Fantasy Library.

Chapter 484 A Pillar of the Asabu Family

Perhaps it was really hard, because a red handprint appeared on Yoshino Asagi's cheek.

Seeing this, Aize's eyes twitched, and he couldn't help but take a step back and say something.

"Masochistic tendencies?"

"No, that's not it!" Asagi Yoshino's face flushed instantly with anger. "I just didn't want to appear inappropriate in front of the guests!"

“That’s understandable.” Aize blinked, looking at the handprint on Asagi Yoshino’s face, and said, “But you didn’t have to use so much force, did you?”

Thank you for reminding me, I already regret it.

After taking a deep breath and suppressing all the emotions in her heart, Asahi Yoshino finally spoke.

"Please ignore what just happened and let's start over." Asagi Yoshino seemed to have returned to her yesterday self, saying in a somewhat cold and serious tone, "Good morning, Mr. Aize."

"Hmm, good morning." Aize didn't seem to care about Asagi Yoshino's coldness, as if she were treating a stranger, or rather, as if she were responding to her attitude. She said, "Mr. Anqing said that breakfast will be ready soon. Miss Asagi, why don't you go wash up and change your clothes first, and then come over?"

After saying that, Aize walked into the bathroom without waiting for Asagi Yoshino's response.

Asatake Yoshino really wanted to say that these words should be said by herself, the host.
I am the true master of this place, aren't I?

Unfortunately, Aize had already left, making it impossible for Asagi Yoshino to maintain her indifference any longer.

With a complicated expression, she glanced at Aize's departing figure, then turned and went into the washroom to wash up.

Aize went back to his room first to get the casual clothes he would wear today and the clothes he had changed out of yesterday. Then he went to the bathroom to wash the clothes he had changed out of yesterday and the sports clothes that were already covered in sweat while he was taking a shower.

"Shh!"

Having already figured out the layout of the Chaowu family, Aize didn't hesitate and immediately opened the door after arriving at the bathroom.

"------!"

At that moment, something seemed to move in the bathroom.

"Boom!"

Aize only felt a blur before his eyes, and then suddenly a round wooden stake fell from mid-air and hit the floor with a muffled thud.

"what is this?"

Aize stared blankly at the round log rolling on the floor, momentarily unable to react.

But soon, Aize's expression changed.

Because he sensed someone approaching from behind.

The speed is extremely fast.

"Don't move."

A cold voice sounded from behind, and before that voice could even finish, something sharp was already pressed against his neck.

Aize didn't see who was behind him, but he could judge the shape of the sharp object aimed at his neck almost without even looking at it, just from the sound it made as it sliced ​​through the air.

It was a double-edged, sharp weapon, roughly the length of a dagger.

Naturally, such a sharp weapon was aimed at the neck, a vital area, a situation that Azer would absolutely not allow to happen.

As the cold voice rang out, Aize moved.

He quickly flung the clothes out of his hand, without turning around, and with lightning speed wrapped them around the hand holding the sharp weapon pointed at his neck, tightening the grip while pulling hard.

“………!?”

The person behind him seemed not to have expected Aize to launch such a swift counterattack. By the time he reacted, his arm was already entangled in his clothes, and he was pulled over and bumped into Aize's back.

Aize felt something incredibly soft sphere slam into his back, then grab his overly slender hand and throw him over his shoulder.

"call!"

With a whoosh of wind, the person behind Aize was mercilessly slammed to the ground, about to crash to the earth.

However, the other party was no pushover either, being incredibly agile. Just before falling to the floor, the other party twisted its body forcefully and managed to wrap its legs around Aize's neck, trapping his head between them.

"what!"

With a sharp shout, the opponent twisted her body again and actually threw Aize away.

Aize felt a sudden dizziness, and before his head hit the ground, he regained his balance, placed one hand on the floor, did a somersault, and landed firmly on both feet.

Only then did Aize get a clear look at the person who had suddenly attacked him.

That was a young girl with long, black hair that reached past her shoulders, and whose age was similar to that of Aize and Asagi Yoshino.

