I'm in another world, and I start out transformed into Lancelot.

The view in the front yard suddenly opened up.

Compared to the tranquility of the backyard, the sunlight here seems more intense and bright, and the original fragrance of grass and trees in the air has now been replaced by an extremely refreshing floral scent.

But everyone's attention was firmly drawn to the scene in the center of the front yard.

The crowd stood respectfully around the edge of the courtyard, looking towards the center with awe and fascination.

A figure with an extraordinary and refined demeanor, as radiant as the moon, sat in the center.

She had a rare head of light green hair, as fresh and soft as newly sprouted leaves.

What's even more eye-catching are the elegant and unique emerald green hair ornaments on both sides of her temples, resembling peacock feathers, which shimmer with a restrained and noble luster in the sunlight.

At this moment, she was playing the pipa with focused concentration and skill, her slender, fair fingers nimbly flying across the strings.

With each pluck, the mysterious melody flows out, condensing into visible musical notes in the air.

An invisible, immense magic spread gently but undeniably from its center, and the space itself seemed to resonate and ripple softly with the music.

This is Kinara, the goddess from Itsukushima.

As the melody flows endlessly, imbued with the power of nature and space, two breathtakingly beautiful women dance gracefully.

A woman dressed in layers of cherry-pink kimono, with delicate cherry blossom patterns seemingly growing naturally on the hem of her skirt, twirls around as if cherry blossom petals are falling from the sky, exuding gentleness and romance.

The other wore a bright pink short skirt, her figure light and graceful, her movements like peach blossom buds being caressed by the spring breeze, exuding a captivating and vibrant beauty.

Their dance was light and graceful, and every step was perfectly in sync with the music flowing from Kinnara's fingertips.

The blooming cherry blossoms and budding peach blossoms danced and swirled, filling the air with fragrance and transforming this small courtyard into a dreamlike fairyland.

Kagura immediately stood on tiptoe excitedly, her small face flushed with excitement. She pointed to the dreamlike center, her voice filled with unbelievable joy:

"Yuko-neechan, look! It's her! That woman playing the biwa is the legendary goddess Kinara of Itsukushima! And Sakura-neechan and Momo-neechan are dancing! So beautiful!"

Yuko's gaze had already pierced through the gaps in the crowd and landed on the musician with light green hair.

Even without Kagura's confirmation, her unique rhythm, the divine power surrounding her, and the strings that resonated throughout the space when touched by the pipa—all these characteristics unmistakably confirmed her identity. And the cherry blossom and peach blossom spirits dancing with her were like magnificent annotations that naturally arose from this perfect musical movement.

Even after the music ended and the dance stopped, the crowd, still mesmerized by the beautiful scene, remained in a daze.

Abe no Seimei tapped his folding fan and chuckled, "As expected of Lord Kinara from the land of elegant music~ Such beautiful music could hardly be called celestial music~"

Chapter 174 First Encounter with Kinara, the Goddess of Itsukushima

Kinnara let out a soft sigh of relief and carefully placed the pipa beside her. The instrument transformed into specks of pale golden light and vanished silently.

She raised her hand and gently tucked a strand of light green hair that had fallen across her cheek behind her ear; her fingertips brushed against it as if touching a delicate piece of jade.

"You flatter me, Lord Abe." Kinara looked up at Seimei standing not far away, her voice clear and melodious, carrying the gentle humility unique to a goddess.

"As for me," she lowered her eyes slightly, a faint blush rising on her jade-like cheeks, like peach blossoms in early spring tinged with morning dew, "I still need to trouble everyone to teach me the steps of the Kagura dance. I am truly apprehensive about being entrusted with the task of awakening Lady Amaterasu."

Seemingly very distressed, her tone was filled with sincere humility and trepidation: "To my shame, my daughter is only good at singing and playing musical instruments. As for the solemn and elegant Kagura dance, she has really neglected to practice and is quite clumsy."

