Chapter 101: Enlightenment

Minamoto Kiyomoto left the Rose Palace, went down the mountain, and wandered around the city for a few more rounds, buying some beer and a roasted turkey.

After making sure that no one was following him, he took the food and returned to his residence.

“She might have already seen through it,” after listening to Minamoto Kiyomoto’s experience of the night, Kamibayashi Miko guessed.

“Whether she has seen through it or not, as long as we get out of the city tomorrow, whether it’s to save people or to snatch the remains, it’s an excellent opportunity,” Minamoto Kiyomoto took a sip of beer.

“The three of us will go out of the city first to ambush?” Himemiya Izayoi ate the roasted turkey with little interest, as if she didn’t like it.

They had no divine power, but their skills in kendo and the like were still there. As long as they didn’t get surrounded like in the cornfield, the soldiers would not be their opponents before their stamina was exhausted.

“It’s more dangerous with more people. I’m enough to snatch the remains,” Minamoto Kiyomoto was full of confidence in himself.

“Are you planning to use that remains to turn into a yokai?” Kamibayashi Miko asked him.

“When the time comes, you don’t have to stay here. I’ll snatch the Rose Castle, change its name to Rose Shrine, and let you live there. You can eat whatever you want.”

Kamibayashi Miko looked at the talkative Minamoto Kiyomoto coldly.

“What if it’s the remains of a county-level yokai?” she said. “Even if it’s not, a town-level one is also dangerous. You said it yourself before, the Hakone fire dragon was a fluke because of the similar capacity.”

“Are you worried about me?”

“I’m just afraid that if you die, no one will help me buy food, ensure my safety, take me out, and help me pay off my loan.”

“Isn’t that the same? You’re still worried about my safety.”

“You can be as optimistic as you want about this matter, but when it comes to using the remains, optimism will really harm you,” Kamibayashi Miko warned.

Minamoto Kiyomoto drank two sips of wine, pondered for a moment, and finally said:

“After I get it, I’ll let you appraise it first. If it’s county-level, I’ll give up.”

“So obedient,” Himemiya Izayoi said sarcastically.

Minamoto Kiyomoto looked at her, “Because she’s worried about me, so I listen to her.”

“I’m also worried about you,” Himemiya Izayoi said. “When you went out, I was so lonely and in pain. Do you know? I was thinking about you all the time, worrying about you, worrying that you would suddenly have a stroke on the road, choke to death while drinking, and have a heart attack while eating barbecue.”

“…Although one can’t be too optimistic, your negativity of hoping for my death is also not good.”

The Hokkaido miko tore the chicken into small strips and put them into her mouth like snacks. Her eyes watched the three of them as if she were watching a drama.

“You guys are so interesting,” she even sent a bullet comment.

The three of them glanced at her at the same time and fell into silence.

After finishing the late-night snack, they boiled water and took a bath.

They used the same wooden bucket, but each person’s bath water was re-boiled.

They had just started living this kind of life. If they stayed here for a long time, they wouldn’t bother and waste time boiling so much hot water.

On that day, they would either simply wipe their bodies, or Minamoto Kiyomoto would be the last to wash, and might accidentally drink the three people’s bath water.

Today, Minamoto Kiyomoto was also the last to finish washing. He wiped his hair and walked into the bedroom on the first floor.

After wiping his hair, he threw the towel aside, picked up his thin sword, and imagined that he was surrounded by soldiers in armor, holding long spears and shields, simulating how to deal with the enemy.

“Knock, knock, knock,” it was not a real knock on the door, but Himemiya Izayoi imitating the sound of knocking on the door, playful and cute.

Minamoto Kiyomoto opened his eyes. Before he could speak, Himemiya Izayoi had already slipped in.

“I have something to talk to you about,” she said as she closed the door.

“You miss me again?” Minamoto Kiyomoto put down his thin sword and said with a teasing smile.

The last time Himemiya Izayoi came to him at night, this was the reason she used.

Himemiya Izayoi smiled, didn’t speak, and slowly walked over, her posture elegant.

