The Demon's Menu-Chapter 982: Rumor has it that you are... (2)

Jason casually picked up a piece of Daifuku, sweet.

Then another piece of wheat gluten sweets, sweet with a hint of saltiness.

Next, a piece of Hualin candy, crispy sweet.

Each plate of tea snacks was very delicate, but not many in number. After trying each, Jason was finishing each plate in one bite.

Tsuchimikado Motoharu watched Jason gobbling down the tea snacks without any disgust or discomfort.

Though surprised, he was filled with joy.

To bring joy to his lord was one of the responsibilities of his servants.

"Continue."

"Don’t stop."

"Speed up."

Tsuchimikado Motoharu ordered the attendants.

And the tea artist also appeared before Jason, after a seamless performance, Jason frowned slightly as he picked up the hot tea.

If he hadn’t seen wrongly just now, did they just add ginger foam to this tea?

Tea and ginger?

What kind of combination was that?

Thinking this to himself, Jason still drank up the tea in hand.

The bitter tea aroma came with a spiciness.

Then a sour taste appeared.

It was... cornelian cherry!

Jason’s eyes slightly widened.

In his understanding, tea was simply brewing.

Hot water, a teacup, tea.

Pour hot water into a teacup, watch the tea leaves tumble, the aroma of tea fills the air, and that’s the best there is.

If really unable to do so, the iced black tea from Kangshifu in the fridge was also acceptable, as was the Jasmine tea, especially those 1-liter big drink packs, on a hot summer’s day, taking out a drink of Kangshifu’s tea from the fridge and gulping it down, you would find the refreshment even more exhilarating.

But if the fatty water became flavored with chili, smoky, traditional Chinese medicine, or other weird flavors, most people wouldn’t be able to accept it.

Not to mention tea.

At this moment, Jason was having some trouble accepting it.

"My lord, how do you find the tea ceremony?"

Tsuchimikado Motoharu asked by the side.

"The snacks are great, the tea..."

Jason truly didn’t know how to comment.

And, bizarrely, ’Looking Up at the Starry Sky’ began to surface in his mind.

A bunch of dead fish were staring at him with wide eyes.

It was too uncomfortable.

"True to the form of a lord, you have even discerned this."

"The tea does have some shortcomings."

"After all, the tea artist is just freshly graduated."

"Next time, I will invite a real Master."

Tsuchimikado Motoharu dismissed the tea artist with a face full of shame.

She was indeed a bit nervous just now, not to mention stirring a bit slower, and she used too little cornelian cherry, originally hoping to muddle through, but who knew it would be detected.

The other party’s taste buds were really incredible.

And also, how elegant, she didn’t even accuse her outright.

Instead, it was her, who actually harbored the thought of muddling through.

She was truly ashamed.

Compared to her base self, this guest truly was a scholar!

When did I become so pathetic?

Was it when I entered the renowned Tsuchimikado Family?

Or when I graduated from my teacher’s tutelage?

I cannot go on like this!

I must return to my origins!

The thrill I felt when I first learned tea art!

The beliefs I held when I first studied tea art!

I must remember my original intention!

Remembering this, the tea artist Umiya Murasaki who had already retreated to the edge of the courtyard, bowed deeply to Jason from a distance before finally exiting the courtyard entirely.

"My lord, do you still want some tea snacks?"

Tsuchimikado Motoharu asked.

"Serve some."

After Jason replied, he pondered for a moment before continuing, "Has anything notable happened recently concerning the ’Mystical Side’ of the Silver District?"

Jason really wanted to ask directly about things related to himself.

But to maintain his persona, he had to choose a more subtle approach.

After all, ’he’ was just an outsider, asking about some local secrets was reasonable.

"Yes."

"There are two matters worth noting."

"One is, the Hanakaiin Court is preparing a new selection of talents from the branch family to join the main family."

"The second is, the matter of Tongshou Temple possessing the ’Fear’ banner."

Tsuchimikado Motoharu briefly explained.

Upon seeing Jason nodding to continue, he elaborated.

