On the night he returned from Scott Outpost, Lin Shuo made a decision.
Water splashed in the bathroom, where Lin You was humming an off-key nursery rhyme-one her "future mom" had taught her, supposedly the theme song from some old cartoon.
Lin Shuo sat on the edge of the bed and opened the system interface.
[Limited-time quest "Lin You's identity" completed. Distributing rewards-] [Control over One-Tail Shukaku acquired. Current form: juvenile (capable of growth). Special settings: initial affinity toward the host and host-designated friendly units MAX, hostility reduced to zero.] [Summon now?]
Lin Shuo thought for a moment and selected "Yes."
The air fell still for a second.
Then the floor beside his bed began to glow pale gold.
The light gathered, took shape, and finally solidified into a... fluffy ball.
He was only about the size of a small dog, his sandy-yellow fur as fluffy as a freshly baked cream puff.
Violet markings covered his round body, resembling some ancient Sealing Jutsu formula.
Two triangular ears twitched slightly, and his open eyes were a clear amber-blinking sleepily at that moment.
He yawned, revealing tiny fangs.
"...Shukaku?"
Lin Shuo called tentatively.
The ball of fluff turned his head, stared at him for three seconds, and then-
"Pukyu!"
He made a cute sound somewhere between a purr and a lip smack, set his four stubby legs in motion, and tottered over to Lin Shuo's feet to rub his head against his trouser leg.
Lin Shuo fell silent.
The Shukaku he remembered was supposed to be a giant tanuki over thirty meters tall, foul-tempered and constantly calling himself "the great me."
Not this... adorable thing that looked like it could sell for three thousand Denny in a pet shop.
[Note: the juvenile form was automatically adjusted to suit the host's current living environment. Power retention: 100%. Energy compression efficiency: 300%. Daily consumption reduced by 90%. The host may raise him without concern. In addition, due to assimilation by this world, Shukaku will give off an Ether presence.]
The system's supplementary explanation popped up right on cue.
Lin Shuo crouched down and reached out to stroke Shukaku's head.
His fur was softer than expected, carrying a faint, warm scent like sunbaked sand.
Shukaku narrowed his eyes and purred contentedly.
"From now on, I'll call you 'Little Shukaku.'"
Lin Shuo said, "Stay in this form at home. Outside... we'll see."
"Pukyu!" Little Shukaku nodded, his tail-short though it was-wagging happily.
The bathroom door opened.
"Daddy, I'm done-wow!!!"
Lin You rushed out wrapped in a bath towel, her wet red hair still dripping, her green eyes wide.
"What is that?! So cute!!!"
She practically pounced on him.
Little Shukaku shrank back in fright, but after noticing a scent marker on Lin You similar to Lin Shuo's, he relaxed again and tilted his head curiously.
"He's..." Lin Shuo chose his words carefully. "An old... trophy of mine. He counts as a pet now."
"A pet?!" Lin You crouched down and cautiously reached out. "Can I pet him?"
Little Shukaku offered his head.
"Aaah, so soft!!" Lin You scooped him into her arms and buried her face in his fur, rubbing against him. "Daddy, you actually keep something this cute! Why didn't you tell me sooner!"
"...I only brought him home today."
"Does he have a name?"
"Little Shukaku."
"Little Shukaku~" Lin You cupped his face and pressed her forehead against his. "I'm Lin You! We're family from now on!"
A glimmer of intelligence flashed in Shukaku's eyes. He gave a soft "pukyu" and stuck out his tongue to lick the tip of Lin You's nose.
"Hahaha, that tickles!"
Watching the girl and tanuki tumble into a heap on the tatami, Lin Shuo rubbed his brow.
Another mouth to feed at home.
Even if he was a Tailed Beast, his juvenile form probably needed food, right? What did he eat? Cat food? Or sand?
He opened the system interface and found Shukaku's care instructions.
[Diet: ordinary food is sufficient; prefers sweets. Energy is replenished primarily through natural absorption of ambient Ether. No additional feeding required.]
That was a relief.
"Lin You," Lin Shuo said. "You can't bring Little Shukaku to Kaidan House tomorrow."
"Huh-why not!" Lin You refused to let go of him. "Little Shukaku's so well-behaved!"
"He stands out too much."
Lin Shuo said, "New Eridu allows pets, but Shukaku's breed... nobody's seen it before. He'll attract unnecessary attention."
Lin You pouted, but she knew Lin Shuo had a point.
"But poor Little Shukaku will be home all alone..."
"He's not a person. He's a Tailed Beast."
"He'll still get lonely!"
As though he understood, Little Shukaku gave a pitiful "pukyu" and gazed at Lin Shuo with big, watery eyes.
Lin Shuo: "..."
This thing had definitely inherited the original Shukaku's acting skills.
