The night passed without dreams.
After the eventful day yesterday, Lucas was thoroughly exhausted, so he slept soundly. When he opened his eyes, he was greeted by warmth and a faint, alluring fragrance.
The fox-shaped blanket that had tightly wrapped around the two of them last night had loosened and spread out on the floor. However, he was still clinging tightly to Yae Miko, his body practically sinking into hers.
As everyone knows, the morning is the most crucial time of the day—when a man's energy is at its peak, and a certain "Uncle Chen" often comes knocking.
The breathtaking sight before him sent his blood boiling in an instant.
"Mmm..."
Yae Miko, still deep in sleep, furrowed her brows slightly and murmured, "Don't... poke me..."
Lucas swallowed hard and quickly extricated himself. The sudden loss of warmth made Yae Miko subconsciously grope around for a moment before settling back down, her fox tail twitching slightly at the tip.
He didn't notice the faint smirk curling at the corner of Yae Miko's lips, nor did he realize that as her tail swayed, a peculiar fragrance began to diffuse, seeping into his nostrils.
Heh. At the peak of your vigor, breathing in my "Fox Charm Soft Bone Incense"... Let's see how long you can hold out.
The "identity battle" from last night had quietly resumed.
However, Yae Miko didn't anticipate that Lucas was well-versed in pharmacology and, thanks to his previously acquired talent [Dawn's Blessing], had some resistance to the spells of the fox clan. An ordinary man would have long lost his mind and pounced by now.
Who cares if it's Yae Miko? Even the Raiden Shogun—if I could have just one reckless night, it'd be worth dying for.
At this moment, Lucas was like a traveler parched from days in the desert, and Yae Miko was a cup of sweet spring water placed right before him.
No! I have to resist!
Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to take a few steps back. Spotting a corner nearby, he rushed over without a second thought.
"Tsk tsk..."
Yae Miko slowly opened her eyes, propping her cheek on her hand as she smirked to herself. "Impressive. Your self-control is truly remarkable. Let's see how long you can last."
Meanwhile, after hiding in the corner, Lucas wasted no time and entered the Serenitea Pot.
In the hot spring of the backyard, a black-haired girl was enjoying a leisurely soak—this was the human form of the evil dragon Ursa the Drake.
Unlike the other two dragons residing in the Serenitea Pot—Kisara the Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Dvalin the Stormterror, who often moved together—Ursa preferred solitude, soaring freely across the realm or occasionally bullying Doctor, who was in a "released" state.
It was worth noting that while Doctor had received Lucas's "pardon," she had no way to leave the Serenitea Pot and was thus forced to stay. Ursa acted as her "overseer," ensuring she didn't cause trouble.
This was also why Lucas had rarely encountered Ursa during his previous visits.
Suddenly, Ursa's ears twitched. She opened her eyes to find a familiar figure standing by the pool.
"Master!"
Ursa sprang up excitedly, completely unfazed by her current state of undress. "You're here!"
"I... have something to take care of," Lucas muttered, his breathing uneven. "Need to... resolve it."
"What is it?" Ursa cracked her knuckles with a grin. "Let me help! If it's an enemy, I'll smack it into the sky—"
SPLASH!
Before she could finish, Lucas plunged into the pool, gripping her shoulders with burning intensity in his eyes. "There is something I need you to help me smack away... my desire."
"Eh?"
By the time Ursa processed his words, her body had already been flipped over. "W-Wait, so sudden—mmph!"
Thirty minutes later.
Since he didn't know when Yae Miko would wake up in the real world, Lucas had to make this quick.
The way to conquer fear is to face it. The way to conquer desire is to release it.
Even someone as bewitching as Yae Miko couldn't stir a ripple in Lucas's heart when he was in this... post-clarity state.
"Sorry..."
Looking at Ursa, who had been abruptly "handled" first thing in the morning, Lucas felt a little guilty. "It was kind of an emergency..."
"This is just..." Ursa lowered her head, muttering, "Too much..."
Her whisper deepened Lucas's remorse.
Indeed, he had been busy lately, rarely visiting the Serenitea Pot. His encounters with Ursa could be counted on one hand. To barge in and do this without warning... he really was a bit of a scumbag.
"I'm sorry, I—"
Before he could finish, Ursa suddenly looked up, gritting her teeth. "The others must've been hogging all the fun while I was away! Ugh, they didn't even tell me!"
...Ah.
Dragon logic was truly different from human thinking.
Ursa wasn't mad that Lucas had "drawn his sword" without warning—she was furious that her "companions" in the Serenitea Pot had kept such "good things" from her.
"So..." Ursa suddenly whipped out her tail, coiling it around Lucas. Baring her little fangs, she shook his arm eagerly. "Again! Do it again!"
Though pressed for time, Lucas couldn't resist Ursa's sparkling eyes (nor the tail tightly binding him). He sighed. "Fine, but... make it quick."
"Yay!"
One hour later...
Lucas braced himself against the wall of the cave and slowly walked out.
After all the torment from Ursa, Lucas was now in a state that could be described as Sage Mode MAX—utterly devoid of desire or attachment.
"Yo, Boss Jia." To his surprise, Yae Miko was still lounging atop her tail blanket, smiling at him sweetly as she asked, "What were you doing hiding in there?"
"Nothing," Lucas replied with an awkward smile. "Just... relieving myself."
Yae Miko narrowed her eyes. "Relieving yourself... for half an hour?"
Good grief, so she had already been awake?
"Shameful as it is to admit," Lucas shamelessly said, "I suppose it's just some acclimation issues, being new to Inazuma."
