"Cheers—"

"Oooh, cheers!"

The teacup rests quietly on the hallway.

Reimu sat cross-legged on the hallway, one elbow on the crook of the knee and his cheek, and watched expressionlessly as the few people in front of him sat on the sidelines and clinked glasses of booze.

Lost in thought.

The sage of the youkai - Yakumo Murasaki. Although the origin of the matter has been explained by her servant Yakumo Lan, she still came to apologize in person.

That being said, isn't it a bit too much to throw aside what should have been comforted and run away for a drink?

Is it because I expect to grow up and won't be awkward like a child anymore, so it's just a walk-around formality?

No, no, no matter what, it's a matter of life for me and my teacher. Although it is true that it may happen sooner or later, as Yakumo Lan said, it does not mean that I will approve of Purple silently plotting and letting it come early, so that my relationship with the teacher will be played with, and it cannot be easily forgiven.

Anyway, is this the only sincerity to come to apologize?

Reimu rested her left hand on her cheek, her right finger tapping her knee impatiently, and looked back at the people who were clinking glasses again.

The ghost who lives underground, Ibuki Suzuka, is a great youkai from hell that he met during the more than a year that the teacher left Gensokyo. Although it's a big monster, it's small, and it's always wandering around without momentum on weekdays.

I don't know if it's because I hate smooth people.、Her relationship with the teacher has always been very stiff.、And occasionally come to visit when the teacher is not at the shrine.,Like this time.。

At the same time, it is also the culprit who suddenly turned the front door of the shrine into a drinking party...... I'll have to find a way to snatch the gourd in her hand that keeps pouring out of wine.

With this thing, you can probably have a worry-free livelihood for a long time.

Except for the two who came uninvited, the rest were new faces......

The immortal who claims to be called Cihua Immortal is said to be called Ibaraki Hua Fan.

It was Zi who introduced him and specially taught himself to practice the "realm...... Teacher.

If it had been a month ago, Reimu would have definitely rejected it sternly.

Although she was once taught Bo Li's cultivation technique by Zi, the Hakuri Witch was originally entangled with her, and the two had never been commensurate with each other.

The title of "master and apprentice" is an important link between oneself and one's teacher, and any behavior that dilutes its meaning must be forbidden.

Although the teacher once taught other children in the temple house, he had no memory of his own at that time, and although he still cared about this "unchaste" behavior, he had already forgiven it verbally.

Nowadays, to call others "teacher" is not a funny enough joke.

But the world is unpredictable.

It is really careless that because of my laziness in cultivation, I will lead to a lack of "realm" and incur a fatal flaw.

Affected by the power of the gods who suddenly appeared, he channeled out the power of the demigods that had been accumulated because of his faith, and because he was too obsessed with the teacher, he was waiting for the opportunity by the nightmare in his heart, so he had to give up this body in order not to hurt the teacher...... As a result, the teacher almost died at the hands of the "impostor".

A sense of anger and nowhere to steam made Reimu very uncomfortable. Although this incident was caused by purple, in the final analysis, it was because he enjoyed the benefits of this belief in vain and ignored the existence of its hidden dangers.

And the power of this faith is a gift from the teacher to himself, and of course it will not be attributed to the teacher in the slightest, but naturally it cannot be attributed to anyone else.

It's just that the once mighty Shrine Maiden of Hakurei has finally met an enemy of fate—a nightmare lurking deep within her, a being that can transform into a god of calamity.

In order to suppress it, Reimu had to accept the arrival of this so-called "immortal" and learn the practice of the "realm" from her.

The so-called 'realm' does not directly increase one's own strength, but it can help oneself to control it better.

Although Ibuki is a ghost with the power of opening mountains and splitting the ground, he can step on the ground without leaving a footprint, and he can pick up a cup without crushing it - that is the experience accumulated over thousands of years and controlling power, which has become his own "realm".

And as a human being, it has only been more than ten years since he was born, and it is impossible to firmly control his power without deliberate cultivation and experience alone like a youkai.

The appearance of the god of calamity is precisely due to the fact that he has accepted the great power brought by faith, but he is unable to control it due to the lack of "realm".

The practice of the 'realm' is imperative, but ...... Let's first call this immortal "name".

In addition to these three people, the remaining one is a white-haired girl who followed the trail of purple and called herself "White Dragon".

Seeing her drinking with the other three, I always wanted to step forward and say, "Children can't drink...... But think about her saying things like "haven't seen you in hundreds of years" when she greeted Purple, forget it.

She was clearly not human, but she had no impression of it, and she had never heard a similar monster mentioned by Aqiu in Barnyard Fields...... Did you appear in Gensokyo with the temple called "Meirenji"?

......

......

"I was going to come here directly to find you, but on the way, I met the goblins who were attacked and had to lend a hand, but I didn't expect to be retained by the goblins and entertained at home for two days, I won't blame you for my breach of appointment, right?"

"Where, how dare you blame Lord Ryujin. Have you had a lot of fun these days?"

Is it "the" Ryujin?!Is that "that" Ryujin?!, Reimu who was eavesdropping on the side, widened his eyes.

