Chapter 45 A Glimpse Through the Fog

It's foggy in Yokohama.

Sometime during the night, a thick fog descended.

Yokawa Rei is told by Dazai Osamu that this fog is unusual, being the supernatural power of someone with special abilities. She tries to communicate with Taiki, but due to the fog's obstruction, Taiki knows very little.

Even the wind couldn't disperse the thick fog.

Since asking the tree yielded no results, fortunately she had other ways to obtain information.

Honestly, you're disturbing my sweet dreams.

The elf yawned lazily and walked into the fog.

The night was dark, and with the thick fog, even the stars and moon in the sky were blurry.

She entered the fray alone, and was quickly enveloped by the fog that separated her from the house's barrier, as if she were being swallowed by a monster.

"Dazai-kun, your pet fairy has also stepped into the fog. Aren't you worried at all?"

In the ruins of the wreckage, three men dressed in white suits sat at a table, one of whom, wearing a fur hat, asked with a playful tone.

He held an apple slowly to his eyes with his well-defined knuckles, his deep purple eyes like the most beautiful amethyst.

The serpent that tempted Eve to steal the apple in the Garden of Eden, coveting the forbidden fruit day and night, was probably much like him.

It's clearly a disgusting rat.

Dazai Osamu thought coldly.

He smiled and said, "You misspoke. It's Yao Yao who's supporting me."

He's the one who's living off a woman, and he's doing it with complete self-righteousness and no remorse whatsoever.

“Oh?” Fyodor turned to look at him, his expression unreadable. “I thought we were the same kind of people.”

They will stop at nothing to get what they want, desire, or like.

Destroy Yokohama, eliminate the superpowered individuals, and lure the fairy girl home.

This is his plan.

How could cats and mice be the same kind of creature?

Dazai Osamu looked him straight in the eye, his piercing gaze filled with malice: "We are natural enemies."

The demon raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Let's see who gets to eat the apple."

The Russians gracefully sliced ​​the apple with a knife, splitting a whole red apple into four even crescent shapes.

Gem collector Tatsuhiko Shibusawa comes from a prestigious family and is meticulous about everything he eats, wears, and uses, even the plates he uses for fruit are made of the finest white porcelain.

The apples placed inside became elegant works of art.

"Now we've got to eat, haven't we?"

Dazai Osamu casually picked up a piece of apple and put it in his mouth to chew.

He liked to contradict Fyodor, especially since the latter still had his little moon in his heart.

The fruit platter was missing a corner, but the demon, in a good mood, picked up a piece of apple as well.

"What Dazai-kun said makes sense."

Tatsuhiko Shibusawa didn't understand their conversation.

Under Mori Ougai's instructions, all information about Yokawa Rei was kept very safe. Before coming to Yokohama, Shibusawa Tatsuhiko had never even heard of the name Yokawa Rei.

The culprit that caused the white fog watched their actions and also ate a piece of apple.

"Miss Elf doesn't seem to be able to drink much?"

Fyodor asked the question, seemingly out of kindness.

He himself is a skilled hacker, an information broker, and had been keeping an eye on Yokawa Rei for a long time. He knows as much as Dazai Osamu.

For example, a certain elf will change her appearance when she gets drunk, and she has a very low alcohol tolerance.

He had specially prepared a fog mixed with strong liquor for her.

Did you think I wasn't prepared?

Dazai Osamu understood the implication in his words and smiled with a slight curve of his eyes.

The events of that year left an indelible scar on him, causing him to carefully consider all his future plans.

He couldn't lose her again.

He couldn't bear to see her get hurt in the slightest.

"Flawless".

Oda Sakunosuke, under the instructions of Dazai Osamu, arrived in Yokohama. His supernatural ability allowed him to foresee what would happen five seconds later, and he sighed helplessly.

Aside from his supernatural abilities, he is also quite powerful, but he has been focusing on writing novels and taking care of his children in recent years and has not made a move for a long time.

The former assassin used his gun to smash the gem on the forehead of the supernatural being, and then went to the designated location to search for Yao Chuanling.

