In truth, Kikyō's gradual lowering of her guard toward Shinji was not entirely due to the goodwill conveyed by the Righteous Spirit within the Shikon Jewel.
As a shrine maiden, she had her own judgment.
As the protector of this village, and also the one entrusted with hope by the head of that demon-slayer village, deemed capable of continuing to guard the Shikon Jewel in his place, she was also a powerful spiritual energy user.
She had always been independent and self-reliant.
And in her field of vision, within her perception, in her understanding, this demon warrior named Shinji was strange.
Really, very strange.
As mentioned before.
As the strongest shrine maiden of the Sengoku era, the yokai she had seen numbered at least eight hundred, if not a thousand.
Greedy, violent, cunning, hypocritical.
No matter what human skin they wore, no matter how pleasant the words they spoke, that murky demonic energy and bloody stench could not be hidden.
A yokai was a yokai.
Their instinct was to devour, to destroy.
But this one before her…
His demonic energy was dead, but his 'will' was alive.
This was contradictory.
A demon warrior was, after all, an existence born from the resentment of the dead combined with demonic energy. Logically, they should only have instinctive killing desires.
But Shinji was not like that.
He had reason, judgment, purpose.
His arrival during the day carried not a trace of malice.
More importantly,
When he killed yokai, he showed no hesitation whatsoever.
That clean decisiveness, that posture of showing no mercy to his own kind, was not like a yokai, but more like…
An exorcist.
Kikyō had seen countless exorcists. The look in their eyes when they slayed demons was exactly the same as the look in Shinji's eyes just now.
Calm, focused, pure.
This reminded her of a possibility.
This demon warrior, perhaps in life, was a human exorcist with the status of a lower-ranking samurai?
And after death, he still retained his human consciousness?
If that were the case…
Kikyō's gaze fell on the Shikon Jewel in Shinji's palm.
The Righteous Spirit was glowing.
That was the light of recognition.
"It's yours now."
Shinji's voice interrupted her thoughts.
He handed the Shikon Jewel toward Kikyō, the movement natural, without a trace of reluctance.
This surprised Kikyō a bit.
She understood too well the allure of the Shikon Jewel to yokai.
Even those so-called rational high-tier yokai would reveal greedy eyes when facing the Shikon Jewel.
But this demon warrior before her…
Was actually just handing it over like that?
Kikyō reached out, her fingertips touching the surface of the bead.
Warm, smooth.
And a faint fluctuation of spiritual power.
The Righteous Spirit was conveying a message to her.
Kikyō clasped the Shikon Jewel in her palm.
The bead's glow gradually dimmed, because her spiritual power was suppressing the aura it emitted outward.
"Thank you."
She said to Shinji.
This was the first time she had thanked someone tonight.
Shinji paused for a moment, then smiled.
The crimson eyes beneath the red demon mask curved slightly, looking a bit… comical?
"You're welcome."
He said. "It was on the way anyway."
How could it possibly be smooth?
Kikyō thought to herself.
She knew very well that from the demon-slayer village to here, crossing several mountains, carrying the Shikon Jewel along the way, there was no shortage of yokai hunting him.
This was on the way?
But she did not call him out on it.
She simply tucked the Shikon Jewel into her robe, then looked at Shinji.
"Where do you plan to go next?"
It was a probing question.
If Shinji said he wanted to stay near the village, she would refuse.
After all, he was a yokai. The villagers could not possibly accept that.
If he said he would leave, then she would… would what?
Kikyō herself was not really sure either.
Regardless, the 'person' before her was, after all, still a yokai, an existence vastly different from humans, an anomaly.
"Don't know."
Shinji was quite blunt. "I don't really have a destination either. Just wandering around, looking."
"Looking?"
Kikyō tilted her head slightly. "Are you searching for something?"
Shinji was silent for a moment.
He was thinking how to answer.
Tell the truth?
Say he was looking for various divine artifacts, famous swords, barriers, and such to grind affection?
That would definitely get him labeled a lunatic.
"Sort of looking for some things."
He said vaguely. "Some things… important to me, useful."
Kikyō did not press further.
Everyone has secrets, she understood that.
"Where do you plan to rest tonight?"
She asked.
Shinji pointed to the forest outside the village. "Any cave will do."
"Demon warriors don't need to sleep, right?"
"Don't need to, but need to recover demonic energy."
Shinji said frankly. "The consumption tonight was indeed a bit heavy."
That was the truth.
Although not weak, having only undergone five 'Changes', Shinji was not considered a high-tier yokai. His demonic energy was limited. Continuously using Phantom Step and Blood Resonance had nearly depleted the demonic energy within him.
If he did not replenish it, he would be helpless if he encountered yokai tomorrow.
Kikyō looked at him.
The moonlight fell on her profile, illuminating that cool face, making it even fairer, and utterly beautiful.
Shinji was momentarily stunned.
"There's an empty room in the village."
She said.
"What?"
Shinji thought he had misheard.
This shrine maiden was inviting him into the village?
"I said, there's an empty room in the village."
Kikyō repeated. "If you don't mind, you can rest there."
Shinji was genuinely shocked.
What kind of development was this?
Him, a yokai, invited to spend the night in a human village? Did that make sense?
"I'm a yokai."
He reminded her.
"I know."
Kikyō's tone was very calm. "But you helped this village. The villagers should thank you."
"They'll agree?"
"Here, I have the final say."
Kikyō turned around, her white robes and red hakama swaying gently in the night wind. "Follow me."
Shinji stood still.
[Shikon no Tama · Righteous Spirit: Affection +1] [Current Affection: 4] [It conveys a message to you: "This shrine maiden's trust in you is rising."]
Shinji looked at the prompt on the panel.
So that conversation just now increased the Shikon Jewel's affection again?
What was this bead's judgment standard?
Not clear.
But, it did not matter anymore.
The masked warrior raised his eyes, looking at the shrine maiden walking ahead. Her long black hair, like a waterfall, swayed in the wind. Her white robes outlined her slender waist. The red hakama trailing below like a skirt, shadows outlining the depths, also appearing extremely moving.
Indeed, it did not matter.
To gain 'trust'.
To gain the trust of the strongest shrine maiden of the Sengoku era.
Furthermore, to gain the trust of the one who made his heart stir.
From any angle, it was a good thing, well worth it!
He had bet correctly.
Yes.
From the very beginning, Shinji knew that if he wanted to gain Kikyō's trust, he could only rely on the affection of the Shikon Jewel in his hand.
His earlier intervention, this current contact, were all a gamble.
Gambling that the Shikon Jewel's Righteous Spirit, due to the unlocking of affection, would recognize him, and in turn allow Kikyō to sense it.
Gambling that Kikyō would believe the Righteous Spirit's judgment.
Gambling that he could stand here alive.
Now it seemed,
He had bet correctly.
Although the fact that the Righteous Spirit could talk was indeed unexpected.
But the result was good, and that was enough.
Shinji let go of the hand resting on the hilt of the Muramasa at his waist, and smoothly moved forward.
The moonlight was soft, soaking in like frost.
As he stepped forward, the shrine maiden's expression was unreadable.
She also seemed a bit unsure of her own choice.
She clearly should not have invited a yokai into the village… but she tightened her grip on the Shikon Jewel in her hand, feeling the continuous flow of pure goodwill from the Righteous Spirit within, and also felt that this choice was right.
The Shikon Jewel's Righteous Spirit could not be wrong.
This yokai should be trustworthy.
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