Shota is surrounded by monsters!

Page 182

Huang Quan sighed and said, "Then what do you want to do? We can't just come here and go back without doing anything, can we?"

"That's what they say, but how exactly do I bring it up?"

Shota glanced at where Hagoromo Gitsune had been standing. The two were now at least several thousand meters apart because of Shota's desperate sprint. Realizing that Hagoromo Gitsune couldn't catch up, he stopped and began to reflect on his actions.

"Are all boys like this, all talk and no action?"

Seeing Shota's hesitant look, Huang Quan seemed a little unhappy, after all, she hated indecisive people the most.

"I want to open a Crystal Palace, would you agree?"

Shota once again silenced Yomi with a single sentence.

"You, you, you really want to take it all?"

"Tch. Owning a crystal palace is every man's dream, although I know it's very unrealistic. So I've always kept it hidden deep in my heart, which is already the standard of a good new man. Of course, from some perspectives, I'm also a very loyal and good man, aren't I?"

Shota frankly revealed his true thoughts, but then realized that this wasn't the right time to talk about this, so he changed the subject and said, "Give me some advice, Sister Yomi, tell me what to do?"

"Let's be frank."

"Do you really want to spell it out?"

"Otherwise what? Do you think Hagoromo Gitsune would give you a chance to speak unless she just says it outright?"

"Too……"

Given his relationship with Hagoromo Gitsune, it really didn't seem like the kind of relationship where they could just greet each other casually. Shota sighed, and just as he was about to say something more, he noticed that someone seemed to be watching him from a distance.

Upon noticing his gaze, the figure hid.

Unfortunately, Shota's nose is far more sensitive than his eyes.

"Heave-ho."

With a leap, Shota landed directly in front of the person who was secretly watching him, patted the person on the shoulder, and said, "Hey, long time no see, masochistic loli."

"Who's the masochistic loli?!"

There stood the black-haired little girl, Kyokotsu, who had once abused Shota.

"That's good enough, they're being very polite by not calling you a sadist."

Shota glanced at the skull with a snake crawling out of it that she was holding and felt that it didn't fit her overall image at all—her long, slightly wavy black hair and kimono were supposed to be a cute look, but the skull in her hand made her look unusually sinister.

"What are you doing here?"

It was only then that Kyokotsu thought to ask Shota's purpose. Kyokotsu really couldn't figure out this guy, because although he had abused him, Shota had also abused him, and then in the end, he let him and the other Kyoto yokai go. Therefore, Kyokotsu really didn't know what the other party's purpose was.

"Um……"

Upon seeing Kyokotsu, Shota wasn't nervous at all. Instead, he really wanted to tease her. Although he was still bothered by the cruel things this little girl had done to him back then, he thought that if Kyokotsu were to talk to Hagoromo Gitsune, there might really be no room for conversation. So he had to reduce his teasing to just playing around.

"That's right, that's right."

Without saying a word, Shota pulled Kyokotsu into the city and said, "I'll take you for a stroll around the city."

"Huh? Huh!"

Unfortunately, Kyokotsu had no chance against Shota with her current power. Although she wanted to scream "Onee-sama, come save me..." or something like that, the thought that if the other party really had bad intentions, then Hagoromo Gitsune, whose power hadn't fully recovered, would only be easy prey, made Kyokotsu abandon even the idea of calling for help.

"What are you planning to do, Shota? Have you discovered a new hobby?"

"How could that be! My loyalty to long, straight black hair will never change in my lifetime."

Shota retorted to Yomi, who was questioning his taste. Perhaps because she also had long, straight black hair, Yomi seemed a little embarrassed to say anything more, and just snorted and turned her head away.

"Um...where are you taking me?"

Along the way, Shota held his shoulders and asked Kyokotsu a question timidly.

"Let me take you shopping to change your image."

Shota carefully considered his words and put on a kind smile as he said to Kyokotsu, "I'm here on behalf of the Nura Clan to inquire about your recent situation. Don't worry, I have no intention of harming you."

"Is this... real?"

Kyokotsu was somewhat skeptical. In the past six months, not nothing had been unaffected by the events involving the yokai. The most serious incident was the Hyakumonogatari Group incident. The feud between the Hyakumonogatari Group and the second-generation Nura Rihan had already begun. The Jizo that Shota remembered so vividly and felt disgusted with was merely the eyeball of the Hyakumonogatari Group leader, Yamamoto Gorozaemon.

However, Rikuo resolved that incident single-handedly, and for some reason, Hagoromo Gitsune helped him once—it seems she truly regarded Rikuo as her son.