"Long time no see, Xiaozhu."

"Long time no see, Xiaozhu."

Two similar voices rang out at the same time, but a slight difference could be heard upon closer listening.

The light-body elves and the shadow-body elves both looked at him.

The two women look exactly alike, the only difference being their eyes.

The elves they knew had light green eyes, while the other side, the "Shadow," had red vertical pupils.

There's no need for anyone else to worry; she, or rather they, are good friends.

"Ling, I'm so glad you're alright."

Oda Sakunosuke's brow relaxed, and he smiled like a spring breeze.

He was a few years older than Yao Chuanling, yet he allowed her to call him "Little Assistant" without any respect, showing his incredibly good temper.

For a long time, he played the role of the older brother, gently watching them fight and then cleaning up after them.

"That's amazing, Assistant! I heard your novel won an award."

“I heard all the stories you read to me.”

The two of them chatted away, one word at a time.

She should have gotten drunk from inhaling the smell of alcohol, but coincidentally, the fog was a supernatural ability that briefly separated the "shadow".

Oda Sakunosuke thought for a moment, then sat down to listen to their conversation, occasionally expressing his own thoughts.

His novel's first reader was Yaochuan Ling.

Whenever he finished a manuscript, he would make a special trip to Yokohama to read it to the little sprite still in the flowerpot.

Because she said she wanted to be his first reader.

"There are still many areas for improvement, but I'm so glad you like it."

Even the reserved and composed Mr. Wood will show a happy smile when he receives support and affection from his friends.

"Tell me about what's happened to you these past few years."

The two figures merged together, eventually returning to their original form.

She sat on the rooftop railing, swinging her legs in a good mood.

“I rented a house by the sea, and I can see the ocean through the window. I write and take care of the children every day. Life is ordinary, but I don’t find it boring.”

Oda Sakunosuke thought for a moment and then slowly spoke.

Such a life might be too boring for the elf, but for him, it was grounded, reassuring, and stable.

Yao Chuanling listened quietly to his description and learned that he really liked that kind of life.

"I'm relieved to hear you say that. Next time, bring Sakura and the others over to play together!"

She hadn't seen those children for a long time, and her impression of them was still from when she was five or six years old.

"Yes, they insisted on coming along this time when we came to Yokohama." Oda Sakunosuke rubbed his temples helplessly. "You're welcome to visit my home sometime."

When the five children started making a ruckus, even he found it a bit overwhelming.

Yokawa Rei was talkative and had wildly imaginative ideas. Soon, the dynamic shifted from Oda Sakunosuke talking and her listening to him talking and Oda Sakunosuke listening.

In the dead of night, with thick fog, visibility was greatly reduced, and through the fog, he gazed for a long time at those bright green eyes and the face of his old friend.

"Alright, it's my turn to rescue the princess!"

The day before he went missing, Dazai Osamu sent her a message with coordinates.

A giant dragon wreaked havoc in Yokohama, causing even the high-rise buildings they inhabited to teeter on the brink of collapse.

Yokawa Rei pulled Oda Sakunosuke off the rooftop. She went to find Dazai Osamu, while Oda Sakunosuke chose to stay and help the ordinary people affected by the disaster.

The elf closed his eyes and looked down upon the entire Yokohama through the stars.

She saw Chuuya Nakahara take off his gloves and jump off the plane, his skin covered in dark red lines like a spider web.

She saw Izumi Kyoka, Nakajima Atsushi, and Akutagawa Ryunosuke running towards their destination, and Edogawa Ranpo standing outside the fog, observing the situation.

Dressed in a white tuxedo, with half of his hair pulled back, Dazai Osamu floated quietly in the air, as if he were asleep.

"Now she really is Sleeping Beauty."

Sleeping Beauty made a fist with one hand, but instead of opening it, she placed her hand on top of it.

The adventurer knight came to the princess's rescue, following her orders.

Yao Chuanling readily accepted the tasks her friends assigned her. She would be unhappy if she were truly forced to stay in a safe place.