"No need to be embarrassed. Humans have their three urgent needs—why wouldn't yokai be the same?" Yae Miko blinked, smiling sweetly. "Actually, while you were taking care of things, I quietly handled my own business too."
Lucas instinctively glanced around. Aside from the corner he'd just been hiding in, this clearing had no cover whatsoever. Where could she have possibly done it? Wasn't she afraid he might suddenly come out?
But the moment he thought about the high priestess of the Grand Narukami Shrine doing that sort of thing outdoors, Lucas couldn't help but visualize the scene.
"No need to look, you won't find anything," Yae Miko said mysteriously. "I buried it nicely in the sand."
Are you a fox or a cat!?
"Anyway, let's move on from that," Lucas picked up the demon blade Muramasa and said, "We should get going. If I'm not mistaken, Mai should have broken free by now too, right?"
"Already leaving? I wouldn't mind lying here a bit longer," Yae Miko said lazily. "But since you're so concerned about that Mai girl, it's best not to waste time. Would you be so kind as to come give me a hand?"
Definitely another trap...
Although Lucas had only known Yae Miko for a single day, in the simulator, they had spent centuries together. He already had a very clear read on her personality.
If Yae Miko wasn't in the middle of teasing someone, she was surely setting up the next tease.
But for Lucas in his current state, there was nothing left to fear.
"Of course, no problem." Lucas walked over to Yae Miko and, with perfect gentlemanly poise, extended a hand and smiled. "Please."
Yae Miko smirked inwardly and grabbed his arm, then gave a sudden tug.
By all logic, strength aside, she shouldn't have been stronger than Lucas. But he, concealing his abilities, simply played along. He pretended to stumble and was pulled down on top of her, falling right into her embrace.
At that moment, Yae Miko's body was already drenched in Fox Saliva Softbone Fragrance. With Lucas lying on top of her, it was like a mouse falling into an oil vat—no matter how much he struggled, there was no way to escape.
"So sorry..." Yae Miko whispered softly in his ear. "With me cushioning you, you didn't get hurt, did you?"
Just as she was feeling pleased with herself, waiting to see the captivated look on his face, Lucas calmly got up like nothing had happened and smiled. "I'm fine. It was my own clumsiness."
That sight made both of Yae Miko's fox ears twitch slightly.
That's it?
No, no, that wasn't how the script was supposed to go.
Could it be... was her charm not enough?
Impossible. That one thing—absolutely impossible!
Yae Miko had great confidence in her own charm. The kitsune race had always been famous for their beauty, and her looks were among the top even within the foxes. Just one small smile could leave countless men utterly spellbound.
In the Inazuman "Top Picks for Who You'd Want to Be a Dog For" ranking, she and the second daughter of the Kamisato Clan, Kamisato Ayaka of the Yashiro Commission, had never dropped from the top three.
What's more, Yae Miko was going all out with Lucas right now. As long as he was a man, by all rights, he shouldn't be able to stay unmoved.
And yet—he really was unmoved!
Yae Miko's gaze scanned up and down Lucas's body. No change in his expression, his breathing steady, not even the slightest rise and fall in his chest.
What in the world?
Impossible. Last night when they were sleeping, he'd been completely normal. There was no issue at all!
Still, Yae Miko was clever. Thinking back to Lucas's "disappearance" for a whole hour earlier, along with past experiences, she suddenly came to a realization.
Could it be... he snuck off while she was asleep to...?
Other than being in Sage Time, she couldn't imagine how a normal man could remain so composed in the face of her full-on seduction.
Unbelievable. This man actually went that far just to keep himself from giving in to temptation. Though a little frustrated, Yae Miko couldn't help but feel a hint of admiration.
Of course, she didn't plan on giving up just yet. After all, Sage Time has a time limit. And the healthier the man, the shorter that time lasts. Yae Miko didn't believe he could always find a chance to "solve it" on his own.
What's more, if it took him a whole hour earlier, that meant he must've been badly pent-up. Which in turn meant everything she'd done before had been very effective—she might have been this close to breaking through his defenses.
Just wait till we get back to the Grand Narukami Shrine—that's my home field!
At that thought, Yae Miko chuckled inwardly. She slowly got to her feet, her massive tail instantly retracting. With a flick to dust it off, it vanished. "Yes, it's about time we leave. Still... last night's moments—I'll be sure to treasure them in my memories."
Lucas didn't reply. He was preparing to draw the demon blade Muramasa to smash apart the rocks that had trapped them last night. But unexpectedly, the pile of tightly packed stones had already completely vanished—as if they'd never been there in the first place.
Could Yae Miko have quietly moved them last night?
No. Looking closer, even the rocks that had been sliced by the sword aura from the Blade Maiden were perfectly intact now. That could only mean one thing—what he had seen since then had all been Yae Miko's illusion.
No matter how real an illusion may seem, it's still a bubble that bursts at a touch. And she had likely calculated from the start that he would never go and touch those rocks—which was why he hadn't noticed any flaws.
That level of strategy and foresight sent a chill down Lucas's spine. They always said Sangonomiya Kokomi, the strategist of the Watatsumi Island resistance, was peerless in cunning. But compared to her, Yae Miko was no less formidable—and with even more experience.
Good thing... she's not my enemy.
"Oh? Where did the rocks go?" Yae Miko even feigned a surprised expression and frowned. "Maybe it was the work of some prankster yokai in Chinju Forest?"
What kind of yokai would dare prank you? Who gave them that courage?
Just as Yae Miko was about to move, a sharp blade suddenly extended from the shadows of the passage ahead and rested against her shoulder.
