Chapter 174.1

Chapter 174.1

[Part 1/4]

In a dimly lit room, a shrine was enshrined. Delicate offerings were presented. It was a sacred space, a sacred altar. The only light in the room came from a few candle stands.

The room was filled with intense heat. It was a sweltering summer night, and the room was like a sauna. The flames from the candle stands added to the scorching heat.

A woman was dancing wildly in the room, sweating profusely. She was wearing nothing but a thin garment, and her movements were intense.

"~~~~~!!"

She wore a sakaki leaf on her head, struck a bell with one hand, and waved a paper streamer with the other. Her entire body was drenched in sweat, and she danced with reckless abandon. She spat out sake as if she was about to choke, and chanted prayers in a coarse, beautiful voice. She sang a sacred song with a fierce, animal-like cry. It was a fantastical scene that was both obscene and sacred.

The dance of the shrine maiden. This was a reenactment of the original, primal ritual. Sake was a tool to blur the boundaries of one's spirit and become one with a higher existence. According to legend, the goddess who reclaimed the sun danced naked in a cave. After all, ceremonial garments were just deceitful clothes created by humans. It was impolite to wear them in front of a higher existence.

Then, this frenzied, maddening dance was also the correct path. The room was filled with a sweet, meaty aroma, and the scent of sake. The woman's heavy breathing echoed through the room. Her neatly styled black hair had long since become disheveled, and it fell to the floor as she knelt down. The floor was stained with her sweat.

The intoxicating, sweet scent of a female's essence. A sacred fluid, imbued with the power of Reiki (energy healing). This exquisite delicacy is reserved for supernatural monsters...

...After a few moments. The wild party finally came to an end. The figure, lit up by the candlelight, was heaving up and down, her silhouettes even looked alluring. The lingering aroma of lust hung in the air, and the mastermind behind it all was laughing.

So sweet. It's really something sweet. The lord of the mansion couldn't have anticipated "this"? It's amazing how they've lived their life with such sweetness.

...Or is it that, from the lord's experience, this is definitely a trap?

"Well, that's fine, then."

He had gotten a good laugh out of that noble, and it was a praiseworthy feat. Now, how would that man react to this playful trick?

"Kuhihi, this is going to be fun♪."

As the chaos and madness slowly approached, the Shrine Maiden impersonator let out a joyful cry, her words full of excitement and delight. Really, really, it seemed like she was having a blast... and then...

"Ugh, I'm craving something cold now..."

And, with one job done, she childishly put her finger to her lips and twisted her mouth into a sly grin.

* * *

"It's no use..."

"U, uh..."

The white fox girl, curled up in a ball, muttered these words weakly. Her normally pale skin was flushed with heat, radiating a warm glow. It was clear that she was in a pretty bad state.

"Here, have some, Shiro. Drink it for now, and I'll replenish your fluids later."

It was actually a makeshift energy drink, made by boiling water, letting it cool, and then adding a bit of salt and sugar. Someone can't just drink water when they're dehydrated, after all.

"Mm, mm, ...pu, ha... I'm good, thanks."

"Do you want some cold watermelon later?"

"Will you peel it for me...?"

"I'll cut it into easy-to-eat squares for you."

I smiled wryly, trying to reassure her, and gently patted her head. Shiro, who was a bit sulky, but still accepted it sincerely.

I also thought that Aoi's cold treatment might be a reminder of my own foolishness in the past.

"What's with that ridiculous face?"

"It's just you imagination. ...When are you leaving?"

I brushed off Murasaki's sharp observation and changed the subject.

"I'll send a letter to my house beforehand, even if it's just a casual one. Then, I'll get ready and head out. I'll go by carriage, okay?"

"Understood. What about the escort?"

"Well... how about leaving one person behind? I'm counting on you to keep an eye out, since I won't be able to keep on you. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Really...?"

I said it clearly, but Murasaki still gave me a suspicious look, though she eventually backed off. There was no other way, after all. In the end, she had no choice but to believe me.

"...Well, first things first, let's get breakfast ready. We can't fight on an empty stomach, after all. What's the plan for today?"

"That reminds me, didn't Miyataka's lady come to the kitchen before sunrise?"

I recalled the cook's request, and how she had made some kind of demand from the red-haired maid of Akō while cooking, looking very pleased with herself. Ah, yes....

"Hey, you two, having a secret meeting?"

"Woah!?"

"Kyaa!?"

The sound of ice clinking was followed by the sudden appearance of the lewd young lady between us, making both Murasaki and me jump back in surprise. Murasaki almost fell over and landed on her butt in the garden, but I managed to catch her just in time. If I hadn't caught her, she would've hit her head on a rock.

"What's with that weird pose?"

"This is all your fault! And what's with that thing you're holding?!"

Murasaki's scolding was directed at Shinobu, who looked completely unbothered. She even pointed out the bowl in her hand. It was a really cool-looking glass bowl.

"This? It's just noodles?"

With a clinking sound, Miyataka's young lady slurped up the noodles from the ice-filled broth, answering with a big smile on her face....

* * *

"Ha! Amazing! It's so hot, and it's boiling...!! Ah! It's coming out!!?"

"T-there's so much of it...!? Ah, I can't take it anymore!! No way, I'm gonna burst!!?"

"Hehe. It seems like I've had a lot... *gulp*. Mmm, it's so thick and creamy... *slurp*. The white stuff is filling my mouth so much... *gulp*. Hehehe, I've eaten it all."

"Do you want seconds? Hehehe. Sure, I'll give you as much as you want. You'll take it all in with this mouth...?"

"Wait, aren't we talking about the cold noodles?"

On a sweltering summer morning, Miyataka's young lady was forcing the maid, to eat cold noodles, saying, "Hey, you're going to eat this!"