I have an unlimited number of shikigami

The place for drawing lots is in a small pavilion next to the main hall.

Fujiwara Izaya spent 100 yen to have Hoshimi Rinko choose a fortune slip for him, then slowly opened it himself without showing it to her.

【fierce】

Ok.

It's all fake, a scam.

"This is completely useless," Fujiwara Izaya thought. "It would be more reliable to just go to the Goddess of Fate and have her personally tie the knot."

Seeing him throw the fortune slip into the trash can, Hoshimi Rinko smiled and said, "Not good?"

“It’s a great fortune, but I don’t believe in that.” Fujiwara Izaya stared at her suspiciously. “Your Hachiman Shrine wouldn’t make every fortune slip have a great fortune just to get more donations from tourists, would it?”

"Did you remember the scenery along the way?" Hoshimi Rinko asked casually.

"Did I miss something special?" Fujiwara Izaya looked back the way he came.

Hoshimi Rinko covered her lips with the back of her hand, a cheerful smile spreading across her face: "If you don't remember this time, there won't be a next time. Because of what you just said, I've decided to put you on the Hachiman Shrine's blacklist and ban you from visiting again."

In an instant, Fujiwara Izaya could no longer hear any sound.

She is shrewd and clever, but her appearance is as calm as still water. Looking at her smile, it is as if you can see the bottom of a clear lake.

Feeling a little uncomfortable under Fujiwara Izaya's gaze, Hoshimi Rinko lowered her hand and glanced at her shrine maiden outfit: "Is something wrong?"

"If this were our first meeting, I might have fallen in love at first sight," Fujiwara Izaya exclaimed in disbelief.

For a moment, a blush appeared on Hoshimi Rinko's face, but then she habitually adopted the elegant demeanor of a young lady and said condescendingly, "You only lust after women."

Seeing that Fujiwara Izaya still had that same surprised expression as if he had seen a fairy, she turned around and walked towards the backyard. Her slightly flushed cheeks and unsteady steps were captivating.

Turning into the backyard, a field came into view. Radishes grew on the west side, and a fence stretched to the east, with Schisandra chinensis bearing red berries twining around it. Beside the field was a pavilion by the water, where the four chairmen of the Kanto branch of the Yin-Yang Bureau were already waiting.

Chapter 185. Senior's Confession

Inside the pavilion, Mrs. Kasahara held a teacup and turned her gaze away from Fujiwara Izaya.

She wore a shrine maiden's outfit adorned with gold-edged magnolias, exuding a noble and dignified air. Her unsmiling demeanor towards Fujiwara Izaya made it seem as if she had never been to the spirit village, much less seen him in private.

Mrs. Hoshimi and the head of the Tsuchimikado family are discussing the contents of the meeting.

Rinko Hoshimi was making tea, while Asuka Kasahara had disappeared somewhere to play. Izaya Fujiwara listened to the old monk Kobun's explanation of the Sesshoseki (Killing Stone), his gaze catching a glimpse of the Kamakura sea, its surface shimmering softly in the afternoon sunlight.

"A youkai like Tamamo-no-Mae can destroy a small city in an instant with a single full-force attack. We cultivators should be on high alert; there's no way we can be optimistic, especially since this power is in the hands of a youkai driven by selfish desires..."

"Master, please have some tea."

Hoshimi Rinko offered a cup of tea to him from her slender palm.

"Alright." The old monk Hongwen smiled kindly and generously, appearing genuinely approachable. Sipping the tea brewed by the young girl, he momentarily forgot about Fujiwara Izaya, his eyes narrowing into slits with delight as he said, "Rinko, would you be interested in studying at my Senso-ji Temple? Your talent is so high, it shouldn't be confined to Shintoism… Besides, you have a connection with Buddhism…"

"It's all up to Mother to decide."

Hoshimi Rinko gave an elegant chuckle and bent down to order another cup of tea.

The cup of tea was given to Fujiwara Izaya. The shadows of the maple leaves were cast onto the shoulders and sleeves of her shrine maiden outfit by the setting sun, reflecting a soft light that made one feel her pure and genuine beauty.

