"Why?" Sū ěr couldn't help but ask, even though he knew full well that Yakumo Yukari was weaving these words specifically to bait his curiosity.
"Mm-hmm~" Yukari didn't answer; she simply nudged the fruit baskets, which were floating in mid-air, a bit higher.
"..." Understanding the silent demand, Sū ěr let out a long sigh.
What could he do? He was hooked. Regardless of Yukari ultimate agenda, she had successfully piqued his interest.
"Come in," Sū ěr said, stepping aside to clear the doorway.
"Pardon the intrusion." Maintaining perfect etiquette, Yukari nodded and prepared to enter the house.
"Are you not coming in your true form? Visiting with a double is rather... inappropriate, isn't it?" Sū ěr spoke just as the blonde yōkai was about to brush past him. She turned her head and let out a few soft chuckles.
"Ah~ while I would love to visit in person, it is quite difficult to do so until certain things have been discussed~"
Tsk. Sū ěr snorted coldly in his heart.
"You're being a bit too direct. Even the biggest fool wouldn't fall for that, you know?" Think critiqued Sū ěr bluntness as she detached herself from him, meeting Yukari gaze with a calm stare.
"Is that so? My apologies, I'll try to improve next time," Sū ěr apologized with zero sincerity, re-closing the door and taking a seat.
Sitting around the hearth, even though she was currently in the form of a double, Yukari felt an indescribable pressure facing these two at close range. They didn't seem much different from their first meeting, so she wondered—was it her own mindset that had changed?
"Continue. Finish the story from before, and tell us about Izumo... that is why you came, isn't it?" Think said, picking up a red Zhāohuī fruit. She took a bite, then stuffed the rest into Sū ěr mouth before dusting off her hands.
The fruit had a refreshing, cool taste like mint, but after a few seconds, it turned spicy—though not unpleasantly so. It was actually quite good.
"The one who first followed the command of Amaterasu-ōmikami to descend to Ashihara no Nakatsukuni, Amatsuhiko-hiko-ho-no-ninigi-no-mikoto—"
"Just call him 'The Heavenly Grandson,'" Sū ěr interrupted the tongue-twister, flatly providing a shorthand.
"Fine, 'The Heavenly Grandson' it is," Yukari shrugged, having no objection. "His wife was the daughter of the god Oyamatsumi, Konohanasakuya-hime. She was the goddess of cherry blossoms and exceptionally beautiful. After the initial proposal, Oyamatsumi wished to marry both of his daughters to the Heavenly Grandson. However, the elder sister, Iwanaga-hime, was the goddess of rocks and was quite hideous. In the end, the Heavenly Grandson sent the elder sister back and kept only the younger."
"Whether human or god, males always prefer the beautiful... quite interesting, isn't it?" Here, Yukari suddenly flashed a smile at Sū ěr.
"..." Sū ěr felt personally attacked!
And Think, why are you looking at me like that?!
"Oyamatsumi, naturally feeling insulted that his daughter was rejected, had intended for the Heavenly Grandson's rule to be as eternal as the rocks and as prosperous as the blossoms. To have his gesture disrespected so... he issued a curse. From that day forward, the Heavenly Grandson and the god-men born of his lineage might remain powerful, but their lifespans would be as fleeting as cherry blossoms," Yukari continued.
Sū ěr smacked his lips, unsure how to comment. It felt remarkably like listening to Greek mythology; truth be told, he was more familiar with Greek myths than Japanese ones.
"However, while that curse persists to this day, the Heavenly Grandson and the first-generation god-men he fathered are somehow still alive..." Yukari voice suddenly became hauntingly deep. "They are frantically searching for things to resist the curse and extend their lives, practicing methods so cruel they would be considered barbaric even among yōkai. That, in turn, is the root of the suffering for the humans under Yamato's rule..."
She didn't describe the suffering directly, yet her trailing sentence seemed to say everything, leaving Sū ěr momentarily speechless.
"And what of Izumo?" Unlike Sū ěr, Think seemed entirely unaffected and pressed for more.
"It is different from Yamato, of course, though only to a degree. Rather than taking my word for it, you two would likely trust your own eyes more. Your own evaluations would be more authentic," Yukari said with a smile, avoiding a direct answer. "I am not without talent; I could offer myself as a guide for your travels through this world. It would surely save you much unnecessary trouble."
"In your true form?"
"In my true form."
Her answer to Sū ěr sudden question was immediate, without a hint of hesitation.
This yōkai is too damn smart, Sū ěr lamented inwardly.
Whether it was her gentle way of gaining entry to the house or her habit of leaving enticing questions unanswered, everything made her information seem more credible.
Yamato, Izumo—nations where gods and men were entwined, both founded by deities yet antagonistic toward each other. And beyond them, the watchful eyes of monsters, the blonde yōkai before them being one of them. In such a chaotic yet fascinating world, Sū ěr felt his curiosity burning. He wanted to see it for himself—the world where gods and humans lived side-by-side.
"There's more, isn't there? You should say everything else at once," Sū ěr said, snapping out of his thoughts only to see that Think had already finished half the fruit basket and was currently spitting out seeds.
"Ah~ indeed, there is one small request... I hope you two can forgive a certain foolish individual... I shall discipline her properly afterward." Yukari expression suddenly became awkward and strange. Her gaze began to drift toward the window facing the back of the bamboo house.
In the field, beneath the blanket of white snow, a certain patch was bulging rhythmically. A moment later, like a broken tart, the snow was pushed aside and shoved to the edges.
A mud-caked hand, half-bent, braced itself against the snowy ground, seemingly struggling to climb out from beneath the earth.