Chapter Thirty: Be Your Own Hero (A Grand Chapter of Five Thousand Words—Please Vote for Me!)

Boom, boom, boom—

Amidst the ruins, more than a dozen AST members clad in manifestation devices lay sprawled on the ground, their equipment utterly destroyed and their combat capability lost. The entire apartment seemed as if split in two, the earth beneath it gaping with a deep, bottomless fissure.

Su Mo sheathed the Summer Pavilion Eddie Sword, quite satisfied with the outcome he’d wrought. The final strike, fused with the Throne, possessed terrifying power, well worthy of the name he’d given the blade. It had effortlessly torn apart their arbitrary domains—a force no weaker than that of the spirits.

Of course, he’d held back at the end, only destroying the AST members’ manifestation devices, leaving their bodies unharmed. After all, this world, for all its chaos, was still governed by law. Killing was out of the question, and the AST was an official organization; if he dealt with them permanently, he’d be hunted by the entire nation. Even with Kotori’s Ratatoskr sheltering him, he could never return to his carefree days of school and romance. As for why the AST members were motionless, it was simply the aftereffect of using the manifestation devices—having them forcibly interrupted put tremendous strain on the body, leaving them unable to move for quite some time.

Lifting his gaze, Su Mo looked at the one person before him left untouched—Origami Tobiichi.

“Have you made up your mind? You promised me. As long as the spirit power on Yoshino disappears, you won’t be her enemy anymore,” Su Mo said, watching her.

From the look of things, Su Mo was clearly intent on protecting this spirit named Yoshino. If Origami insisted on targeting the spirit, she would inevitably clash with him, making her hesitate.

If it had been anyone else, even someone stronger than herself, Origami would not have flinched, even if it meant her death. But this was Su Mo—the one she’d risk everything to protect.

Su Mo stared at Origami. After a moment of hesitation, she slowly lowered her weapon and spoke, “I’ll let her go, but you must promise me one thing.”

“What?” Su Mo was taken aback; Origami’s sudden shift in the conversation left him momentarily lost.

“Go on a date with me.”

“Ah?”

“A date. I heard from Tohka that you dated her. I don’t want to lose to her, so you must take me on a date.”

“This—” Su Mo’s lips twitched, but seeing the stubborn expression on Origami’s face, he realized there’d be no easy way out unless he agreed.

Resigned, Su Mo nodded.

Satisfied with his answer, Origami turned away and walked toward the AST members.

Taking advantage of the moment, Su Mo quickly grabbed Yoshino and left. What happened here was no longer his concern.

………………

After leaving the apartment, Su Mo led Yoshino away, finally arriving at a nearby park with a flowerbed.

“Su… Su Mo, did I cause you trouble?” Yoshino, having witnessed everything, finally gathered her courage to ask.

“It’s nothing.” Su Mo shook his head, his gaze sweeping over Yoshino as he frowned. “Besides, you’ve signed a contract with me. Your spirit power is sealed now; you won’t lose control or cause any disasters. The AST won’t bother you anymore, and you can live here just like a normal person, just like me.”

“Really?” Yoshino lifted her head, her face bright with hopeful delight.

She had always wanted to live in this world. Though spirits in the adjacent realm didn’t trigger spatial quakes, they fell into slumber as soon as they returned, and that endless, lonely existence was far too cruel for a spirit girl. Unfortunately, every time she entered the real world, disaster and misfortune followed, and even the AST spirit-combat squad would attack her.

“Of course. From now on, you can live with me. I even know another spirit girl just like you—her name is Tohka. I’m sure you two will get along. You won’t ever be alone again,” Su Mo nodded firmly, promising her.

“That’s wonderful!” Yoshino smiled, raising her left hand to look at the rabbit puppet she held. However, with her spirit power completely sealed, Yosina had lost the spiritual energy needed to maintain her presence, becoming just an ordinary rabbit puppet. Yoshino’s expression instantly grew anxious. “Yosina, what’s wrong?”

Seeing this, Su Mo slapped his forehead, nearly forgetting something important.

Because his contract was a complete seal, Yosina couldn’t speak or appear during the sealing period, unlike Kotori’s commander mode. Yosina’s personality required spiritual energy to exist; without it, she naturally wouldn’t manifest.

