Another day at dawn, under the shrine's corridor.
Kanbe Hikaru was carefully wiping the purple horn of the thunder beast.
Not far away, Kikyo was organizing her travel gear.
Yes, a trip.
Although Kikyo was only the shrine maiden of Kaede Village, she would occasionally accept commissions from nearby villages to travel and exorcise demons for them.
This was not the first time Kanbe Hikaru had traveled with Kikyo during this period.
…As a disguised shikigami, and even more so as an intimate lover.
And at this moment.
She listened to the movement over there, her hands pausing slightly, her pitch-black eyes glancing at Kanbe Hikaru, who was muttering incessantly to a beast horn.
That gaze held a rather strange feeling.
It was both amusing and exasperating.
Since they had established their relationship, Kikyo had discovered that she had gained an unexpected group of 'rivals in love'.
Not other women, and not even female demons.
But a horn, a scale, a claw, and that comb in his arms which she had sealed the Demonic Qi from, only for it to vibrate incessantly all day long.
This man—or rather, this Oni Samurai—had such patience for these objects that sometimes even she, his lover, found it absurd.
Kikyo wouldn't actually get jealous over this; after all, Kanbe Hikaru was undoubtedly more patient with her, his lover, and placed her truly first—she also held absolute trust in Kanbe Hikaru.
However, she was still left speechless at times.
"Are you done?"
Kikyo walked over, her white robe and red hakama swaying gently with her steps, the morning breeze outlining the slender curve of her waist and the faint, long silhouette beneath her hakama.
Kanbe Hikaru looked up and put away the Thunder Horn.
"Done."
He stood up and naturally reached out to take the bundle from Kikyo's hand.
"That horn…"
Kikyo looked at his bundle: "Can it really understand what you're saying?"
"It doesn't understand."
Kanbe Hikaru answered very succinctly: "But if I say a few more words, it can probably feel my sincerity."
"Sincerity…"
Kikyo shook her head.
Although she couldn't understand those strange words he used, this was Kanbe Hikaru.
A freak who could chat with stones.
A guy who was 'gentle' to everything and anything, yet could wield a blade to slay demons, and even kill people.
He was also her… lover.
He could perceive the vastness of the universe, yet still see the depths of the grass and trees.
Only by treating all things kindly could one treat oneself kindly.
Kikyo thought so too.
She immediately took Kanbe Hikaru's hand and said naturally:
"Let's go, the commission from that village cannot be delayed."
"Alright."
Kanbe Hikaru stood up and packed his things away.
…
That was a small village thirty li away from Kaede Village.
It wasn't far, but in this world where demons ran rampant, thirty li was already enough to separate life and death.
The content of the commission was actually very simple; just a few insignificant lizard demons were entrenched near the water source, fouling the well water and scaring several villagers into illness.
According to Kanbe Hikaru's classification, the Demonic Qi intensity of those demons was likely only within the second or third transformation.
For the two of them now, this level of mission didn't even require Kikyo to draw her arrow.
The battle ended quickly.
Kanbe Hikaru didn't use any demonic weapons at all; he merely relied on the extension of his Bone Spike to nail those few lizard demons to the riverbank.
This process was smooth and fluid, without any wasted movement.
The villagers were endlessly grateful, bringing out the last of their eggs and brown rice as a token of gratitude.
Kikyo only accepted a portion before preparing to leave.
However, when she turned back, she found that Kanbe Hikaru was gone.
She had expected it and walked half a circle along the village road, and sure enough, found him next to a dry well at the entrance of the village.
That Oni Samurai, wearing gray clothes with long, pale hair, was squatting beside the moss-covered dry well, his palm pressed against the well rim, his expression focused.
"The wear on your rim has a lot of character; it seems people used you often in the past."
"Although you are dry now, this is also a kind of sedimentation."
"Don't be discouraged; perhaps one day when the underground water veins connect, you will be able to produce water again."
Kikyo: "…"
She stood not far away, watching this scene, her temple seeming to twitch slightly.
Although she had long realized that Kanbe Hikaru was 'cultivating' and strengthening his power in this way.
But watching him be so sincere toward a dry well…
"Kanbe Hikaru."
A cold, clear voice sounded.
Kanbe Hikaru turned around to see Kikyo standing in the shade of a tree with her arms crossed, sunlight dappling her, and although there was no expression on her exquisite face, her eyes clearly said, 'That's enough.'
"Are we leaving already?"
Kanbe Hikaru patted the well rim with some reluctance: "The quality of this well is actually quite good; although it is a mundane object, it has some years on it…"
"Let's go."
Kikyo stepped forward, reached out, and took hold of his wrist again.
Her fingers were cool but soft.
"If we don't leave now, it will be dark soon."
Kanbe Hikaru was pulled forward by her, but he didn't forget to turn back and wave at the dry well.
"I'll come to see you again next time!"
Kikyo's pace quickened significantly.
"Do you have to say goodbye to every single thing you encounter?"
"It's also a form of politeness."
Kanbe Hikaru said righteously, or rather, brazenly: "What if I need to use them one day? Just like that piece of land, if you build a relationship with them normally, they can save your life at a critical moment."
Kikyo stopped walking.
She turned around and looked at Kanbe Hikaru.
"What about me?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you with me to save your life at a critical moment as well?"
Kanbe Hikaru was stunned for a moment.
He looked at the shrine maiden before him.
She asked very earnestly; although her expression remained calm, there was a faint, almost imperceptible tension in her eyes.
She trusted him deeply, yet she still wanted to know the answer.
Some things are different when they are tacitly understood versus when they are directly stated.
Kanbe Hikaru smiled, his smile feeling more like that of a living person.
He took Kikyo's hand in his and pulled her a little closer.
"It's different."
He said: "They are companions for a short journey."
"And you are my destination."
Kikyo's cheeks turned visibly red, all the way to the tips of her ears.
She turned her head away, her long hair falling to cover her profile.
"…Smooth-talker."
"Let's go."
Although she said that, she didn't let go of his hand; instead, she gripped it even tighter.
The two walked side by side on the country path under the setting sun, their shadows stretched long and intertwined.
[ shikon no tama: naohi: favorability + 1 ]
[ It said: "I'm full from this dog food." ]
Meanwhile.
[ horn of the thunder beast: favorability + 5 ]
[ Current favorability: 96 (Extreme Longing) ]
[ It is roaring, it is longing; although the battle just now was short, the Bone Spike and blood aura you released completely ignited its lingering fighting spirit. It does not want to be a dead object anymore; it wants to become a part of you. Even if it means destruction, it wants to bloom with thunder within your body. ]
Finally, it was almost time.
Kanbe Hikaru took a deep breath.
It was much faster than expected, perhaps because he tirelessly 'chatted' with it every day, or perhaps because the experiences of going out to exorcise and kill demons these few times allowed it to feel the pleasure of battle.
In any case, the time was almost here.
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