Chapter 27

But the condition for being sealed was to raise her affection for Shido. Put simply, Lingmeng had to fall in love with him, and that made her uncomfortable.

The thought of two grown men acting lovey-dovey made Lingmeng's scalp prickle.

"How will we know whether your affection can reach the level needed for the seal unless we try? Lingmeng, please give me a chance! I promise I'll help you."

Shido thumped his chest and spoke with conviction.

"Don't be ridiculous. I don't need saving. I appreciate the thought, but you'd be better off putting that energy into other Spirits.

"Because I really can't feel anything for you beyond friendship."

Lingmeng gave a rueful laugh, sounding drained.

"But..." Shido seemed about to say more, but Lingmeng cut him off.

"Listen to me. Just go home. I'm sure Kotori won't do anything to you. If I'm right, they pressured you into agreeing to this, didn't they?"

"I was sort of pressured into it, but I genuinely want to save you!

"You've never told me, but I know there's something weighing on your mind, Lingmeng!"

Lingmeng froze at his words.

That worked. Seeing a reaction, Shido decided to press on.

"My birth mother abandoned me when I was little. Ever since then, I've been especially sensitive to other people's negative emotions.

"I knew from the moment we met that, even though you're warm toward people, you deliberately keep your distance from them. Why is that, Lingmeng?"

"Stop talking." Lingmeng clenched her fists as she faced Shido.

"Shido Itsuka, let me tell you this: even if the AST blows me up, even if I jump off Ratatoskr and die out there, I, Qian Lingmeng, will never go on a date with you!"

With that, Lingmeng touched Shido's right shoulder with her right hand. He vanished from where he stood.

Staring at the empty spot in front of her, Lingmeng muttered,

"Was I too harsh on Shido? Well, even so, it's better than letting him get hurt because of me, right?"

Then Lingmeng strolled back into the Hotel...

"Huh? How did I end up back home?" Shido looked around in bewilderment, talking to himself.

"Whoa! Shido, how did you appear like that? That was amazing! ('.?ω?.｀)"

Tohka cried out in excitement at Shido's sudden appearance.

"What happened, Shido? Didn't I tell you to ask Lingmeng on a date? Why are you back?" Kotori asked, frowning beneath her black hair ribbon.

"I... I don't know what happened either. All I remember is Lingmeng touching my shoulder, and then I was back here," Shido explained helplessly.

"Looks like she teleported you back with her power. Instant teleportation... that's scary." Kotori popped a Chupa Chups into her mouth. "But that's not important. Did Lingmeng agree to go on a date with you?"

"Sorry... I think I failed. She couldn't have been more direct about it..."

Shido scratched his cheek with a bitter smile.

"You probably said something that upset her." Kotori gave him a teasing look. "Typical Shido. Can't you do anything right without Ratatoskr's help?"

"..." Shido's face fell. "Maybe not... At least not when it comes to dating..."

Truthfully, Shido had thought success was in the bag. He hadn't expected Lingmeng's reaction to be so different from what he'd imagined.

"Oh? You admitted it just like that? Usually you'd argue back at least a little."

Kotori looked at Shido in surprise.

Just then, Tohka puffed out her cheeks and complained.

"Shido, Kotori, what are you two talking about? I don't understand any of it!"

"It's nothing... Just something minor," Shido said awkwardly.

"Don't lie to me! I heard you talking about Lingmeng. I don't know what you were saying, but if you're planning to hurt her, I'll be angry!"

Tohka raised her hands like claws and put on what she thought was her fiercest expression. To Shido and Kotori, though, she only looked adorable.

"We're not trying to hurt Lingmeng..." Shido turned to Kotori. "What do we do now?"

Kotori merely sighed and waved a hand.

"Well, Shido, you'd better tell Tohka about Lingmeng. It'll be a mess if we end up upsetting both of them."

"All right..." Shido turned back to Tohka and reluctantly explained everything...

There Goes My Living Money!

"Wow, the weather's gorgeous today!"

The next morning, Lingmeng stepped out of the Hotel and stretched beneath the clear blue sky.

"Well, a lot happened yesterday, but I might as well forget it. With weather this nice, I'll walk around town and clear my head."

Lingmeng left the Hotel and headed for the streets.

Not long after she left, a figure emerged from behind the Hotel wall.

Seeing that Lingmeng was gone, the figure hurried after her.

"Oh? Looks like some clingy little pest has taken a liking to me."

Walking down the street, Lingmeng narrowed her eyes and smiled. She had noticed her pursuer long ago.

A stalker, or something else? Well, it doesn't matter.

Lingmeng didn't know why this person kept following her, but she decided to have some fun. She was terribly bored anyway.

"Let's see if you can keep up with this."

Her expression sharpened, and she launched into a difficult run of parkour through the crowd.

