"Yes..."
"I'm the daughter of a noble," Natsuki replied hastily. "We were attacked by yokai on our way to Kyoto, and all the samurai guarding me were killed."
"I see... You don't need to be afraid of me! I'm a miko, and my sole purpose is to slay yokai. I won't harm you."
"A miko?" Natsuki stared at Yae Sakura. Even setting aside the fox ears on her head, could there really be a miko who dressed so revealingly?
That skirt is so short!
How indecent!
Even more exposed than those... prostitutes in the pleasure district.
"..."
Seeing Natuski Hime's gaze, Yae Sakura immediately guessed what she was thinking. This outfit might not seem inappropriate by modern standards, but it was definitely too revealing for ancient times.
But... this is how the game designers designed her character! And I don't have any other clothes to change into. I can't exactly go around naked, can I?
After exchanging a few words with Yae Sakura, Natsuki realized that the half-demon before her wasn't as fearsome as she had imagined. They could actually communicate peacefully.
Though she couldn't figure out why Yae kept insisting she was a shrine maiden, as long as she wasn't eating people, Natsuki felt safe.
With that thought, Natsuki's apprehension began to fade.
"Great Yokai, I..."
"Don't call me 'Great Yokai'! I'm not some yokai. I'm Yae Sakura—the Gyakushinn Miko, Yae Sakura!" Yae Sakura interrupted sharply.
"Gyakushinn Miko... Yae Sakura?"
"Yes!"
"Wait a minute... Gyakushinn?" Natsuki paused, startled. Gyakushinn... Just hearing the name sent a shiver down her spine.
(TL Note: "Gyakushinn" (逆神巫女) roughly translates to "Reverse God Miko" or "Miko of the Reversed Deity")
"What's wrong?" Yae Sakura asked, her gaze steady.
"N-nothing..." The kimono-clad girl remembered the bloodthirsty expression Yae Sakura had worn while slaying yokai earlier. A chill ran through her as she shook her head vigorously.
"By the way, I have a question for you..."
"Anything you want, Yae-sama," Natsuki replied, lowering her head respectfully.
"Have you ever heard of a miko named Kikyō?" Kikyō should be quite famous, right?
"Kikyō? No..." Natsuki shook her head.
"I see..."
"Yae-sama..."
"Hmm?" Yae Sakura looked at her questioningly.
"Could I ask you for a favor?" Natsuki pleaded, her eyes brimming with vulnerability.
"What is it?"
"Could you escort me home? Of course, my father will reward you handsomely."
Now that all her samurai and guards were dead, returning alone was impossible. Who knew when more yokai might suddenly appear? To these creatures, she was far more enticing than a hundred ordinary girls.
Due to Japan's unique circumstances, noble daughters held an irresistible allure for the yokai in this land, far surpassing that of commoners. However, protected by powerful samurai, mages, and onmyouji, they were difficult prey. A lone noblewoman like Natsuki was like a drug, drawing nearby yokai like moths to a flame.
"I..."
Just as Yae was about to speak, suddenly...
[New Quest Received: Escort Natsuki Home]
[Reward: 5 Crystals]
(Accept?)
"Uh... Alright! I accept."
Yae Sakura had already been planning to accept the escort request, so the bonus of 5 Crystals was a pleasant surprise.
She needed to farm Crystals, and aside from completing quests, her only other option was hunting yokai. But searching for them one by one would be too tedious. With Natsuki as bait, she could simply lie in wait like a hunter guarding a rabbit's burrow.
"Thank you so much!" Natsuki gazed at Yae Sakura with gratitude.
Even though she's a half-demon, she seems like a decent person after all!
Moreover, she was a stunningly beautiful half-demon. Watching Yae Sakura's long ears twitch occasionally, Natsuki barely restrained the urge to reach out and touch them.
So fluffy... so cute!
Her fear of Yae Sakura vanished instantly.
"Let's go!"
"Mmm... ouch... hiss!"
Natsuki nodded, watching Yae Sakura ahead and preparing to follow. But after only a few steps, she suddenly grimaced in pain, cried out, and collapsed to the ground.
"What's wrong?" Yae Sakura stopped and turned to look at her, puzzled.
"My foot... it hurts terribly," Natsuki said, frowning.
Yae Sakura frowned, finding this troublesome. "Let me see..."
Despite her annoyance, she returned to Natsuki's side, lifted her foot, and removed her shoe.
Yae Sakura examined Natsuki's bruised and discolored foot, likely the result of her desperate sprint to escape the yokai. As a noble lady, Natsuki had never been forced to run for her life like this before.
It was understandable that her foot was in such a state.
But... Yae Sakura didn't know how to treat injuries.
"Does it hurt a lot?" she asked, looking up at Natsuki.
"Mm..." Natsuki nodded, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and a hint of fear that Yae Sakura might abandon her.
Alone in this place, even without yokai, she would be vulnerable to wild beasts.
"This is troublesome..." Yae Sakura muttered, exasperated, though it wasn't really Natsuki's fault.
"I'm sorry!" Natsuki said, her face a picture of pitiful remorse.
"Never mind. I'll carry you," Yae Sakura said, crouching down in front of Natsuki.
"R-really?"
"Hurry up!"
"O-okay..." Natsuki quickly clambered onto Yae Sakura's back.
She felt... surprisingly light.
"Yae-sama, are those rabbit ears on your head?" Natsuki asked, clinging to Yae Sakura's back and watching the pair of long, pink ears sway gently with each step.
She couldn't resist asking.
"They're fox ears!"
"Fox ears? Are fox ears really that long?"
"...I don't know. You'd have to ask Mihoyo."
"Can I touch them?"
"No way!"
-
TL Note: HAHA I Managed to rewrite the chapter while preserving the paragraph comments!!!...
...
Only downside is that it is such a pain...
Should I do the rest of the volume?