Beng San, I have an unfinished date with her

Long took the words and smiled and said: "I don't believe in any gods. Even if there are gods, they are just guys with powerful power."

"I don't think the god the villagers worship is some extremely powerful guy."

Such words made Yae Sakura completely stunned. She had never heard such words before. She even stopped holding the bowl and chopsticks in front of her mouth, staring at Takashi not knowing what she should say to answer him.

In the end, Yae Sakura had no choice but to smile helplessly and start eating again: "What you said, Takashi... is really shocking. At least the people of Yae Village will find it difficult to accept it at first."

"Hahahaha, I can't help it, who will let me know more~~"

"Huh? Has Long been to many places?"

"Of course I'm a traveler, right? I've been to not just the capital outside, but even the Far East."

"Then, is there anything else beyond the Far East? I heard that it's very big outside, and there's China, and beyond China there's Europe. It's so far away." Yae Sakura thought of the days when she lived with her sister. , they also imagined what the vastness of the world is like together.

"Yes, there are countries and regions in the world that have completely different living customs from those in the Far East, and there are many kinds, not just one or two."

"I see."

"This world is really wonderful, Sakura. Some places believe in their own gods just like Yae Village. However, there are also many people who are unwilling to worship the gods. They have even embarked on the path of rebellion against the gods."

"Rebel...god? It's really unbelievable."

"Hahahaha, this is how colorful the world is. Everyone is there, and everything is possible. Such a world is full of desire for exploration, isn't it?" Long laughed, putting down his posture without any image, as if he was facing Very familiar person.

Infected by Takashi's emotions, Sakura couldn't help but laugh, but she immediately blocked it with her hands to calm herself down, so as not to spit on her rice.

Yae Sakura suppressed her strong smile and said, "I don't know why, but when I stay with Takashi, I always laugh easily. Takashi, you are indeed a very magical person."

"Could it be that this is the luxury of being a well-informed traveler?"

Long scratched his head and said: "Probably... there should be some, many people say so, saying that they can feel relaxed when they stay with me. This may be a gifted temperament."

Yae Sakura nodded and put down the bowl and chopsticks: "At least that's what I think. If people in many places think so, it proves that my feeling is right." She ate very little, less than half of what Takashi ate. amount.

But it wasn't because the shrine had very little food, it was just the amount she used to eat on a daily basis.

However, based on her experience, she believed that it would take so much energy to support the activities of a male combatant, so she prepared nearly twice as much food as she could eat.

"Sakura, you don't have to prepare so much in the future. I don't actually have a big appetite."

"Eh? Really? I see that the young men and uncles in the village eat much more than the girls and aunts, not to mention a samurai like Takashi... Is so little really enough? It doesn't matter, the shrine is not Those who are short of food can feed just one more person.”

"Of course, what's the point of lying? Let me eat the rest tonight." Long put down the bowl and chopsticks. He only ate half of it, which was enough. He didn't need to eat, so he ate so much to satisfy himself. Lifestyle and taste are enough.

"Oh well."

Change comes quietly: 143. The dangerous growth of branches

The two of them rested for a while after lunch.

After Yae Sakura took a broom to clean the open space in front of the shrine, she began her daily swordsmanship training.

To be precise, her moves have no rules. They are the moves passed down from a small local family to fight Honkaimon, but they are very deadly, slippery, fast... and graceful.

It fits its name very well, Falling Cherry Blossom Slash.

Anyone with a discerning eye can see that Yae Sakura must have been practicing this swordsmanship very hard.

She picked up a move at her fingertips, mixed it up, and used it flexibly. This was the combat experience gained from life-and-death battles with Honkai Beasts during the days when she was guarding the village. It was not something that ordinary "samurai grandpas" could compare to.

However, Long always feels that her fighting style is more...more "free" than those guys.

It's just that the knife in her hand is a little too ordinary.

It’s not that Yae Shrine doesn’t have good swords, there is a good sword named “Tanzakura” under the shrine where the shrine is dedicated.

Sakura said that the sword was the weapon she would use when she went to kill Honkaimon, which was one of the reasons why she felt that gods existed.

In Yae Sakura's narration, when she used to deal with Honkaimon, sometimes when she was unable to do so, Tan Sakura would change and become a more powerful knife, which Sakura called "Spirit Sword Sakura Fukiyuki".

"This is probably the help from the gods that you can get as a shrine maiden..." Yae Sakura said as she looked at the main body of the shrine, her training had been completed.

