Chapter 126: An Invitation for Youmu
Youmu noticed Haruto applauding from behind her, and a flicker of pure joy lit up her eyes. She instinctively started forward, a bright smile on her face, only to halt abruptly two steps away.
"Haruto-sama..." she murmured, her head dipping slightly. A faint blush crept up her cheeks as she unconsciously shrank back.
Seeing this, Haruto's eyes widened in mock horror. He staggered back half a step, one hand clutching his chest as he pointed a trembling finger at her. His voice was thick with theatrical sorrow.
"Konpaku Youmu! Has your heart already strayed?!"
Youmu froze, stunned for a moment before the meaning behind his dramatic accusation dawned on her. She frantically shook her head, her hands fluttering in denial.
"N-no, that's not it at all! It's just... I'm all sweaty from training..."
"I don't care! Your heart has changed!" Haruto declared, his voice ringing with false betrayal. "In the past, you would have rushed over without a moment's hesitation!"
Faced with such a baseless accusation, Youmu's eyelids twitched. She was quite certain she had never actually done that, but since Haruto-sama said so, she wasn't about to argue.
She hesitated. Should I hug him now? This counts as an order, doesn't it?
As a gardener, her duty was to focus on her master's safety and, well, their mood.
Right! That's it!
Having found a perfectly logical justification, she was just about to open her arms when Haruto closed the distance himself, wrapping her in a warm embrace.
A shiver ran through Youmu's slender frame, and the large phantom floating beside her—her very own Half-Spirit—seemed to droop listlessly over her shoulder in tandem. She could feel the comforting warmth of Haruto's body through his clothes, and the sensation sent her heart into a nervous, fluttering rhythm.
Haruto, completely unconcerned, hugged her a little tighter. He even leaned in close to the delicate curve of her neck and took an exaggerated, deep breath.
"What's the big deal? I don't mind," he said, his voice a low murmur against her skin. "Besides, Youmu only ever smells fragrant."
He was telling the truth. For someone with Youmu's physical prowess, that level of training was barely a warm-up, certainly not enough to make her break a sweat.
"Youmu," he began, his tone shifting slightly, "can I ask you for a favor?"
"...Please, go ahead. As long as it's something I can do."
She didn't agree immediately, nor did she speak with absolute confidence. This wasn't due to any lack of affection for Haruto, but rather a learned caution from being "tricked" by him one too many times. The most recent incident involved him convincing her to "borrow" a certain parasol from Lady Yukari's room...
Haruto saw right through her hesitation, his eyes darkening for a fraction of a second as he sighed internally. She's still obedient, but not quite as gullible as before.
"In a little while, let's go out together," he said smoothly. "Just think of it as a trip."
"..."
Youmu froze. Her face, already pink, blossomed into a deep crimson that spread all the way to the tips of her ears. When she finally found her voice, it came out as a trembling whisper.
"A trip? Th-this kind of thing... is it just you and me, Haruto-sama?"
"No, there will be quite a few people," Haruto explained, shaking his head. "But I can only bring one extra person with me. I recently got a ghost artifact that lets me bring one companion into the instance, so I wanted to bring you along."
Realizing she had completely misunderstood, a fresh wave of embarrassment washed over Youmu. She risked a surreptitious glance at Haruto's face, but seeing no sign that he'd noticed her blunder, she let out a quiet, internal sigh of relief.
Just as the tension eased, Haruto added one more thing.
"Because when Youmu is around, I feel more at ease."
The words struck her with the force of a physical blow. Youmu, who had already decided to accompany him regardless, felt an overwhelming tide of emotion surge through her chest. She nodded firmly, her voice now resolute and filled with unwavering conviction.
"I'll go! Please, allow me to accompany you!"
In Youmu's mind, Gensokyo was filled with countless beings far stronger than herself. With Haruto-sama's connections, there was no one he couldn't invite if he so chose. Even someone like Sister Ran was a force to be reckoned with; ordinary ghosts were nothing to her, and even most greater youkai or minor gods would be no match for her power.
