The car stopped in front of a low hill.
The shrine was situated on this hill.
They could either walk or take the cable car up.
There was no escalator here.
Because want to saw the small animals, everyone decided to walk.
The hill wasn't very high, and even Eriri, who wasn't fond of physical activities, could make the climb.
Just as they got off the car and walked a few steps up the stairs, a rabbit suddenly dashed out from the grass beside the steps and ran across in front of them.
After running a few steps, it stopped and turned its head to look at the people on the stairs.
Finally, before Eriri could step forward, it had already run away.
"Darn it!" Eriri puffed her cheeks in annoyance.
Yukima Azuma gently patted her blonde hair. "Were you planning to roast it if you caught it?"
Hearing this, Eriri widened her eyes.
"Of course not! A cute rabbit like that, how could I eat it?!"
"Then there's nothing to be upset about. By the way, let's have spicy rabbit head for dinner tonight."
"Gokuri~... Azuma! You're so cruel!"
"You just swallowed your saliva, didn't you?"
Eriri immediately fell silent.
She felt her willpower weakening.
If she really caught a rabbit later, she might ask Yukima Azuma to cook it.
There was no other way. Yukima Azuma's cooking skills were truly amazing.
When they reached the top of the mountain, the vast green forest below came into clear view.
Kato Megumi looked at the forest scenery and took a photo.
Eriri ran over to the fortune slip booth and stood in line.
After getting in line, she waved her hand to call everyone over, signaling for Yukima Azuma and the others to join her.
Following the mentality of "since we're here, we should try it," everyone decided to draw a fortune.
The fortune slips at Asahikawa Shrine were divided into categories: fate, career, and relationships.
Eriri had gotten in line early.
But when it was her turn to draw a slip, she hesitated and stepped back.
"Senpai, do you want to try the relationship one?" Yukima Azuma asked with a smile.
Kasumigaoka shot Yukima Azuma a glare.
Her relationships, did she really need to check that?
Without looking back, she stepped straight to the career fortune bin.
After tossing a coin into the prayer pond beside her, she drew a slip randomly.
"So, how is it? What does it say?"
Eriri leaned in eagerly to listen.
Yukima Azuma was also curious, leaning down to look over.
Before his rebirth, Yukima Azuma didn't believe in any divine matters, purely an atheist.
But now
The events surrounding Yotsuya Miko made Yukima Azuma realize that perhaps, believing in a little bit wouldn't hurt?
Kasumigaoka Utaha flipped over the fortune slip in her hand.
The two characters "Daikatsu" (Great Blessing) appeared before her eyes.
This was the best fortune, equivalent to the greatest luck.
Seeing the good fortune, everyone exclaimed in unison: "Wow!"
However, Kasumigaoka herself didn't seem to care at all.
She looked down at the fortune and read it aloud:
"Like a crane escaping the cage, escaping the cage, the path is wide and unobstructed; North, South, East, and West do not hinder, you may rise straight to the nine-tiered palace."
Looking up, Kasumigaoka Utaha seemed a little confused. "What does this mean?"
"If we interpret it literally, it's saying that senpai has escaped from a bad environment, and from now on, the future will be smooth and uninterrupted," Yukima Azuma translated the old text, a role he was quite familiar with.
After translating, Yukima Azuma raised an eyebrow.
It seemed... quite reasonable, didn't it?
Recently, Kasumigaoka Utaha had switched from Fujikawa Publishing to Laplace Bunko.
Since the move, her literary skills had reached level seven.
Changing the environment, with level seven literary skills, the future would surely be bright and expansive.
Upon hearing this, Kasumigaoka Utaha tucked the lucky fortune slip into her handbag.
She looked toward the relationship fortune bin.
Kato Megumi, without hesitation, walked toward the relationship fortune bin.
After tossing in a coin, she chose a slip based on her feelings.
When she flipped it over, the two characters "Daikatsu" appeared again.
"Day and night, thinking of it, with a jewel in hand; hearts and minds in mutual understanding, wisdom leads to destiny."
After reading the fortune, Kato Megumi tilted her head and looked at Yukima Azuma.
Yukima Azuma clicked his tongue.
"The first half means, if you keep overthinking and searching endlessly, it's not as good as looking within yourself, you're already good enough."
"The second half means that those with wisdom will recognize good people, and when two people's minds align, the best fate will come."