"You can bring him, but he has to be disguised."
He compromised. "I have a pet backpack. Put him in it, and he's not allowed out on the way."
"Yay! Daddy's the best!"
Lin You picked up Little Shukaku and spun around, his short tail wagging like a propeller.
At nine thirty the next morning, outside Kaidan House.
The gray porcelain craft shop's sign was a hand-carved wooden board with charmingly clumsy lettering.
The display window held all sorts of gray porcelain pieces: teacups, vases, little animal ornaments, and tanuki dolls wearing kimonos.
The shop door stood ajar, with voices and soft laughter drifting out.
Today, Lin Shuo wore a simple dark gray shirt-not plaid; he had remembered Lin You's teasing-with black trousers.
Lin You wore yesterday's strawberry-themed outfit and carried a light blue pet backpack. Its zipper was left slightly open, with little amber eyes peeking out.
"Nervous?"
Lin Shuo looked down and asked.
"A little."
Lin You took a deep breath. "Mostly excited! I'm about to meet Mom when she was young, and everyone from Spook Shack!"
"Remember, you're my niece now."
"I know~ Distant relatives, both parents dead, taken in by my uncle-I know the script by heart!"
Lin Shuo pushed the door open.
The wind chimes rang clearly.
The shop's interior came into view: roughly forty square meters, display shelves along all four walls, and two long tables in the middle covered with stain-resistant cloths, already set with pottery wheels, gray porcelain clay, and assorted tools.
Five people stood around the tables.
The red-haired Yuzuha was mixing paints. She looked up at the sound, her eyes lighting up. "Lin Shuo! Little You! You're here~"
She wasn't in her school uniform today, but a simple white T-shirt and denim overalls, her red hair tied in a high ponytail, looking livelier than usual.
"Hi, big sister Yuzuha!" Lin You greeted her sweetly.
"Aww, what a good girl!" Yuzuha set down her palette and came over, crouching to meet Lin You's eyes. "Did you sleep well last night?"
"Yes! Uncle told me a bedtime story!"
Lin Shuo: "..."
When had he done that?
Yuzuha laughed and stood to face Lin Shuo. "Thanks for coming to help, Lin Shuo."
She gestured to the two people beside her.
The tall, powerfully built boy with red-and-black hair-Komano Manato-wore a loose black tracksuit today. His canine ears twitched slightly as he nodded to Lin Shuo. "Lin Shuo."
"Mm."
The other was a blonde girl with rabbit ears.
She wore an elegant white blouse and a plaid pleated skirt, with black tights covering her slender legs. Her mismatched eyes, gold on the left and red on the right, studied Lin Shuo a little nervously.
"This is Alice Thymefield, our new member at Spook Shack."
Yuzuha introduced her. "Alice, this is Lin Shuo. He runs the best ramen stall in Lumina Square, and he used to be in Obsidian Camp!"
"H-hello."
Alice's voice was soft, her diction bearing the distinctive precision of an aristocratic school. "I'm Alice Thymefield-Yuzuha mentions you often. She says your ramen is the most symmetrical in all of Lumina Square... ah, no, the most delicious."
She blushed halfway through, her symmetry obsession evidently acting up again.
Lin Shuo nodded. "Hello."
"There are two more preparing materials in the back-" Just as Yuzuha finished speaking, the back door swung open.
"Coming, coming! I've mixed the gray porcelain clay! Absolutely precise proportions, and it feels fantastic!"
The voice brimmed with energy.
A blue-haired girl with curved ram horns on her head emerged carrying a large basin.
She wore a loose hooded cloak, her green eyes had rare rectangular pupils, and a radiant smile filled her face.
"Lucia Elowen."
She introduced herself and set the basin on the table. "Online handle: 'Nightmare Envoy'! You're Lin Shuo, right? Yuzuha said you're incredible! You handled an Ether eruption site all by yourself back in Obsidian Camp?"
"...Just doing my job."
"That's still really cool!"
Lucia leaned closer, her horns nearly poking Lin Shuo. "My dad's in the Defense Force too, but he's with the special forces-oh, little girl, you're so cute!"
She suddenly noticed Lin You, and her eyes lit up.
Lin You said politely, "Hello, big sister. I'm Lin You."
"Lin You? Just like Yuzuha's name! What a coincidence!"
Lucia crouched down, then suddenly wrinkled her nose. "Hmm? In your backpack... there's the scent of an Ether creature?"
Lin Shuo's heart tightened.
But Lucia smiled again immediately. "It's very gentle, though, like a little pet~ Can I see?"
Lin You looked at Lin Shuo.
Lin Shuo nodded.
The zipper opened, and Little Shukaku poked out his head, blinking his amber eyes.
"Waaaaah!!!" Lucia's shriek startled everyone. "What breed is this?! So cute!!! I've never seen a pet like this! Those markings... those eyes... aaah, let me hold him!"
