Don't force me to use my right fist.

Since he promised to protect himself, there's no need for Inari to interfere anymore.

More than that, what Kaguya is worried about now is how to face Sawa after everything is over.

Leaving aside whether the repeatedly defeated Church of Truth will continue to attack him, Sōyū is almost able to investigate their hometown. In addition, his eighteenth birthday is approaching. If he can survive that day, then the cycle of reincarnation should end.

But that's where the problem lies. Her promise to Sawa is only this much. After everything is finished, Kaguya can't guarantee that he will still be by her side to protect her like he is now.

Even the thought of never having that sense of security that only Saya was by her side again made Kaguya feel a tightness in her heart.

"I hope the gods will let this guy stay by my side forever and protect me. Of course, if possible, I just hope he won't make me angry so often like he does now." Kaguya silently uttered her prayer to the gods, even though she knew it was practically the same as keeping Saya by her side. But Kaguya still selfishly made this wish.

Desires are inherently selfish, and Kaguya has never said that she wasn't one of them.

As long as she could keep Saya by her side, she felt she was willing to do anything, even resort to some despicable means.

"So, you've asked me twice already, and each time you didn't seem to say what you wanted to pray for?"

"You don't believe that wishes have no effect if they are spoken aloud, but I do believe it."

Kaguya shook her head, clearly not wanting to answer Saku on this question.

This is just an excuse; in reality, she could never possibly say her wish to his face. What difference would that make from confessing her feelings?

"If I remember correctly, they also have a fortune-telling function over there. Want to try it?"

Kaguya pulled Saya directly into another house next door, and the topic shifted to something else.

"Drawing lots? To be honest, I don't have much interest in anything involving lotteries or raffles."

When Zuoyou talked about lotteries, he couldn't help but think of his unlucky five-pull streak. He was too lazy to open the lucky cube anymore. If he really had to open a box in the future, he would probably have to apologize to Teacher Huiyin one more time.

Who could blame Sawamura for knowing that of all the luck-boosting items she'd ever seen, the one she possessed was the easiest to obtain?

Moreover, it's practically limitless; if he had the time, Zuoyou would love to bring a set of iron buckets, empty his backpack, and then head over.

If you squeeze it all out in one go, you won't bother coming a third time.

"Come and try it with me. It's okay if you don't believe me. Just treat it as a bit of fun."

After leading Saya into the room where fortune-telling was conducted, Kaguya decisively sat down in front of an elderly woman dressed as a kind-looking shrine maiden, raising both hands to her.

The old woman dressed as a shrine maiden nodded slightly to her, then picked up two fortune sticks from under the table and placed them in front of Saya and Kaguya.

Why are you spacing out? Why are you staring at that old lady?

Kaguya picked up the fortune stick with some anticipation, only to find that Saya next to her seemed stunned, looking at the old lady in front of the table with a rather strange expression.

"It's nothing, I'll wait for you to finish drawing."

Sōyū was snapped out of his daze by her words. He covered his face with a strange expression, his heart churning with turmoil.

According to Kaguya, from her perspective, the person sitting in front of them should be an old woman. However, after Saku squinted and exchanged a glance with the fox-eared shrine maiden in front of him who was covering her mouth and chuckling, he couldn't help but sigh.

Didn't Kaguya notice that the room where they were drawing fortunes was surprisingly empty? Normally, people queue up for prayers and worship, so how could drawing fortunes be so deserted?

Although he didn't know why this Rice Jar Monster had come down to join the fun, Zuo You felt that she must know he could see through her disguise. However, since he didn't know whether she was friend or foe, he decided to take it one step at a time. No one visits a temple without a reason, and since this Rice Jar Monster had come knocking, Zuo You naturally couldn't ignore her. He wanted to see what this guy was really up to.

Why do you seem to be spacing out and daydreaming so much today?

Kaguya shook her head in confusion, but knowing that Saya was just that kind of unpredictable person, she could only sigh, pick up the fortune-telling container, and shake it.

