Onmyoji, a nobleman in Heian-kyo

Page 1019

Kikyo Kushida said with a subtle expression, "Yes, the reason why Kyosuke-sama has always been so polite to you, Suzune, is probably because you are too polite. So you should take the initiative to take a small step forward in this regard."

Because of her keen sense of interpersonal relationships, Kikyo Kushida, upon seeing the conventional contents of the letter addressed to Suzune Horikita, was completely certain of the reason for Kyosuke Kousaka's polite attitude towards Suzune Horikita.

"Rinne, go for it! Give it a bold shot!"

Kiryuin Kaede clenched her fist to encourage Horikita Suzune.

"Good luck." Seeing this, Kikyo Kushida also clenched her fist. When she saw that Fuuka Kiryuin's fist was much bigger than hers, she couldn't help but secretly compare them.

"I will, thank you for the encouragement."

Horikita Suzune smiled at Kiryuin Fuka and Kushida Kikyo, clearly grateful.

Kiryuin Fuka waved her hand and patted Kushida Kikyo on the shoulder.

"Come on, Kikyo, let's continue deciphering the letter. There might be other hidden codes."

"Now that you mention it, it feels like a puzzle game."

"Then we need to add more people, such as Arisu and Honami."

Horikita Suzune concluded with a joke.

Kiryuin Kaede and Kushida Kikyo couldn't help but giggle.

The atmosphere was harmonious.

The perspective then shifts to an abandoned residential area surrounding Luochengmen.

In a dark and gloomy old house.

The barefoot, black-haired girl with her hair tied up quietly stroked the brightly colored picture, then her gaze fell on the letter paper filled with beautiful words.

[This letter is like a personal message; I won't exchange many pleasantries. Everything here in the Sea of ​​Immortality is still beautiful, except for the lingering cold. Today, Kagura, Princess Goldfish, and I went to collect some special items; there were quite a few dangers along the way.]

However, this kind of thrilling adventure is quite interesting. Are you interested? If you are, you can tell me, and I can find a suitable time for you and Kagura to go out and have fun.

If possible, please don't always stay at home. I don't think you have any reason to stay home. If that's the case, please forgive me for what I said earlier. Speaking of which, I just caught another sea fish with spiritual power. How about I leave it to you? If you really want it, you'll have to beg me...

After a long while, the girl, with a bright and intelligent expression, finally looked away from the letters and photos.

"He has a bad heart and is always tempting me."

After whispering something, Menreiki unconsciously fell into deep thought again.

She has been receiving letters ever since she asked Kyosuke Kosaka to write to her.

Each time I receive it, an indescribable surge of intense emotion wells up inside me.

She began to look forward to it.

I look forward to the letters that arrive every day.

If it gets a little late, she starts to worry about whether something has happened to Kyosuke Kosaka and whether she needs to go and help him.

In the end, no action was taken.

She thought to herself, "Should I wait at least one day before going over if I don't receive a letter? That way, I won't cause trouble for anyone."

Since she appears and disappears so mysteriously, won't she scare people?

"Kyosuke took good care of me, but I have nothing to repay him with..."

Menreiki muttered to herself again.

Suddenly, a scene of Kyosuke Kousaka and Kagura being intimate flashed through her mind, and a look of realization appeared on her face.

Day 362 of crossing

Early in the morning.

After a quick bite to eat, Kyosuke Kousaka and his group continued collecting tides.

The process was still boring.

They encountered many mysterious beings—the lingering vengeful spirits from the front lines of battles against foreign enemies, sea spirits formed from the collective thoughts of those who drifted on the ocean, and thousands of unusual whales stranded on the narrow coastline…

Kyosuke Kousaka, Kagura, Princess Goldfish, Yaobikuni, and Suzuka Gozen can be said to have witnessed the history of the Sea of ​​Immortality step by step.

Whether it's the ruins or the various supernatural creatures that still exist, they all allow us to learn a great deal through their very existence or their stories.

