Monogatari Series - Volume 20 - Chapter 1.16

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Someone woke me up right away.

Like they were waiting for me to fall asleep.

For a moment, I was in that state where I didn’t know if I was asleep or awake, in a dream or in a daze, but even after that moment passed and I woke up, I didn’t know what was going on.

“Shh.”

There, standing by the bed with her index finger up against her mouth, the lights still off, was none other than the shikigami tween of unknown whereabouts, Yotsugi Ononoki.

It was Ononoki.

No, that wouldn’t have been so confusing on its own─it was the usual level of eccentric (and harassing) behavior for her. Normally I’d have the mental composure to feel nice and relieved that she’d made it back home safe─but.

There was a reason that didn’t happen.

“Kind monster sir, you need to get up without making a sound. Without waking up Big Sis Sodachi. Put on clothes so that you can go outside,” Ononoki said, her tone uninflected, unfeeling, and flat─spoken with such little expression on her face that I knew exactly how she looked even in the dark, unlit room. That was why.

No expression, no emotion, just words, just standing there.

She did have that outfit on with the pants, but I was certain that she was the Yotsugi Ononoki I knew.

“…?”

What was going on? Why?

Why did yet another exception have to pop up just as I’d gotten used to this world and started doing my best to analyze it─where was the emotive Ononoki?

Then, this Ononoki said something to exacerbate my confusion.

In, of course, a flat tone.

There was no feeling behind her words, but they were as shocking as could be.

“Stay quiet and just follow me, monstieur. If you do, I’ll take you to Shinobu─to the Kissshot Acerolaorion Heartunderblade who exists in this world.”