaware of this and whose memories of Chika had been erased, exhibited unusual behavior highly related to the incident—he went to the scene, eavesdropped on information, and was urgently searching for something.”

As Shido listened to Kotori's description, he pictured Senin's face, which always carried a hint of laziness and playfulness, now showing an anxious and frantic expression as she searched everywhere.

This doesn't match his reason for taking leave, "feeling unwell," at all!

"what do you mean……"

Shido seemed to have grasped something, but he found it hard to believe.

"Chiin... he ran out early this morning, was it to find... Chika? Or that alternate personality?"

"This is the most reasonable speculation."

Kotori crossed her arms, her black hairband making her look exceptionally calm and imposing. She raised her head and looked directly into Shido's confused eyes.

"The timing is too coincidental. The [Heavenly Judgment] alternate personality just caused a horrific incident at the night market last night, and this morning, her 'brother' Chiin showed such abnormal behavior—anxiously running to the vicinity of the incident site, and then searching around like a headless fly."

Shido also realized the seriousness of the problem.

"But... weren't Chika's memories of Chika already written down by Chika herself..."

"That's the biggest point of suspicion!"

Kotori interrupted him, her brows furrowed.

"Based on our previous understanding and Chiin's behavior, she should have severed all ties with Chiin and deleted all memories related to him. So, what is the root cause of Chiin's reaction at this moment?"

"If he really 'doesn't remember,' why would he react so strongly to events related to Chinatsu... even if he might not know exactly who Chinatsu was responsible? This almost instinctive worry and search seems more like... a bond that transcends memory?"

She stared at Shido and analyzed, word by word, "Is it really just a coincidence between these two things? Or... is there a deeper connection between them that we are not yet aware of?"

She tapped her fingers lightly on the countertop, making a soft tapping sound: "We previously assumed that the 'sibling' relationship that Chika had created was just a facade. But now it seems that it might not be that simple."

"Is there some kind of deep connection between them that we don't know about, that can't be easily deleted? Like some kind of telepathy that only exists between twins?"

"Or is it that... Chika's so-called 'memory erasure' is problematic in itself, or... Chiin is hiding a secret that even we ourselves are unaware of?"

Kotori's gaze turned incredibly serious: "Shido, we must reassess Phoenix Inu Senin. His role in the whole incident may be far more important and complex than we imagined."

"Just as something earth-shattering happened on Chika's side, Chiin's side immediately exhibited corresponding, inexplicable abnormal behavior."

"It's hard not to connect the two. He may be more than just an innocent brother who was caught up in the mess and lost his memory. There is probably a long-lasting and close connection between him and the [Judgment] Herrscher that is far beyond our imagination."

She looked at Shido, her tone warning: "You must be more careful when you come into contact with him. Especially now that Chinatsu or her alternate personality is in an unstable state, any unusual behavior from Chinatsu could foreshadow a new storm."

As Shido listened to Kotori's analysis and watched his friend's anxious figure running in the surveillance footage, his heart became incredibly heavy.

The food in the pot sizzled, and Tohka's singing in the bathroom remained cheerful, but the atmosphere in the kitchen became heavy because of the conversation about Chiin.

He had assumed that Chiin had recovered from the tragedy and returned to a normal life.

But now it seems that the threads of fate are still tightly entwined around him, binding him closely to his "sister" who possesses destructive power.

(Chiin... just how much do you know? And what are you looking for?)

As Shido listened to Kotori's analysis, his heart grew heavier. He recalled his previous interactions with Chiin and Chinatsu, that natural sense of closeness... If behind all of this truly lay a mysterious connection that even Chiin herself might not be aware of...

(Chiin... how many secrets between you and your "sister" are we unaware of?)

Chapter 185 Testing

Just as the serious discussion about Chiin and Chinatsu in the kitchen came to a temporary end, and the heavy atmosphere had not completely dissipated, the bathroom door was suddenly pulled open with a "whoosh".

