Chapter 90: Under the Same Vertebrae, by the Sanshiro Pond

The heavy rain was still falling, with a magnificent momentum, as if it were about to wash away the entire earth.

“I’m back late. Did you save me any food?” Minamoto Kiyomoto walked into the living room.

Shirako pointed to a small table for one person in the living room. Minamoto Kiyomoto sat down cross-legged, “Thank you, Miss Shirako.”

“A piglet must be fed until it’s white and fat, so that when it’s killed, its screams will be louder,” Shirako said with a sinister smile.

“I didn’t know you were a tsundere.”

“Shut up! You’re the tsundere!”

Minamoto Kiyomoto took a sip of the pork soup, “Hmm, delicious.”

Shirako snorted and crossed her arms arrogantly.

The rain kept falling. Minamoto Kiyomoto finished his dinner to the sound of the rain.

Just as he was about to wash the dishes, Kamibayashi Miko, who was sitting cross-legged under the wind chime on the veranda, meditating with her eyes closed, called out to him.

“Come here, I have something to ask you.”

“No, I want to wash the dishes.”

Shirako temporarily put down her game of flying chess with the little butterfly and tried to take away the dinner plate, but Minamoto Kiyomoto refused to let go.

“One’s own things, if one can do them oneself, one should do them oneself. This is what my mother taught me since I was a child…”

“Let… go,” Shirako slowly raised her head and stared at him with the eyes of a leopard preying.

“You’re so disloyal!” Minamoto Kiyomoto let go and complained to her in a low voice.

“Hurry up and go!” Shirako tried to kick Minamoto Kiyomoto’s butt. “If you dare to make Lady Miko wait, I’ll poison your breakfast tomorrow!”

Minamoto Kiyomoto walked to the veranda and sat on Kamibayashi Miko’s left.

“Is a girl’s body beautiful?” Kamibayashi Miko still had her eyes closed. As soon as she spoke, the heavy rain seemed to have lessened, as if it didn’t want to disturb her.

Minamoto Kiyomoto was a smart person and did not answer whether it was beautiful or not.

He recounted what had happened today from beginning to end.

As expected, Kamibayashi Miko was a reasonable person and no longer pursued the question of whether a girl’s body was beautiful or not.

“You plan to teach her cultivation?” she asked.

“This is something that can’t be helped,” Minamoto Kiyomoto looked at the curtain-like heavy rain in front of him.

“Knowing that living a good life is a better choice for her sister, she is still obsessed?” Kamibayashi Miko opened her eyes, turned her face slightly, and looked at Minamoto Kiyomoto with that clear spring.

“Isn’t that what family is all about?” Minamoto Kiyomoto turned his head and looked at her.

Then, he smiled and said, “Love is the same.”

Kamibayashi Miko looked at him for a while, then turned her head back and closed her eyes again.

“The next time you act alone without telling me in advance, you’ll stand in the heavy rain for a whole night.”

“I’m sorry,” Minamoto Kiyomoto apologized honestly.

He sat beside Kamibayashi Miko for a while, then suddenly tilted his body towards her like a tumbler.

“Miss Kamibayashi,” he said as if telling a secret, “you wash first, or I wash first?”

Before Kamibayashi Miko could react, he had already stood up and said, “I’m going to take a bath. You’re not allowed to come in, you know!”, and went back to his room to get his clothes.

Kamibayashi Miko opened her eyes and ignored Minamoto Kiyomoto’s lewd teasing. She stared at the rain in the night for a long time before closing her eyes again.

There was much more to this heavy rain.

“Because you said it was in Shinbashi, I thought it was a yakitori izakaya!” Yuka secretly sized up the surroundings and sat down with Rabbit.

This was an Italian restaurant that was so high-class that one had to muster up the courage to walk in. It was on the forty-seventh floor of the Shiodome Building, and one could see the Rainbow Bridge in the rain.

Opposite the two of them was Harumi, codenamed ‘Carp’. She had a paralyzed husband and two children to support.

Harumi was wearing a high-class formal dress, and beside her was a glass of equally high-class wine.

“I’ve always wanted to try the life of the rich,” seeing her companion, the strong-willed Carp finally showed her timidity and said in a low voice.

The three of them looked at each other, and at the same time, they straightened their backs, put on an air, and let the handsome waiter in uniform pour them wine.

“Cheers,” the three women couldn’t tell the quality of the wine, but it didn’t stop them from enjoying the pleasure of their mood.

They chatted about their recent lives for a while, then got to the point.

“Fatty, Monkey, Horse Face, and Monk have all arrived,” Rabbit said in a low voice, as if not to disturb the other guests.

“When do we act?” Yuka also whispered.

