The Shrine!
"Everyone, is Master back yet?"
Yayoi pulled Kamiyo into the room.
"???"
Kamiyo's face was full of question marks.
This address...
Felt somewhat ominous.
Or was it just a special term used here?
Right.
Don't overthink it.
This place...
No matter how you looked at it, it was a legitimate shrine.
Perhaps they really could solve her problem.
Seiko and the others looked at Kamiyo, their expressions becoming somewhat strange.
Well.
It seemed someone else was walking right into the tiger's den.
They were about to gain another companion.
Seiko said with a forced smile, "Yayoi-chan, you really know how to think of Master."
"Is there a problem?"
Yayoi said righteously. "Before long, I will also become one of Master's wings."
"Is that so? With your age, you'll probably have to wait a long time."
"Let me calculate. Right, it seems like there are tens of thousands of people ahead of you in line."
Yayoi's face stiffened.
Although her mind was extremely precocious, and she was a true genius...
Among these servants...
Her age was an eternal pain.
Thinking about it carefully...
Those Cursed Children were all older than her.
Damn it.
Every time she thought about it, it made her breast ache.
Master's moral standards were too high.
Seiko and the others looked at her with faint smiles.
Bringing up this topic always worked like a charm.
But with an outsider waiting, they refrained from further attacks.
Miko's eyes flashed with light. "Your problem is very serious. No wonder you need Master to handle it."
Kamiyo hesitated. "Let me ask, who is this 'Master'?"
Before Miko could answer.
Light flickered in the room.
Kamiyo was startled and instinctively stepped back.
Tap, tap, tap.
Footsteps followed.
A black-haired, red-eyed man with an indescribable aura emerged.
"I see. So you're the Kamiyo Ai that Yayoi mentioned."
Ayato looked at her and nodded with satisfaction.
Not bad.
It was worth coming back for.
"Y-you... are their master?"
Kamiyo looked at Ayato, still in a daze.
"Correct."
Ayato shook his head. "Alright, first let's talk business."
"Whoosh!"
Kamiyo took a breath. "C-can you really solve my problem?"
"Of course."
Ayato spoke. "A mere fierce god is nothing to me."
Hearing this, a glimmer of hope appeared in Kamiyo's eyes.
She hadn't just tried other shrines.
But some places...
Seemed afraid of her.
She couldn't even get through the door.
Even when she encountered some who claimed they could solve the problem, they were all frauds.
And here...
At least from this person's entrance...
It was completely different from frauds.
Kamiyo bowed deeply. "Thank you so much."
"Don't thank me yet. Let's discuss the price."
Kamiyo was stunned, then nodded.
"For money, no matter how much, I will gather it for you."
"I don't want such worldly things."
Ayato smiled slightly and said softly, "What I want is for you to serve me for life."
Serve?
Th-th-th-th-this?
Kamiyo's body began to visibly tremble.
At this moment.
She thought of many things.
Because that fierce god wanted to make her his bride at age twenty.
Could it be that this person before her was also a similar fierce god?
Right.
That must be it.
He was addressed as "Master," wasn't he?
How could she be so stupid?
What was the difference between this and walking into the tiger's den?
Why?
Was fate treating her this way?
Ayato: "..."
His expression became strange.
The smell of fear was so strong.
Was this woman misunderstanding something?
"You don't need to be so afraid. You're making me out to be a monster."
Aren't you?
You're scarier than any monster.
Kamiyo looked like she was about to cry.
She glanced at Yayoi standing at the door.
She began to quickly think about the possibility of successfully escaping now.
But soon.
She deflated.
Facing a fierce god, how could she have the power to resist?
"Ai, you don't need to worry. We really aren't Cursed Spirits."
Yayoi poked her arm. "Otherwise, dealing with you wouldn't require Master to act."
Kamiyo was stunned.
Come to think of it...
That did seem true.
Forcing herself to calm down, Kamiyo said, "If you aren't a Cursed Spirit, then what did you mean by what you said?"
"Literally."
Ayato shrugged. "After all, I am very interested in you."
"Ha... ah?"
Kamiyo's body stiffened.