After the meal, Yuki set down his chopsticks early, leaving only Yae Miko still savoring the last remaining pieces of fried tofu with great relish.
To be honest, after this meal, Yuki reckoned he wouldn't be touching tofu—or anything even remotely related to it—for a very long time. He felt as if he'd eaten so much of it today that he was about to be sick.
In stark contrast, Yae Miko across from him was devouring it all with such utter enjoyment and a face full of bliss, leaving Yuki no choice but to marvel at the blindness that came with one's favorite foods.
Once Yae Miko had popped the very last piece of fried tofu into her mouth, she finally wiped her lips with satisfaction.
"Yuki-kun, what do you think? The food here is delicious, isn't it?" she gently asked for his opinion.
Yuki nodded and replied softly, "It's indeed quite good. The owner here has impressive culinary skills."
Though the meal had featured a great deal of fried tofu, there had actually been other dishes as well, which gave Yuki room to offer a fair assessment.
This restaurant certainly lived up to its reputation—in the game, it was the source of many Inazuman dishes. The owner truly had some skill. No wonder Yae Miko had specially brought him here.
"Hehe, indeed! At first, I was also quite surprised that there was such a delicious restaurant right here in Inazuma City! Now I come here to eat from time to time!" Yae Miko gave a slight nod and a charming smile.
"So do you usually cook for yourself over at the Grand Narukami Shrine? Or do the other shrine maidens do it?" Yuki couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.
Yae Miko nodded calmly. "Yes, but such matters don't require my personal attention—the maidens handle the cooking, you see! Of course, this humble maiden can also cook! For instance, Fukuuchi Udon! That's my specialty, you know!"
Yae Miko lifted her fair, slender neck ever so slightly in a touch of pride, like a graceful white swan.
When Yuki heard the name of that dish, the corners of his mouth twitched. At first glance, it seemed like an utterly normal dish. But as someone who knew the lore, Yuki naturally knew exactly what it entailed.
It was udon, yes—but udon with fried tofu added! As expected, anything related to Yae Miko was inseparable from fried tofu.
"Speaking of which, Yuki-kun, why not come stay at my Grand Narukami Shrine tonight? It's the perfect chance for me to personally cook Fukuuchi Udon for you to try."
Yae Miko seemed to recall something, her eyes lighting up as she spoke.
"Huh?! Th-that... maybe I should pass?!" Yuki's entire demeanor soured.
More fried tofu?! He was afraid that if he ate any more, he might just turn into a piece of fried tofu himself.
Though Yuki didn't dislike it, he simply couldn't stomach eating so much of it. With the way Yae Miko ate, even dragon meat would become tiresome.
Seeing Yuki's rather startled expression, Yae Miko let out a "pfft" and covered her mouth as she laughed.
"Hahaha, that reaction is truly adorable. Alright, alright, I know Yuki-kun has had his fill of fried tofu today, so that was just a little joke!"
A delighted grin spread across her face as she clarified it was merely a jest. Only then did Yuki breathe a sigh of relief.
"However, the invitation for you to stay the night at my Grand Narukami Shrine is genuine! From there, you can see a truly beautiful moon!"
Yae Miko then reined in her smile slightly and looked at Yuki earnestly, extending the invitation once more.
"Is it really alright? I mean, is it convenient for a man to stay overnight at your place?"
"Oh, what's the harm! If you don't tell and I don't tell, how would anyone else ever know?"
"Those shrine maidens under you..."
"They won't say a word—they're very tight-lipped! Or could it be that Yuki-kun is afraid I might... devour you?" Yae Miko wore a teasing expression as she smiled radiantly and turned the question back on him.
Hearing this, Yuki grumbled inwardly: I'm not afraid of you devouring me—I'm afraid I might lose control and devour you!
But since Yae Miko had put it that way, what more could Yuki say? Naturally, he accepted her invitation. To refuse again at this point would just be utterly tactless.
"Very well then, I shall gratefully accept your hospitality." "Mm, mm!"
Seeing Yuki agree, a flash of relief flickered through Yae Miko's violet eyes, and she quietly let out the breath she had been holding inside. In truth, when she had invited Yuki to stay at her place, she hadn't been entirely confident.
Despite the smiling, cheerful facade she had put on, inside, she had been incredibly nervous. She had been deathly afraid that Yuki might refuse her. If he had, she wouldn't have been able to fathom his true feelings.
But now that Yuki had accepted, it wasn't hard for her to deduce that he did indeed have some interest in her.
For her, this was wonderful news. Of course, the reason it was such good news was that Yae Miko herself also harbored feelings for Yuki. Ever since the time she had only heard about him through Ei's accounts, she had been curious about this master of boundless abilities and heaven-reaching power.
And now, having met the man in person, she was all the more captivated by his breathtaking, world-stunning appearance. Just one meeting the day before had left Yae Miko unable to stop thinking about him.
Even in her dreams last night, she had seen his every smile and glance—truly, he had bewitched her heart and soul.
After the two settled the bill, Yae Miko continued guiding Yuki around Inazuma City. She showed him many things unique to the region.
The two of them had an immensely enjoyable time along the way. In the eyes of onlookers, they seemed just like a pair of lovers.
After making a loop around the city, the two headed to the seaside. Walking along the soft, fine sand and gazing out at the horizon where the sea and sky merged into a single line, both Yuki and Yae Miko felt a profound sense of inner peace.
"No wonder all those poets and scholars love gazing at the sea. Standing here, it feels as though all of one's troubles have been utterly forgotten."
Yae Miko drew in a deep breath and then exhaled slowly, as if expelling every pent-up frustration and worry from her heart.
"Indeed!" Yuki nodded in agreement, but then turned his head to look at her.
"But, Miko, as the head shrine maiden of the Grand Narukami Shrine, what troubles could you possibly have? You don't handle governmental affairs."
"Precisely because I don't handle governmental affairs—yet there are so many matters Ei now has to deal with. So I have no choice but to help share some of her burden."
Yae Miko's willow-like brows furrowed slightly as she spread her hands with a touch of helplessness. "Because of this, I can't even slack off and be a lazy shrine maiden anymore! Don't be fooled by Ei's placid, indifferent demeanor—in truth..."
Seizing the opportunity, Yae Miko, as if airing long-held grievances, poured out her frustrations to Yuki. She spoke of how, in the process of helping Ei handle governmental affairs, she had unwittingly ended up more knowledgeable in these matters than Ei herself.
Listening at the side, Yuki could only think—Inazuma might be the Raiden Shogun's Inazuma, but it was the Raiden Shogun's best friend who participated in governance.
So many policy decisions were made with her involvement. What is this, best-friend-meddling-in-politics 2.0? Yuki felt a strong sense of déjà vu.
But in truth, Yae Miko didn't actually want any of this. She would much rather be a carefree little slacker. Slacking off when there was nothing to do, and helping with exorcisms or blessings when there was.
Yet that was merely her ideal. She couldn't possibly just leave Ei to fend for herself, and besides, she understood all too well the pressure Ei had shouldered ever since taking over Inazuma from her sister's hands.
So she had no choice but to share that burden of responsibility on her behalf.