I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

Multiplying the two together, they created what is perhaps the most 'mysterious' existence in Kiwatos.

"Greetings...Sensei."

The girl, sitting on the offering box, gently tapped her pipe, scattering the ash. She didn't seem to intend to get up to greet him, but instead expressed her courtesy in a way that was unique to her.

With a flick of her sleeve, Amamiya felt a gentle breeze brush against her face, and a refreshing fragrance mixed with a faint cherry blossom scent entered her nostrils.

Amamiya had expected to smell a strange odor of smoke... but now it seemed that the 'pipe' in Kuzunoha's hand was probably not burning real tobacco, but something that seemed to be something else, with some kind of extraordinary properties.

This olfactory sensation reminded Amamiya of the natural landmark of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons—the "Sacred Tree".

Putting aside the magnificent castle tower style of the main academy building, the overall architectural style of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons has a very 'countryside' feel.

The buildings are on average low and have a modern feel; you can see the "sacred tree" from almost anywhere as soon as you step outside.

Even before, when she was "dating" Izuna, Amamiya had a similar association and speculation about Gensokyo with Kamiki—"Saigyou Ayakashi".

(Chapter 6 of the Holy Grail)

"Welcome...to this place."

“Sensei, you must be looking for me, yet you have never set out…”

"Now that we've 'met' each other in a dream, what are your thoughts?"

Although her voice was full of laughter, upon closer listening, Amamiya clearly sensed a subtle 'resentment'.

At once……

It has a questioning tone, like, "Didn't you say you were going to visit me? Why did I have to drag you here myself?"

Amamiya did not reply immediately, but instead stepped over the torii gate.

A thin ripple spread around him, as if he had passed through a barrier made of shallow water.

As he passed through the barrier, Amamiya used his [Third Eye] to confirm something.

[Assistant: Kuzuha/Source of a Hundred Flowers]

[Arcana: Advisor (LCONSOLTANT)]

[Assistance Relationship: Not Unlocked]

Hmm... It's exactly the same as what I observed with my third eye when we bumped into each other at the cherry blossom festival before.

"What are your thoughts...?"

After briefly glancing at the tip of Kuzunoha's swaying tail, Amamiya hesitated for a moment before replying in a tone similar to Kuzunoha's: "Seeing is believing."

【~???~】(Kudzu leaf)

"……hehe."

Noticing the change in Amamiya's gaze, Kuzuha paused for a moment, then chuckled unexpectedly and shook his head.

"That's true. 'Seeing is believing'..."

"I share the same view on Sensei."

Supporting herself on the offering box, Ge Ye no longer sat with her legs crossed in a condescending manner. She leaped lightly and landed steadily in front of Amamiya.

"Now... the time has finally come to meet you. However, my impression of you has changed somewhat."

"However... this change may not be a bad thing."

With a slight bow to express his greeting, Kuzuha, his expression inexplicably languid and cheerful, began his true 'first meeting self-introduction'.

"Nice to meet you...Sensei."

"You may already know some of my past... but as a matter of courtesy, I will give a brief introduction."

"I am the first chairperson of the Hundred Flowers Conflict Mediation Committee... I have spent hundreds of years in Kivotos."

After pausing briefly and observing Amamiya's unchanging, calm expression, Kuzuha showed a slight disappointment, as if he had expected it.

"...I knew it."

"This kind of self-introduction... is not enough to impress Sensei."

"A few hundred years is a long time for Kivotos... but a short time for you."

"I realize that my experiences over the past few hundred years are perhaps just a drop in the ocean to you, so when I talk about it... I can't help but feel a little ashamed."

Only now did Amamiya, who had been calm, finally smile and ask in a teasing tone, "Then why did you still try it?"

"How can one be certain whether a 'foreseen' future can be changed without trying? Sensei has already presented several special artifacts related to 'past and future,' how could he not understand this better than I do?"

"Those who 'foresee the future' are more likely to become trapped, captured and imprisoned by that future they can foresee but cannot change, and then give up in despair. But if one 'sees,' then it means there is a possibility of 'change.'"

He is also a riddle-maker with classic philosophical attributes.

Meeting the girl's gaze, which was both distant and attentive, yet filled with undisguised longing and affection, Amamiya calmly nodded.

"That's true."

"Without trying... there is talk of change through negotiation."

【~???~】

"Well then... let's get down to business as soon as possible."

Ge Ye took a half step back, let out a soft "heh," and then changed the subject.

“Sensei… The main reason you want to find me is because of the ‘prophecy’ you heard from the ‘prophet’ of the Holy Trinity, isn’t it?”

"And... why did 'colorization' come about?"

A more sophisticated 'riddler' is like this... occasionally enjoys talking to himself.

Amamiya nodded.

"Can we talk about it now?"

Ge Ye smiled brightly: "You have already scattered those 'sparks' throughout Kiwatos... waiting for the 'spark' to mature."