Though the blade struck swiftly, it still couldn't outpace Lucas's reflexes. Almost instinctively, his hand was already on the hilt, ready to draw his sword to defend—but the moment the attacker's face emerged from the shadows, he suddenly froze.
It was none other than Raiden Mai, from whom they had become separated.
"You…" As a Puppet Body, Raiden Mai usually displayed little emotion, but at this moment, she actually showed a rare flash of anger. "You dare make a fool of me like this."
Truthfully, being left outside overnight wasn't anything serious to Raiden Mai.
But for some reason, seeing how close and intimate Yae Miko was with Lucas, she couldn't help but feel displeased.
Was this jealousy?
Unlikely. Whether in the real world or inside the Serenitea Pot, Lucas had plenty of romantic partners, and Raiden Mai had never minded. Her strong reaction to Yae Miko likely stemmed from Raiden Ei.
After all, barring any unexpected developments, Lucas should have met with Raiden Ei soon. Yet now, Yae Miko had appeared midway and led him astray.
Although Raiden Ei hadn't expressed any emotions, Raiden Mai, as her puppet and emotional extension, naturally picked up on her feelings—thus the inexplicable hostility toward Yae Miko.
Of course, anger was one thing; Raiden Mai wouldn't actually strike Yae Miko. Not to mention, her power was far inferior to hers.
"Could there be some misunderstanding?" Yae Miko didn't seem the least bit concerned by the sharp blade only a few centimeters from her neck. Smiling, she said, "You were trapped by an illusion—it was a prank by the yokai of Chinju Forest. Not just you, we were tricked too. We spent the whole night trapped in a cave."
"Is that true?" Raiden Mai asked skeptically.
"Of course it is. Why else would I abandon the comfy bed at the Grand Narukami Shrine to lie on cold stone out here?" Yae Miko shrugged with a grin. "Fortunately, I had Brother Jia to keep me warm with his body. Otherwise, how would I have survived?"
Just yesterday she was calling him "Boss Jia," and now it was "Brother Jia"? The sudden escalation in their relationship, even to a puppet like Raiden Mai, was more than obvious.
So I'm freezing alone in the woods while the two of you are enjoying a springtime retreat in a cave?
"You!"
A hint of killing intent flickered in Raiden Mai's eyes. At that moment, Lucas suddenly felt a tremor in his palm—his sword flew out of its sheath on its own, and with a sharp clang, it cleanly sliced through the blade in Raiden Mai's hand.
"No hurting Sister Miko!"
A voice rang out from within the yokai blade—one only Lucas could hear.
The katana in Raiden Mai's hand was a high-grade weapon she'd selected from Lucas's forge to maintain her cover as a bodyguard. While not a divine artifact, it was a masterwork far beyond the reach of most craftsmen. And now, it had been cut cleanly in half by a single strike—proof of Muramasa's terrifying sharpness.
Raiden Mai wasn't upset about the broken blade. What shocked her was that the master she had loyally followed would now turn his sword on her—for the sake of a fox woman he had only just met a day ago.
That strike hadn't been Lucas's will, but rather Muramasa acting on its own to protect Yae Miko.
"…Fine. Very well." Raiden Mai bit her lip, tossed the broken blade aside, and turned to leave without another word.
"Wait! That strike wasn't me!"
Lucas realized how serious this could become and rushed to follow. But Yae Miko placed a hand on his shoulder, gently saying, "You really don't understand girls at all, do you? Let me go explain."
"Are you sure?" Lucas asked, sounding uneasy. He wasn't worried that Yae Miko would be injured—he just feared the rift between the two would deepen further.
"Relax, I specialize in dealing with girls like her." Yae Miko waved playfully. "Wait for us at the cave entrance."
As Lucas watched her walk away, he couldn't help but let out a deep sigh.
Muramasa, too, seemed to realize something had gone wrong and asked in a hurt voice, "Master… did I do something wrong? I only wanted to protect Sister Miko…"
"It's not your fault," Lucas comforted her softly. "But next time, without my command, don't draw the blade on your own. Understood?"
"Understood!"
Muramasa answered cheerfully, but in her heart, she was already scheming—if she really wanted to attack next time, she could just transform into her human form and strike. That wouldn't count as disobeying, would it?
...
"Damn it!"
With a flash of her arm blade, a tree as thick as a bowl was cleanly sliced down, crashing to the ground.
Raiden Mai's blade glinted coldly as she vented her anger in this violent way.
To her, Lucas's actions just now were nothing short of betrayal.
"That tree must've been decades old… what a shame," came a light, teasing voice from behind. "Also, Chinju Forest is a sanctuary for yokai—logging is strictly forbidden. If I wanted to, I could have you arrested for this."
Startled, Raiden Mai immediately retracted her arm blade. Yae Miko stepped forward with a smile and said, "No need to hide it. I've known for a while."
Raiden Mai's brow furrowed. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"When Ei created those puppets, I helped her quite a bit. If I recall correctly, you're a model from the 04 series, right?" Yae Miko stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Some of the components in your body might've even been processed by me back then."
Raiden Mai was visibly shaken. She was about to initiate a mental link with Raiden Ei when, unexpectedly, a message came from the other side first.
[Let me take over. I'll speak with her.]
With a flash of purple light in her eyes, Raiden Ei's consciousness replaced Raiden Mai's.
"Being able to swap between different Puppet Bodies at will really is a convenient ability." Yae Miko shook her head with a smile. "Ei, so you finally decided to show yourself?"
"Tch…"
Raiden Ei raised a hand to her face, removed the puppet mask, and revealed a face nearly identical to her own. Calmly, she asked, "When did you realize it was me?"
