Why can't humans do it too?

Drink it.

Compared to the somewhat somber atmosphere of the middle-aged and elderly group on this side, the atmosphere of the young people on the other side was much more lively.

Araragi Koyomi is, in the end, just a seemingly gloomy high school student. Even though he has always adhered to that seemingly childish declaration of not making friends throughout his life, he is still a good person, or even a pushover.

If he weren't a pushover, who would willingly give up their life for a vampire? He even made this choice after shaking off the vampire's allure, simply because he couldn't bear to see the vampire's cries and pleas.

Not to mention that he later chose to fight against the ferocious vampire hunter for that vampire. To be honest, this was far beyond what an ordinary person should be able to endure, but the boy gritted his teeth and persevered, and never regretted his choice.

Just a month ago, he was nothing more than an ordinary high school student who had never encountered anything unusual.

As for Rikuo Nura... putting aside his appearance and personality during the day, at least when he appears in the form of a yokai at night, he is full of charm in Araragi Koyomi's eyes. Perhaps this is the personal charm that Nurarihyon, the lord of all yokai, possesses, well, and also the charisma of a leader.

Just as Sue and Nurarihyon were comparing their memories, Nurarihyon had already sat down next to Araragi Koyomi in a friendly manner, and even put his arm around Araragi Koyomi's shoulder. They were laughing heartily about something they had been talking about, and Araragi Koyomi was also smiling gently.

It wasn't a perfunctory smile, but a genuinely happy one. This high school boy, who claimed he didn't want friends, even interrupted Nura Rikuo and started sharing his own thoughts.

It was a bit awkward; Suer wasn't sure whether he should praise the slippery ghost for being awesome.

"But I think Saito Asuka is the best when it comes to purity, right? I also bought her photobook. I can send it to you later if you want to see it."

"Really?! No, you don't need to deliver it. I'll just go with you to get it. Oh my, I didn't expect you to have bought her photobook!"

"Haha, not at all."

"No, no, no, you have excellent taste!"

Well, the two young people seem to be talking about things that young people inevitably talk about when they get together.

Chapter Thirty-Five: The Cross-Cup Wine

They're talking about photobooks now, but Su Er doesn't even dare to imagine what they'll talk about when they get closer.

Araragi Koyomi knew perfectly well why he encountered a vampire: it was because he wanted to buy some adult content that was unsuitable for teenagers when there weren't many people around.

Wait, are there no rules about adult content in the world of yokai?

Suer's body trembled.

“That’s great,” Nura Rikuo said with a sigh, then a look of helplessness suddenly appeared in his eyes. “Actually, Hashimoto Kanna was pretty good at the beginning too. I often read her books at night, but…”

All I can say is Kanna Hashimoto; those who know, know.

"Yes, really, it's hard to know what to say," Araragi Koyomi said with a similarly sorrowful expression.

This is a huge loss.

"Hahahahahahaha!" Nura Rikuo suddenly threw his head back and burst into laughter, slapping his thigh hard. "Interesting, so very interesting."

"Hmm?" Araragi Koyomi looked at the yokai beside him with a strange expression. The yokai's bold and spirited demeanor, which seemed to have stepped out of an ancient book, made him, an ordinary modern man who grew up in the city, quite yearn for it.

During the day he is human, and at night he is a yokai, but whether it is day or night, Nura Rikuo is Nura Rikuo. There is no second personality or memory discrepancy.

"Hey, Koyomi," Nura Rikuo turned his head and looked at Araragi Koyomi's face seriously. Even though it was the first time the two had met and they hadn't even known each other for very long, they were already able to call each other by name, which was a sign that their relationship was close enough.

It's hard to describe this wonderful feeling. If Nura Rikuo had to describe it, it would be that the yokai atmosphere had arrived, so they drank from large bowls and laughed loudly. This was not the same feeling as when he drank and played with the yokai he had grown up with, but it seemed to be more interesting.

