Chapter 192: Some Precious Emotions

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“Honey, good boy, mommy loves you~”

Not to mention Kamibayashi Miko, even Minamoto Kiyomoto was speechless as he watched Himegami Izayoi, who had just finished her bath, sit on the sofa and talk to her stomach.

Honey, good boy (not necessarily). In the next week, this embryo would be implanted in the endometrium and the implantation would be completed. It could not be called a human yet.

But unlike Kamibayashi Miko, Minamoto Kiyomoto’s heart was filled with indescribable joy, happiness, and hesitation.

When the child is born, how should he be educated?
Regardless of gender, this child—not even an embryo yet—is likely to be the next Lord of Kyoto. The education will definitely be different from the usual situation.

Minamoto Kiyomoto thought again, what is the usual situation?
This is his first time being a father.

From now on, there is one more reason to live, one more life that must be protected with his life.

“By the way,” Himegami Izayoi woke up from her motherly love and suddenly remembered something. “After the child is born, how should he address Miko? Auntie?”

“Auntie, right?” Minamoto Kiyomoto was also not sure and looked at Kamibayashi Miko—Ayako had gone to take a bath.

Kamibayashi Miko fell into deep thought. While thinking about what this child would call her, she suddenly felt a little affection for this child.

“Then what about me? Second auntie?” Shirako, who was in high spirits, rubbed her hands together like a fly.

“…What kind of auntie are you,” Minamoto Kiyomoto said weakly. “You’re a sister.”

“I’m the second auntie,” the Hokkaido Miko also accused Shirako.

“You’re not either!” Minamoto Kiyomoto’s tone became heavier…

Before last night, for the sake of Kamibayashi Miko and Himegami Izayoi, he had rejected Rikka, let alone now.

In front of the “pregnant” Himegami Izayoi, looking for other women?
He only had a demon body, not a real yokai. He didn’t plan to be a human.

Himegami Izayoi saw his determination, and the corners of her mouth smiled. She was charming and bright. Compared to her previous girlish style, she had a hint of a young wife’s temptation, which was moving.

The Hokkaido Miko ignored Minamoto Kiyomoto and only said to Himegami Izayoi’s stomach, “Good boy, call me second auntie.”

Himegami Izayoi glanced at this self-proclaimed “second auntie” with a bad temper. She wanted to be sarcastic, but seeing her serious expression, she felt happy—Rikka liked her child.

As long as she liked her child, she was a good person. A small mistake in address was nothing.

At this moment, she understood Ayako’s unreasonable words and actions before.

For the sake of the child’s safety, what’s the big deal about marrying a few more women?
Not to mention three, what if he married all the next generation of twelve shrine maidens?
This child was her and Minamoto Kiyomoto’s child. The aunt was a divine medium and had an unparalleled noble bloodline.

In the predictable future, as the parents and aunt became stronger and stronger, this child’s bloodline would also become more and more unparalleled.

For the safety of such a child, it was an honor for those women to marry a few.

Of course, this was for the child in her belly—who was not there at the moment. Minamoto Kiyomoto was not the beneficiary of this policy of the “Lord of Kyoto.”

Ayako came out of the bath and saw Rikka and Shirako sitting on either side of Himegami Izayoi, one calling herself second auntie and the other calling herself sister.

“What’s wrong?” she asked Minamoto Kiyomoto with a puzzled and amused look.

“I don’t know,” to be precise, he didn’t know how to explain.

“Lady Miko,” at this time, Shirako looked at Kamibayashi Miko. “When you have a baby, I will definitely take good care of you and the baby!”

“That’s my responsibility,” Minamoto Kiyomoto pretended to be dissatisfied.

“Huh? Say that again,” Shirako stood up, fierce and evil, with a look of wanting to give him a family education.

Can such a Shirako really take care of a child?

Minamoto Kiyomoto ignored her, took her place, and sat beside Himegami Izayoi.

“After a while, you may experience vomiting, dizziness, and fatigue. If you feel uncomfortable anywhere, you must tell me immediately, you know?” he held her hand and reminded.

Minamoto Kiyomoto and Shirako were fighting to take care of Kamibayashi Miko. Himegami Izayoi was originally a little angry, feeling that she was being neglected.

Now, hearing Minamoto Kiyomoto’s slightly commanding words, her heart immediately became sweet.

“Do I need to report to you?” What she thought in her heart and what she said were two different things.

What she said was one thing, and what her body did was another—she opened her fingers and clasped them with Minamoto Kiyomoto’s hand.

Ayako watched the two of them gently and happily, and then looked at Kamibayashi Miko, who was also staring at them.

She quietly walked over and teased her in a low voice, “Miko, when are you planning to have one?”

Kamibayashi Miko’s face didn’t turn red, but she started playing with the hair that fell on her chest.

“I want to wait until after I graduate from college.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Shirako let out a wail of “ah—” and was unhappy.

Everyone looked over.

Even Little Butterfly, who had never cared about what a child was, poked her head out from the pile of oranges on the table.

Kamibayashi Miko looked at Shirako with a warning look for the first time.

“Alright, it’s not early. Let’s rest,” Ayako said with a smile to break the deadlock.