Even though she kept talking to Takashi during practice, it did not disturb her own aura. It can be seen that Yae Sakura's skills have been honed very well. You must know that her body is incomparable to Takashi's. She is no different from any other Valkyrie. To have such a level of skill at such a young age is really quite impressive.

"Thank you." Sakura looked at the handkerchief that Long suddenly handed over. She was stunned for a moment and then took it with a smile.

After Takashi handed it to her, he said: "No wonder, the statue in the shrine and the Shinto torii gate all look like foxes. Sakura, you can't quite tell what kind of god it is. I feel like Yae Village It should be enshrined to the God of Inari, but it’s just been passed down for so long that I’ve forgotten it.”

"Inari God?" Yae Sakura said doubtfully as she wiped away the sweat with a cloth handkerchief, then rubbed away her somewhat messy and wet hair.

"Well, there are also many places in the outside world that believe in and worship this god. Because it is related to agricultural harvests and other things related to people's survival, the incense is quite strong. The statues worshiped in many places look like foxes, and the gods of Inari are The appearance of the messenger is that of a fox, so many people think that the fox is the God of Inari, but this is actually wrong, hahaha~" Long said, spreading his hands and laughing.

"Oh..." Yae Sakura nodded slowly and thoughtfully: "Looking at it that way, Inari God and Fox God should be very good gods who protect people's lives in peace. Then why-"

"Well, it is indeed a good god. Why did you say what you just said, Sakura?" Long turned his head and looked at Yae Sakura's thoughtful and troubled face.

"No, it's nothing..." Yae Sakura hurriedly waved her hand with a hint of regret, picked up the cloth and covered her mouth, trying to get away.

"Hmm -? (Three tones of doubt)" Takashi tilted his head and looked at Yae Sakura, who was a bit cute in the panic. Such an expression was far from the sense of tranquility.

Judging from Yae Sakura's feelings for Takashi last night and this morning, Yae Sakura's personality should be that of a relatively mature and stable girl, calm and calm, and generally indifferent to emotions and anger. Such a situation does have a completely different sense of conflict.

"Ok."

"Hmm... um! I'm going to change my clothes. Takashi, wait a while and we'll go on patrol again." After Yae Sakura finished speaking, she walked quickly towards her bedroom as if she were running away.

...

Yae Sakura took off her shrine maiden uniform that was wet with sweat, revealing her white skin as warm and delicate as white jade in the bedroom where she was the only one. Because of the blood flow after the training just now, there was still a large area of ​​white skin showing through. Slightly tender red, full of the breath of life.

After Yae Sakura dried herself, she wanted to take out a clean miko uniform from the cabinet and put it on, but she stopped in front of the cabinet for a long time...

Normally, she would not be like this, but today her mood was disturbed again... She picked up a pair of colorful headbands in the cabinet, which she had knitted for her sister.

"cold..."

"Why...the gods would choose to accept that..."

"Is it really a god...or is it just the viciousness of humans..."

Holding her headband in her arms, Yae Sakura silently slid down and sat down, tears falling uncontrollably from her face.

Long's words unintentionally took root in her heart, and gradually produced another kind of fruit that he didn't want. It had an effect, but it was not the effect he wanted.

And this...Long didn't know.

After all, it was a girl changing clothes, so he wouldn't continue to feel it. His desire was not that hungry.

After a while, Yae Sakura, who looked completely the same as before, changed her clothes and walked out. She picked up her long sword and came to Takashi's side, and began to patrol the road on the other side of the village with Takashi.

It was no different from the journey in the morning, except that the road on this side was completely different than that on the other side. The woods on both sides of the road here were denser, and the animals made more noise.

The strange thing is here, obviously animal life here makes more noise, but the obvious traces of man-made repairs around this bamboo forest road are also more frequent and obvious. Many sections of the road have colorful strips, marking the colorful flags of Yae Shrine, praying. May toys, artificially shaped leaves etc.

Even a long section of the road is paved with stone slabs. You must know that there is only a small section of the road in the other direction next to the cemetery.

Soon they came to a clearing. The clearing was located in a higher place. Below it was a river surrounding the village. It provided water for the village and water for farmland irrigation. It was the largest water source within more than ten kilometers. It can be said that the village source of life.

Not far away is the village, where you can see the activities of the villagers.

Far far away on the upper right, you can see the top of the huge stone used by the villagers for sacrifice.

The artificial traces in this open space are even more obvious. The land has been compacted so that there will be no mud and dust flowing when it rains.

There are woven bamboo fences all around, and tall poles and short flags with nice patterns are erected, which is very unusual.

