Chapter 3: The Tea Tastes Bad

The fierce demons in the Spider’s Den had been exterminated, and the exorcists of the Kurohime Mountain clan triumphantly returned, setting off on their journey home.

In this mission, the main family and branch family lost three members and had one injured.

Moreover, among the ninja vanguard, three squads were dispatched, with fourteen dead, four wounded, and six survivors.

Though the losses sounded significant, considering they faced demon-tier fiends, such casualties were not excessive and entirely acceptable.

Along the way, the returning party’s spirits were generally good, except for the heavily battered genin squad.

Their comrades looked listless, and Hyakusuke himself felt even gloomier.

“This world is doomed,” he thought, his face pale and body exhausted as the harsh reality settled firmly in his mind.

Hyakusuke had never expected that his fierce and unrelenting maneuvers would forcibly create an entirely new version, one that didn’t even exist in the game.

His mind kept circling words like “female corruption,” “TS” (transformation), and “physical modification.”

“All the chapters of 'Oboro Tsukiyo no Akari' are interconnected, each story weaving into the next, and every plotline’s outcome varies depending on different choices…”

Tsukiyo Yomiya, as the protagonist, had the responsibility to romance the heroine to drive the plot forward, steering the story in various directions.

“But now he’s turned into a woman. What am I supposed to do? Should I have him engage in yuri relationships with other heroines?”

Hyakusuke was clutching his head in frustration when someone forcefully patted his shoulder.

“Genin, Lord Ogiku requests your presence.”

The speaker was a practitioner of the Kurohime Mountain clan’s “Cursed Eye” faction, dressed in black robes, with his face concealed by a black headscarf, appearing to outsiders as a strange figure.

“Yes,” Hyakusuke bowed his head.

“Hurry up. Don’t keep the young lady waiting.”

The man in the robes had four eyes painted on his black scarf, reminiscent of the Fangxiangshi from exorcism rituals.

The “Cursed Eye” faction ranked far above genin; they were the main family’s sorcerer team, all possessing high-level spiritual sight or clairvoyance, with senior members being elite descendants of the branch family’s bloodline.

Within the exorcist clan, ninjas were essentially expendable resources, primarily tasked with scouting demon habitats, running errands, delivering messages, and when necessary, serving as shields in battle.

Demons came in countless forms; some could kill at first sight. Even top exorcists could be slain if caught off guard or if their abilities clashed unfavorably against foes.

The existence of the ninja was to serve as such expendable assets.

At the center of the group was a lavishly decorated ox-drawn carriage adorned with the Kurohime Mountain clan’s crest.

Hyakusuke first boarded the carriage and requested permission; upon receiving approval, he entered the cabin.

Inside was surprisingly spacious, likely due to some form of “space folding” technique.

The air was filled with a faint incense that repelled demonic energy, exuding a quiet elegance.

The floor was woven from rush grass, making the originally narrow space several times larger, resembling a twelve-tatami mat-sized Japanese-style room.

This compartment connected to an additional private space serving as storage. Upon learning this, Hyakusuke couldn’t help but quip, “What kind of invisible expansion spell is this? Harry Potter’s portable magical tent?”

He knelt halfway on the tatami, facing a tea table crafted from rare wood, upon which sat a small incense burner. In the corner stood a gold-lacquered folding screen inlaid with mother-of-pearl, appearing to be an antique treasure.

“Oh, it’s you…”

The clan’s eldest princess, Kurohime Ogiku, had changed out of her previously revealing sleeveless light-colored kimono into a white one. Her silver-white hair was pinned into a bun with red hairpins.

“By the way, Genin, although I’ve met you a few times before, I still don’t know your name.”

“I am most humbly honored… I have no name,” Hyakusuke bowed and said, “My lady may call me ‘Hyakusuke.’”

While speaking with his head lowered, he sneakily glanced sideways at the male protagonist, Tsukiyo Yomiya, who lay like a mummy on the tatami, his feminized body wrapped entirely in bandages inscribed with runes.

Two female sorcerers, their faces veiled in black scarves, were beside him, casting healing spells on the young lady’s fiancé.

“Yes,” Ogiku nodded.

“I almost forgot this part… You look rather tired; would you like some tea?”

The young lady seemed entirely indifferent to what was happening behind her, as if her fiancé’s life or death was of no concern to her.

“No, this—”

Hyakusuke was more worried about the protagonist’s condition and unsure if this state could be reversed.

‘It’s not surprising she’s indifferent. They were a political marriage, after all. At this point, she hasn’t developed any deep feelings for Tsukiyo Yomiya…’

She was an icy beauty, disdainful of most men.

And since the protagonist was a gentle, timid sort, at the game’s start the princess had cast him a scornful glance, utterly unimpressed.

“Please raise your head when speaking, Hyakusuke.”

She casually poured tea, and in the next moment, the cup seemed lifted by an invisible force, floating through the air as if carried on a tray and placed before him.

It was likely a summoned shikigami or something similar; Hyakusuke reluctantly accepted the cup.

Yet he hesitated whether to remove his mask to drink.

A mere genin voluntarily removing his mask before a main family noble was considered highly disrespectful in the rigid hierarchy of the Kurohime Mountain clan—potentially a capital offense leading to ritual suicide.

Hyakusuke had witnessed many such cases, so he was extremely cautious in word and deed in front of main family elites.

“Eh… Not drinking? Honestly, this tea is quite expensive~”

She snapped open an ivory bone folding fan, half-covering her mouth as she teased.

“It’d be wasteful to just pour it away.”

