Disclaimer : Touhou Project belongs to ZUN
The sunlight barely illuminates all the places as it's surrounded by trees. But despite of that, the area remains lively, with the sounds of rustling leaves, the song of chirping birds, and the gentle sound of the river stream. To put it simply, it's a hideous place that's perfect to hide something from publics because of its location and the calming yet lively atmosphere it gives.
Exhaling a breath, I walk around the river bed. My destination is clear, and if the guide Kanako gave me is correct, then it won't be long to arrive there.
"I wonder why I need to do this again…." Without stop walking, a mutter of protest comes out as the memories from this morning resurfaced inside my mind. And unfortunately, as the memories get recalled, what comes out is a regretful sigh.
Long story short, it was a leisure morning. With nothing to do after breakfast, I was having a leisure time with a cup of tea as allies. But it was suddenly broken by Kanako telling me that I've a work to do and need to meet the kappa. It was not that urgent, and it would be easy to reject it. But who ever guessed that it was actually something related to the consequences of my trip yesterday?
So with that as a reason, that's why I'm here; having myself a nice trip to the Kappa's hideout. Seriously, to have it right at the next day, I don't know whether they are being mischievous or annoying.
"…How stupid."
An unintended protest just comes out like a slip of tongue. And despite knowing where this is and letting it in audible voice, there's nothing like a shred of regret.
Oh well, even if I do protest, it's not like I can do anything about it anyway. Consequences must be taken on every kind of steps, I'm not an exception to this rules. With a huff, I take a rubber band from my jacket pocket and start to tie my hair without taking even a second of pause.
Afterwards, there's nothing like protest, nor even a sigh. Except for the sound the nature gives, the walk is a silent walking following the river bed. Nothing comes out, nor even showing itself. It's that kind of walk.
Finally after a moment of walking, I arrive at the destination place. It's akin of a dead end. The path end with a natural ravine surrounded by six sided cliffs and covered with six hexagonal cracks. Even by looking from far away like this, I can see some peoples doing their bizarre activity which is just as bizarre as how columnar jointing rocks are. I once heard that a place can reflect its people lives. And seeing the ravine and its peoples, I can't help but letting out a sigh.
It seems the kappa are just as bizarre as how this ravine; Genbu Ravine is.
/1
The sound of machinery can be softly heard from the activities, as a bit of it is covered by the sound of the splashing water from the ravine. Following the two sounds, are the subtle song of the nature; rustling leaves and the song of the birds. The four different kind of song apparently gets harmonized by the all-accepting nature, creating some discord melodies. Within hearing the discord melodies and seeing the bizarre work of the kappa from the distance, an unintended yawn comes out.
It seems being bored with nothing to do cause me to get quite sleepy. Not that I mind if this is a recreational trip. But as it's not….
"Hey you; the girl over there, what are you doing here?"
–And suddenly, a girlish voice comes out from behind me, breaking the harmony of the natural song and artificial song. I don't feel called as the voice called for a girl, but as it's already something common for me to hear, I turn around anyway, just in case it does is calling for me.
As soon as I turn around, I see an all-blue girl. Well, to be more exact, she has a blue-hair in twin tail, blue dress with a lot of pockets, dark blue big backpack behind her back, and blue eyes that are staring at me. If there's anything that isn't blue, it'll be her green colored cape, the light color of her skin, and the golden colored key hanged like necklace.
The moment our eyes meet, the all-blue girl flinches a bit. But nevertheless, she stares at me in visible wariness, with both of her hands on her hips as if showing something akin of superiority. Seeing her stare, I point at myself, which apparently gets replied by a nod.
"What are you doing here? This is the workshop of the kappa. Those without permission aren't allowed to get inside as they wish."
"Huh? I need something like that to come here?"
"Of course you do. Trespassing isn't a small crime, especially for a human to our workshop like this."
"So it's wrong for a human to come here?"
"…Well, there's nothing wrong with it, but some doesn't treat humans nicely here. I'm one of those who treats human as sworn friend, so I prefer to not have anyone treated badly here."
What an interesting shy yet proud kappa we have here. I suppose she gets her bravery from being close with her company at the ravine. To be honest, I'm still curious on how she'll fend off by me acting like an innocent lost human. But well, I guess that's all for the conversation games now.
Standing up from my seat, I take out something like a letter of verification… or something from jacket pocket and give it to the kappa girl. The kappa girl frowns, clearly showing her wariness as she takes the letter from my hand. But the moment she sees the letter, her expression turns a bit relaxed as she nods.
