Chapter 253: Sayu's Secret Ranking
With a practiced tug of the wire, Bai Luo let the little tanuki drop neatly into his palm.
"So… may I borrow her now?"
That gentle smile returned to his lips—soft as a summer breeze, refreshing as cool water.
But for Kano Nana, standing before him, that smile was nothing but despair.
"W-we should… respect Sayu's wishes, don't you think? If she doesn't want to go, we can't very well force her…"
It was her last line of defense. No matter what, Sayu could not be taken away. If she resisted, surely Lady Guuji herself would intervene to shield her.
"Oh? Then why don't you ask her yourself?"
Bai Luo lifted Sayu by the scruff, dangling her in front of Nana like a kitten.
Given his history of teasing her—calling her "little tanuki" at every turn—Nana was certain Sayu would refuse outright.
And then…
"…She's… asleep?!"
Nana nearly staggered back.
So this was why the child had taken to nailing pegs into walls and hanging herself like a ragdoll to sleep—it was practice. Practice for this.
What Nana didn't know was that the moment Bai Luo's hand closed around her, Sayu had resigned herself.
She had spent enough time running with him in Kannazuka to know one thing above all: you could never reason with this man.
If he pointed to a deer, he could make you call it a horse.
And before you realized it, you'd be the horse—no, worse, a fool.
Sigh.
Better to save herself the headache. Submit, go limp, and maybe catch a little nap while she was at it.
Honestly, being carried like this was far more comfortable than hanging from a wall peg.
Kano Nana could only watch helplessly as Bai Luo carted the little ninja away.
"Lady Guuji…"
The moment he was out of sight, she hurried to the shrine office, unease tightening her chest.
After all, he was Fatui.
"My, my. Aren't you the one who's always complaining about how troublesome Sayu is to look after? And yet today, you seem so eager to keep her close."
Yae Miko twirled the plum-scented bookmark between her fingers, smiling with sly amusement.
"I-I'm only worried she'll be in danger with him…"
Humans were contradictory creatures. The same woman who endlessly bemoaned her charge was now the first to beg for her safety.
"Relax. With him, she won't be in danger. And besides…" Yae Miko's lips curved higher. "We agreed—Sayu's time with him will be work, not missions. Which means… he'll have to pay her wages."
In times of peace, Bai Luo was danger itself. But in times of danger, he was safety incarnate.
For in Inazuma, what greater threat loomed than the Fatui? And what safer place for Sayu, than at their side as a "colleague"?
Nana's worry remained, but with the Guuji's reassurance, she could do nothing more. With a troubled sigh, she left.
Yet Yae Miko had overlooked one small thing.
Would Bai Luo—the man so stingy he begrudged spending mora on his own meals—really pay Sayu wages?
—Highly doubtful.
. . .
Down the mountain path, the crimson fox lounged lazily, tilting her head as she watched the odd pair descend.
The tall one in black carried his mask slung at his hip, swaying with each step.
The small one dangled by the scruff, eyes vacant, spirit utterly crushed.
"…Didn't you say you'd let me go?"
Sayu sighed, the rocky road jostling her like an unhappy bundle.
Children shouldn't sigh so often—her teacher had warned her of that long ago.
When she was with the shrine maidens, at most she felt nervous or scared, but she never sighed.
Only around Bai Luo…
Sigh~
"I did let you go last time," Bai Luo said matter-of-factly.
…Fair enough. Dropping her off on Amakane Island did count as letting her go. It was Shogunate territory, after all.
Not that it stopped him from "borrowing" her again. This time even more brazenly than before.
Sayu kept her little mental list—the ranking of people she must never provoke. And today, that list had shifted once more.
Most dangerous person? Bai Luo.
Most terrifying person? Bai Luo.
Most unpredictable person? Bai Luo.
Most favorite person? Bai— ahem! That one nearly slipped out.
In short, she had reached a conclusion: when dealing with Bai Luo, the only winning move was to go limp and accept her fate.
What else could she do? She was only a tiny tanuki…
Thinking this, Sayu tilted her head up at him.
Sigh~
Another sigh, and she resigned herself fully.
Fine. If she was stuck with him, then tanuki it was. Being called that wouldn't cost her any fur.
Bai Luo's trump card included long-range teleportation, but unfortunately, it only worked on himself. Which meant, even he had to haul her down the mountain by the scruff like luggage.
"…Where's Sveta-nee? Why isn't she with you?"
Back at Grand Narukami Shrine, Sayu had half expected Sveta to be waiting at the foot of the mountain. After all, Grand Narukami Shrine was one of the safest places in Inazuma, guarded by the Guuji herself.
The only reason Bai Luo had dared to climb up, Sayu suspected, was because he had connections with that pink-haired fox. From her perch in the Sacred Sakura, she'd seen it with her own eyes—the Guuji had actually come to greet him at the torii gates.
Even the Shogun's own commissioner never received more than a polite welcome at the shrine office doors.
As Bai Luo's subordinate, Sveta wouldn't dare show herself so openly.
"I sent her on another job. Why? Do you miss her?"
Sayu froze, cheeks puffing faintly. She hadn't expected him to notice.
Back when she first met Sveta, the woman hadn't the slightest clue how to handle a little tanuki. Her flustered panic still played vividly in Bai Luo's memory.
"…Mm…"
What he didn't know was that compared to his endless mischief, Sveta was her safe zone.
No matter what trouble he tried to stir up, Sayu could always fling herself into Sveta's arms—and most of the time, he would relent.
Aside from dangling limply from Bai Luo's grip, the most comfortable place to sleep was nestled against Sveta's chest.
Not only did it give her the height to see farther, it was warm, soft, and wrapped her in comfort.
Absolutely top-tier.
And that faint, gentle scent of milk… it made her never want to wake up again.
. . . . .
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