Well, since the young lady said so, what else could he do?

Hyakusuke muttered, “Excuse me,” half-removed his fox mask, revealing half his face, and downed the steaming tea in one gulp.

It was scalding.

But he had no choice; he swallowed the tea and complimented, “The tea is excellent,” then hastily put the mask back on.

Perhaps it was his imagination, but the moment he replaced the mask, the princess’s brow twitched slightly in displeasure.

“Enough… Let’s discuss serious matters.”

She sighed softly.

“Firstly, I thank you for saving my fiancé. Without you, he might not have survived.”

“You are too kind. It was my duty.”

“No.”

The young lady interrupted.

“Your strength is modest, yet you remained loyal and diligent under such conditions, which deserves commendation… but that is not why I summoned you.”

Her lips twisted—whether a bitter smile or a sneer, it was unclear.

“You’ve seen Lord Yomiya’s condition.”

Ogiku’s expression swiftly turned serious.

“Something abnormal has occurred to him. It might be a curse or some other force… I do not know the cause. After all, I am not a healer or pharmacist and have no idea how to restore him, so regarding Lord Tsukiyo, you must keep this secret and not disclose it carelessly.”

“I understand.”

“Also, do not reveal what happened that day.”

The princess’s voice lowered.

“I will cover for you regarding Lord Yomiya’s fall into the Dragon Vein Pool. You surely know how our main family operates; if responsibility were pursued, you would face severe punishment.”

She explained, “I cannot allow the benefactor of my fiancé to be punished. I will remove you from this matter. Fortunately, apart from the three of us, no one else knows what truly happened.”

“Thank you very much for your magnanimity.”

Hyakusuke bowed, sweat beading on his forehead.

Indeed, he had nearly forgotten that if others learned he had pushed the protagonist into the Dragon Vein Pool, it would be a grave crime.

“There’s no need for thanks. As I said, you are a benefactor to both me and Lord Yomiya.”

Ogiku folded her fan, smiling gently.

“I will do all I can to help, but you must keep your lips sealed.”

“I shall obey.”

“...Good.”

She sighed.

“You may go now.”

Hyakusuke bowed and stepped out of the carriage’s cabin.

No sooner had he left than a sigh echoed inside.

“...What a pity.”

Kurohime Ogiku frowned, muttering softly to herself.

“Oh, you two may leave for now as well... Maintaining the healing spell is difficult for you. I will take over.”

“But—?”

The two female sorcerers, sweating profusely, looked puzzled.

“My lady… you shouldn’t be able to use—”

Their eyes showed confusion.

“Oh… that’s right, I actually cannot use any other spells,” Ogiku laughed lightly, her crimson, crooked lips curling into a smile that was more mocking than amused.

“Pardon me.”

The black-robed sorcerer was startled by her cold laugh.

“Please forgive me~~ I misspoke and deeply apologize.”

“Not at all… It’s true I cannot use any magic or abilities except for the 'Chrono Power.'”

Ogiku reopened her fan, concealing her expression.

“However, my power can temporarily ‘freeze’ a person’s condition. It doesn’t heal but maintains stability for a time. You can’t keep expending spiritual energy to cast healing spells... I will stabilize Lord Yomiya’s state with a time-bound barrier. You should rest.”

She returned to a gentle smile and snapped her fan shut.

“We… understand.”

The two sorcerers exchanged glances, speechless but dared not question the young lady’s orders. They bowed respectfully and exited through sliding doors adorned with pine and lion motifs, kneeling in farewell as they left.

Click.

Once the doors closed, the princess’s face seemed to crack; her gentle smile vanished, lips twisting as she cast hateful, murderous glances at the departing sorcerers.

Kurohime Ogiku’s expression was ghostly, her eyes blazing with furious spectral fire.

‘No,’ she shook her head, frowning as she muttered to herself.

‘...There’s no point in venting anger on two servants.’

Servants were just servants.

Those two women were low-ranking exorcists of the Kurohime clan, insignificant figures who would never rise to prominence.

She thought the real object of her hatred was her own bloodline, the source of all this, the root of her suffering— the main family of Kurohime Mountain.

Calm down. She must not reveal her true intentions yet.

The girl touched her face, trying to soften her rigid expression.

Until she amassed enough power, she couldn’t expose her true thoughts to anyone.

“Besides, such an ugly expression shouldn’t be seen by him...”

She forced a genuine smile.

It was a pity she still hadn’t seen “his” unmasked face.

Though she could have ordered it forcibly, that would defeat the purpose.

And with her status, her words and actions could bring trouble upon him.

“‘Hyakusuke’... I still prefer your original name.”

In her hand was a small, simple ceramic teacup.

The tea was finished, leaving only a few leaves, the cup still warm.

She gently touched it with her fingers, rubbed it with her palm, as if feeling the warmth of the other’s skin, sensing their presence.

“Not yet the time... The time hasn’t come.”

She knew the moment was premature; revealing everything to “him” now would only bring more pain.

“...Wait a little longer. No matter how long it takes, I will save you.”

Her eyes lit up with an excited glow, as if ignited by some dark enchantment, yet the pupils were murky and shadowed.

—Yes, only I can do this.

Only my hands can embrace you, save you.

...Rescue you again and again from the depths of despair.

The eldest princess hid her face behind the fan, indulging in her passion, concealing the cup in her sleeve, her lips twisted with a bewitching smile.

Finally, she licked her lips with a bright red tongue, tracing the rim of the cup, as if not a trace of warmth would be wasted.