Chapter 208: Departure

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In February, Minamoto Kiyomoto had someone prepare a ship, planning to depart from Tokyo Bay and land at the ‘Tomakomai Port’ in Hokkaido.

“Why are you taking a ship to Sapporo?” Itomi Sayaka, who was in charge of this matter, asked with confusion.

When there were no subjugation missions, she acted as Minamoto Kiyomoto’s secretary. Her explanation to her family was also that she worked in a government department.

“It’s not all for the Ice Lantern Festival,” Minamoto Kiyomoto closed the document in his hand and explained, “Previously in Choshi City, the ‘Mountain Wind Cave’ was very effective, and the casualties were very low. I plan to take the opportunity to go to Hokkaido and catch a sea yokai.”

Itomi Sayaka nodded in admiration, “From the first time we met, I could see that you are a responsible man.”

“The first time we met? How could you tell?” Minamoto Kiyomoto asked curiously.

“You said, ‘Boss, you give me one yen, and I guarantee I’ll solve one yen’s worth of your troubles.'”

Minamoto Kiyomoto was stunned for a moment, then laughed lightly. Itomi Sayaka also smiled.

“I didn’t think that much. It’s just that there are many yokai in the sea, and most of them are of the same origin. It’s easier to make a sealing stone slab.”

“Still using a town-level to make a stone slab and seal a village-level?”

“Hmm, the number of county-level is too small, unless we re-form a demon-hunting ship and go deep into the ocean.”

“It’s too wasteful to use a county-level yokai to make a stone slab.”

Seeing her reluctant expression, Minamoto Kiyomoto laughed again.

When a county-level yokai appeared in Japan, at least hundreds of thousands of people would die. In the past, people were terrified at the news, but since he turned the Coral Demon Moth into a demon body, many people were no longer afraid.

Minamoto Kiyomoto would not act against ordinary yokai. On the contrary, for a county-level yokai, it would definitely be Minamoto Kiyomoto who personally subjugated it. Could they not be fearless?
Being able to bring people a sense of security was one of the reasons why Minamoto Kiyomoto had many followers.

“By the way, since you’re so responsible, what do you plan to do with me, your ex-girlfriend?”

“What ex-girlfriend?”

“Scumbag!”

“You said it yourself, ‘Boss, you give me one yen, and I guarantee I’ll solve one yen’s worth of your troubles.’ This is a transaction.”

“So you just don’t want to be responsible?”

“Go and prepare the ship, Miss Secretary Sayaka.”

“How many people?” Itomi Sayaka asked.

“Hmm—me, Miko, Izayoi, Rikka, and Shirako, Noi, Little Butterfly. Are you and Yuki going? If you are, come with me.”

“That’s more like a man.”

“…Hmm?”

Itomi Sayaka flicked her short hair and walked away with her long legs.

The ship was quickly prepared.

Because it was sailing along the coast and there were few passengers, it was just a very ordinary luxury cruise ship.

“The sea—”

“The sea—”

Shirako stood on the bow deck, and Little Butterfly flew beside her. The two of them shouted in unison.

On the other side, Itomi Sayaka showed Minamoto Kiyomoto and the others around the cabin.

As soon as they entered, Noi looked around, found a bar where she could charge her phone, and sat down there.

“The office decoration is in a leisurely style. I heard that the Honshu Shinto Lord wanted it. The shipbuilder took the initiative to send it over and said that this kind of ship is just right for Lord Shinto. You can enjoy the sea view while holding a bikini lady and handling official business.”

“I like it,” Minamoto Kiyomoto nodded.

Himegami Izayoi, Kamibayashi Miko, and even Itomi Yuki, who had come along, all looked at him.

“Hmm? What’s wrong?” Minamoto Kiyomoto looked at them with confusion.

“You like it. Do you like the sea view, or do you like holding a bikini lady?” Himegami Izayoi asked with a smile, not angry, but really smiling.

