Chapter 182
However, the abnormality itself is not scary.
What's scary is--
"Can I really... make my father consider me his child? It seems I didn't even inherit my mother's good qualities..."
Oh no, my little devil, I was just joking, don't overreact, okay? Now I'm really going to die.
When Hibino Hibiki, her voice trembling with sobs, Suhou Nao felt as if he were truly being killed on a spiritual level by those around him.
What should I do? Neither my boss nor my older sister told me how to do this. If it were Dead Apostle, they would have killed them already!
Or maybe we should invite Xiao Xiang to watch a few more B-movies? Or just let her try the Tabasco sauce we're carrying?
Just then, Ritsuka Fujimaru had been watching from the sidelines for a while, stepped forward.
"Um... Xiao Xiang, as your senior, although I'm not very clear about your family situation, please hear me out."
The red-haired girl's voice was very gentle, and it was clear that she was carefully choosing her words.
Please do not doubt your own importance. You were born into this mysterious world amidst cheers, and then you cried tears of joy at seeing your parents' smiles. As parents, your hearts must be filled with joy and happiness at the arrival of your child.
Although I can't always be with you for various reasons, I'm sure I'm watching you grow up in the shadows, through spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
No matter the season, you are essential to your parents.
To them, you are proof that they once lived.
Hibino Hibiki up upon hearing this, wiped away her tears, and gazed at Ritsuka Fujimaru, who was smiling before her.
Then, as Holy Scripture, she sensed something, something that felt strangely familiar, something that seemed to have happened thousands of years ago. This caused her to cry out softly, like a newborn child—
"Wow..."
Hibino Hibiki seemed to see a similar quality in Ritsuka Fujimaru before her as in the black-haired woman who had suddenly flashed through her mind.
Although she didn't know who the black-haired woman was, she felt a strange sense of disgust, as if the woman had done something very bad, but she also felt a certain sense of familiarity with her.
In short, Hibino Hibiki, and she had returned to her usual 'little Sun's self.
As for the 'Culprit' Suhou Nao, he'll probably be looked at as 'scum' by everyone in the shop for a long time.
That night, after finishing work at the Coffee Shop, Hibino Hibiki returned alone to her Western-Style Mansion. She looked somewhat confused as she stretched out her hand at the Great Gate.
"... Zu, Kouhaku? You're back?"
In Hibino Hibiki's memory, this place was originally where she and Kouhaku lived together, but because Kouhaku said he was going on a trip, she actually lived there alone for a long time.
In Hibino Hibiki's view, the fact that the Great Gate was open meant that Kouhaku had returned, and with the promised... father!
This excited her, so even though she didn't get a response, the girl immediately opened the door.
"Elder sister."
"... Huh?"
However, the person who appeared before Hibino Hibiki was not her beloved father, but someone who looked exactly like her, except for the difference in hair and eye color. They looked like sisters at first glance.
Hibino Hibiki has Orange Hair and Orange Eyes, while this person has purple hair and heterochromia.
Just like the weather outside, the Western-Style Mansion was also shrouded in a gray, overcast sky. The only light source was the moonlight streaming through the windows; there was no modern technology to illuminate it, as if everything else had been extinct.
Sister? She's calling me sister? Is she my younger sister? I don't have a younger sister... I have absolutely no memory of her...
Although I was confused, the person in front of me looked very much like a real person, and that couldn't be faked.
"... Who are you?"
After a brief moment of shock, Hibino Hibiki her courage and asked.
The purple-haired girl did not respond immediately, but stared at Hibino Hibiki's chest like a doll, and then her own chest began to glow.
"Let's show it off."
"Show? Show what?" Only then did Hibino Hibiki realize that the purple-haired girl's chest wasn't just being illuminated by moonlight, but was actually glowing.
Your chest... is glowing.
"Sister, you should understand what's inside."
"I see..."
In that instant, Hibino Hibiki seemed to recall something and continued speaking.
"Your body is artificial, but your true self resides within that chest."
The purple-haired girl nodded noncommittally.
"Magecraft, Faith. 'It' is a unique fantasy that people tirelessly pursue to merge these two. 'It' is neither a precious Book recording divine pronouncements, nor..."