Noticing Yoshino’s frightened expression, Su Mo said helplessly, “Don’t worry. Yosina is fine. I’ll unlock part of your seal and release enough spiritual energy for her daily activities.”

Yoshino and Yosina were nearly inseparable. Seeing Yosina vanish so suddenly had left Yoshino flustered.

Su Mo immediately reached out to the contract thread connecting them in his mind. Through this bond, he could control his contracted follower and even summon her at will. With a mere thought, a faint trace of spirit energy appeared within Yoshino, and soon, the rabbit puppet straightened up once more.

“Hey, why is everyone staring at me? I’m shy, you know!” The rabbit puppet opened its mouth, Yosina wriggling in a comical manner as it spoke.

Seeing Yosina "alive" again, Yoshino was overjoyed. She hugged the puppet tightly, tears of happiness glistening in her sapphire eyes.

Just then, a rumbling sound came from Yoshino’s stomach.

Su Mo was surprised. Spirits could feel hunger?

Spirits had spiritual energy and could go without food—except for Tohka, of course. She’d never starve, but for a foodie, missing a meal was torture.

But then Su Mo remembered that Yoshino’s spirit power had been sealed; she was now no different from an ordinary person, so hunger was perfectly normal.

Ashamed by the sound from her own stomach, Yoshino lowered her head, feeling terribly embarrassed.

“This is so humiliating, being so disgraceful in front of Mr. Su Mo.” Yoshino wished she could find a hole to crawl into. Unfortunately, there wasn’t one big enough nearby, so she could only pull her hood down to cover her face.

At that moment, the rabbit puppet on her hand grinned and said, “Yoshino’s embarrassed! But it can’t be helped—she’s lost her spirit power, so Su Mo should take her out for a meal. This is a rare opportunity, you know! Our Yoshino really likes Su Mo, and she’d be delighted if you invited her.”

Yosina’s teasing made Yoshino’s face flush bright red. She hurriedly covered the puppet’s mouth with her other hand, but kept her head down, unable to look at Su Mo.

Seeing her shy demeanor, and hearing Yosina’s words, Su Mo smiled, “In that case, let’s get something to eat. I’m hungry too, but I don’t have any money on me. How about you come to my place as a guest?”

He’d given his wallet to Tohka to pay for breakfast earlier, so now he was penniless.

He could only take Yoshino home. But just as he finished speaking, Kotori’s voice came through his right-ear headset.

“Don’t bring Yoshino home. Shiori is there right now. Even though Yoshino’s spirit power is completely sealed, until we’ve completed a full examination, it’s best not to bring her near ordinary people, especially Shiori,” Kotori said seriously.

“So where should we go?” Su Mo frowned. “Why not bring us aboard Fraxinus?”

“Not now. I have things to handle. You’ve left the AST members in this state, and with the Hermit incident, I’m about to negotiate with the government. I need to secure favorable terms for both sides, so I can’t deal with you right now,” Kotori declined again. “Just stay with the Hermit for now. Tonight, things should be resolved.”

With that, Kotori quickly ended the call.

Su Mo was left speechless. What was he supposed to do, handle Yoshino’s situation alone? And he couldn’t even bring her home. How was he supposed to manage?

Looking into Yoshino’s innocent eyes, Su Mo thought for a moment. Even without money, he decided the meal came first.

He led Yoshino away from the area and found a restaurant still open at a nearby intersection.

Once inside, Su Mo realized, somewhat awkwardly, that it was a couples’ restaurant. Every table was occupied by a man and a woman, and as he entered with Yoshino, all eyes turned their way. Yoshino looked far too young, barely ten, so everyone’s gaze focused on Su Mo, their expressions as if he were some perverted beast.

“Uh—”

Sweat broke out on Su Mo’s forehead. Standing at the doorway, he couldn’t move forward or back, and if there were a hole nearby, he’d dive in without hesitation.

Yoshino, too, was shy under so many stares.

“Su Mo, their looks are strange…” Yoshino whispered.