She reached out to pick him up, but Little Shukaku zipped back into the backpack, leaving only a little tail outside.
"Aww-don't hide!"
"Lucia, you scared him." One last voice spoke.
A tall young woman with short yellow hair slowly emerged from the back door.
She wore a beret, had a beauty mark beneath her purple eyes, and held a notebook, her expression languid.
"Idhila." She nodded to Lin Shuo. "Spook Shack's writer. Online handle: 'Strawberry Parfait.'"
"Lin Shuo."
"I know." Idhila walked over to the table and opened her notebook. "Yuzuha's mentioned you many times."
She lifted her head, her purple eyes fixed on Lin Shuo. "Your eyes are a little unusual."
Lin Shuo's expression didn't change. "Contact lenses."
"...Are they."
Idhila didn't press further, but a few more lines appeared in her notebook.
Yuzuha clapped her hands. "All right! Everyone's here, so let's get started! Today's activity is a gray porcelain crafting workshop. We have six groups of guests, two people per group.
"We need to guide them through throwing, painting, and finally firing-Lin Shuo, can you teach the basic techniques? Your hands are very steady."
"Sure."
"Manato and Alice will hand out materials and tools, Lucia and Idhila will explain the cultural background of gray porcelain, and I'll help wherever needed-what about you, Little You? What would you like to do?"
Lin You raised her hand. "I can help pass things!"
"Great! Then that's settled~"
At ten sharp, the guests began arriving.
They were mostly couples or parents with children, and the atmosphere was relaxed and cheerful.
Lin Shuo was assigned to teach a young married couple-the husband's hands were as clumsy as a crab's, while the wife picked things up quickly.
"Teacher, is this the right thickness?"
"A little thinner."
Lin Shuo picked up a scraper to demonstrate. "Relax your wrist. Don't press down hard."
His movements were far too practiced for someone touching pottery for the first time.
In fact, the Sharingan's powers of observation and the fine muscle control granted by half-Ethereal transformation allowed him to perfectly reproduce Yuzuha's demonstration after watching it once.
"Have you studied this before, Lin Shuo?"
Yuzuha had come over at some point, carrying two drinks-one green, one orange.
"No."
"Then you're really amazing."
Yuzuha handed him the orange drink. "Want something to drink and a little break? Citrus juice I mixed myself~"
Lin Shuo took it and glanced at it. "No vegetable juice in it, right?"
"Pfft-you still remember that!"
Yuzuha burst out laughing. "Manato hadn't eaten vegetables in ages that time! Besides, didn't I apologize afterward?"
She was referring to the time a few months ago when she had disguised vegetable juice as cola and tricked Manato into drinking it.
Lin Shuo took a sip.
It really was pure citrus juice, with just the right balance of sweet and sour.
"Oh, right..." Yuzuha lowered her voice. "Are you really not going to reconsider that 'Midnight Cry' investigation next week? Alice and Lucia have both joined, and Idhila is coming too. We have intel that the urban legend might be connected to The Order."
Lin Shuo's hand stopped. "The Order?"
"Yeah." Yuzuha wore a rare serious expression. "Recently, near the border between Lumina Square and Lemnos Hollow, there have been several cases of people developing Ether allergy symptoms after hearing crying.
"The client suspects it's a testing site for a new Ethereal drug."
"You shouldn't get involved in something like this."
"But we can't just ignore it." Yuzuha looked at Manato, who was teaching customers how to paint, and Alice, who was carefully adjusting the symmetry of the paints. "Everyone in Spook Shack... came together for different reasons.
"Some want to uncover the truth, some want to help others, and some just want to find a place where they belong."
She turned back, the light outside the window reflected in her green eyes. "Lin Shuo, you left the Defense Force because you hated fighting, right?"
"Yeah."
"But sometimes, you can't protect what matters without fighting."
Yuzuha said softly, "There are people I want to protect-Uncle Baorong, everyone in Spook Shack, and our neighbors in Lumina Square-so even if it's dangerous, I'm going."
Lin Shuo watched her in silence.
This eighteen-year-old girl, this red-haired little devil who had once been a test subject herself and lived through darkness, now had a resolve in her eyes that reminded him of Captain Willowisp.
"...When and where?"
He finally spoke.
Yuzuha's eyes lit up. "Next Wednesday at ten at night, in the old textile factory district in Lemnos Hollow! Lin Shuo, you're saying yes?!"
"I'm just going to take a look."
"Yay!"
Yuzuha nearly jumped for joy, then remembered something. "Oh, right, the payment is fifty thousand Denny. Split evenly, that's-"
"No need." Lin Shuo interrupted her. "Consider it a favor."
"Huh? But-"
"Think of it as..." Lin Shuo paused. "A thank-you for always supporting my business."