“Hmm, good night,” Kamibayashi Miko was the first to turn and leave, her steps a little faster than usual.

Shirako watched her leave, walked to Minamoto Kiyomoto who was sitting on the sofa, pointed at him with her finger, and seemed to be warning him about something.

Then, she turned around and grabbed Little Butterfly, like grabbing a big white bug, and walked towards the room belonging to the shikigami—the blond princess should be fighting hard inside.

“Orange, orange!” Little Butterfly shouted, desperately reaching for the table.

“Eat, eat, eat, all you know is eat! Did you care about Lady Miko?!”

“You’re the one who didn’t care! You’re the one who didn’t care! Shirako just made Lady Miko angry. Little Butterfly saw it!”

“Is that anger? You silly butterfly!”

“You’re the silly butterfly. I’m Little Butterfly. I’m not silly!”

The blond loli and the small beauty accused each other. At a certain moment, with the sound of a door closing, the voices of the two of them disappeared at the same time.

The living room, which had been noisy just now, was so quiet that you could hear the ticking of the clock on the wall.

“Rikka, let’s go to bed too,” Ayako said gently to the Hokkaido Miko who was leaning on Himegami Izayoi.

“Hmm?” Rikka tilted her head. “Together?”

“What? Oh! You want to sleep with me? Sure!” Ayako laughed.

The仙藻Miko got up and said to Minamoto Kiyomoto, “I’ll sleep with your mother first, and then with you later.”

Ayako always felt that there was something wrong with what this child said.

Her mother was still puzzled, but her son was already used to it. Minamoto Kiyomoto said to Ayako with a smile, “Mom, this person’s sleeping posture is particularly bad. Be careful not to be kicked out of bed.”

Ayako was about to say something, but she really wanted to ask ‘how do you know,’ but Izayoi was pregnant and couldn’t be angered.

She didn’t ask, but someone did.

“How do you know her sleeping posture is bad?” Himegami Izayoi took her hand back from Minamoto Kiyomoto’s and asked with a straight face.

Minamoto Kiyomoto leaned close to her ear and whispered, “You forgot? When we went to Hokkaido, the four of us slept together. You even asked me if I was cold and came into my quilt.”

“The four of us slept together? So that’s when you knew,” the Hokkaido Miko nodded in understanding.

“Four…” Ayako was about to say something again.

And at this time, Himegami Izayoi, because Minamoto Kiyomoto had revealed their little secret, shyly hit him, which made Ayako even more speechless.

“Rikka, let’s go,” Ayako decided to have a good chat with this child tonight.

“Hmm.”

After the two of them left, the living room became quiet again.

In the far distance, the faint sound of a ship’s whistle could be heard.

“Shall we go to bed too?” Himegami Izayoi asked Minamoto Kiyomoto.

“In a while,” Minamoto Kiyomoto replied softly and reached out to hug her.

The softness and warmth of the girl’s body slowly invaded his body like a wave of heat.

Himegami Izayoi was in his arms. Her usually rich and colorful expressions quieted down, leaving only attachment and warmth.

“You have to always be good to me.”

“Hmm, I’ll always be good to you.”

“If you’re not good to me, I’ll take the child back to Kyoto and ignore you for the rest of my life.”

From her childish tone, Minamoto Kiyomoto could hear her joy and satisfaction with her current life, and also her fear of it disappearing.

He said nothing, just hugged her tighter.

Himegami Izayoi also said nothing more, just rubbed her cheek against his neck.

Quietly, just like that, the two of them sat on the sofa in the living room for a long time.

The distant whistle of the steamship enveloped them like a transparent mist.

From then on, the whistle of the steamship had a different meaning for the two of them, like the sound of their hometown, and also like the persimmon tree in front of their house.

On December 31st, the last day of the year.

Last night, although Ayako was not kicked out of bed, from her face, it seemed that she was not feeling well either.

Himegami Izayoi had returned to her girlish style.

I asked her what was wrong.

She said, “Being a mother is only a temporary identity. Being Master Kiyo’s Koyako is a lifetime thing.”

After she finished, she said to Minamoto Kiyomoto in a light tone, “If you get tired of a girl and want to try the taste of a young wife, remember to tell me.”

“No need. I’ve had enough of young wives.”

Minamoto Kiyomoto was referring to a certain young wife who had invaded his privacy and claimed to be sixteen.

Himegami Izayoi thought he was talking about her torturing him yesterday, and gave him a look that was both annoyed and amused.

And on the other side, secretly, Shirako’s hand reached for Kamibayashi Miko’s stomach.

Kamibayashi Miko grabbed her wrist and asked her with her eyes—what are you doing?
Shirako smiled shyly for a rare moment, “I… I’m checking if Lady Miko has gotten fat. Ayako said it’s especially easy to get fat during the New Year, so I have to watch myself.”

Minamoto Kiyomoto knocked her on the head and said with a laugh, “If Miko is pregnant, I won’t tell her first. I’ll tell you first.”

Shirako, who was about to get angry after being knocked on the head, immediately smiled and narrowed her eyes when she heard his words.

“About when will it be?” she asked with some impatience.