Yosina in her hand, as if seeing through everything, cackled, “Oh my, Su Mo’s quite the lecher—his first meal with a girl, and he brings her to a couples’ restaurant. Clearly, he’s got feelings for our Yoshino!”

“It’s just a misunderstanding!” Su Mo’s face was covered in dark lines. He wasn’t familiar with this country, and there was no sign outside indicating it was a couples’ restaurant. Anyone could make such a mistake.

Well, it’s just a meal.

A meal is a meal, wherever it’s eaten. Retreating now would only make him look guilty.

So Su Mo composed himself, braving the curious stares, and led Yoshino to a window seat. Soon, a waitress approached. “Would you like anything to eat? We have a new couples’ set menu!”

“No need, just two plates of spaghetti bolognese,” he replied.

Hearing “couples’ set menu” made his face darken further. Which eye of theirs saw them as a couple?

After dismissing the waitress, Su Mo looked across at Yoshino.

Both were silent.

Yoshino was naturally shy and rarely spoke first, and Su Mo wasn’t skilled at chatting with girls, so their time together was often awkward—nothing like his dates with Tohka.

Tohka was lively and mischievous, so there was never a dull moment with her.

But letting the silence drag on wasn’t good; Su Mo decided to break it, asking quietly, “Has Yoshino always been this shy?”

“I—I’m sorry. Whenever I’m with people, I get like this,” Yoshino apologized hurriedly.

Usually, when others were around, Yoshino wouldn’t speak, leaving all communication to Yosina. Now, since it was just Su Mo, she spoke up; otherwise, she’d have run away by now.

“You don’t need to apologize. But if you’re always this shy, it’ll be hard to make friends. Haven’t you ever thought about changing—about reaching out to others, trying to change your situation?” Su Mo looked at Yoshino seriously, genuinely wanting to help her overcome her timid nature and become brave.

“Yoshino has always wanted to stop being weak. I want to be strong… decisive, cool. But I’m scared—I just can’t do it. Yosina is different; he’s brave and protects me. He’s my hero,” Yoshino said, looking at the rabbit puppet on her left hand, her body trembling as her words dissolved into tears.

Yoshino, tear-stained, looked at Su Mo. “Am I useless?”

“No, you’re actually very cute this way. But if you truly want to be brave, I’ll help you. Someday, you’ll be just like Yosina. I’m sure he wants that, too, right?” Su Mo shifted his gaze to the puppet on Yoshino’s hand.

“Of course!” Yosina nodded, then turned to Yoshino. “More than anyone, I want Yoshino to be brave—brave enough that, even if I’m not by her side, she can live well on her own.”

“Maybe, Yosina, have you thought that the reason Yoshino is this way is actually because of you?” Su Mo stared at the rabbit puppet, conversing with her second personality in an odd way.

“Me?” Yosina sounded confused.

“That’s right. Yoshino’s weakness is largely because you protect her too well. If I’m not wrong, every time she interacts, fights, or makes a decision, you handle it for her, right?” Su Mo nodded. “In this situation, she only grows more dependent on you; whenever problems arise, she’s at a loss and can’t think independently, always relying on you.”

Hearing this, Yosina lowered her head and fell silent.

“So why not try letting Yoshino make decisions on her own, without you around?” Su Mo suggested. It was the best way he could help Yoshino.

“No!”

Before Yosina could respond, Yoshino cried out loudly.

Maybe realizing she’d overreacted, Yoshino quickly became shy again. “Without Yosina, I can’t do it. Please don’t leave me,” she pleaded.

The puppet’s one visible eye, beneath an eyepatch like a pirate, stared at Yoshino, sighing. “Yoshino, maybe Su Mo’s right. All these years, I hoped you’d grow strong, but never thought my existence was the reason you’re timid and shy. Maybe I really am a mistake.”

“No, Yosina is my hero!”

Watching girl and puppet argue, Su Mo was dumbfounded—the scene was oddly surreal. Still, wanting Yoshino to grow brave, he said, “No one wants to take Yosina from you. We just hope you’ll become brave. Otherwise, it’ll be hard for you to fit into human society.”

“Trust me, and trust yourself.”

“You can do it—become brave. Someday, you won’t need to rely on anyone, and you’ll be your own hero.”