Chat Group Crossover: My System Simulates Infinite Anime Worlds — Chapter 71

Chapter 71: He Is Currently Living at My Place

Takarao Kaori had only met Nagumo once, in what should have been a classic scene of a hero rescuing a damsel in distress.

However, Nagumo’s subsequent actions had completely shattered that heroic image, extinguishing any possibility of something blossoming between them.

In the few short seconds that followed Cecilia’s arrival, Kato Megumi’s mind raced, considering and dismissing a hundred different thoughts.

Cecilia, for her part, hadn’t been thinking about much at all. The sudden appearance of someone beside her had given her a small jolt, and she now found herself appraising Kato Megumi. The girl possessed a stunning figure, with curves in all the right places, and an equally exquisite face. Among all the students Cecilia had seen, she was undoubtedly one of the most attractive.

She couldn’t help but wonder about this girl’s relationship with Nagumo. And what about the quiet girl sitting beside him? What was her story? Cecilia felt a familiar pang—she knew far too little about Nagumo.

But that didn’t matter. She could simply ask him when the time was right. After all, she was the one living in his house. She had the home-field advantage, sharing the same roof, living together day and night. Unless Nagumo was carved from a block of wood, she was confident he wouldn’t remain unmoved for long.

“Hello, my name is Cecilia. I’m one of the teachers in the school infirmary.”

“Hello, teacher,” Kato Megumi replied calmly, settling back into her seat.

Cecilia then sat down, her gaze landing on Nishinomiya Shouko, who was seated directly across from her.

Nishinomiya Shouko gently set down her chopsticks, picked up the small whiteboard beside her, and neatly wrote a few words.

“Hello, teacher.”

Although Shouko’s hearing and speech impairments had been healed, she couldn’t regain her voice overnight. It required practice, so for now, she continued to communicate with her board. More, her voice still came out halting and unsteady, and she was afraid Nagumo might laugh at her.

Cecilia was taken aback for a moment but quickly understood the situation and offered a warm nod. “Hello.”

Nagumo looked at Cecilia, who was now sitting diagonally across from him. “Are you getting used to things at school?”

“It’s been alright. The seniors have been very helpful,” Cecilia said softly, her eyes curving into gentle crescents.

Hearing this exchange, Kato Megumi looked directly at Nagumo from across the table.

“Nagumo, do you know Teacher Cecilia?”

Nagumo shook his head. “I wouldn’t say I know her. But she is currently living at my place.”

As the words fell, a sudden, heavy silence descended upon the table.

The warm, smiling expression on Cecilia’s face instantly froze. She ducked her head, a deep blush creeping up her neck in embarrassment.

Kato Megumi and Shouko saw it all—the smile vanishing, the sudden shame. In that instant, both of their minds descended into chaos.

What in the world was going on?

How could this new teacher possibly be living at Nagumo’s house? Was she a relative?

Nishinomiya Shouko held up her board again, her writing more hurried this time.

“Could you explain, in detail, what is going on?”

“I’d like to know, too,” Kato Megumi added, her gaze fixed intently on Nagumo.

Under their combined scrutiny, Nagumo remained perfectly calm. To him, it was really nothing complicated.

“Cecilia is a visitor from another world. When I got home last night, she was sitting in my living room. The higher-ups arranged for her to stay at my place, so I’ve sort of unwittingly become her guardian.”

“No, that’s not quite right,” Cecilia suddenly interjected, raising her head. Her green eyes, now filled with a tender light, looked at Nagumo with unwavering seriousness. “I’m supposed to be Nagumo’s guardian. You’re the one who needs looking after, Nagumo.”

The expressions on Kato Megumi and Nishinomiya Shouko’s faces shifted almost imperceptibly, but they quickly regained their composure.

They immediately recognized Teacher Cecilia as a formidable rival. The fact that she was living at Nagumo’s house was a devastating advantage. It meant they were living together.

They were both aware of Nagumo’s family situation; they had both attended the funeral a month ago. They remembered the soldiers in their various dress uniforms, all coming to pay their respects. Nagumo hadn’t cried. He had just stood there, methodically tossing yellow spirit paper into the brazier, one sheet at a time. His gaze had been fixed solely on the dancing flames, as if he were hiding all his pain deep within his heart.

Though he had acted as if nothing was wrong this past month, behaving just as he always had, Kato Megumi and Nishinomiya Shouko knew better. Nagumo was a hot-blooded young man, and he was still grieving the loss of his family.

And now there was Teacher Cecilia, with her gentle temperament and that undisguised, adoring gaze. If the two of them were living together… all sorts of things were bound to happen.

The two girls shook their heads, trying to banish the increasingly vivid scenarios from their minds. Such thoughts were definitely not for polite company.

Then, their eyes met across the table, and a silent, secret understanding passed between them.

Cecilia, completely oblivious to their non-verbal exchange, kept her gaze fixed on Nagumo, her stare so intense it seemed she might melt him on the spot.

Nagumo calmly finished the last of the food on his tray, though he had taken in every detail of the unfolding drama. It felt strangely familiar, like one of the chaotic social scenarios he’d encountered during his simulations. He briefly wondered if he should feel validated by his past experiences or if he should just stick to his current, detached persona.

His gaze flickered to Cecilia. He could sense that she had already began the path of Qi Refining. Bolstered by the flesh of that eight-star demonic beast, her foundation was remarkably solid. With that thought, he reached into his storage bag.

He produced several thick stacks of neatly folded yellow paper talismans, the cinnabar ink still looking fresh. These were protective charms he had inscribed himself. He knew there would always be evil cultivators who, facing the end of their lifespans, would seek to possess a new body.

These talismans weren’t overly complex in their function. Upon activation, they would release a hardened protective shield to block any form of soul erosion. Simultaneously, they would automatically form a talisman array, trapping the intruder’s soul within. Finally, the array would call down a bolt of heavenly lightning to obliterate the captured soul.

Just to be safe, Nagumo had layered several other defensive measures into each one. He made a mental note that he should probably study formations more deeply, especially something like a Soul-Destroying Array.

He took out even more talismans, giving a thick stack to each of the three women before him.

“Take these. Remember to carry them on your person at all times; don’t just leave them in your storage bags. If you lose them, ask me for more. I have plenty.”

He then looked at Cecilia. “And you, don’t forget to go to the library and learn the Breath Concealment Technique.”

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going.” With that, Nagumo picked up his empty tray.

He beat a hasty retreat from the brewing storm.

Cecilia carefully placed the stack of talismans into her pocket. A bright, radiant smile spread across her face as she watched Nagumo’s retreating figure. Only then did she turn back to finish her lunch.

Nishinomiya Shouko and Kato Megumi stared at Cecilia, a new depth of understanding in their eyes.

This woman was truly formidable. They had known Nagumo for quite some time, yet he had never given them a single gift. Who could have imagined that this Cecilia could coax a gift out of him on what was essentially their first day of knowing each other? The woman’s methods were simply terrifying.

still, the two of them were nothing if not sensible. They clutched the stacks of talismans, securing them close to their bodies. They silently resolved that no matter what they wore in the future, they would carry these charms with them at all times. Perhaps they could even find a small pouch or a locket to hang them from their necks.

Meanwhile, in the student council office.

Takarao Kaori, the girl Nagumo had rescued the day before, had finally sifted through the mountain of student files. In her hand, she held the one she had been looking for, the one that contained all of Nagumo’s information.