From Morax's perspective, this was an unfair contract, but Shiki did not view it as a contract; it was merely a sister's dying entrustment.
"Is that so? So that's why you want to change Inazuma and overthrow the Vision Hunt Decree?"
"Perhaps, but how can the reasons for such things be clearly stated? There are simply too many…" Shiki shook her head.
"Alright, I should go back now. I still have a series of orders to issue tomorrow."
These orders, of course, concerned the arrangements for the previous Kanjou and Tenryou Commissions. However, Hiiragi Shinsuke had already died, and as for Hiiragi Chisato, one could only say she was very lucky to have a man who still loved her.
So the main focus was on those officials in Ritou who had gray income.
Looking at the situation, it seems a lot of people will be involved. In such a large environment, almost everyone is somewhat implicated. Don't talk about coming out of the mud unstained; if they were unstained, they wouldn't have stayed there.
The other was the Tenryou Commission. Kujou Masahito was suspected of attempting to murder thousands of civilians, and the result was, of course, the death penalty. As for Kujou Takayuki, who was the most serious, he also received the death penalty, but he was cursed to death by Shiki during the Vision Hunt Decree.
Kujou Lianzhi, because he had no say in the clan, coincidentally escaped implication, but from then on, the Kujou surname was tainted, making it almost impossible for them to rise again.
Oh, and Kujou Sara. It was said that she would temporarily retain her original position because of the war, but in reality, Raiden Ei never intended to dismiss her, after all, she knew just how stubborn this Tengu was.
After speaking, Shiki turned to leave, and just then, her hand was taken.
"Tonight… can you stay…"
Ayaka's eyes held a hint of shyness, but even more so, a longing. She liked the feeling of being with Shiki. Even if they did nothing, as long as she was by her side, that was enough.
Shiki looked at the girl with affectionate eyes and finally realized something...
She likes me?
For a moment, Shiki froze in place. This seemed a bit too sudden for her, as she had never been in a relationship on Earth.
After her parents passed away, she became reclusive, like a transparent person in class. This situation only improved after the college entrance examination.
After entering university, she decided to adjust her state, but she had barely enrolled before coming to this world.
Like Ayaka, she gained an inappropriate maturity at an age meant for play, but matters of emotion, after all, still need to be experienced firsthand to be understood.
Although Shiki herself felt it was unbelievable, Ayaka, standing before her, practically had the words "I like you" written all over her face.
Was Ayaka beautiful? Of course, she was. Gentle, graceful, knowledgeable, and with the status of a Young Miss, being liked by such a girl was naturally a joyous thing.
For the first time, Shiki carefully observed the girl's face. Her eyes held shyness, and in the instant their gazes met, she even nervously shifted her gaze away.
But then she immediately remembered her purpose and stubbornly shifted her gaze back.
Thump-thump...
The sound of her heartbeat entered her ears. For someone with her martial prowess, her breathing was usually long and steady, but now it was slightly hurried...
'What's wrong with me? Do I really like her? Or is it just my affection for a game character?'
Perhaps it was psychological, but Shiki only felt her heart beating more and more intensely. In a daze, she pulled her hand, which Ayaka was holding, away and covered her chest.
Taking a deep breath, her heartbeat gradually returned to normal. But when she came to her senses, what met her eyes was the girl's sad face, with her gaze slightly lowered.
"Then I'll stay tonight."
Without reason, this was Shiki's subconscious utterance; her thoughts hadn't even caught up. It seemed her body reacted before her brain did. She didn't want to see this girl sad and disappointed.
"Really?"
The disappointment on Ayaka's face vanished, replaced by joy mixed with a hint of disbelief.
"Ah… really."
Shiki hadn't quite figured out what she was thinking yet, but since she had already said it, she had to keep her promise.
But at this point, could she even think clearly herself?
The observer sees clearly, while the participant is muddled. The more involved one is, the harder it is to understand.
She had seen many couples in love. Perhaps this was how they felt at the time?
At first glance, one doesn't understand the play's meaning; at a second glance, one is already a character in the play!
Upon hearing the affirmative reply, a smile completely Bloomed on Ayaka's beautiful face. It wasn't the masked smile brought by family etiquette, but a genuine smile from the heart.
Her eyes curved into two beautiful crescents, and her lips turned up and then opened, no longer maintaining her usual elegance.
Seeing the girl so happy, Shiki's lips also involuntarily curved into a smile, though she herself was completely unaware of it.
Shiki was led by Ayaka into the mansion's main gate, and the house servants revealed a knowing look.
After all, they were at that age, weren't they?
"Shiki, I specially prepared a room for you. Since I don't know what style you like, there are only some simple furnishing. If you feel anything is missing, just tell me directly."
This room was completely incomparable to the previous side room. While described as simple furnishing, it perfectly embodied what it meant to be understated, luxurious, and tasteful.
For example, those calligraphies and paintings hanging on the walls—I don't understand them, but I was greatly shocked, alright?
And the most important thing is that this room faces Ayaka's boudoir...
"I say, Ayaka, how long did you prepare this room for?"
"Hehe, that's a secret," Ayaka chuckled softly.
"Alright, alright, a secret it is."
Meanwhile, at Grand Narukami Shrine...
Yae Miko, her consciousness returned, took off the talisman pasted on her head and threw it onto the floor.
"I'm so angry! What do you mean I don't get fat?! How did you eat so much and not die from overeating?!"
"No, no, I need to calm down. I should be laughing at her, not letting that little guy laugh at me!"
Yae Miko secretly made up her mind, but the emptiness in her stomach and the "grumble~" sound forced her to start pondering a serious question.
That was, how would she solve her dinner tonight? She couldn't just eat sakura bloom, could she? Not only did it have electricity, but it wasn't filling either!
"Ahhh! Why did I have to meddle?! Wasn't it better to just read light novel and eat sweets?!"
A series of angry roars echoed through the quiet Grand Narukami Shrine. The next day, Yae Miko declared to all the shrine maidens that nothing of the sort had happened, and it was merely their hallucination.
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