"The Hanakaiin Court, starting from the thirteenth generation, the Family Head has been choosing outstanding talents from the branch families as adoptive sons to join the main family. Only the most talented can succeed as the head of the main family. This time is no exception. However, the main family has significant power, and naturally, certain branch families have started their scheming. Even with oversight, they would take the risk."

Tsuchimikado Motoharu spoke with a hint of disdain on his handsome face.

Clearly, the ’scheming’ he referred to was beyond ordinary imagination.

Jason was not surprised by this.

Interest stirs the heart.

Not to mention such a family with an inheritance; it wouldn’t be strange for them to do anything for the position of Family Head.

Plotting and framing should be child’s play.

Murder and silence would be commonplace.

Even the so-called oversight could be bought.

The thrill of an athlete’s competition is nothing compared to the referee being in cahoots with the athlete.

Moreover, such acts were likely condoned.

Only true cruelty could give birth to the finest talent.

Many in the Nightless City held this belief.

Jason knew this all too well.

"What about the ’Fear’ banner?"

Jason inquired about what interested him more.

"The ’Fear’ banner was left by the original demon commander. According to legend, it contains the secret to control all demons, but no one knows what it looks like."

"It’s known that the ’Fear’ banner is one of the hereditary artifacts of Tongshou Temple."

Tsuchimikado Motoharu spoke of what he knew, his face showing a measure of seriousness.

Previously, as a contender for the ’Fear’ banner, Tsuchimikado Motoharu naturally had researched the whole matter.

He was very aware of how many eyes were on the ’Fear’ banner. freёweɓnovel.com

Originally, these issues were headaches for the old monk of Tongshou Temple.

But now, his lord had become the Master of Tongshou Temple.

Headaches had become theirs to deal with.

What would be a prudent course of action?

Tsuchimikado Motoharu naturally assumed the role of a loyal retainer.

"How often does the matter of the ’Fear’ banner being an artifact of Tongshou Temple come up?"

Jason asked.

If the ’Fear’ banner had been passed down within Tongshou Temple since ancient times, that would be one thing.

But if it had only recently been revealed to have been passed down within Tongshou Temple... that would be very suspicious.

"This news comes from a hundred years ago!"

"It was discovered by an Onmyoji of the Kojiyu Family while sorting through ancestors’ relics, recorded in ancient books—the book has been tested, it’s not forged, it’s genuine.

"The Kojiyu Family’s ancestors and our ancestors had an unbreakable bond; they wouldn’t deceive us. Moreover, the Kojiyu Family is extremely adept at divination. That Onmyoji inherited their ancestor’s skills and confirmed through divination that the ’Fear’ banner should indeed be in the hands of the Master of Tongshou Temple."

Tsuchimikado Motoharu immediately addressed what he guessed Jason wanted to ask, saying right away.

Jason remained noncommittal.

The book could indeed be from a hundred years ago; that wasn’t in question.

But that didn’t mean the whole affair was true.

Who could know what had happened since the hundred-year-old record until now?

As for an unbreakable bond?

That was between ancestors.

Without having gone through life-and-death together, it hardly constituted an unbreakable bond.

And as for the so-called divination?

That’s the easiest thing to fake.

The art of divination could be genuine.

But would the Diviner be sincere?

Jason shook his head.

There were too many doubtful points.

Tsuchimikado Motoharu, seeing Jason shaking his head, also pondered.

"My lord, please leave this matter to me!"

"I’ll confront that Onmyoji!"

"And uncover the truth behind it all!"

After a moment, Tsuchimikado Motoharu said this.

Then, a hint of hesitation appeared on Tsuchimikado Motoharu’s face.

"What’s the matter?"

Jason asked.

"This matter concerns you, my lord..."

"Speak."

Finally able to learn some information about ’himself,’ Jason immediately perked up, urging Tsuchimikado Motoharu, who had suddenly stopped speaking.

Faced with Jason’s prompt, Tsuchimikado Motoharu still hesitated.

In the end, the Tsuchimikado gritted his teeth and knelt before Jason once more.

"Please first forgive your servant for any offenses, so I dare to speak."

"You are innocent, speak."

Jason was very straightforward.

Hearing Jason’s assurance, the Tsuchimikado still gritted his teeth and finally said —

"There are rumors that my lord, you are... the reincarnation of a calamity star."