"I want you to tell me everything about Otake Maru."

"...You could just ask the onmyoji in Kyoto about this kind of thing. I don't have time right now - ah!" I wanted to refuse and turn around, but my ankle was rolled up by her tail at some point.

Then he picked me up upside down and said, "Hey——"

"It's such a rare opportunity, let's grill the fish and talk slowly." Suzuka Gozen seemed quite calm, and he carried me by his tail and walked towards the shore.

Now I can't resist.

So we set up a fire on a bank of the Arakawa River, and Suzuka Gozen got the fish from somewhere, put it on the fire and started grilling it.

"I have indeed been at the source of the Sai River. I didn't expect that this matter would take more than two hundred years." Suzuka Gozen was a bit clumsy and not as familiar as Otakemaru.

I really couldn't stand it, so I pushed her hand away: "It's useless to say such things now. I only found out after I came out that the time at the source of the Sai River is distorted. So what? You go to Sai

Have you found the person you are looking for at the source of the river?"

"Huh? I don't think I told you that I was looking for someone, right?" Suzuka Gozen asked.

"Of course this is my guess." I turned the fish over on the fire and replied a little harshly.

Suzuka Gozen did not deny it: "You are right, I went to find someone and found him. After hearing what happened in Kyoto and Suzuka Mountain, I rushed back immediately. Unexpectedly, it was still too late."

"..."

"...I'm very skilled at grilling fish."

"...Young master taught me, what's more, it's not a big deal, right?"...Of course I learned it secretly, I can't say it, because Otakemaru often grills fish for me, right?

"It seems that you have a really good relationship." Suzuka Gozen said thoughtfully.

I turned the fish over and said, "I don't know if our relationship is good or not, but he often talks about you to me."

"My thing?"

"It's all about how he was bullied by you when he was a child." I added.

"I didn't bully him." Suzuka Gozen's tail patted the beach lightly, "So, did he say anything else to you?"

"...Mt. Suzuka." I answered simply, "I guess you are going to ask me how I met him next. That is also very simple. I was saved by him."

"But they said that you later left Suzuka Mountain, and according to the rules of Suzuka Mountain he gave -"

I picked up a bunch of fish that was almost grilled and handed it to her: "I want to leave on my own, because at that time, no one can stop me."

Suzuka Gozen looked at me, and I realized that the white of her right eye had turned black.

Is it because you stayed in the underworld for too long?

She paused for a while and did not take my fish.

Could she be doubting me——

"Even now."

I added.

Suzuka Gozen looked away and took the fish in my hand: "I'm sorry."

"It's nothing, I've never been trusted anyway, so I'm used to it." I said nonchalantly.

Suddenly, there was a weight on top of my head, pressing my head easily.

"It's not good to get used to this kind of thing." Suzuka Gozen seemed very satisfied and rubbed my head like an elder, "Let's not talk about Otakemaru. Why do you say you don't have time?"

"Of course it's because you didn't come back, leaving the young master alone to guard the house. I was worried that he would be killed by Qingming, so I protected him secretly, but my body can no longer bear it... In short, the situation is a bit complicated, and I can't explain it clearly to you in a few words.

." I picked up a skewer of grilled fish and waved away her hand on my head, "I'm going to the underworld now to find Bianhuahua, your old acquaintance."

"She and I are not old acquaintances, but why are you looking for her?" Suzuka Gozen ate a fish, "She is not simple."

"This kind of thing..."

"...?"

"Tsk...forget it, how long do you think I can live like this?"

"Huh? No wonder you have restrained yourself so much since I last saw you. Since you want to go there, do you know how to get there?"

"...of course."

"If you are in danger - you are half-dead, it is better not to fight with others, and run back quickly."

"...I'm not stupid."

Is it an illusion...I always feel that Suzuka Gozen is more nagging than Otakemaru.

"Although this is my guess, don't try to find Otakemaru in the underworld." Suzuka Gozen bit off the last fish on the stick, "I have already searched that place."

"…What are you talking about?"

"Assuming that you are not a sea monster, if you go to the underworld, wouldn't you look for Otakemaru in the underworld?"

"Is there any way you can-"

"...On the surface, you pretend not to care about anything, but in fact you are worried to death? So, are you worried? Don't worry, this time, no matter what, I will find him." Suzuka Gozen interrupted me and threw

He dropped the wooden stick in his hand and said, "I will find out about Otakemaru. If you want to go to the underworld, you should go as soon as possible. Be careful."

"...I didn't say that. I just wanted to know if there was a possibility of his resurrection." I said with a completely different mood than before.

Suzuka Gozen suddenly came closer. I couldn't help but stiffen and looked at her with some confusion.

"What, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm a little concerned."

"..."

"You are a half-demon, and you have a strong human scent - you said that, right? You have your own family, so why don't you go home?"

Those amber eyes looked at me with a gentleness similar to Otakemaru.

"...Like you, I can't go back. However, I chose to wander around because my family is gone."

"...I'm sorry." Suzuka Gozen felt a little at a loss for my answer.

"It's just a fact." I thought about it and added, "At that time, when he was in the underworld, my brother was still there, but there were already cracks in the relationship between us."

Suzuka Gozen didn't say anything, she just stretched out her hand and rubbed my head again.

I couldn't help but frown at her behavior: "Hey, please show some restraint. I don't seem to be that familiar with you, right?"

Suzuka Gozen laughed: "Then what is your relationship with Otakemaru?

"This..." I was stopped by this question.

Suzuka Gozen took back her hand and suppressed her smile: "Family, right?"

"..."

"It seems I'm right. Since that's the case, I'm that guy's sister. Shouldn't you call me 'sister', or 'sister'? I won't refuse."

!!!

...Why can’t I deal with such shameless monsters and people?

As if my thoughts were revealed, hot heat filled my ears, and even my breathing became rapid.

"Really, there's nothing we can do about you." Just when I thought Suzuka Gozen was going to continue speaking, she stood up, "It's easy to be misunderstood if you are so shy."

"You want to take care of it?!" I said with great displeasure.

"Then, let's stop here. If you're tired, come over to Mount Suzuka."

An arrow was handed to me.

I raised my head slightly and saw Suzuka Gozen looking at me: "No matter what, you are also part of Suzuka Mountain."

"But, I didn't do anything for Suzuka Mountain. At that time, I also left Suzuka Mountain..." I didn't take the arrow, "I... just did these things because of guilt, and it was totally not worth it-"

"

"Then it's up to you." Suzuka Gozen put the arrow aside, "I'll take the first step."

"Hello--"

Suzuka Gozen didn't look back, just waved her hand and finally left.

Logically speaking, at this time, I should feel abandoned and lonely, but this time...

He looked down at the arrow, picked it up and threw it into the storage bag without hesitation.

I thought of the purple ||yang|| flower and wood sculpture that I had pinned down at the bottom, but I just thought about it for a moment, then got up and left.

When I stood in the Santu River again, I still felt that it was the time when A Xi ran towards me with a fresh expression on her face that I had never seen before.

"I didn't expect that woman to leave and you to come again. It seems that my Santu River is quite popular." The graceful figure of Bianhuahua appeared from the red bank of Santu River.

Now, although I have the memory of being a human being for thousands of years, I have long lost the memory of being a "god". Therefore, I still retain a small amount of doubt about whether I am a "god".

The woman Higanhana was talking about...couldn't it be Suzuka Gozen?

"As far as I know, the body I made for your brother was eaten by you, so I can't make another one for you. However, if you are willing to pay the price with your soul, it is not impossible." Biganhua looked at me.
To be continued...