And yet, Haruto-sama had come specifically to find her.
This was trust. It was his unreserved faith in her, a simple sword-wielding gardener.
In that moment, Youmu made a silent, solemn vow. No matter who the opponent was, no matter the danger they faced—if anyone harbored ill intentions or dared to plot against Haruto-sama, she would cut them down without a shred of hesitation.
Haruto, blissfully unaware of the epic drama unfolding in Youmu's inner world, was already preoccupied with his next challenge: how to explain this to Yuyuko. To take Youmu away, he naturally needed the permission of her mistress.
The two of them found Yuyuko floating serenely in mid-air, her gaze distant as if lost in deep thought.
Without preamble, Haruto reached into a gap and produced a large bag overflowing with various snacks he had brought from home. "I want to take Youmu with me into an instance," he stated plainly.
Yuyuko blinked, but before a single word could escape her lips, her eyes locked onto the bag of treats with unerring accuracy.
"These are all new products from the outside world," Haruto said, holding the bag forward like an offering. "And on the day we leave, I'll go back and bring you even more delicious food."
Yuyuko immediately drifted over, took the bag, and began rummaging through its contents, her eyes growing brighter with every rustle of plastic. When she discovered several types of snacks she had never seen before, she placed a hand on Youmu's shoulder and declared without a hint of hesitation, "Youmu, you must hurry and go with Little Haru. Remember to protect him well."
She had agreed so readily that Haruto, who had prepared an entire speech full of persuasive arguments, was left momentarily stunned.
"Lady Yuyuko," Youmu couldn't help but remind her gently, "I might be away for several days..."
"It's fine, it's fine," Yuyuko waved a dismissive hand, already tearing open a pack of biscuits. "Just leave me some meal money before you go."
At that, Youmu's shoulders slumped. She silently squatted on the ground and began tracing circles in the dirt, her back radiating an aura of desolate gloom.
"As for the money, my allowance just came in." Haruto took out a piggy bank shaped like a fluffy, round creature, but just as Yuyuko reached for it, he deftly pulled it back and handed it to Youmu instead. "Youmu, you hold onto this for now. Give it to Yuyuko on the day we leave."
"How mean! You don't trust me!" Yuyuko protested, her cheeks puffed out in a pout.
"Just answer me one question," Haruto said mercilessly. "Were you or were you not already planning what you were going to eat in the Human Village tonight?"
Yuyuko's eyes darted away, her guilt plain for all to see.
Haruto knew her all too well. If he gave her the money now, it would be spent long before they even set foot out of Hakugyokurou.
"No more talking, I'm going to eat," Yuyuko announced, deftly changing the subject by stuffing her mouth with snacks. "Just remember to bring back some delicious local specialties!"
The matter was settled far more smoothly than Haruto had anticipated. It seemed he had once again overestimated Yuyuko's sense of propriety.
According to the experiences shared on the player forums, the downtime between the third and fourth instances was generally more than two months, so there was no need to rush. After giving Youmu a brief rundown of the things to watch out for in an instance, Haruto took his leave.
His Ghost Phone had just buzzed with a notification: a delivery had arrived.
When Haruto returned to the Yakumo Residence, however, he found... two ghosts in his house.
One was the same Ghostly Postman who had delivered his package last time. The other was a much larger, more imposing ghost he had never seen before, though it was dressed in the same postman attire. This newcomer's aura was several times stronger than the first; he was clearly no ordinary spirit.
Of course, both ghosts were currently in a state best described as "half-dead." Their spectral forms flickered violently, threatening to dissipate entirely as they lay crumpled on the floor, looking utterly miserable.
Haruto raised an eyebrow, a flicker of understanding dawning in his eyes.
Just then, Yakumo Ran emerged from one of the inner rooms. Seeing him return, she calmly began to recount what had just transpired.
The more Haruto listened, the more peculiar his expression became, his eyes slowly widening with sheer disbelief.
Their very first words upon meeting her had been an attempt at robbery?
Did they really have such a death wish?
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