Clearing the Suspicions

He's suspecting me again! But not only that, he called me with my previous name! How is he able to do that?!

Okay, I need to calm down and try to fool him.

"U-Um, who is this... Yoshikawa Yuko you're talking about? A-And my name is Annette, you know."

"Yes, you are Annette, but soul-wise, you're this individual called Yoshikawa Yuko."

I remember when he said some cryptic words to Mom, so maybe I can find the answer about it. To do that, I need to being open to him, as minimum as I could.

"How... did you know, Rouxan-san?"

"Unique skill, Soul Appraisal. It has the same use as a normal Appraisal skill, but able to surpass Appraisal Block skill, even identify name of the soul."

I don't understand what he means, so I ask him again.

"Simply put?"

"It allow me to know... the suspect of the forbidden magic, Soul Transfer, you accursed otherworlder!"

He shouted and glared at me! What should I do? Escape is impossible! I only fell in fear at the pressure of his aura, which I assume he's going to kill me!

I don't want to die, but my body can't move! While I thinking what should I do, he's already in front of me, with killing intent.

"Before I send you to the afterlife, answer me, otherworlder. What did you do to the real Annette? And what's your purpose in this world?"

He's really going to kill me! I don't have a choice but telling him the truth.

"I... I don't... know..."

"Don't lie to me. Every otherworlder always started like a prey, until they realize that they're a merciless and heartless predator."

Just how much he hated the otherworlder?!

Then I see a purple magic circle in his hand, and pointed it at me. I must convince him before I die.

"I'm telling you the truth! I died in my previous world and somehow my soul and memories transferred to Annette's dying body!"

"Died? Soul and memory transfer?"

The magic circle in his hand stopped glowing and faded. He was quiet for a while, thinking about what I said. When he stared at me with his hardened gaze, it was a gesture for me to continue.

"Then I met the owner of this body inside the dream and entrusted me everything about herself."

"Everything?"

"Memories and experiences."

He gasped after hearing my explanation. Then I heard he muttered about 'Goddess of Reincarnation', 'God of Time', and 'God of Death'. So many gods and goddesses in this world, hopefully there's no some sort of cult or corrupt sect in this world.

I know what caused Annette to have sixteen different lives, but it's not the time to reveal it yet.

After contemplating it, Rouxan-san continued to ask me.

"For what Annette did that to you?"

I can see from his face that he did not believe what I said, but he tried to. His bloodlust also diminished, which made me relieved, for a while.

Do I have to tell him that? If I don't, I'll be in danger again. Well, it's worth to try, and maybe I can find the answer about 'her'.

"I don't know. But she said something about the White Girl."

"What did you say?! The White Girl?!"

He was shocked when I said her identity. He might be knew about 'her'. But before I ask him, he eyed me with suspicions again.

While it's true that I'm an otherworlder and already cleared, why he suspect me again? Could it be because I mention White Girl to him?

Even if I already said this many times, but I'm going to say it again. Who is the White Girl?

"Y... you know about her?"

"I'll prepare a seat."

xxxxx

Few minutes have passed and I already seated near the table counter while Rouxan-san on the opposite side. He even served me a tea to calm myself.

I might be a coffee person, but I can't reject a kind offer. When I sipped it, it has some calming taste and fragrance. It's not bad for a tea, and he might be knew I really need it for my anxiety.

"Is the taste of your liking?"

After I put the cup back to the table, I answered him with a nod.

Even though I'm courious about the tea leaves, but for me, every tea are the same. That's also including coffee. It remind me when a schoolmate from different class invited me for a tea party.

...

(Flashback)

"Do you like the tea I brew, Yoshikawa-san?"

"It's really delicious, Mikoshiba-san."

"Really, I'm glad. So, what's the taste like?"

"It tastes like a tea."

"We need to have a talk."

...

Because of my simplistic answer, she gave a lecture about the tea, from its history to modern era tea. To be honest, it was torture, but she's quite passionate about it. But it's still a question why she invited me, a common girl with hidden past, to her tea party filled with her rich friends.

Her family might be rich, but they also opened a tea shop for their hobby. That's where she arranged the tea party.

Enough reminiscing, I need to prepare myself to answer any of Rouxan-san's questions.

"Then, Yoshikawa Yuko-"

"Yuko is fine."

"-Yuko, I might be blunt, but how did you know about the White Girl?"

Like he said, he's really blunt. He was shocked when I mention her. That's why he need to find out how I know her.

"I don't know. Only mentioned by Annette and the nightmare I had yesterday."

"Nightmare? Please explain."

I explained every detail of my nightmare, including seeing myself losing one of my limbs and the psychopath girl who rode a giant abomination, but I omitted part of her message about the system being hijacked.

After I explained everything, I drank a whole of the tea to calm myself. Good thing Rouxan-san refill it back.

"I see."

"Then, do you know about her?"

"Nobody, even me, know about her because any informations about her and her true name are considered taboo to be known. But my ancestor said that she committed a grave sin long time ago."

A grave sin? Maybe it has something to do with hijacking the system, or maybe not.

Then I asked him what he thought about about my nightmare, and he gave me his opinion.

"I assume the ruined town in your nightmare might be Silld, this town."

What? Silld? No, he might be bluffing. There's no way this town will be ruined. But my thought got interrupted by him.

"From your expression, I can tell you didn't believe what I said, but it's true. The Diviner said so."

"The Diviner?"

"She has seen the future fate of this town and decided to spread it to everyone in Silld as a warning. But no one took it seriously and called her heretic for her actions."

