The Strongest Onmyoji and the Shikigami With AI are Unparalleled in Another World ~ A Second Life Properly Enjoyed Using Artificial Intelligence ~ - Chapter 166

When I returned to the dorm, Natalia and Lily went upstairs to prepare lunch, leaving me to head back to my room alone.

As usual in my room, Annie and Alice were sitting in the kotatsu with only their heads visible, while AI-chan was nowhere to be seen.

“Ugh, so cold, so cold… huh?”

As I slid into the kotatsu, I felt something against my feet. When I looked, AI-chan was curled up down there.

I pulled her out and positioned her to sit between me and the kotatsu, holding her gently.

“Welcome back. You’re freezing cold,” she said, looking up at me.

“Lily was being overly excited.”

“She’s such a child.”

So are you.

“…Honestly, I’m glad Yuma is here this year. Last year, I had to deal with it all myself.”

“Now that you mention it, you were shivering like crazy,” the two disembodied heads chimed in as if recalling the memory.

“I’m cold too. I want to go to a hot spring.”

“Me too. I wonder what Leanne is up to?”

The lack of any contact gives me a bad feeling.

As I warmed up with AI-chan in the kotatsu, Natalia and Lily brought lunch, and we all ate together.

In the afternoon, we decided not to go out and stayed in the room. Evening came, and Pamela, having finished her work, dropped by to join us for dinner.

“Pamela, have you heard anything?”

“Nothing… I’ve informed Jeffrey-san and the district mayor, but no news has come in. Honestly, this silence feels like the calm before the storm.”

I felt the same way.

“What about Leanne?”

When I asked, Pamela shook her head.

“Nothing. I haven’t seen her, and it seems she hasn’t returned to her dorm room either.”

She hasn’t even come back to the dorm…

“Going to the capital would be pointless, wouldn’t it?”

“I think we can only wait.”

So, it’s that after all.

After finishing dinner, we spent some time relaxing together.

As the night grew late, Pamela went home, and the others returned to their own rooms.

AI-chan, who had taken her bath first, said she’d warm up the futon and went to bed early. I then took my turn in the bath.

When I came out, I found AI-chan peacefully sleeping in the futon, while Leanne was sitting in her usual spot in the kotatsu.

“Excuse me for intruding. I’m sorry to bother you at this late hour,” Leanne apologized.

“Oh, hey, Leanne. I don’t mind, but it’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

I said as I sat down next to her.

“Yes, I apologize for not contacting you… A lot has been happening.”

I figured as much.

“So? How did it go?”

“Let me start by saying the conclusion. The demons have invaded…and the town of Tretta, a northern port town, has fallen.”

…It’s fallen?

Even so, isn’t this happening too quickly?

“So the invasion wasn’t a false alarm…”

“No. As soon as I learned of it, I informed my uncle right away. He immediately sent express messengers to the noble families governing the northern territories. However, just a few days later, an urgent plea for reinforcements arrived from Tretta. We rushed to send help, but…”

It had already fallen by then, huh.

“How could it fall so easily? I heard the navy was strong, prepared for any demon threat.”

“Well… that’s…”

Leanne looked down, her expression clouded.

“What happened?”

“The navy of Tretta spotted the demon army’s ships and mobilized their entire force to repel them. However, a massive horde of monsters surged down from the northern mountains, leaving them completely helpless…”

A massive horde of monsters…

“A stampede, huh…”

“Most likely…”

Did they use the army as bait and unleash the monsters using that mirror…?

With the entire military force deployed, they couldn’t defend against the stampede, leading to the town’s destruction.

“What about the residents?”

“There have been significant casualties. Those who managed to escape are now taking refuge in neighboring towns. Meanwhile, the navy that set out was forced to retreat to a nearby town, during which the demon army landed in Tretta.”

This is turning into a serious disaster…

“And then?”

“The surrounding towns have mobilized their forces to rescue the refugees and have begun advancing to reclaim Tretta. My uncle has also decided to send reinforcements from the royal capital.”

“Will this information be made public?”

I’d heard that demons provoke an extreme reaction of fear and hostility from the populace.

“It will be disclosed. At this point, it can no longer be hidden. During the meeting just now, it was decided to notify all guilds tomorrow and begin recruiting volunteers.”

Just as Annie predicted, huh.

“I see.”

“And so, I have a request for you, Yuuma-sama.”

A request, huh…

“Wait a second… AI-chan, AI-chan.”

I gently shook the peacefully sleeping AI-chan to wake her up.

“Mm… huh? Master and Leanne-san… Oh, I see, I’m intruding. I’ll stay with Natalia-san tonight. I’ve already warmed up the futon, so please take your time.”

AI-chan, still half-asleep, mumbled as she got up.

“You idiot. Leanne brought some bad news. Go wake up the other girls.”

“Huh? Oh… that’s what this is about… Understood.”

Rubbing her eyes, AI-chan left the room.

“Leanne, sorry to trouble you, but could you bring Pamela here via teleportation as well?”

“You’re right… It’s best if Pamela hears this too. Please wait a moment.”

Leanne nodded and stood up.

“There’s no rush, take your time.”

“Understood. I’ll be right back.”

With that, Leanne teleported and disappeared.

“Sigh…”

This is turning out to be far worse than I imagined…