Kyosuke Kosaka felt that every day felt like a year.

tired.

It's a weariness that comes from the bottom of my heart.

By evening, Kyosuke Kosaka was finding it difficult to write letters.

However, it was impossible for Kyosuke Kousaka not to write it.

Keep it up!

He muttered to himself, "This could add a lot of stories to Aoandon's story. Hmm, I should consult Senhime before I do that."

Day 363 of crossing

After spending most of the day, the group finally finished collecting the tide.

Then, without stopping, they met with the king of the merfolk.

"As expected of my excellent child. Suzuka Gozen, offer up the Tide and the Sea Shell Spear together, and I will fulfill my promise to you. Come closer, let me see what you look like now. How I have missed you for hundreds of years. My Mermaid Princess..."

The merfolk king said happily.

He didn't notice Senhime's disappointed expression at all.

Kyosuke Kosaka just watched silently as the Merfolk King prepared to reveal his true colors.

“Then, Queen of the Merfolk, I have fulfilled my promise,” Suzuka Gozen said.

The Merfolk King laughed and said, "Come closer, and I will immediately activate the magic array to renew the agreement with the tides."

"Then please hurry, the Sea of ​​Immortality awaits you, and my family awaits me as well."

"It'll be finished very soon!"

"Ah."

Suzuka Gozen waited quietly.

Kyosuke Kosaka crossed his arms, a strange expression on his face.

When he saw the tidal power surging within the sea shell spear held by Suzuka Gozen, he suddenly raised one hand.

"Hmm? This feeling... my power is draining away?!"

Suzuka Gozen, who was suddenly unable to move, stared in astonishment at the Merfolk King.

The Merfolk King, however, looked coldly at Kyosuke Kousaka.

"Mr. Kyosuke, what are you doing?"

Kyosuke Kosaka's lips twitched: "Heh."

Senhime was taken aback at first, then looked directly at the Merfolk King: "Mother? What are you doing? What exactly is your magic? If this is carried out, Rin will die! Her immortality is incomplete; she cannot withstand this spell—"

"Senhime! As a princess of the Merfolk, why are you more willing to trust an outsider?"

Senhime shook her head in disappointment: "I only believe the facts—that was your plan from the beginning... to take Rin's life to save the Sea of ​​Immortality?"

The Merfolk Queen revealed her anger.

"I once told you that the weak merfolk must pay a heavy price to survive! Only the power of the merfolk dragon can control the tides. If I don't seize Suzuka Gozen's power and take it into my own hands, how can the Sea of ​​Immortality be revived? Quickly, kill those who stand in my way!"

Senhime did not make a move.

"The mother I know isn't like that..."

"Senhime, you—"

Taking advantage of the opportunity, the Merfolk king snatched the Sea Shell Halberd from Suzuka Gozen's hand with a scream.

The moment he obtained the Sea Shell Halberd, a strange light struck his face, and his face split open from his forehead, revealing another face.

"You really aren't my mother..."

Senhime's expression was complicated.

She immediately realized that her mother had likely been murdered long ago.

The Merfolk King looked coldly at the hand seals cast by Yaobikuni: "Damn it... you actually cast a Yin-Yang spell on it."

Yaobikuni remained calm.

"Senhime, from beginning to end, this was all a deception. He was never your mother. Merfolk whose lovers die transform from male to female. He murdered the queen and used this characteristic to impersonate her. That's why the Sea of ​​Immortality froze after the real queen was lost. This is the truth I saw in that promise."

Senhime seemed to understand something: "Could that promise be Mother's..."

The Merfolk King looked furious.

"It turns out she was a human who inherited the Queen's memories and the power of immortality. I killed her that night. I wondered if her survival was due to my small act of mercy, but the freezing that came soon after made me certain that she was dead."

"I never expected that the proud queen would be willing to lower herself to make a request to a human. Hehehe, how ironic. She also has something she would risk her life to protect, while I, although also a merman from the Sea of ​​Immortality, am not within that protected area."