Chương 17: Chapter 16: No Different Than Her God
Chapter 16: No Different Than Her God
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"Go meet them? Let's see what they say first."
'I am a bit curious about Utaha's identity, especially since the other person called Princess is also very peculiar.'
In Kaguya's opinion, the group nicknames in this Ten thousand chat group seem closely tied to the identities its members reveal.
Take Tyrant Nero, for example. She is famously known as the tyrant of the Roman Empire, so her group name is straightforward and fitting.
As for herself, Miss Kaguya/Kaguya Sama clearly references her status as the eldest daughter of the Shinomiya Group.
Hayasaka Ai's nickname, Cowardly Crybaby, is none other than the teasing moniker Kaguya gave her.
Yukinoshita Yukino goes by The Perfectionist, which fits her personality, while Yukinoshita Haruno simply uses her own name.
But regardless of their diversity, there is always some undeniable connection between the group name and the individual's identity.
This brings her to Utaha, whose pen name is Kasumi Utako. But what about Princess?
Kaguya, well-acquainted with the prominent figures of modern Japan, found no record of anyone referred to as "Princess." Neither among official organizations, private conglomerates, nor supernatural groups did such a title exist.
So, is this Princess even from Japan? And what is her true identity?
Within the group chat, Kaguya had already tagged Dragon Monster and the Yukinoshita sisters, waiting for Utaha to finish reading the group rules.
[Kasumi Utako: A chat group that connects all the heavens and worlds… is this real? Or fake?]
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In her living room, Utaha sat in stunned silence, processing the existence of the chat group. She and Sora had never imagined such a fantastical thing could exist in the real world.
"However… why is my group name my pen name, but yours is Princess, Sora?" Utaha asked, glancing at Sora with a questioning look.
"That… is a secret," Sora replied after a brief pause.
Recalling the dependent granted to her by Elric, Sora decided to keep this matter hidden. While Elric hadn't explicitly told her to keep it secret, her heart was entirely devoted to him, and she instinctively felt it best not to share the details.
"Fine, forget it."
Realizing the subtle rivalry between herself and Sora had only just begun, Sora decided not to press further. Instead, she turned her attention back to the group, preparing to reply, when Elric returned home.
"Brother."
As soon as Elric entered, Sora walked over to help him take off his coat. Her gentle demeanor made it hard to believe she had been in a tense exchange with Utaha moments earlier.
"Sora, Utaha, are you two all right?" Elric asked, noticing the slightly strained atmosphere between his sister and childhood friend. Unaware of the chat group's existence, he assumed they had argued again. In his memory, Sora and Utaha never seemed to get along.
But he had only gone downstairs to buy an onion. Surely it couldn't have been that serious?
"We didn't quarrel, Brother."
Turning toward Utaha, Sora shot her a subtle look, signaling her to go along with it.
"Yes, no quarrel," Utaha added smoothly, picking up on the cue. "I was just asking Sora if she needed help with her homework. After all, she hasn't been to school for a while because of her health."
Understanding the situation, Utaha refrained from showing any jealousy in front of Elric. She knew full well that no man liked a nagging or overly petty woman. Instead, she resolved to approach him gradually, bit by bit. Perhaps this Ten Thousand world Chat Group could even serve as an opportunity for her.
"It's good there wasn't a quarrel," Elric said, nodding. "Let's get ready for dinner. I'll cook tonight."
With that, Elric headed to the kitchen, brushing off the minor tension between Sora and Utaha. He was well-acquainted with such moments, having experienced countless disputes during his time in the Roman Empire—especially with Nero, who often lost her temper over his concubines.
In his opinion, it was just a little incompatibility in temperament. It wasn't a big problem. After all, there were plenty of good girlfriends who loved and hated each other in equal measure.
Perhaps, in the future, Utaha and Sora might even become very good friends.
"Elric, let me help you."
Having helped with cooking at home since childhood, Utaha's cooking skills were quite good. She began washing and cutting vegetables next to Elric, standing very close to him.
"Bad woman..."
Due to her poor health since childhood, Sora had no experience in cooking. She could only watch as Utaha confidently showed off her skills, which left her feeling annoyed.
"Oh..."
Because of her unique destiny, Sora had an unusually high degree of luck in certain situations.
As conflicting emotions swirled within her, Utaha, while cutting vegetables, accidentally nicked her finger with the knife.
"You cut yourself?"
Seeing Utaha's finger slightly bleeding, Elric quickly grabbed the first-aid kit and carefully bandaged the wound.
The atmosphere between them grew more intimate.
Watching them with a mix of irritation and resignation, Sora began to wonder whether her so-called destiny was truly lucky. Had she inadvertently become someone else's assist?
After dinner…
"Sora, I'll walk Utaha home."
Although Utaha and Elric lived in the same neighborhood, it was already late. Given the recent reports of supernatural activity, Elric felt it necessary to ensure Utaha's safety.
"Go ahead."
Sora glared at Utaha once more, but she wasn't the type of girl who was completely unreasonable. Although her behavior in the original story could sometimes be extreme, it always stemmed from her concern for her loved ones and a strong sense of insecurity.
In this world, however, she trusted Elric completely and had unwavering faith in him. She never doubted for a moment that her brother would stay by her side. So, while she felt a little unhappy, she refrained from acting out.
On the way to Utaha's house…
"Utaha."
"Hmm?"
Under the moonlight, the crisp chill in the air signaled the arrival of early autumn. Feeling the cold, Utaha leaned lightly against Elric.
Noticing the shadows of their figures blending on the ground, she heard him call her name. She thought he might have noticed her subtle action, and a faint blush spread across her face.
"What is it?"
After steadying herself, Utaha asked.
"Let me ask you something—do you believe in the existence of gods?"
During dinner, Elric had been contemplating whether to make Utaha his follower. His divine powers had not yet fully manifested, leaving him in a state of liminality. At this stage, he was both the beast of the apocalypse and the beast of salvation.
Though still in his infancy, Elric held boundless potential for the future. However, to establish a follower, he needed absolute trust from them, not something granted carelessly.
As his childhood friend, Utaha held a special place in his heart. Elric wanted to protect her from any potential harm. Although she had safely navigated the first 18 years of her life, the days ahead were uncertain.
Having seen far too many situations where people celebrated prematurely only to regret later, Elric was determined not to wait until Utaha encountered danger before taking action.
So, he decided to ask her whether she believed in gods. Ideally, she would become his dependent, but if not, he wanted to at least grant her some ability to protect herself.
"Believe in gods?"
Hearing Elric's sudden question, Utaha was momentarily stunned. Then, a serene, almost reverent smile appeared on her delicate face.
"I don't believe in gods, Elric."
She shook her head to indicate her atheism, her tone steady and resolute.
"But..."
Her gaze fixed on him with unyielding intensity, and her voice softened, becoming both firm and fervent, as though imbued with the lightness of a white crane's feathers.
"But if you insist that gods exist, then in my eyes, Elric, you are my god."
To Utaha, Elric—the one who had saved her life—was no different from a divine being.
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