“Maybe he likes the shipbuilder,” Kamibayashi Miko said playfully, and she couldn’t help but laugh.

Minamoto Kiyomoto glared at her with an impatient white eye. When he glared, he also laughed.

“Master Kiyo,” Himegami Izayoi used her fan to adjust his head, which was facing Kamibayashi Miko, to look at her. “I’m asking you a question.”

A “kind” smile, but her eyes were already smiling.

“Of course I like to look at the sea view and handle official business,” Minamoto Kiyomoto said with a laugh.

“Is that so? I thought you would say that you like to hold Koyako and look at the sea view,” Himegami Izayoi lowered her head, pouted her delicate lips, and opened the fan bones one by one like tearing petals.

Compared to her previous pure acting, she now had a bit of a young wife’s sad and charming style, and at the same time, a girl’s playfulness, which was very moving.

“I like to hold Koyako and look at the sea view, and I want to hold her now, and I want to see it now,” Minamoto Kiyomoto opened his arms and hugged her like coaxing a little girlfriend.

Himegami Izayoi, who was wearing a red and black kimono, spun around like a rose fairy, leaving behind a sweet fragrance, and left his embrace.

She said with a proud smile, “Master Kiyo, you said it too late. I won’t let you hold me!”

If Itomi’s sisters weren’t here, she would have pounced into his arms like a butterfly hitting a spider web.

“Then I’ll hold Miko,” Minamoto Kiyomoto walked towards Kamibayashi Miko with his open hands.

“Do you want to be kicked into the sea?” Kamibayashi Miko asked with confusion.

The warning and threat were said as if it were a casual chat, as if asking, ‘What do you plan to eat tonight?’

“…” Minamoto Kiyomoto withdrew his hands, and not only that, he also hid his hands behind his back.

Of course, he would pretend to be carefree with his hands behind his back. He was also a father-to-be, and he was already very mature. He knew that life was about compromise and that he had to find a way out for himself.

“On the ship, cough, are there no maids?” Minamoto Kiyomoto asked Itomi Sayaka, who was staring at him.

“I thought you were planning to go on a honeymoon trip, so I didn’t arrange for any maids,” Itomi Sayaka said.

“What’s a honeymoon trip?” the Hokkaido Miko asked her.

“A trip for a newly married couple.”

“Su, I want to go to the South Pole or the North Pole. I heard it’s very cold there,” the Senmo Miko said to Minamoto Kiyomoto.

“I’ll take you to space. It’s absolute zero there,” Minamoto Kiyomoto replied.

“Hmm, okay,” Rikka nodded obediently.

Minamoto Kiyomoto: “…”

Himegami Izayoi tapped his shoulder with her fan and laughed at him, “You’re speaking in circles. She doesn’t understand.”

After hearing this, Rikka’s pure eyes stared at Minamoto Kiyomoto like a doll that couldn’t blink.

“You’re making fun of me again?” she said faintly.

Although she didn’t show much emotion, it made one think of a little cat that had been abandoned in a distant place, looking at its owner leaving.

Minamoto Kiyomoto was overwhelmed with great apology and pity.

This was a girl who had been abandoned in the snow and had no parents or relatives. How could he bear to deceive and make fun of such a person?
“I’m sorry,” Minamoto Kiyomoto said sincerely.

“I will always remember that you made fun of me.”

“I’m really sorry. I won’t do it again. Please forgive me.”

“Hmm, but I’ll choose the location for the honeymoon trip.”

“…By the way!” Minamoto Kiyomoto clapped his hands and said as if he had remembered something, “I haven’t told you this good news yet. Izayoi is pregnant. She’s a girl with eyes as charming as mine.”

“Really?”

“It’s not a fake pregnancy again, is it?”

The Itomi sisters had always thought that the fake pregnancy on Shodoshima Island was an absurd and bizarre thing.

“It’s true,” Himegami Izayoi said with a happy smile. “I checked this morning. The female doctor said that it’s just barely possible to detect the pregnancy.”