"Don't forget, foxes are canines—our noses are very sensitive," Yae Miko gently tapped her small nose and said with a smile, "Humans have human scent, yokai have yokai scent, but on you... I smell metal and resin."
"In that case, I won't bother hiding it from you," Raiden Ei made no attempt to conceal it and said bluntly, "That man is useful to me."
"Aren't you always holed up in your Plane of Euthymia, chasing the path of eternity? How did you come to cross paths with that man?" Yae Miko narrowed her eyes, curiosity in her tone. "And also, why is your puppet at his side, obeying his commands?"
Raiden Ei replied expressionlessly, "Mai is a spy I sent to Liyue for a mission. As for that man, he possesses intel I require."
Naturally, this was a lie. If she told Yae Miko that Raiden Mai was a Puppet Body she'd lost, and that her encounter with Lucas had been entirely by accident, it would be far too embarrassing.
"Really now?" Yae Miko chuckled. "I don't buy it."
"Believe it or not," Raiden Ei crossed her arms. "But what about you? Why are you entangled with him? Don't tell me... you've developed mortal desires?"
"You got it right," Yae Miko said with complete seriousness. "It was love at first sight. I'm not like you—I still have a body, and I have all the human emotions and desires. This fox den that's been empty for five hundred years has been waiting for the right man."
In all of Inazuma, perhaps only Yae Miko dared to speak such nonsense to Raiden Ei.
No one else would dare. If someone did, it'd probably be the last thing they ever said.
"Utter nonsense. Empty words. Lies upon lies." Knowing Yae Miko well, Raiden Ei naturally understood she was teasing her. She gave a cold snort and said, "As Raiden Shogun, I command you to stop involving yourself with that man."
"Oh my, what an official tone," Yae Miko laughed. "If the Tenshukaku wants to issue orders to the Grand Narukami Shrine, proper procedure must be followed—start with an imperial decree, get it approved, then release a formal notice. Go on, issue the decree. Let all of Inazuma know the Raiden Shogun is trying to steal a man from the shrine maiden of the Grand Narukami Shrine."
What Yae Miko said wasn't wrong. Even as the ruler of a nation, the Raiden Shogun couldn't act recklessly. Yae Miko had every right to reject such an order, both logically and emotionally.
But of course, issuing such a decree was impossible. Raiden Ei frowned. "What exactly do you want?"
"Let's make a deal," Yae Miko smiled sweetly. "Lend me that man for a few days. Once I've had my fun, I'll personally hand him over to you. Besides, even if I let him go now, he might not find a way to meet you that quickly, right?"
Raiden Ei fell silent for a moment. She had to admit, what Yae Miko said made sense. Though capricious and mischievous, she was trustworthy.
Meeting Lucas was simple enough—just issue an imperial decree and search the entire nation, and he'd be found eventually. But Raiden Ei didn't want to cause such a stir over a "private matter." More importantly, she didn't want to meet Lucas under those circumstances.
Rather than that, it was better to let Yae Miko handle it, and have him come before her in a proper, dignified manner.
"In that case, I'll reluctantly agree," Raiden Ei nodded. "But you must not reveal my identity."
"Don't worry, I'm an expert when it comes to deceiving people," Yae Miko said as she wrapped her arm around Raiden Ei's, smiling. "To avoid suspicion, let's pretend to be close sisters for now, Mai... my dear little sister~"
At this point, Raiden Ei had already switched consciousness with Raiden Mai. Naturally, Raiden Mai was fully aware of the "agreement" they had just made. Since it was Raiden Ei's command, she wouldn't disobey—but thinking back to Lucas's sword strike earlier, she couldn't help but feel a pang of inexplicable grievance.
"You're still upset about earlier, aren't you?" As if reading her mind, Yae Miko calmly explained, "That strike wasn't from him—it was his yokai blade acting on its own. Last night, we…"
As they walked back, Yae Miko gave a rough retelling of what had happened the night before—omitting, of course, certain "details" to avoid unnecessary trouble.
It had to be said, Yae Miko's ability to read and navigate emotions was top-notch. Though Raiden Mai shared Raiden Ei's disposition, she possessed a bit more warmth. After just a short conversation, she was already smiling at Yae Miko's teasing remarks.
It was no surprise. In the Serenitea Pot, she had few people to talk to. Even if their closeness now was for the sake of deceiving Lucas, Raiden Mai herself didn't particularly dislike the feeling.
...
At that moment, Lucas was still crouched at the entrance of the Crying Blade Cavern, bored out of his mind as he watched two Onikabuto beetles fighting. Only when he heard footsteps did he look up—only to be stunned by what he saw.
Just moments ago, those two had been at each other's throats—one taunting coldly, the other ready to draw a blade. And now? They walked side by side like middle school best friends, chatting and laughing like nothing had happened.
This time, it was Lucas who felt awkward. "You… you're back."
"There, all smoothed out," Yae Miko gently pushed Raiden Mai toward Lucas with a smile. "Next time you upset little Sister Mai, I won't let you off so easy."
Calling him "big brother" one moment, calling Mai "little sister" the next—her tone flowed effortlessly without a single stumble.
If everyone had quantifiable stats, Yae Miko's "social skills" would probably be maxed out.
Lucas silently wondered—if someone like her joined his group of female companions, acting as a social lubricant, wouldn't that make his life much easier?
"You know…" Yae Miko narrowed her eyes, as if reading Lucas's thoughts. "You weren't just thinking something inappropriate, were you?"
"Of course not" Lucas replied solemnly. "Anyway, Mai, about earlier…"
"Miko has already explained it," Raiden Mai snorted softly, her face blank. "It's understandable, but as a man, you should learn to keep that thing at your waist in check. If you go unsheathing it every time you see someone, you're going to cause trouble sooner or later."
