Rin's eyes lit up, and her voice carried surprise.
"It really is Sister Rin..."
"Sister Rin!"
After Mozunono Nono confirmed that the person before her was neither an illusion nor a dream,
her forced composure instantly collapsed.
Her eyes reddened, and she rushed forward directly, crashing into Rin, who had just stepped out of the light gate.
"Waaah!"
If this were before,
this impact probably could have knocked the similarly petite Rin off balance, perhaps even sending them both tumbling into a heap.
But now,
after the baptism of the Dungeon, she was already completely different from before.
Rin's stance remained completely steady, exceptionally solid, and she firmly caught the sobbing Mozunono Nono.
She didn't even wobble once.
"Wuwuwu... Sister Rin."
Mozunono Nono clung tightly to Rin's waist, burying her face in her chest, crying so hard that tears and snot flowed freely, her voice muffled.
"I thought... I thought I would never see you again!"
"You promised to teach me the ultimate secrets of the Jishin Kage-ryu..."
"How could you go back on your word, wuwuwu..."
"Why are you crying?"
Listening to Mozunono Nono's incoherent complaints, and feeling the trembling body in her arms,
the softest part of Rin's heart was touched.
She patted Mozunono Nono's back somewhat clumsily. Although her own nose felt a bit sore, she tried hard to maintain the dignity of a senior.
"Didn't I come back to see you?"
"Besides... I've become even stronger than before, you know!"
...
At the same time.
On the second-floor balcony.
"Ohohohoho! Miss Marie!"
A passionate shout rang out.
Everyone turned to look.
On the second-floor balcony of the dormitory, a girl wearing a golden curly wig, colored contact lenses, and an elaborate lace Western-style dress was standing there.
She struck an extremely exaggerated pose.
"Chōka..."
Kikakujuo Mary, who had just walked out of the oval light gate, couldn't help but press her forehead upon seeing this scene, feeling a wave of shame.
It was Kikakujuo Mary's staunch supporter,
and one of the next Five Swords.
A middle schooler who was enthusiastic about dressing herself up as a Western noble young lady—
Usukurebara Chōka.
"Miss Marie! Have you finally returned in triumph?!"
"Does this mean you won't leave again?!"
As soon as she saw Kikakujuo Mary, Usukurebara Chōka trembled all over with excitement, her eyes fanatical.
She immediately became so exhilarated that she disregarded everything and flipped out from the second-floor balcony!
"Waaah!"
As a result.
Because she slid down the adjacent drainpipe,
Usukurebara Chōka's movements were clumsy, her skirt got caught several times, and there was no elegance to be found. Finally, she landed with a 'plop'.
"Chōka, mind your posture."
Seeing her little fangirl so excited, Kikakujuo Mary couldn't help but cough lightly, straightened her back, attempting to reassert her image as one of the Five Swords.
"Although I did return from another world, this isn't a triumph; it's merely a reward granted by the Divine Lord."
"However..."
Facing Usukurebara Chōka, whose eyes were filled with adoration for her,
Kikakujuo Mary's gaze softened, and a doting smile curved the corner of her mouth.
"I am also very happy to see you again."
"Wuwuwu! Miss Marie!"
Hearing this, Usukurebara Chōka immediately broke character. That noble demeanor vanished instantly, and she rushed over to hug Kikakujuo Mary's leg and rub against it.
"I thought you would never come back, wuwuwu..."
"How could that be?"
Kikakujuo Mary sighed helplessly and reached out to stroke Usukurebara Chōka's head.
...
Away from the commotion.
Under the shade of a large tree on the side of the dormitory building.
Tamaba Satori stood there, maintaining a distance from the lively crowd, quietly waiting for one person.
Soon after,
a girl wearing a hockey mask appeared before her.
Tamaba Satori looked at the person who arrived, opened her arms, and motioned for her to come closer.
Misogi's body instantly trembled.
Tears welled up in her eyes, and she rushed forward, tightly embracing Tamaba Satori.
...
A moment later.
"This mask..."
Tamaba Satori played with the hockey mask she had taken off Misogi's face, her fingertips lightly tracing the rough grain on it.
"Still so ugly."
"..."
Misogi lowered her head, and a trace of awkward blush appeared on her face, which always carried timidity.
"I... I only know how to make things like this..."
"Silly girl."
Tamaba Satori chuckled softly and placed the mask back onto Misogi's face.
"Even though it's ugly,"
"..."
"It's comforting."
"As long as I see this mask, I know that big sister has always been here."
Hearing the word 'big sister' again,
Misogi's tears under the mask burst forth.
"Satori..."
"Alright, stop crying."