"Oh, so you're the rumored new priest from the shrine on the mountain… wait, a priest!?"
"...Even for a surprise, that wasn't a nice one."
"S-sorry, I don't mean it like that. But… wow, I never thought I see some priest being as girly as you."
"Save the compliment for later. I don't come here for that."
I let out an exasperated sigh as I scratch my hair a bit. For some reason, the girl laughs ends up laughing at my words while saying something like 'yeah, I know that' in the middle of her laugh. It takes a moment, but she stops laughing and once again nods, before she offers her hand in an over-friendly business manner.
"Oh well, since I'm the one receiving the letter, I guess I'm the one for business today. You can call me Nitori. And you are…?"
"Just call me Nagisa, whether in friendly manner or not doesn't matter."
"Alright, then I'll call you Nagisa-san."
Accepting her offer for a handshake, we do some handshake in a business-like manner. After taking our hand back, the girl who just introduced herself as Nitori puts one of her hand on her hips as she stares at me in a business-like smile.
…Seriously, this formal kind of things tires me off more than it should. But I should hold myself from saying something unnecessary for now or it'll bring problem soon.
"Then, what brings you here, Nagisa-san? Do you want to discuss something with us? It's about the shrine project, perhaps?"
"Nah, I don't come here for such talk. I just want to take a look around this place. That should be fine, is it?"
"Hm… yes, naturally, that should be fine, of course. Well then, is a tour around this place acceptable?"
"Is a tour really fine? It'll take your time, isn't it?"
"Of course it's fine. We're a partner in business; as long as it's about the cooperation with the shrine project, we've nothing to hide."
Nitori says it with a smile plastered on her face. I don't know why, but that smile is kind of similar to someone I used to deal with…
…Well, not that it matters. I guess it's not unusual for business partner, especially new intern from the other company to go and take a look around the partner workshop with some limitation in where to go and where to not go. So it won't be a bad idea to look around.
"If you say so, then let's take a look around. Can you guide me around, Nitori?"
Instead of immediately gives an answer, Nitori looks somewhere around the ravine. Then after a moment, she stares at me once again, nods, and then turns around while giving me a formal gesture to follow her.
"Alright, one tour around the kappa workshop is ready to go. Let's start right away."
And so with Nitori leading the way, I start the tour on the kappa workshop in this bizarre-looking ravine.
Much to my surprise, the inside of the workshop is much more advanced than what commonly seen in Gensokyo, despite it still being a bit out of date in the outside world. If one compare it to the current Gensokyo, it should be around dozens year, even after counting the possibilities of what globalization has done in the outside world.
At my left, there's technology made exclusively for cucumber farming, something that usually be called as indoor farming in the outside world. And at my right, it's the water wheel right under where the water from the ravine flows out, probably used to water the farm.
Even in the case of agriculture, this is quite an advanced method of farming in its own right, so I can't help but be amazed by how amazing the kappa's brain works.
"So… what do you think of it? Pretty advanced for Gensokyo standard, isn't it?"
Suddenly comes out asking, Nitori's question brings me out from my amazement. Her voice is kind of low; despite the tone sounds just like bragging. Trying to hold in my snort, I nod without taking away my gaze from the familiar yet unfamiliar technology.
"Yeah, I guess this is pretty advanced, remembering Gensokyo."
"Remembering Gensokyo… do you mean it's more than this in the outside world?"
"It can't be helped if it is." I shrug, remembering the outside world. "The outside world is less focused in spiritual compared to here, so in exchange, isn't it normal to have it advanced in scientific innovation?"
"That's not wrong. Frankly speaking, we do this because we cannot make anything like magic artifact. Well, it won't sell well even if we made something like that, so it's kind of a waste in the end."
Nitori indirectly explains about their reason on stopping to research more about the magical artifact. It doesn't seem like the kappa cannot make anything like that and more like they give up on it and pursue more on the scientific advance. But if she puts it that way, it actually creates some question.
"Say, Nitori, can all human actually use magic?"
"…Eh, what are you talking about? Of course they can't." Nitori laughs in amusement. "If they can, our inventions will hardly sell."
"I see… yes, that does sound right. So this indoor farming is one for sell? I mean the method and all."
"Hm… now that you say it, it's possible. But when you say that it's not in the outside world level yet, I realize that it seems this advance is not enough. I wonder what I should do to improve it…."
Nitori starts to think, as if trying to come out with solution for what I just said. Seeing her acting as if it's her own business, I can't help but letting out a soft sigh. Hearing my sigh, Nitori who has somehow lose her concentration stares at me in confusion, as well as a frown of irritation for bothering her thinking time.
