People often say that a wild fox will not appear a second ti before a traveler with whom it has no fate. The mont its fluffy tail disappears at the edge of the field signifies the eternal end of their first encounter.
Perhaps it was due to the shrine maiden, but this wild fox that followed her was also unusually close to Bai Luo.
As night fell, Bai Luo did not go to the nearby Konda Village. Instead, after clearing a space near the Sky Kitsune Statue, he "borrowed" a bonfire from a nearby Hilichurl camp and began to roast Lavender lons.
"This thing... can be used as dye, right?"
Looking at the outer skin of the Lavender lon gradually being charred by the flas, Bai Luo asked.
The little tanuki had the skill to create dye from its skin. Unfortunately, the dye made under such urgent circumstances could only be used as a marker and would fade over ti.
"That's right. This is also a traditional craft of Inazuma. Especially the nearby Konda Village, which once held the secret art of Konda Dye."
Bai Luo looked at the Lavender lons on the ground, thought for a mont, and then took out a Sunset Berry from his pocket.
Give it to the shrine maiden?
Forget it...
If an ordinary person were to eat it, they might just simply lose consciousness. If this shrine maiden were to eat it, she would probably disappear on the spot.
He had a pretty good idea of just how potent his Sunset Berries were.
This was a fruit that could make even the gods change their expressions.
As for why he took it out...
Using the thod he had secretly learned from the little tanuki, Bai Luo simply created so dye and then applied it to the Sunset Berry.
"Do you think this looks like a Lavender lon?"
Looking at the Sunsettia in his hand, now stained with the purple juice of the Lavender lon, Bai Luo held it up and asked the shrine maiden.
Her answer was a period of silence.
Besides a fool, who couldn't tell that this thing wasn't a Lavender lon?
Though, it certainly no longer looked like a Sunsettia.
"The Sunset Berry is a gift from nature. What you are doing is putting the cart before the horse."
The Lavender lon was indeed a good thing, but only if it was roasted. Bai Luo's actions, however, had stripped the Sunset Berry of its original allure.
"You simply do not know the reason behind it."
How could he possibly have the nerve to say that any Sunsettia that ca into contact with him would beco a little sour?
After a light wipe with his hand, the purple color on top completely ca off, which brought a disappointed expression to Bai Luo's face.
It seed that to turn a Sunsettia into a Lavender lon, one still needed that so-called secret thod.
However, he had heard that this thod had been lost to ti long ago. He wondered if there was still a chance to obtain it.
Hmm... I'll make do with the little tanuki's thod for now.
That night, Bai Luo held the little fox and chatted with the shrine maiden for a long ti.
They didn't talk about the past, nor did they discuss the future. They only spoke of trivial matters.
But even with such trivial matters, it was clear that the shrine maiden was very happy.
That made sense...
Those who could see her for who she was were almost all gone.
Those who couldn't see her for who she was didn't want to talk to her much either.
The only one who could accompany her was a little fox.
She had been waiting here, day after day, for the next person who could help her perform the Grand Narukami Shrine's Sacred Sakura Cleansing Ritual.
Speaking of which... before this, it seed there had been another traveler who, with their companion, had perford the Sacred Sakura Cleansing Ritual once.
But these things were no longer important.
To be able to et a "kindred spirit" was perhaps a fortunate thing in itself.
The next day, the two parted ways without exchanging nas.
Before they parted, the shrine maiden gave Bai Luo a sentence.
"Be not deceived, be not swayed. Always walk the path you believe in."
Originally, the shrine maiden felt she was not qualified to give this piece of advice, but if it were [her], she would surely not be stingy with her blessing.
And he also left her with a sentence, one that the shrine maiden, who had a fondness for the beauty of short poems, rembered for a long ti.
"A song... ahem, 'On the Otogi leaves, the rain of the third watch falls; each leaf, each sound, is a sound of parting.'"
As for the pile of uneaten roasted Lavender lons, and that Sunsettia that had already faded in color...
Perhaps they were picked up by a certain oni.
...
After getting closer to Inazuma City, the oppressive atmosphere of Yashiori Island finally lessened a great deal.
Walking on the clean stone-paved road, listening to the barking of the village dogs, had its own unique elegance.
Compared to the prosperity within the city, this old town district, though less bustling, had a greater sense of tranquility.
[Outskirts of the City]
Many high-ranking officials, after retiring, would choose to live in seclusion in these outskirts.
Sitting under the eaves every day, watching the children play and the cherry blossoms slowly fall, was much more enjoyable than being in the city.
The mont Bai Luo stepped onto Hanamizaka, a mber of the Fatui ca up to greet him.
The Tenryou and Kanjou Commissions had been almost completely infiltrated by the Fatui. On these seemingly tranquil and peaceful streets, there were an unknown number of Fatui spies.
So, the mont he entered Inazuma City, the Fatui knew of his return.
"Lord Instructor!"
The Fatui mber who ca to greet him was not the one who had been in charge of serving him when he had previously lived in Inazuma City.
He had heard that he had been transferred away.
"Is Scaramouche here? I have sothing to discuss with him."
Placing the mask that represented the authority of a Harbinger back on his face, Bai Luo asked.
Work is sothing that should be passed on to colleagues whenever possible. Slacking off is the most important thing.
"Reporting to the Instructor, Lord Scaramouche rarely stays in Inazuma City for long. He has not yet returned since he last left."
It had always been them, the subordinates, who reported their whereabouts to the Harbingers. When had a Harbinger ever reported to them?
Moreover, Scaramouche's personality was extrely volatile, making it impossible for anyone to predict his thoughts.
If one were to rashly question him, getting punished would be the least of their worries; they might even lose their lives at his hands.
Those who had grown accustod to Bai Luo's slacking personality had suffered quite a bit at his hands.
This was one of the reasons they had co out to greet him the mont they knew Bai Luo had returned.
In any case, when following Bai Luo, as long as one didn't court death, sotis even if one said the wrong thing, he would just laugh it off.
If it were in front of Scaramouche, forget courting death; sotis even a small gesture could enrage him.
"Hmm... there are too many people here. Let's go back first and talk."
"Yes!"
Surrounded by his subordinates, Bai Luo once again walked towards the small courtyard where he had once lived.
Unlike Bai Luo, Scaramouche had no such leisurely sentints. So, ever since he left, this small courtyard had remained unoccupied.
But the Kujou Clan had not taken back the courtyard, and the Fatui's subordinates would often co to clean it without moving any of the items inside.
Therefore, the condition here was almost exactly the sa as when Bai Luo had left. Even the things on the table were still in their original places.
After settling down, the first thing Bai Luo did was to deploy his troops.
It wasn't to arrange subordinates for himself, but for the Watatsumi Island side.
After taking Watatsumi Island, he could finally do sothing he had tried to do long ago but had not succeeded in.
"In the na of the Tsaritsa, allocate two billion Mora to Watatsumi Island!"
As expected, no money is as satisfying to spend as your own boss's!
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