Eternal Saṃsāra: The Wanderer of Worlds [96] The Goddess of the Sun

[96] The Goddess of the Sun

Chapter 96: The Goddess of the Sun

—

It's not funny if this situation was karma for that mistake. I had already paid enough for betraying her, I had made it up to her a thousand tis.

But that's a story for another ti.

“The moon's beautiful tonight,” My hand was still stretched forward, trying to hold it, even while I spent hours revisiting old mories.

The night was getting lighter now, and I had to make my decision already.

My mood has significantly improved. It always does when I recall my Emmanuelle. I've also co up with an idea of what to do next.

“Stronger…” I lowered my hand and let out a soft sigh. Whatever the problem was, it could be fixed with strength. Well, not this one, but I'm talking about it in general.

I got up from the bench and yawned. It'd be a waste to go to school today, and I also have a date with Akane tomorrow.

I should first earn so cash, and then find myself a place to stay and cultivate.

I did have so cash in my PayPay, but I intentionally didn't bring cash from ho. There was no point in that. If… she ever questions why he took the money in PayPay, I'll just say it's a paynt for giving her the Psyker Elixir. Or for saving her life.

I checked my phone and opened PayPay. I intentionally ignored the notifications from ssages that ca from different people.

“About ¥100,000. Not bad.”

Hmm, what's the quickest way to make so money from this?

* * *

When the sun rose, I went to the city of Tokyo and into a music shop. I spent all of my 100k on a good violin and a big hat.

With the instrunt in hand, I stood on a morning street in Japan, where salaryn and students bustled back and forth.

I had the [Tiger Icon] gently reigning over , without taking shape in the sky. Just to change the color of my hair and eye, as well as change my height. I also grew more muscular so that nobody could recognize .

With that done, I began to play the violin. A Thousand Years played out in a smooth, rhythmic sensation, my uncountable years of experience flowing out as music.

People stopped as the magical sound touched not their ears, but their hearts. A small crowd gathered, and then a big one. My one hat seed too small in no ti, but to the people's surprise, it never filled. It was a minor spell that slightly stung my mana reserves for breaking the promise, but didn’t cause any significant harm.

At one point, my voice couldn't hold it anymore. I began to sing along with the music.

“I have died every day waiting for you, Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years, I'll love you for a thousand more…”

The crowd erupted into cheers as my voice carried far. People silently listened and a few began to cry at the feelings I poured into the words.

A minute later, I stopped. There was a silence before applause filled the air.

“Hey, are you a foreigner?!”

“You must be soone famous, can I get an autograph?!”

People yelled different things, rushing to my private space, but I raised a hand and quickly stopped them. I poured a tinge of willpower into the Tiger Icon to make the humans not approach so easily.

“Who broke your heart?! I'll beat them up for you, just tell their na!” Soone from the crowd yelled, and I laughed.

“It's nobody, it's just a song.” I waved at her and paused. I recognized her. It was a little girl, it was… Yuzuru.

She didn't recognize , so I stayed silent. “Anyhow, since it's morning and most of you are going to work or school, I can't let you leave with a heavy heart. So I'll play cheerful music now if you let . Um, and it might be shaful of to ask, but,” I snapped my fingers as party papers burst out near my feet and more hats appeared. “I have prepared more hats just in case.”

“Ooh, even magic tricks~”

Under the awe-filled people, the strings of my violin cried and I began to sing.

“Havana, ooh na-na, Half of my heart is in Havana, ooh na-na, He took back to East Atlanta, na-na-na, ah, Oh, but my heart is in Havana, There's sothin' 'bout his manners, Havana, ooh-na-na…”

I let my voice free and let the girls fall in love while my hats filled with more cash than I could count.

* * *

Sitting on the edge of a bridge, dangling my legs, I divided the notes depending on their type and closed my eyes. The sheen of my Jade Perception helped count the notes in a second.

“So, in total,” I humd. “210k? Insane.”

Who knew the money ga was so easy? Well, I knew. Money is easy. I spent half an hour and earned back double what I spent on the violin.

I was in the mood to sing, otherwise I'd have robbed a bank.

“By the way,” I looked to the side, at a wall. “How long are you going to hide?”

A figure flinched behind the wall, all of whose movents were caught by my Jade Perception, as a short figure jumped into sight. It was Yuzuru.

“Aqua!” She pointed a finger at my blue eyes and blonde hair. “Yo- you can shapeshift?! So all this magic that Shoko talked about is real?!”

“Well, it wasn't exactly shape-shifting, but sure. Yeah. Why are you skipping school?”

“No, why are you skipping school?! How poor are you that you have to skip school to earn money?! Did… did your Reality Show not pay you?” Yuzuru asked.

I jumped off where I was sitting and let out a yawn. “Oh, I got kicked out of my ho. So I was earning so money since I needed money to rent a place.”

“.…” she stared at . “You’re serious?”

“Well, I didn't get kicked out per se, I left after we had a pretty serious argunt. But my parents didn't stop from leaving. Would you count that as getting kicked out?” I asked with a tilt of my head.

“Depends,” she shrugged. “If your parents are trying to call you back right now, then no, you haven't been kicked out, you're just being rebellious. But… I know life can be hard sotis, so parents would be happy to never see their children's faces. So if your parents haven't reached out to you yet, despite being out here all night long, then yeah, you are kicked out.”

