After finishing her watermelon, Hirai Yukari took a bath. Bathing in the early morning felt utterly different from at night—her body hadn't yet accumulated any fatigue, so the enveloping heat of the water only made her feel more energized, as though pressing a power button, warmly announcing the start of a new day alongside the gentle morning sunshine.
After Yukari came Shana's turn.
"Go take a bath," Nitocris said to Shana. "Even if it was just practice, you've built up quite a bit of stress, haven't you? How about fully relaxing yourself during this bath?"
Of course she'd built up stress—facing Nitocris's divine-tier swordsmanship directly, even the lightly descending wooden stick seemed more terrifying to Shana than any weapon she'd ever encountered.
Having already experienced the pleasantness of a bath, Shana didn't refuse Nitocris's suggestion this time. As Hirai Yukari approached, drying her hair with a towel, Shana had already gathered her toiletries and headed expressionlessly toward the bathroom.
Because Yukari had just bathed, thick white steam still filled the bathroom.
Removing her clothes, Shana lowered her milky-white body into the warm water.
When the heat soaked past her ankles, the girl softly inhaled, as if drawing in all the steam from the bathroom into her chest as well. Tiny ripples spread across the surface until her entire body below her shoulders was submerged. The scented, warm water wrapped around her, as though a string stretched taut for far too long had finally loosened.
The petite girl's body could lie half-submerged in the porcelain bathtub, but she needed to be careful not to fall asleep just like that.
The steam in the room grew thicker, fogging the mirror beyond clarity. Shana closed her eyes, letting the waterline rise past her collarbones and chest, quiet like falling snow, gently burying every last bit of restlessness.
As time gradually slipped by, the girl's milky, porcelain skin flushed a faint, rosy pink from the surrounding warmth—on her shoulders, and her cheeks.
In this moment, there was no Flame-Haired Burning-Eyed Hunter, just a young girl embraced by steam.
But Shana wasn't the type to quietly sit still in the water.
She would stretch out her arm, drawing shapes on the foggy glass window—a blank, expressionless face, adding two long ears… that was Nitocris.
She would scoop some water into her cupped hands, then press them together, squeezing it out. The streams of water sprayed onto the walls, onto the windows, even onto her own face… and inevitably, the girl would burst into laughter.
...She thought she might be starting to like this feeling.
...
While Shana bathed, Hirai Yukari had latched onto Nitocris.
"You want to quickly get closer to Shana?"
Fortunately, Nitocris was currently only able to speak through the pendant and couldn't manifest physically. Otherwise, Yukari would have seen the completely lost expression on Nitocris's face.
If you want to get closer to Shana, what use is asking me? Wouldn't you be better off asking Alastor next to you? He's basically her father figure, after all, and has been with her for so long... I myself also want to get closer to Shana. Recently, there's been some progress, but I don't even know when or how it started—absolutely no warning signs at all.
"Please, Kami-sama, teach me!"
Yukari placed the golden pendant on the floor, her hair still damp as she knelt and pressed her hands together earnestly.
"Shana's attitude toward Kami-sama has clearly changed recently. Please tell me, how did you manage that, Kami-sama?"
Yukari couldn't understand why Shana seemed so much warmer toward Nitocris lately, yet when it came to herself… it wasn't that her attitude was unchanged—rather, it had become even colder than before!
"Even if you beg me like this…"
"Kami-sama, please help me just this once! If you help me this time, I…I…I'll offer you incense more frequently from now on!"
"…I'm not a god who feeds on incense."
"…"
"I don't even need offerings. Even if you place them, I can't eat them—it's just a waste."
Thanks to Nitocris, Yukari had begun to learn some mythology lately.
But perhaps due to cultural differences, Yukari's behavior often left Nitocris utterly at a loss for words.
For example, upon learning that Nitocris might one day have a shrine and that Yukari would become her miko priestess, Yukari began paying special attention to miko-related items—such as kagura dances, gohei, and offering boxes.