She meant the sword, right? It had to be the sword, right? Definitely the sword?
For some reason, Lucas had the distinct feeling that Raiden Mai's words carried a double meaning—as if she were criticizing him indirectly under the guise of something else.
"All right, all right. If we're going to chat, why not do it back at the Grand Narukami Shrine, over some snacks and tea? Wouldn't that be much more pleasant?" Yae Miko smiled. "Let's go."
And so, the three of them, each with their own thoughts, set off once more under Yae Miko's guidance.
...
Grand Narukami Shrine.
As the largest shrine in Inazuma, the structure perched atop Mt. Yougou gave Lucas a strange sense of familiarity—even though it was his first time coming here.
After all, he had once lived here for a long time under the name "Harunosuke."
Suddenly, Lucas wondered—if the timeline of this world truly matched that of the simulator, then where was the Kitsune Saiguu, who had already sacrificed herself in that version of the story?
He naturally couldn't ask Yae Miko about this directly for fear of exposing his identity, but now that he was at the Grand Narukami Shrine, perhaps he might find some clues related to her.
As the three stepped onto the mountaintop, they saw two women standing by the shrine's entrance, chatting casually despite their starkly different appearances.
One of them had long hair and wore the red-and-white shrine maiden uniform of the Grand Narukami Shrine. She looked elegant and composed. The other was a girl with her hair in a ponytail, dressed rather strikingly in a fitted black tank top that revealed her slim waist, forming a sharp contrast with the formal shrine maiden attire beside her.
But what drew the most attention was the girl's face—half hidden behind a black mask, revealing only a pair of sharp violet eyes. Though she was conversing with the woman before her, her lively gaze remained cautious, constantly surveying her surroundings.
Sure enough, the moment Yae Miko and the others appeared, the masked girl immediately noticed. She seemed to frown slightly, said a few more words to the shrine maiden, then turned and hurriedly left as if fleeing the scene.
The shrine maiden could only smile helplessly, then turned to greet them with a respectful bow. "Welcome back, Lady Yae."
"No need for formality, Asaki," Yae Miko smiled faintly. "Who was that young lady just now?"
"That was my younger sister, Kuki Shinobu," Asaki replied with a wry smile. "She said she was delivering a message and some local specialties from home. I'm sorry, she's a bit shy and didn't greet you properly. That was quite rude of her."
"No harm done. I've heard you mention her before—how she's talented and versatile, earned many certificates through self-study, and even studied abroad in Liyue," Yae Miko covered her mouth with a chuckle. "Honestly, our Grand Narukami Shrine could really use someone like her. Asaki, since you're from a family of shrine maidens, why didn't she join you in the same path?"
"I'm a little ashamed to say," Asaki sighed, "she did try to be an apprentice shrine maiden here when she was young, but she couldn't adapt to the role. I've tried to persuade her many times, but she always refused. Now she's working for some strange organization. It really worries me."
"Everyone has their own path—no need to force it," Yae Miko gently consoled. "Perhaps your sister will make her mark in a field she truly excels in."
"Thank you for your insight, Lady Yae," Asaki glanced at Lucas and Raiden Mai, then bowed again. "Forgive me, who are these guests?"
"Don't you remember? I've mentioned them many times," Yae Miko winked and smiled. "This is Mr. Jia from Liyue—a publisher and light novel writer—and his bodyguard Miss Mai. They'll be staying at the shrine for a few days. Could I trouble you to prepare the Purification Pool to welcome our distinguished guests?"
Asaki had served under Yae Miko since she was young and knew her well. With just a glance, she understood her intentions and smiled. "So this is the famed Mr. Jia. I've heard a lot about you. I'll make the preparations right away."
"Purification Pool?" Lucas asked curiously. "What's that?"
"At the Grand Narukami Shrine, we have an outer and inner shrine," Yae Miko explained. "The outer shrine is open to guests for visiting, divination, and worship. The inner shrine is where the shrine maidens reside. As servants of the divine, they must keep body and mind pure. After returning from outside, they must cleanse themselves in the Purification Pool. Likewise, any outsiders wishing to stay in the inner shrine must go through this process. I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all," Lucas laughed. "Even without such a ritual, I'd still need a bath."
"Glad you understand," Yae Miko narrowed her eyes slightly and said in a low voice, "But you know, in the five hundred years that I've served as the head of the Grand Narukami Shrine, you're the only man to ever step foot into the inner shrine."
That sounded... a little suggestive, didn't it?
Puns like that should really come with a fine.
Lucas thought to himself—back when he lived at the Grand Narukami Shrine as Harunosuke, he didn't recall such a rule. But come to think of it, aside from himself, there really had never been another man inside the inner shrine.
And besides, five hundred years had passed. It wasn't strange for the rules to change.
Meanwhile, Kuki Shinobu, who had just left, hadn't actually gone far. She was now hiding behind a large tree, secretly observing the situation.
She pulled a photograph from her pocket. The photo looked like it had been taken in a hurry, and right in the center were Lucas and Raiden Mai.
"Just like the information provided by the eldest daughter of the Kamisato Clan—they've arrived at the Grand Narukami Shrine. But according to the schedule, they should've gotten here last night..." Kuki Shinobu muttered, shaking her head. "Oh well, my next task is to observe the two of them and report back when necessary. For someone like me, who holds a Level-One Tracking Detective Certification, this is child's play."
That's right. Kuki Shinobu hadn't come to the Grand Narukami Shrine just to visit her sister Asaki.
