CHAPTER 475: 167. MRS. MIKI’S GRAND LADY DEMEANOR_3

Her actions were crisp and neat, her mind sharp and clever, her demeanor carrying both the grace of a noble lady and a charming playfulness. Many of the elder gods on good terms with the Fujiwara family spoke highly of this great lady.

"You’re stealing all my thunder..."

"Hmm?"

"I mean, we’re a couple, we share in each other’s glory, your moment in the spotlight is mine as well..."

"Be good now."

"Mrs. Miki."

Kawashima Miki sweetly responded with an "Mm".

"Can’t you not be so adorable?" Fujiwara Reya pulled her into his embrace, his heart aflame.

"I can’t, I’ve always been this adorable, you’re just now noticing?" Kawashima Miki’s cheeks flushed slightly.

The two maids holding her wedding dress hem couldn’t help but giggle.

Standing behind them, they clearly saw the Mountain God’s hand, originally around the great lady’s waist, suddenly slip beneath her skirt. At the same time, the great lady’s body began to tremble, and there was no need to guess where the Mountain God’s hand had strayed.

"Enough, there’re too many people around, behave yourself." Kawashima Miki muttered lowly to scold him, then immediately smiled as she looked at him, "So eager now, if you can’t satisfy me tonight, you’ll regret it tomorrow."

"You’re really naughty, madam!" Fujiwara Reya scolded playfully.

After chatting with several gods, preparing to leave, Kawashima Miki’s eyes suddenly brightened.

In the resting area, there was a screen partitioning half the light, and a goddess was standing with one hand on the window sill. Outside, a few lanterns floated in the dark sky, a cloisonné vase stood on the table, with a small lotus flower in it. The goddess wore a kimono embroidered with goldfish, revealing a beautiful bare foot below her skirt, with a divine inscription representing her identity glowing on her embroidered shoulder.

Toyosuki no Okami!

Her full name is Toyouke-hime-no-Kami, also known as Toyosuki-hime-no-Kami.

She is the goddess who governs food.

Most of the time, she appears together with Amaterasu.

Even in the human world, she and Amaterasu are often worshipped together. For instance, the main deities at the Tokyo Grand Shrine are her and Amaterasu, and at Amaterasu’s own Ise Shrine, she is worshipped at the outer shrine.

The two goddesses are so inseparable that some mischievous gods spread some rumors behind their backs.

Fujiwara Reya didn’t believe in those rumors at all.

As for the kind of goddess the Old Lady Amaterasu is, he might not know her inside out, but he’s definitely got some idea.

Just as he approached, Toyosuki no Okami happened to turn around and look.

She instantly recognized his tall figure from afar, as well as his wife in her festive red wedding gown. From his wife’s red neckline, a glimpse of creamy white skin peeked through, swaying like a crescent moon in his eyes.

"Lord Toyosuki." Fujiwara Reya stepped forward to greet.

Kawashima Miki followed with a bow.

"Gatherings are so annoying, always requiring talking about utterly boring things," Toyosuki no Okami said helplessly.

On her rather beautiful face, there was neither any enchanting allure aiming to please, nor any visible wariness towards others.

"You should have mentioned it sooner, there’s a private seat upstairs, I’ll take you there right away." After saying so, Fujiwara Reya patted Kawashima Miki’s hand, signaling her to let go.

Mrs. Miki refused to let go.

Tonight she seemed determined, not allowing her little husband out of her sight, not even for a second.

Originally wanting to ask Toyosuki no Okami privately about where the Old Lady Amaterasu was, Fujiwara Reya promptly changed his words, saying, "We’ll escort you together."

With half her face covered by a mask, Mrs. Miki chuckled sweetly.

"Lead the way." Toyosuki no Okami lagged half a step behind.

The private seats were on the second floor of the main hall, divided into small compartments, allowing for a broad view of the performances below.

The doors of each private seat were tightly fitted with wooden lattice doors, the handles were uniquely crafted, with patterns of chrysanthemums and swirling clouds on the white paper cutouts.

"Each private seat has dedicated maids for service, feel free to request anything you need at any time." As Fujiwara Reya opened a door and led the way, he said, "The speeches will start soon, and once the ceremony is complete, I’ll come personally to entertain you."

The compartment was large, with classical decor.

On the wall alcoves hung cloud dragon motifs painted by Sesshū, a bud vase with a lone dianthus gracefully placed on the table. On one side of the terrace was the stage below, where all performances could be seen at once. Through the open window on the opposite side, one could glimpse the verdant garden, where beyond the trees, a full moon hovered coldly among the clouds.