She was wearing a simple Western-style nightgown, white, a long dress, decorated with exquisite lace.

The chest of the nightgown was like two large petals.

Walking up to Minamoto Kiyomoto, she suddenly said “hey” and threw herself at him.

“I got you!”

“Things are different now, sister,” Minamoto Kiyomoto said with a nonchalant smile. “You have no divine power now, and you still dare to raid me at night?”

“So you’re going to attack me?” Himemiya Izayoi wrapped her arms around his neck, looked at him, and asked with a grin.

“Go back.”

“I won’t,” Himemiya Izayoi let go of her hands and rolled into the quilt.

She propped her head up with her right hand, in the posture of a noble consort ready to appreciate him taking off his clothes.

Minamoto Kiyomoto lay down.

“Eh?” Himemiya Izayoi said in surprise. “So proactive today?”

“If I chase you away, will you leave?”

“Of course not. This is my bed.”

“Then that’s it,” Minamoto Kiyomoto helped her cover herself with the quilt.

Himemiya Izayoi let go of the hand supporting her head, shrank into the quilt, and hugged him.

Minamoto Kiyomoto pushed her away, arranged her into a perfect sleeping posture of ‘lying flat, hands folded on her lower abdomen,’ and pressed the quilt against her neck.

“Sleep well,” he blew out the candle, lay down himself, and turned his back to her.

A single bed, with a distance of ten centimeters between the two of them.

In the darkness, Himemiya Izayoi suddenly laughed a few times.

“What are you laughing at?” Minamoto Kiyomoto asked in a low voice.

“Like a child.”

“A twenty-year-old is a child.”

After a brief silence, the two twenty-year-old children laughed at the same time.

Himemiya Izayoi shook the quilt, her body pressed against him, and her hand rested on Minamoto Kiyomoto’s waist.

“Don’t make a fuss,” Minamoto Kiyomoto took her hand away.

“Who’s making a fuss?” Himemiya Izayoi’s hand slipped in again. “It’s been so long. You must be thinking about it too, right? It’s been hard on you during this time.”

“I want…”

“Be good, don’t talk,” Himemiya Izayoi blew in his ear. “It’s already like this.”

Her fingers were smooth and delicate, very slender.

At the same time, Himemiya Izayoi kept blowing hot air into his ear.

“…Forget it,” Minamoto Kiyomoto sighed, took her hand out again, turned around, and held her in his arms.

Himemiya Izayoi’s body was held, and her hands couldn’t move. She looked at him in Minamoto Kiyomoto’s arms.

“It’s already like this, and you can still hold back?” she asked.

“Don’t underestimate my willpower,” Minamoto Kiyomoto said.

“You’re a virgin?”

“Hmph,” Minamoto Kiyomoto pretended to be unhappy and held her even tighter.

“It’s you who didn’t want it. Don’t blame me if you feel uncomfortable,” Himemiya Izayoi broke free, wrapped her arms around Minamoto Kiyomoto, and buried her head in his chest.

Minamoto Kiyomoto gently held her and smelled the fragrance of her hair.

For a while, neither of them spoke, immersed in the intimacy and warmth of the embrace.

It was not as direct a stimulus as before, but Minamoto Kiyomoto was also very comfortable at this time. The intimacy of the skin was not just about that kind of thing.

“It’s really incredible,” Himemiya Izayoi said in a low voice.

“Hmm?”

“Just holding you like this, I feel…” she thought for a while for the right words, “very happy.”

Minamoto Kiyomoto stroked her smooth hair.

“Who do you think is the most beautiful?” After a while, Himemiya Izayoi said.

“You and Kamibayashi are equally beautiful,” Minamoto Kiyomoto replied.

“Wrong, answer again.”

“You’re beautiful now.”

“Flatterer.”

Minamoto Kiyomoto opened his eyes and looked down at her, “I’m always wrong?”

“Yes!” Himemiya Izayoi replied with a nasal sound, a proud smile on her face.

Perhaps because she was lying in the quilt, her expression was very innocent and cute. Minamoto Kiyomoto held her a little tighter.

