At night, the movement of the two in the air was less noticeable than expected. Most people look down at what is in front of them, and don't pay much attention to what is above them, which is the result of Akane's observation for a long time.

The Itabashi district, where Kiriyoya is located, is located on the edge of Tokyo, and the Toyokawa Inari Shrine on the Minato side of the city passes through the Toshima and Shinjuku districts – the shortest route Akane has ever found.

Nearly an hour later, the two arrived at Toyokawa Inari Shrine.

The shrine is not large, and there is a stone sculpture of a fox at the entrance as a gatekeeper, and a torii gate separates the inside of the shrine from the street. The shrine is open from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., and it's now past the time to visit, and it's quiet.

Of course, the two did not come to the shrine to pay their respects.

Akane folded her hands and bowed to the approach, showing a rare look of respect, she silently muttered something in her heart, and after bowing, she got up and took Tsukasa Kurihara to the tea room next to her.

Similar to the courtyard cottage I visited in the morning, I wonder if there is a place next to each shrine where you can stay and receive guests.

Tsukasa Kurihara saw lush bushes and well-manicured vegetation. Although similar to the courtyard of Hieda Shrine, the tea room of Inari Shrine is more subdued, and there are more traces of flower and vegetation pruning in the garden.

"Please wait." Akane asked Tsukasa Kurihara to wait at the door, and pushed open the fence and walked in.

Tsukasa Kurihara sees the lights in the tearoom light up through the cracks, and Akane is looking for the owner of the tearoom. Tsukasa Kurihara saw the quiet courtyard become noisy, and a small sound sounded, and two figures could be faintly seen through the light.

I waited about ten minutes.

The person who reappeared was not Akane, but an elderly woman. The woman's hair was coiled into a hairpin, her face was round, her figure was petite, and her eyes were crooked with a smile on her face. She was dressed in a normal style kimono, which was clearly put on temporarily, with a bit of fireworks.

The woman was fifty or sixty years old, and she looked about the same age as An Yun before the Gray Pure incident. She bowed slightly to Tsukasa Kurihara, revealing the tenderness that had been precipitated over the years.

Tsukasa Kurihara also politely returned the salute and took the initiative to say, "Sorry to disturb you so late." ”

The woman shook her head, "We should apologize." Akane's faux pasas must have caused you a lot of trouble, and we will definitely be responsible for the financial losses caused to you. ”

"It's okay, it's not a big deal, kid."

Facing Tsukasa Kurihara's young face and saying such an old-fashioned word, the woman smiled, "According to our time, Akane is an adult who is older than me." ”

"Adults don't count by age." Tsukasa Kurihara replied.

The woman smiled and nodded, "Akane, who has been a fox for the first sixty years, is indeed a child in mind compared to us. ”

After speaking, the woman introduced herself: "I am the palace secretary of Toyokawa Inari Shrine, the great god Katsuko. I don't know your name, sir? ”

"Onmyoji Tsukasa Kurihara." Tsukasa Kurihara replied.

"Kurihara-san." The woman repeated, looked back at the tea-room, ascertained something, and said, "I was in a hurry to prepare the tea today. But if you don't mind, can you go to the tea room for a chat? ”

Tsukasa Kurihara said, "I was in a hurry and couldn't make an appointment in advance. I guess you don't mind. ”

The woman gave a gentle smile, stepped aside, and led Tsukasa Kurihara to the tea room.

The door of the tea room is half-covered with a curtain, and you need to bow down to enter the door, which means that everyone is equal. Stepping into the tea room, Tsukasa Kurihara first smells the soothing incense, and in the center of the ten-fold room is a straw mat and a wooden coffee table. There is a flower arrangement and a snack plate on the coffee table.

On the wall on the left hand side of the entrance is a vertical scroll with the words "Calm the mind and calm the air".

Katsuko led Tsukasa Kurihara to a seat, and when Tsukasa Kurihara was settled, he patted his palms, and at this time, Akane, who was wearing a kimono, bowed in with a wooden tray with a tea set.

Tsukasa Kurihara looked at Akane in surprise as she had changed her clothes.

The kimono on Akane's body is very compliant, with her hair tied up, and her whole body is tightly wrapped up and down, revealing only her slender neck. Her expression is peaceful, her eyebrows are low, and she has completely lost her previous big grin, like a perfect lady.