"Why do you even think of a solution alone if this is a group workshop…?"
My question comes out just like that from the middle of nowhere, which of course, cause confusion for the blue kappa. But it doesn't last long. Yes, it doesn't last long, until Nitori actually snorts from my question, before waving her hand in dismissal.
"It won't work. The other will just do as they wish even when they're under my supervising. Well… so even when it's a group project, this is actually my own workshop."
"Huh? How could it turn out like that?"
"We; the kappa have our own brilliant idea for a project, and only works together when some of us have the same idea." Nitori begins to explain about the kappa. "But that doesn't mean we have a leader or anything. Everyone think they're the best, I included, and so we ended up doing things by ourselves and only collaborate when it's necessary."
"….Oh, I see. Then this indoor farming project is?"
"The farming is a work of collaboration, but the wheel to pump the water and the lighting are my own idea, while for the fertilizer and pests control are for my buddies to take care."
Nitori tells as if proudly bragging about her so called 'collaboration' project. But to be kindly honest, I doubt it's something that can be called collaboration or anything. In fact, it's more like individual works that gather in one place and ended up working as a system since they don't even work together, or at least discuss anything together at all.
Hn… how to put it? The kappa is quite a proud and arrogant groups, aren't they? For them to even act like that to their own kin… it's not like it's not understandable as humans are prone to do just the same thing. But, well–
"…You kappas are so unbelievable, you know…."
"Unbelievable? Is there something wrong with our work ethics?"
"…Don't mind it. Let's just continue with the trip."
Nitori still frowns for some reason, but after a moment, she just leaves me with my unsaid words and continues with the trip. What a fortunate turn of event, because if she forces me to say it, I probably won't even hold back on calling the kappa arrogant pricks.
As Nitori starts to walk once again; guiding me with the tour, my gaze randomly stares around the indoor farm. After I get enough of it–more like Nitori calling me from the distance to come over–I begin to follow her once again.
After we've done with the supposedly Nitori's personal workshop, we walk outside the workshop. She said that this time, it's the cooperation work with the shrine, so I should at least check it out or something. Personally, I don't really want to know what the shrine is scheming, even when it's the shrine where I'm working. But because I've nothing else to do, I ended up following Nitori.
The walk more or less takes around ten minutes from the kappa's workshop in the ravine. And surprisingly, it's not a place that can be considered as isolated like the workshop in the ravine, but instead an open place that can be seen and visited by everyone.
To put it simply, it's a wide open field, perhaps around the size of soccer field. From the distance where we walked, I can see that there are other kappas working on something like a building. By its structure, it's something like the bottom of a tower.
"Will there be something like a Bon Festival here?" A question slips out just like that from my thought. Whether it's fortunate or not, however, Nitori responds with a weird smile.
"It's not… where did you get the idea?"
"Where is… well, it just passed on my thought. Is something wrong with that?"
"Eh, ah… there's nothing wrong. It's just surprising… and weird, I guess."
"I don't think there's anything weird with having stands here and use this field as festival ground." Pausing for a moment, I look around the empty field before continuing. "With a lot of stands, will it be profitable for the kappa too?"
"Yeah, that's true. But this place is still around the mountain jurisdiction, so getting permission is still hard."
"Hn… the tengu are really a hassle, aren't they?"
"I-it's nothing like that! They're just hard to discuss with!"
Nitori's reaction for my question is pretty weird; she's tense for a reason or two. Up until now, she's either timid when there's nobody else except us and a bit on the arrogant side when there are her kappa buddies around. Her reaction is just like….
Oh, so that's how it is. If this place is still on the tengu jurisdiction, then that means there'll be at least one or two that watches around this place. And to keep them from problem, neither are between the two ever talk bad or anything like that except in private and perhaps, at the right time.
But well… that only works for the kappa or the tengu. I don't care whether I'm in watch or not. But if I'm still in an evaluation-like or something, then I'll just being honest rather than being sweet. It's better to be honest, isn't it?
"Don't mind what I said earlier." I shrug the topic off, trying to hide my amusement from the profit I might gain later from this. "So, if it's not for Bon Festival, what is it for?"
"Er… you don't know? I thought the goddess had told you already."
"I don't remember hearing anything about it… or maybe I just forget. It doesn't matter whichever it is though."
"You're really carefree…" Nitori shows something like a surprised gaze, before she shakes her head. "By the way, about the tower… well, it's used for an air tramway to the main shrine."
