The heat in the air can't be described as scorching, but in the humid and stuffy environment, it's really unacceptable.

That's the breath of summer.

Although the White Jade Tower is in the underworld, its location is already extremely thin from the human world, so it is not surprising that it is affected by the mortal world.

And at present, the scene of fragrant grass and flowers blooming in the cherry garden of the white jade building can really be said to be a rare beauty. Although spring has passed, and the season of cherry blossoms has passed, the summer scenery of Baiyulou is not too inferior.

It's just that...... In the courtyard that changes with the seasons, there is one thing that remains the same. Nothing has changed in this summer.

It was a cherry tree in the center of the cherry blossom garden, and it was so large compared to the other cherry trees that it was not a plant, but a sacred creature.

If the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, it will be an indescribable sight.

Elegant and gorgeous, blown by the wind, like a two-color butterfly dancing fiercely.

But that beautiful scene has never been ushered in...... The cherry trees, which have never bloomed and remain withered, have become an unusual landscape that blends into the landscape of the cherry blossom garden.

"Then I'll go and prepare incense and flowers......

An old but resolute male voice said.

His appearance matched his voice perfectly, and despite his age, he did not have any sense of decay. A pair of blue eyes revealed iron-like strength in calm, his figure was tall and slender, and his back was straighter than that of a young man without any curvature, and it was not difficult to imagine from his wrinkled Qingyue face that this old man must have been a beautiful man with outstanding demeanor when he was young.

Even in the twilight of his life, he is still outstanding. He is the peerless swordsman named Soul Demon Jealousy, the guard of the Xixing Temple family.

The white jade building was originally the territory of the Xixing Temple family, and the appearance of the demon here can be said to be a matter of course, and there is nothing unusual about it. However, he was not standing alone under the withered cherry tree at the moment.

The girl behind the demon was staring at his reliable back with confused eyes.

That kind of look...... It may be a slight error to describe it as confused. But that's the impression she makes.

There is no more suitable woman for the word "blushing" than a girl, her light hair that is almost pink and white like cherry blossoms, and her pale skin that reveals cleanliness, a pitiful gesture that can break the heart of any man who claims to be a man.

And although it is summer, the girl in the light and gorgeous clothes does not have any sweat left...... It's not that her physique is already on par with the demon of being a martial artist, but it's just that she doesn't feel any temperature.

Yes, this girl, the eldest lady of the Saiyuji family, is not a human in the ordinary sense...... She's not even a living being.

Yuyuko of Saigyoji Temple is an undead.

Not a twisted spirit, not a ferocious spirit, but a pure undead, a necromancer. It is not affected by any negative or paranoid emotions, and retains the spirit of the personality before death.

At this point, Yuyuko can be said to have reached the pinnacle of all undead beings, and the spirit body that is almost indistinguishable from the real body can not only be compared to the profound magic of soul materialization, but also very similar to the true immortal of the yang god.

Of course, even if you tell others what a great existence this girl is, not many people will believe it. Because of her graceful figure, it would surely make any man who sees a maiden forget all the potential dangers she might have—but sometimes, such negligence must be paid for with his life.

Before she was born, the girl's ability was the ability to induce the death of others, and as a living person, she would make the humans who came into contact with her step into the abyss of death. And now the girl who has become an undead and has come to life on the opposite side, has been able to harness this terrifying power, she can manipulate death, and as the literal meaning, manipulating death is to kill what is alive, and there is no room for resistance.

In any way, Yuyuko of Xixing Temple is also a more terrifying existence than the soul demon standing in front of her, because the realm of the two was different from the beginning. Youji, who is a martial artist, may be very good at killing, but Yuyuko is born to be the embodiment of death.

However, I'm afraid not many people would have thought that the embodiment of death would be a girl with such a weak appearance.

"Monster...... Flower ......"

Yuyuko seemed to notice something, and her deep, empty eyes finally revealed a different color.

"There's a flower there—who is it......?"

From her point of sight, under the cherry tree, there was a white flower lying quietly on the grass, inconspicuous.

What is certain, however, is that it was not originally grown there. It was put there by someone.

The white petals in full bloom seem to express some emotion...... However, Yuyuko of Saigyoji Temple couldn't understand anything.

Following Yuyuko's gaze, Youji also found the white flower.

Then he chuckled with a knowing look.

"Huh...... It must have been done by someone with a heart......

It's just that...... Why is there a little hidden sadness in that smile?

Looking at the smile on the corner of the monster's mouth, although Yuyuko sensed the sadness of the old man, she didn't understand where this sadness came from.

In fact, this is the sadness of the yoboo.

It's a story between a youkai and a human, and while the ending is indeed incomplete, no one can deny that it's a gripping story. Youkai who work hard for a human being, and humans who are full of dedication, each of them is full of charm.

Of course, good things don't always end well, just as heroes don't always end well...... It can only be attributed to the cruelty of fate and the evil taste of God.

After all, the ending that makes everyone happy is indeed less shocking than the end that ends with tears and weeping.

「…… Isn't it......"

There was a confusion in her voice, and Yuyuko muttered to herself.

Although the delicate face is still as clear as a doll, Yuyuko's heart is always haunted by bitterness.

She could feel the sorrow of the bogey, but she couldn't know the source of the sadness -- most importantly, it seemed to be related to herself...... To be precise, it has something to do with your past self.

But it's a pity that everything about the past is completely unremembered by Yuyuko of Saigyoji Temple.

Summer -- it was the first summer for her.

-- The sound of cicadas and the smell of incense.

And I don't know who is hanging on whose deeds, all ...... It's all the first experience.