A wisp of steam, like a thin veil, drifted out from inside the door, accompanied by a delicate fragrance that blended shower gel with the unique scent of fairies. Then, a figure, like a playful deer, came running over, its wet footprints clicking on the floor.

"Shido! It smells so good! Is dinner ready?"

It was Tohka. She had just finished bathing, her long, night-black hair cascading wetly over her shoulders, glistening water droplets still dripping from the ends, dampening a small patch of her bathrobe. Her eyes, sculpted like amethyst, appeared exceptionally clear and bright from the hot water, and her fair cheeks glowed with a healthy rosy hue, like a ripe peach, making one want to take a bite.

She was loosely wrapped in a white bathrobe, the belt casually tied at her waist, outlining the youthful and beautiful curves of her body. Beneath the hem of the bathrobe, a pair of straight, smooth legs were exposed without any concealment, her bare feet leaving small, damp footprints on the cool floor. The collar of the bathrobe was slightly open, vaguely revealing her delicate collarbone and a patch of smooth, supple skin; one could even feel the warm, moist heat emanating from her body.

She was like a peerless gemstone, freshly washed with clear water and still glistening with dew, pure, vibrant, and exuding an innate allure.

"Toh...Tohka!" Shido turned around and saw this vivid and sensual scene. His brain instantly went blank, and his blood rushed to his head. He frantically almost dropped the spatula, his eyes darting around, unable to focus on Tohka, especially the collar of her bathrobe and her bare legs. "You...how did you come out like this! Your hair isn't even dry! You'll...you'll catch a cold!"

His face flushed bright red, even his ears turned red, and he began to stammer. The innocent young virgin had never experienced anything like this before, and he felt his heart pounding so hard it was about to jump out of his throat.

In stark contrast to Shido's helplessness, Tohka was completely oblivious. She didn't see anything wrong with her appearance at all, sniffing the aroma of food in the air with her small nose, her face filled with pure anticipation and satisfaction, her eyes fixed on the wok next to Shido.

"It's okay! Shido's cooking smells so good, I can't wait!" she said, taking two more steps closer, looking curiously at the dishes bubbling in the pot, the collar of her bathrobe swaying slightly with her movements.

Shido felt like he had nowhere to look, so he could only stiffly turn around and pretend to focus on stirring the food, but his flushed neck and slightly trembling hands betrayed his nervousness.

A clear, amused whisper came from the side.

Kotori had already put away her terminal, arms crossed, leaning against the refrigerator with a pearl dangling from her mouth and an undisguised, sly smile on her face. Her head, tied with a black ribbon, was tilted slightly, her eyes darting back and forth between the blushing Shido and the naturally alluring Tohka.

"Oh my gosh~" Kotori said in her signature slightly teasing tone, "It seems that our clumsy older brother doesn't have much self-control when faced with 'delicious food'~?"

She deliberately emphasized the word "delicious food" and glanced meaningfully at Tohka, who was only wrapped in a bathrobe.

"Kotori! You...you're talking nonsense!" Shido was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. He almost jumped up and hurriedly retorted, but his guilty conscience made him appear even more pale and powerless.

"Huh? Composure? What does Shido need composure for?" Tohka blinked her large, amethyst-like eyes in confusion, completely oblivious to the unspoken meaning in Koto's words. Her attention remained mostly on the food. "Does cooking require a lot of concentration? Shido is amazing!"

Looking at Tohka's pure, innocent, and completely naive expression, and then comparing it to Shido's embarrassed look as if he wanted to disappear into a crack in the ground, Kotori's smile became even brighter, as if she had seen something extremely amusing.

“Ah, that’s right, that’s right~” Kotori nodded seriously, following Tohka’s words. “Cooking requires a lot of ‘concentration,’ especially when faced with certain… ‘special’ distractions~” As she spoke, her gaze swept over Shido’s reddened ears again.

Shido: "..." (Thinking to himself: Kotori, shut up!)