Is it because of the boy's identity? He's not even a monster, but a Western vampire. A month ago he was just an ordinary human, but now he possesses a power that makes him feel threatened.

In the conversation just now, Araragi Koyomi has revealed all his secrets, and Nura Rikuo has also said quite a bit.

"Hey! Li!"

Once again, Nura Rikuo called out Araragi Koyomi's name, but this time the smile on his face disappeared, and he looked extremely serious.

"Huh?" Araragi Koyomi looked at Nurarihyon through his bangs and asked in a somewhat bewildered manner, "Is this yokai drunk?"

"Come drink some Sanqi wine with me."

"...Sanqi wine?"

Is this some strange custom among monsters?

Honestly, that serious expression is a bit scary. Araragi Koyomi looked to Sue on the other side for help, but Sue didn't know what it was either. He only heard the old rascal next to him laughing loudly.

"What is Sanqi wine?" Suer asked, turning his head.

"In outside terms, it's called 'cross-cupped wine,' but among us yokai, it's generally called 'three-seven wine,'" Nurarihyon nodded and said with a smile. "Simply put, it's wine divided into two cups, with the elder brother drinking seven parts and the younger brother drinking three parts. It's considered a ceremony of loyalty among us yokai."

"For example, all the current leaders of the Nura Clan drank the Sanshi-no-Sake with me back then. From that time on, they offered their 'fear,' and that's how Nurarihyon became the master of demons and monsters," Nurarihyon said with some pride. Although he looked old now due to the passage of time and the serious injuries he suffered back then, in the end, this old Nurarihyon was not a proper human... demon back then.

"Aside from his brothers who grew up together, has Rikuo finally reached out to the yokai outside the world?" Seeing his beloved grandson grow up seemed to move Nurarihyon a little. The old yokai pretended to wipe the corner of his eye and sighed.

It's like seeing your own pig finally learning to root up the cabbages outside.

How to say it: I'm relieved.

Nurarihyon was explaining the meaning of the Sanshichi Sake and the significance of Rikuo Nura's actions to Sue, while Rikuo Nura was also sincerely explaining to Koyomi Araragi. However, compared to these things, Sue thought of something else.

“Nurarihyon…” Su Er quietly picked up the wine glass in front of him and took a sip.

"Hmm? Is something wrong?" Although his yokai instincts kept reminding Nurarihyon that danger was imminent, like being pricked by needles, he couldn't find any reason why Sull would suddenly turn against him. So, he took another swig of sake.

"If I remember correctly, you invited me to drink a toast when we first met, didn't you?" Su'er's voice was lowered to a depths that seemed unfathomable, and a cold wind whispered in Nurarihyon's ear.

Nurarihyon: "..."

Do you have such a good memory?

Yes, he did.

"Ah, hahaha, I suddenly remembered that some time ago a foreign monster sent me some exotic wine that's still in the back room. Why don't I go and fetch it for everyone to taste..."

As he spoke, Nurarihyon wiped his smooth forehead, stood up shakily from his seat, and turned to leave. His seemingly ancient body was surprisingly agile at this moment. But just before he was about to unleash his demonic power and leave with the legendary technique passed down through the ages of the Nurarihyon, a hand had already placed on Nurarihyon's shoulder.

"Ryū, why don't you have a drink and chat with Rikuo here first? I suddenly thought of a stunning view that Nurarihyon could appreciate together. We'll be back later," Suer said with a kind smile as he looked at the two young men on the other side.

"Please rest assured and entrust Koyomi to me, Lord Sur," Nura Rikuo said with a smile, casually putting his arm around Koyomi's shoulder. "It's okay if he can't come back for a while. I'll start helping Koyomi train properly starting tomorrow."

"Well then, I'll leave it to you—let's go, Nurarihyon, it's time to hit the road."

"No! Hey! Rikuo!!! Please—!!!"

However, the person is no longer here, only the lingering echo remains.

In the blink of an eye, Sullar had already taken Nurarihyon and left the place completely.