The white-haired girl put down her glass, shook her head and sighed, "The goblins are too sexy, and I wanted to teach them some ways to guide and use power to protect themselves, but they don't take it seriously. ”

"Fairies, that's mostly the case. Yakumo replied with a smile.

"The agreed limit has arrived, Ziyo, how have you done what you promised? I used my power to build this independent heritage for you as a bargain, and now in return, it is time to return it to my enemy, right? ”

Hearing this, Yakumo Zi sighed, his face full of sorrow: "Lord Ryujin, you also know how difficult it is to find a human in these many worlds, the life span of human beings is limited, and the more time passes, the more difficult it is to trace. ”

"This ...... I understand, but you don't intend to tell me that nothing has been accomplished in the end of these hundreds of years, right?"

"Not really, Ryujin-sama. Although the human has not been heard from anymore, the god who has obtained your dragon head jade already has some clues. ”

"Oh! It's Yakumo Murasaki, who is worshiped as a sage by youkai, I know that you have this ability! My destined person has finally heard from her, where is she now? ”

"This ...... At present, it is only known that this person has some connection to the Moon Capital, and his specific identity still needs to be investigated for some time. ”

"How long?"

"It won't be long, it will come out in decades. ”

"That's good. Although I can't take revenge, it's my wish to find someone who is destined. But you, it seems that you are making some big moves these days?

"What do you mean?"

"I felt the power of the gods wreaking havoc throughout Gensokyo, and although I secretly intervened to stop it, I also sensed that several divine powers were also defending and guarding...... In just a few hundred years, this land has begun to crouch tiger, hidden dragon?"

"No, in fact, most of those gods are similar to you, and they are only doing it out of their love for Gensokyo, not out of my deliberate arrangement. ”

"Ha, Purple you say that, I don't believe it very much," Ibaraki Huafan, who had been observing the two of them for a long time and called himself "Immortal Cihua Immortal", said, "Maybe these gods are really temporary, but Purple must have calculated this point before choosing to cause a change at such a moment, right?" As long as one or two of these powerful gods who "passed by" didn't sit back and watch the divine power raging and help, they wouldn't let things develop to the worst, right?"

"Hmm, how can I say it," Yakumo said, "this is a rare opportunity after all...... If the hidden dangers on Xiao Lingmeng's body are not eradicated for a day, the threat to herself and Gensokyo will make me restless. ”

A barrage hit Yakumo's back of the head, and the powerful impact caused her body to tilt forward.

"No one asked you to do such a thing, did you?" Reimu's disgruntled tone came from the side, "Normally, you shouldn't tell me the truth to the teacher first, right?"

"That's because there are a lot of concerns......"

"Worried about the princess of the Eternal Pavilion, I know, that princess has been thinking about our teacher for a long time, is it also on the other side of Purple?"

"Wronged, I've been on the side of Little Reimeng from beginning to end. ”

"And what is the result? If the teacher and I spent the second half of our lives in love with each other, I can't forgive you for your self-assertions, but where is the teacher now?"

"The ......"

"That's it, I'm going to go and come back to the teacher now. ”

With that, Reimu stood up from the hallway, patted the dust off her skirt, and straightened her hair accessories.

"Wait for Reimu, it's only ...... today"

"I know that today is the fifth day, and there is still one day and seven hours left before the teacher returns. ”

"But I can't wait like this, in order to protect the teacher's chastity, I have to incarnate Shura-"

"Goo-ahem--"

While drinking wine, Ryujin was trying to understand what was going on from the conversation between several people, and suddenly choked, and the wine poured out of his nostrils.

Seeing that no one was paying attention to her, she hurriedly and quietly wiped it off.

"'As a reward for helping you and Miss Reimu, let's come and have illegitimate children-'"

"That guy would definitely make such a request when he seized this kind ......of opportunity! Disgraceful!"

"Tsk, Reimu, you always look like you don't care about yourself on weekdays, but as a result, you become obsessed when you mention this human being," Ibuki Suika, who was drinking silently on the side, finally spoke, "The so-called 'bond' has never been a compliment, and sooner or later it will become Reimu's Achilles' heel." ”

"Ah, so what?

"Tsk, when I didn't say yes. Ibuki shrugged her shoulders and continued to sip her gourd.

Yakumo Zi got up and came to Reimu's side, holding her shoulders down with both hands—

"Anyway, sit down first," Yakumo Zi's voice was gentle, "Little Reimu, do you have a feeling that you have a lot more irritability in your heart these days than before?"

"Huh, the teacher is still in the Eternal Pavilion, do you think I can ......?"

"Although it is true that your teacher often messes around with flowers, this is not something that you only know now, is it?

"That's why it's all because of ......"

"Reimu, don't you feel like you're more aggressive than before?"

Reimu finally sat back on the futon, no longer struggling to get up, thought about it, and asked:

"Purple, you mean to ......"

"Well, it's true that you managed to suppress the Kazumi personality and retire it, but you were still under her influence. Although it is more that she is influenced by you, it is you and not her who dominate this body now. ”

Reimu subconsciously stripped the hair on her left sideburn, and the red ribbon was still the familiar black hair, not the white hair that had been changed by the god of calamity.