Upon hearing this, Kato Megumi's mouth couldn't help but curl into a smile.
She then carefully placed the slip into her handbag, keeping it safe.
"Hearts and minds in mutual understanding." She whispered to herself.
Kasumigaoka Utaha saw this scene and couldn't help but feel a bit regretful and slightly jealous.
She couldn't hold back and drew another relationship fortune slip.
When she flipped it over, it was still "Daikatsu."
This fortune was easy to understandit was an ancient poem.
"During the snow butterfly season, the willow branches bind with golden threads, laughter fills the air, fragrance spreads far. Among the crowd, searching for that one person a thousand times. Suddenly, turning back, that person is there, in the dim light."
This time, Kasumigaoka Utaha didn't need Yukima Azuma to translate, she understood the meaning of the fortune.
The corner of her mouth curled up slightly.
Kasumigaoka Utaha also placed the fortune slip into her handbag.
"Daikatsu, that's all there is to it!"
Eriri, seeing that both of them had consecutively drawn "Daikatsu" three times, immediately felt at ease.
In her heart, she silently thought:
"This shrine must be the type that comforts tourists. All the fortune slips in the bin are Daikatsu."
After tossing in a coin, Eriri eagerly drew a slip from the relationship fortune bin.
The result, when flipped over
"Makatsu" (Small Blessing)
"Why is this happening!!!"
Eriri looked at the slip in her hand, almost ready to burst into tears.
Yukima Azuma tried to hold back his laughter and comforted her:
"Makatsu also means that you will gradually move toward something better, and through effort, you can achieve good luck."
"So, the Makatsu fortune means you need to put in effort, and through your own strength, you can change your fate."
Hearing this, Eriri pouted, feeling somewhat dissatisfied.
"Effort! Right, I have to earn my own relationship luck!"
But how do I put in effort?
A big question mark appeared over Eriri's head.
"Azuma-san, aren't you going to draw a fortune?" Kato Megumi, noticing that Yukima Azuma wasn't stepping forward, asked curiously.
"Hm... since we're here, I might as well try."
Yukima Azuma thought for a moment, and in the end, decided to draw a fortune from the "Fate" bin.
After drawing it, he glanced at the result:
"Makatsu."
It turned out, even he had to make an effort.
The fortune slip truly seemed to fit Yukima Azuma's current mood.
Luck, after all, was unreliable.
To achieve something, one must strive for it themselves.
Whether it's wealth or relationships, whatever Yukima Azuma wanted, he would take it into his hands, leaving no opportunity for it to be reversed.
He casually tucked the fortune slip back into the bin, then clapped his hands and said:
"Let's go, we'll take the cable car."
"Compared to walking down, the cable car offers a better view."
Once everyone boarded the cable car.
In different corners of the shrine, a few white rabbits vaguely appeared, slowly peeking their heads out.
They watched as the cable car gradually moved away, their front paws moving as if wiping nonexistent cold sweat. Afterward, those rabbits seemed to sigh in relief.
On the cable car.
Yukima Azuma slowly retracted the aura of shogi that he had spread out.
If not for Yukima Azuma, Yotsuya Miko might have been overwhelmed by evil spirits, forced to seek help at a shrine.
The one who helped her was originally a being akin to a mountain deity there.
Essentially, such entities seemed to be a higher evolutionary state of vengeful spirits.
This time at the shrine, Yukima Azuma intentionally expanded his aura from his "shogi board," hoping to find any traces of such spirits.
But he found nothing.
It was unclear whether the shrine didn't have a deity protecting it, or if his perception had become skewed.
Perhaps entities like mountain deities were fundamentally different from spirits, so he couldn't sense them.
There was no way to verify this for now.
Yukima Azuma set aside this speculation for the moment and prepared to return to Tokyo.
However, before leaving, a small incident occurred.
....
That night.
Since the second volume of the "Youth" light novel series was to be released the next day, Yukima Azuma stayed up later than usual.
He carefully checked the marketing plan one last time.
As he was about to stand up to turn off the lights, he heard a faint sound outside his room.
With the security of this villa, it couldn't possibly be a thief.
The window was also securely locked, so no small animals could have gotten in.
So, Yukima Azuma opened the door, intending to see what was going on.
But as soon as the door was halfway open...
"Thud!"
The door hit something, making a dull sound.
