"I told you to just call me Miko," Yae Miko said, crossing her arms. Her movements sent ripples across the water's surface, causing the floating cherry blossoms to drift and sway with the current.
"That's right, it's exactly what you're thinking."
"Let's join forces and play a little trick on Ei."
"Eh!?"
Now, Kamisato Ayaka truly couldn't sit still.
Defying the will of the Raiden Shogun, plotting behind her back, and then becoming her enemy? That was nothing short of betraying Inazuma! If the Raiden Shogun discovered their intent and brought down divine punishment, the entire Kamisato Clan might be burdened with an eternal legacy of infamy!
Yae Miko's expression turned slightly playful as she pressed further. "Ayaka, is your resolve to possess Xi really so meager? If that's all there is to it, I think you'll be a very easy rival to deal with."
"It's not like that!"
Kamisato Ayaka didn't even stop to think before rebutting. "I truly want to be with Xi!"
Seeing that the fish had taken the bait, the corners of Yae Miko's mouth curled into a faint arc. "Fine, then show me that resolve."
"Think about it. As a human, how many years can you endure?"
"Xi is the Creator; his lifespan is bound to be immense."
"If you agree to team up with me, I will teach you the Kitsune secret techniques for extending one's life."
Kamisato Ayaka's eyes lit up. Yae Miko was right she had considered the problem of her lifespan before. She was just an ordinary human; how long could her youth remain, and how many years could this face be preserved?
It had to be said that the condition Yae Miko proposed was incredibly enticing. She wrapped herself in a white bath towel and stepped into the hot spring. A warm, cozy sensation flooded her heart, suppressing her inner anxieties.
"Alright, Miko. What do we need to do?"
Yae Miko stretched, her alluring figure on full display. Seeing this, Ayaka couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. Yae Miko's figure was simply too perfect! It made Ayaka feel a bit self-conscious; compared to Yae Miko, her own body didn't seem nearly as flawless.
A glint of cunning flashed in Yae Miko's eyes. Her little scheme had worked again!
In truth, she had been subtly influencing Ayaka's psyche from the very beginning. For instance, stating outright that she had already gained control over the Inner World was a power play meant to unsettle Ayaka's mind. Then came the invitation to the hot spring to show off her figure... all to distract her.
While Ayaka was preoccupied...
At that moment, a small pink fox burrowed into a bamboo basket where clothes were kept. It quickly located the Jade Flute and deployed a layer of Yokai Power over it. Ayaka didn't notice a thing.
This was her plan. With this layer of Yokai Power, she would be able to sense whenever the Jade Flute picked up on Ye Xi thinking about Kamisato Ayaka. She wanted to see if Ye Xi actually thought of Ayaka, and if those thoughts were frequent.
Meanwhile, Yae Miko said slowly, "The Raiden Shogun has issued the Sakoku Decree. The people of the Kanjou Commission and Tenryou Commission are suppressing the public's dissatisfaction with the Vision Hunt Decree."
"I want the Yashiro Commission to stop offering counsel. Keep Ei in the dark."
"When Xi returns to Inazuma and finds that Ei hasn't made any changes, he will surely be angry with her!"
Kamisato Ayaka had a sudden realization. Back when she was with Ye Xi, she had heard his inner voice. He had a headache because of the Vision Hunt Decree enacted by the Raiden Shogun. If the Raiden Shogun remained stubborn, Ye Xi would certainly be unhappy upon his return.
"In other words, I just need to tell my brother to stop his petitions to the Shogun, right?"
Yae Miko nodded. "As expected of the brilliant Shirasagi Himegimi."
Ayaka blushed slightly. In truth, the Yashiro Commission had been constantly petitioning the Raiden Shogun because of The Fatui. Because of this, the commission had received no small amount of criticism from the Shogun. If they stopped the advice, they would actually avoid a lot of trouble.
However, would Inazuma run into problems because of this? She couldn't let the people of Inazuma suffer!
Sensing Ayaka's concern, Yae Miko explained, "Don't worry. With me here, nothing will go wrong in Inazuma."
Ayaka nodded. "I understand, Miko."
"Good. Then I shall teach you the secret technique right now!"
As Yae Miko's sultry voice faded, Ayaka felt her body wrapped in a pink glow. It felt like a sacred baptism of cherry blossoms the power of Narukami Ogosho!
"There. You have received my Yokai Power. From now on, you just need to eat more."
"Extending your life requires absorbing more energy, so you must eat until you are full."
"I will also prepare some special food based on your condition. As long as you follow my requirements for replenishing your energy, you can obtain a much longer life."
Yae Miko covered her red lips and smiled faintly, perfectly hiding the mischievous smirk at the corner of her mouth. In truth, she had already used her Yokai Power to extend Ayaka's life. As for the part about eating more? Naturally, that was to make Ayaka fat!
If she ate mountains of delicacies every day, she would swell up in no time. When Ye Xi returned and saw a plump Kamisato Ayaka, he would surely feel a sense of disdain. If that happened, it would be the fox's victory!
She felt that if Ye Xi found out about this, he would definitely curse her in his heart as a "Sly Fox" several times over. Yae Miko felt a secret surge of joy.
Meanwhile, the oblivious Kamisato Ayaka didn't think twice about it. Instead, she thanked her with gratitude. "Thank you, Guuji Yae! I will definitely work hard to replenish my energy!"
Seeing Ayaka so obedient, Yae Miko almost laughed out loud. Imagining the future "pudgy" Ayaka, she felt a tiny flicker of pity.
What a shame...
She smiled brightly and leaned toward Ayaka. "Don't mention it. Come, let me see what it is that Xi likes about you so much~"
"Eh!"
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