Finally, under Kotori's semi-forceful guidance, with the excuse that "you can't eat until your hair is dry," Tohka was temporarily taken away from the fragrant kitchen and brought to the living room.

Kotori, unusually, adopted the demeanor of an older sister, patiently drying Tohka's night-black hair and skillfully tying it into her signature ponytail with a white ribbon.

Next, she found a soft and comfortable nightgown with a bear pattern and had Tohka change into it.

When Tohka returned to the restaurant, she was no longer the carefree "beauty fresh from the bath" she had been before. Instead, she had transformed into a clean, refreshing, and sweet young woman with a post-bath fragrance (at least on the surface).

The wet footprints and the faint glimpses of spring light were carefully dealt with, leaving only those amethyst-like eyes, still as dazzling as the most brilliant stars, firmly fixed on the dishes on the table.

The three sat around the dining table. Shido finally recovered from his earlier embarrassment. Looking at the steaming food he had carefully prepared and at Tohka, who had changed into a clean nightgown and whose hair was fluffy and smooth, he felt a sense of satisfaction and a gentle warmth.

"I'm gonna start now!"

With her hands clasped together, Tohka finished speaking in a clear and loud voice, then eagerly picked up her chopsticks and reached for the largest piece of fried pork cutlet.

She popped the pork chop into her mouth, the crispy skin making a soft "crunch," while the tender, juicy meat and perfect seasoning inside burst in her mouth.

Tohka's eyes suddenly lit up, as if stars were twinkling in them. She squinted her eyes contentedly, her cheeks puffed out, and she made a muffled "Mmm~!" sound of praise.

"This is so delicious, Shido!" She chewed and swallowed quickly, then immediately eyed the next dish. "This is delicious too! And this one too!"

Watching her wolf down her food, yet with such happiness and focus in every bite, Shido couldn't help but laugh; his previous tension and embarrassment had vanished completely.

"Eat slowly, Tohka, there's still plenty left."

Kotori ate her food in small bites, her gaze shifting between Shido and Tohka. Seeing Shido's doting and triumphant smile and Tohka's unreserved joy, the corners of her mouth also curled up slightly, but deep in her eyes beneath the black ribbon, a trace of the commander's calm observation remained.

Shi Xiang devoured each dish like a whirlwind, almost swallowing her tongue.

After she had slowed down and taken a sip of miso soup, she looked up at Shido, her purple eyes filled with a pure, almost overflowing happiness, and said in an incredibly natural yet incredibly solemn tone:

"Shido's cooking smells so good, it tastes so good..." She paused, as if searching for the most suitable words to express her feelings, and then said clearly and firmly:

"I feel like I'll never forget it in my lifetime."

She said it so naturally, as if stating a simple fact like "the sky is blue."

Without flowery language or deliberate sentimentality, it carries a heavy, instinctive imprint of life.

Shido froze, his hand holding the chopsticks hanging in mid-air. Looking into Tohka's incredibly earnest eyes, the softest part of his heart was gently touched.

He knew that for Tohka, a spirit who had once been lonely and filled with unease about the world, "never forgetting this life" was not just a compliment to the food, but more like a vow about "warmth," "peace of mind," and "belonging" imprinted deep in her soul.

(This guy... always manages to say the simplest things...)

A warm feeling spread through Shido's heart, and he couldn't help but show an extremely gentle smile.

Kotori, sitting opposite him, paused slightly as she chewed upon hearing those words. She looked at Tohka's bright, carefree smile, then at Shido's gentle gaze, her eyes flickering slightly.

(Will I never forget this in my entire life?)

(For an elf with near-eternal life, the word 'this life' carries a heavy weight... Silly brother, do you realize just how deep a mark you've left on her heart?)

She took a soft breath, swallowed the food in her mouth, and said nothing, simply continuing to eat quietly, as if silently remembering the warmth of this moment and that seemingly simple yet weighty sentence in her heart.

