Chapter 16 Hot Spring

Suren carried the Miko up the cliff, stopping on a stone platform with a withered tree.

He brought her up, steadied himself, and said again, "My apologies, Miko-sama."

"Ah...?"

The Miko hadn't reacted yet when her feet touched the ground again. Hearing his words, a fleeting look of surprise crossed her pretty face. Like a fawn encountering a hunter in the forest, she belatedly bowed and said, "Thank you, Suren-san."

The stone platform in the crevice wasn't large, only thirty or fifty square meters. But a clear spring flowed from the crack in the rock, forming an irregularly shaped hot spring pool. The water was so clear that you could see the small pebbles at the bottom through the rising white steam.

The surrounding mountainsides were covered in snow that never melted, but this platform was moistened by the hot spring, damp, with some emerald green plants growing. No one knew how the spring water came up through the rocks, but the outflow was substantial, gurgling out and overflowing from the pool, freezing into icicles beneath the cliff as it cooled.

Seeing this, Suren finally understood why Chitose had raved about this place.

Tea Cry Mountain was the highest mountain in the southern Hidden Mountain region. The view from halfway up was naturally excellent. The villages with their rising smoke at the foot of the mountain were clearly visible, and the bustling Izumo City in the distance was faintly discernible.

Soaking in the hot spring and enjoying the warm water, one could appreciate the snowy scenery on one side and take in the mountain views on the other.

Secluded, peaceful, and refreshing, it was like a fairyland.

...

Chitose had arrived first and was already soaking in the water. Seeing Suren and the others arrive, she greeted them, "Nice place, right?"

Suren nodded in agreement, "Yes, it's very good."

Chitose smiled again and said, "Then don't just stand there, hurry up and get in. The spring water here doesn't have that sulfur smell like the bathhouses down the mountain, it's wonderful."

"Oh."

Suren looked around. The scenery of this wild hot spring was beautiful, but it seemed to be missing something.

Like, a place to change clothes?

The platform wasn't large to begin with, and it was easy to see everything at a glance. There was no cover at all.

It didn't matter to him, a grown man, but what about the Miko-sama beside him?

Chitose and Lolota had obviously been here many times before and seemed familiar with the place. Lolota was already taking off her clothes and hanging them on a nearby rock protrusion. The little girl was still a bit shy, so she turned her back to Suren and quickly changed into a gauze robe for bathing, her ears slightly red, and then quickly went into the water.

Although the clear pool water couldn't block the view, it seemed to be able to conceal her shyness.

Suren didn't hesitate. He knew that if he stood there, the person next to him would be even more at a loss.

He also took off his clothes, leaving only his underwear, and walked to the edge of the pool.

He tested the water with his foot. The temperature was just right.

Soaking in the spring water gave him a distinct feeling of relaxation all over his body.

Suren and Chitose weren't shy with each other, and they sat facing each other. This angle perfectly faced away from the Miko behind him, cleverly avoiding her privacy while changing.

Chitose looked at the Miko still on the shore, a playful look flashed in her eyes, and she urged with a smile, "Miko-sama, come down quickly."

"..."

The Miko realized she was being teased when she heard her words.

She glanced back with a helpless look, and then caught sight of the back of Suren's head, feeling inexplicably at ease.

Because she was already familiar with them, the priestess's face showed a little embarrassment, and her slender hands untied the ribbon around her miko robe.

White robe, undergarment, scarlet hakama, she took them off one by one, and then changed into a gauze robe for bathing.

This enchanting scene would probably fascinate countless men in the world, but unfortunately only the mountain breeze and white snow could see it.

Chitose stared straight at her, and continued to egg her on, "Oh... no matter how many times I see it, Miko-sama's figure is excellent."

Suren only heard the rustling sound behind him and naturally knew that the Miko was changing clothes.

Hearing Chitose's words, he understood that the two were teasing each other, which had become commonplace in the past few days.

To avoid suspicion, Suren wrung out a hot towel and placed it on his forehead, closing his eyes for a nap.

Before long, he heard footsteps getting closer from behind.

It was the sound of bare feet stepping on wet stones, damp and gentle.

For some reason, even without looking, the image of a pair of jade-like legs slowly walking over automatically appeared in Suren's mind.

Then he heard the sound of water, passing by him, very close.

The hot spring pool wasn't regular in shape, and only a few square meters were suitable for bathing. It was spacious enough for two people, but a bit crowded for four. Even with legs stretched out, they could touch each other's feet.

As the Miko got into the water, she heard Chitose cheerfully call out, "Miko-sama, come here."

