Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

Chapter 1530: Chapter 1528: Returning (Went Down the Mountain Because It Was Too Cold)

”Phew... I’m back again...”

Standing at the station, Fang Zheng, once again transformed into Red Ponytail, stretched lazily. At this moment, a curious voice came from behind her.

”Is Miss Red Ponytail also from Misaki Town?”

”No, it’s just that this place feels like home to me, so it’s nice to come back and visit occasionally.”

Saying this, Fang Zheng turned her head helplessly.

”Also, don’t call me Miss Red Ponytail, just call me Little Hong.”

”Then... um... Miss Little Hong...”

”Ha...”

Looking at the girl in front of her, Fang Zheng sighed helplessly. Standing before her was a girl with pitch-black hair reaching her waist, a fair face, and azure blue eyes, wearing Liyuan’s school uniform, holding a suitcase in her hand.

This girl was Fang Zheng’s travel companion along the way — Toyono Akiha.

Like Kurotou Shion, she was also a student of Fiore. According to Fiore, the Toyono Family used to be one of the prominent families in Misaki Town, but the previous Clan Leader Toyono Shinkyu died young, forcing his daughter Toyono Akiha to face the situation of being surrounded and divided up by Toyono Family relatives early on.

It was at that time that Fiore found her and guaranteed her safety in the name of the World Tree of a Thousand Realms. After that, Toyono Akiha became a boarding student at Liyuan. And now with it being summer vacation, since Fang Zheng was heading to Misaki Town, they were conveniently on the same path.

However, compared to the always confident Hana, Toyono Akiha seemed quite obedient and even somewhat introverted, as she had been using honorifics with Fang Zheng throughout their journey, and even now, it hadn’t changed.

”Well, well, you want to go home, right? Let’s go, let’s go, I’ll go with you.”

”Eh? But...”

”No buts. It’s like extending a Buddhist mission, we’re already here, let me see your home too.”

”Ah... okay...”

Faced with Fang Zheng’s insistence, Akiha seemed somewhat at a loss, but she wasn’t repelled by it. So Fang Zheng took Akiha to find a taxi and headed to the address Akiha mentioned.

However, when they arrived, the scene made Fang Zheng quite disappointed.

”You live here?”

Looking at the mansion in front of her, Fang Zheng frowned. The mansion was quite large, but it looked completely lifeless in the dark. Not to mention, the overgrown weeds in the yard indicated it had been deserted for quite some time.

”Yes, after that... everyone else left, I’m alone...”

”Aren’t you afraid, living alone in such a big place?”

Facing Fang Zheng’s question, Akiha’s body trembled, and Fang Zheng could probably already guess that Akiha wanted to return to Liyuan. Although Liyuan’s internal environment was relatively strict, at least there were friends who didn’t go home during holidays, which was much better than being alone in this seemingly haunted place.

By the way, Hana went home quickly, saying she needed to keep an eye on a cheating cat to prevent it from getting too close to her brother.

”I-I can handle it by myself...”

She said so, but her appearance said otherwise.

”That’s not going to work.”

Seeing this, Fang Zheng grabbed Akiha’s hand.

”Eh?”

”How can you live alone in such a place? What if it’s haunted? Come on, come on, I’ll take you to a good place, where there’s at least some life.”

”Um... uh...”

Facing this sudden invitation, Akiha seemed a bit at a loss.

”Is it a hotel?”

”Hotels cost money, but that place is free, though meals depend on takeout, but it’s better than here... come, come.”

Saying this, Fang Zheng pulled Akiha to get back in the taxi and then gave the address.

Upon hearing the address, the driver showed a troubled expression.

”Miss, it’s almost dusk, and that place...”

”I’ll pay you double the fare!”

”Alright, we’ll leave now!”

It turns out money really makes the world go ’round.

When they arrived at their destination, it was late at night, yet Fang Zheng didn’t hesitate to step forward and push the door open.

”Solomon, I’m back!”

Accompanied by Fang Zheng’s shout, the originally pitch-black mansion suddenly brightened up, and a girl with shoulder-length black hair, dressed in black, appeared silently in the shadows of the foyer.

”Little Hong.”

”Hey, Yuzhu.”

Looking at Yuzhu standing in the shadows, Fang Zheng cheerfully waved at her, while Yuzhu glanced at her and then shifted her gaze to the uneasy and somewhat nervous girl standing behind Red Ponytail.

”Ah, I-I’m Toyono Akiha, nice to meet you, pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Sensing Yuzhu’s gaze, Akiha lowered her head nervously and respectfully bowed to her. However, Yuzhu merely glanced at her and then looked back at Fang Zheng.

”Speaking of which, why haven’t I seen Aoko?”

Fang Zheng looked around; she’d originally expected Aoko to appear and shout ”shut up” the moment she entered, so she could play a love song for her. But... has that fool gotten smarter?

”She went to Tokyo for university. She called earlier saying she had to do some field research, so she’s not coming back.”