As if it were something she already knew by heart, Hibino Hibiki subconsciously chimed in:
"... and it is not a tangible thing either."
Seeing her like this, the purple-haired girl, who resembled a doll, smiled slightly.
"It is Holy Scripture completed thousands of years ago, yet hidden deep within Labyrinth. People have attempted to recreate it based on the few remaining fragments of its contents, and that is..."
"That's... you."
As latecomers attempting to replicate a unique miracle, they are also --
A counterfeit born from the Holy Scripture Tera Ding of 'Love of God'.
"False Scripture, that's my name, but just as you're now called Hibino Hibiki, you can call me Marie Antoinette Muller."
Marie Antoinette gave a slight bow, but unlike the gesture of politeness, her entire being exuded an aura of battle.
The Latin 'Mirabilis' has meanings such as "wonderful," "magical," "strange," and "miracle."
"I was born to become someone like my older sister. In that case, hey, older sister, aren't we like sisters?"
"So, I'm the older sister, and you're the younger sister?"
"Yes, but it's not enough. Like a lost chapter, there are still missing parts. If I can merge with the light within my sister, then my existence will finally be complete... and I will truly become my father's child."
Marie Antoinette, like a doll, spoke words that were enough to freeze one's very being just by hearing them.
The bone-chilling cold traveled directly through the spine to the brain, numbing even the ability to think.
Hibino Hibiki felt her emotions burning fiercely like a flame.
"Since that's the case, then let's fight! I won't let you devour me so easily, little sister! Activate, Holy Scripture Mode!"
"False Scripture, activate."
Romania.
"... You mean to say that the Holy Scripture Tera Ding has taken on human form and recognizes me as her father?"
Novia stared in astonishment at Kouhaku, who had contacted her through the Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg.
Although he knew back then that the Holy Scripture Tera Ding would transform into a girl named Hibino Hibiki, he never expected that he would be mistaken for a father figure...
Wasn't this all caused by Kouhaku? No matter how you look at it, shouldn't we acknowledge Kouhaku as our father?
It can't be that because he proposed the concept in the first place, Kouhaku research to begin along this path centuries earlier, and that's why the Holy Scripture acknowledge him as the father who brought it into existence?
Novia felt she was pretty close to the truth, but it didn't really matter. Since Hibino Hibiki considered her her father and wanted to meet him, it wouldn't be a big deal for her to go and see him.
"But Kouhaku, since Xiao Xiang thinks I'm her father, then who is her mother?"
Therefore, even Novia was curious about who the Holy Scripture recognized as her mother. Among this group of people, only Nero, Sesshouin, and Sion had contact with the Holy Scripture... However, Sion had little contact with them and could be basically ignored. Therefore, the candidate was to be chosen from Nero and Sesshouin.
"This..."
In truth, even Kouhaku himself couldn't say for sure who the parents mentioned in the Holy Scripture were. He could only speculate that the father was most likely Novia, and as for the mother... could it really be Kiara Sessyoin, as he suspected?
Although this is a highly probable event, Kouhaku really doesn't dare let Hibino Hibiki know that her mother is this kind of person; the contrast would be too great.
No, that's not true Xiao Xiang, it's not impossible for you to consider Nero as your mother. At least your personalities match—you're both lively and cheerful...
After some thought, Kouhaku said somewhat uncertainly:
"Hmm... Xiao Xiang didn't tell me exactly who it was, but it should be Nero, Sekiro, or one of Kisshouin's two..."
"Alright then."
Novia nodded.
He wasn't too surprised, since that was exactly what he had in mind.
"I'll take them to Tokyo to meet Xiao Xiang."
255: A limping Dove (4k5)
"Teacher, do you mean the Holy Scripture took human form and regarded Teacher as their father?"
In a hotel in Japan Bunkyo Ward Tokyo, Draco stared incredulously at Novia and Kisshouin.
She never expected that Novia had brought her and Kisshouin to Japan for this reason. She thought it was her Teacher's way of making it up to her, which was why they had arranged this special trip... But in reality, they were there to see her adopted daughter.
This is normal, though. After all, Novia still owes Altrouge Brunestud a solo trip, since the Fourteenth Ancestor Van-Fem, invited them to Monaco to treat them well.