This time, the one who gives a surprised gaze is me toward Nitori. My stare stays at her before it changes its focus toward the group of kappa that's making the structure of the tower that later will be used as a part of an air tramway.
This thing will later turn into an air tramway? But if it's only for that, why should it be placed in a wide open field like this? I understand that there'll be quite a lot of people, but for it to be this wide is a bit too exaggerating, except there'll be something else that'll happen here…
…Never mind. It's not my business to begin with. I'm just here for a visit, so there's no need for me to think or comment about something complicated like why it's being placed in such a wide place like this in a pretty much obvious way.
"Then, when will it be finished?" Instead of pursuing about it, I ask about the tower instead.
"When is a bit difficult for a question…" Nitori gives her answer as she stares at the constructed tower, her hand on her chin and the other on her hip as if thinking before she continues. "You people still need to deal with the tengu for the permission, right? So naturally it'll be really finished later after the permissions are granted."
"…What? Then why do you people bother with making it now?"
"We're just trying to figure out the blueprints. I told you before that every one of us have our own idea."
"I did hear you say it, but… is it a bit too much just to figure out whose idea is the best?"
"Is it also a great idea to make the opposing idea admit defeat?"
Hearing the proud answer, I can't help by stares at Nitori with a forced business smile in contrast of her proud, mischievous grin as if she's already sure that her or hers group idea will turn to be the best idea that'll be used as the real tower later.
At first I don't want to really admit it, but if every kappa is just like how Nitori describes it, then they're quite a proud arrogant and greedy bunches, I guess. Not that I will generalize the kappa like that.
"But… an air tramway, huh…" Trying to stop the old topic, I mutter as I stare at the tower, before I once again stare at Nitori. "What about the power that will lift the tram itself?"
"Do you mean the one that'll make the tramway moves?"
"Yeah, that. What about it?"
"About that, we'll mostly use water power to move the tram. There's a waterfall nearby, and that stream from the waterfall will be used for the power."
"Power from waterfall stream… is it hydroelectricity?"
"Making electric from water current? No, it's not that. It's the usual kinetic water wheel. If you want it to be better, hydroelectricity is an available option, but… well, you know, right?"
"I'm not the one who makes decision, but I myself reject it. It'll be expensive anyway."
"Oh, that's too bad." Nitori slumps a bit in disappointment, before she continues to her usual self. "Do you want to see the water wheel? That one's finished already."
"I'm quite curious… so alright, let's go."
"Then follow me."
Nitori begins to walk once again after taking a final glance at the tower. Staring at the tower structure and the wide unused area around it by myself for a moment, I let out a soft sigh before I follow Nitori's trail behind her back.
As we walk toward the water wheel, the voice of kappa arguing each other can be heard clearly from the place where the tower is.
Interlude – Evaluation I
In general, just as its name implies, the Youkai Mountain are the habitats of youkai, mostly kappa and tengu. It's said that the isolation of the mountain inhabitants itself are the cause of why it has different advance point compared to the other place of Gensokyo, and because of that, the system hardly accept people from the outside, even when it's someone as important as the Hakurei shrine maiden.
Moriya Shrine, the new inhabitant of this mountain, isn't an exception. Their position as inhabitant is something that's barely reserved, but they stay by countless numbers of discussions with the head of the mountain itself.
And now, the new inhabitant of the Moriya Shrine; its priest is currently having a look around one of its cooperating partner….
–Or so that's how it looks in the surface.
"…It seems everything goes well in this evaluation."
Standing somewhere far away from the kappa workshop, a white wolf tengu known as Inubashiri Momiji keeps her eyes carefully on the temporary business partner; especially the priest.
The current distance between the subject and the objects are more than ten kilometers. Naturally, it shouldn't be possible to monitor them from far away. But in the case of this white wolf tengu, those kinds of things are apparently possible with her clairvoyance-like vision.
"Oh, are you doing your usual task, Momiji?"
But unfortunately, her monitoring duty has to meet an obstruction. It's the familiar voice that she always have problem to deal with. Of course, she can't do anything to it remembering the voice owner stubbornness. Hiding her displeasure, Momiji asks in cold voice.
"What business do you have here, Shameimaru Aya? You should've known when to keep yourself away from something like this."
"Ayayaya… you're being cold as usual. I came here because I was told to, you know?"
"You're… being told to monitor them as well?"
It's a surprise, even for Momiji that she actually turns her gaze to the familiar voice.