Fujiwara Izaya finished his tea and then gave the old monk a dirty look.

Do you want my wife to become a nun at your place?

Believe it or not, I'll go and replace the Buddha statue in your main hall with my mountain god statue tonight.

Mrs. Hoshimi glanced over and immediately cursed, "What a shameless old monk."

The old monk Hongwen laughed heartily.

The chairpersons are all seasoned veterans who have worked together for many years; a few playful insults between them won't damage their friendship.

"Have the discussions among the various parties reached a conclusion?" Fujiwara Izaya asked Mrs. Hoshimi.

“Each company must send half of its staff to Tochigi Prefecture.” Mrs. Hoshimi sipped her tea, glanced at him, and said with a smile, “As the acting chairman, shouldn’t you set an example?”

"No, no, no!" Fujiwara Izaya quickly shook his head.

When Hoshimi Rinko saw that his teacup was empty, she bent down and ordered him another one, the tea swirling in the cup.

"Isn't Fujiwara-kun nervous?" The head of the Tsuchimikado family gently patted his crossed legs.

"That's just his personality. He doesn't get easily surprised when things happen; he remains calm and composed," Mrs. Kasahara replied on behalf of her son-in-law.

"It's not that exaggerated. I just feel very safe. After all, even if the sky falls, all the chairmen are here to support me." Fujiwara Izaya said humbly, adopting the demeanor of a junior. "Especially the head of the family, everyone knows you are the number one person in our Kanto region. I was really looking forward to seeing your prowess in this incident."

"Just call me uncle," the head of the Tsuchimikado family said with a smile.

Fujiwara Izaya bowed slightly: "Hello, Uncle."

"Speaking of which, I'm quite satisfied with you." The head of the Tsuchimikado family, recalling the relationship between his Fujiwara and Tsuchimikado families, looked at him with a half-smile and said, "My youngest daughter is 13 this year, and she's quite good-looking and talented. How about we get engaged?"

Rinko Hoshimi paused, spilling some tea.

“I like older girls.” Fujiwara Izaya took the tea that his senior had offered him with both hands. Her eyes seemed to be telling him something, so he continued, “Like senior, I’ve liked someone like that for a long time.”

"Ha ha……"

Three of the board chairpersons laughed.

The one who didn't laugh was Chairman Hoshimi.

Hoshimi Rinko lowered her eyes, putting on a docile and innocent look, her cheeks slightly flushed.

The head of the Tsuchimikado family then explained the current standoff between humans and yokai to Fujiwara Izaya.

There are three main groups of monsters.

The Tengu clan, due to the disappearance of the Great Tengu, saw the remaining seven Tengu constantly fighting amongst themselves; the Oni clan, due to the death of Ibaraki-doji, saw Shuten-doji become depressed and decadent, losing his former glory; and the Fox clan, due to the sealing of Tamamo-no-Mae, had been forced to endure humiliation for thousands of years.

Originally evenly matched, the lack of leadership within each of the major demon clans allowed humanity to gain an absolute advantage in the years of struggle.

If Tamamo-no-Mae were to appear, the situation would become turbulent again.

The demon race is not without strength, it just lacks a leader.

As one of the three great demons, Tamamo-no-Mae possesses both the status and strength to become a leader. Furthermore, Tamamo-no-Mae herself harbors a dying wish to become a leader; having been sealed away for a thousand years, she needs to rally all demons to avenge their grievances.

Fujiwara Izaya listened silently.

It is foreseeable that if Tamamo-no-Mae were to actually emerge, the current peaceful and stable situation would certainly be disrupted.

Time flew by, and the evening mist had already enveloped the area, deepening the colors of the maple forest. In the western sky, the setting sun painted the sky a deep crimson, making the sea appear even more somber.

"Whether we can stop Tamamo-no-Mae from coming out depends mainly on whether you can find where the Yellow Pine Jade is." The head of the Tsuchimikado family pondered, picked up his tea and took a sip. "According to our guess, the fox clan is buying up Yellow Pine Jade in order to set up a strong barrier around the Sesshoseki to block our attack, so as to buy time to break the seal."

"Can't the head of the family actively reinforce the seal?" Fujiwara Izaya asked in confusion.

