I Came Back but the World is Still a Fantasy!?

4-80: The Summit Meeting – The Real Story (3/5)

I see, though I dont know if I should say as expected of Tomoes mother or as expected of your daughter.

Mother and daughter alike were unusually sharp.

The Mask chuckled at that, as though he found that to be charming.

And Shouko too similarly puffed up her chest in an expression of joy though unlike her daughter, hers were quite the bountiful pair.

But of course! Thats the daughter Im so proud of, after all! Interested?

Her behavior showed affection for her daughter, but there was something off about it.

Youre quite different from what Ive heard.

Huh? Oh, well Thats because I do my best to act like a mother in front of her!

Shoko said with a resolute face, though her eyes could be seen swimming a little.

Apparently, the mother had been playing a character for her daughter. The Mask sighed at that and shook his head.

Thats definitely not something I can tell Tomoe..

A mothers secret that cant be told to her daughter? Oh my! How indecent!

Please, stop already!

For the sake of her daughters dignity, for the sake of her ideal image of a mother

Or so the Mask lamented, but Shouko just smiled.

While the two elders were being ignored, the old man muttered.

They seem to be hitting it off quite well despite meeting for the first time.

Takuma?

What was that supposed to mean? Mikoto smiled at him coldly.

A burst of cold sweat appeared on the old man, but his only recourse was to try and fool her with a dry smile.

Shouko-chan, wasnt there something you wanted to ask?

But it wasnt as if Mikoto was seriously pursuing the issue, so she just turned her attention back to Shouko.

But Shouko suddenly went quiet and glanced at the Mask.

Do it!

The feelings behind her gaze was so clear that there was no way for the Mask to mistake it.

Good grief, like mother like child indeed Excuse me.

Huh?

What?

They were definitely mother and child, the Mask thought as he chuckled internally before matter-of-factly removing his mask.

In the next moment, the dark robe that clad him dispersed, and the face of an average boy was revealed.

Nice to meet you. My name is Nakamura Shinichi, and Im a young boy of 15 years old!

Then he introduced himself with a cheerful and suspicious smile.

It was an atmosphere very much like when Mikoto revealed her age.

Perhaps it was because of that, or perhaps, because not even that managed to reach their ears and eyes, that the two elders remained there frozen, shocked to their very core.

Who could have imagined it? That the existence pulling the strings behind the world that which bestowed judgment upon the members of their clan and casually destroyed that demonic sword would actually be a child?

This was an existence that could easily quarrel with Mikoto, an existence whose depths she could not measure, yet against all odds, that existence turned out to be a child.

Above all, it was a boy even younger than Tomoe and Ryou. Indeed, it wouldnt be an exaggeration that not even in their dreams could they imagine such an absurd truth.

H-Huh? 1-15 Years Old? No way! Youre not just faking your appearance, right!?

Amused by her agitation, Shinichi rid himself of his cheerful(suspicious) smile and answered in a tone with no respect for the elderly.

This is my real body. I didnt switch it out via teleportation either. In the first place, you didnt fake your looks either, did you? You just stopped your bodys time. After all, its obvious when theres a big discrepancy between the soul and the flesh.

!

Mikoto gulped when she realized that shed been seen through, but the spiritual sword(mother) interjected.

But enough of that, Mikoto-sama. I would like an explanation on why you ignored Tomoes predicament. I knew youve been lurking there for a while already, and my future son has also witnessed it, so I wont be hearing any excuses.

Future?

Son?

However

Shoukos soul-chilling voice drove the two elders into a corner, but it was those two words that caught their attention, so Shinichi forcefully brought the topic back on track.

It is indeed as Tomoes mother says. I saw you come when that lightning was summoned.

Call me Mother-in-law, wont you, dear? Though I see that you really did know about that.

Im the one who told her about the problems surrounding the usage of Raijin Call, after all.

For some reason, Shinichi felt uncomfortable by the way she smiled so happily, but regardless, he still turned and told her that politely.

I also told her that if she needed to use it despite that, then she might as well take advantage of its conspicuousness to send a message a message that something was happening where she was and to attract attention, Shinichi said.

Tomoes plan back then was to call Mikoto, the most influential person in the clan, by calling forth such a massive lightning to crash into the barrier.

Though the sound and impact couldnt be perceived by normal people, exorcists, especially, Mikoto, the person who erected the barrier, would definitely be able to.

But of course, the grandma over there came knowing that but still hid herself and just watched.

Tomoes plan was mostly a success, but it still ended in failure because Mikoto just hid herself.

But of course, Shinichi was able to see Mikoto and the old man approach.

His eyes back then were just as cold as they were now.

F-Fu fu fu, and just as I said earlier, didnt you do the same?

Perhaps, shed shaken off some of the shock, or perhaps, shed merely forced herself to be calm, but Mikoto glared at Shinichi with a smile while tacitly acknowledging his accusations.

Alas, Shinichis expression wasnt about to change because of a few words on that level.

And just as I said earlier, are you seriously trying to piss me off? Going as far as to politely pretend that you dont understand I see that youre itching to die.