"But she's not already ......"

"Reimu, do you remember the 'Taishan Mansion Monarch Festival'?"

“......”

"That's a forbidden technique created by humans with the condition of "life for life", you should know this, right?"

"Well, I don't regret doing that. ”

"Your teacher has been resurrected because of this, but you are not dead, do you know why?"

"The power of the gods. ”

"That's right, although you didn't know it at the time, you did cast a spell as a 'god' at that time, and since then you have been in trouble. ”

"That's why my gray hair was at that time, right?" Reimu's expression was flat, and it seemed that he had already had his own thoughts.

"Well, that's exactly the case," Yakumo Zi leaned down, her usual eyes of Reimu, "Although this is just my own speculation, Xiao Reimeng, you, should you still be thinking, if Mo Ming has anything else, you will still use that technique, right?"

"......" Reimu and Yakumo Zi looked at each other, their expressions calm, but they did not respond.

"This power still doesn't belong to you, Reimu," Yakumo said solemnly, "If you become dependent on it, it won't be so easy next time." ”

"I see, I won't slack off in the cultivation of the 'realm' until I can fully grasp this power," Reimu nodded with a serious expression, "But what does this have to do with the fact that I'm going to pick up the teacher now?"

"Of course it is," Yakumo Zi smiled when she heard this, "Didn't I say it, I'm on Reimu's side." ”

"So Zi, you shouldn't support my actions, right?"

"On the contrary, I must stop the scourge that you have left behind by acting on the spur of the moment. ”

"What do you mean?"

"If the name is not right, then the words are not good," Yakumo Zi held up a finger, "The time agreed with the Eternal Pavilion has not yet expired, and going now is equivalent to breaking the agreement by your side...... Xiao Reimu, you will be defeated in the battle with Her Royal Highness the princess named "Penglai Mountain Kaguya" in the future. ”

Reimu's face was not depressed, and she couldn't help but scratch her hair.

"In the confrontation with Her Royal Highness the princess, Xiao Lingmeng, you have a natural advantage, but if you are lazy and arrogant because of this, you will be caught by Her Royal Highness the princess?"

"Forget it, I got it. He tossed aside the imperial coin that he had held in his hand since then, and savored the teacup again, his eyes wandering as if he were once again in deep thought.

Seeing this, Yakumo Zi smiled and nodded, and sat back in his place in the cocktail party.

"I've been busy for too long lately - I've been stealing half a day's leisure, and it's time to have a drink. Yakumo took the half-drunk wine gourd from Cuixiang and filled it to her bowl.

Ibuki Suika didn't care, and looked at the Ibaraki fan, which had not spoken for a long time, as if an immortal had settled down.

"I didn't expect to meet you here, Hua Fan, I can return when I have time...... Woo-"

Without speaking, he was sealed with his left hand by Ci Huaxian on the side.

"Ha, hahaha, I am a cultivator, and the four seas are my home, so I don't need to mention the past. ”

Struggling to pull away the arm of the fan, Ibuki Sumika sighed melancholy:

"You guys, it's really getting more and more boring," took the wine gourd that Yakumo Zi handed back, stared at it for a while, and suddenly laughed again, "It's still fun to be reimu." ”

As he spoke, he threw the wine gourd to Reimu Hakurei, who was still pondering.

but it hit her on the head.

Reimu glared at Suika, picked up the wine gourd, and filled the teacup with wine.

After hesitating for a moment, he threw the wine gourd back.

Ibuki Suika suddenly thought of something, looked at Ibaraki Kafan and asked:

"Is it common for you to use the power of the gods to cause changes in yourself?"

When this old friend was going to ask something, hearing this kind of question, Miss Immortal felt a little relieved.

"Yes, it is not uncommon to stimulate the latent power in the body, and occasionally there will be abnormal changes in the physical condition. ”

"Hey, is it normal to change?" Ibuki Sanka took a sip of wine, "So, will it make your breasts bigger?"

"Ahem, ahem, ahem......" Reimu put down the teacup, took out the handkerchief from his pocket, and wiped his cuffs with a frown.

Reimu's eyelids drooped, and he looked at himself, then glanced at Yakumo Murasaki and Ibaraki Kafan, his face solemn, and then he looked at Ibuki Suzuka and Hakuryu, who were sitting on the side, and let out a sigh of relief.

"Why, you're starting to pay attention to this aspect too?"

"No, ghosts are not the same as humans, feminine charm or something is useless, but it will interfere with the action because it is too big - I don't know it myself, but I often hear Yongyi complain so much after drinking, but speaking of Yongyi, Hua fan you...... Woo-"

"Why can't you stop drinking alcohol?"

Yakumo shook her head with a smile, suddenly frowned, and stared slightly sideways at the place under the torii.

Reimu seemed to notice it at the same time, and her gaze moved to the same place.

Mo Ming, dressed as usual in the clothes of the god lord, appeared half-body at an inopportune time, and slowly climbed the steps and stood under the torii.

His gaze swept over the four people at the party, and stayed on the white-haired little girl for a second.

Then he walked past the crowd and looked at Reimu.

"I'm back. ”

"Well, welcome back. ”