Yuzuha stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled.
"Lin Shuo, you're actually a really gentle person."
"...You talk too much."
The event continued until three in the afternoon.
The customers left happily with their gray porcelain creations-though most were crooked, they were all handmade keepsakes.
While they cleaned up, Alice was diligently arranging all the tools by size, color, and symmetry.
Lucia lay across the table playing with Little Shukaku-Little Shukaku now dared to come out and was having a wonderful time batting a lump of gray porcelain scraps around with its paws.
Idhila was writing something in her notebook, occasionally looking up at Lin Shuo.
Manato was moving heavy things, his canine tail swaying with his movements.
Yuzuha handed Lin Shuo an envelope.
"Here's your payment for today-even though you said you didn't want it, these are the rules."
Lin Shuo took it without opening it. "How much?"
"Three thousand Denny. Not much, but enough for you and Little You to have a few nice meals~"
Lin Shuo put the envelope away. "Thanks."
"I'm the one who should be thanking you."
Yuzuha stretched. "Thank goodness you helped today. Manato couldn't have handled everything alone-oh, right!"
She suddenly remembered something and took a small box from behind the counter. "A present for Little You."
Lin You had been helping Lucia organize the paints. At that, she ran over. "For me?"
"Yep! Open it and see~"
Inside the box was a gray porcelain hair clip shaped like an adorably goofy little tanuki.
"Wow! It's so cute!" Lin You's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Yuzuha!"
"You're welcome~" Yuzuha patted her head. "Next time you come to Kaidan House, I'll teach you to make gray porcelain!"
"Okay!"
It was already evening when they left Kaidan House.
The setting sun painted the streets a warm gold.
Lin You held Lin Shuo's hand in one hand and carried Little Shukaku with the other, her steps light.
"Dad, everyone in Spook Shack is so nice."
She said, "Alice is a little obsessive-compulsive, but she's very gentle; Lucia is super energetic; Idhila doesn't talk much, but she's always watching everyone; Manato is really dependable; Mom..."
She looked up at Lin Shuo. "Mom really is the best, right?"
Lin Shuo didn't answer, but the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
[System notification: Key event milestone "Kaidan House's invitation" completed. Main quest "Win over Ukinami Yuzuha" current progress: 3.7%. Side quest "Assist the investigation" updated with detailed intel. Please arrive at the old textile factory district in Lemnos Hollow before ten next Wednesday night.]
The progress bar jumped forward another small notch.
Lin Shuo closed the interface and looked up at the sky.
In New Eridu's evening sky, the clouds were edged with gold.
Their peaceful daily life continued, but undercurrents were already stirring beneath the surface.
The Order, the Ethereal drug, Midnight Cry.
And... the resolve in that red-haired girl's eyes.
"Dad," Lin You suddenly said. "I want to go on next week's investigation too."
"No."
"Why not! I have Little Shukaku to protect me!"
Little Shukaku gave a timely "Pukki!" and waved its paws-though it didn't look intimidating at all.
"It's too dangerous."
Lin Shuo said, "You're staying home."
"But-"
"No buts."
Lin You pouted but didn't argue further.
After they had walked a little farther, she muttered, "...Dad's always like this, carrying everything by himself."
Lin Shuo's steps faltered.
He looked down at Lin You-this daughter who claimed to come from the future, this red-haired little troublemaker who had suddenly barged into his life.
"Lin You."
"Hm?"
"If... if my future self really did end up with Yuzuha."
He asked softly, "Then how did I... realize how I felt?"
Lin You froze.
She lifted her head, her green eyes shining in the sunset.
Then she smiled.
"Mom said it was when she nearly died once."
Lin Shuo's pupils constricted.
"She didn't say which time exactly."
Lin You hugged Little Shukaku tightly. "But she said that after that, Dad never avoided her eyes again, and he stopped turning down her invitations."
She paused. "So, Dad, sometimes facing danger might not be entirely a bad thing."
Lin Shuo was silent for a long time.
In the end, he only ruffled her hair.
"Let's go home."
"Okay!"
Little Shukaku lay on Lin You's shoulder, its amber eyes quietly watching the path ahead.
Behind them, by a second-floor window of Kaidan House, the red-haired girl rested her chin in her hand and watched them walk away.
"Yuzuha, what are you looking at?" Manato's voice came from downstairs. "Time to close up."
"Coming, coming~"
Yuzuha closed the window, a smile still on her lips.
She took out her phone and sent a message to a contact saved as "Ramen stall owner":
"Thanks for today~ Next time you come for noodles, I'll give you double chashu! (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧"
A few seconds later, a reply arrived:
"Yeah."
One simple word.
But Yuzuha's smile grew even brighter.
Humming, she went downstairs, ready to begin today's Spook Shack online meeting.