Sleeping Beauty slowly opened her eyes.

The stars in the sky are dazzling, and the person you love is right next to you.

She landed with him in her arms, and conjured a bouquet of flowers from behind her: "Princess~ Here are some flowers for you."

Yao Chuanling had not forgotten her promise.

After that day at the amusement park, Dazai Osamu left home, and she used her spiritual power to keep the flowers fresh.

This belated gift was finally delivered to him.

The white, double-petaled lilies are fragrant and in full bloom.

It was a coincidence that it matched his white suit.

Dazai Osamu held flowers in one hand and deftly slipped a hard object into her hand with the other.

"Wow!"

Thanks to his special intuition, Yao Chuanling knew exactly what this was.

She had originally planned to go after it was all over.

She has gathered all the original fragments of this world, and soon she will have to go to the new world.

When are you planning to leave?

The hand did not withdraw; Dazai Osamu, taking advantage of the situation, hooked her little finger.

This is different from what Edogawa Ranpo discussed.

The two of them originally intended to hide the item so that neither of them could find it.

Therefore, Fyodor said they were of the same kind.

Possessive, shady, cunning.

Dazai Osamu said they were not the same kind of people.

When he thought of the name Yao Chuanling, all his troubled thoughts vanished like dark clouds.

The elf was very good at loving people, and even the unruly and indifferent wild dogs around him were infected with the ability to love.

"Probably after attending the banquet with Chuuya."

She thought about it and decided to set off in seven days.

Even though she was reluctant to leave her friends in this world, she had no choice but to depart.

Abe no Seimei taught her to be rational and calm; she could stay for love, but she would never be held back by it.

"That little slug is really lucky," Dazai Osamu said sourly. "It managed to monopolize the last day."

Fifteen-year-old Dazai would really stop at nothing to keep her, while twenty-two-year-old Dazai only wants his little moon to be happy.

She is a free bird, soaring over countless mountains.

She is a wildflower of the wilderness, and should grow wildly and freely.

She is the wind without a shadow, drifting aimlessly without ever settling down.

Unrestrained and free, everything is up to you.

"Now I have to clean up the mess left by that slug kid who used his powers. This is terrible."

From his youth, Dazai Osamu never spoke kindly of Nakahara Chuuchi; he was always either complaining or indignant.

The two of them disliked each other, and Yao Chuanling had gotten used to it over the years.

She smiled gently, her gaze softening: "Dazai, you are a kind person. A great hero."

"No way..."

He opened his mouth and instinctively retorted.

But Yao Yao praised him.

"snort."

Whether it's true or not doesn't matter anymore; if Yao Yao says so, then it is.

"I'll take you to Chuuya's place, and then I'll go find Ranpo."

Yao Chuanling tapped his forehead, and a cloud like a magic carpet appeared beneath his feet, instantly carrying him into the sky.

Don't think she didn't know; Dazai Osamu and Edogawa Ranpo definitely had bad intentions beforehand.

"What's wrong? My dear Ranpo-chan, don't you want to see me? Then I'm going to be sad."

The room window was open, and Yao Chuanling entered the room through the window.

Upon seeing her, Edogawa Ranpo turned his back while holding potato chips.

He stubbornly replied, "I wouldn't dare."

He woke up in the middle of the night, too lazy to style his hair, and without a beret, his hair was a messy, fluffy ball like a little wool, his whole body screaming: Come and comfort me.

"Alright, alright, you knew all along, didn't you?"

If the mountain won't come to me, then I'll come to the mountain.

Yao Chuanling ran over quickly, grabbing his sleeve with one hand and using the other to block his face so he wouldn't turn his head away.

Although Edogawa Ranpo called her an idiot, that was only in comparison to him, the super smart idiot.

He clearly knew all along that Dazai Osamu would hand the item to her.

"I just want to keep you here a little longer."

Edogawa Ranpo puffed out his cheeks and awkwardly opened his mouth.

He knew that she would leave sooner or later.

