I have an infinite number of shikigami

"What's wrong?" Natsuki Kuri asked curiously.

Fujiwara Reya hesitated to reveal the reason and casually replied, "Twisted my ankle."

"It looks more like your waist," Natsuki Kuri said with a mischievous grin, glancing at his pants while lightly pinching her favorite Koriya with her snow-white wrist, "I know the Snow Woman's constitution, why are you lying to your aunt?"

"It's really not!" Fujiwara Reya said calmly.

Natsuki Kuri looked at his feigned bravado and immediately put on an enticing, spring-like charm.

"If it's not, then prove it to me." She suddenly turned around, knelt down on the ground. Her slender waist and perky backside outlined an alluring curve beneath her tight dress, fully accentuating her elegant and noble aura.

"..."

Fujiwara Reya was quite puzzled.

Auntie was definitely teasing him, he was very clear about that.

"Come on." Natsuki Kuri wiggled her hips provocatively, seeming sure that Fujiwara Reya knew what she was thinking and wouldn't make a move.

But then, Fujiwara Reya bent over.

The room resounded with the smacking sounds of spanking and Natsuki Kuri's cries of pain.

Having been used to being bullied by Fujiwara Reya since childhood, her alluring face was soon flushed with blush after a few hits, and her delicate short hair made her look more lazily beautiful — perhaps she had a bit of an M trait.

※※※※※

Palace courtyard.

A simple shrine with a thatched roof lay nestled in the green rice paddies and groves, deeply revered by the town's residents. At this moment, the shrine was bathed in the lingering summer sunlight, without a breath of wind in the valley.

The entrance to the shrine had already been sealed.

A few irregularly shaped giant stones block the path, tied together with straw rope, cruel sunlight bearing down on the stones' lichened surfaces. The strong light filtered through the cedar treetops, scattering in pieces on the weeds, and if one stood before the stones and peered inside, they might glimpse the corner of a white and purple floral curtain on the worship hall's deep-lying steps.

GUESTS WHO came to the Mountain God's festival could only view from the entrance.

Among murmurs of discourse, Yayako and Takeuchi Akira were heading toward the shrine, and by now, the sky had brightened considerably. Looking over, there was no vacant spot on the stone path leading to the shrine. Sounds of conversation and laughter drifted over, with some leaning on railings to gaze afar, others climbing trees for a better look...

Under the luxuriant trees of the lawn were wicker chairs and small tables where some of the more distinguished guests could rest.

The sky was picturesque, the women's colorful clothes dazzling on the lush lawn, the flowers on their hats shaking under the sun as their heads turned. Crossing her arms, Yayako looked at the great river at the end of her view, where a ship with its waterline just above the surface was docked, seemingly ready to unload.

"Why isn't the Mountain God meeting the guests?" Takeuchi Akira asked, leaning against a tree trunk and glancing at Yayako beside him, "What response did you receive when you submitted the visiting card?"

On this topic, Yayako sat down on the lawn with bent knees and smiled, shaking her head, "I've been told to wait for a notice. This Little Mountain God may not have much power, but they sure put on airs..."

"It's just because of having a good father!" Takeuchi Akira said fiercely, sitting down beside her. This spot was sideways to the shrine's entrance, unable to see inside due to the obstructing stones, though guests' laughter wafted over occasionally, and sometimes instrumental music could be faintly heard, likely part of the pre-wedding rituals.

Yayako lowered her head, speaking softly.

"This place remains too mysterious; the organization has been unable to infiltrate it for years, not even clarifying the Mountain God's appearance...it's quite amusing that, though we came with heavy gifts for friendship, we're treated like beggars at the door, ignored by both the master and the servants..."

After talking for a while, she felt a bit bored, raising her head to gently caress her delicate cheek.

"What do you plan to do next?" Takeuchi Akira asked, tilting his head.

Yayako seemed to recall something, licking her lips coquettishly like a fox spotting prey: "Since I can't even see the Little Mountain God, why should I waste my effort here? I'll return to Tokyo after the Mountain God's festival... On the other hand, Fujiwara Reya is much more interesting, don't you think?"

"I just want to kill him!" Takeuchi Akira said with a hostile expression.

Just then, a burst of joyous laughter reached their ears, and they both turned to look.

A group of girls dressed in short jackets and meisen silk clothes ran past, all eagerly crowding toward the shrine's entrance, as if eager to hear divine guidance.

Yayako snorted derisively: "Little girls always harbor fantasies about love."

Spying Kitagawa Ryoko among the group, Takeuchi Akira suddenly frowned, questioning perplexedly: "Speaking of which, Yukino also came with them yesterday, but I haven't seen her anywhere, despite searching for a while."

"It's simple, I'll go ask for you." Yayako stood and walked over.

The closer to the shrine's entrance, the more crowded the space became.

The guests, whether human or yokai, were tightly packed, some pushing forward, others yielding. As Kitagawa Ryoko moved with the flow of people, she looked through the gaps in the crowd and saw clusters of lilies arranged on the banquet tablecloth.

After a struggle to reach the front row, she barely had time to take in her surroundings before being captivated by the scene of the god-worship ritual ahead of the wedding ceremony.

The beautiful small shrine was encircled by bright red railings, linked with ribbons of sheer fabric. The white fabric was adorned with brilliant gold and blue phoenixes. Hanging from grass ropes drawn up beneath the shrine's eaves were white paper strips, emerging from the shadows like immaculate teeth.