“At noon, at the University of Tokyo,” Rabbit said.

“Why not wait until she returns to Chiba? We can take her away when she’s changing trains,” Carp asked with confusion.

“I’ve already scouted it out yesterday,” Rabbit’s voice became even softer. “Except for the University of Tokyo, there are people monitoring the group leader’s sister at all other locations.”

The waiter came over and asked if they needed more wine. Yuka nodded slightly, and the three of them were silent for a while.

After the waiter left, Carp said with concern, “Isn’t it too dangerous to act at the University of Tokyo?”

“It’s precisely because it’s dangerous that we chose this place,” Rabbit said. “No one would have thought that we would dare to kidnap someone under the noses of the two miko and Minamoto Kiyomoto.”

Yuka glanced at Carp, understanding her concern.

“Harumi,” she gently pressed Carp’s hand, “you don’t have to participate.”

“No,” Carp shook her head. “For the group leader, I’m willing to do anything.”

“You’re different from me. You have children and a husband to take care of.”

Rabbit also persuaded, “All of our ninth group’s actions are for our families and friends. Sister Harumi, you don’t have to blame yourself, and you don’t have to force yourself.”

Carp thought for a moment, but still shook her head.

“You, and Tanaka, Aota, don’t you also have families to take care of? And, the group leader is also my family.”

Yuka said nothing, just squeezed Carp’s hand.

Although Rabbit was moved, she was not used to this kind of scene since she was a child. Her eyes were already a little sore, and she was about to cry.

She raised her wine glass and pretended to drink, but because she was distracted and not used to drinking from a wine glass, she almost spilled it all on her face.

“Cough, cough, cough!”

“Rabbit, are you okay?!”

“It’s coming out of your nose!”

The whole restaurant was filled with their earth-shattering, flustered voices.

The waiter who was serving nearby was stiffened by the sound. The guests in suits and leather shoes held their breath and looked at them in disbelief.

The three of them couldn’t stay any longer. They hurriedly paid the bill and left the restaurant by elevator.

“Let’s have the celebration party at a yakitori shop,” Yuka said before they parted.

“Sorry,” Rabbit said with embarrassment.

The heavy rain was still falling. The water of the Tama River was rising in the night, gradually approaching the warning line.

◇

The morning sun slipped in through the gap in the curtains and lay lazily on the bed.

On the bed, Itomi Yuki’s figure was gone. The sound of water came from the bathroom.

The school uniform that had been hung up to dry last night, except for the shirt which was slightly dry, the underwear and skirt were still damp to the touch.

Fortunately, after putting them on, it was not obvious from the outside that they were wet, but it was not very comfortable.

Itomi Yuki had no time to go to the mall to buy new underwear and a new skirt. She picked up her even wetter schoolbag, checked out of the room, and walked towards the University of Tokyo.

It was still early. Besides the citizens who were doing morning exercises and walking their dogs, even the salarymen could not be seen.

She found Sanshiro Pond on the map, went into the woods, and stood by the pond, which was full of stones.

The surroundings were all unknown trees. The layers of leaves were so dense that even the sunlight could not penetrate, making the pond look like an open-air deep well.

The pond water was clear. The carp after the rain poked their heads out and breathed in the air with big mouthfuls.

In the gap of the huge rock by the pond, a lonely shrub that looked very much like a reed grew. Itomi Yuki happened to have read relevant materials and knew that it was not a reed, but a miscanthus.

A perennial herbaceous plant that grows by the water, with long leaves like reeds, and purple flowers in autumn.

She also thought of a flower with a very similar Chinese character, the hagi flower. The hagi flower was the first of the “seven grasses of autumn.” Perhaps because it looked pure, there were more than a hundred poems about the hagi flower in the “Manyoshu.”

Itomi Yuki was tired of standing and waiting, so she found a rock and sat down.

Washed by the rain and wiped dry by the sun, the rock was so clean that it could reflect a person’s shadow.

What did her sister do?

What was the danger that Minamoto Kiyomoto mentioned?
Why would she gradually become estranged from her family and friends once she knew?
Her thoughts wandered. She sat there in a daze. Time passed by minute by minute, and the sun had risen without her realizing it.

She didn’t know how many times she had come back to her senses, but she finally saw Minamoto Kiyomoto walking out of the shade of the trees.

“You’re here so early?” Minamoto Kiyomoto was holding a sandwich, Hokkaido milk, and a medical book with a diagram of the human abdomen.

At this time, Itomi Yuki realized that it was only six o’clock in the morning on September 2nd.

“You haven’t had breakfast?” Minamoto Kiyomoto sat down and handed her the sandwich and milk in his hand.

“I’m not hungry, thank you,” Itomi Yuki only wanted to know about her sister now.