Except for the castle tower area that Takashi has not yet entered, there is no place in the village that is as solemnly decorated as this open space by the water, and only the shrine can compare.

"Sakura, is this also...a place for sacrifice?" Long made his own judgment after observing.

"Huh?...Well, yes, the village has a very strong atmosphere of relying on the gods, so there are several places for sacrifices and prayers."

Yae Sakura closed her mouth when she passed by this area, silently lowering her head and looking at the ground without turning her eyes. She obviously didn't want to see this place.

"Oh I got it."

"Then you have to be careful. Although I don't believe this, it's not very polite to read it to others all the time." Seeing Yae Sakura's discomfort, Takashi said and quickened his pace, making the area disappear faster in Yae Sakura's body. in sight.

"..."

"Thank you." Yae Sakura's expression became brighter, and she whispered to Takashi.

Her voice was very light, as light as a mosquito.

Long did not speak directly, but chuckled and nodded in response.

Then the two of them slowed down and resumed their strolling pace, chatting from time to time while inspecting the surrounding area.

He also caught a rabbit and planned to take it to the village.

For about an hour, they strolled out of the bamboo forest and came to the flat area on the side of the village and farmland.

This time it was different. The villagers who were passing by on the road or working and guarding in the fields were no longer as repulsive as they were at the beginning after seeing Long. Instead, they were full of flattery and obedience.

When you see them from afar, wave or bow to say hello.

"Miko-sama", "Takashi-sama" and other titles are endless.

This situation became even worse in the village.

The reason is simple, because Long has shown his strength and the words that he will protect the village for a period of time, his status will naturally be different.

It can be said that except for matters related to gods, and Yae Sakura speaking as a miko, there is really no one else in the village who can match the weight of Takashi's words.

Change comes quietly: 144. Night

"..."

"Takashi, you can be considered one of the top people in the village now. I even think that even if I don't use the name of a god as a miko, I can't have as much say in the village as you."

"Sure enough, Takashi is right when he said that for people, gods are just powerful creatures. You are like their god now~" Yae Sakura said with a rare teasing tone.

"Huh?...Haha, it's not that exaggerated. They are afraid of my strength and expect my protection. Once I get seriously ill and lose my fighting ability, I am afraid they will abandon me immediately." Long They laughed and said to the side that they had already walked in and were about to walk out of the village, right in front of the small bridge at the entrance of the village.

"..."

"cherry?"

"Huh?...Sorry, I was distracted."

"...It's okay. Is there anything else you want to buy? Let's go back without it."

"go back."

This was the first time in four years that someone said "go back" to her, and a familiar feeling came to her heart. In the past, her sister, her father when she was very young...someone said "go back" like this.

But four years ago, after my sister and the Lord God left one after another...no one told me anymore.

"Well, let's go back." Yae Sakura said gently, taking the initiative to walk forward and cross the small bridge at the entrance of the village.

In the eyes of the villagers behind him, Long followed naturally.

Leaving the busy chatter in the village, these people were curious about whether this young and powerful samurai master had any relationship with the miko in their village.

Some people are happy, they hope that if possible, they can use Yae Sakura to tie Takashi to Yae Village.

There are also some people who feel scared after calming down... They are afraid that one day the miko doesn't want to be a miko, but wants to leave as "Yae Sakura", or wants to carry out "revenge"... With this With the help of a powerful samurai lord...the village is in danger.

There are also various other ideas.

But they all unanimously ignored the existence of [Yae Sakura]...

Ignoring the existence of [Miko of Yae Shrine] as a [separate individual] in a multilateral relationship...

They only have Long, an extremely powerful outsider in their eyes.

Did Yae Sakura already know their thoughts?No one understands, not even Long.

But as long as she is still in contact with the village, sooner or later she will know... Maybe today because of Long's existence, she still has a lot to think about and perceive, so she doesn't know.

The duel that eroded the Herrscher's consciousness space actually started a long time ago.

Now, the situation has reached a dire straits the moment Zailong entered Herrscher's consciousness space.

.....

After dinner, until late at night.

Yae Sakura was doing laundry and cleaning the shrine. Takamoto planned to help, but Yae Sakura stopped her because she had her clothes.

Yae Sakura asked if she needed to clean Takashi's clothes, but Takashi said no. His clothes were cast by a mage with a unique spell so they wouldn't get dirty, so he could travel so easily.

From this, Takashi finally got Yae Sakura to agree to rest at the shrine at night through many words and jokes, and Takashi got the idea that from now on, he would conduct all night patrols by himself, and tomorrow's patrol would also be handed over. By him.