Asagiri nodded with satisfaction at Asuna's response and chuckled,
"Hmm, beloved minister, your words are truly comforting to my heart."
Asuna blinked, exasperated. "Wait, wasn't this the Water Margin a second ago? When did it turn into being an emperor?"
"This is the Water Margin IF line," Asagiri replied, completely serious. "Three Brothers' Oath in the Peach Garden, Romance of the Three Kingdoms Gundam: Linked Super Enhanced Version."
"…What are you even talking about?" Asuna groaned. "How did we go from Water Margin to Three Kingdoms to Gundams in the same sentence?"
Ignoring her confusion, Kotoko smiled with practiced grace and elegance. She lightly tapped her phone against Asuna's.
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[You have successfully added 'Player' Asuna Yuuki as a friend]
[You have successfully added 'Player' Kotoko Iwanaga as a friend]
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"So that's your real name…" Kotoko murmured, glancing at the screen before passing her phone to Asagiri. "Shall we add each other as well, Leader?"
"Sure."
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[You have successfully added 'Player' Kotoko as a friend]
[You have successfully added 'Player' Asagiri Utsunomiya as a friend]
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"So, 'Leader' and 'Violet' were your codenames during the dungeon?" Kotoko asked curiously.
"Yes," Asuna replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "We don't reveal real names during dungeons. You should come up with one too."
"A codename, huh…" Kotoko tapped her chin with a finger, eyes sparkling mischievously. "Then I'll be…'Leader's Girlfriend'~"
Asuna froze. It took a moment for the words to register. Then her brow twitched.
"Hey. Pick a serious codename. Don't slip your personal delusions into this."
"I think it's great," Kotoko said brightly, clearly not taking Asuna's protest seriously.
Seeing Asuna helplessly look to him for support, Asagiri nodded solemnly.
"Yeah, yeah, that won't do," he agreed. "How about I'm the Butter Shooter, she's the Ham Sausage Warlock, and you'll be the Bread Swordsman! Sandwich combo squad!"
Asuna groaned. "What kind of naming sense is that?! We're not food-based RPG characters! And besides, she might really become a Warlock, I'm a Swordsman—but Butter Shooter? What does that have to do with you?"
"Oh, you don't know?" Asagiri replied smugly. "Best shooter game of the year wasn't a game at all. It was a certain software. JM Paradise."
"Huh? How's that shooting?"
"That's why I'm the Butter Shooter. I'll explain later~"
"Wait—what do you mean by okay? No! Don't change the topic again!" Asuna huffed. "Can you two please be serious for once?!"
Sighing, she looked at Kotoko again. "Just… give a proper codename."
Kotoko, thankfully, didn't push it further. This time, she answered seriously.
"Necro. How about that?"
"Necro?" Asuna echoed, frowning. "Is that even a word?"
"It's short for Necronomicon," Asagiri explained. "A fictional grimoire from the Cthulhu Mythos. 'Necro' is from the first five letters. Given her talent, it's quite fitting."
Kotoko's eyes lit up. "Oh? Leader, you know Lovecraft?"
Asagiri gave a modest wave, though his tone was anything but.
"Just a bit. Just a bit."
Asuna watched them talking and suddenly felt a faint, irrational twinge of irritation. She interrupted, "Alright, Necro it is. But that reminds me—you both awakened exclusive talents, right? I've always wondered, how does the APP determine what's best suited to a person?"
"I'm not sure about Leader," Kotoko said with a cryptic smile. "But in my case…'Goddess of Wisdom' isn't something I gained after entering the dungeon."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Kotoko leaned in slightly and spoke in a calm, eerie tone.
"It's not just my exclusive talent—it's my identity in the real world."
Asuna blinked. "Wait…what?"
"I'll explain," Kotoko said gently. "When I was eleven, I really did go missing. But the ones who took me weren't human. It wasn't a kidnapping—it was an invitation."
She continued with composed clarity.
"The ones who took me were yokai. They needed a Goddess of Wisdom—someone who could mediate their disputes, interpret human society, and maintain balance between both sides. Most yokai aren't very smart, you see."
Asuna's eyes widened in disbelief.
"In exchange for becoming their Goddess of Wisdom, I offered them one eye and one leg. It was my choice. I've held that position ever since."
"…Are you saying… yokai exist in the real world?"
"They do," Kotoko said, putting her beret back on. "But don't worry. Most of them want nothing more than to live peacefully. They're forbidden from showing themselves openly, and few bear humans ill will. The world you know is still safe."
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