The Miko didn't respond, but silently walked over and soaked in the water.

The closed-eyed Suren felt an extra pair of feet in the water, and the occasional unintentional touch made him feel extremely smooth.

The water rippled for a moment, and soon returned to calm.

...

On the secluded mountain cliff, time seemed to slow down at this moment.

All that could be heard was the gurgling of water, the whistling of wind and snow, and the occasional cry of an eagle echoing through the mountain valley...

No one spoke for a while, and the four of them enjoyed the pleasant hot spring time, looking relaxed.

Suddenly, Lolota exclaimed, "Look, there seems to be someone on that snowy mountain!"

Hearing this, Suren also opened his eyes and realized that on another mountain peak a kilometer away, there was a figure braving the wind and snow, walking through the white snow.

The Miko glanced over and said, "That's a Yuki Onna (Snow Woman)."

Hearing this, Suren immediately recalled the description of this monster in *Fairy Tales*.

Looking at the figure in the distance, he was also curious. His eyesight was excellent, and he could clearly see that it was a tall woman, like an ice princess.

Lolota asked curiously, "What's a Yuki Onna?"

The Miko said, "It's a beautiful monster that can control wind and snow, and is occasionally seen in high mountain snowfields. It often attracts men who enter the snow mountain to a deserted place, kisses them and freezes them, and takes their souls to eat."

Lolota looked amazed, "Wow, is that an evil monster?"

The Miko shook her head and said, "Not entirely. It is said that the Yuki Onna is the manifestation of the resentment of a woman who was abandoned by a man who broke his promise. After becoming a monster, it only seeks out men who violate their vows, and takes their lives..."

Resentment?

Hearing the origin of the Yuki Onna legend, Suren's thoughts swirled again.

What is the essence of a monster?

It seems that monsters only really exist because people believe in them.

In the Hidden Mountain's belief system, people believe that all things have a "spirit," including stones and plants.

Monsters aren't creatures that originally existed in the world, but "collections of faith" that formed for certain special reasons and were passed down orally in folk legends.

Almost Shinto.

Listening to the Miko's explanation, Lolota blinked her eyes, looked at Suren, and said playfully, "Suren-san, that monster only looks for men, so be careful~"

"Heh heh."

Suren smiled without saying a word.

Chitose on the side thought of something and joked, "Legend has it that the Yuki Onna has ice-like skin and a stunning appearance. Now that I see it, it looks pretty good. But unfortunately, it's not as good as our Miko-sama."

Saying that, she put her arm around the Miko's slender waist and kneaded her tender skin unceremoniously, "Wouldn't you agree?"

"..."

The Miko had no way to deal with this rogue behavior.

She didn't mind being praised, but she just helplessly defended herself, "That's a monster."

Chitose had a flirtatious expression on her face, "The beauty of a fairy is the most captivating. But our Miko-sama is more charming than a monster. If I were a man, I would definitely be tempted."

"..."

Hearing these flirtatious words that weren't unpleasant, the Miko had a helpless expression on her face.

Saying that, Chitose turned to look at Suren and asked, "Suren-kun, do you think Miko-sama is beautiful?"

"Hmm...?"

Suren didn't expect the teasing to turn to him.

When he heard these words, his eyes reflexively looked at the Miko opposite him.

Although they had been in the same room for several days, they had never bathed together because of consideration.

Now that he looked, he realized that the Miko's skin was really white, even better than snow.

The loose miko robe didn't show off her figure, but the bathing gauze robe was thin, and she wasn't wearing anything else underneath. Now that she was in the water, her graceful figure was vaguely visible, and couldn't be completely hidden. The parts that should be raised were raised, and the parts that should be rounded were rounded, the scenery was infinitely beautiful...

This glance really made it hard to look away.

Especially since the bathing gauze robe was made of a completely light and thin material, and it was wet and stuck to her warm jade-like skin, half-covered, with a hazy beauty.

Her long, straight black hair and pretty face were also impeccable, and with that ethereal miko aura, she gave off an inviolable pure and beautiful feeling.

Suren also knew that Chitose was teasing, and said calmly, "Miko-sama is naturally very beautiful."

Hearing this, the Miko smiled slightly and replied politely, "Thank you for the praise."

After spending a few days together, they were considered familiar.

Everyone was frank, so naturally they didn't feel any embarrassment.

"..."

Chitose pouted, feeling no fun in not teasing anyone.

Suddenly, a mischievous light flashed in the eyes of this gambling-addicted woman, and she thought of something again, raised her hand, and shouted, "Suren-kun, didn't you say you wanted to show me the seal? Come and show it to me."