Just yesterday, Thoma had approached her with a special assignment—find the man in the photo, and observe his movements.
As the second-in-command of the Arataki Gang, Kuki Shinobu normally wouldn't get involved in anything related to the Three Commissions. So why had she agreed this time?
Of course—it was because the pay was just too good.
The so-called "boss" of the Arataki Gang was a broke slacker who could barely find a single Mora in his own pocket and followed a "work one day, rest three" schedule. Relying on him to maintain the gang's finances was basically impossible.
This job, on the other hand, was both easy and low-risk. Even if anything went wrong, she could always claim she'd come to visit her sister. For Kuki Shinobu, it was practically like picking up free Mora off the ground.
As for why the Kamisato Clan didn't assign this task to the "Shuumatsuban," who had served the Yashiro Commission for generations, and instead hired an outsider like her—Kuki Shinobu didn't know the reason. Of course, not asking about the client's private matters was part of her professional ethics.
To her, the shrine maidens of the Grand Narukami Shrine were all a bunch of airheads. Carrying out a mission here posed no difficulty whatsoever.
Except… for that shrine priestess.
At that thought, she subconsciously glanced toward Yae Miko, only to see that woman seemingly looking straight at her, with a sly smile on her lips.
Kuki Shinobu's heart skipped a beat. She quickly pulled her head back. Only after a while, when her heartbeat finally calmed, did she carefully peek out again—only to see Yae Miko chatting and laughing with her target, as if she had never noticed her presence.
That must've been… just her imagination, right?
...
While Asaki prepared the Purification Pool, Lucas and Raiden Mai followed Yae Miko on a casual stroll through the outer shrine. It was still early, and few visitors had come to pray, making the already expansive Grand Narukami Shrine feel even more empty and quiet.
Returning to a place he once knew—though familiar, five hundred years had passed. Almost everything had changed. The pillars had a fresh coat of paint, the swallows beneath the eaves had surely been replaced many times, and even the stone tiles underfoot were newly laid.
Was this what they meant by "the things remain, but the people are gone"?
"Lady Yae, the Purification Pool is ready," Asaki appeared silently behind Yae Miko and said respectfully. "Please proceed."
"Let's go," Yae Miko nodded. "Although the rite is meant to purify body and mind, it's more of a formality. You can just wash up together."
"Wait…" Lucas frowned slightly. "Together? What do you mean, together?"
"What's the problem?" Yae Miko tilted her head and smiled. "The shrine maidens bathe together all the time. I mean, there aren't any men here, so it's not like we have a separate bath for males."
She… wasn't wrong.
It's not like temples had separate women's restrooms.
"Well, I guess it can't be helped." Lucas patted Raiden Mai's shoulder and said, "You go ahead."
Although their relationship had long since moved beyond mere bath buddies, in front of Yae Miko, they were still supposed to be an innocent master-and-bodyguard pair.
"A girl's bath takes time, you know? If the water cools, that's not ideal. You could show some appreciation for how hard my shrine maidens work chopping wood," Yae Miko said with a shake of her head. "Besides, shouldn't a proper bodyguard protect her employer at all times?"
"But…"
Just as Lucas was about to object, Raiden Mai gently tugged at his sleeve and said, "Lady Miko is right. Let's go together."
She gave him a look and whispered, "Actually, I have something I want to talk to you about in private."
Indeed, ever since they encountered Yae Miko yesterday, Lucas and Raiden Mai had barely had a moment alone. This was the perfect chance to discuss their next steps.
"All right," Lucas nodded. "Let's wash up quickly so we don't trouble the shrine."
"No trouble at all," Yae Miko said, watching the two enter the bathhouse. Her fox eyes narrowed with a sly glint as she murmured to herself, "Please, do enjoy yourselves."
...
Purification Pool.
Despite the lofty name and its supposed power to cleanse impurity, it was, in essence, just the public bath used by the shrine maidens.
But give it a fancier title, and the maintenance budget from the Treasury got a little boost.
After all, for Inazumans, bathing was a way of life.
"Phew… this is nice."
Though he'd slept reasonably well last night, it had still been outdoors—wind, dew, and dust were inevitable. Soaking his body in the warm bath now, Lucas couldn't help but let out a sigh of comfort. "Feels even bigger than the bath at home."
After all, the bath at Ganyu's place was private. No reason to make it as big as a public bath.
"I wonder… compared to Yae Miko's embrace," Raiden Mai said from behind him, expressionless, "which one feels better?"
Lucas turned around—and saw everything clearly. Even though she was a Puppet Body, her allure was no less than that of a real woman.
What's more, a Puppet Body was crafted with meticulous care. Raiden Ei wasn't just a tech expert—she had a sense of aesthetics too. All her puppets had near-perfect proportions—of course, assuming the "template," Raiden Ei herself, had the right… qualifications.
"I can sense your heart rate increasing," Raiden Mai said coolly. "It seems this body is indeed appealing to the male eye."
"That's obvious," Lucas turned away. "You really have no idea how attractive your body is."
"So then," Raiden Mai asked earnestly, "between this body and Yae Miko's, which is more perfect?"
"What's with you?" Lucas looked confused. "You've been acting weird since earlier. Why do you keep comparing yourself to her?"
Even Raiden Mai wasn't sure why she was asking such things. Perhaps it was the influence of Raiden Ei's subconscious—maybe it wasn't Mai herself who wanted to compete, but Raiden Ei who wanted to know which of their bodies Lucas found more appealing.
"Because… she's the first female I've met in the real world who's worth comparing against," Raiden Mai forced a reason. "I'm simply collecting data."