Beside her, there floats a girl with shoulder-length black hair is staring at her with her red eyes in amusement. Her stare is accompanied with a grin, one hand waving a hauchiwa fan gently and the other holding a notebook.
"There you have it. It's the order of the higher ups." With those words, she lands beside Momiji. Leaning forward a bit as she makes her index finger and thumb into a circle like a camera scope, she focuses her gaze at the place where Momiji was staring. "So, where are they?"
"…."
Momiji stays quiet for a moment. She knows if she indeed comes here, then that must be true, because the crow tengu she knows well is actually someone who never tell lie even when she likes to exaggerate things. And so with a deep breath to calm herself down, she once again stares at the place where the two are.
"Do you know the new water wheel the kappa made around the waterfall?"
"Oh, the one used for the shrine project? Yes, I know that one."
"That's where they are now."
"I see… that's so far away for a normal youkai like me to see. Can you tell me about them, Momiji?"
"….About the priest? He's a normal human, as far as I see. Although his personality somehow reminds me of the current Hakurei shrine maiden, there's nothing we need to worry about currently."
"Aha~ what is it, what is it? You already meet him?"
'What an unfortunate slip of tongue,' Momiji thinks when Aya stares at her with a mischievous grin. But the same works for Aya, as Momiji isn't in the mood to be teased around.
"I did once. And overall, he's just a normal human."
"Hm… normal human in that shrine…."
This time, Aya stays quiet. Her eyes narrowed, indirectly telling her thinking state as she covers her lips with the hauchiwa fan. Momiji glances at her, before she apparently just leaves her as she is and continues on her monitoring duty.
Yes, as far as she saw the priest, there's nothing unusual with him. And even if there's anything unusual, it'll be his nonchalant attitude toward how Gensokyo works, especially because he's currently living in youkai area. And other than that….
…was the result of the sparring they had a month ago.
"Quite an interesting person, isn't he?" But before Momiji thoughts continue, Aya's words bring her back to reality with a surprise. "Well, it seems giving him a visit or two will turn into a good scoop."
"…Wait, what did you just say, Shameimaru Aya!? He's still in evaluation terms! You can't–"
"There'll be no problem if I'm the one doing the evaluation. Leave it to this humble reporter Shameimaru Aya!"
"Stop that right at once! You'll only shame the tengu!"
"I won't do anything weird, I guarantee you." Waving her hauchiwa fan, she starts to fly with a gust of wind. "Well then, I shall take another travel for newspaper materials. Even when the white wolf tengu and the crow tengu are in bad relationship, don't forget to read the Bunbunmaru Newspaper to keep you up to date!"
"Wait a moment–"
–And before Momiji can even finish her words, the familiar crow tengu has already vanished with a blinding and strong gust of wind. Seeing nothing but a trace from the black colored feather of crow, Momiji can't help but clicked her tongue in irritation.
It's an irritation that comes from not being able to discipline this one certain crow tengu. No matter what she does to stop her, she'll just retreat like breezing wind just like today. And even if she does can hold her from doing anything that shames the tengu community, she can go away from her view just in a split second.
For the first time in this month, Momiji actually heaves out a long sigh. It's unknown whether it's to calm her irritation, or to throw away the sense of powerlessness toward this one certain tengu. But whichever the reason it'll be, the one obvious thing for her to do after a short moment of introspection is continuing her duty.
/2
The sun has set before neither of us realizes it. As the sky start to color itself in red blue gradation, it also turns out as a sign of the tour finally over. And so after Nitori guides me back to the place where we first met, she shows a proud smile, with one of her hand on her hip.
"So… what do you think? It's not bad, isn't it?" For some reason, she's still a bit meek when asking, even with that proud smile.
"Hn… well, in overall I think it's a good place with good ideas."
The opinion that I give have no lie in it. It's what I honestly think about what this place is. The advance of technologies the kappa has is apparently quite interesting in its own way, and there are a lot of things that can turn out better with the proper ideas.
There's still room for improvement, such as making group works into a 'real' group works. But because it's actually something like their way of life and I myself don't really like to work in a group, I choose to not bother with that.
And to add, their way of life are pretty unique in a big community of the mountain. In a way, they think they're far more superior to any other, be it the other youkai or an obvious target like humans and fairies. But in a way, some of them, despite their superiority complex, are pretty shy when they're alone.
Oh, well… will it be interesting to give such an interesting friend a goodbye gift for now?
"Er… Nagisa-san, why do you have a smirk like that? You don't think of something that'll turn our reputation bad, don't you?"
"Of course not; why should I do something like that?"