The girl was strikingly beautiful, with fair skin and striking features that exuded both beauty and a touch of heroism. Unlike the seemingly delicate and frail Asagi Yoshino, her eyes held a sharp and resolute gaze.

Aize was stunned by the other person's good looks, and then his face stiffened.

There is no other reason.

This beautiful girl, who looks completely unfamiliar, is now completely naked.

Yes.

She wasn't even wearing a single piece of clothing.

Aize saw her very impressive bust and well-defined waist and hips, which were quite remarkable for her age.

It can be said that a secret that a woman should never reveal to the public was now fully seen by Aize.

"Well……!"

The girl seemed to be aware of the situation as well. Her face first showed an uncontrollable wavering, and then she immediately picked up Aize's shirt that had fallen to the ground and put it on in a fraction of a second, covering the most crucial parts.

Although it was just a top, the hem of Aize's top was long enough to cover the girl's thighs, which was enough to cover her private parts.

"You guy...!"

After doing all this, the girl pounced on him in a fit of rage, the sharp object in her hand gleaming coldly under the light.

That was clearly a kunai.

The girl wielding the kunai was still incredibly fast, quickly closing the distance between herself and Aize before swinging the kunai.

"Shh!"

The wind whistled as a kunai swept past Aize, who was hastily retreating, cutting off a strand of his bangs, which then floated to the ground.

"Shh! Shh! Shh!"

The girl was agile. When her first attack failed, she immediately launched several more attacks. Each attack was so fast that an ordinary person would only see a flash of cold light before their eyes and would not be able to react in time.

Fortunately, Aize is no ordinary person. Although it was a bit dangerous, he managed to avoid the girl's kunai in the narrow room by using sidesteps, crouching, and rolling.

"Who are you?"

By now, Aize had realized something, and while still fighting the girl, he posed this question. "That...should be me saying that!"

The girl seemed both like a victim and a protector of her territory. After being questioned by Aize, she became even angrier and rushed over without saying a word.

However, this time Aize was prepared. With a flick of his hand, he threw a dark object at the girl.

The girl was startled, and instinctively swung her kunai, slicing through the incoming object.

That was the first log stake Aize saw.

It turned out that while rolling away from the girl's kunai, Aize had picked up a log from the ground.

The girl sliced ​​through the incoming log, giving Aize a chance to retaliate.

Aize pushed off the slippery floor with his feet, bursting out with a speed even faster than the girl. As the log was sliced ​​in two, he darted out from behind it and closed in on the girl.

"you……!?"

The girl's expression changed drastically when she saw Aize standing so close to her, and she quickly backed away.

Little did anyone know, Aize's target wasn't her at all.

Suddenly, Aize grabbed the girl's hand holding the kunai, and with a twist of his arm, he snatched the kunai from her hand.

After taking the kunai and grasping the sharp weapon, Aize's expression changed.

At this moment, Aize seemed like a completely different person, his eyes sharp as swords and knives.

His demeanor had completely changed; the atmosphere around him had become extremely terrifying, as if he were radiating some kind of murderous aura. It was as if he had instantly transformed from a harmless human into a god who looked down upon the world.

The girl was stunned by this scene, her mind trembling violently.

In the girl's mind, Aize with a weapon in hand and without a weapon were completely different people, which made her eyes tremble.

By the time she came to her senses, Aize had already grabbed her by the neck and pinned her against the wall.

"Don't move."

Just like the opening remarks the girl made at the beginning, Aize gave a warning in a cold voice.

"Right now, all I'm holding is my palm, but believe me, if I wanted to, it wouldn't even take a second. The next instant, this would be on your neck."

Aize raised the kunai he was holding in his other hand and said this.

Even though it was just that, the girl had a gut feeling.

That is, not a single word the other party said was false.

If the other party wanted to, without needing even a second, that kunai would be at their throat, ready to cut it open at any moment.

The kunai, once in the other's hands, seemed to have transformed into a divine weapon, bringing the girl a strong sense of threat and the shadow of death.

