"Oh my? Looks like the two of you have already found partners too... I wonder whether Miss Mio will be able to carry over her good luck from the first round this time?"
When the shrine maiden standing beside the noticeboard saw Kokomi and the Shogun come over to register, she once again gave a mysterious "hehe" and drew out her tone with practiced suspense.
"Of course, whether victory itself should even be considered 'good luck' is still open to debate. Hehe~"
—Perhaps... everything has already been predetermined by fate~!
After saying that, she added another cryptic remark.
"Don't mind her. She's always like this. You'll get used to it."
The Shogun thoughtfully explained to Kokomi beside her.
"Mm... It's fine..."
Kokomi smiled at her to show that she did not mind. If anything, she understood that in situations like this, the host needed to immerse herself in the "setting" first. Otherwise, the atmosphere would not feel authentic. After all, if you wanted the participants to get into character, you first had to get into character yourself. Kokomi was a shrine maiden too, so she understood that feeling.
Still... as expected of a shrine maiden from the Grand Narukami Shrine. She truly was dedicated.
"In any case, I shall now announce the item you must search for in the second round of the Test of Courage."
"Its name is—the fan."
The shrine maiden continued reciting the next part of her script as though she had not noticed anything, her made-up face still wearing that cheerful smile.
A fan?
Then the item for the second round must have been provided by the Yashiro Commission, right? Which means Ayato chose it.
A fan... a symbol of elegance.
As expected of him... Even with something like this, he'd choose an item associated with his younger sister.
"...This item suits Miss Kamisato very well."
Kokomi rested a hand beneath her chin.
"Good eye~ This is a specially provided item selected by the head of the Yashiro Commission himself, you know? Right now, it's lying somewhere in Chinju Forest. The clues have already been prepared, but the darkness lurking within the woods is also drawing closer~! Hehehehe~"
This woman was getting carried away again!
And were these lines really scripted in advance?
"Then I wish the two of you... a pleasant journey~"
The shrine maiden covered her smile and bowed to them.
...
The location of the second round of the Test of Courage was different from that of the first. It took place along the eastern coastal edge of Chinju Forest, at a slightly higher elevation than before. Just like last time, the participants entered from scattered locations, while the two of them entered the forest in reverse from the outermost coastal cliffside. They had only walked a few steps when they spotted a directional sign beside the path.
"Have you been busy lately?"
After walking for a while through the moonlit forest with the person beside her, the Shogun casually turned to chat with Kokomi.
"Mm—pretty busy. A little busier than before."
Kokomi walked beside her with her hands clasped behind her back, matching the Shogun's pace. Hearing the question, she raised her eyes and answered warmly.
"If you're busy, why did you still come all the way here for the Test of Courage?"
"Actually, I didn't come to Narukami Island today specifically for the Test of Courage."
Kokomi said.
"Let me guess. A light novel?"
The Shogun asked with a smile.
"Mm... The series I read often released a new volume today, so I thought I'd come buy a copy."
As Kokomi walked, she looked down at the tips of her own feet, then at the Shogun's beside her. She deliberately synchronized the rhythm and arc of their steps. Their two pairs of slender, shapely legs clad in white stockings moved in matching, elegant arcs along the forest path bathed in moonlight.
"So... did you buy it?"
The Shogun asked.
"Mm..."
"I see. If you wanted the new volume, you could've just written me a letter. I could've bought it and mailed it to you. Why go through all this trouble to come here yourself?"
Watatsumi Island was separated from Narukami Island by two other islands. It was quite a long way... Going through so much time and effort just to buy a single light novel hardly seemed worthwhile. Next time she had the sense that Kokomi wanted to buy one, she could simply send it to her directly.
"Hehe, there's no need for that, Shogun-sama... It's not as though I don't have money of my own. It's only a light novel. Why trouble you to spend money on me?"
Kokomi slowly shook her head and gently declined in her soft voice.
"You're being too distant. Haa... I can't even spend a little money on you."
The Shogun sounded faintly aggrieved. Given the relationship they had now, what was wrong with spending a little money on her? Why be so concerned about it... It was not as though she had anywhere to spend the money in her hands anyway.
She wanted to spend some on Ei, but Ei rarely went out. She wanted to spend some on Ayaka, but Ayaka would not let her. Besides, Ayaka had already said before that the two of them had to share her. Didn't that mean both of them were already in that kind of relationship with her? Then what was wrong with spending a little money on Kokomi too?
"Pfft... I see. But... I don't want to simply keep accepting your spending without giving anything in return. Please understand me, Shogun-sama."
Of course Kokomi understood what her lover meant. It was simply that she herself was not the sort of person who could accept that easily.