“I hope you understand your current situation—eat, or not eat?”

Itomi Yuki took a deep breath, suppressed her anxious mood, and took the sandwich and milk.

She glanced at Minamoto Kiyomoto, who had no intention of continuing, and tore open the sandwich wrapper.

The sandwich bread was very soft, with ham inside. After taking a bite, she took another sip of milk and looked at Minamoto Kiyomoto.

That look was a threat—if you don’t tell me, I won’t eat.

This was a threat that could only be effective if the relationship was close enough. Itomi Yuki didn’t know why, but she had a premonition in her heart that this would definitely work on Minamoto Kiyomoto.

As expected, Minamoto Kiyomoto spoke.

“This world is far more cruel than it seems on the surface,” he said.

“Cruel?” Itomi Yuki repeated.

“There are many things hidden in corners that most people can’t see.”

When Minamoto Kiyomoto said this, he stopped and looked at Itomi Yuki. Itomi Yuki had to take another bite of the sandwich and a sip of milk.

Her body, which had not eaten since last night, felt a sense of satisfaction. She couldn’t help but take another small bite of the sandwich.

“Compared to… pets,” Minamoto Kiyomoto found an example, “even a veterinarian can’t completely consider them. People always ignore a fact. The veterinarian’s clients are not the pets, but the pet’s owners.”

“How is that cruel?” Itomi Yuki asked.

“For example, a dog is depressed because it doesn’t go for a walk and keeps biting its own fur. But its owner doesn’t want to go out, or doesn’t have time to go out. The pet hospital can only persuade.”

Itomi Yuki nodded, her pink lips pursing the straw, subconsciously drinking the milk.

She thought about the puppy for a while, then let go of the straw and asked, “What does this have to do with my sister?”

“Your sister… are you sure you want to continue, on the premise that Sayaka clearly doesn’t want you to know?” Minamoto Kiyomoto asked her again.

“Please tell me,” Itomi Yuki did not hesitate.

Knowing that doing so was acting on impulse, but if she didn’t, she would never see tomorrow, and her life could not continue.

Minamoto Kiyomoto laughed twice and said in a melodious tone, “Your sister is going to blame me.”

“I’ll speak up for you, big brother,” Itomi Yuki comforted perfunctorily.

“Your sister is happy. She has someone she wants to protect with her life, and someone who wants to protect her with their life,” Minamoto Kiyomoto sighed. “You eat first. We’ll continue after you’re done.”

Itomi Yuki quickened her pace of eating.

She was used to enjoying her food in small bites. Suddenly having to finish a sandwich in a short time, she wasn’t much faster.

Minamoto Kiyomoto looked at the chinquapin tree above his head.

The chinquapin fruit ripened from late October to November. It was now early September. It had been almost half a year since he was kicked into the pond by Kamibayashi Miko here in April.

Speaking of which, Itomi Yuki, who was about to embark on the path of cultivation, was also soaked yesterday.

Could it be that this school had a curse?
“I’m done eating.”

Minamoto Kiyomoto withdrew his gaze and saw Itomi Yuki putting the milk carton into the sandwich plastic bag and putting it in her schoolbag together.

Itomi Yuki zipped up her schoolbag and asked Minamoto Kiyomoto, who was sitting beside her, “Did my sister really commit a crime?”

“Hmm—, how should I put it? She did kill someone, and she also possessed a dangerous weapon. At the same time, she is one of the leaders of a terrorist organization that is splitting the country.”

“…How could it be? My sister couldn’t have done such a thing!” Itomi Yuki was in disbelief.

“I said yesterday, in this world, there are as many good people who have to commit crimes as you want.”

“My sister… why did she do it?”

“For you.”

“Me?”

“This world has… do you have a 500 yen coin?” Minamoto Kiyomoto asked.

Itomi Yuki was stunned for a moment.

Minamoto Kiyomoto held out his hand to her. She subconsciously took out her wallet and found a 500 yen coin from the change she had gotten from taking the train yesterday and handed it to him.

Minamoto Kiyomoto glanced at the coin. The front was a paulownia, and the back was the denomination.

“This world has yokai,” he looked at Itomi Yuki with both eyes and bent the coin.

Itomi Yuki blinked and said in a tone of ‘don’t try to fool me,’ “This is just pure strength, or magic.”

“…” Minamoto Kiyomoto restored the coin and put it in his pocket. “It seems I have to show some real skills.”

He picked up a stone and threw it at the water. With a “bang,” a huge splash was made, as if it had been hit by a cannonball.

A carp swam over and spat at Minamoto Kiyomoto.

Minamoto Kiyomoto blocked it with his hand and said to Itomi Yuki as if nothing had happened, “Do you believe me now?”

