"Let bygones be bygones, shall we? People have to move forward in life."

Yae Miko put on an unusually open-minded expression, as if she truly didn’t care about her past anymore.

But in reality, she was subtly hinting to Su Ran:

There’s nothing worth seeing in the past.

The future is far more important.

"But aren’t you planning to revive the people most important to you? If you say we should only look forward, does that mean you no longer need them to return?"

Su Ran tilted his head in mock confusion.

If they were truly "moving forward,"

Then why revive Raiden Makoto?

Why bring Kitsune Saiguu back?

Her excuse was dismantled instantly.

Miko stared at him expressionlessly.

"Lord Su Ran, obsessively digging into a young lady’s unsightly past is hardly something a gentleman would do~"

She had basically admitted it—

Yes, her past wasn’t exactly glorious.

Better not look.

At least let her keep her good reputation.

In the eyes of the world, she was the elegant and dignified Guuji Yae.

Not some bullied little fox.

"Do I look like a gentleman to you?"

The sudden question stunned her.

...Right.

She shouldn’t be fooled by his face.

Where did this man resemble a gentleman?

If not for helping Ei reunite with Makoto—

If not for promising to revive Saiguu—

His actions in Inazuma would have bordered on villainy.

Yet just a few deeds had lifted his reputation back into the clouds.

"You could be~"

"But I don’t really feel like being one."

That infuriating "what are you going to do about it?" expression made her teeth itch.

If she hadn’t repeatedly reminded herself that she was a fox, not a dog—

She would have lunged and bitten him already.

"Do you really have to look?"

"It’s not that I want to. I’m thinking that when Saiguu returns, she might find you unfamiliar. Shouldn’t she understand how you’ve changed?"

Even so—

Did he have to focus specifically on her black history?!

At this point, Miko genuinely wanted to sink her teeth into him.

If Saiguu saw her transformation—

From that naive little fox into her current sly, calculating self—

What would she think?

"Actually, we should collect Ei’s black history too. After all, Saiguu hasn’t seen how she’s changed either."

If she had to suffer—

Her best friend wouldn’t escape unscathed.

"And before Saiguu returns, we must make sure Ei stays exactly like this. I’m sure she’ll love it."

If her own embarrassing past was to become public entertainment—

Then Ei’s current antics must be carved into history.

"You two really are great best friends."

Miko had no hesitation when it came to exposing Ei.

"No choice. If I lose face, she’ll come down with me."

Besides—

Compared to her own growth from naive fox to clever shrine maiden—

Ei’s current state was far more hilarious.

"Lady Guuji—ah! Lord Deity!"

A shrine maiden hurried from the front courtyard into the back.

And immediately froze upon seeing Yae Miko and Su Ran standing rather intimately close.

Her heart leapt into her throat.

Had she just seen something she shouldn’t have?

Would she be silenced?

Although Guuji Yae served the Raiden Shogun—

Here she was, standing intimately with another male god.

It looked dangerously like betrayal.

"Oh? Kano Nana, is it?"

Miko recognized all the shrine maidens of the Grand Narukami Shrine.

Kano Nana was especially capable.

"Y-Yes... Lady Guuji. The Traveler is outside asking for help. She hopes you can come save someone."

Nana decided she had seen absolutely nothing.

This was surely just a normal conversation between gods.

"Ah, that little one? Seeking help from the shrine at a time like this?"

Miko remained interested in the outsider who once shook Ei’s resolve.

As for saving someone?

There was a certain omnipotent being right next to her.

If she couldn’t handle it—

He could.

"Let her in."

"Yes!"

Kano Nana hurried off, afraid to linger even a second longer.

Though Miko was usually kind to the shrine maidens—

Her methods could be... unconventional.

And witnessing something that looked like divine betrayal was dangerous.

After all—

This "god" already had a daughter with the Shogun.

The little Shogun had even been staying at the shrine recently.

If this was betrayal—

It wasn’t just the Guuji betraying the Shogun.

It was him as well.

No wonder Nana ran so quickly.

"Am I really that scary? The shrine maidens seem terrified of you."

Su Ran found Nana’s panic amusing.

What exactly had Miko done to frighten them so much?

"Who knows? Perhaps they misunderstood something."

Even the cheeky fox herself didn’t know.

These past days, the one most terrified had been her.

Tormented daily by Ei’s cooking— 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

When would she have time to bully shrine maidens?

Before long, Lumine entered, with Paimon floating beside her.

She hurried inside.

But the moment she saw Su Ran—

Her expression shifted noticeably.

It was clear.

Her psychological trauma ran deep.

—------------------------------

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