"I knew it would be this question."
Luo Shu sighed, placing his right hand on his hip as he exhaled helplessly:
"And you deliberately stated no lies or misleading answers."
"Not to mention reminding me you'd uphold our previous agreement."
"Does this mean if I say yes, you'll kill yourself? That way, you avoid harming Abe no Seimei while also evading our agreement?"
Hagoromo Gitsune remained silent, lifting her head to stare unflinchingly at Luo Shu, her eyes betraying no guilt.
Seeing this, Luo Shu chuckled instead:
"Has anyone ever told you women are the most cunning creatures?"
The moment he said this, he received sharp glances from Suzuka Dairenji and Kurumi Tokisaki nearby.
Not the least bit apologetic, he simply looked at the fox spirit trying to weasel her way out and said flatly:
"Fine. Seeing how stubborn you are, I know you won't let this go unless I answer today."
"Then I'll tell you the truth."
Hearing this, Hagoromo Gitsune raised her head attentively.
Yet Luo Shu stated solemnly:
"The answer is—I don't know either."
Hagoromo Gitsune tilted her head slightly to the right, as if processing his words.
After a long pause, she finally asked belatedly:
"What... does that mean?"
"Literally, no hidden meanings whatsoever."
Luo Shu regarded her calmly and continued:
"I genuinely don't know if Abe no Seimei is your child. I can only share what I've uncovered."
He sighed at Hagoromo Gitsune's bewildered expression:
"You're probably aware I possess a high-level divination Abyss Artefact."
"I used it to investigate your connection with Abe no Seimei, but the revelation was unclear."
"The vision showed a gateway constructed from white bones."
"As for interpreting it—well, as I said earlier, I merely own the artefact. I'm no diviner who can decipher omens."
"Expecting me to interpret revelations is asking too much."
Hagoromo Gitsune seemed to strain her mental faculties to comprehend this before asking hoarsely:
"Is that all?"
Seeing her pale yet beautiful face, Luo Shu softened slightly:
"Beyond that, I also saw you being cast into Hell by Abe no Seimei."
"Consider this unsolicited advice—believe it or not as you will."
At the mention of Seimei condemning her to Hell, Hagoromo Gitsune fell silent.
She wanted to accuse Luo Shu of sowing discord between her and Seimei, but as one who could sense the darkness in hearts, she vaguely perceived the sincerity in his emotions.
Just moments ago, when Luo Shu spoke those words, his emotions contained rare traces of pity, the familiar lust evoked by her beauty, and a hint of what seemed like disdain for Abe no Seimei's actions.
Yet the one thing Hagoromo Gitsune failed to detect was any element of deceit.
Having confirmed this, Hagoromo Gitsune remained silent for a long while before slowly submerging herself into the dark lake waters.
After a pause, she spoke in a tone laden with unfathomable thoughts:
"Our agreement still stands."
"I shall ensure Seimei is reborn, and question him directly about the circumstances."
"At the same time, I won't prevent you from sending him back to Hell."
"However, there's one thing I must clarify beforehand."
"If Seimei truly is my child, then after this, I will still attempt to resurrect him again."
"Furthermore, I hope that next time, you'll refrain from acting against that child, whether directly or indirectly."
Hearing this, Luo Shu couldn't help but glance at Hagoromo Gitsune with some surprise.
Hagoromo Gitsune's words clearly indicated she had mentally prepared herself for the possibility that Seimei might not be her child.
Though her final remarks suggested using this failure to pave the way for future success.
But Luo Shu understood all too well that the relationship between Abe no Seimei and Hagoromo Gitsune, now obscured by some Demigod Rank divination interference that prevented his investigation, signified that it was a secret guarded by a certain Demigod.
Yet even as a secret, this might as well be public knowledge.
Divining whether Hagoromo Gitsune and Abe no Seimei were mother and son yielded ordinary results confirming their relation.
But when using the Demigod Rank Abyss Artefact Mysticism Encyclopaedia for divination, interference blocked any answer.
The conclusion was obvious.
They weren't mother and child, yet shared some connection a Demigod deemed too sensitive to reveal.
Hence, the Demigod Rank interference with the masking of the truth.
Regarding their relationship, Luo Shu had his theories. But since Hagoromo Gitsune demanded unambiguous answers earlier, he'd stated the facts without voicing conjectures.
Now it seemed she'd pieced it together herself.
Whether their conclusions aligned remained uncertain.
As these thoughts crossed Luo Shu's mind, he kicked a nearby freezer, reminding Hagoromo Gitsune:
"The replacement vessel is stored here."
"As for dealing with the lake's energy - my advice is non-intervention."
"If this accumulated power truly serves as one of the ascension requirements, as I suspect, tampering would immediately alert Abe no Seimei."
"Maintaining the status quo is our safest option."
"Though absorbing the lake's emotions to strengthen your Fear should pose no issues - this was prepared for you by Abe no Seimei after all."
"Understood."
Hagoromo Gitsune's form gradually sank into the inky waters as she spoke. Before disappearing completely, her hoarse voice carried:
"Nue's birth will occur at twilight three days hence."
"Consider this partial payment for your earlier answers."
With that, she vanished beneath the black lake's surface.
Scratching his head with a bemused expression, Luo Shu muttered:
"Partial payment? Meaning there's more?"
"Couldn't you have specified the full compensation?"
Shaking his head, he glanced at Kurumi Tokisaki before summoning Suzuka Dairenji to depart Nijo Castle together.
He needed to deliver his new theories about Abe no Seimei's situation to Lacus and formulate contingency plans.
A Hero Rank entity potentially preparing for Demigod ascension while harbouring intense hostility toward humanity was no trivial matter!
One misstep could trigger catastrophic consequences.