Chapter 82

Genji was to be taken from the village to a remote clearing in the forest where the ceremony would take place. Genji took his shirt off, but kept his bandages on. He laid down on a wooden platform that he would be carried on to the forest. According to Murasaki, he would be too weak to walk by the time he arrived on his own.

She arrived with the reason why.

She rode to him on Hasanko's back. Attached to the elk's saddle were several potions and Shinto items, including a Shinto club with paper diamond chains, several scrolls, and several bottles filled with Gods know what. Murasaki was still dressed in her oracle robes, and she jumped off Hasanko's back with one rather small bottle the size of a perfume bottle made from blown red glass.

"This is a potion about a month old, but it is still good. It will drain you of all but a little ki. You will be rendered helpless, unable to move. However, the demon will be weakened as well, and not be able to resist treatment. I recommend that you try to go to sleep after drinking this."

**How long will this have effect?**

"Twenty hours."

**Okay.**

Murasaki took the cork out of the bottle and handed it to Genji. He put the bottleneck to his lips, and threw his head back, downing every drop. It was very warm and sweet, like whole fat milk. He licked his lips after completely cleaning out the whole bottle, then he lay down on the wooden platform on his back. Murasaki knelt down next to him, and stroked his cheek carefully with the backs of her fingers.

"You will be asleep through most of this, so don't be nervous."

**I'm not nervous. Are you, Saki-chan?**

Murasaki lowered her eyes to the ground.

"Well…I…I hope I don't make a mistake. I don't want anything bad to happen to you… It would all be my fault if something did…"

Genji smiled, and lifted his hand to hers to hold it.

**You won't make a mistake. There's no pressure on you. Just relax, and you'll do fine.**

Murasaki smiled back, gripping his hand tenderly.

"You're a gift from the Gods, Genji-chan." She kissed him on the nose. He closed his eyes and blushed as he let go of her hand.

She sat by his side as Hasanko sniffed at the boy's moccasins. They waited until the lifters would come to take the platform to the woods. Meanwhile, Genji could hear something he never heard before: his demon and his guardian arguing with each other.

I have been kissed by my Coral-chan…but it is not enough. I want more than her lips…I want her…

Will you shut up already! You horny leach! Her name isn't Coral, it's Murasaki!

She will be my Coral-chan until the real Coral-chan and I reunite in the afterli…

Since when did you decide to go player?! And Masq was never yours!

She fell for me first…

Face it, she's mine!

She is not!

She is too!

Is not!

Is too!

Is not!

Is too!

Is not!

Is too!

Is not!

Is too!

Is not!

You can be such a little kid!

Shut up!

Genji smiled to himself as he fell asleep.

Keep fighting, demon. You won't be struggling long…