I smiled at her. I was just trying to make a conversation, but she gave a nice answer. “Wow, you are smart for a 12-year-old-”

“I am 15!”

“No you're not, your older sister is 15.” I scoffed at the little liar who grumbled.

“Ugh. Fine, I'm 14. But that's still not 12.” She crossed her arms and frowned. “You sing well, by the way.”

“Wait, was that a complint?”

“Shut up, I'm just being nice.”

She checked up and down, “And you looked better when taller.”

“Did you just call short? I’m still tall, 6”1.” I placed a hand on her head. “You're the shorty here, you 4-feet-9 little girl.”

“Shut up! I am average!”

“Yeah, sure.”

She frowned, opened her mouth, and then closed it. She quickly took off her school bag and began to go through it. If I didn't know better, I'd have thought she was looking for a weapon. Instead, she took out a packet of biscuits and offered it to .

“You said you were kicked out? Then you mustn't have had breakfast yet.”

I took it. “Such a cute little sister-in-law I have, thanks.”

“W-WHAT?! I am not letting you marry my sister, you playboy bastard!”

“I am joking,” I evaded a kick and undid the packet, pouring all of the biscuits down my throat. That inhumane showing put her on her guard as jumped back.

“Skinwalker!”

“I'm just fucking with you.”

I laughed as I took out a bottle of water from my Void Storage, which startled her, and drank from it.

Yuzuru silently stared at until I was done. Then, she opened her mouth, “Can you teach m-”

Was she talking about music or magic I didn't get to know as her phone rang and she blinked. She frowned and took it out of her pocket, receiving it.

“Hello, mom?” she asked casually, but a second later her face darkened. Her phone fell from her hand. “G-grandma?!”

* * *

[Third Person Point of View]

In the dimly lit room of their modest ho, Shoko and her mother stood vigil beside the bed where the family's eldest mber lay, her breaths shallow and labored. The atmosphere was thick with worry and the unspoken fear of impending loss. Shoko's grandmother, a pillar of their small family, was fading fast.

Shoko's heart ached as she watched her grandmother struggle. Her grandmother was 69 this year, and naturally, she was old enough for death to be a common fear. This old lady, Ito Nishimiya, was fine even last night. However, she was oddly late in getting up in the morning. When Shoko ca to check on her, she found her groaning in pain while staring at the ceiling.

Shoko and her mother tried to call an ambulance right away, but her grandmother kept shaking her head. “It’s ti… It’s my ti… I can see the grim reaper…”

They called the ambulance still, but it was supposed to take a long ti. So Shoko called her sister who had left for school hoping Yuzuru would bring a doctor ho.

‘There is no ti…!’ Shoko could feel that her grandmother was dying. But she didn’t like that, she wanted to stop it. Sohow. Anyhow. Other than Yuzuru, Ito was the person she was closest to. She didn’t have a father, and her mother was always out for work, Shoko didn’t want to lose her.

Thankfully, her Sacred Gear, [Echo] whispered in her ears about healing spells, urging her to try healing magic. With tentative hope, Shoko placed her palms over her grandmother. When she followed the command of Echo in a desperate attempt, a soft green light ca out of her palms, easing the old woman's pain.

“W-what’s that, Shoko?!” her mother, Yaeko Nishimiya gasped, but didn’t object. It was easing Ito’s pain.

But as the minutes passed, it beca clear that the healing was superficial, doing nothing to halt the steady decline of her grandmother's health. It wasn’t working.

[Sothing Greater. Death Can’t Be. Cheated With Such Weak Spells.] – was what her Sacred Gear muttered in broken Japanese.

But how could Shoko, with zero magical experience, try such death-defying spells?

‘Why isn't Yuzuru back with the doctor yet?’ Shoko's thoughts raced; a Doctor was the only hope now.

Well, there was soone else too, but…

Her eyes flickered between the door and her grandmother's frail form. ‘Should I... call Aqua?’ The idea sprang unbidden into her mind, fueled by desperation. Aqua, her friend, was experienced in Magic. Perhaps he could cast the appropriate spell?

But doubt crept in, clouding her resolve. ‘No, I can't. He has helped enough… I can't keep depending on him. Besides, what will he think of if I call him only when I need help?’ she reasoned, her heart heavy with the decision.

‘But still, Grandma…’ she was unsure what to do.

Just then, the sound of the door swinging open cut through the silence. “I am ho!” Yuzuru’s voice scread.

Shoko's mother spun around, a mix of hope on her face as she expected to see the doctor. Instead, two figures stepped in, neither of whom was the awaited physician.

"Ah, it's not the doctor..." Yaeko began, her voice trailing off as her gaze landed on the unexpected visitors.

"Then who—?" Shoko’s question was left hanging as her eyes widened, a wave of relief washing over her. It was Aqua, accompanied by her sister. She smiled, “Don’t worry Mom, it’ll be alright now!”

Strangely, after looking at the patient from a distance, his head turned to the open window. His gaze locked on empty air for a second before he looked at Shoko. “Looks like soone is dying.”

Yaeko Nishimiya frowned at him.

* * *

[First Person Point of View]

I looked at the open window, where a white-haired little girl sat. Her hair flowed in the wind as she smiled at , tilting her head.

[Image Here]

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