Abe no Seimei had long since lost the focused expression he had shown while listening, and a signature gentle yet slightly sly smile played on his lips.

With a flick of his wrist, he unfolded the bat-shaped fan in his hand with a "whoosh," using the fan surface to partially cover the slightly upturned corners of his mouth.

Those eyes, which inherited the bloodline of the fox demon and appeared exceptionally bright and deep, curved into a subtle arc behind the fan.

"Why be so modest, my lady? Your music is enough to move heaven and earth and touch the spirits." The voice was gentle, like a spring breeze. "As for the instruction of the Kagura dance, the person has already been chosen."

He slightly turned his wrist, and his folding fan gently pointed to the little girl, Minamoto no Kagura, who was surrounded by several little demons and looking at the Kinnara hair ornament with a look of novelty and excitement.

"This child is the teacher who will be instructing you." When Seimei's gaze fell on Kagura, it softened unconsciously, carrying a hint of elder's satisfaction.

Kagura seemed to have been called out by name. She suddenly came to her senses and realized that she was the designated mentor. Her clear eyes instantly filled with surprise and a little bit of shyness.

She subconsciously straightened her small body, trying to act in a manner befitting a "teacher," but she couldn't help but secretly peek at the feathers in Kinara's hair.

She opened her mouth as if to say something, but for a moment she didn't know where to begin, and only muttered softly, "Teach... teach Kagura dance?"

"Indeed." Seimei nodded slightly, his voice still steady and gentle, but his gaze swept over Kagura's young yet resolute face without making a sound.

The story of why this child was able to appear in his courtyard instead of becoming a sacrifice at some evil altar deep within a temple—the darkest and most sordid schemes within the Minamoto clan, the story of offering a girl with rare and pure spiritual power as a bargaining chip to the evil god Yamata no Orochi, who lurks in the shadows of the ancient capital…

A hint of coldness flashed across Qingming's eyes, only to be gently brushed away by the shadow of the swaying ink orchid on the fan.

These scars need not be mentioned to the important person he just met, lest they cause her unnecessary trouble. Why reopen old wounds? Protecting this peace is what Abe no Seimei should do.

Just then, Seimei keenly noticed that Kinnara's gaze did not linger on the awkward Kagura for long, but instead turned curiously to Narukami Yuko, who was standing in the shadows of the corridor.

This visitor from another world was simply dressed but had a unique air about her. She did not mingle with the little monsters with Kagura, but instead crossed her arms and quietly leaned against a pillar.

As if she were carefully listening to the conversation in the courtyard, or perhaps pondering something distant, her clear eyes seemed to hold unfathomable thoughts in the sunlight.

Seimei's smile deepened, his keen senses, a result of his fox demon bloodline, allowed him to clearly perceive the indescribable allure surrounding Yuko.

This charm isn't deliberately flaunted, but rather like a firefly in the night, naturally attracting the attention of those around it.

The curve of his lips behind the folding fan became even clearer. He seemed to have already foreseen that this girl, who had been unexpectedly drawn into this destiny, would surely bring many unexpected... interesting things to this seemingly peaceful Kyoto.

After all, seeing through things but not saying anything, and observing the changes quietly, is the best perspective to appreciate the myriad aspects of human nature.

“As for this one,” Seimei said, flicking his wrist so that the tip of his fan pointed elegantly at Yuko, his voice carrying just the right amount of solemnity, “it is Miss Narukami Yuko. Although she is human, she is a very important guest in this awakening ceremony.”

Yuko was called out by Seimei, and seemed to be pulled back from her wandering thoughts, raising her eyes slightly in surprise.

Her gaze calmly met Kinnara's curious stare, and she nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

His calm and composed demeanor only intensified the curiosity in Kinnara's eyes. Seimei leisurely admired the first encounter between their eyes, the invisible magnetic field of "charm" seemingly already beginning to spread silently.

