"Yes," The shrine maiden quickly turned and left.
Hikari looked toward Jinno Sumire. Today she was wearing a milky white priestess robe. Though she still looked dignified and imposing, there was a bit more charm to her.
Especially the slit in the hem that went up to the root of her thigh. Sitting there with her legs elegantly crossed, she revealed a large stretch of fair, full thigh, intentionally or not giving off a captivating air.
Noticing his gaze, Jinno Sumire smiled faintly, "Hikari-kun…"
After softly calling his name, she stood up and walked toward him.
Only a few seconds had passed since the shrine maiden who led him in closed the door.
Hikari then saw this noble woman, now the one in power of the Jinno family and the shrine priestess who stood above everyone in Ino Village, skillfully kneel in front of him and brush her hair aside.
"At times like this, Aunt Sumire is really impatient."
After Sumire, unable to hold back, finished what she was doing, Hikari pulled her into his arms.
"It's your fault. You didn't stay with me long this morning and just left," Sumire complained, rolling her eyes at him.
Although the salty taste lingering on her tongue felt a bit unfamiliar and slightly off, she didn't want to think too much about it now.
Feeling the shrine priestess holding him tightly, Hikari also wrapped his arms around her flawless, full body.
The two of them fell back onto the couch together, feeling each other's familiar warmth.
After a moment, a sudden knock came at the door.
From outside, a shrine maiden called out, "Shrine Priestess, Miss Ai has arrived. She says she's looking for you."
"G-Got it!", Sumire responded, her breathing slightly uneven.
"Y-You… tell her to wait!"
Hearing that Jinno Ai was coming, Sumire didn't have time to linger in Hikari's arms any longer.
She hurriedly got up, put on her priestess robe properly, and told Hikari to tidy himself up as well.
———
A few minutes later, the hall door was pushed open.
A beautiful girl with long black hair falling to her waist walked in. It was Jinno Ai.
"Mom… huh? Hikari-kun, you're here too?"
Ai first greeted Sumire politely as usual, then noticed that someone else was in the side hall.
"Ahem! I had something to discuss with him just now."
Sumire cleared her throat, wiped the white moisture from the corner of her mouth, and explained.
"Oh… I see," Ai nodded in realization, but her bright eyes moved back and forth between Hikari and her mother, as if thinking about something.
Knowing her daughter was clever, although she had already told Ai that her relationship with Hikari was a fake marriage, Sumire did not want her to know yet that they had already become husband and wife in truth.
So after clearing her throat a few times, she changed the topic and asked, "Ai, what did you come to see me about?"
Ai nodded, "Mom, I'm about to go back to school."
"I see. Then stay for one more day of the rituals before returning. After all, your grandfather suddenly fell ill, and we don't know how much longer he can hold on," Sumire said, nodding.
After that, she turned to Hikari, "Hikari-kun, you're also going back to school, right?"
Hikari nodded, "Yeah, the holiday's almost over. I have to go back to Tokyo."
Hearing that, Ai immediately asked with some reluctance, "Hikari-nii, when are you going back?"
He thought for a moment, "Probably this afternoon or tomorrow morning."
"I see… I still have to help at the shrine for another day or two. Otherwise, I would've gone back together with you," Ai said regretfully.
Hikari smiled, "Your school is in Kyoto, not Tokyo, right?"
"Mm, that's true," Ai nodded.
Suddenly, Hikari said, "Ai, how about transferring schools? I can introduce you somewhere."
Before Ai could speak, Sumire looked curious, "Hikari-kun, which school are you thinking of? The one you're currently attending?"
Ai also looked at him curiously.
Compared to an ordinary high school, she liked her current girls' academy more. But if she could transfer to the same high school as Hikari, she would be quite happy.
Seeing that the mother and daughter had misunderstood, Hikari smiled and shook his head, "No. There's nothing special about my current high school. Why transfer there?"
"Then there doesn't seem to be much point in changing schools," Ai looked disappointed.
"There is. If you enroll in Private Seika Girls' Academy, the conditions in every aspect should be better than your current school," he said.
"Huh? Private Seika Girls' Academy?"
"Hikari-kun, which academy did you just say? Private Seika Girls' Academy?"
Hearing that name, both Ai and Sumire widened their eyes slightly.
"Mm. The Private Seika Girls' Academy in Tokyo. Have you heard of it?", Hikari nodded.
"Of course!", Ai nodded quickly, "The Private Seika Girls' Academy in Tokyo is very famous. It's well known across all of Japan. It's almost ranked first among girls' academies."
Sumire added, "I remember that nationally famous girls' high school too. I once wanted to attend there. But doesn't that academy only accept true elite families? Daughters of nobles and wealthy households?"
Although Sumire was always confident, as the Jinno family held considerable influence in Ino Town and could be considered local rulers, compared to the young ladies at Seika Girls' Academy, they were clearly still lacking.
Especially in Tokyo, where she had little influence. Even if she wanted to use connections, she had no way of sending Ai to that kind of school.
Yet Hikari had just casually said he could introduce her there?
Even though she had been conquered by this young man time and again, Sumire still couldn't help but look at his handsome face with some doubt.
"Hikari-kun, can you really introduce Ai to Seika Girls' Academy?", she asked.
