"Ehhh?!!"
Chisato Nishikigi, now dressed in a red and white shrine maiden outfit, stared in shock at Luo Shu, who had changed into ordinary Japanese commoner's clothing:
"A thirty-to-one time difference? You're joking, right?"
"What do you think?" Luo Shu shot Chisato a sidelong glance, clearly annoyed.
After learning why Kikyo had reacted so strongly to her clothes, this woman had shamelessly borrowed a Miko outfit from her.
Not content with just changing herself, she'd dragged Luo Shu into wearing Warring States period attire too, claiming it was 'following local customs'.
She'd effectively delayed Luo Shu's attempts to explain the situation by half an hour - quite the achievement.
"A thirty-to-one ratio is seriously problematic."
Chisato nibbled worriedly at her fingernail, her expression grave:
"From our Abyss exploration experience, worlds with greater time differentials from our own tend to be... more dangerous."
"Is that so?" Luo Shu, unfamiliar with Abyss exploration protocols, looked genuinely surprised.
"Ah, Luo Shu, you didn't know?" Chisato Nishikigi paused briefly before suddenly realising: "I almost forgot you've been in the SDS for less than a month."
As she spoke, Chisato patted Luo Shu's shoulder with a mischievous grin as she warned:
"Then, when we get back, you can use your clearance to browse the internal network properly. There's lots of interesting stuff there."
Seeing Chisato's expression, Luo Shu immediately recognised her malicious intent.
Casually brushing off Chisato's hand from his shoulder, Luo Shu said calmly:
"What risks does an excessive time differential pose?"
Hearing this, Chisato hesitated before answering:
"Probably the risk of dimensional collapse?"
"I don't really understand the details, but according to Director Tachibana, any Abyss explored by SDS with a time differential exceeding 5:1 basically ends in destruction."
"The exact principles are probably only understood by R&D, but judging by this 30:1 Warring States period, the likelihood of destruction seems very high."
At this point, Chisato pouted regretfully:
"Wouldn't it be such a shame for a lovely shrine maiden like Kikyo to die in this Abyss?"
She then meaningfully blinked at Luo Shu.
Seeing her expression, Luo Shu could only say helplessly:
"Doesn't blinking like that make your eyes sore?"
"But Luo Shu, she's a shrine maiden! A proper, pure shrine maiden! And she can protect that Shikon Jewel thing, get some daimyo to build her a shrine for free - she must be an amazing shrine maiden, right?"
As she spoke, Chisato twirled around to show off her simple red and white shrine maiden outfit.
However, the only thing Luo Shu noticed from her spin was that Chisato's figure was much better than Kikyo's.
"She'd have to be willing first."
Luo Shu rolled his eyes at Chisato before considering:
"Given Kikyo's personality, since she only accepted the Shikon Jewel purification mission for Kaede's Village, then to get her to join the SDS, we'd have to resolve Kaede's Village's problems first."
"Oh ho!"
Hearing this, Chisato covered her mouth to stifle a giggle before nudging Luo Shu's chest with her elbow:
"You've even planned your persuasion strategy already? Don't tell me you haven't got any ulterior motives!"
Luo Shu couldn't help but reach out and pinch both of Chisato's cheeks.
'Hmm, very smooth, very tender - definitely the face of a 17-year-old girl.'
"Ouch ouch ouch!"
Listening to Chisato's pained cries, Luo Shu calmly released her face:
"I may do it, but you can't say it out loud. Understood, C Rank Member Nishikigi?"
Rubbing her slightly reddened cheeks, Chisato grumbled:
"Honestly... what a playboy."
"Don't make proper business sound indecent!"
Luo Shu sighed before turning towards the sliding door:
"So, Kikyo, how long were you planning to stand outside?"
"Eh?" Chisato froze at these words.
At that moment, the sliding door slowly opened to reveal Kikyo in her red and white shrine maiden outfit, standing quietly in the corridor as she observed them both.
"Wha- How did she walk so quietly?"Chisato Nishikigi's face twitched slightly before she asked with an unnatural expression:
"Um, Kikyo, how long have you been standing outside the door?"
Kikyo's cool gaze swept over Chisato's face before she replied indifferently:
"Since you mentioned the internal network."
"You heard practically everything then!!" Chisato grabbed her hair in frustration. "Ah!! I was so careful about checking the surroundings, too!"
After glancing at the distressed Chisato, Kikyo turned her head towards Luo Shu and asked:
"What did you mean by the Warring States period being destroyed?"
"Exactly what it sounds like."
Seeing her directness, Luo Shu answered frankly:
"You've seen cremated bodies before, right? It's similar to that. Everyone in this era you're living in, including nature itself, will gradually turn to ashes over time, just like cremation."
After hearing the explanation, Kikyo remained silent for a moment before asking: "Is there no solution?"
Luo Shu frowned slightly before shaking his head:
"There might be, but currently, I don't know of any method."
"I see." Kikyo exhaled softly before straightening her expression and speaking in a serious tone: "As terms for my assistance, please explain the full situation to me."
Hearing this, Luo Shu couldn't help but chuckle and tease:
"Weren't you just saying earlier that the accommodation was free, Kikyo?"
Kikyo glanced at him and replied calmly: "I simply didn't respond."
Luo Shu had no rebuttal to this, as when he'd asked about staying earlier, she indeed hadn't said a word, merely acquiescing silently.
'So this woman knows how to play little mind games, too?'
While thinking this, Luo Shu addressed Kikyo:
"If you want to know, then I'll tell you everything."
At this point, he gave her a meaningful look:
"About our origins... and this world's future!"