When the red fox first blocked his path, Bai Luo didn't think much of it. He had spent enough time wandering the Byakko Plain to know that, unlike Tanuki, foxes in Inazuma were generally friendly toward humans.
However, the moment Miyuki appeared, Bai Luo sensed something was off. While the shrine maidens of the Grand Narukami Shrine weren't exactly forbidden from leaving, his knowledge of Kuki Shinobu told him that their lives were typically monotonous, governed by strict schedules and rules.
Simply put... unless she had a specific order or mission, Miyuki wouldn't have just happened to be on the mountain path.
Furthermore, Miyuki was someone who practically worshipped Yae Miko. This made things interesting.
The pink-haired fox must have known he was on the mountain through some means and, for whatever reason, wanted to delay his arrival at the peak. Both Miyuki and the red fox were stumbling blocks she had placed in his way.
He even suspected that, given Miko's personality, she wanted to take the opportunity to tease the shrine maiden as well. After all, Miko had indirectly informed Bai Luo about the relationship between Miyuki and Shinobu that very night.
The question was: Why didn't Yae Miko want him reaching the top so quickly? Was it because of the discussion she just had with Kamisato Ayato? Likely so.
But even though Bai Luo saw through her plan, he wasn't in a hurry. He wasn't at the point of a falling out with the fox yet; playing along for a bit wouldn't hurt.
"The very center of the approach is for the gods. Humans passing through there will invite misfortune, you know," Yae Miko said with a mischievous glint in her eye, as if she had only just remembered to mention it.
Bai Luo couldn't help but roll his eyes. She could have told him the moment he passed the torii gate, but she waited until he had finished walking the entire sandō to say it. It was a deliberate jab.
Not that it mattered. The deity enshrined here was Raiden Ei, who was currently busy meditating in the Plane of Euthymia. It wasn't like she was going to pop out and slash him with her blade just because he walked in the middle of the path.
Because of this, compared to ordinary believers, Bai Luo was incredibly arrogant, showing a complete lack of reverence for the divine. This caused the surrounding shrine maidens to knit their brows in annoyance. If it weren't for the fact that he was walking with Lady Guuji herself, they would have certainly scolded him by now.
Bypassing the Haiden and Honden, Yae Miko led Bai Luo to the shamusho (administrative office) on the side. This area was usually where charms, ema, and omikuji were distributed, but Miko also used it as a drawing room for handling business with the Yashiro Commission.
"Pardon the humble tea; I hope it is to your liking."
The Grand Narukami Shrine was Miko's territory. Consequently, she was even more confident than usual, exuding the aura of a "local boss fox" without any attempt to hide it. At her signal, a shrine maiden cleared away the warm dregs of a previous guest and served Bai Luo fresh tea.
Bai Luo looked at the cup but didn't touch it.
"What? Is my tea not good enough for you? This is all the shrine has to offer. Even if Ei came by, this is all she would get to drink."
Once the attendant left, only Bai Luo and Yae Miko remained. Therefore, she wasn't worried about being overheard when she used the name "Ei."
Bai Luo looked at the tea, then at Yae Miko, and let out a soft sigh. "Next time you put something in the tea, at least stir it in. Did you really think I'd drink it with a giant, pitch-black pill sitting right there?"
It was exactly as Bai Luo said. Whether it was Miko's deliberate prank or the shrine maiden's actual negligence, there was a very obvious pill sitting at the bottom of the cup alongside the tea leaves. Though it was shrinking as it dissolved, it couldn't escape Bai Luo's eyes. He wasn't blind, after all.
"Oh dear, I've been found out."
"..."
Looking at her exaggeratedly fake expression, Bai Luo understood: she was just messing with him. He certainly wasn't going to drink it now—who knew what was in there? If it was a "Great Restorative Pill," that would be fine, but if it were something else... things could get messy.
Pushing the cup aside, Bai Luo spoke. "I've already had my subordinates deliver the letters to the Resistance camp. They should make it into the next issue of *Monthly Idle Matters*. However, I need a favor from you."
"A favor? Speak then." Yae Miko was quite invested in the "Miss Hina" project; it had been her primary source of entertainment lately. As long as Bai Luo's request wasn't too outrageous, she was willing to help.
"It's not hard for my people to bypass the Resistance blockades. The only real obstacle right now is the Shogunate's defense line at the Kujou Encampment. I want to borrow someone from you to help resolve this issue."
Miko's expression turned subtle. Even if the public didn't know, she saw things clearly: the Kujou clan's Tenryou Commission had long been thoroughly infiltrated by the Fatui. And now Bai Luo was telling her he couldn't break through their lines?
It was an excuse. His true goal was the person.
"If you want to pass through the Tenryou Commission's lines, wouldn't it be more appropriate to borrow someone from the Kujou family? Why come to my shrine? I find it hard to believe you don't have the means to get a man from Kujou Takayuki."
Her response was a polite refusal.
"The Kujou family is currently at war with the Resistance. Asking them would just invite unnecessary trouble," Bai Luo replied, having prepared his reasoning in advance.
"Tell me who you want to borrow first. But let me be clear: the shrine maidens of the Grand Narukami Shrine serve only Narukami; they cannot be sent to run errands for you."
It sounded like a compromise, but it actually blocked all of Bai Luo's options. As the Guuji, Miko's subordinates were almost entirely shrine maidens. If he couldn't use them, it was as good as a "no."
Wait... Miko remembered she did have one "little fellow" on the grounds who wasn't a shrine maiden. If she remembered correctly, that little one had only recently escaped from Bai Luo's clutches.
Is he here... to borrow her?
Realizing this, Miko's expression became even more nuanced. From what the "little one" had told her, she could sense that while Bai Luo enjoyed teasing the girl, he had never truly harmed her—in fact, he seemed to be protecting her.
A beautiful curve appeared on Miko's lips, and her eyes narrowed into thin slits.
If he's really here to borrow her... it might not be a bad idea.
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