I have an infinite number of shikigami

After a while, he seemed to realize something, jumped off the cow's back, and rushed over.

"Mountain God, is it really you? I'm so happy to meet you..."

Mrs. Imperial looked over at the little boy with rolled-up sleeves and sun-darkened arms.

"What's your name?" Fujiwara Reya patted the boy's forehead.

A gentle glow emerged from his palm.

"Saburo!" the little boy eagerly replied, his innocent but slightly shy eyes gazing at Mrs. Imperial, "Is this the Mountain God's Wife? She's so beautiful..."

"Hello, Saburo." Mrs. Imperial smiled, took out a hairpin she no longer needed, "Take this, and give it to a girl you like in the future."

"Thank you, Madam."

The boy immediately brought his heels together and saluted.

After he left, Fujiwara Reya took Mrs. Imperial's hand and complained, "I've given him the Mountain God's protection enough to keep him healthy for life, and you give him a hairpin. I'd rather you gave it to me; I'd keep it as a dowry for my daughter..."

"You are you, I am me, and we're not even married."

Mrs. Imperial retorted in a bright and lively tone.

Her current expression was entirely different from when she was lying in the grass earlier; such a changeable woman is truly a "mature person."

"When we get to Takamagahara, I'll have you kneel on the bed and apologize!" Fujiwara Reya threatened, pulling her along as they continued on their way.

The narrow path was covered with persimmon leaves, leading through fields and farmhouse yards, winding around various farmhouse fences.

All around was the tranquil night, just the kind of walk Mrs. Imperial liked.

This deep and clear tranquility, accompanied by the fresh scent of wild grass, can calm a person's mind more than at any other time.

Upon entering the village, the view brightened considerably.

The narrow path widened into a slightly broader village road, and on the village's edge lay a remarkably beautiful pine forest. Towering cedar trees stood perfectly straight, each one carefully pruned. These pines were the spiritual material only this village could produce—Imperial Mountain Logs, the basic material for making various magic artifacts.

Just then, a group of women who had finished work came back from the direction of the pine forest.

Mrs. Imperial suddenly stopped and looked at them.

This group of women wore narrow-sleeved kimonos with aprons, hand wraps, and headscarves.

This attire reminded her of something with the name "Oohara Women"—originally referring to women from Kyoto Ohara Village who went to Kyoto City to sell firewood, later becoming a symbol of Japanese rural or mountain women laborers.

"What are you looking at?" Fujiwara Reya asked.

"They finish work so late; they must be exploited by a heartless Mountain God."

"...I don't make a single profit here, you know! Whatever they plant, they sell, and it's all theirs; I don't even charge them rent for the land!"

"Oh~"

"Go ahead, praise me!" Fujiwara Reya was visibly displeased.

"Kind Mountain God!" Mrs. Imperial teased, leaning close as if almost kissing him before pulling back with a smug look, "Just teasing you, tempting you, but you can never have it."

Fujiwara Reya couldn't help but sigh: this is the advanced version of Natsuki Kuri!

The returning women passed by them, and the one leading bowed: "Mountain God, is there something you need from us here?"

"I'm just taking a stroll." Fujiwara Reya replied politely.

"If it's not a bother, please come to my house for a meal." the woman invited.

Fujiwara Reya glanced at Mrs. Imperial.

"Go ahead." Mrs. Imperial nodded gently, truly resembling the mistress of a household empire.

Following the woman, the two arrived at a small courtyard where, near the eaves, a neat row of logs stood; a similar row was also on the second floor, with T-shirts and other clothes drying in front of it.

The white cedar logs were enormous but polished beautifully.

"They look like handicrafts!" Mrs. Imperial admired the logs, "How do you polish them?"

The woman went to prepare dinner while Fujiwara Reya took her inside, explaining the polishing process. First, men stripped the logs of bark, then women carefully peeled them again, and finally, sand from Bodhi Waterfall mixed with hot spring water was used to gently scrub and polish the logs.

"The women here are really capable." Mrs. Imperial remarked with a smile.

"It's not unusual for women to do the same work as men in the countryside. Selling vegetables, selling fish—they do it all... People like you were pampered from a young age." Fujiwara Reya stretched his legs on the tatami, speaking lightly.

"I can work too; you're the pampered one." Mrs. Imperial reached out to hit him.

"Oh, I'm the idle young master." Fujiwara Reya received a few playful punches on the forehead.

"Such a life isn't bad, without so much intrigue and calculation..." Mrs. Imperial's gaze drifted outside through the window, where the upright tree trunks and the leaves at their tops looked like intricate works of art.

Fujiwara Reya nearly burst out laughing.

"Why are you so sentimental like a high school girl today?"

"I'm only nineteen!"

"Only nineteen; no wonder you'd go on a date with me."

"Mmm, sitting on the riverside grass..."

"Haha."

As they chatted, the woman brought out dinner.

"Today's bamboo leaf-wrapped sushi is really fresh; please, Mountain God and Madam, have more. Besides, I made soup, so please don't mind it."