Akane walked to the table and sat down with her back straight, put down the wooden plate, and gracefully placed the tea sets on the coffee table. After placing it, Qian turned sideways and gently picked up the round lid of the jujube where the tea powder was placed, revealing the emerald green tea powder inside.

She studied matcha ceremony.

Akane put the lid on one side, held the teaspoon with one hand and gently held her wrist with the other, and scooped out three spoonfuls of tea powder with the teaspoon and put them into the tea bowl. Then put down the teaspoon, pick up the water spoon, scoop water from the kettle of boiling water, pour it into the tea bowl, and gently stir the tea powder and hot water with a bamboo whisk.

After waiting quietly for a moment, Akane stopped, put the prepared tea in front of Tsukasa Kurihara, and sat down elegantly in his place.

Throughout the process of making tea and serving tea, Akane's movements have a hint of beauty that is difficult to be rigorous, and her every move makes people feel the beauty and softness of women, making people feel calm and harmonious.

Before this, it was difficult for Tsukasa Kurihara to imagine that Akane still had such a side. He stared at Akane with a strange expression, his eyes full of suspicion.

Katsuko said, "Kurihara-san, please use it." ”

Tsukasa Kurihara came back to his senses and realized what the occasion was now, retracted his gaze, picked up the tea bowl and took a sip on the edge of the bowl, and the taste was unexpectedly good. The entrance is delicate, the taste is slightly astringent and not bitter, and there is also a hint of umami.

"That's good. The tea is delicious, and the process of making tea makes people feel good. Tsukasa Kurihara praised.

"It's great to have your approval." Katsuko smiled, "It's not in vain, she studied the tea ceremony hard." ”

Akane, who heard Katsuko's words, pouted slightly.

On the other hand, Kurihara Division, he couldn't help but say after all: "The Great Divine Palace Division can train a fox with her temperament to this point, and it is also a great merit." ”

Akane raised her head and glared at Tsukasa Kurihara, but because Katsuko was present, she didn't dare to speak, and just motioned with her eyes to Tsukasa Kurihara to speak well.

Tsukasa Kurihara felt that what he said was right.

Katsuko smiled, acquiesced to Akane's small actions, and said, "If only she could really be so calm now, there would be no need to trouble Kurihara-san." ”

"Huh?" Tsukasa Kurihara was puzzled, it seemed that the purpose of Katsuko Okami was not the same as the purpose of Kamo Jinbo.

Katsuko said: "Kurihara-san, you have also seen that our Toyokawa Inari Shrine is not a big shrine, and there is no way to compare it with Hieda Shrine, which is close to you, so this invitation to you is not for the sake of strange talks. ”

Katsuko seemed to understand Tsukasa Kurihara's doubts, explained it, and finally spoke her purpose: "If you can, can you let Akane be your Shikigami?" ”

"Huh?"

"What!"

Kurihara Tsukasa was puzzled, and Akane next to him reacted even more, and he didn't pretend anymore, and asked eagerly, "What do you mean by this?" Want to chase Akane away? Why? ”

Katsuko doted and looked at Akane helplessly, and sighed lightly: "How can I bear to let you go to Qingqiu with your appearance." ”

"Qingqiu?" Tsukasa Kurihara asked, "Neon also has Qingqiu?" ”

Qingqiu is the base camp of the fox clan.

Qian Ke didn't care: "I won't go back to Qingqiu." I grew up in Tokyo, so why should I go back? ”

Katsuko said: "Akane, the matter of the fox's marriage is decided. If there are no accidents, you need to go back to Qingqiu and become the wife of that person. ”

Akane got up: "It's your business. I'm an emissary of Lord Inari, so I'm not an ordinary fox. ”

After saying that, even if she was wearing a kimono, Akane's movements were not affected in the slightest and rushed out of the tea room.

Tsukasa Kurihara watched from the sidelines, and when Akane disappeared, he retracted his gaze and looked at Katsuko, and asked, "What are you talking about marrying a fox?" ”

Katsuko had no choice but to let Akane run out and apologize to Tsukasa Kurihara by bowing her head slightly: "I'm very sorry, Akane is like this because I can't teach her." ”

"As for the fox marriage, that's what I'm about to explain to you."