Saying that, she moved her body, leaving half a space between herself and the Miko, and beckoned Suren to come and sit.

"Oh."

Suren didn't care, got up and walked over, sitting next to her.

The pool was small to begin with, it was okay for two people to sit in a row, but it was a bit crowded for three.

Chitose didn't mind, and looked indifferent to having large areas of skin touching Suren. But the Miko was a little uneasy. Although she didn't mind bathing together, she still felt uncomfortable with such close contact.

Even with their best efforts to avoid it, it was still crowded.

She wanted to move in another direction to make room, but Chitose reached over Suren's shoulder and pressed her there, "Hey hey hey, don't go, it's more fun to chat together when we're closer."

"..."

The Miko couldn't break free from being "controlled" and had no choice but to give up.

...

Suren naturally knew that this was one of Chitose's bad habits, and ignored it. While studying the runic language of the demon-sealing seal on Chitose's arm, he found a topic to make the Miko less embarrassed, and asked, "Miko-sama, it is said that Tea Cry Mountain is the burial place of the 'Lord of the Underworld.' Is this true? Is that why there are so many monsters on this mountain?"

Legends are legends, but there must be a reason for them to be passed down in this way.

Moreover, there were indeed more monsters on this mountain than others. Even if it wasn't the "Lord of the Underworld" that was buried, there must be other factors.

Having a topic to talk about really dissipated a lot of the mischievous atmosphere.

"Yes, that's right."

Hearing this, the Miko's expression became serious, and she replied, "The Lord of the Underworld is the god who controls death, and is our Hidden Mountain clan's mother goddess. Legend has it that when she gave birth to the fire god Kagutsuchi, she was burned by the fire and died... Her body was buried on Tea Cry Mountain."

Suren had seen some of this story in the Hidden Mountain ancient books before, but it wasn't as detailed as the Miko's version.

The ending was similar anyway, they were all legends.

After finishing the story, the Miko said, "Speaking of which, Suren-san and our Hidden Mountain gods have a certain relationship."

Suren became interested when he heard this, "Oh?"

The Miko said, "I saw you use a type of fire-based alchemy before. I want to ask, is that the Hi no Musashi (Fire Servant) secret technique?"

Suren nodded, "Yes."

The Miko explained, "Actually, this secret technique was passed down from our Shinto religion. It is the fire-controlling secret technique passed down by Amaterasu. Later, for some other reason... it was spread out, and it became the Musashi secret technique in alchemy."

Saying that, she raised her hand out of the water to demonstrate, making a sword gesture with her two fingers, chanting something in her mouth, and suddenly, a golden flame appeared on her fingertips.

"Huh..."

Suren now realized where Musashi came from.

He was proficient in this secret technique himself, so he could see at a glance that the technique the Miko was currently using looked familiar, but was also somewhat different. What she used wasn't the pure fire elemental energy of alchemy, but also mixed with the power of Shinto.

Now that Shinto was weak, the power of the Shinto believers was naturally weak as well.

So it seemed that the power was not as strong as Suren's level.

Seeing this, Chitose on the side thought of something and interjected, "I seem to have heard of it too. It is said that a Shinto priestess and an alchemist fell in love, and then a tragic love story was spread..."

The Miko nodded and said, "Yes. That was during the time of the nineteenth Saiō."

Suren heard a term and asked curiously, "Is Miko-sama the current Saiō?"

The Miko nodded: "Yes. I am the ninety-ninth Saiō."

The imperial power of Hidden Mountain was divinely granted, and the imperial family in divine robes represented Amaterasu, with supreme power. However, in recent years, the shogunate had taken power, and the divine-robed imperial family had gradually lost its absolute dominance.

Lolota asked Chitose, "Teacher, what is a Saiō?"

Chitose said, "This is the highest-level priestess rank. It is usually held by a princess."

Lolota looked enlightened, and then asked suspiciously, "But didn't Miko-sama say that priestesses don't marry? How could a Saiō..."

Hearing this, a smirk appeared on Chitose's lips, and she deliberately said, "Ah? You should ask Miko-sama about this question."

Looking at Lolota's innocent and inquisitive gaze, the Miko could only respond, "Priestesses must dedicate their body and mind to the gods during their term of office and cannot be involved in love affairs. But after leaving office, it doesn't matter."

"Oh, I see..."

Lolota was also smart, and chuckled when she heard these words.

P.S. In order to maintain the continuity of the plot, the chapter I said I would add last night will be added together today.