"...Um, are you sure it's alright?" Araragi Koyomi asked, turning his head blankly.

"Don't worry, they're old friends, they'll be fine... probably," Nura Rikuo filled Araragi Koyomi's cup with sake. "Here, drink."

Araragi Koyomi: "...".

If I remember correctly, he should still be a high school student, right?

Even Nura Rikuo was an underage yokai.

Is it really okay for minors to drink alcohol?

Is this... a monster?

Chapter Thirty-Six: The God of Marriage

The old man, being disrespectful, got a beating.

—Sur.

Leaving aside Araragi Koyomi, who hadn't drunk any alcohol until Sue left and had been drinking tea the whole time, what must he have felt when Nura Rikuo forcibly shoved a cup of alcohol into his hand and bombarded him with the words, "You're a vampire, what's wrong with drinking a little? Look at me, I didn't even finish high school, and I still drink."

All I can say is that Nurarihyon paid the price for his momentary lapse of judgment.

Of course, Araragi Koyomi and Nura Rikuo ultimately did not drink the shared wine. After all, for Araragi Koyomi, an ordinary human who grew up in modern society, the idea of ​​bowing down and calling the other person "big brother" was too far-fetched. Even though this seemed to be common among yokai, he ultimately refused, arguing that he was only a temporary vampire and would turn back into a human after the event was over.

Instead of throwing a tantrum because he was rejected, Nura Rikuo simply nodded understandingly and then left a promise that he could ask for help if needed. After that, he and Araragi Koyomi continued eating, drinking, and having fun as usual. They even invited the other yokai from the Nura Clan to the courtyard, turning it into a lively banquet that truly gave Araragi Koyomi a taste of what a yokai feast was like.

It has to be said that it felt good. At least the heroic spirit and chivalrous nature of the yokai made Araragi Koyomi, even though he had never joined them, feel a sense of longing. Even his aversion to being an outsider was lessened.

Leaving aside the boy who was undergoing intensive training, Suer had already brought Xinke and Jibril to Nara.

The Marriage Shrine in Nara.

Okay, so it's the shrine that Nurarihyon mentioned, built by humans... for the three of them.

The history of the monsters was passed down among humans. After the monsters completely disappeared, humans continued to pass down and worship these stories, which have become objects of spiritual sustenance after hundreds of years.

Along the winding stone path, you can see layers of torii gates extending upwards. They are arranged according to the age of their construction, with the newest ones being closer to the outer edge. At least the red lacquer on the torii gate in front of Suer is still shiny, rather than a dark red that has been washed by time, and it also lacks a sense of age.

Hesitation—Although he had known about this place for a long time, when he actually stood here, Suer still couldn't help but feel a strange feeling.

A sense of accomplishment? Pride? A mix of amusement and frustration? Hesitation? Curiosity? Embarrassment?

What would the statues of gods enshrined inside look like?

"Hurry up, hurry up," Jibril urged, constantly poking Suer's waist. Unlike Suer, she was eager to see what the shrine was like and how these humans would worship her and Suer.

Concealing her obviously non-human features, Jibril is now a beautiful girl with pink hair and amber eyes. Her current action of hugging Suer's arm and trying to pull him up gives her a lively and youthful vibe, which at least makes some of the other tourists who are also here to worship look over with smiles.

Many people even wore mysterious smiles on their faces, seemingly lost in their own fantasies.

As for shrines or temples that worship other gods, they may gradually decline in this era of increasingly advanced technology and people's growing lack of reverence and awareness of feudal superstitions, and even the number of people going to worship them is constantly decreasing.

However, the opposite is true of the Futakami Shrine. Instead of declining in this era, the shrine, which enshrines the god of marriage, has become a famous love sanctuary throughout the country. Its fame has even spread overseas, and it has been listed as a must-see tourist attraction in Japan by many places.

After all, young people, especially couples in a relationship, come to such a place to worship as if they have completed some kind of mission, and the two of them are blessed so that they can be together forever—that's what young people love!