"…You're not lying at all, don't you? Sworn friends don't tell lies."
"Don't worry, I don't. But Nitori, if you think you're the best, why don't you brag in a bit better way?"
"Er… well, I do think I'm better, but bragging isn't nice things to do, isn't it?"
"Right now, you're just being humble and know your place. But it won't be bad to show your pride sometime, right?"
Nitori doesn't immediately give her answer. Instead, he frowns for a moment, before she goes thinking about it. For some reason, she takes it so seriously that it's pretty funny to see it. After a moment of struggle to keep myself in a straight face, Nitori finally nods and stares at me straightly.
"I think you're right. But I don't know how to really brag… I mean, I never really brag to other."
"Hn… aren't you a humble one?" I act as if thinking, before clap my hand. "Oh, then do you want me to teach you?"
"…Er… do you mean teaching me about how to brag?"
"Yes, I'll teach you how to do it properly. Think of it as a thanks for the trip and a sign of our newfound friendship, okay?"
"Okay… thank you! Then, please teach me!"
"Alright, then I'll teach you."
With a grin, I whisper the trick… no, the surefire way to do some prideful bragging which I got from a certain famous king in the novel I once read.
It takes a moment to tell her and actually make her believe it. Well, believing is one different thing, so after I've done, I lean back. Nitori actually stares at me, both in disbelieve and amazement that such a way of bragging could work.
"It… is it really working?"
"Without a doubt, it'll if you're certain about your position."
"I see… I should try it when I got the right time."
Nitori nods in approval. If one looks carefully at her, it can be seen that she's also eager to try it immediately when she has the right time and place to do so.
The wind breezes gently from the sky. Feeling the wind breeze, both I and Nitori immediately look toward where the wind comes from, and from there, as if a prayer of the kappa being answered, the right person for her to try the method I just tell her comes in a familiar form of the Moriya Shrine wind priestess, Kochiya Sanae.
"Good evening, you two." As soon as she lands at front of us, Sanae immediately gives a greeting.
"Good evening, Sanae-san." Nitori replies as I wave my hand as a reply, before she continues. "What brings you here today at times like this?"
"Um… Seeing you two from the sky, I'm a bit curious of what you two are doing." Sanae smiles in subtle embarrassment. "By the way, thank you for taking care of our new priest."
Sanae bows a bit with a smile. Seeing her, Nitori apparently fidgets a bit. It's pretty clear that she's still a bit dubious about the method I just told her. But seeing this position, there's no such perfect time as now. And so while Sanae's bowing, I take the advantage of the situation to nudge Nitori a bit with my elbow.
Of course, Nitori's surprised by the sudden nudge. But when she stares at me in doubt, I just give her a shrug, as if telling: "Do whatever you want." That's the only push I give her–
–Surprisingly, it works to my favor. While still a bit meek, Nitori takes a deep breath. And at the moment Sanae raises her head again, Nitori's hands are already folding under her chest.
"Think of it as my way to show my kindness to our so-called mutual relationship. Be grateful that I even give you a shred kindness, mongrels."
Nitori's face is full of pride, as if the earlier doubt and shy side has totally disappeared from her. And in contrast of her proud, arrogant-like smile….
…Sanae is staring in real surprise, that she remains silent….
…And I, who cannot hold the hilarity anymore, actually snorts while looking away.
And perhaps hearing my snort, Nitori actually snaps back to reality as she immediately stares at me and Sanae in shock. Her once prideful and arrogant expression slowly, slowly crumbles and she starts to get back into her meek, shy state.
Perhaps it's because of the guilty feeling about it but cannot really say it as it's too hilarious as well, I turn at the silent two–
"Well, I've dinner to take care, so I'll go first. Sorry, and thanks for the tour, Nitori. See you later."
–And with that farewell words, fly back to the shrine, ignoring the embarrassed shout of Nitori and Sanae's shout that asks for responsibility.
Actually, at the same night that day, right after the dinner, Sanae apparently lectures me not to fool people (which, of course, not taken in a serious note), and to seriously apologize to Nitori, which actually doesn't really get any support from anyone in the shrine who just laughs at it.
Author Note:
I guess hello for the week update now? Yes, hello it is! And as usual, thank you for reading.
It's a chapter that's just as long as the usual chapter. In this chapter, the one that becomes the focus is the kappa, especially Nitori. That said and all, I hope I don't mess up with her personality and please do tell if I do mess up. Also at a side note, If you read carefully, you might know who the next spotlight will be. (?)
That's it for the author note now. Well, see you in next chapter!