The night wind gently brushed by.
At the foot of the stone steps, the faint sound of Kaede being urged home by her parents could be heard.
"Move it, move it! It's already dark, and you're still out here running wild!"
"But that big brother is really so handsome…"
"What big brother? That's a yokai! Stay away from him!"
"He's not a bad yokai! He helped sister Kikyō chase away the other yokai! And, when he stands next to sister Kikyō, they look like a painting, so nice, so perfect together!"
"…"
The voices gradually faded.
Shinji stood under the torii gate, hearing every word of that conversation crystal clear.
A demon warrior's hearing far exceeded a normal person's. Even from dozens of meters away, those whispers were like they were right next to his ear.
"Seems that little girl is pretty protective of me."
He muttered.
Perfect together and all… sounded just fine to him, didn't it?
Shinji was still holding that red demon mask in his hand. He hadn't put it back on.
Since he'd already taken it off, putting it back on didn't make much sense. Besides, he was actually a bit tired of wearing this mask.
Three months without seeing the light of day wasn't exactly comfortable.
Even though a demon warrior didn't need to breathe, there was still a psychological sense of being stifled.
After all, he'd only been a yokai for three months. He'd been human for nearly eighteen years.
The habits and perceptions accumulated over eighteen years were hard to change.
"Aren't you going to put your mask back on?"
Kikyō's voice came from behind him.
Shinji turned around.
In the moonlight, the shrine maiden stood on the stone steps in front of the shrine hall, looking down at him.
White robes like snow, red hakama like fire.
Black hair draped over her shoulders, gently lifted by the night wind, occasionally brushing past the contour of her neck.
To be honest, from this angle, it was quite a sight.
Shinji looked away and tucked the demon mask into his waist.
"Too stuffy wearing it."
He said. "Besides, my face doesn't scare you anyway."
Kikyō didn't respond. She just turned and walked towards the shrine hall.
"Follow me."
Shinji followed.
The door to the shrine hall was open. The furnishings inside were simple.
In the center was a shrine, enshrining some unknown deity.
In front of the shrine was a low table, on which sat an incense burner, candlesticks, and a few empty plates.
On either side were sliding doors, probably leading to the inner sanctum.
Kikyō walked to the shrine, knelt on a cushion.
She didn't invite Shinji to sit. Instead, she took some things out of a nearby cabinet.
Incense sticks.
Candles.
And...
A dish of rice.
A dish of pickled vegetables.
A bowl of clear water.
Shinji watched as she arranged these items one by one on the low table in front of the shrine. Her movements were practiced, as if she'd done this countless times.
Then she lit the incense sticks, pressed her palms together, and quietly chanted a few lines.
It was some kind of prayer incantation. Shinji couldn't quite understand it, but he could feel the fluctuation of spiritual power it contained.
After finishing all this, Kikyō stood up and turned sideways to look at Shinji.
"This is for you."
Shinji was stunned.
For me?
He looked at that dish of rice, that dish of pickled vegetables, that bowl of clear water, and the curling incense smoke.
This setup…
"Is this an offering?"
He asked.
Kikyō nodded.
Shinji fell silent.
In the three months since he had arrived in this world, although he'd spent most of his time in the wilderness killing yokai, he did understand some of the customs of this era.
Offerings were humanity's way of showing reverence and making requests to gods and spirits.
By offering food and incense, they appeased the gods and spirits and begged for protection.
For yokai, offerings were actually a source of power too.
Incense was the embodiment of human faith.
When humans sincerely dedicated offerings to gods and spirits, that sincerity transformed into a special kind of energy.
This energy was to yokai what food was to humans.
It could replenish demonic energy and restore injuries.
That's why some yokai would pretend to be gods, swindle offerings, and some would even go so far as to actually protect human settlements and safeguard the common people for the sake of it.
"You're giving me an offering?"
Shinji confirmed.
"Mm."
Kikyō's tone was very calm. "You helped this village. This is thanks."
"…"
Shinji didn't know what to say.
A shrine maiden, giving an offering to a yokai?
This scene looked a bit strange no matter how you viewed it.
But he could indeed feel the warm power contained in that curling incense smoke.
That power was slowly flowing into his body, replenishing the demonic energy he'd consumed in battle.
Very comfortable.
Like soaking in a hot spring.
Shinji raised an eyebrow slightly. It was the first time he'd experienced the benefits of incense offerings.
He should have found a village to blend into earlier, freeloading offerings every day.
Of course, that was just a thought.
Compared to relying on external forces, having the 'affection system'… well, that was also external, so pot calling the kettle black.
But it was at least more stable!
For now, though, Shinji wasn't about to refuse.
"Thanks."
Shinji said to Kikyō.
Kikyō shook her head. "I'm the one who should say thanks."
She took out the Shikon Jewel from her sleeve, its pale purple light flowing in her palm.
"This bead should have been handed to me personally by that elder."
"But he didn't make it here alive."
"If it weren't for you…"
She didn't finish.
But Shinji understood her meaning.
If he hadn't picked up the Shikon Jewel on the road, that bead would probably have fallen into the hands of yokai by now.
The consequences would be unimaginable.
"Don't say that."
Shinji waved his hand. "I'm not a good person either, I'm not even a person."
He made a little joke, but Kikyō showed no reaction whatsoever.
Shinji felt a bit awkward, cleared his throat softly, and then continued.
"Anyway, I already said it, saving that old guy was just a casual thing, and delivering the Shikon Jewel here was also on the way."
"You don't need to dwell on it."
Kikyō looked at him.
A glint seemed to pass through those cool eyes.
But just for an instant.
Soon, her expression returned to calm.
"Regardless, you helped me, and you helped this village."
She said. "This kindness, I will remember."
Shinji opened his mouth, about to say something.
But after thinking for a moment, he didn't. He just smiled.
It was a slightly stiff smile, yet one without a trace of concealment.
Clean, open, no hiding whatsoever.
It formed a wonderful contrast with his eyes of reversed black and white, his pale skin, and his identity as a yokai.
Kikyō looked at this smile, momentarily taken aback.
She had seen countless yokai.
But she had never seen a yokai smile so…
Like a human.
Even more like a human than most people in this era, who spent their lives with their faces to the soil and their backs to the sky, just trying to survive.
[Shikon no Tama · Righteous Spirit: Affection +1] [Current Affection: 5] [It conveys a message to you: 'She saw the way you smiled.']
So, this Shikon Jewel was also a face-con, just like Kaede, huh?
This, Shinji really hadn't expected.
If he'd known, he would have taken off the mask long ago!