"Are there still people using this kind of weapon in this day and age?"

The kunai in Aize's hand seemed to come alive, dancing nimbly in the other's hand like a ballpoint pen, smoothly twirled between the other's palms.

"Are you a ninja who sneaked into Kenshin Shrine? Who sent you?"

Whether Aize was joking or serious, the girl bit her lip and glared at him angrily.

"You are the one! Who sent you here?" the girl demanded. "What is your purpose in infiltrating the Kenji Shrine and the Asabu family?"

Seeing the girl glaring at him and questioning him as if it were the most natural thing in the world, Aize already had a guess about her identity, and now he was even more certain that the guess was 80 percent accurate.

At that moment, Aize introduced himself.

"I am not an intruder. Although it is only temporary and not yet confirmed, I am considered to have been recruited here as the successor."

Aize didn't give the other party a chance to refute or doubt, and spoke directly.

"My name is Aize. I just checked in here yesterday. Let's call me the shrine maiden here, and the fiancé of Yoshino Asatake."

Upon hearing this, the girl who had been glaring angrily at Aize froze.

"Lady Yoshino's fiancé?" The girl's eyes widened in surprise. "You...you are Lady Aize?"

"Looks like you recognize me." Aize released his grip on the girl's neck, handed her the kunai that was spinning nimbly in his hand, and said, "Looks like you're not some intruder after all. This must be a misunderstanding, right?"

Upon hearing this, the other party nodded hurriedly and accepted the kunai handed to him by Aize with considerable fear.

Before the other person could say anything, footsteps sounded outside the bathroom.

People who noticed the commotion came over.

…………

Fifteen minutes later, in the living room.

Under the guidance of Asahi Anke, the whole incident was explained and the misunderstanding was cleared up.

"I'm so sorry! I'm so incredibly sorry!"

The girl who was just wearing a men's shirt has now changed into casual clothes with a distinctive tassel pattern. She is wearing a white kimono with red trim, a yellowish-brown sash around her waist, a light green inner shirt, and shorts. She is bowing repeatedly to Aize in apology.

"I thought it was some kind of thief sneaking in, but I never expected it to be Lord Aize. I'm so sorry!"

Upon hearing this, Aize scratched his cheek and said with a wry smile.

"I should be the one apologizing. I should have knocked on the bathroom door before going in and asked if anyone was coming in. So I guess this is my fault."

Aize's words elicited a response from Asahi Ansei, who was standing to the side.

"She is actually the person I wanted to introduce to you. She is the guard who has been protecting the Asabu family for generations, whom I mentioned to you before."

The Asabu family holds a high position in Hoori Town, not only because they are the actual operators of Kenji Shrine, but also because of their long history and noble lineage, being descendants of nobles who were once in charge of managing the land of Hoori.

In the land of Suiori, the Asabu family is essentially a lord family, and Asabu Yoshino, the orthodox shrine maiden, is equivalent to a princess of Suiori, which is why her status is so special.

The girl in front of them comes from a family that has been guarding the Asabu family for generations.

"I...I am Hitachi Mako, the daughter of the Hitachi family. Please take care of me, Lord Aize."

Hitachi Mako bowed to Aize again, but this time not to apologize, but to offer her greetings.

The Hitachi family has always been responsible for protecting the priestesses of the Asabu family, so Hitachi Mako was also a girl raised to be a priestess.

In modern times, the work of guarding has become less meaningful. After all, we live in a peaceful era, and we are no longer in an environment where we need to be guarded at all times. Therefore, Hitachi Mako is now mainly responsible for the household chores and various miscellaneous tasks of the Asabu family.

Asatake Yasuharu is a man, and Asatake Yoshino has a special status and is somewhat naive about the ways of the world. Therefore, Hitachi Mako can be said to be the person who controls the normal daily life of the entire Asatake family and is a pillar of the Asatake family.

For Asatake Yasuharu and Asatake Yoshino, such beings were no different from their own family.

That's why Hitachi Mako appeared naked in the bathroom.

At that time, she was actually taking a bath...

(End of this chapter)