However, in the next instant, Tohka's words, "I will never forget this in my life," were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating different yet subtly connected ripples in the hearts of Shido and Kotori.

(Wait! Tohka's sense of smell is exceptionally sharp! She was able to detect the lingering spiritual energy of Chinatsu on Shido earlier!)

(Yesterday, Chiin was searching so unusually near the night market. If Chika or her alternate personality really did appear nearby, Tohka might...)

They both looked up almost simultaneously, their eyes meeting for a fleeting moment. Without a word, the unspoken understanding between siblings allowed them to immediately grasp each other's thoughts.

This is an opportunity, a breakthrough that might indirectly confirm some of our conjectures.

While Tohka was fully engrossed in her "battle" with the food, her cheeks bulging and her eyes squinting with happiness, Shido took a deep breath, put down his chopsticks, and asked Tohka, who was "fighting" with a piece of fried pork cutlet, in a casual and unobtrusive tone:

"Um... Tohka, speaking of which, yesterday when we were being chased all over the place by those two guys, Chiin and Hiroto..."

He paused, observing Tohka's reaction, "Did you... smell anything unusual? Like, something familiar... like the scent that Chinatsu has?"

"Hmm?" Tohka looked up from her food, her amethyst eyes filled with pure confusion. She swallowed the food in her mouth with difficulty, tilted her head, and asked, "Chinatsu? Who is that?"

Shido and Kotori then realized that Tohka didn't know the name "Chinatsu." Shido quickly explained, "She's the white-haired girl who suddenly appeared at school that day and told you the name 'Yatogami Tohka.'"

"Oh! It's that 'comrade' who smells so good!" Tohka suddenly realized, nodding vigorously with a knowing expression on her face. "I remember her!"

"Yes, it was her." Kotori picked up the conversation, guiding the question, "When you were with my silly brother yesterday, did you smell a similar scent to her in or around the places she was in? A very faint scent?"

With a clear goal in mind, Tohka finally began to try to recall the chaotic chase scene from yesterday.

She put down her chopsticks, frowned slightly, and her purple eyes shone with memories. Her small nose twitched slightly unconsciously, as if she could still catch a glimpse of yesterday.

"...The taste..." she murmured to herself, "...it seems...a little...familiar..."

Shido and Kotori both held their breath and watched her intently, waiting for her answer.

However, after a long while, Tohka opened her eyes somewhat dejectedly, shook her head, picked up a spoon, scooped up a large spoonful of curry rice, stuffed it into her mouth, and mumbled:

"Hmm... I can't remember... At the time, I was just thinking about 'running away' with Shido, it was so much fun... And there were so many people on the street, and the smells were all over the place..."

She chewed hard, continuing to recall: "It seems...it seems like there's a tiny bit of familiarity, but it's too faint...as faint as...like sugar in water, you can taste a little bit of sweetness, but you can't pinpoint which piece of sugar dissolved it...I can't tell if it's the taste of that 'companion'..."

"And we were running so fast, and the two of them were arguing... I was so focused on having fun and running after Shido that I didn't even bother to figure out what the smell was..."

She swallowed her food and added, "I can only feel that it's a little familiar, but I really can't remember whose it is or whether it looks like that Chinatsu."

This answer disappointed Shido and Kotori somewhat, but it was also understandable.

Yesterday, the streets were crowded with people and the atmosphere was mixed. Tohka's attention was mainly focused on "games" and Shido, so it's not surprising that she couldn't clearly distinguish the possibly extremely faint spiritual energy aura belonging to Chika.

(It seems we can't get definitive confirmation from Tohka.) Kotori conveyed this message to Shido with her eyes.

Shido sighed and nodded. It seemed that finding direct evidence from Tohka to prove that there was still some connection between Senin and Chinatsu was not an option for the time being.

Tohka, noticing the somewhat serious expressions on their faces, blinked. Although she didn't quite understand the specific reason, she could still sense the change in the atmosphere. She thought for a moment, then added, trying to offer help: