How did I, an Onmyoji, become the Lord of Yokai?

Lingzi actually has a very good personality. She is generous, cheerful, and lively. Although she may seem aloof and cold at first glance, like a flower on a high mountain, she will truly show her approachable side once you get to know her.

For example, the servants of the Tamura family were initially afraid and worried about Reiko, but as they gradually got to know her, they all fell in love with this suddenly appearing young lady.

Lingzi would often go out drinking and making a ruckus with the soldiers on the battlefield, and her approachable manner made them feel very comfortable.

However, even so, in Reiko's heart, they remained only at the level of friends.

Because Reiko could hear their voices, but they could not hear Reiko's voices.

There is ultimately an indelible barrier between humans and demons.

Sometimes Shimizu Asahi would think, should we just let it go? With him, Yoko, and Tamura Samurai as her three relatives, Reiko had come to understand what family and home meant, and now she was able to be a good ruler of the sea kingdom.

But after witnessing the interaction between Yoko and Cangzi, his heart, which had been vaguely inclined to give up, was stirred again.

As expected, I still need to find a friend that Reiko can truly accept from the bottom of her heart.

After all, the human world contains not only family affection, but also friendship.

but......

"This matter can't be rushed; it needs to be arranged carefully..."

Reiko is still ignoring Kurako. He needs to find a way to bridge the gap between them... Hmm, or maybe he can get them to find something they both like?

As long as they share a common goal, even if they cannot understand each other for the time being, they will surely be able to resolve their differences as they move forward side by side.

Although Reiko will establish a sea kingdom and become the lord of the sea, and Kurako will take over the shrine and become the Izumo shrine maiden, no matter how you look at it, you can't find a common point.

But it's okay, there's no rush now. Anyway, Cangzi won't be back anytime soon, so there's still time to observe.

Moreover, Shimizu Asahi doesn't know Kurako very well, and if he makes a decision rashly based on the information he has now, it could very well backfire.

Meanwhile, as Shimizu Asahi pondered the relationship between Reiko and Kurako, occasionally glancing at them, Yoko was 'inadvertently' watching him from a distance.

Perhaps she was too engrossed in her own world to notice that Kurako's gaze had shifted from the side.

"Leaves? Leaves?"

The shrine maiden's soft call reached her ears, startling her at the sudden sound, but Yoko quickly recovered.

She quickly calmed down and replied, "Hmm? Um, ah, Kurako, what's wrong?"

"Hehe, Yezi, although I know you like Mr. Shimizu too, it's not good to look at him so openly, after all, Mr. Shimizu is your future brother-in-law."

"Hmm!?"

The bold words made the girl's eyes widen involuntarily, and at the same time, a blush as pink as cherry blossoms appeared on her usually calm face.

"Wait, Cangzi, what are you saying? I was just spacing out, I wasn't even looking at Chaoyang. Don't talk nonsense. Besides, he's my sister's fiancé, how could I like him..."

"Oh..." The deliberately drawn-out sound rang in Yezi's ears. Kurako blinked and laughed like a little girl who had encountered something amusing. "So, you mean if Asahi wasn't Reiko's fiancé, you would like him?"

"No, no, that's not it."

With her inner thoughts instantly exposed, Ye Zi felt a pang of panic, but even so, she tried her best to remain calm on the surface and said, "You're overthinking it, Cangzi! You can't just say things like that."

"Oh my...you're getting excited, Yezi."

The shrine maiden's eyes narrowed into crescent moons, and she smiled slyly, like a little fox.

"It's not like there's anything shameful about it. Besides, your actions just now have given you away completely."

"I just wanted to test it out, but I didn't expect... I actually managed to find out."

These words were tantamount to confirming her guess. Before Yoko could respond, Kurako continued, "Although I know Mr. Shimizu is very charming, it's truly amazing that even you, Yoko, have fallen for him..."

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, actually, I also like Mr. Shimizu."

"...Hmm? Ughhhhhh!!!!"

Cangzi's casual remark was like a thunderclap, instantly erupting in Yezi's heart, stirring up a storm in her heart that had just begun to calm down.

Wait, wait, what did Kurako just say? She said she also likes the sunrise! ???

Her body instinctively gasped, and a shout that would attract everyone's attention was about to burst from Ye Zi's mouth.

However, as if she had expected this, Cangzi covered her mouth in advance and raised a finger to shush her, saying, "Don't be too surprised, Yezi. It would be bad if you attracted Mr. and Reiko over here."

Subconsciously glancing at Shimizu Asahi and Shimizu Reiko, Yoko still wanted to shout out loud, but considering her sister and brother-in-law, she forcibly suppressed the emotions that were about to explode inside her.

After confirming that Yoko would stop yelling, Kurako released her hand. However, the moment she let go, Yoko grabbed her shoulder and growled in a low voice with an expression of disbelief, "What's going on, Kurako? What does 'I also like Mr. Shimizu' mean?"

Even though Ye Zi told her not to get too excited, how could she calm down so easily about something like this? Tenjo Kurako... this shrine maiden from Izumo Taisha, actually likes her brother-in-law too!?

What is this? I've suddenly gained another rival in love for no reason?

No... I need another older sister?

I treat you as a friend, but you want to be my older sister?

"It means exactly what it says. I like Mr. Shimizu just like you."

The girl smiled gently and teased, "It's not that surprising. Mr. Shimizu is so outstanding, there must be many people who like him. It's only natural that I like him. Or do I just not seem like the kind of person who would like someone?"

"No, that's not what I meant, it's just... Kurako, you're a shrine maiden, right? Can shrine maidens like people?"

"Why not? No shrine or deity has explicitly stated that a shrine maiden cannot like people." Chapter 344, Section 341: How adorable, Leaf.

The shrine maiden gently rounded her eyes into crescent moons, paused slightly, and continued, "The Celestial Maiden Clan has protected the Izumo Grand Shrine for generations. If they cannot marry, they cannot have offspring and therefore cannot continue to protect the Izumo Grand Shrine. Hmm... although there are some who do not wish to marry, they are a minority."

"Therefore, almost every priestess of Izumo Taisha has a husband."

"Hehe... I might not be an exception either."

"This..." Ye Zi was speechless for a moment. Indeed, no shrine or deity had ever explicitly stated that shrine maidens could not marry. The saying that shrine maidens could not marry originated from folklore and was a judgment made by the people based on the mystery and purity of shrine maidens. However... even so, Ye Zi still found it hard to accept.

It felt like something that belonged to you had suddenly been taken away; a dull, oppressive, and somewhat agitated feeling welled up inside you.

She wanted to say something more, but her mind was a mess, and she didn't know what to say at all. In the end, she could only give up and turn her head away like a sulking little girl.

"Hehe... Alright Yezi, let's talk about this when we get back. This isn't the right place to discuss these things."

The girl's adorable gesture made Cangzi chuckle, but she didn't say anything more. She just patted Yoko on the shoulder, signaling her not to make any overly obvious expressions.

Although her sullen emotions were almost overflowing, Ye Zi still managed to suppress her expression.

Time passed slowly, and finally, just as Ye Zi was about to lose control of her emotions, they ended their trip for the day.

After returning home, Cangzi made up an excuse and pulled Yezi into her room. She closed the door and carefully affixed a talisman to ensure that she could detect anyone who came. Then, she looked at Miss Yezi, who had been staring at her ever since she entered the room.

"Alright, that's all for now. Feel free to ask me anything, Yezi."

"......call."

Taking a deep breath and then a deep exhale, Ye Zi had regained her composure during the trip. She looked at Cang Zi and asked seriously, "Cang Zi, I won't explain that you like Asahi, but if you really like Asahi, what are you planning to do next? Confess to Asahi and your sister, and then enter the Shimizu family?"

Unlike her, who had her concerns, Kurako had no such worries. She was free to express her feelings to Shimizu Asahi and try to win his affections. If Yoko were in Kurako's position, perhaps she would have done the same.

However, Cangzi immediately shook her head and denied it.

"How could I? I wouldn't do that."

"why?"

"Because I am the next shrine maiden of Izumo Taisha."

Kurako explained with a smile, "The shrine maiden is the highest-ranking priestess of Izumo Taisha, representing the dignity of Izumo Taisha and Susanoo-no-Mikoto. How could such a priestess become a concubine?"

"Moreover, it is not the divine child who marries another person, but another person who marries the divine child."

"Anyone who wants to be with the Divine Child must marry into the Heavenly Maiden's family. Only in this way can the purity and majesty of Izumo Taisha be guaranteed."

"Therefore, it is impossible for me to express my feelings to you, sir."

Mr. would not agree to marry into the Tenjo family, much less give up Shimizu Reiko. Kurako, who knew this from the beginning, understood very well that she could not possibly get Shimizu Asahi.

That's why she didn't express her feelings.

To most people, she was just a close friend of Shimizu Asahi, but only she knew that she liked Shimizu Asahi.

"..."

Ye Zi fell silent for a moment; she understood what Cang Zi was thinking.

She pursed her lips, and for some reason, her expression became somewhat dissatisfied.

"So, you're planning to give up on Chaoyang and just marry anyone?"

“No, I will stay at the shrine for the rest of my life.” The girl narrowed her eyes and said, “Hmm... I remember saying that before.”

“I’m ‘not necessarily’ an exception, so there’s a possibility that I might be an exception.”

"Although the divine child has the obligation to bear offspring, the purpose of bearing offspring is to have a better successor. Therefore, as long as a good successor is found, it is okay not to get married."

"Is this your choice...?"

Yezi hadn't expected Cangzi to make such a choice. Giving up might be easy for many, but only when truly facing it can one feel the weight of those two words.

How many times did Yoko consider giving up after realizing that Shimizu and Asahi had discovered her intentions? And what was the result? She still accomplished nothing...

"Yes, this is my choice."

"However...hehe, actually this choice isn't that difficult to make, after all, I haven't spent much time with my husband."

"Although I did develop feelings for Mr. two and a half years ago, it was only a little bit. As long as I calm down a bit, I can make the best choice for myself."

"Moreover, before I met you, I had always thought about whether I should live the rest of my life alone. Anyway, not everyone in the Celestial Maiden Clan gets married and has children. Even if I take this path, no one will blame me."

"So, you can relax your expression a little more, Yezi."

"Although I am not the kind of person who 'cannot fall in love with others,' I am also not the kind of person who 'willingly gives everything for others after only a few meetings.'"

As she spoke, Cangzi reached out and rubbed Yezi's face, as if trying to wipe away the heavy expression on her face.

Ye Zi, whose face was being rubbed, blinked. Her originally sullen expression turned to surprise after hearing these words.

"Eh!?"

Because of her own heavy emotions, Yoko subconsciously regarded Kurako as a kindred spirit, believing that she, like herself, had heavy and repressed feelings.

But unexpectedly... Kurako's feelings for Shimizu Asahi were just a slight attraction, not true love.

Ah, why was I so agitated and heavy-hearted before...?

Recalling her behavior during the day, Ye Zi felt incredibly embarrassed, and a blush involuntarily appeared on her delicate, fair face.