“Then how do you know it’s a girl?” Itomi Sayaka was a graduate of Juntendo University. Although she had forgotten most of her knowledge, she still remembered that even a blood test for DNA required eight weeks of pregnancy.

“I saw it,” Minamoto Kiyomoto said proudly.

“Saw it?” Itomi Yuki’s fair face was full of confusion.

She looked at Minamoto Kiyomoto’s eyes, then pretended to hug her arms and protect her chest.

“It’s not X-ray vision,” with the Yata no Kagami, Minamoto Kiyomoto could see whatever he wanted, but he wasn’t interested in these things. “Let’s sit down and talk first.”

They had been standing since just now.

After sitting down on the sofa that was arranged in a circle, Himegami Izayoi flicked her fan. This time, not only the fire fan came out, but also six young palace maids in Tang dynasty clothes.

“Lady Izayoi,” the seven shikigami said at the same time. Their voices were neat and pleasant, and their ears felt a comfortable massage.

“Why are there so many people?” Minamoto Kiyomoto asked.

“To serve me and Jindai,” Himegami Izayoi said and pointed at Minamoto Kiyomoto with her fan, gesturing for the shikigami to bow.

“Lord Kiyomoto,” the shikigami bowed deeply to Minamoto Kiyomoto again.

Under the leadership of the fire fan, some shikigami went to tidy up the bedroom, some prepared snacks, and some went to start the cruise ship.

From beginning to end, Itomi Yuki looked at these shikigami with curiosity. They looked exactly like real people.

The shikigami that her sister had brought back for her from Minamoto Kiyomoto’s house were a group of flower shikigami with very low intelligence and very small size. Under their petal-like skirts, they wore nothing.

The person who gave this gift, I don’t know what he was thinking.

“Ah—” Shirako and Little Butterfly ran in from the deck as if they had been scared by a ghost, pounced on the sofa, and then laughed inexplicably.

“Lady Miko, Lady Miko, there’s no shrine. Little Butterfly feels like she’s going to be sucked into the sky!” Little Butterfly reported to Kamibayashi Miko excitedly.

Minamoto Kiyomoto glanced at Noi, who was sitting at the bar, concentrating on playing a game.

The gap between shikigami and shikigami, no, the gap in the lifestyle of shikigami was as big as that of people.

“Who is Jindai? The child in Izayoi’s belly?” Itomi Sayaka asked curiously.

“Hmm, Kiyomoto named her,” Himegami Izayoi’s tone was slightly gentler.

“Jindai, the descendant of a god,” Itomi Yuki said to herself.

Itomi Sayaka suddenly covered her mouth and laughed.

“What are you laughing at?” Minamoto Kiyomoto was dissatisfied.

“No, I remembered a person named ‘Bodhisattva’ because he inherited the blood of the Buddha.”

“The blood of the Buddha? Who?”

“A horse, the daughter of Mejiro McQueen—Mejiro Bodhisattva.”

“…” Minamoto Kiyomoto began to talk about how he had caught Jindai, who had jumped down from the pine tree and jumped from the future to the present.

During this time, the shikigami brought drinks, snacks, and fruit.

“When did this symptom appear?” Itomi Sayaka held a wine glass.

“Don’t say symptom,” Minamoto Kiyomoto first corrected, and then replied, “Probably after I merged with the Coral Demon Moth. It could also be that the me from the Yellow Springs did something.”

“The assassination from before came true, so it’s really the future?” Itomi Yuki asked curiously.

“Even if it’s not, it’s a very likely correct prediction of the future,” Minamoto Kiyomoto said.

“Then what’s the name of Lady Miko’s child?” Shirako held a strawberry that was almost bigger than her hand. “Kuroko?”

“Kuroko?”

“I’m Shirako. Of course the child is Kuroko, right?”

“Is that your child, or my child?” Minamoto Kiyomoto was puzzled.

“Mine. Do you have a problem with that?” Shirako said fiercely and then happily took a bite of the strawberry.