He had been prepared for this for a long time.

But, but...

She's only been back for a few months.

With the frequent incidents in Yokohama these past few months, they have had very little time to spend together.

"You always favor Dazai."

He made the final judgment.

The famous detective listed her "crimes" one by one.

For example, Dazai's bedroom was closest to hers, she gave Dazai living expenses, and she helped Dazai bandage his wounds. It's not like that guy doesn't have hands.

“Ranpo, I’m sorry to have made you feel bad.” Yokawa Rei gently combed through his tangled hair, which looked knotted but was easily untangled. “But there are some things you have that Dazai doesn’t. You can’t wrong me.”

For example, they always went to eat the latest cakes at the dessert shop together, and she was always the one who picked up the lost detective and brought him home.

Like Lambo, the baby-faced detective is a childish rascal.

She knew he wasn't really that angry; he was just bluffing.

"Have you forgotten? I texted you every day while you were away on your business trip."

She added, "Ranpo is important to me, someone I like..."

Before the elf could finish speaking, the person in front of her covered her mouth. She blinked in confusion.

"Stop saying nice things to make me happy."

Edogawa Ranpo's narrowed eyes slowly widened, and he stared directly into her eyes without any attempt to hide his gaze.

It's like a harmless feline tearing away its disguise to reveal a menacing black panther.

This famous detective from the Armed Detective Agency has neither combat-type superpowers nor exceptional fighting skills, but no one in Yokohama would underestimate him.

"If you fall in love, think of me first."

Even after all these years, Dazai is still a coward. What he dares not say, Edogawa Ranpo dares to say.

The first one is the most special one in all relationships.

"Love?"

Yao Chuanling blinked again, puzzled.

Humans have categorized and defined various emotions.

Family, friendship, and love.

She understood the first two types, but love that was unclear was like looking at flowers through the fog, vague and indistinct.

Ranpo is an important and beloved friend of mine.

Even if she didn't say it aloud, the famous detective could guess that this was the definition she gave.

He was dissatisfied with this and didn't want to hear that word.

You'll understand later.

Edogawa Ranpo didn't explain, but patted her head.

"Is Oda Sakunosuke your anchor point? You must come back, the great detective will be waiting for you."

In a physical sense, Oda Sakunosuke is the person most closely connected to her and the most suitable candidate.

This was also part of the plan.

She confidently agreed, "I will definitely come and visit you."

Yao Chuanling had seen that strange, burning gaze in Nakahara Chuuya's eyes before. She wasn't afraid; instead, she was curious.

She tried to imitate it in front of the mirror, but she could never quite get it right.

It's like an unusual kind of liking, gentler, more mellow, more intense, and also more obscure and difficult to understand.

What exactly is it?

"Wow, Ranpo is amazing."

As expected of the world's number one detective, he can easily do things that she can't.

Even the most famous detectives have moments when they are speechless with frustration.

"Fool!"

If she could use even a fraction of her usual intelligence on this, he wouldn't have to worry about this blockhead not getting it.

A super, invincible blockhead.

However, with their parting imminent, he hoped she would take a little longer to realize it.

It's not too late to come back.

Edogawa Ranpo thought to himself.

"Huh? Okay, I'm stupid."

The elf thought for a moment and very naturally admitted that he was a fool.

She does have shortcomings, but what does it matter?

However, she added, "Only this point and when it comes to tying my hair."

She is quite intelligent in other respects.

After all these years, she can still only manage the simplest single ponytail, and even that one tends to become loose and limp after a while.

Her hair was also a mess.

Edogawa Ranpo pressed her down to sit and ran his fingers through her hair.

Yao Chuanling's hair felt like the downy feathers of a newborn bird. He casually combed it while chatting until they both fell asleep and closed their eyes.

In her drowsy state, she vaguely felt the young man's head rest on her shoulder.

So, wanting him to get some sleep, she mustered her energy, carried him to bed, covered him with a blanket, and then, taking advantage of his sleep, shamelessly pinched his cheek.

"good evening."