Probably.
They looked so alike that even if she wasn't her mother, they had to be close relatives.
No wonder you'd said "please" this morning. Even the cold and heartless Young Lady Kaguya had something precious she wanted to protect!
"She's my mother."
Shinomiya Kaguya folded her arms across her chest and spoke calmly.
I guessed right.
It really was Mrs. Kaguya.
Amamiya Natsuki's gaze discreetly swept over Young Lady Kaguya's chest.
What a shame.
She hadn't inherited any of Mrs. Kaguya's excellent genes.
"What are you looking at?"
Shinomiya Kaguya narrowed her eyes and tilted her head toward him.
"That sounds like the sort of scheming you'd find in a powerful family." Amamiya Natsuki smoothly changed the subject. "You're not going to lock me in a pitch-black basement afterward, are you?"
"Don't worry." Shinomiya Kaguya tilted her head slightly. "The military developed an amnesia spray a long time ago. I'll let you try it later."
"Any side effects?"
"Your intelligence might regress to a childhood level."
"Please, by all means, use it on me."
"..."
Being able to return to childhood was something countless people dreamed of.
Shinomiya Kaguya cast him an annoyed look with her red eyes, lightly biting her lip before continuing:
"When I was very young, my mother passed away because of heart disease... Yesterday, someone provided information about Earthbound spirits in the Horror Game. It's been on my mind."
I see.
No wonder your expression had looked a little strange then.
No one knew exactly what caused Earthbound spirits to form. But according to the widely circulated belief, after a person died, they might become an Earthbound spirit if they had a strong attachment to the world or an unfulfilled wish.
So... what was Mrs. Kaguya still attached to?
Shinomiya Kaguya's expression remained calm as she gazed at Mrs. Kaguya by the distant floor-to-ceiling window and continued:
"I came by yesterday afternoon and happened to see Mom standing by the window."
"Did you talk to Auntie yesterday?"
Amamiya Natsuki suddenly asked.
"No." Shinomiya Kaguya shook her head. "I don't know what would happen if I spoke to Mom."
She kept the other half of her thoughts to herself.
So many years had passed. Now that she'd suddenly seen her mother, who had become an Earthbound spirit, she didn't know what to say.
"What a shame."
Amamiya Natsuki sounded a little regretful.
If he knew what would happen when he spoke to Mrs. Kaguya, he could brag to Miko about it when he got back.
"Yesterday evening, just as I was about to leave, I suddenly saw a very strange Scythe Evil Spirit." Shinomiya Kaguya narrowed her eyes, a dangerous glint flashing through her wine-red gaze as she said coldly, "That spirit, the one with the scythe, hunts other evil spirits. It's quite dangerous."
What should you do when you encountered danger?
Naturally, you eliminated the threat before it could grow.
Shinomiya Kaguya would never allow that evil spirit to hurt her mother. Her choice was to exorcise it then and there.
"Understood."
Amamiya Natsuki nodded slightly.
There were many kinds of evil spirits in the real world, and they didn't all get along. Disputes and fights between them were common. The "little old men" at the very bottom of the evil spirit world were even captured by some powerful evil spirits and roasted on skewers.
Shinomiya Kaguya gazed silently at Mrs. Kaguya in the distance and said softly:
"I don't know if that Scythe Evil Spirit is here. If it isn't, we can come back tomorrow."
As soon as she finished speaking, Amamiya Natsuki said in a quiet voice:
"Do you mean that evil spirit?"
A figure suddenly emerged from the shadow in the corner. It wore a black cloak and carried an enormous scythe. The edges of its cloak drifted away into the air in wisps, like mist, and its appearance bore a striking resemblance to the Grim Reaper from Western mythology.
As the Scythe Evil Spirit appeared, the air turned cold.
Mrs. Kaguya, who was in her Earthbound spirit form, quickly stood up. A flicker of panic crossed her lovely face as she backed away nervously.
Shinomiya Kaguya's expression hardened. "Natsuki-classmate."
"On it."
Amamiya Natsuki stepped forward and activated his Evil Spirit Repellent Aura.
Transparent flames quickly engulfed the Scythe Evil Spirit, but they burned noticeably slowly, unlike the Head Evil Spirit that liked to hide in refrigerators, which would be burned to nothing in a single breath.
A cold, hoarse howl rang through the air, raising goosebumps.
The Scythe Evil Spirit quickly retreated, passed through the wall, and disappeared.
At the same time, Mrs. Kaguya finally noticed the two people who had been watching her in secret. Her eyes widened slightly, her face showing surprise and curiosity.
"Let's go." Shinomiya Kaguya turned away.
Amamiya Natsuki nodded. Then he suddenly saw Mrs. Kaguya walking toward them.
As they headed downstairs, the two pretended not to see her.
Mrs. Kaguya hurried over to them and tilted her head toward Shinomiya Kaguya. Her expression was confused and bewildered. Then she reached out a slender finger and poked...