“If I dye my hair white, will you like it?”

“I will.”

“What about red hair?”

“I will.”

“Blue?”

“I will.”

“Emerald?”

“I will.”

“Apple color?”

“…”

“Hmph, you don’t love me anymore.”

“I was thinking what color apple color is.”

“I don’t know either,” Himemiya Izayoi said. “But that’s not important. You didn’t say you liked it immediately. I’m not satisfied. I’m going to sentence you to death.”

“Your Majesty, can you let me make a final defense?” Minamoto Kiyomoto asked.

“Hold me tighter.”

Minamoto Kiyomoto held her tighter.

“Hmm—” the sound Himemiya Izayoi made was unknown whether it was satisfaction or agreement to his defense.

“I didn’t say I liked it immediately because, to you, I can’t promise easily.”

“Can’t promise easily? What do you mean?”

“If it were someone else, for example, that Hokkaido miko, I would say I like you and will definitely be with you in the future. I wouldn’t take such a promise to heart at all. But to you, I can’t promise.”

“You’ll take it to heart?”

“I’ll take it to heart.”

“I understand what you mean. But,” Himemiya Izayoi turned over and pressed on him, “I don’t like the example you gave.”

“I’m sorry,” Minamoto Kiyomoto said.

Himemiya Izayoi looked at where she was sitting, felt it was very funny, and muttered with a bit of shyness and pleasure, “Serves you right.”

“It’s good. It trains my willpower,” Minamoto Kiyomoto also laughed.

“After you left today, I asked Miko how it felt to be kissed.”

“What did she say?”

“She said that a miko shouldn’t discuss such things.”

“Can a miko discuss doing such things?” Minamoto Kiyomoto asked the Ise Shrine miko.

“Whether you can or not has nothing to do with whether you’re a miko. As long as…” Himemiya Izayoi suddenly stopped and looked at Minamoto Kiyomoto without speaking.

Minamoto Kiyomoto also didn’t speak.

“It’s jumping,” Himemiya Izayoi laughed playfully.

“Don’t mind it,” Minamoto Kiyomoto said.

“So pitiful, my Young Master Kiyoshi,” Himemiya Izayoi reached out and pinched his cheek.

Minamoto Kiyomoto’s mouth opened slightly.

“Let’s continue our previous topic,” Himemiya Izayoi smiled and said, “I’m not satisfied with the example you gave. I’m going to punish you.”

Minamoto Kiyomoto looked at her with confusion.

Himemiya Izayoi’s eyes gradually became charming.

She slowly leaned down, her snow-white, exquisite face getting closer and closer, so close that their noses touched.

Their breaths, which were moist, clearly flowed into each other’s noses and mouths.

“Don’t worry,” her waterfall-like black hair slid across Minamoto Kiyomoto’s face. “This miko will definitely not take the initiative to kiss you.”

Himemiya Izayoi’s mouth opened slightly, at a distance of about one centimeter…
“…” Minamoto Kiyomoto looked at her blankly.

Himemiya Izayoi sat up straight, her right hand covering her mouth, her moist eyes looking at him with a shy and smiling expression.

“How was it?” she asked in a low voice, somewhat expectantly.

“…”

How could it be?
Minamoto Kiyomoto turned over and pressed her down, and opened her mouth.

“No!” Himemiya Izayoi quickly turned her face away. “I don’t want to eat saliva!”

“Then you let me eat it?”

“You like to eat it.”

“You’re the one who likes to eat saliva!” Minamoto Kiyomoto went to pinch her chin again.

“No~” Himemiya Izayoi’s palms were up, overlapping on her lips.

Minamoto Kiyomoto looked at her. Her sparkling, smiling eyes, her fluttering eyelashes, and the charming and beautiful angle of her bangs.

In her childlike and innocent expression, there was an intoxicating charm.

Minamoto Kiyomoto slowly leaned down and kissed the palm of her hand on her lips.

He turned over and turned his back to her, “Go to sleep.”

“Hehe, so useless,” Himemiya Izayoi laughed behind him and poked his back with her hand.