Of course nobody took it seriously because nobody can predict the future very accurately. I mean, she came out from nowhere and spout some future disaster nonsense to everyone. That's why she's been labeled as a herertic.

Wait, that woman also gave me a warning about losing my right arm and Nee-san. Could it be... she's that Diviner?

No, no, no, no, no. Even if I got a warning from her, there might be a chance I won't have that kind of future, the future where I failed to fulfill Annette's promise.

"Um... is there a way to escape from that fate?"

"No. But minimize it, yes."

"You're joking, right?"

"No. In fact, I've seen many people have prepared themselves to face their inescapable fate after she gave her future sight."

What? All of her predictions are perfectly accurate?

I really tried my best to deny it, but his serious expression betrayed my expectation. If it's true, then...

"Ehehehehehe..."

...I can't escape from my fate. And I couldn't help but laughed sarcastically.

"Is something wrong, Yuko?"

"No, it's just... the Diviner has gave her prediction on me."

"I assume it's about losing one of your limbs, like in your nightmare."

"...Right."

Good thing he's able to piece it together, so I don't need to explain it even further. I don't want him to know that I'm not going to lose just my right arm.

Wait. I remember he said this town will be destroyed, but he didn't say when. I need to know about it, so I can prepare myself.

"Rouxan-san, when the disaster in Silld will happen?"

Rouxan-san sighed after he heard my question.

"According from the Diviner, twelve days since that. Now it's only seven days left."

Only seven days left? That's too short! How can I prevent that disaster in just a week?!

But, isn't it too coincidence? The day after my reincarnation is also the day the Diviner gave her prediction to this town. Is someone planned all of this, including my reincarnation?

"Now, what are you gonna do in those seven days, Yuko?"

He narrowed his eyes at me, waiting for my answer. He might be thinking that I will run like a coward, but I'm not thinking about that.

"It's obvious. I'm going to protect Mom and Nee-san."

I will face it without regret.

"You're just a replacement, not their real family."

"Even so, I made a promise with Annette to protect them and treat them like they're my family."

This time, I won't fail it like how I failed the other two.

"This town and your fate have been decided."

"No one decide my fate. That kind of fate, I won't accept it. I'll become strong, strong enough to minimize- no, defy it if possible!"

It was quiet after I gave Rouxan-san my answer. Then I heard him chucked and smiled after that.

"Seems like you're different than them."

I know what he means by 'them'. It's the otherworlder. And I'm curious of why he despised them

"Um... why are you hate them?"

"When I fully trust you, I'll tell you why."

Looks like it's personal, so I'm not going to pry it to respect him.

Then he asked me to wait while he returned back to the back room, said that he wanted to give me something.

After few minutes of waiting and sipping my tea, which already cooled, her returned back with a small sling bag and gave it to me. Of course I ask him in curiosity.

"Rouxan-san, what is it?"

"Item bag, a lesser one to be exact. Able to contain less than twelve items."

An item bag like in some isekai fantasy story! With this, I don't need to carry my notebook and pen with my arm. Speaking of item bag, I think Nee-san also have one too.

"Open it, and put everything inside it on the table."

Obeying what he said, I opened it and put all the item inside it on the table. Those items I pulled from the bag were a book, a roll of strings, three giant needles, a vial of deep purple liquid, a small but round clear crystal, and lastly... a knife.

Even if I want to question how all of the items inside it, which mostly bigger than the bag, able to fit, but I threw away that kind of logic and think it's magic.

"Allow me to explain, this knife will be your main weapon until you have a proper one. The needles for throwing projectiles. The strings for making traps, but you can improvise in using it. If you want to make those weapons more lethal, imbued those with this poison. The crystal is a tool to see the user or someone stats for then times usage, known as Appraisal Crystal. And lastly, read and learn the basic way of using magic from this book."

Rouxan-san explained all of the items one by one. Except the Appraisal Crystal since I'm curious about my stats, I couldn't help but having a cold sweat after seeing all of those items. I mean, this world might be harsh, but I'm not ready to kill.

No, I need to throw away that naive thought if I wanted to become stronger and defy my fate. But if I can't defy it, then I just need to protect them.

I nodded at his explanation and put those items back to the item bag, including the medicine, and he allowed me to leave. Before I leave, I ask him one final question.

"Rouxan-san, why are you decided to trust me, even though I'm an otherworlder?"

"Three reasons, Yuko. First: You don't have that blessing, or to be bluntly put, no blessing at all. Second: You have a level limit like a normal resident of this world. And Third: Your stats are average for a kid in your physical age in Excelia, but way below average than the weakest otherworlder ever known. Even you don't have a unique skill like them."

I understand about the second part and curious about the first part, but the last part really hit me hard. He said that my stats are equal to the kid of my physical age. Looks like I don't have any cheat-like skills like any protagonists of isekai light novel.

Maybe he already appraise me using his unique skills, and the question is, how he has one?

"Rouxan-san, do you know how to acquire a unique skill?"

"I don't know, but it might be has some connection with the user level and some skill levels, maybe job also an important factor too."

So he has no clue at all. Well, I guess I need to find it out by myself.

I slung the bag on my shoulder and bow to him.

"Thank you for the information and the items, Rouxan-san."

"Don't mention it, Yuko. Please come again if you need something."

I nodded and walked to the exit door. But before I opened the door, Rouxan-san warned me.

"One more thing, Yuko. Never ask anyone about the White Girl, or the executioners will hunt and kill you."

Okay, advice taken. I won't ask anyone about her. Thanks for the reminder, Rouxan-san.

Then I walked outside the shop and returned back home.

.....

Seven days left before the disaster.