Kagura dances were meant to please gods, so naturally, different gods would have different dances. Not long ago, Yukari had asked Nitocris what kind of kagura she liked, saying she could learn it. But the problem was… What kind of kagura would she possibly like? Would "Gokuraku Jōdo" count?
Only after much explanation did Yukari finally understand that Nitocris was an ancient Egyptian god, culturally distinct from Japan.
And then Yukari decided she'd learn Egyptian dances instead… so exhausting…
"Have you ever considered that it's not that I don't want to help, but that I simply can't?"
"But didn't Kami-sama say that, as a Pharaoh on earth, you're omnipotent?"
"…"
Yukari's gaze was filled with pure sincerity—unadulterated, absolute trust—that plunged Nitocris into a long silence.
Did she just shoot herself in the foot?
"Hmm… Fine. I'll teach you a method."
"Oh! I knew it! Kami-sama definitely has a way!" Yukari's eyes sparkled excitedly, so bright it was as if an entire galaxy had been captured within them.
Well, what else could I say? Admit outright that I can't?
Nitocris only knew that she could lose her own face, but she couldn't allow the Pharaoh's dignity to be tarnished! The Pharaoh's majesty was inviolable!
"The method is…"
Nitocris was just about to speak, but suddenly paused.
She'd just remembered that Alastor was still right beside them.
The crimson jewel pendant was Alastor's eyes and ears; when his main body was dormant, he observed and listened to the world through this pendant.
Thus, although Alastor had been silent, he'd actually heard every single word exchanged between Yukari and Nitocris.
After a lengthy silence…
Nitocris finally spoke up:
"God of Retribution, would you mind stepping aside for a moment?"
Alastor: "…"
Although Nitocris's words could easily be misunderstood, in fact, what she intended to say wasn't some shady conspiracy or secret plot.
To grow closer to someone, the simplest way was to start with their hobbies—and speaking of Shana's hobbies, that naturally meant melon bread.
The reason she didn't want Alastor to overhear was out of concern that Alastor might tip off Shana, thereby spoiling the effect.
And besides…
"How do you know that Shana likes melon bread?" Alastor's voice rumbled deeply, heavy like distant thunder, questioning Nitocris with puzzlement. "Up until now, Shana shouldn't have revealed that fact in front of any of you."
Nitocris could only explain this by saying she'd "been paying attention to them for a very long time." Which wasn't wrong—she'd been a fan for years now.
Long before today, Nitocris had already demonstrated an extraordinary level of familiarity with Shana and Alastor, so Alastor had long since harbored this suspicion—but only today had Nitocris explicitly admitted it.
…They probably won't think of me as some voyeuristic weirdo like Merlin, right?
...
Because of Nitocris's actions, Japan now seemed to have become an insatiable beast, endlessly devouring Crimson Denizens lured by rumors. Those who arrived in this country vanished without a trace; Nitocris killed them off long before they could even send back a message.
At first, the ones attracted were just unaffiliated Crimson Denizens, such as the "Mirage of a Thousand Phantasms," Agris, who had already died by Nitocris's hand long ago.
However, perhaps due to the attention gained after Sydonay's defeat, his organization—the largest among the Crimson Denizens, "Bal Masqué"—had now started dispatching members to this country as well.
Within Bal Masqué, the organization founded by the God of Creation, Snake of the Festival, apart from high-ranking members with clearly assigned roles, the lower ranks were basically divided into two types:
One was the Searchers, responsible for detecting various targets, performing localization, reconnaissance, and tracking tasks.
The other type was the Wanderers, specialized in combat, capturing targets, and engaging in sabotage or extermination.
Searchers generally had weaker combat abilities, but possessed special powers useful for their duties.
Wanderers usually had exceptional combat abilities—often Crimson Lords themselves, powerful enough to earn the title of Demon King.
These two types each had their tasks clearly defined. Typically, they acted in pairs, cooperating to complete their missions.
If confronted by a Searcher, even a rookie Flame Haze could take them down with their contracted Crimson Lord's power. After all, Searchers were inherently weak in combat. For instance, the original protagonist Sakai Yuji had single-handedly defeated a Searcher shortly after awakening the Silver Flame within him...