"Stop gathering useless data already…" Lucas said with an exasperated look. "Anyway, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Actually, I've been meaning to tell you this for a while, but I never found the right opportunity," Raiden Mai said calmly. "You should know by now that I'm a utility-type puppet, primarily designed to assist in forging weapons and repairing components."
"Of course I know that," Lucas nodded. "And you've been doing an excellent job, haven't you? The Serenitea Pot's smooth development is largely thanks to you."
"But that's still not enough," Raiden Mai shook her head. "Your strength keeps growing, and the powerful beings around you multiply. If I remain stagnant, not only will I fail to assist you, I might even... become a burden."
It was true. When Lucas first received Raiden Mai as a "system reward," her combat prowess had been formidable—effortlessly dispatching Hilichurls that even he had struggled against at the time.
But as time passed, everything changed.
Not only had Lucas grown exponentially stronger in the real world, but even the beings he brought into the Serenitea Pot were increasingly powerful.
Kisara the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Fischl the Eternal Night, Dvalin the Stormterror, Ursa the Drake, Beisht... Even the previously imprisoned Doctor surpassed Raiden Mai in strength.
And now, in the real world, this disparity felt even more pronounced. Against someone like Yae Miko, she had been utterly powerless, reduced to a plaything.
Not to mention, Lucas's newly acquired shikigami, the Demonblade Maiden Muramasa, was far stronger than Raiden Mai—even capable of transforming into a weapon.
But none of these were the real reason.
After being "possessed" by Raiden Ei's consciousness, she had experienced—for the first time—what it felt like to wield true power. If she could attain strength comparable to Ei's, she could truly become Lucas's ally!
But while humans could grow stronger through training, how could a puppet improve?
There was only one answer—a system upgrade!
During her consciousness exchange with Raiden Ei, Raiden Mai had also gained access to the "Raiden Network," allowing her to interface with all puppets, copy their data, and even access the combat archives of the most powerful puppet of all—the Raiden Shogun herself.
This data was like "experience books" in a game, capable of rapidly boosting Raiden Mai's combat abilities through sheer brute-force assimilation.
"How can you say that?" Lucas quickly reassured her. "You've already done more than enough. Don't push yourself too hard."
"No. I can do better," Raiden Mai insisted firmly. "In fact, I've already found a way to upgrade my system."
"You can upgrade your system?" Lucas blinked. "Like... Windows 7 to Windows 10?"
"This isn't a joke," Raiden Mai said seriously. "But before the upgrade, I need your help."
"If I can help, of course I will," Lucas agreed. "But I don't know the first thing about system upgrades."
Good with computers? Enjoy being a forever backup plan.
Lucas knew that saying all too well.
He couldn't upgrade a system, but he could perform a factory reset—if you catch his drift.
"The upgrade files are already loaded. But before installation..." Raiden Mai placed a hand on her chest. "The system needs to be reset—without deleting my memories."
Ah. There it is.
Several hours had passed since his encounter with Ursa, and Lucas's "post-clarity" state had long since faded. Faced with Raiden Mai's earnest "request," he had no reason to refuse.
"Resetting the system is fine, but..." Lucas scratched his head awkwardly. "Doing it at the Grand Narukami Shrine might be a bit inappropriate. This is still a sacred place, after all..."
"We don't need to do it in the inner shrine," Raiden Mai had already planned ahead. "Right here is perfect—no one will notice or disturb us."
"Huh? Isn't that a bit..." Lucas laughed dryly. "This is a purification spring, you know? Doing that here feels kinda... blasphemous, doesn't it?"
The shrine maidens used this pool to cleanse impurities. If he went ahead and added some, wouldn't they just end up more impure?
"It's just a fancy name. I've analyzed the water—it's nothing special, just ordinary mountain spring water," Raiden Mai scoffed. "Besides, I'll properly dispose of your... impurities. They won't contaminate the pool."
"Calling it impurities is a bit harsh..." Lucas suddenly stepped forward, gripping Raiden Mai's shoulders with a smirk. "Then you'd better keep your word and clean up everything. Yae Miko's nose is sharp—she'd sniff it out in a heartbeat."
"R-Right now?" Raiden Mai murmured.
"Why not? You're the one who issued the challenge," Lucas grinned. "My blade is already drawn. You know me—it won't sheathe until it tastes blood."
Just like before, resetting the system required rapid, high-frequency stimulation of the "reboot switch." Having done this before, Lucas was no longer nervous—he moved with practiced ease.
He even took advantage of the system's CPU overheating to adjust his stance during the cooling phase.
"How's it going?" Lucas whispered. "System reset complete?"
"Progress is... approximately 70%," Raiden Mai managed, barely maintaining enough processing power to calculate. "At the current frequency... approximately ten more minutes."
"Let's make it twenty," Lucas panted. "Might as well clean out the dust while we're at it."
"Th-There's no dust!" For once, Raiden Mai's cheeks flushed. "I perform regular maintenance to ensure optimal performance!"
Maintenance, huh...?
The mental image of Raiden Mai meticulously "cleaning" herself sent another surge of excitement through Lucas.
"Thirty minutes, then," he decided. "Gotta run a virus scan too."
"I don't have viruses!" Raiden Mai protested. "And even if I did, you can't eliminate them through hardware manipulation!"
"We'll never know unless we try," Lucas declared stubbornly. "The power of science is truly wondrous."
No one knew how much time had passed before Lucas finally helped Raiden Mai complete her system reboot.
He saw her body suddenly stiffen, and Lucas quickly stepped back, drawing his weapon.
Raiden Mai sat upright in the pool. Her eyes were open, but there was no light in them—only streams of data flowing across.