Rather than worrying about his messy affairs, Kaguya was more interested in knowing whether what she was praying for would proceed smoothly.

Soon, a lucky sign fell out of the fortune-telling box.

Chapter 322 Great Fortune and Great Misfortune

"It's very auspicious."

From Kaguya's perspective, the old woman, who appeared to be just an ordinary old shrine maiden, picked up the fallen signature, gave her a congratulatory smile, and then put it away. It was something she had to earn herself.

Speaking in the tone of an experienced elder, Lady Kaguya glanced at Saya beside her before continuing to add to the discussion.

"Also, in some situations, appropriately loosening the constraints on the person you like is the best choice to improve the relationship between the two of you. Holding on too tightly can sometimes backfire."

The sticks were put into a red lucky bag-like bag.

"I'm not asking for a marriage match, old lady, it's no use telling me that."

After hearing this, Kaguya's face lit up with a cute pink blush. She stammered an explanation, but then she took the small bag back and gently hugged it to her chest.

"That was just me overthinking it. Just take it as a joke. And you, young man over here, what are you asking for? Draw a fortune stick first and see how your luck turns out."

In Saya's eyes, the fox-eared shrine maiden named Tamamo-no-Mae, who was no different from the statue and the picture books he had seen before, smiled at him and pushed the fortune-telling tube in front of him forward.

Sawa picked up the fortune-telling container. He still didn't understand what this girl was trying to do, but at least judging from what she had just said to Kaguya, she hadn't done anything to Kaguya.

It couldn't possibly be coming towards him, could it?

Feeling he didn't have that much charm, Saya casually shook his head and the fortune-telling tube. A bright red fortune stick rolled out from inside, and just looking at the color gave Saya a bad feeling.

Very bad omen.

As expected, and even somewhat predictable, this was the outcome.

Saya nonchalantly picked it up and handed it to the fox-eared shrine maiden opposite him, whom he couldn't quite decide whether to call her Tamamo-no-Mae or Inari-god.

"Looks like this guy's luck really isn't very good." wl

After picking it up and examining it carefully, the shrine maiden's smile faded, and a hint of seriousness appeared in her eyes.

"If you're asking for the safety of those around you, then this isn't a good omen."

Amid Kaguya's somewhat astonished expression, the fox ears on the priestess's head twitched as she directly stated that Saya was praying for the safety of those around her, not for a destined marriage like herself. Only then did she continue...

"Your very existence has an invisible influence on the people you care about. As long as they are still by your side and in contact with you, they will inevitably be drawn into danger because of you. This is the origin of this great misfortune."

"However, things can turn around when they reach their extreme. Great misfortune can also mean great opportunity. As long as you are strong enough, you don't need to care about these influences. Even great misfortune may bring good luck to the people you care about."

The shrine maiden changed the subject and put on a smile again, but compared to the smile she had given Kaguya earlier, this one had a more perfunctory and formal quality to it.

It's no wonder they're considered immortals; they can spout such convincing nonsense with ease. At first glance, it seems to make a lot of sense, but upon closer inspection, it's not much different from saying nothing at all.

Is that so? Then can I completely ignore this?

Watching the girl in front of him, who seemed to be plotting something, carefully put the very unlucky fortune slip he had drawn into a small bag, Sawa said nonchalantly...

He doesn't believe in this stuff anyway. If he really wanted to draw something, why wouldn't he just draw a lucky cube? That thing would more clearly show what his luck is like.

"Hang this on the branch of the locust tree behind the temple, then you won't need to wear it."

Smiling, the fox-eared shrine maiden handed the neatly tied small bag to Saya and began to speak.

"Can I not go? It's quite a hassle. Besides, didn't you say that if you're confident in yourself, you don't need to worry about this, right?"

Sawa squinted at the bag, his face full of reluctance.

"If you don't want to do it, I'll help you out. Consider it payment for carrying me up here. Just wait here, I'll be right back."

Kaguya, on the other hand, seemed even more excited than him. She was the one who dragged Saya into this mess, so it wasn't unreasonable for her to help him resolve it.