I still remember how everyone was joking at the time, saying the protagonist had finally grown a backbone—what a miracle.
However, facing Wanderers was another matter entirely. At that stage, Sakai Yuji would still need Shana's assistance.
But for Nitocris, both Searchers and Wanderers were equally pathetic. At best, they were like trash with combat strength five or slightly bigger trash with combat strength six. Either way, still trash.
Actually, Searchers were trickier for Nitocris than Wanderers. The Wanderers' strength posed no real threat—no matter how powerful, none could surpass Nitocris herself—but certain unique abilities of Searchers could genuinely catch her off guard. One Searcher had nearly escaped from her grasp before. Although Nitocris had swiftly taken care of him afterward, she was worried that during that brief window, information about her might have already been leaked.
"So… does that mean your existence is already known to Bal Masqué?"
Alastor's voice grew serious.
Yet Nitocris sounded completely relaxed.
"No. They probably think I'm just some Flame Haze. Didn't you say it yourself? Ordinary Crimson Denizens can't discern my true identity as a deity. Only another god like you—or perhaps the Trinity, who closely serve the Snake of the Festival—might see through the difference."
Bal Masqué's Trinity currently acted as the highest leaders in the absence of their sealed leader, the Snake of the Festival:
The Priestess, "Supreme Throne," Hecate.
The Strategist, "Arbiter of Reverse Reasoning," Bel Peol.
And the General, "Thousand Changes," Sydonay.
The same Sydonay who'd placed immense pressure on Shana earlier.
Unlike Hecate and Bel Peol, who always remained at their headquarters, Sydonay traveled freely around the world. He even accepted requests from other Crimson Denizens like Sorath and Tiriel, the "Aizen siblings," whom he had previously been hired to protect—though that mission ended in failure due to Nitocris's sudden interference.
"However, if Bal Masqué is truly eyeing this country now, that probably means 'Thousand Changes' has returned to them," Alastor said gravely. "Why would he return now after so many years away? What triggered his decision to go back—was it perhaps because of that defeat?"
Nitocris didn't know either. She knew Bal Masqué had been planning for years to release their leader from his seal, and she also knew the key to that plan was the Reiji Maigo currently in her possession. The problem was, she didn't recall ever exposing the existence of the Reiji Maigo to anyone other than Hirai Yukari.
Sydonay couldn't possibly be petty enough to get so frustrated at losing to her Ammit that he'd call in Bal Masqué members, could he? Is his heart that narrow?
After some thought, Nitocris raised another issue she'd noticed.
"Recently, it's not just the Crimson Denizens attracted by rumors—more and more Flame Hazes are arriving in this country too. Do you know why? You must have ways of contacting each other, right?"
"Flame Hazes usually share information and support via Outlaw, but Shana has never relied on Outlaw. She's always worked alone…"
Alastor paused strangely here, giving Nitocris a brief glance… Don't ask how he "glanced" while they were both pendants; Nitocris simply had a feeling he did.
"However, even without Outlaw's intel, I can roughly guess what's happening… An increasing number of Crimson Denizens are flooding into this country. Even Bal Masqué, the organization housing the most Denizens, is stretching its influence here. The Flame Hazes won't simply watch idly; such a large gathering of Denizens alone could cause significant distortions."
"But the arrival of Flame Hazes won't solve anything, will it?" Nitocris replied helplessly. "Their appearance will only turn this country into a battlefield… At that point, the distortion will be even worse than if they hadn't come at all."
"So, what will you do?" Alastor asked Nitocris, curious about her thoughts. "If the Crimson Denizens and Flame Hazes start a war in this country, will you stop them?"
"Of course I'll stop them. It's not like I can just sit and watch them mess up the entire world. Besides, chasing one sheep is the same as chasing two."
Nitocris spoke lightly, as casually as if discussing tonight's dinner.
"If they dare to cause chaos here, I'll just suppress every last one of them—saves me the trouble of hunting them down myself."
---
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