“My lady,” Seimei said, seizing the opportunity to return to the topic, closing his fan with a crisp “click” sound, “but today, I’m afraid I can only ask you to rest and make some arrangements for now. The other lady who is in charge of the dance is a bit further away and will not arrive at my humble abode until nightfall.”

Upon hearing this, Kinnara withdrew his probing gaze from Yuko, his face still bearing that warm and gentle smile, and then he gave a slight bow:

"Lord Seimei, you flatter me. It is my honor to be able to stay in the garden of a famous Onmyoji in Kyoto. It is a blessing to be able to stay in such a serene place for a while."

"Oh dear, this is too much for me!" Seimei immediately put on a perfectly timed "troubled" expression and half-jokingly begged for forgiveness, "As the goddess enshrined at Itsukushima, you hold an extremely high status. If the Itsukushima Shrine or the Fujiwara family elders knew about this, they might really think that Abe no Seimei is arrogant and ignorant of manners, and they might come knocking on the door of my humble courtyard to demand an explanation!"

His tone was exaggerated, but a hint of mischief was hidden in his eyes, as if he could already see the scene of the Fujiwara clan's attendants or Itsukushima's messengers coming to his door to demand an explanation.

Kinnara covered her mouth and chuckled softly, her laughter as clear and melodious as the tinkling of silver bells: "Lord Seimei is joking."

She seemed to realize then the natural "trap" in her words, and a hint of mischievousness flickered in her beautiful eyes. "The people of Itsukushima are all dutiful, and the Fujiwara clan is also respectful and righteous. Why would they bother us for no reason? I was just stating the truth."

Chapter 175 Cooking together is an additive to our relationship.

Kinnara's words were sincere and frank, which only added to his "naturally wicked" effect.

Seimei lightly tapped his forehead with his fan, giving him a "I really can't do anything with you" look: "Alright, alright, I was overthinking it. My lady has had a long and arduous journey from Itsukushima to here. Please be sure to rest well." He turned to the shikigami beside him and gestured, "Lead the way for the goddess."

A tiny, paper-folded pageboy floated lightly out from the shadow of the pillars and bowed respectfully to Kinnara.

"Then I'll trouble you." Kinara bowed again, her demeanor elegant and dignified. Her gaze swept over Yuko, who stood quietly, and she nodded to Kagura, whose clothes were being tugged by the little demons. Finally, she said to Seimei, "I'll ask Lord Seimei for guidance later." With that, she turned and walked towards the inn with the paper doll attendant.

Her light green hair swayed gently behind her, carrying a faint, delicate fragrance that mingled with the fresh scent of grass and trees in the courtyard, gradually blending into the dappled light and shadow deep within the courtyard.

Watching her figure disappear at the end of the corridor, Kagura finally breathed a sigh of relief, patted her chest, and whispered, "She's a very beautiful older sister, but I feel so much pressure."

The door to the inn was gently pulled open a crack, and Kinnara stepped lightly into the corridor. She had changed her elaborate attire into a simple, light yellow dress, and removed her magnificent peacock feather headdress, letting her long, smooth hair hang loosely behind her head.

It was still early before the Kagura dance practice, so Kinara decided to go for a walk to ease her nervousness about participating in the awakening ceremony. She strolled along the corridor, the aroma of rice wafting from the kitchen mixed with the fresh scent of herbs and plants, carrying a unique, warm, and comforting feeling that belonged to the human world.

The faint sounds of voices and light footsteps drew her gaze towards the kitchen. The kitchen doorway was open, and Kagura's small figure was carrying a bamboo basket full of washed vegetables, skipping inside. Beside her, Narukami Yuko was squatting on the floor, calmly and efficiently arranging several small jars of pickles. On the bamboo mat nearby, freshly cooked white rice steamed in a wooden bucket, the rising steam shimmering in the warm light.

Seeing this warm and bustling scene, Kinnara paused slightly, hesitating for a moment. Coming from a family of musicians, she rarely encountered such mundane cooking, but the precise control she possessed over rhythm while playing the pipa gave her the idea to give it a try. So, she quietly walked to the kitchen doorway, not immediately disturbing those inside, but silently watching their busy figures for a while.

As Yuko straightened up, her gaze inadvertently drifted towards the doorway, meeting Kinnara's questioning look. "Um..." Kinnara's voice was low, tinged with nervousness, "I wonder if there's anything I can do to help?"

Yuko paused for a moment, then smiled gently and pointed to the rice bucket on the table: "Of course you're welcome, Miss Kinara. We were just about to make some rice balls." Kagura also happily skipped over, pulling Kinara's hand and leading her inside: "Kinara-neechan, come quick! Making rice balls is so much fun!"

Kinnara knelt down beside the bamboo mat, her posture still bearing her usual elegance, but the tense aloofness in her eyes had faded, replaced by curiosity and a hint of embarrassment. "I rarely handle cooking," she said frankly, looking at the warm rice.

“It’s alright, Miss Kinnara.” Yuko washed her hands and knelt down opposite her, handing her a clean, damp cloth. “It’s very simple, we can do it together.” Kagura eagerly stretched out her little hands, but Yuko stopped her with a look: “Kagura, wash your hands!” The little girl paused for a moment, then quickly ran to the basin.

With the air of a matriarch, Yuko wrapped her hands in a damp cloth, scooped out some rice, spread it evenly in her palm, and skillfully gathered it up: "See, cup your palm into a little hollow, then use your fingertips to round it and gently press to shape it." Kinara imitated her, scooping up a small ball of warm rice. The soft texture and stickiness caught her off guard. She pressed hard with her fingertips, but the rice stuck to her hand, and the shape she managed to create was crooked and uneven. She frowned slightly, lowered her head, and focused even more intently on dealing with the rice grains in her hands, completely unaware that a few mischievous grains had somehow jumped onto the side of her cheek.

"Pfft..." Seeing her earnest yet somewhat clumsy struggle with the rice, a stark contrast to her solemn and precise demeanor during her daytime performances, Yuko couldn't help but let out a very soft laugh.

The laughter immediately drew Kinara's attention. Her emerald green eyes, tinged with a hint of embarrassment at being caught laughing, stared directly at Yuko. Yuko's smile froze on her face as she realized her rudeness. Just as she was about to apologize, Kinara lowered her eyelashes first, a blush creeping up her ears, and whispered, "...Please forgive me, it was indeed...a bit awkward."

Yuko felt a gentle tickle in her heart. Seeing Kinnara's embarrassed yet earnest expression, her voice softened even more: "No, it's my fault. Here, it's like this..." She naturally moved closer, turned to the side, and demonstrated by spreading her palms out to Kinnara, "Hold your palm like this, yes, gently gather your fingers... use here." She vaguely pointed to the fingertips of Kinnara from a distance.

Their knees almost touched. The unique fragrance of Kinnara, a blend of flowers and strings, quietly seeped into Yuko's breath. Yuko steadied herself, focusing on her movements, and quickly shaped a round rice ball.

Under her close "guidance," Kinara finally managed to form a rice ball that wasn't perfect, but it was very substantial. The joy of success made her emerald green eyes light up instantly. "Look!" Kinara excitedly showed the rice ball to Yuko.

"Yes! Well done!" Yuko smiled sincerely, but her gaze couldn't help but linger on Yuko's face, which looked especially lively because of her seriousness. On her fair and smooth cheek, a tiny grain of rice was stuck there, like a crystal dewdrop.

"Ah..." Yuko instinctively called out a warning. Kinara looked up and, following her gaze, reached out to touch it. Yuko almost instinctively whispered, "Don't move, it's got rice on it."

Before she could finish speaking, her actions were faster than her thoughts. Yuko leaned closer, her right hand, still slightly warm and damp, naturally reaching out to Kinnara's cheek. Her fingertips, still warm from kneading the rice ball, gently and precisely brushed away the tiny grain of rice from Kinnara's cheek.

The warmth of fingertips, the coolness of skin, the point of contact was extremely small. Yet the strange sensation brought by that tiny touch was like a pebble thrown into a still lake, creating invisible ripples between the two of them.

Chapter 176 Itsukushima Goddess's Favorability +1 +1 +1

Time seemed to stand still for a moment.

Kinnara froze on the spot, her beautiful emerald eyes widening suddenly, clearly reflecting Yuko's focused gaze so close to her.

Her long eyelashes, like butterfly wings, fluttered rapidly and uncontrollably a few times, all her senses focused on the spot on her cheek that had just been touched.

A slight heat spread rapidly from there, burning her entire cheeks red, even her ears turned crimson.

Yuko's movements were actually very brief; after wiping away the rice grains, her fingertips left the slightly warm skin.

But the lingering smoothness and the other person's suddenly rising body temperature were clearly imprinted on her fingertips.

It wasn't just Kinara who seemed strange; when Yuko saw Kinara's face flush instantly and her eyes darting away, her own breath hitched slightly, and her heart felt as if it had been gently bumped by something. How strange.

"Excuse me!" Kinnara hurriedly lowered her head, her soft hair brushing against her ears, trying to cover the burning red blush on her face.

But the sound of her heartbeat was clearly audible in her chest, thump-thump, so fast that it made her panic.

"Oh dear! Kinnara-neechan, why are you blushing?" Kagura's cheerful voice broke the brief silence.

The little girl skipped back after washing her hands, staring wide-eyed at Kinnara's flushed cheeks. "Is it too hot in the kitchen?"

She glanced at the various rice balls on the bamboo mat and was immediately drawn to them. "Wow! Sister Kinnara has also made rice balls! They're a little crooked, but they're so amazing!"

The innocent words of a child are like a refreshing breeze. Upon hearing this, Kinara couldn't help but secretly glare at Yuko.

Her gaze was soft and gentle, without a trace of reproach, more like a coquettish shyness.

She was amused by the reaction and felt a little helpless. Her lips pursed slightly, which dispelled some of the intense embarrassment.

Yuko received that soft gaze, and the smile between her brows deepened, like ink spreading in a watercolor painting.

She cleared her throat and deliberately echoed Kagura's words, "Yes, Miss Kinnara succeeded on her first try, that's amazing. Come on, let's make a few more, and then everyone can taste Miss Kinnara's skills."

"Great!" Kagura, completely unaware of the undercurrents among the adults, joined in with great enthusiasm.

Kinnara took a deep breath, trying to calm the heat in her cheeks and her wildly beating heart. She lowered her head again and picked up the rice ball that she had squeezed until it was somewhat flat.

Unconsciously, his fingertips brushed very lightly over the spot where Yuko had just touched him.

It felt as if that warm, slightly damp touch was still stubbornly lingering on my skin, bringing with it a strange and unfamiliar tingling sensation.

The aroma of rice grew stronger in the small kitchen, and in the rising steam, a new and more subtle warmth quietly flowed between the three of them, intertwining silently.

Outside the window, the last rays of the setting sun swept across Kinnara's lowered profile, illuminating the lingering shy curve of her lips.

The courtyard was enveloped in tranquility after dinner. The lingering aroma of rice mingled with the evening fragrance of flowers, creating a comforting atmosphere.

Even the noisy monsters during the day seemed to be immersed in this peace, with only a few faint chirps of insects occasionally breaking the silence.

The cool moonlight, like the finest silver gauze, gently gilded every contour in the courtyard with a soft edge of light.

After Kagura finished clearing the dishes, Seimei called her over to handle some matters related to talismans.

Now, only Yuko Narukami and Kinara remained on the spacious side corridor. They sat on the ground, a polite but not too far apart.

Yuko's gray eyes quietly reflected the moonlight flowing in the courtyard and the silhouette of the waterwheel. There were still many heavy mysteries in her heart that had not been solved, but that did not prevent her from appreciating the night view of the courtyard.