Futaba stood by the corridor, watching the moon in the sky.
The moon emerged from behind the clouds, casting silver-white light that covered the entire courtyard like a layer of frost. The wind blew, rustling the bamboo leaves.
‘The first step of the plan is complete.’
‘Having drunk the Divine Grace, I’m now Tsukuyomi’s person. Chihaya won’t guard against me approaching You anymore. At least, not as strictly as before. I already have a list in my head of what to do next.’
‘First, make You-kun fall in love with me.’
A faint smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.
‘Conquering the Divine Child and making him fall for me—that’s not hard. Of course Chihaya will try to stop me and won’t let us be alone together. But the more she obstructs, the more I’ll push closer. Watching Chihaya’s dumbfounded expression is a pleasure in itself. As long as I find an opportunity and take the initiative, You-kun probably won’t refuse. After all, he’s been testing me all along, hasn’t he? There’s an old saying from the Celestial Empire: “When a woman pursues a man, it’s like a veil between them.” I’m a beautiful girl, Tsukuyomi Futaba. If I sincerely pursue the Divine Child, won’t it be easy?’
But today, when she lay in his arms, he hadn’t pushed her away. That meant You-kun at least didn’t dislike her. If she were a bit more proactive, she should be able to close the distance soon. Chihaya would definitely obstruct.
‘Second, get closer to Hitomi. A curse art that actively summons a deity? Unheard of. Maybe such a thing doesn’t even exist. But if it’s likely to be anywhere, it would be the Nissho Clan. The Nissho Clan serves Amaterasu and has passed down traditions for nearly three thousand years. Even if they don’t have the complete technique, even just a clue would be better than my current state of having no leads. Take it slow.’
‘There’s no rush in such matters. Even if the Nissho Clan has no clues, I could still go to the Mochizuki Family. Their history is no shorter than the Nissho Clan’s. Or perhaps, if there’s a chance, I could contact the Tsuchimikado Family?’
Futaba thought of the red-eyed girl. She smiled and shook her head.
‘Such a coincidence doesn’t happen in this world.’
Futaba placed the tea cup on the corridor and turned around.
You was chatting with Chihaya. His profile was clearly illuminated by the moonlight. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but both of them were laughing happily.
Watching this scene, a thought suddenly popped into Futaba’s mind.
‘Those two really look good together. But what would happen if I sat over there now? Would Chihaya get angry?’
Just imagining Chihaya’s possible reaction almost made Futaba laugh out loud.
Then she saw Mai.
Mai was sitting on You’s other side, hugging a cushion with her chin resting on it. She wasn’t looking at You, nor at Chihaya—she was looking at Futaba.
There wasn’t exactly hostility in those big eyes. It was more like simple curiosity, as if asking, ‘Futaba-nee, what are you thinking?’
Futaba smiled at her.
Mai blinked and looked away.
Then she looked at Hitomi. Hitomi smiled gently at Futaba without saying anything.
Futaba averted her gaze and looked back up at the moon.
‘Next, I just need to make You-kun fall in love with me. I’m confident in my charm. If I take the initiative, create more opportunities to be alone, and show myself off to him more—that kind of thing isn’t hard for me.’
She didn’t know that in just those few minutes, You’s attitude toward her had completely reversed.
She thought You was her prey, but in his mind, he had already labeled her as “dangerous” and decided to keep his distance for now.
The five of them, each with their own thoughts, looked at the same moon.
After a while, Chihaya went back into the house and took out the kettle again.
“This can’t be stored for long.”
She glanced at the remaining silver liquid in the pot.
“Once it’s diluted with water, it’s best to use it as soon as possible.”
Mai sat nearby, her eyes shining as she stared at the kettle.
“Sister, do I need to drink it too?”
“Of course.”
Chihaya poured a cup and handed it to her.
“You are the Miko of the Mochizuki Family. The Divine Grace of Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto will help your cultivation.”
Mai took it and looked at it curiously. The silver liquid swayed slightly in the cup, reflecting her own face. She took a deep breath, tilted her head back, and downed it in one gulp.
“Ugh—”
She pursed her lips.
“It doesn’t taste like anything. Just like drinking water.”
Chihaya also poured a cup for herself. She didn’t drink it right away but lifted it to look at it before slowly finishing it. Her movements were elegant, no different from when she normally ate or drank tea.
You watched from the side, feeling a little emotional. He had casually given this thing away back then, completely unaware of how precious it was. Now, watching them drink it one by one, he instead felt a sense of relief that it hadn’t gone to waste.
“How does it feel?”
he asked.
Chihaya considered.
“My spiritual power feels more abundant. As for the rest… I’ll need time to experience it slowly.”
Mai nodded too.
“I think so too. It feels like something extra has been added to my body.”
Futaba leaned against the corridor pillar, eyes closed, a slight smile on her lips.
Hitomi sat at the very edge, watching everything without speaking. She was the only one who hadn’t drunk any. She said nothing. She served Amaterasu, and her attributes didn’t align with Tsukuyomi’s. Besides, she already had her own Divine Grace, didn’t she?
The moonlight shone down from above, stretching the shadows of the several people long. The bamboo swayed gently in the wind, the leaves rustling softly.
“It’s getting late.”
Chihaya stood up.
“We have to get up early tomorrow. Let’s get some rest.”
They exchanged goodnights and each returned to their rooms.
***
Meanwhile, in Tokyo.
In the living room of the Tsukiyoru family, the lights were still on.
Zhenyue was sitting on the sofa, slowly flipping through a book. Masako sat beside him, knitting. The knitting needles moved swiftly in her hands, her eyes focused on her work, occasionally glancing at the TV. The living room lights were a warm yellow, shining on the two of them, casting shadows on the floor—peaceful and ordinary. Zhenyue suddenly raised an eyebrow.
“This time, the Mochizuki family’s heir is quite good. Decisive enough.”
Masako was surprised. She stopped her knitting.
“Lord Omikami, can you still sense Chihaya and the others all the way in Hakone?”
Zhenyue turned to look at her.
In the twenty years of their marriage, as long as You wasn’t around and it was just the two of them, she always called him “Omikami.”
“Under normal circumstances, of course I can’t sense Miko that far away.”
Zhenyue placed the book on his lap.
“But that girl just used my Divine Grace.”
Masako blinked.
“How does she have your Divine Grace?”
Zhenyue looked at her.
“I gave You my Divine Grace the other day. Didn’t he tell you?”
Masako was taken aback, then let out a soft laugh.
“Maybe that boy was too nervous and forgot.”
She thought for a moment.
“If that’s the case, then it makes sense. You probably gave the Divine Grace you gave him to Chihaya and the others. That kid probably doesn’t even know what it’s for and just gave it away without thinking.”
Zhenyue waved a hand.
“I gave it to him. It’s his to use however he likes.”
Masako looked at him and smiled.
“You are a deity. Whatever you say goes.”