"Since we're already prepared, what's there to hide?"

After saying that, Kuzuha did not immediately start to say anything useful. Instead, he shaded his eyes with his hand and made a gesture of looking up at the sky above the shrine.

The sky, which was just beginning to lighten, turned into a deep twilight in the blink of an eye.

As the rosy hues of dawn faded across the sky, a morning star, a guardian of the night, gradually shone brightly.

""Star"."

"In the Arcana mysticism that you are familiar with... it symbolizes 'hope.'"

Turning her gaze away, Kuzuha looked tenderly at Amamiya and spoke softly:

"Your continuous efforts and sowing... have been aimed at this goal. Now, it is about to be realized."

"The night may be long... but the stars will always shine."

"However, even the brightest stars will fade away at dawn."

"You will pave the way and become that silver star with its cold, sharp light."

“You will illuminate the abyss, and you will inevitably be stained with the color of the abyss.”

"However, the moment of contact with the abyss will become the wedge for the rebirth of the sun."

"No need to worry. I will always be by your side."

"This is true today, and it will be true in the future."

The second card is meaningless if you don't use it when you should!

The faint sound of laughter lingers in my ears, and a unique fragrance remains in my nostrils.

"Sensei...Sensei?!~"

"Mmm...Sen~sei~!"

"Get up! It's time to prepare breakfast for Alona!"

"And...where's today's strawberry milk?!"

The lingering feeling in the dream was so real that Amamiya even felt a sense of 'being in another world'.

Scratching her hair as she got up, Amamiya yawned and picked up the Shitei no Hako from the bedside table. Across the distance of a screen, she looked at the blue-haired AI girl inside the box, whose eyes sparkled and who held two colorful files in her hands.

After capturing Amamiya's figure with the front-facing camera, the AI ​​girl breathed a slight sigh of relief, then smiled mischievously, waved the two colored files in her hand with ill intent, and began to negotiate terms in a seductive tone.

"Sensei~ Look what this is."

"Color files... What's wrong?"

Arona paused in her shaking of the file, then puffed out her cheeks slightly in dissatisfaction and corrected, "This isn't just a colored file, it's... a student file that Arona carefully selected from thousands of submissions, a 'limited' file!"

Amamiya became slightly intrigued: "...Oh?"

"Which two students do these two files point to?"

Arona didn't answer, but chuckled and put her hands behind her back, while also keeping her distance to make sure she wouldn't be suddenly patted on the head or have her cheek rubbed.

Repeating the action of 'standing on tiptoe' and swaying up and down, Alona cunningly began to make demands.

"...As long as Sensei prepares a new breakfast for Alona during this period, Alona will give both files to Sensei!"

"And...Arona will also unlock the new 'Shiting's Box' feature for Sensei!"

Amamiya instantly perked up, squinting as he weighed the Shitei no Kita in his hand.

After listening to riddles in her dreams all night, Alona had an unusual reaction today...

What is going on?

"Alright, alright..." Amamiya said with a doting expression, "I really can't do anything with you. I'll go cook for Alona now and keep my promise, okay..."

The reason for this 'promise' is mainly because Alona and Sofia previously helped with the initial calculation of Valkyrie's accounts.

At that time... both Arona and Sofia were dizzy from being overwhelmed by the massive amount of data, and looked like they had 'burned out'.

Then, Alona made a request for a 'reward'.

Well, it's not some outrageous request like 'accepting the injection of large amounts of human genetic data parameters'.

It was just a very simple request... 'For the next week, whatever breakfast Alona wants, as long as it's within Sensei's capabilities, Sensei will make it for her.'

Speaking of which... even if Arona requests the injection of human genetic parameters, such a request is probably a bit risky for Arona... and for Shiting's own 'body'.

After all, from a less rigorous data analysis perspective, the amount of 'data injection' into human genetic parameters is terrifying.

A single instance is already beyond the reach of any typical data storage device.

"What does Arona want to eat today?"

Amamiya placed the Shitei Box at a peculiar angle that allowed the front-facing camera to be stably exposed on the shoulder bag, and then took the Shitei Box to the kitchen.

"Well……"

When the time came, Alona hesitated.

"Alona recently saw a food sharing post from a student of the Classic of Mountains and Seas, who seemed to say that 'Strawberry Mapo Tofu' was delicious and recommended trying it... Sensei, can I make that?"

Amamiya: "...?"

When Alona uttered a description whose meaning he himself didn't understand when put together, his brain went blank for a moment.

What is strawberry Mapo Tofu?

How could there be such horrible and bizarre cuisine in the world?

Amamiya didn't reply immediately, so Alona continued talking to herself: "Also, this post that's currently at the top of the Classic of Mountains and Seas forum seems to be all positive reviews..."

"Since there are so many positive reviews, it must be delicious, right?"

Amamiya: "..."

Not necessarily.

Sometimes, a flood of positive reviews isn't necessarily a good thing.