“…”

In the silence, Minamoto Kiyomoto pointed a finger at the center of Itomi Yuki’s eyebrows, who had not yet come back to her senses, and began to awaken her capacity.

This was a curse he had obtained from the Xiangye crown. It was much simpler than Kamibayashi Miko’s. The guided person did not need to make an effort. The guide could directly help to communicate with the divine breath.

Itomi Yuki closed her eyes. A layer of white divine power flowed around her.

It was the same white as the Hokkaido witch, but the two would definitely not be mistaken.

The Hokkaido witch’s white was the color of ice and snow; Itomi Yuki’s white, at first glance, was also ice and snow, but it was actually more like the white mist on a mountain.

As the guide, Minamoto Kiyomoto knew everything about Itomi Yuki.

From a distance, she was a perfect ice mountain;
A little closer, a beautiful small mountain;
Up close, just a slightly difficult to get along with, cute and pitiful ordinary girl.

Strong, yes, but once she was no longer alone, she would become weak and want to rely on others;
But she was still smart and hardworking.

With these, with Minamoto Kiyomoto’s intelligence, he could know all of Itomi Yuki’s thoughts.

For example, yesterday, when he said he didn’t know about Sayaka’s matter, Itomi Yuki had already believed him. It was just that she was desperate and had no other way but to grab him.

What kind of choice she would make in the face of a matter in the future could also be guessed with eighty or ninety percent accuracy.

Minamoto Kiyomoto hated being understood to this extent by someone. The person who had enlightened the Jiajing Emperor must have died long ago.

But this person was Kamibayashi Miko, and he was happy instead.

He wanted to be with her. It was a good thing for her to know his good and bad in advance.

When Itomi Yuki woke up, it was already noon, and the campus had become lively again.

“Let’s go,” Minamoto Kiyomoto stood up. “Let’s go to the cafeteria to eat.”

“What was that just now?” Itomi Yuki quickly picked up her schoolbag. She found that her clothes and schoolbag were all dry.

“Divine power,” Minamoto Kiyomoto explained to her about ‘divine breath,’ ‘yokai,’ and ‘Shintoism.’

At noon, the two of them were still in the Italian restaurant on the 13th floor of the Medical Faculty’s teaching and research building.

After finishing their meal, they each ordered a glass of iced oolong tea.

“The nine groups of Shintoism, some for money, some for lust, some for power, some for doing whatever they want. Your sister’s ninth group is just a group of ordinary people who started cultivating halfway, don’t want to go and fight yokai, and just want to protect their families.”

After a pause, Minamoto Kiyomoto said again:
“But for self-preservation, they also killed official cultivators. It’s not wrong to say they are criminals.”

“Sister…”

These days, Itomi Yuki had thought of many terrible things, but she had never thought that her sister was actually living such a life.

“Behind me, those three women are your sister’s subordinates,” suddenly, Minamoto Kiyomoto said with a smile.

“What?!” Itomi Yuki subconsciously raised her head and looked behind Minamoto Kiyomoto.

Three ordinary-looking women. In the University of Tokyo, which was open to the public, there were as many such people as you wanted.

“And to the left rear, the long-faced and bald man eating pasta.”

Itomi Yuki looked over again. There was a camera on the table of the two men. Just looking at their appearance, they were also like ordinary tourists who had come to the University of Tokyo to take pictures.

“Behind you, the fat man reading ‘Decisiveness—Starting from Tomorrow! Practical Training’ is also one.”

Itomi Yuki turned around.

The moment she looked over, the book in the fat man’s hand fell to the ground in fright.

Under Itomi Yuki’s gaze, he trembled as he went to pick up the book, and large beads of sweat appeared on his face.

He took a long time to pick up the book, but still couldn’t pick it up. This person also kept secretly looking over here. Anyone could see that there was something wrong with him.

“You scared them,” Minamoto Kiyomoto picked up the oolong tea and took a sip with a smile.

Itomi Yuki quickly withdrew her gaze and also picked up the oolong tea.

In her peripheral vision, the group of three women, who had been calm just now, were now restless.

Itomi Yuki was now an external member of “Takamagahara” and of course knew about Minamoto Kiyomoto and her sister’s relationship. Just now, he had said that, obviously wanting to scare her sister’s friends through her.

“Big brother, you’re so bad,” she couldn’t help but say.

Minamoto Kiyomoto leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and was at ease.

“I’m protecting them, so they don’t do anything stupid,” he said with a nonchalant smile.

Thank you all for your subscriptions, rewards, monthly tickets, and recommendation tickets.

The second fan fiction event has been held in the comment section. Interested book friends can go and have a look.

I hope everyone can always be happy.

Crow
(End of Chapter)