It Became a Time-Stop Slit-Eye

124 – Side Story. Aftermath (3)

Upon returning to the present world, the first thing I did was embrace the person I wanted to see the most.

It wasn’t an embrace with any suggestive undertones, more of a tight hold filled with immense joy.

If one were to categorize the hundreds of subsequent kisses as erotic, well, it couldn’t be helped, but after dealing with adolescent dragon syndrome and troublesome goblins for a dozen years, surely one could embrace a person, right?

If anything, I had endured quite well, deserving a reward.

After concluding such a touching reunion, the next thing on the agenda was to greet the people in Seihei.

“─Shiki!!!”

As soon as the Seihei Lin realized I had returned, she ran towards me with a tear-streaked face.

She clung to me in such a way that it took all day to peel her off, even with Tokomo, who was on duty, finally managing to separate her.

Her face also bore traces of tears, leaving me with just one simple phrase.

“…Welcome back.”

If she hadn’t been sniffling, I might have mistaken the lady I hadn’t seen in a while for a grown woman, but she was still a child.

Well, considering the chaotic scene with the Seihei wailing, it was much better than that.

Their tears and welcoming words became a balm for my soul, welcoming me back.

I felt as if I had finally returned home.

I unpacked my belongings in my clean room, thanks to Tokomo’s efforts, and then proceeded to contact each acquaintance who wasn’t aware of my return.

First, the unjust maiden, Ichinose Hotaru, received the call and was initially stunned before bursting into tears.

She thought I was really dead.

After barely managing to calm her down from her declaration to come in the middle of the night, I hung up.

It was grateful of her determination to come meet me, but it would be awkward if she arrived at the mansion like that.

They say the last thing you should have at a funeral home is a resurrection, and that’s exactly what had happened now.

Goodness, they even had a memorial tablet set up in one corner of the mansion.

With all acquaintances gathering in such a situation, it felt like it would officially turn into a funeral resurrection, so I politely declined any immediate visits to the house.

(Even though it was the day before Christmas, Hashimoto, Kenju, and various other shamanic clans were all eager to come to the mansion.)

I told them to come later in the day, and for the most part, everyone agreed.

However, there was one stubborn and unyielding individual somewhere out there.

“Damn it, Ichimaru Shiki.”

The young wizard Eris, who had supposedly gone to England, absentmindedly listened to my voice and suddenly spat out a curse.

Huh? Is that all you have to say when someone comes back to life and returns?

In my astonishment, a voice full of moisture from the other end of the phone spoke as if chewing its words.

“…You just wait there quietly.”

With a tone that seemed like it could kill me, I obediently replied, “Yes.”

Two minutes later, flight booking information for a plane to Japan was sent via email.

It was a flight arriving on Christmas morning.

“What, scary.”

For some reason, I shivered as if a magician had been angered.

***

Even after that, I tried to contact those I felt close to or deemed important, but unfortunately, there were a few who couldn’t be reached.

Tachibana Sawako, fused with a fox spirit, was one of them, and Minami, a former commander of the Divine Palace Mobile Unit, was another person whose contact had been lost.

Perhaps the latter hadn’t escaped during my disappearance from the world…

I felt they would manage fine on their own, but Sawako, who was relatively sensitive, concerned me.

I tried to track their location with divination magic, but they were nowhere in Japan.

Shwoosh!

Still, seeing the spell work properly reassured me that they were alive.

After finishing all the pre-planned contact and tasks, I finally felt a sense of relief.

It was time to talk to the person right beside me.

While on the call, Sento, who had been by my side the whole time, immediately rushed over as soon as I hung up the phone.

With a pained expression, she clung to my face and body and dared to embrace me without a word.

I accepted her without saying anything.

***

In the misty mountains.

A resonance found its way into the woman perched at the edge of the cliff.

A beautiful voice, like a gem rolling like her beauty, flowed from her lips.

“He has returned.”

Realizing it, Tachibana Sawako quickly folded her nine tails and stood up.