"System upgrade in progress. Estimated time: one hour. Please do not power on during the upgrade process. Thank you for your patience."
As her emotionless voice finished, her eyes slowly closed.
The sight reminded Lucas of that old computer at home that always insisted on upgrading its system—and wouldn't let you do anything else in the meantime.
Good thing he had moved fast and pulled out in time. Otherwise, he might have ended up "upgrading" alongside her.
He adjusted Raiden Mai into a more comfortable position. Fortunately, these puppet bodies were crafted with extreme precision, with excellent waterproofing. Soaking her in the pool was no issue at all.
Still, Lucas wondered—even if Raiden Mai's body could be upgraded, how much would her combat strength really improve?
If all it enhanced were mechanical techniques, without increasing the core strength of the puppet body itself, then the boost would be rather limited.
Take Iron Man, for example. Besides advances in technology, his materials kept evolving too. If you sent the Mark 3 armor from the first movie to fight Thanos, you'd probably get beaten to a pulp.
What Lucas didn't know was that when Raiden Ei created the puppets, she used a special material capable of "self-upgrading." Almost every puppet contained some of it—the only difference was in quantity.
This material could only be produced by the Electro Archon and was named the "Raiden Factor." This was why, even though other nations like Snezhnaya also had puppet production technology, they could hardly create puppets as powerful as Raiden Shogun or Scaramouche.
In other words, because Raiden Shogun and Scaramouche had high concentrations of Raiden Factor in their bodies, they were constantly undergoing "system upgrades." That was the main reason behind their rapid growth in power.
As for a "work-type puppet" like Raiden Mai, only a trace amount had been added—by all accounts, it shouldn't have been enough to support a system upgrade.
However, another variable had emerged in her body—Lucas's deoxyribonucleic acid. Whether it was this time or previous times, all had been absorbed by Raiden Mai and fused with the Raiden Factor in her body, unexpectedly forming a new upgrade material just as powerful.
Even Lucas himself, let alone Raiden Ei, had never anticipated this outcome.
...
Meanwhile, in one of the rooms of the Grand Narukami Shrine—
"You heard me right," Yae Miko propped her chin on her hand with a smile. "That guy is currently cleansing himself in the Purification Pool. I've got him snared now—he's not going anywhere for at least three to five days."
Before her stood a woman in shrine maiden robes wearing a fox mask. She paced back and forth in the room, looking rather nervous. "Are you sure... it's really him?"
"I've already let him take so many liberties. If I've mistaken the person, wouldn't that be a huge loss for me? Since when have you ever seen me make a bad deal?" Yae Miko smirked mischievously. "My dear Lady Kitsune Saiguu, if you don't believe me, why not go verify it yourself?"
That's right. The woman before her was none other than Kitsune Saiguu. Due to the altered history, she had not been consumed by the dark calamity and had lived on until now.
Still, she had passed on the position of head of the Grand Narukami Shrine to Yae Miko, while she concealed her identity and traveled far and wide in search of Harunosuke. That search had lasted five hundred years.
She had once considered setting out overseas to try her luck in other nations, but her yokai power had long since fused with the ley lines of Inazuma. If she left the land, not to mention herself, even the Tenko and Chiko who were her followers would be adversely affected.
"I... I'm just a little nervous," Kitsune Saiguu said flatly.
"Oh? The famed heartthrob who once stirred Inazuma and stole hearts wherever she went—getting shy now?" Yae Miko teased.
"You little rascal, how dare you poke fun at me?" Kitsune Saiguu pinched Yae Miko's ear, laughing as she scolded, "Want me to teach you a lesson?"
In all of Inazuma today, probably only Kitsune Saiguu dared treat Yae Miko this way. Though Raiden Ei certainly had the standing, her personality likely wouldn't allow such affectionate antics.
"My bad, my bad," Yae Miko laughed as she covered her ears. "But honestly, I still find it strange—why won't he admit that he's Harunosuke?"
"I can understand how he feels," Kitsune Saiguu sighed. "If I were in his position, I might also hesitate."
"I don't care about any of that," Yae Miko grabbed Kitsune Saiguu's hand, her tone turning uncharacteristically serious. "He made us wait five hundred years. He owes us. I already have a few ideas to get him to admit it himself—just trust me."
Yae Miko's personality bore a few similarities to Kitsune Saiguu's, but she had a more mischievous streak. Sometimes, even Kitsune Saiguu couldn't guess what she was thinking.
"Mm..." Kitsune Saiguu nodded. "He must make up for these five hundred years of lost time."
...
At that moment, Lucas had no idea that the three most powerful women in all of Inazuma were each thinking about him. He was still soaking in the pool, enjoying the blissful relaxation after "clearing memory."
"I'm coming in~"
Suddenly, footsteps came from behind the screen. By the time Lucas turned around, Yae Miko had already stepped in—wearing only a bathrobe.
Though calling it a bathrobe might be generous—it was more like a thin white cloth that barely covered her upper body.
It didn't even need to be tied. Her natural assets alone were enough to hold it up.
And when he remembered the piece of fabric she had tossed over him last night, Lucas couldn't help but let his gaze wander.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything?" Yae Miko crouched down, dipping one leg into the water with a sigh of pleasure. "Mm, this is just the temperature I like."
"Wait a second" Lucas finally snapped out of it. "What are you doing here?"
"Taking a bath, of course," Yae Miko said with a smile. "What else?"
----
Author's Note: Hey guys check out my new book: Fate/D&D: As a Mage, I want to fuckk the heroic spirits
----
🔹 Read 100+ chapters ahead! → patreon.com/NiaXD