Therefore, it's not unbelievable that Shota said he was representing the Nura Clan to offer his condolences. After all, Kyokotsu knew that Hagoromo Gitsune had helped Rikuo once, and the Kyoto yokai and the Nura Clan are currently in a very ambiguous relationship.

"Of course it's true."

Shota shrugged and continued making up lies, "What reason would I have to lie to you? Let's go, let's go. Since we're going to visit, I should bring a gift. Let's go shopping together. Besides, I don't know what Hagoromo Gitsune likes. How about some suggestions?"

"A gift for my older sister? Why a gift from a human?"

Kyokotsu is a bit hard to understand.

"Giving gifts to monsters is so tacky. Humans are the dominant force in this society."

Shota explained to Kyokotsu, "Many things can't be solved just by having demonic energy, understand? Humans are far more interested in studying small things than demons are."

"Here."

Shota pointed to the jewelry store on the street and said, "Youkai don't think about making things like rings more beautiful."

"Ah...it's so beautiful..."

Kuang Gu pressed himself against the transparent glass display case, looking at the rings inside, and said, "This black one is so beautiful, is it a diamond?"

"How could that be? It's just black spinel."

Shota glanced at the ring. It was made of pure silver with a black rectangular spinel set in the center, making it exceptionally dazzling.

"May I give this to my older sister as a gift?"

"Of course you can."

Shota is now planning to have Kyokotsu lead him into Hagoromo Gitsune's lair, or even use her as a key figure to ease the awkward atmosphere between him and Hagoromo Gitsune—he believes that Hagoromo Gitsune would definitely not tell anyone about being raped, so as long as Kyokotsu is there to say a few good words for him, at least Hagoromo Gitsune will not reveal the matter on the spot.

And so, Shota took Kyokotsu on another shopping spree, buying him all sorts of black things... no, black sunglasses, black hats, black scarves, black sailor uniforms... in short, he bought everything related to black. In the end, Shota bought Kyokotsu a gift for himself.

"Give."

Shota handed a small teddy bear-shaped backpack to Kyokotsu and said to her, "A little girl should carry a plush toy to look proper."

"..."

Kyokotsu paused for a moment. Walking in the human world, she certainly couldn't keep carrying around a skull all the time; even the venomous snakes had to be hidden inside her clothes. Looking at the teddy bear Shota offered, Kyokotsu hesitated for a moment before accepting it.

"Thank you, thank you..."

It was as if Kyokotsu had never said thank you before; his tone sounded a bit off.

"No need to be polite, you can put the snake in there."

Shota lifted the large bags in his hands and said to Kyokotsu, "It's time to go back."

"Oh, oh!"

Kyokotsu nodded and began to lead Shota back to Hagoromo Gitsune, which is now the lair of the yokai in Kyoto.

"Big sister, I'm back!"

The lair of Hagoromo Gitsune is located underground in the area where the Yamabuki flowers bloom. After entering the underground tunnel, Kyokotsu shouted this into the dark area.

"It's a bit shabby. Is no one else here?"

"The Ara-Kumo has gone to sleep. Hakuzosu is guarding outside, and the other monsters... those who were going to leave have left, and those who were going to scatter have scattered."

"Yeah……"

Does the tea grow cold when the person leaves?

"Kyokotsu, are you back? Don't go out any longer."

Hagoromo Gitsune's voice came from deep within the tunnel, and upon hearing it, Shota's heart skipped a beat...

Oh well, we have to face what we have to face.

"Huh? Why can't we go out?"

Kyokotsu called out to those inside with a hint of doubt, then led Shota inside.

"I saw someone I didn't want to see."

"..."

Are you talking about yourself?

"Is that so?" Kyokotsu didn't connect that person with Shota, but simply said to Hagoromo Gitsune, "The Nura Clan sent someone to come and see us. Is it alright if I bring them in?"

Instead of receiving a reply from Hagoromo Gitsune, they heard slightly hurried footsteps coming from inside.

"Is it Rikuo...?"

Hagoromo Gitsune, dressed in a black sailor uniform, ran towards Shota with a slightly expectant tone, but when she saw that the person standing next to Kyokotsu was Shota...

The surrounding air gradually became cold.

"Heh, hehe."

Shota smiled awkwardly and greeted them, "Oh...oh! So we didn't go the wrong way."

"you……"

Hagoromo Gitsune's eyes were icy cold.

"Ah, my dear sister."

Since Kyokotsu received Shota's gift, he naturally had to say a few words on his behalf, so he quickly handed over one of the gifts Shota had bought.

The easiest thing to grab is that ring.

"This is a gift from Shota-san to you, big sister. Isn't it beautiful?"

As she spoke, she opened the box, revealing the ring inside.

"ring?"

Hagoromo Gitsune never imagined that this person would... give her a ring?