Tamaba Satori reached out and gently wiped away a tear that wasn't there, through the mask.
"I have something to give you now that I'm back."
Saying this,
Tamaba Satori took out a small pouch from her embrace.
"This is..."
Misogi accepted the pouch with some confusion.
When she opened it,
she saw a pair of exquisite hair clips lying quietly inside.
They weren't made of precious gems, nor rare materials.
They were just a very ordinary style, adorned with two small green beads that looked like two cat's eyes.
"I saw them at a marketplace in that world."
"I suddenly felt they suited you."
"Even though you always wear that ugly mask and I can't see your hair..."
"But..."
"Even if you always wear a mask, you should dress up occasionally, right?"
Misogi clutched the pouch, her hands trembling.
This was... a gift from Satori to her?
This was the first time Satori had ever given her a gift.
"Thank you... Thank you, Satori..."
Misogi gripped the pouch tightly, as if holding the most precious treasure in the entire world.
"They are really beautiful..."
"I like them very much..."
"I'm glad you like them."
Hearing this, a faint smile curved Tamaba Satori's lips.
At this moment,
these two sisters, who had always lived under the shadow of their childhood,
finally achieved a meeting of minds under that faint moonlight.
...
In the dormitory supervisor's office.
Inaba Tsukuyo was sitting on the familiar old sofa, holding cookies just baked by Teacher Maria and eating them in small bites.
That familiar taste instantly awakened her taste buds, as if returning to every afternoon when she was cared for by Teacher Maria in the past.
"How is it? The taste hasn't changed, right?"
Maria sat beside her, looking at her with a face full of loving kindness.
"Mm."
Inaba Tsukuyo nodded, a few cookie crumbs clinging to the corner of her mouth.
"It's still really delicious."
"If it's good, eat some more."
Maria smiled and poured her another cup of hot milk.
"If you need more, Teacher can bake some more for you."
"Oh, right, Tsukuyo."
Maria seemed to recall something, and her expression became a little serious.
"That God... did he really not force you to do anything dangerous?"
"For example... making you fight those terrifying monsters?"
As an adult, and as the elder who had always been responsible for looking after Tsukuyo,
Maria's attitude toward going to the other world was always tinged with worry.
Especially after hearing Hanasaka Warabi loudly proclaiming how terrifying those monsters were outside, her worry intensified.
Chapter 82 Aichi Coexistence Private Academy ended for now.
"Don't worry, Teacher Maria."
"Lord God... is not the kind of God who would force us to be cannon fodder."
"Although the Dungeon is indeed dangerous, filled with monsters that want to tear people apart."
"But..."
Inaba Tsukuyo tilted her head slightly, seemingly savoring a memory.
"Lord Heimdall gave us strength, and he also gave us the right to choose."
"Whether it's fighting or living, he stands behind us."
Saying this, the corner of her mouth curved slightly upward, revealing a faint smile.
"Besides... the food over there is also very good."
"Everyone lives together, the house is big, and there's always the warm magic stone stove."
"Even a somewhat noisy God like Hestia, getting along with her is quite easy."
Hearing this,
Maria's tightly held shoulders finally relaxed a little.
She looked at the child before her whom she had watched grow up.
After only a few days apart,
The fragility on Tsukuyo, which seemed like she could shatter at any moment, appeared to have faded considerably.
In its place was a temperament that, while still slender, was as tough as resilient bamboo.
It was the kind of depth that only came from having experienced storms and witnessed a broader world.
"That's good..."
Maria sighed and reached out to gently stroke Tsukuyo's silver hair.
"As long as you all are doing well, Teacher can rest assured."
"You don't know... the day after you left."
Maria seemed to suddenly remember something, her brow furrowed again, and she lowered her voice, a trace of lingering fear in her tone.
"A group of strange people suddenly came to the Academy."
"They were wearing black combat uniforms without any insignia, driving armored vehicles, and directly sealed off this area."
"They were holding all sorts of instruments I've never seen before, constantly scanning things with beeps and boops."
"They said they needed to investigate something... I didn't understand any of it."
"They made the entire Academy restless."
Inaba Tsukuyo's hand holding the cup paused slightly.
Her eyes, which were always closed, opened a tiny slit, revealing the dark red luster within.
"Then... what happened after that?"
"After that?"
Maria shrugged, a somewhat helpless expression on her face.
"Of course, they didn't find anything."
"It was as if those instruments malfunctioned; they couldn't read any data."
"The leading officers' faces turned green; they were slamming tables and cursing."
"Later, Principal Fujibayashi publicly announced that you had gone for secret special training, barely suppressing the situation. In the end, those people could only retreat sheepishly."
"But..."
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