Amamiya Natsuki felt a slight chill on his face and was instantly speechless.
Ma'am, your eyesight is terrible!
Your daughter is right beside you. Why are you poking someone else?
"Wait."
Amamiya Natsuki suddenly realized something.
Why could he feel Mrs. Kaguya's cold touch?
And what was that feeling of electricity crackling?
Unlike the Vengeful Spirits in the game, evil spirits in the real world could only be seen. They had no physical form.
You could pass right through an evil spirit as many times as you wanted, as long as you pretended not to see it.
But Mrs. Kaguya was completely different.
The next moment,
a complex Magic circle appeared beneath both Amamiya Natsuki and Mrs. Kaguya. A faint light flashed, and a sudden understanding dawned in Amamiya Natsuki's heart.
At the same time,
the confusion cleared from Mrs. Kaguya's eyes. She sensed the mysterious connection too, and spoke for the first time. Her voice was pleasant, like the clear and melodious sound of strings and pipes:
"...Master."
"M-Master?!"
Shinomiya Kaguya's breath caught. She stared in disbelief, then abruptly turned to look at Amamiya Natsuki, forgetting that Mrs. Kaguya was right beside her.
She definitely hadn't misheard.
Mom had just called him Master!
"Kaguya-classmate, let me explain." A bead of cold sweat slid down Amamiya Natsuki's forehead. He hurriedly said, "Your mother formed a contract on her own just now and became my Guardian Spirit."
He'd never intended to turn your mother into a Guardian Spirit. Your mom had done it on her own!
"Eh, Kaguya-classmate?" Mrs. Kaguya froze. Her gaze fell on Shinomiya Kaguya's face, full of curiosity. "That's exactly the same name as my daughter's."
"Don't just stare at her." Amamiya Natsuki sighed. "She is your daughter."
"Eh? Eh?!"
Mrs. Kaguya covered her mouth with one hand and exclaimed, "Little Kaguya was only three years old! How did she grow up so much in the blink of an eye?"
Amamiya Natsuki turned to Young Lady Kaguya and said softly:
"Here's the good news: you can now cuddle up to Mom as much as you like."
From Now On, You Call Me Mom, and I'll Call You Master
"Earthbound spirits aren't human, after all. They might seem just like they were in life, but they don't actually have any true self-awareness..."
After accidentally contracting Mrs. Kaguya as a Guardian Spirit, Amamiya Natsuki naturally sensed her condition.
"But that's not a problem anymore." Amamiya Natsuki looked at Kaguya. "Guardian spirits are special. Her self-awareness has returned, so she can learn and think without any problems."
"..."
"So I've become a ghost. It doesn't feel any different at all." Mrs. Kaguya's face blossomed into a bright smile. She reached out a slender finger and gently poked Shinomiya Kaguya's pretty cheek. "It feels like I slept for a very, very long time, and when I woke up, Little Kaguya had grown into an adult."
"...Don't do that."
Shinomiya Kaguya took half a step back, avoiding Mrs. Kaguya's finger.
When she was very young, Mrs. Kaguya had passed away from heart disease.
They hadn't seen each other for over a decade, and Shinomiya Kaguya's memories of her mother had long since grown hazy.
They were mother and daughter, but she still couldn't bring herself to get close all at once.
"How... how mean..."
Mrs. Kaguya covered her face with both hands, her shoulders trembling as she began to cry.
"Mom had to leave because of her heart disease. She didn't abandon you on purpose... Little Kaguya must hate Mom, right?"
Shinomiya Kaguya was at a loss for words.
"I don't."
"You do." Mrs. Kaguya sounded even more aggrieved. "Little Kaguya used to smile all the time, but now you can't even manage a smile when you see Mom. You obviously hate me."
"I don't hate you."
"Then give Mom a smile."
Shinomiya Kaguya: "..."
Ever since she became the Ice Kaguya-hime, Shinomiya Kaguya had no idea how long it had been since she last smiled.
Of course, contemptuous sneers didn't count.
Fujiwara Chika sometimes shared jokes with her, then laughed so hard she nearly toppled over, while Shinomiya Kaguya had no idea what was funny. By now... she had even forgotten how to smile.
"But I know." Shinomiya Kaguya pressed a finger to her brow and sighed helplessly. "Stop pretending to cry."
"Mom's not pretending. I just don't have any tears right now." Mrs. Kaguya parted her fingers, revealing one eye. "Little Kaguya, hurry up and smile."
"..."
Shinomiya Kaguya breathed out softly, controlled the corners of her mouth, and managed a stiff smile.
"No, that expression is so stiff. Anyone can tell it's a fake smile." Mrs. Kaguya put her right hand on her hip. "Start over."
Shinomiya Kaguya bit her lower lip. "It's not a fake smile."
Before you continue