“Miss Kamibayashi,” even now, Minamoto Kiyomoto was still the pure-hearted boy from the seaside who would call out ‘Miss Kamibayashi’ when something happened.

Kamibayashi Miko was drinking hot cocoa, her hand supporting her chin. She said casually, “Your child.”

“Humph,” Shirako was a little unconvinced.

Minamoto Kiyomoto was a little surprised. Kamibayashi Miko was not the kind of person who would respond to this kind of topic.

He looked at her expression carefully and found that she was looking at the sea view outside the window, her eyes slightly dazed.

Was it because of the assassination that she was thinking of her father?
“The Ogosho’s matter,” Minamoto Kiyomoto held her hand that was holding the cup. “I’ve thought about it. When we defeat him, we’ll lock him up in the secret realm and let him taste the taste of loneliness too?”

Kamibayashi Miko came back to her senses.

“What did you say?” she asked.

“He said that Lady Miko’s child is named Kuroko,” Shirako’s body straightened up from the sofa, and her speaking speed was like a bullet.

“You kind of person!” Minamoto Kiyomoto took a strawberry and stuffed it in her mouth. “If you were my subordinate, I would have sunk you in the sea by now!”

“Mmm! Mmm! Mmm—”

The strawberry was too big for Shirako’s mouth. She twisted desperately, a bit like an earthworm pierced by a fishhook.

Little Butterfly bit her finger and looked blankly at Shirako, who was pressed on the sofa. Then she kept her finger-biting posture and turned to look at the strawberries on the table.

“Ah—” she tried to open her mouth. Not to mention her mouth, her head was not as big as a strawberry.

They were making a fuss. Himegami Izayoi took the opportunity to whisper to Kamibayashi Miko, “It’s up to you next.”

Kamibayashi Miko looked at her and said, “Aren’t you jealous?”

“When I slept with him, weren’t you jealous?” Himegami Izayoi asked back. “You can accept it, why can’t I? We’ve already decided to be together.”

Kamibayashi Miko was silent.

“Don’t worry,” Himegami Izayoi showed a sly smile. “It’s very comfortable, very satisfying.”

Kamibayashi Miko stared at her without blinking.

“Hmm?” Himegami Izayoi tilted her head.

Kamibayashi Miko withdrew her gaze and took a sip of cocoa. A warm current slid into her body.

She couldn’t help but turn her head and cast her gaze on Minamoto Kiyomoto.

Minamoto Kiyomoto and Shirako, who were about to fight just now, were now leaning their heads together, whispering and murmuring. From time to time, they would secretly glance at her, plotting something.

Kamibayashi Miko really wanted to ask Minamoto Kiyomoto if he still remembered that practitioners could see what shikigami saw and hear what shikigami heard.

But this guy was probably doing it on purpose.

“Listening to” Minamoto Kiyomoto’s plan, she felt a little thirsty and took another sip from her cup.

The first day, they didn’t encounter any yokai. The second morning, in Iwanuma City, Miyagi Prefecture, they encountered a village-level yokai.

It had two horns on its head, a expressionless sea woman’s mask, and a body made of seawater. Its body had no fixed shape.

Minamoto Kiyomoto dispersed the seawater and imprisoned the sea woman’s mask.

Shirako tried to wear it, wanting to scare Little Butterfly, but she couldn’t take it off.

If it weren’t for Minamoto Kiyomoto’s timely action, all the water in her body would have run out, and she would have slipped back into the sea with the sea woman’s mask.

Catching a yokai and saving Shirako naturally deserved a reward.

Minamoto Kiyomoto played with the sea woman’s mask and looked at Kamibayashi Miko.

Kamibayashi Miko twisted Shirako’s ear.

“Ah! It hurts, it hurts! Lady Miko! Lady Miko! Minamoto Kiyomoto, you piglet, you idiot, I told you not to tell Lady Miko. Why did you betray me? You traitor, I’m going to demote you! I’m going to shoot you! You’re dead!”