"They're… lovers?" Hearing this, Yoimiya felt a deep sense of disappointment.
"Huh? What's wrong?" Kuki Miyuki asked, looking at Yoimiya curiously.
"It's nothing," Yoimiya forced a smile. "I'm just a bit tired. Could you arrange a room for me?"
"No problem," Miyuki nodded. "Follow me."
"This room was just cleaned. You can stay here," Miyuki led Yoimiya to a room and said, "There are disposable toiletries inside."
"Alright, thank you," Yoimiya nodded absentmindedly.
"No worries! It's my job," Miyuki said before turning and leaving.
"Sigh…" After entering the room and washing up, Yoimiya sat on the bed, propping her face with her hands.
"Aren't we friends? The Guuji is such an amazing woman. I should be happy for him! So why… why does my heart feel so uncomfortable?" Yoimiya clutched her chest and murmured.
…
"Akio, it seems the girl from the Naganohara family has quite a fondness for you," Yae Miko said, holding Akio in bed.
"Impossible," Akio shook his head. "Yoimiya is a warm-hearted girl. She's friendly with everyone. She probably just thinks of our relationship as pure friendship."
"Oh? Akio, you're not usually this unconfident," Yae Miko raised an eyebrow. "I don't think so. When I hugged you earlier, I could clearly sense her emotional turmoil."
"It's not about confidence. Her emotional reaction might just be surprise at seeing you throw yourself into my arms," Akio said with a faint smile.
"I can tell you have a soft spot for this girl. Why not give it a try?" Yae Miko encouraged. "If you don't, aren't you missing a great opportunity?"
"Let's not. If I mistake her kindness as something exclusive to me and try to claim her, it'll only end in disappointment," Akio said softly, looking into Yae Miko's eyes. "Besides, I'm a bit selfish. I can't stand the thought of my girl being equally kind to other men."
"Hmm~ No man would tolerate that," Yae Miko thought for a moment. "Alright then. But Akio, the night is long. Don't you want to do something fun?"
"Of course I do," Akio reached out and pinched Yae Miko's ear, then pulled the blanket over them.
…
The next morning, when Akio and Yae Miko stepped out of their room, they saw Yoimiya sitting on a chair, dozing off with dark circles under her eyes.
"Yoimiya, didn't you sleep well last night? Was the bed uncomfortable?" Akio walked over and asked.
"Ah!" Yoimiya, half-asleep, was startled by Akio. She glanced at Yae Miko beside him and quickly waved her hands. "No, no, the shrine's bed was very soft and comfortable."
In truth, Yoimiya had tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Yae Miko and Akio embracing. It was driving her crazy!
Hearing Yoimiya's response, Akio didn't think much of it and went to call Kitsune Saiguu.
Yae Miko, seeing Yoimiya's heavy dark circles, had a pretty good idea of what was going on. Oh my, these two. They clearly have feelings for each other, but one doesn't dare say it, and the other doesn't dare think it. This is so amusing!
As someone who loved stirring the pot, Yae Miko had initially planned to just enjoy the show. But she still walked over and patted Yoimiya's shoulder.
"Little girl from the Naganohara family, if you care, don't keep it buried in your heart," Yae Miko said earnestly.
"Guuji-sama!" Yoimiya's eyes widened, not understanding what Yae Miko meant.
"Think about it carefully," Yae Miko smiled faintly. Seeing Akio and Kitsune Saiguu coming out, she quickly walked over.
"Let's eat. After breakfast, we'll head to Tenshukaku," Kitsune Saiguu said.
"Alright," Akio and the others nodded, heading to the dining hall together.
After eating, a problem arose.
"We can all fly, but what about this little girl?" Kitsune Saiguu suddenly asked, looking at Yoimiya.
"Uh…" Yoimiya's eyes widened. That's right, what about her? Walking would take forever to reach Tenshukaku.
"Isn't that simple? Akio, you can carry her," Yae Miko said. "You brought her here, so you should take her back."
"…" Yoimiya looked at Akio.
"Miko's right," Akio nodded, then turned to Yoimiya. "Yoimiya, I'll take you there. Is that okay with you?"
"It's… fine," Yoimiya shook her head, indicating she didn't mind.
"Since that's settled, let's go," Yae Miko urged. She was eager to see the spectacle of a mortal facing divine might.
Without another word, Akio wrapped his arm around Yoimiya's slender waist and lifted her in a princess carry.
"!" Yoimiya's face turned bright red. She had never been this close to a man before.
But the next moment, Akio shot into the sky, and the three of them swiftly headed toward Tenshukaku.
"…" Yoimiya looked down. The houses and trees below were no longer visible, indicating they were now very high up. Terrified, she clung tightly to Akio, her soft body nestled in his arms.
The shy girl in his arms didn't dare speak, and Akio remained silent, feeling Yoimiya's explosive figure. As expected of Teyvat's top Pyro DPS. Her figure is amazing, nothing like a certain funeral parlor director. Right?
"Miko, what are you thinking?" Kitsune Saiguu sent a telepathic message to Yae Miko, curious.
"What do you mean?" Yae Miko asked.
"About this little girl," Kitsune Saiguu said.
"Oh, I'm just giving them a little push," Yae Miko chuckled. "These two clearly have feelings for each other. One's too dense to realize the girl likes him, and the other's too timid to confess. I'm just helping them along."
"…" Kitsune Saiguu's mouth twitched. "Aren't you just meddling? This girl is just a mortal. Her lifespan is barely a hundred years. How can she stay by Akio's side for long? You know that relationships between long-lived species and short-lived ones only end in tragedy."
"So what?" Yae Miko shrugged. "Akio has the power to revive you. He told me he controls the authority of life and death. Keeping Yoimiya alive shouldn't be too hard, right?"
"That's true, but is immortality really good for a mortal?" Kitsune Saiguu asked.
"What does that have to do with me?" Yae Miko said. "I just want to see Akio happy. Besides, mortals all seek immortality. It's not necessarily a shackle."
"You… you're completely bewitched by Akio," Kitsune Saiguu said helplessly.
A/n - I will upload another chapter in a few hours, until then enjoy this extra chapter and the next goal is 300 Powerstones :)