Besides, Saya doesn't believe in this, but she does. Based on the idea that it's better to believe it than not, Kaguya felt that it was necessary to get a good omen since it concerned Saya's safety.

Before Saya could refuse, Kaguya took the bag from the shrine maiden, greeted him, and then ran out of the room with the bag, heading towards the locust tree that the shrine maiden had mentioned was used to hang these kinds of tags.

With a mocking expression, the shrine maiden watched Kaguya leave the room. Her previously serious demeanor seemed to finally relax, and she casually beckoned to Saya.

"Was this also part of your plan? I just want to know, if you are a god, what is your purpose in appearing directly in front of us like this?"

Saku looked at the beautiful priestess, whose beauty rivaled even Kaguya's, with a wary expression. She was no benevolent being, even if there was an Inari here.

If it were a four-season creature, it would be fine, but foxes are the very embodiment of cunning.

"Oh? My disguise really had no effect on you? You're quite an interesting person."

After Saya directly exposed her identity, the fox-eared shrine maiden's eyes showed even more interest as she thoroughly looked Saya up and down.

It's really strange. He looks like just an ordinary human being. Even when you use your divine sense to sense him, you can only detect the malice that is unique to the Stranger hidden in his body.

But she knew in her heart that this guy was obviously different from the weird. At least she didn't think any weirdo would have such clear eyes when facing her.

"Thank you for the compliment, but I'd like to know more about why you told Kaguya and me so much nonsense, or rather, what you really meant by what you just said."

Zuoyou immediately asked her purpose, his attitude not like he was facing a god, but more like he was dealing with a street office.

"That's divination, not some random nonsense you're talking about. It's something that could actually happen."

The fox-eared shrine maiden shook her finger at him, reminding him of the error in what he had just said.

Chapter 323 Why Does It Feel Like a Blind Date?

"I don't care what those words actually mean, whether it's divination or a prophecy. What I want to know is what your purpose was in saying those things."

Sōyū remained unmoved as he looked at the deity before him. Until he knew her purpose in contacting him, he would not let his guard down.

Some things are fine to be casual about, but for this girl who looks like she's destined to cause trouble, Sayu still doesn't dare to be too careless.

The fox ears on her head twitched again, and the girl in the shrine maiden's outfit looked at Saya in confusion. He had clearly misunderstood her.

"So you're telling me you treat everyone who comes here to worship the same way? I don't think you're that busy, are you?"

Saya scratched his head. What she said wasn't without reason. It was indeed Kaguya who had taken him to this temple. Even the fact that he had discovered her identity was Saya's own fault.

But to say that she has no feelings for him or Kaguya would be too naive for Saku to be so innocent.

"Oh dear, an interesting little fellow has come to my doorstep. Isn't it only natural to be curious? It's only human nature, right? Besides, foxes are naturally intelligent and curious animals." The fox, who didn't refute Saya's question, leaned back leisurely in the chair behind him and answered in a lazy tone.

Saku glanced at the seat Kaguya had just sat in and added to the shrine maiden in front of him.

"It's normal for you to say I'm interested, but Kaguya is really just an ordinary rich girl with money. Being rich isn't enough to attract a god like you, is it?"

As if she had caught a loophole in Saya's words, the shrine maiden, who was an Inari deity, shook her finger at Saya once more. "Life is more appropriate."

"With such a complex web of cause and effect intertwined in one ordinary girl, how did you conclude that she's just an ordinary rich girl? Or perhaps you've never noticed anything unusual about her?"

Looking intently and seriously into Sōyū's eyes, she truly hadn't expected that Sōyū would think Kaguya was just an ordinary person. In comparison, he, a boy without any fluctuations of power, should be considered an ordinary person even more.

Sōyū turned his head away. This fox had really hit the nail on the head. He didn't have any mods for things like causal aura. If Kaguya hadn't told him, how could he have figured it out?

Speaking of which, Kaguya hasn't explained many of her unusual behavior to him yet. Perhaps if he really has the chance, he should go and ask her what's going on.