"Yes, Codex Trithemius took human form without Kouhaku's knowledge, and Kouhaku named her Hibino Hibiki. She's currently a High School student and also works part-time at a Coffee Shop. Kouhaku said Xiao Xiang really wanted to see me and her mother, so I brought you here."
To be honest, if Novia wasn't so unsure which of the two women was Xiao Xiang's mother, she would have only brought one person. Otherwise, she couldn't very well just tell them upon meeting, "These women are actually all Xiao Xiang's mothers..." It felt very awkward.
However, Novia actually planned to introduce everyone except Draco and Kisshouin, but she would wait until she found out who Xiao Xiang's mother was before starting, giving them a buffer period first.
Who is Hibino Hibiki's mother?
Unsurprisingly, the petite blonde girl asked the first question everyone who learned about it.
Furthermore, during the questioning, her gaze inadvertently drifted to the Black-Haired Girl lying on the bed beside her, quietly reading a book. Seemingly noticing Draco's gaze, Kisshouin covered half her face with the Book and then whispered somewhat embarrassedly:
"No... it couldn't be me, could it? Xiao Xiang's mother, something like this..."
"Oh, that's not necessarily true."
Draco, amused by Kisshouin's affected manner, waved his hand dismissively.
Her nonchalant actions, seemingly indifferent, actually made the room's lights reflect an ominous aura through her red Dragon Tail, which concealed a murderous intent.
"Could it be that Miss Draco already considers him her child? If he's not the headmaster's child... that's such a shame," Kisshouin said with a smile. "However, before Miss Draco heard this news from Lord Novia, she probably didn't even know what the Holy Scripture were~"
Upon hearing this, the petite blonde girl gritted her teeth.
Indeed, up until Novia spoke up, she had absolutely no idea what the Holy Scripture were.
After all, she participated in Nero's Birthday, but at that time, the perfection of the Codex Trithemius was still a long way off, so she didn't pay much attention to it. Therefore, she couldn't refute what Kisshouin said.
However, in reality, the Codex Trithemius itself is the concept of 'Love of God' created by Kouhaku based on the concept proposed by Novia in the past, which is based on the idea of Saint from many Church. So Draco is indeed related to it. As for Kisshouin himself, he was simply recognized but did not participate in it.
Did Draco find out about this? It seems not.
Then, completely disregarding Draco's murderous intent, Kisshouin continued:
"I wonder if Xiao Xiang will just jump on me like she did back then... Oh dear, this is so embarrassing. Is it really okay for me to be mistaken for a mother like this? I hope the police won't call me. Although, if Miss Draco were a mother, she would probably do the same..."
"Heh, Kisshouin, you're really something, you're so annoying to look at..."
Draco's cheek twitched, and the corners of his eyes slanted upwards as he uttered cold words.
The beast, possessing the power of a first- Planet, made no attempt to conceal its Desire to kill, a fact that Kisshouin, who was identified as the target, clearly sensed.
She understood that even in her adult form and using the Holy Scripture, she might not be a match for him, but—
"Lord Novia, Miss Draco was acting so horrible! Did I say something by accident? It's okay if Xiao Xiang's mother isn't me, as long as she's Lord Novia's child, I can accept it..."
While I may not be a match for you, Draco, neither is Draco a match for Lady Novia. With Lady Novia by your side, what can you, Draco, possibly do?
However, Kisshouin herself couldn't say whether the mother the Holy Scripture required her to acknowledge was herself, with whom she had the longest contact, or Draco, with whom she had some past relationship...
According to Lord Novia, Xiao Xiang has a very lively personality, like the Sun. This seems quite similar to Draco's personality during his Nero era, when he was still reluctant to admit he was Nero. As for Draco's current personality...?
He's just arrogant and nothing to worry about, except for his strength.
"Ugh."
Draco growled in frustration, her previously savage expression vanishing. She looked as if she was about to cry, but she wouldn't allow herself to show it. She immediately wagged her tail vigorously, forcing herself to appear angry.
Damn it! If it weren't for the fact that your Teacher had become Star Class being, I would have made sure you never even saw me again. How dare you act so arrogantly in front of me?