Toyosuki no Okami sat down.

The maid dressed in a white crepe kimono and white belt immediately brought red and white pastries and tea on a wooden tray. She expressed her gratitude to Fujiwara Reya, and after he stepped out, she turned to gaze at a vacant spot in the room.

There was nothing there.

But in the next second, the space began to slightly distort.

Amaterasu, dressed in a man’s gray pinstripe black hakama kimono, leaped onto the tatami.

She was barefoot, her long hair styled into a ginkgo shape, with a bone comb inlaid with shell tucked into her hair. Both the hairstyle and look could be deemed perfect, yet she lazily retrieved a pipe from her obi, reclining in Toyosuki no Okami’s embrace, puffing on her smoke.

Toyosuki no Okami opened her mouth to speak: "Sister..."

"What’s the matter?" Amaterasu lazily glanced at her.

Along with the smoke puffed out from her lips, there was a touch upon her perfect face—perhaps not elegant, even slightly vulgar and flippant. If Kawashima Miki were present, she would certainly notice that this expression perfectly mirrored the mischievous grin Fujiwara Reya would wear while being cheeky.

"That troublesome side of Fujiwara Reya’s personality, he picked it up from you, sister!" Toyosuki no Okami asserted.

"That has nothing to do with me; there’s just a force compelling him to mimic his sister."

"What force?"

"The charm of a goddess!" Amaterasu smiled confidently.

The young, shrewd youth, harboring impatient reverence for the supreme deity, yet desperately concealing it; maintaining a facade of aloofness and disdain to appear composed. However, subconsciously, he had already been captivated by the allure of the supreme deity, to the extent of mimicking her mannerisms.

※※※※※

On the main stage at the center of the hall, Fujiwara Reya ascended to deliver a speech.

The court ladies and maids within the palace paused their tasks, standing in the side halls, corridors, and the Rainbow Bridge to watch the Mountain God’s performance. The female guests in the seating area gazed at him as if he were a handsome rooster calling out, their eyes shining with fervent admiration.

"Vulgar women..."

Kawashima Miki hummed with pride and arrogance.

She held no ill will towards these women eyeing her little husband.

Rather, in the absence of any threat to her affection or status, the more women liked him, the more pleased and fulfilled she felt. Despite being a Spider Demon, she was just like a normal human woman in this regard, in her pettiness.

Fujiwara Reya indeed loved Mrs. Miki’s pettiness.

In fact, he regarded this pettiness as one of the primal charms of femininity, and thus, seeing Mrs. Miki’s gleeful little glances, he delivered his speech with even greater enthusiasm. The sound of his voice, like the mountain wind sweeping through the canyon, carried a resonance that stirred the heart and made it impossible to look away.

"Bastard!"

Among the guests, Takeuchi Akira cursed.

Ever since arriving at the sacred mountain, he had either been ignored by the Mountain God or provoked by Fujiwara Reya. Now the Mountain God was delivering the speech above, and Fujiwara Reya was nowhere to be found, enjoying himself elsewhere. Frustration and anger welled up inside him; the more he stewed, the angrier he became. At this moment, the Ghost Clan’s belligerent nature threatened to seize all his rationality.

"My lord~"

Just then, a captivating fragrance reached his nostrils.

Takeuchi Akira turned his head to see.

A dazzling geisha in elaborate kimono, with fair powdered neck, approached him.

"Please follow me this way." Once again disguised in women’s clothes, the Dark Crow smiled seductively at Takeuchi Akira, "The Mountain God has prepared a private seat, please follow me for a detailed discussion."

As he spoke, the geisha’s fair fingers deliberately brushed across the back of his hand.

The refreshing coolness from those delicate fingers made Takeuchi Akira tremble slightly. All his grievances and dissatisfaction dissolved at that moment. He followed the geisha, walking with a swaying gait, already beginning to daydream about the blissful evening ahead.

Well done, Gouzi!

From the platform above, Fujiwara Reya gave his loyal dog a thumbs-up.

He might not be able to get away tonight, but no matter, this was his domain, and he had countless ways to make a Ghost Clan member disappear silently from this world.

Even if Amaterasu were to intervene, Takeuchi Akira could not be saved.

He was doomed!

Fujiwara Reya declared.

Because... Amaterasu was on his side.