Her pursuer refused to be outdone. Moments later, she followed at a pace only slightly slower than Lingmeng's.

"Wow, she's good. She's keeping up even when I'm running this fast. A world champion couldn't do much better, could they?"

Lingmeng was a little surprised to find her pursuer still on her heels. Anyone who could keep pace with her, a Spirit, was no ordinary person.

"I'm getting bored. Time to end this chase." Lingmeng yawned as she ran.

Clearly, she'd had enough of the whole "catch me if you can, and I'll let you have your fun" game.

Lingmeng spotted an alley ahead and dashed into it without a word. Her pursuer went straight in after her.

"What? Where did she go?" The woman following Lingmeng had entered the alley, but Lingmeng was nowhere to be seen.

"I definitely saw her come in here..." The woman shook her head in confusion.

"Hey, why have you been following me?" Lingmeng had appeared behind the woman without warning. She leaned close and whispered into her ear.

Lingmeng wrapped her left arm around the woman's body and pressed her right hand, shaped like a gun, to her temple. A mischievous grin spread across her face.

"Ling... Lingmeng, it's me!" the woman said.

"Huh?" Lingmeng froze at the sound of her voice. She'd heard it before.

While Lingmeng stood stunned, the woman slipped free of her hold and turned around.

Only then did Lingmeng realize that the person following her was none other than her friend, Tohka Yatogami—

"Tohka? What are you doing here?"

Lingmeng stared at Tohka in surprise, but soon composed herself. Come to think of it, aside from the Wizards, only another Spirit could probably keep up with her.

"I just wanted to tell you something, Lingmeng..."

"What is it?" Lingmeng asked, puzzled.

"I..." Tohka was about to speak when her stomach suddenly growled.

Grrr... Tohka put a hand on her stomach and lowered her head in embarrassment.

Lingmeng's mouth twitched at the sight.

"Tohka, don't tell me you haven't eaten yet."

"Mm... I didn't know when you'd come out..." Tohka nodded sheepishly.

"Fine... want me to buy you something to eat?" Lingmeng asked, rubbing her head.

"Really? Can you? ('.?ω?.｀)"

Tohka perked up the instant Lingmeng offered to feed her.

"Yeah... but don't go overboard. I'm almost out of money..."

"Okay, I won't!"

"Let's go, then..."

"Mmm—these steamed buns are delicious!"

Lingmeng had brought Tohka to a steamed bun shop. The moment they arrived, Tohka ordered more than a dozen buns and started wolfing them down.

"Ah, Tohka, that's enough. If you keep eating, I'll go broke." Lingmeng looked haggard as she watched Tohka's beaming face, then glanced at her wallet.

The instant she opened it, Lingmeng thought she saw something fly out.

The God of Wealth: "This humble god takes his leave."

"No! Don't go! Come back! (T ^ T)" Lingmeng cried, tears streaming down her face.

"Ahh, I'm maybe sixty percent full." Tohka patted her stomach contentedly. "What's wrong, Lingmeng? You look like the world's about to end."

"Nothing. I'm just wondering how I'm supposed to survive the next few days on five hundred yen..."

Lingmeng stared at the lone five-hundred-yen coin left in her wallet. She was devastated.

Damn it! How am I supposed to live on this? Do I really have to sell myself?

Lingmeng wished someone kind would take her in right then. She'd do anything for food, a place to stay, and a little spending money!

"Anyway, Tohka... didn't you have something to tell me? What was it...?"

Lingmeng asked, looking utterly defeated.

"Oh, right! I remember." Tohka nodded as if it had just come back to her. "Shido and Kotori told me everything. I had no idea you were a Spirit too, Lingmeng!"

"A what?" The bun shop owner glanced over, puzzled.

"Uh... nothing. Please, carry on. We'll be leaving now." Lingmeng awkwardly pulled Tohka into a quiet corner.

"Hey, Tohka, didn't Shido and Kotori tell you not to talk about Spirits in front of outsiders?"

Lingmeng spoke to Tohka in agitation.

"I think they did, but I forgot." Tohka gave her an innocent smile.

"...That sounds like you, all right." Lingmeng's mouth twitched. "There's no one here. Go on."

"Mm!" Tohka's expression grew serious. "Lingmeng, I want you to go on a date with Shido!"

"...Why are you bringing this up? Did Shido or Kotori ask you to?"

"No. I came to see you on my own. Shido and Kotori had nothing to do with it..."

Tohka waved her hands, hurrying to explain.

"Shido seemed upset yesterday. When I asked him about it, he told me everything.

"I don't know why you won't date Shido, but I know life must be hard for you. I understand because I went through it before Shido sealed me."

Well, in a way, life really is hard for me, whether I'm a Spirit or an ordinary girl.

Lingmeng glanced again at her wallet, which couldn't have been any flatter.