“Ouch!” Her little head was hit by Kamibayashi Miko again.

After breakfast, Minamoto Kiyomoto and Kamibayashi Miko washed the dishes as usual.

Himegami Izayoi wanted to help and reduce the time the two of them spent together, but she was pulled back by Ayako.

“During pregnancy, Koyako, you’re not allowed to touch housework!”

Now, even if Himegami Izayoi said it herself, even if she went to the best hospital for a check-up, she couldn’t find out if she was pregnant. It was too late.

This was the follow-up to yesterday, or more accurately, revenge.

In the kitchen, Minamoto Kiyomoto washed the dishes, and Kamibayashi Miko dried them.

“Shirako wants a child so much. You’re not going to agree?” he teased while washing the dishes.

Kamibayashi Miko glanced at him and said, “It’s not like I can do that kind of thing alone.”

Fortunately, they were in the sink. Otherwise, the dishes would have been broken. Minamoto Kiyomoto stared at her blankly.

“What are you looking at?” Kamibayashi Miko finished and couldn’t help but laugh.

Minamoto Kiyomoto also laughed.

He continued to wipe the dishes, more carefully and more diligently, but strangely, he felt more relaxed than before.

“Shirako wants a child, not just because she likes them,” Kamibayashi Miko gently wiped the clean white dish with a towel.

“Oh?”

“She is the earth spirit of Hakusan Shrine and can live for a very, very long time. And we,” Kamibayashi Miko put down the wiped dish and picked up another one, “will leave sooner or later.”

Minamoto Kiyomoto felt a strange emotion in his heart.

Shirako’s desire for Kamibayashi Miko’s descendants was just a manifestation of her reluctance to part with Kamibayashi Miko.

She was reluctant to part with Kamibayashi Miko, and Kamibayashi Miko was naturally reluctant to part with her, which was why she said something like ‘it’s not like I can do that kind of thing alone,’ which was almost a tacit approval.

Kamibayashi Miko glanced at Minamoto Kiyomoto and said nonchalantly, “It’s not all because of her… the Divine Medium also needs an heir.”

“Lady Miko, if you want to comfort me, at least find a reason that can comfort me. For the sake of the Divine Medium, and for the sake of Shirako, what’s the difference?” Minamoto Kiyomoto was helpless and happy.

Kamibayashi Miko gave him a white look, meaning—you’re asking for too much. If you don’t want it, forget it.

“Thinking about life and death now is too early. Cherishing the present is what we should do,” Minamoto Kiyomoto rinsed the foam off the dish and handed it to Kamibayashi Miko.

From noon, Ayako and Shirako began to prepare the New Year’s dishes. Minamoto Kiyomoto also helped wash the vegetables and handle the aquatic products.

They had a lively meal at night.

Afterwards, while listening to the Red and White Song Festival on TV, they played mahjong and went to bed after midnight.

The first day of the new year was a sunny day. The azure sky was cloudless.

Minamoto Kiyomoto was hanging the kadomatsu. Kamibayashi Miko was checking if it was crooked. At this moment, two figures suddenly walked out of the sea.

“Happy New Year,” the Itomi sisters walked over with a smile.

“It’s you,” Minamoto Kiyomoto glanced back and continued to adjust the angle of the kadomatsu.

Itomi Sayaka looked left and right and asked curiously, “Why is it so deserted? No one is paying their New Year’s respects to you, the Honshu Shinto Lord?”

“I told them not to come. I hate trouble. Is this okay?”

“Hmm,” Kamibayashi Miko nodded.

Minamoto Kiyomoto clapped his hands and turned around to size up the two of them.

Itomi Sayaka’s short hair was still as short and exquisite as when he first met her.

Itomi Yuki probably hadn’t cut her hair. Her hair had grown a little longer, but her chest had stopped absorbing nutrients.

“Happy New Year,” Minamoto Kiyomoto said with a laugh.

“You’ve changed,” Itomi Sayaka suddenly said.

“Changed?”

“You’ve changed. You’ve become gentler, not as aggressive as before.”

“To be honest,” Minamoto Kiyomoto’s smile deepened, “I’m going to be a father next year.”

“We’re late? No, there’s a long time during pregnancy when you can’t have sex. This is a chance,” Itomi Sayaka said to herself, pondering something.

It seemed that more than just Minamoto Kiyomoto had changed in the past week.

Minamoto Kiyomoto ignored her and asked Itomi Yuki, “How are you? Are you doing well?”

“Red envelope,” Itomi Yuki spread her fair and soft little hand, a smile in her eyes.

“This…” Minamoto Kiyomoto only had 600 yen on him, which was left over from Tokyo.

Even this 600 yen should be on the desk in his bedroom now.

Kamibayashi Miko hadn’t given him this month’s allowance yet.

Kamibayashi Miko was very clear about his financial situation and said, “I’ll give it.”

“I was joking,” Itomi Yuki withdrew her hand, her smile fading a little.

Kamibayashi Miko’s mouth curved into a slight smile, and she sized up this high school girl with amusement.

“Come in first,” Minamoto Kiyomoto took a step back and gestured for the two sisters to enter.