Hearing that her lover wanted to spend money on her genuinely made her happy, even deeply so. She appreciated the thought, but it was difficult for her to accept it, because she was not a woman who liked simply receiving kindness over and over. It made her feel as though she were being kept by someone. At heart, Kokomi was a strong-willed person.
If the money were being spent on Watatsumi Island, then of course she would have no objection. But if it were being spent on her personally, she did not feel she was worth the Shogun going that far for.
Of course, she was more than willing to spend money on the Shogun herself, no matter what it was for. Perhaps that was simply a feeling they both shared.
"Haa... Fine. Have it your way..."
The Shogun sounded somewhat dissatisfied, but she still respected Kokomi's wishes.
"But don't you find it troublesome?"
She asked in confusion.
"Not at all. Besides... light novels have a certain value as collectibles in their own right. If there's a new volume you want to read, then you should obtain it through your own effort.
"After enduring such a long journey while suppressing your curiosity, you finally return home, excited and at ease, and open it to read. That's what gives the experience its value. If I really had you mail it to me and took such a shortcut, wouldn't that... change the whole feeling? Don't you think?"
Kokomi raised a hand and lightly brushed a stray lock of hair beside her ear with her fingertip, then gave the Shogun a breathtaking smile.
"Haa... I don't understand you professional light novel readers."
That smile left the Shogun momentarily dazed. When she came back to herself, she awkwardly turned her gaze away to conceal her blush.
Haa... It feels like she's gotten even better at this than Ayaka now? No, maybe Ayaka just hasn't fully gotten into the mood yet.
She sighed inwardly. As expected, neither of those two was simple.
"Besides... coming here also lets me see you for a little while. I normally don't get to see you at all... so naturally, I have to seize such a rare opportunity."
Kokomi continued.
"So... how is it? Now that you've seen me?"
Warmth spread through the Shogun's heart as she asked affectionately.
"Mm—your weight looks about the same as always, and your complexion is good too... You seem healthy. I'm relieved."
Kokomi smiled as she spoke, even reaching out to pinch her cheek.
Click.
The Shogun casually opened the chest they had found in front of them. Inside were potatoes again, but neither of them reacted very strongly. The Shogun was already used to it, while Kokomi simply had no interest... Besides, their conversation was still going, leaving them with little attention to spare for something like this.
"And you? How has your health been lately?"
After closing the chest again, the Shogun walked with Kokomi toward another branching path and asked along the way.
"I've been doing fairly well recently. I've been somewhat busy, but... most of the work is during the day. I've also been going to bed earlier at night than I used to. It's not like during the Vision Hunt Decree, when my schedule was completely reversed and I worked day and night until my body ended up full of problems."
Kokomi reassured her.
However, she did not mention the lingering condition left behind by that period, because she could not. If she said it aloud, the Shogun would definitely blame herself and feel guilty, since it had been caused back then.
Sometimes, when she was alone in her room, Kokomi would use her healing arts on herself for a while to ease the tightness in her chest and the coughing fits that occasionally struck without warning.
"That's good. Take care of yourself... Your constitution has always been weak. Don't keep pushing yourself so hard."
The Shogun reminded her.
"All right. I will."
Kokomi glanced at her and answered with a beautiful smile.
The two of them walked along the stream. Perhaps at some point, what they were doing had turned into a date rather than a Test of Courage... None of the mechanisms around them had activated either. Everything was very quiet.
With a splash, Kokomi misjudged her footing and accidentally stepped too close to the riverbank, soaking her thong sandal and white-stockinged foot. She paid it no mind and simply lifted her damp foot before setting it back down on the ground.
"Look at you... What did you do?"
Seeing that, the Shogun immediately took the girl's hand and pulled her closer so they could continue walking together.
"...It's fine."
Kokomi looked at the hand holding hers, then gently returned the grip and answered softly.
"You said it was fine last time too... and didn't you end up fainting afterward?"
The Shogun puffed out her cheeks and adorably "scolded" her.
"...You still remember that."
Kokomi gave a tranquil smile.
"..."
The Shogun fell silent.
"...Mio."
Kokomi softly called the person beside her by the nickname she had once given her.
"Mm?"
The Shogun answered immediately.
"Were you partnered with Miss Kamisato during the first round?"
She asked.
"That's right... I was with Ayaka. Actually, she's the one who invited me to this Test of Courage in the first place."
"I see..."
Kokomi merely responded and did not ask anything more.
Thinking about it, that made sense. After all, Shogun-sama was not really the type to participate in an event like a Test of Courage on her own initiative.
Tap, tap...
In the next moment, however, the Shogun seemed to think of something. No... perhaps it would be more accurate to say that a certain question had been lingering in her heart all along, and now happened to be the perfect time to discuss it with the person beside her. She stopped walking, immediately drawing Kokomi's attention.