As Shirahoshi, who was not wearing the brainwave amplifier, covered her ears with both hands, closed her eyes, and began trying to communicate with Zunesha, Xie Wen and the cats watching the instruments in front of them diverted some of their attention to her.
Even Inuarashi and Cat Viper, who had been withdrawn until then, regained a little energy and looked over.
Only Robin remained focused on the Poneglyph.
A moment later, Shirahoshi abruptly opened her eyes. "I got a response!"
After cheering in delight, she suddenly froze, then turned to Xie Wen. "Um... Boss Xie Wen, what should I say to Zunesha?"
"..."
Xie Wen rolled his eyes speechlessly. As he recorded the changes in the readings on the instrument before him, he answered, "Just ask what happened eight hundred years ago, why Joy Boy apologized to the previous mermaid princess, and why Zunesha was punished. Things like that."
He was not actually all that interested in those questions, but since they had made contact anyway and had nothing else to do, they might as well ask.
Having received her instructions, Shirahoshi immediately closed her eyes tightly again and resumed communicating with Zunesha.
This exchange took considerably longer. Even after Robin finished translating the red Road Poneglyph, Shirahoshi still had not opened her eyes. Judging by her tightly pursed lips and trembling body, she seemed to have heard something extraordinary.
After another while, Shirahoshi finally opened her eyes slowly. But her expression was blank and her eyes unfocused, as though she had been scared senseless. She had even forgotten to lower the hands covering her ears.
"Shirahoshi! Are you all right?!" Although Jinx Meow usually had a sharp tongue, she still cared a great deal about this "little sidekick" who kept changing her opinion of her. She tossed aside