“There’s nothing we can do,” the head of the Tsuchimikado family said calmly. “Our Tsuchimikado family still has the sealing spell recorded, but our founder used the power of the Yasakani no Magatama when he cast the seal. And the Yasakani no Magatama is currently sealing Rashomon. Unless the seal on Rashomon is broken…”

Fujiwara Izaya said helplessly, "Then forget it."

Rashomon, located in Kyoto, is the gate connecting the underworld (the realm of the dead) and the human world.

Compared to the vast army of undead in the Underworld... Baby Tamamo is actually quite cute.

"The Sesshoseki is located in the crater of a volcano, and the extremely high temperature makes it impossible for humans to guard it for long," the head of the Tsuchimikado family continued. "All we can do is keep watch on the perimeter and rush over to deal with any abnormalities as soon as possible. If a heat-resistant yokai has set up a barrier in the crater, it will be very dangerous for us. So what you are doing now is very important."

Fujiwara Izaya raised his head and stared at the head of the Tsuchimikado family.

“I will find the best solution,” he said, emphasizing each word.

"Alright, I'll wait for your news in Tochigi Prefecture." The head of the Tsuchimikado family stood up and patted him on the shoulder affectionately before leaving. "For the sake of Kanto and for the stability of the world, please do your best, Fujiwara-kun."

"Rinko, please see the head of the family out," Mrs. Hoshimi instructed.

"I'll go as well."

With the shameless thought that he was also the master, Fujiwara Izaya followed along eagerly.

The sunset faded, and the soft red sunlight gradually thinned.

After seeing the head of the Tsuchimikado family off, the two returned to the main palace along the stone steps. As the sun set, the twilight mist became hazy, as tranquil as if it had vanished without a trace, and night gradually covered the sky.

"Senior, do you think I'm very polite?" Fujiwara Izaya suddenly asked.

"What?" Hoshimi Rinko didn't understand what he meant at first.

"Look, as a co-host, I personally see my guests off. Isn't that a proper way to treat guests?"

"Do you see that pool of water?"

"Genji Pond, what's wrong?"

"Go in and wash yourself, see if you can wash away the filth from your soul."

"Is it okay to take mixed baths?"

"Can't you understand what I'm saying?"

"Wait for me, I'll go and chase everyone away. I won't allow anyone but me to see your Xiaoping... Ouch, don't hit me!"

The two of them walked up the mountain at the same pace.

The girl walked slowly, and Fujiwara Izaya had long been used to it, so he would subconsciously slow down to match her pace, and the two of them leisurely watched the twilight in the mountains and forests.

The mountain is not high, and its undulating shape is reflected in the hazy light.

Pale purple and pink light and shadow floated on the roof of the building, and the lush branches of the maple trees stretched freely in all directions. Looking up at the sky from below, the black and red tips of the leaves were like lace embellishments on the sky.

“It’s so beautiful,” Rinko Hoshimi said happily.

Fujiwara Izaya looked at her.

A fiery red glow lingered on half of the girl's delicate face, down to her neck. Rarely showing her innocent and carefree side, her heart must now be filled with a warm and radiant light.

"The scenery is so beautiful mainly because I'm with you," Fujiwara Izaya said rather narcissistically.

"Perhaps, you're quite handsome, but you're a bit dull and boring. But that's alright..." Hoshimi Rinko expressed her disdain for him with a very elegant smile.

A handsome but boring man... Fujiwara Izaya didn't believe that this was the person she truly was.

With her hands behind her back in a very girlish pose, Hoshimi Rinko bluntly stated, "I'm generally lenient towards handsome boys, but you're an exception."

Just as Fujiwara Izaya was about to ask why he couldn't be more lenient with him, Hoshimi Rinko continued, "I can't be lenient with you because I'm somewhat helpless in front of you. Things like rationality stop working properly when it comes to you. Even though I know there's a problem, I just can't help it and can't change it no matter what I do. For someone as perfect as me in every way, this is probably my most fatal weakness."

Why did you suddenly confess...? Fujiwara Izaya smiled and said, "It's some kind of chronic illness."