Yukima Azuma immediately heard a soft whimper and sobs from a girl.
He gave up on pushing the door open, instead leaning his head outside to investigate.
Outside, Eriri was crouching on the hallway floor, wearing her pajamas, her hands clutching her head.
Yukima Azuma stepped out through the open door, bent down, and helped Eriri to her feet.
"What's going on? It's late, and you're not sleeping, standing in front of my room. Could it be... this is the 'night raid' of legend?"
The statement was meant to be a joke, teasing Eriri's tsundere personality.
The usual reaction would have been:
"Who... who wants to raid you, BAKA!"
Or:
"What nonsense are you talking about! So shameless!"
But tonight, Eriri was different.
She just kept her head down, trying to pull her head deeper into her collar, as if trying to hide from something.
Seeing this reaction, Yukima Azuma blinked in surprise.
So... Eriri really came for a raid after all?
Chapter 132: After Abandoning Her Embarrassment, Eriri Charged Forward
So, did Eriri really come to "raid" after all?
This thought crossed Yukima Azuma's mind.
Following the philosophy that "opportunities don't come twice," this was definitely a moment to take a step forward.
After all, getting Eriri to take the initiative was as difficult as reaching the sky.
He took a step back, signaling for Eriri to enter his room.
Eriri's pale face was now flushed red as if it could bleed at any moment.
Her hands were covering her forehead, unsure if she was soothing the pain from the earlier collision or trying to hide her blushing face.
After a moment's hesitation, Eriri finally entered the room.
Yukima Azuma was once again taken aback.
It really was like the sun rising from the West.
He went into the kitchen, took some ice from the fridge, and returned to the room.
Eriri, still in her pajamas, was curled up on the chair in the room.
She hadn't used the chance while Yukima Azuma was away to run away.
Yukima Azuma placed the ice bag he made himself onto Eriri's forehead.
"Uwawa~!" She let out a small, surprised sound.
Her golden locks of hair fluttered slightly.
Eriri took the ice bag herself and began pressing it against her forehead.
Thanks to the cooling effect, Eriri appeared to be calming down a little.
"So, did Eriri really come to 'raid the night' after all?"
Yukima Azuma smiled faintly and moved closer to Eriri's cheek.
Eriri, still holding her forehead, was now just an arm's length away from Yukima Azuma.
She looked at the boy right before her at such close range.
Eriri really wanted to admit it right there.
Because she truly had planned it this way.
The fortune-telling at the shrine had really put a lot of pressure on Eriri.
No matter how oblivious she was, Eriri understood that her situation was dangerous.
She had already given her first kiss to this boy in the movie theater.
But since then, nothing had really progressed.
Every plan was either interrupted unexpectedly, or she became too tsundere and shy, giving up halfway.
If this kept going, she really would be seen as a fool.
Eriri, who had memorized ACG works, understood at least one thing.
When a character is associated with traits like "foolish" or "adorably dumb," their appeal is much less than real cuteness.
At the same time, humorous characters often find it hard to be loved.
The atmosphere between Yukima Azuma, Megumi, and that fat woman made Eriri unable to stop worrying.
She felt like she had been excluded from that circle.
She really couldn't stand it any longer.
"I" Eriri's cherry lips parted slightly, trying to say something impressive.
But after some stuttering, she ended up getting stuck at the final step.
A tsundere like Eriri inherently lacked the courage to go further.
Her gaze no longer dared to rest on the boy's face. As she looked around the messy room, she finally stopped at a novel on the table.
"I just came to borrow Azuma's book, couldn't sleep, what is Azuma thinking about!"
In the end, Eriri still acted tsundere.
Yukima Azuma wasn't surprised to hear this and straightened up.
He reached for the novel on the table.
"Is this the one Eriri meant~?"
Eriri glanced at it, feeling it was somewhat familiar, and nodded.
She remembered that this was the book Yukima Azuma had read on the plane.
Yukima Azuma stroked the title on the cover, his gaze carrying a hint of nostalgia.
"A Letter from an Unknown Woman."
A short novel by the famous Austrian author, Stefan Zweig.
"But this book, didn't Eriri already read it?"
Yukima Azuma's words made Eriri, who was deep in her own regret, freeze.
"Huh? I already read it?"
Eriri pointed to herself in confusion.
She had no memory of this book whatsoever.