”So you’re alone now? Just as well, this little poor girl is alone too. She’s home for summer vacation, but in that huge house, there’s not even a ghost. I couldn’t stand it, so I brought her here.”

”I see.”

Facing Fang Zheng’s words, Yuzhu merely nodded, but she didn’t even look at Akiha, keeping her gaze fixed on Fang Zheng.

”And you?”

”Me? Due to some matters, I’ll be staying in Misaki Town for a while, so I’ll be living here with you.”

”Is that so.”

The same answer, but for some reason, Akiha always felt that the final sentence seemed much calmer in tone compared to before.

However, after saying this sentence, Yuzhu directly turned and left, while Akiha stood at the entrance, feeling bewildered and uneasy, not knowing what to do. After all, generally speaking, at least the host should arrange accommodations for the guest, right? It’s not about being self-important, it just seems more appropriate this way. What if there are some taboos, or if it’s disturbing the host’s secrets...

”Alright, let’s go.”

Fang Zheng grabbed Akiha’s hand.

”There’s just one more bed in my room, so you can share the room with me.”

So that’s how it is.

When she woke up, it was already the next morning.

”Alright, let’s head out.”

Just after finishing breakfast, Fang Zheng suddenly slammed the table and stood up. Yuzhu remained unmoved, while Akiha was startled.

”W-Where are we going?”

”To take a stroll around Misaki Town. It’s better than staying here, right? Besides, I mentioned, I still have some matters to attend to in Misaki Town... Yuzhu, do you want to come along?”

”......”

Yuzhu shook her head while sipping her tea.

”What about you, Akiha?”

”I...”

To be honest, Akiha wasn’t the type to regularly go out, but she could sense that she somewhat didn’t fit in with this girl. The other wasn’t hostile to her, just simply ignored her, which gave Akiha the feeling that even if she were to die here, this girl might pretend not to notice.

”Well... I’ll go too.”

”Alright, let’s go together.”

Fang Zheng didn’t mind. Although Toyono Akiha was just a girl, she was also a spellcaster like Hana. However, unlike Hana, Akiha’s spellcasting level wasn’t as high. Hana had already reached Rank Four in the Shaping Type spells, yet Akiha had just reached the Third Rings—and that too in the School of Illusions.

Fiore’s decision to accompany her back this time was partly to take care of her student. After all, being a mage required traveling far and wide. This world wasn’t like the Main World where one could casually find a village to fight goblins and the like to gain experience, nor could they explore secrets and the undead in graves and ruins.

That was understandable, as every world has its own way of operating.

Since there are no small monsters in this world...

Let’s take her to deal with some vampires then.

Misaki Town was relatively bustling. At least walking down the streets, one could feel the warmth and liveliness.

”Um... Miss Little Red? Where are we going?”

”To deal with some vampires. Hana has already seen a monster before, but you haven’t, right? That’s not very fair, is it? This time, I’ll let you see some vampires, so when you return, you’ll have some bragging material, won’t you?”

”Eh? Eh eh?!”

Akiha exclaimed in surprise.

”Me? Vampires, are you referring to the Dead Apostles...”

”Who knows, let’s see how things go.”

After arriving at Misaki Town, Fang Zheng faintly sensed the lurking darkness and restless death energy under the bustling, vibrant streets.

Monsters infiltrated this city, and there was more than one.

Whether Aertulky’s sister is among them, Fang Zheng wasn’t too sure, but if they followed the trail, they might find some clues...

”This way.”

At this moment, Fang Zheng waved to Akiha, leading them into a dimly lit alley.

”This is...”

”Shh.”

But before Akiha could finish her sentence, Fang Zheng interrupted her. She tilted her head, looked ahead, and then remarked.

”Wow, this really is something.”

”Eh?”

Faced with Fang Zheng’s remark, Akiha was slightly puzzled, but before her eyes could adjust to the dim light, a stronger stench jolted her spirit awake.

It wasn’t the stench of garbage, it was something even more nauseating...

The scent of blood.

”Ugh...”

Along with it came a low, beast-like growl.

Soon after, a man appeared in front of the two of them.

He was a salaryman, judging by his suit, but he now looked like a zombie straight out of a horror movie—disheveled and covered in blood. He was making low growls as he slowly walked toward Fang Zheng and Akiha.

”The lowest of the zombies... I’m not interested... do you want to give it a try?”

Fang Zheng turned to look at Akiha beside him. At that moment, the girl seemed to be frightened out of her wits. This was understandable, as merely a stone’s throw away from the bustling, lively, passerby-filled shopping street, a line drawn to separate them from unexpected darkness, blood, and death.

No, perhaps it wasn’t entirely unexpected. After all, she grew up in the Toyono Family, and such blood runs in her veins.

But this was the first time facing it for real.

The darkness belonging to the Toyono Family, and a part of this world.

”I...”

Just as Akiha resolved to say something, a voice suddenly came.

”Watch out!!”

With that voice, a white figure suddenly descended from the sky.