Chapter 376 377: Chisato Nishikigi

The Sawamura household.

After Eriri got word that Jhin was back, she took a glance at his social media on a whim — only to discover that the guy had immediately liked a post from some ecchi-art illustrator. It infuriated her.

Is my lewd art not lewd enough? How dare he go look at someone else's work first!?

She glanced at the artist's name with her clear blue eyes, her delicate brows knitting together instantly. "Eromanga Sensei? Isn't that the online friend he made up?"

Out of curiosity, Eriri followed the artist and struck up a conversation: "Hello, I'm Kashiwagi Eri."

"Eriri! Come down and eat!"

"Coming!"

Jhin had assumed the timeline chaos ended the moment his future wives from Another World vanished, but while he was out shopping, a white-haired girl called out to him.

Under the warm early-spring sun, her white hair shimmered like gold. Even more striking than her hair were her lovely face and bright, cheerful smile.

"Big brother! Long time no see!"

"And you are?"

"Ah! I forgot I never told you my name back then, sorry about that. I'm Nishikigi Chisato — just call me Chisato!"

"Nishiki... Chisato?"

Seeing him still looking blank, Chisato pointed at her chest. "You were the one who cured my heart condition, remember?"

"Oh, so it's that kid... She's grown up in the blink of an eye." His remark wasn't wrong at all — just yesterday, he and Nymph had replaced her artificial heart, and today she'd already grown to about the age of a middle schooler.

"Big brother, where do you live? I've been looking for you for so long."

"Hmm..." Considering the timeline chaos, Jhin wasn't sure Chisato would be able to find him if he told her his current address. He thought of the café Kazuki had bought earlier and gave her that address instead, then ruffled her smooth, short hair. "If that place turns out to be a café, I'll probably end up running it as the owner."

Chisato pouted. "Why can't you just tell me your real address?"

"Heh, a guy with a few secrets is more attractive, don't you think?"

Chisato had wanted to chat a bit longer with the man who'd saved her life, but her phone rang and she had to say a hurried goodbye. "Big brother, I've got something to take care of. I'll come find you at the café later!"

"Sure, take care."

Jhin watched her go, eyeing the seemingly ordinary school bag in her hand with a thoughtful look.

"Carrying a gun around... With her current physical abilities, she shouldn't need to worry about threats. Could there be some kind of family trouble?"

Whatever the case, she was a girl he'd saved with his own hands, so faced with something so clearly out of the ordinary, he called Nymph. "Nymph, remember the girl whose surgery we did yesterday?"

"Of course, Master. Has something unusual come up with her?"

"I've found out the timeline chaos isn't over yet. She's turned into a middle schooler now. Look up her information for me — her name is Nishikigi Chisato. I'm sending you her photo."

"Understood, please wait a moment."

"Master, I couldn't find this girl in the resident records."

"Oh? Interesting. Try searching based on that red school uniform she was wearing."

"Found her! She belongs to Direct Attack, one of the members of the special unit Lycoris, known as 'the strongest Lycoris of all generations.' At age seven, she became the hero of Radio Tower Incident."

"What does that DA outfit do?"

"It's a public security organization independent of the police and the Public Security Bureau. It advocates eliminating criminals and terrorists before incidents occur. Under it are two special units: the all-female 'Lycoris' and the all-male 'Lilybell.'"

"Look into how the units recruit their members." Jhin's eyes narrowed slightly. The mere fact that Chisato had already been in this agent organization at age seven was enough to disgust him, since it reminded him of the terrorist ringleader Heath Oslo.

"Master, both units adopt orphans and train them into agents from a young age."

He gave a scornful snort. "Just as I thought. Dig further into these orphans — find out whether it's natural disaster, misfortune, or deliberate design."

"Some are due to natural disasters, some are deliberately engineered family destructions."

"What about Chisato?"

"She was abandoned because of a congenital heart condition."

Jhin rubbed his temples. Thinking of Chisato's bright smile, he let out a sigh. "Once the timeline chaos is over, find a way to get her out of DA."

"Master, according to what I've found, she's already left DA and is currently working at the café Kazuki bought."

"Huh?"

"Um... she's seventeen years old now."

"So you're saying the timeline chaos has already ended?"

"Probably... maybe? Perhaps I should develop a device to detect timeline chaos..."

Before Jhin could say anything more, a call came in from his divine boss.

"Hey, Boss, is the timeline chaos over?"

"Yeah, yeah. Those little girlfriends of yours from Another World should be arriving in another two or three days. Remember to check your text reminders."

"Got it!"

After hanging up, Jhin immediately headed for the café.

Inside the Café LycoReco Café.

Chisato, dressed in her red Japanese-style uniform, leaned against the counter and complained to the drone on the table. "Seriously, Kurumi... why are you the acting manager of this place?"

A mechanical, synthesized voice came from the drone's speaker: "This is the four thousand three hundred and fifty-sixth time this year you've asked me that question. Don't you ever get tired of it?"

"Well then, get the Store Manager to come back!"

"Hmph... I have no idea when the Store Manager will show up at this place."

"You're supposed to be the acting manager, aren't you?"

"It's exactly because I'm only the acting manager that I don't know."

The cheerful girl suddenly slumped, looking utterly listless. "Ugh~ To think a cute girl like me spends every day cooped up in a café with nothing but a drone for company."

"Cut the fake modesty. Outside of business hours, don't you also go help around the neighborhood and take on DA field assignments?"

"You really aren't spying on me, are you?" Chisato grabbed a tray and threw it at the drone, but it dodged with practiced ease.

"I have no interest in women."

"A gay one?"

"Think whatever you like."

Ding-a-ling~

At the sound of the door chime, Chisato instantly switched to an energetic, lively smile. "Welcome to Café LycoReco! Customer... eh!!! Big... brother!?"

"Don't call me that with that tone, it brings back bad memories. I'm Jhin — just call me by my name."

"Huh? Oh... then... Jhin-nii?"

"That works too."

Chisato really wanted to give him a reunion hug right then, but looking at Jhin, who still looked like a teenager after more than ten years, her eyes filled with obvious confusion. "Jhin-bro, are you an alien?"

"Not at all. It's a bit complicated to explain — for now, just get me a cola!"

"Eh? But this is a café..."

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🔥 New history: COTE: My High School Life Became Jujutsu Kaisen — posted on The_Mikudayo