"Yeah… if it's inconvenient, then forget it," Ai said shyly, afraid that it might be too difficult for him and would affect his mood if it didn't work out.
Seeing their doubtful looks, Hikari smiled and didn't explain much.
He simply took out his phone and called his "direct superior," the principal of Private Seika Girls' Academy, Rikka Sumeragi.
The call connected quickly.
Rikka's dignified yet slightly husky voice came through, ["Hikari-kun? What is it?"]
"I work like a donkey for the academy. Can't I call the principal just to chat?", he teased.
["Hah! If you have something to say, say it. I still have work to do,"] Rikka replied with a faint laugh.
He went straight to the point, Nm"A friend of mine wants to enroll at Seika Girls' Academy. Is that okay?"
["Male or female?"], Rikka asked lazily while reviewing documents.
"Of course female. Why would I send a boy to a girls' academy? That'd ruin him. And you wouldn't accept him anyway," he laughed.
["Ha! Then let her come. Send me her academic information later. When she has time, she can start school directly,"] Rikka said. After a few brief pleasantries, she hung up.
From her tone at the end, Hikari could tell she had been under a lot of work pressure recently and needed to vent.
There was no doubt that helping Ai through the back door would come at a price.
When the time came, Rikka would probably ride roughshod over him in the name of the principal, venting her stress.
Thinking about how Principal Rikka would demand an "after-school inspection" of his abilities, he couldn't help but smile.
Putting down his phone, he turned to Sumire and Ai, "The one I just spoke to was Rikka Sumeragi, the principal of Seika Girls' Academy. She's agreed to let Ai enroll."
"When you have time, just go over there. They'll handle the transfer procedures directly."
After hearing this, both mother and daughter stared at him in shock.
It wasn't the transfer process that amazed them. They knew Seika could handle that easily.
What shocked them was that he could really get Ai into such a top-tier elite academy, and through the principal's connections no less.
He was still just a high school student.
Sumire had long seen how different he was. Even at a young age, he carried himself impressively, and his ambitions were always overwhelming.
But seeing him so capable, able to arrange a transfer to Seika just like that, she couldn't help but look at him with admiration in her eyes.
Finally, she asked, "Hikari-kun, what exactly is your relationship with that principal?"
The way they spoke didn't seem ordinary.
Facing their curious gazes, he waved his hand with a smile, "Nothing much. I help their school with some things. We're just in a superior-subordinate relationship."
Sumire nodded, seeming to understand.
But Ai suddenly looked thoughtful and asked, "Hikari-kun, when you say superior-subordinate… do you mean the kind where one is on top and one is below?"
'A girl's intuition is indeed terrifying.'
But to protect her innocence and not shatter her image of a top girls' academy, Hikari rolled his eyes and explained, "We have an official contract. I'm a specially appointed psychology teacher at Seika Girls' Academy. You can ask around when you get there."
"Oh! Sorry, Hikari-kun. I was just guessing," Ai said, sticking out her tongue apologetically.
He accepted her apology calmly. As for what she would think later when she found out the true value of his "special appointment," that could wait.
After all, he and Rikka were indeed in a proper employment relationship. No one said a subordinate couldn't kiss his superior, right?
Sometimes the principal tested his abilities. Sometimes he helped her relieve stress. All normal, right?
"Anyway, thank you very much for helping me transfer to Seika Girls' Academy. I've troubled you!", the sensible Ai bowed deeply again.
"It's nothing," He helped her up and waved his hand.
Sumire also bowed slightly, "You've really helped a lot this time. Even more capable than Aunt. I couldn't have sent Ai to such a top academy."
Seeing both mother and daughter expressing gratitude and wanting to repay him, Hikari felt helpless and shook his head.
After finishing the discussion about Ai's transfer, the three of them had lunch together.
After eating, both Ai and Sumire asked him to stay for tea, so he rested a while in the shrine's side hall.
Originally planning to leave after a short rest, he was about to get up when a shrine maiden with a particularly full and curvy figure quietly walked in.
"You are… huh? Aunt Sumire?"
Seeing Jinno Sumire wearing a red-and-white shrine maiden outfit, he looked confused.
He had never seen her in shrine maiden clothes before. As the shrine priestess, she usually wore her formal robe.
He had never seen her in this kind of outfit, so at first glance he thought it was some new high-beauty shrine maiden passing by.
Seeing his surprised gaze, Sumire smiled shyly with a hint of pride, "How do I look? It's been a long time since I wore shrine maiden clothes. Is it strange?"
"No. You already look young. Wearing this makes you look even younger. If you hadn't said anything, I'd have thought you were Ai's younger sister," he joked.
"That's exaggerated! That compliment is way too over the top!", Sumire covered her mouth with her wide sleeve and laughed, her brows and eyes full of shy joy.
Hikari watched her with a smile.
To be honest, his words were exaggerated. There was no way Sumire looked like Ai's younger sister.
But wearing the shrine maiden outfit did make her look younger.
In her usual priestess robe, she was dignified and mature.
In the shrine maiden outfit, she still suited it perfectly. Perhaps because she had worn it for many years before.
She looked both mature and slightly shy, giving off a feeling that was both seasoned and youthful.
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