"If it's a Test of Courage, there will definitely be groups. So... Yu Xie, who would you like to team up with?" After a subtle silence, Kitsune Saiguu spoke first.
Everyone looked at Yu Xie, their gazes fixed, waiting for his answer.
Yu Xie fell into silence.
The firelight illuminated everyone's figures, each one so graceful and beautiful, each face so flawless.
Sometimes, Yu Xie really couldn't tell whether this was a blessing or a curse.
At least there were no yandere types.
But then again, having Yu Xie make such a choice wasn't exactly easy, was it?
"How about this, let's draw lots, like we did when deciding who would go fishing?" At this point, Makoto proposed an idea.
"I think that works. Let fate decide," Yae Miko agreed.
The others fell silent for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
But Kitsune Saiguu smiled helplessly at this moment. "I knew it would turn out like this, so I prepared a second plan."
"A second plan?" Chiyo asked, puzzled.
Shen He also looked toward Kitsune Saiguu, her expression full of confusion.
"It's just that the second plan might be a bit of a hassle for Yu Xie," Kitsune Saiguu turned to Yu Xie again, smiling as she spoke.
.......
The night was deep, and the forest was utterly silent.
Only the sound of Yu Xie and Yae Miko's footsteps could be heard.
The two were very close, with Yae Miko clinging tightly to Yu Xie, like an ordinary little girl, unwilling to be too far apart.
The second plan—starting that evening, Yu Xie would participate in six rounds of the Test of Courage, teaming up with each person one at a time.
The lucky Yae Miko had drawn the first opportunity to team up with Yu Xie.
"Yu Xie, are you scared?" Yae Miko asked softly.
"Not really," Yu Xie replied.
Some time had passed since the two entered the forest, yet they hadn't encountered anything strange. The forest was so quiet it felt as if everything was sound asleep.
"I... I'm a little scared. Can I hold your hand?" Yae Miko asked.
"Aren't you already holding it?"
Indeed, before she even said those words, Yae Miko had already tightly grasped Yu Xie's hand, as if she were genuinely frightened.
But whether or not she was truly scared, Yu Xie couldn't tell.
Would Miss Yae Miko, the current head priestess of Narukami Shrine, really be afraid of a Test of Courage?
Maybe…
But no matter what, even if her fear was feigned, Yu Xie couldn't call her out on it.
It was just that… Yae Miko was holding on very tightly. She had pulled Yu Xie's hand toward her chest, and his arm could feel a gentle, soft pressure against it.
"Yae Miko, if we encounter any monsters later, you can't just attack them out of fear," Yu Xie reminded her.
After all, the monsters involved in the Test of Courage were all friends of Kitsune Saiguu. They weren't the harmful kind, most likely just playful little demons.
If the staff got beaten up, it would be hard to explain.
"I... I know!" Yae Miko replied, holding onto Yu Xie's hand as she cautiously observed their surroundings.
Yu Xie found it increasingly difficult to tell whether Yae Miko was genuinely scared or not.
Given Yae Miko's personality, it was hard to imagine her being frightened by a Test of Courage…
The two continued walking, and just then, a faint sound came from the quiet forest.
Yae Miko suddenly stopped in her tracks, her expression turning uneasy. "Yu Xie, did you see that? Something seemed to float past over there..."
"Did it? I didn't see anything," Yu Xie replied.
"I'm telling you, there was! I really saw something!" Yae Miko said, her voice tinged with both fear and excitement.
At that moment, a cool breeze blew past them from behind, and Yae Miko quickly turned her head, catching sight of a white figure drifting through the bushes behind them.
With a startled cry, Yae Miko dove into Yu Xie's arms, clinging tightly to him.
"Yae Miko?"
"T-there's something strange behind us..." Yae Miko whispered softly.
Yu Xie turned to glance behind them but saw nothing.
"Whatever it was, it seems to have gone," Yu Xie said.
"Really?" Yae Miko's voice was so soft it was barely louder than a mosquito's buzz.
"Really. You can look for yourself."
"I'm not looking, I'm scared," Yae Miko replied, shaking her head furiously. She kept her eyes tightly shut and clung to Yu Xie, unwilling to let go.
"But if you stay like this, how are we supposed to keep walking?"
Yae Miko remained silent, refusing to let go of Yu Xie. She buried her face in his chest, the corners of her mouth curling into a faint, almost imperceptible smile.
She knew that Yu Xie might have realized she wasn't truly scared, but he didn't call her out on it, letting her act as she pleased.
This was Yu Xie's kindness.
After about a minute, Yae Miko finally began to loosen her grip. But just then, another gust of wind swept through, and a rustling sound came from the tree above them.
Yae Miko looked up and saw a frightening face in the branches. It was likely a trick from some mischievous monster trying to scare unwary humans who wandered into their territory.
Realizing what it was, Yae Miko let out a startled cry and immediately leapt onto Yu Xie.
She clung to him head-on, wrapping herself around him like a sloth using a tree trunk.
Yu Xie also looked up and saw the frightening face in the tree but remained unfazed.
"…Yae Miko?" Yu Xie asked with concern.
"There's a face in the tree…" Yae Miko whispered softly, clinging tightly to Yu Xie, her body trembling slightly.
"I saw it too, but it's nothing to worry about," Yu Xie said.
"…I'm scared."
Yu Xie had no choice but to gently pat Yae Miko's back, like comforting a child.
And so, Yae Miko stayed clinging to Yu Xie for a few minutes.
"The face is gone now," Yu Xie said.
"But I…" Yae Miko buried her face in Yu Xie's shoulder and neck, keeping her eyes shut.
"Alright, alright, I get it," Yu Xie said helplessly. He let Yae Miko stay as she was and started walking forward.
Yae Miko's hair brushed against Yu Xie's face, tickling him slightly, and her faint fragrance filled the air around him.
Come to think of it, Yae Miko was really very light.
Carrying Yae Miko's weight like this, Yu Xie didn't feel tired at all.
Instead, what he felt most distinctly was an extraordinary softness and warmth.
Meanwhile, Yae Miko kept her face buried in Yu Xie's shoulder and neck, catching the faint scent of him.
She knew that what she was doing might seem a little improper, but there was nothing she could do about it. Even if it was fleeting, she just wanted to hold Yu Xie like this and take in everything about him.
She only wished Yu Xie would walk a little slower, and that this path could stretch on a little longer.
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