Minamoto Kiyomoto suddenly turned around, pulled the quilt, and covered the two of them from head to toe.

“What are you doing? I was wrong, good brother, I was wrong, Minamoto Kiyomoto!”

The next morning, Minamoto Kiyomoto opened his eyes and saw the disheveled Himemiya Izayoi.

A strand of black hair mischievously ran between her rosy and alluring lips.

No wonder he tasted something last night.

“What are you looking at?” he was thinking when Himemiya Izayoi had already opened her eyes and asked in a very kind voice.

“You’re so scary,” Minamoto Kiyomoto couldn’t help but say what was on his mind.

“Regret it?” Himemiya Izayoi asked.

“…Why can’t I control myself.”

“Alright, alright, it was just a kiss. Don’t worry, you’re still a virgin,” Himemiya Izayoi sat up and comforted him perfunctorily.

She stood by the bed and tied her hair behind her head skillfully.

Seeing that Minamoto Kiyomoto was still lying on the bed reflecting, she laughed with disdain:
“Look at you, so useless. You’re single. Who can’t you kiss? Why are you acting like you’ve cheated?”

“But… I like Miss Kamibayashi.”

“Then just give up on her,” Himemiya Izayoi said in a relaxed tone, as if it were a trivial matter.

“…” Minamoto Kiyomoto sat up on the edge of the bed and sighed, “You witch.”

“You’re the one who kissed me.”

“That’s because you dripped saliva into my mouth!”

“So what? Wasn’t it you who took the initiative to kiss?”

“You’re the one who came to my room.”

“You were waiting for me in your room. You could have gone to Miko’s room first.”

“Do you think everyone is like you? Running to someone else’s room in the middle of the night?” Minamoto Kiyomoto retorted, but he couldn’t do anything about her.

“You’ve never run?” Himemiya Izayoi asked with a smile, looking at his face.

“That’s on the premise that she can completely refuse.”

“You can also refuse. Can’t you refuse? Hmph, blaming a woman like me. You’re so promising. I misjudged you.”

“…” Minamoto Kiyomoto was speechless.

This woman, even when she was fishing for law enforcement, could be so righteous and even pout cutely.

He pulled Himemiya Izayoi and threw her on the bed.

“Are you going to make a mistake to the end?” Himemiya Izayoi laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I’m not pushing the responsibility to you, but I’ve decided,” Minamoto Kiyomoto looked at her eyes.

“Give up on her?”

“No, I’ve decided—I will never do anything to betray the person I like.”

“What do you mean?” Himemiya Izayoi asked with confusion. “Now, whether it’s me or Miko, you’ve betrayed both of us.”

“So, from today on, I’m going to pursue both of you. The three of us will be together. That way, no matter who I kiss, I won’t be betraying the other person.”

Himemiya Izayoi was stunned.

Minamoto Kiyomoto continued, “Are you willing, Miss Izayoi?”

“Go away!” Himemiya Izayoi pushed him away and stood up angrily. “Do you know who I am? You want me to… ugh! Ugh!”

Himemiya Izayoi, who had been pushed down again, hit Minamoto Kiyomoto a few times, and finally moved the battlefield to her mouth.

◇

“…That’s how it is.”

In the morning, Minamoto Kiyomoto told Kamibayashi Miko everything that had happened last night without any concealment.

Finally, he said, “I’m sorry, Miss Kamibayashi. From today on, I’m going to pursue both you and Izayoi.”

Kamibayashi Miko looked at him for a while, then looked at Himemiya Izayoi, who was drinking milk and eating bread.

“Don’t look at me. I won’t agree,” Himemiya Izayoi said and continued to drink her milk. She was unusually thirsty today.

Kamibayashi Miko said nonchalantly, “You two can be together.”

“That’s not good,” Minamoto Kiyomoto objected. “I’m with her, but I’ve kissed you. Isn’t that betraying Izayoi?”

“Wait a minute,” the white-haired girl said with confusion. “I don’t understand the logic here. Please explain it more clearly.”

The three of them glanced at her at the same time and stopped talking.

(End of Chapter)