On the road, a black Mercedes navigated from a side path onto the city's main thoroughfare.
Luo Shu, seated in the driver's seat, glanced sideways at Kikyo in the passenger seat.
The maiden's exquisitely elegant face betrayed no emotion as she sat quietly, gazing out at the bustling traffic, her eyes shifting between pedestrians and vehicles.
Her gaze lingered particularly on the passing high school girls in their short skirts.
"In this world, 500 years later... women truly have become this wanton..."
"What are you talking about?" Luo Shu asked in surprise as he drove.
"No, nothing." Kikyo pulled her gaze away from the window and looked ahead again. "Where are we going in this horseless carriage?"
"Horseless carriage?"
Luo Shu paused for a moment before realising Kikyo meant the car, then explained:
"I'm looking for a safe inn."
"Higurashi Shrine is currently under surveillance by the police and the Onmyou Agency. Setting up a passage there would carry some risk."
"Is that so," Kikyo murmured softly before falling silent.
Before long, Luo Shu found a suitable hotel. Under the receptionist's unsurprised gaze, he booked a room and led Kikyo, dressed in her red and white shrine maiden outfit, inside.
After glancing around the Japanese-style room with tatami flooring, Luo Shu turned to Kikyo, who had followed him in, and said:
"Before setting up the passage, there's something I need to confirm with you."
"Hmm?" Kikyo lifted her head slightly to look at Luo Shu.
Meeting her dark, luminous eyes, Luo Shu casually plucked several contract documents from mid-air and said:
"These are contracts. You probably won't understand much of the content."
"Well, to put it simply, you could think of it as a Familiar Spirit agreement."
At this, Kikyo's eyes widened slightly as she looked at Luo Shu with mild surprise:
"Familiar Spirit? You mean after signing this, I would become your Familiar Spirit?"
"Correct." Luo Shu nodded, then added: "This is a requirement for entering the passage."
He avoided mentioning terms like gods or the Divine Kingdom. While somewhat abrupt, such descriptions would be rather beyond Kikyo, a shrine maiden from the Warring States period.
"Of course, in return, you can make your own demands."
"Even if that demand is to bring the people of Kaede's Village to this era to live prosperous lives - such a request would be acceptable."
After saying this, Luo Shu looked at Kikyo teasingly:
"Though after that, it might be best to sever your ties with Kaede's Village."
"After all, you can't protect those villagers forever, can you?"
Kikyo remained silent, simply staring at the contract in Luo Shu's hand for a long while without responding.
Just as Luo Shu assumed she was worried about Kaede's villagers, he heard Kikyo speak in a voice like a volcano before eruption, concealing countless emotions:
"To become... an ordinary village?"
Luo Shu looked at Kikyo with some surprise now, then nodded:
"In Kaede's Village, that would indeed be the case. Though becoming completely ordinary might be somewhat unrealistic."
"But at the very least, whether it's the duty of guarding the Shikon Jewel or protecting the village - these responsibilities will be taken over by me, by the SDS."
Kikyo studied the contract for a long time before finally nodding:
"...I understand."
After a pause, she added:
"How should the contract be signed?"
Hearing this, Luo Shu made a gesture in the air, producing a box of red ink paste. He handed both the contract and ink paste to her:
"Just press your fingerprint here."
As the documents and ink were taken, Luo Shu watched the white-clad Kikyo place the contract on the low table. He observed as her pale index finger dipped into the ink and pressed a crimson fingerprint onto the document.
[Ding—]
[New Familia member added: Kikyo (Hero Rank).]
[New Familia member: Kikyo (Hero Rank). Obtained 30,000 Points. Monthly fixed point income increased by 10,000 Points.]
[Familia Kikyo awakens ability, Purification (Hero Rank).]
Luo Shu glanced briefly at the increased points and abilities after Kikyo became a Familia member, showing an unsurprised expression.
"As expected, the awakened ability is Purification?"
"But its effect is actually to remove malevolent forces based on personal subjective will?"
"That's somewhat interesting."
At this moment, after receiving the fixed information transmitted by her Familia, Kikyo couldn't help but widen her eyes in surprise as she looked at Luo Shu:
"...A god?"
"Please add 'juvenile' before that."
Luo Shu couldn't help but self-deprecate before saying:
"Is it that surprising?"
Kikyo's expression turned somewhat unnatural, even slightly guilty:
"Can a shrine maiden like me really receive divine favour?"
Hearing this, Luo Shu was momentarily stunned: "Are you that incompetent?"
"No, it's nothing."
Kikyo altogether avoided further explanation.
How could she admit that she'd privately considered abandoning her duties as a shrine maiden to become an ordinary woman?
Even the most foolish shrine maiden should know such rebellious thoughts shouldn't be explained to the chief god they serve.
"So, how should the passage be set up?"
Seeing Kikyo's obvious attempt to change the subject, Luo Shu narrowed his eyes suspiciously:
"Your topic change seems rather suspicious."
Kikyo's cheeks flushed slightly as she turned her head away lightly.
Seeing her shy reaction, Luo Shu couldn't bear to press further.
Perhaps keeping this matter in hand to occasionally tease Kikyo wouldn't be bad.
With this thought, Luo Shu cooperated by not pursuing the topic, focusing instead on the passage:
"Setting up the passage requires 1000 Points."
"Anyway, I'll set the passage on the door, allowing this room's entrance to connect to my Divine Kingdom."
"Then I'll have Senhime Rin Getsu install an exit at your shrine, linking the two locations."
Kikyo seemed somewhat dazed upon hearing this:
"To actually use a god's Divine Kingdom for connection..."
She had assumed Luo Shu would use some spatial magic, never expecting it would involve the legendary kingdom of gods.
Wait, did that mean she'd soon be passing through a divine kingdom similar to Takama-ga-hara?
While Kikyo was still astonished, Luo Shu had already completed the passage setup.
Under their watchful gazes, the closed sliding door slowly began to open.