join p atreon.com/KeyofStars and become a Sequence 9: Reader for dozens of advance chapters for over a dozen fics | Every 100 powerstones = 1 extra chapter
Outside the hot spring inn, Asakura and Yuigahama Yui were walking along a forest path.
Adhering to the principle of 'know yourself and your enemy, and you will never be defeated,' he intended to scout the area around the inn to see if there were any suitable locations.
The reason it was such an unusual pairing of him and Yuigahama Yui was mainly because Yanami's self-esteem was shattered, and she was currently soaking in the hot spring.
Originally, Gokou Ruri also wanted to come along, but just before leaving, she happened to run into the inn proprietress telling stories to her two younger sisters: "In the second year of Genna..."
Not wanting her younger sisters to hear strange stories, Gokou Ruri had no choice but to stay at the inn to look after the children.
Yukino Yukinoshita was not a member of the Magic Club, and Lemon Yakishio, being his childhood friend and the client for this request, naturally couldn't be exposed to them at this stage.
So, in the end, the only person available to accompany Asakura was Yuigahama Yui.
What, you ask about Hiratsuka Shizuka?
Her entire experience at the inn was roughly as follows:
The great Queen Hiratsuka was receiving blessings from the loyal hot spring inn proprietress; the reliable Lady Hiratsuka was drinking sake and chatting cheerfully with the inn proprietress; the overconfident Teacher Hiratsuka was coaxed into drinking many expensive famous sakes and was already tipsy; the unmarriageable useless Hiratsuka Shizuka passed out in the bedroom, and tomorrow she would also receive the double blow of a half-day hangover and a depleted wallet.
Today was a complete victory for the inn proprietress.
"Mmm~" Yuigahama Yui stretched, "The air here feels so fresh!"
"Really? I don't feel much."
Asakura surveyed the surroundings.
Although it was a forest path, the sides of the path were not planted with trees, but rather small bamboo plants growing in clumps, similar to foxtail bamboo. In Japan, they seemed to be called sasatake or something similar. These small bamboo plants are usually used to hang wish strips during Tanabata, so they are also endowed with the beautiful meaning of 'being able to fulfill wishes.'
"Actually, this place should be fine, right?" He told Yuigahama Yui the meaning of the bamboo: "Just have Lemon bring her beloved here at night, talk about Tanabata-related topics, and then point to the moon and say the moonlight is beautiful, wouldn't that work?"
Although Lemon was a bit of an idiot, Ayano Mitsuki was a top student, so he naturally wouldn't misunderstand the meaning of 'the moonlight is beautiful.'
"While it does feel pretty good, I can't help but feel like something's missing..."
Yuigahama Yui pondered deeply, but before she could come up with an answer, the small black snake slithered out of her yukata, startling her: "Whoa, don't suddenly move around, Napoleon."
"What's wrong with this guy?" Asakura asked.
"It seems to want to move around freely and get some air."
The girl poked the snake's head with her finger, communicated with it for a moment, and then said, "Anyway, there's no one here, so it should be fine."
Asakura was also unconcerned. After all, this Golem was also sealed by his "Scale," so it wouldn't cause any trouble, at most just startling the inn's maid.
"Let's keep walking forward." After releasing the small snake, Yuigahama Yui said to Asakura.
"Will there really be a better place ahead...?" Asakura sighed, somewhat doubtful: "The inn is already in a pretty rural area. The path ahead looks like nothing but desolate mountains and wilderness. Is there really any point in continuing forward? Rather, is it truly necessary to go so far for Lemon's confession? Although I couldn't say it just now, the real purpose of this hot spring trip is to further integrate you and Golem."
"How should I put it... I can somewhat understand Lemon's feelings. Because it's her first confession in her life, she wants to pour out all of her feelings as much as possible..."
Yuigahama Yui lowered her gaze, a faint smile and admiration on her face: "But at the same time, she's not very confident in her romantic abilities, which is why she's trying to entrust reliable people to find a place where she can give her all, even if it means exposing her innocent maiden's heart to others. So, I also want to help Lemon well and contribute as much as I can to her romance."
"That being said, the 'reliable person' you're talking about is now so embarrassed from mistakenly believing a strange magazine that she'd rather go soak in the hot spring than come out with us."
"Ahaha... That's why I think we should, including Yanami's share, properly search for a place where Lemon can confess with peace of mind."
Yuigahama Yui said gently.
The gentle breeze swept through the forest, and the sunlight, partly obscured by the distant mountains, filtered through the sparse bamboo grove.
The golden afterglow was fragmented by the air, only casting a faint orange-red hue on the girl's pale pink hair. The halo spread, making the girl appear somewhat cherry-colored.
Her long hair flew, and the hem of her kimono-like attire also danced lightly with the forest breeze. Her beautiful eyes held a lovely smile.
If there weren't no cherry blossom trees around and it wasn't the wrong season, Asakura would have even thought he saw a cherry blossom fairy at that moment.
"I can't stand you romantics." Asakura scratched his head, and finally strode forward first.
"Ah, wah wah, wait for me... The road ahead is a bit dark, don't leave me behind..."
The girl's composure shattered in a second, and she frantically followed behind Asakura.
"Speaking of which, I think I just saw a 'Bears Out' sign by the roadside." Asakura said abruptly.
"Eh eh eh?! Asakura-kun, you're just trying to scare me, right?" The girl asked, her eyes brimming with fearful tears, trembling.
..." Asakura walked forward quickly in silence.
"Quick, say you're just trying to scare me!"
Yuigahama Yui's steps became even more frantic, and she almost tripped over a stone by the roadside.
She was so scared that she closed her eyes, preparing for impact. Fortunately, at the last moment, Asakura seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, turning around to support the girl.
"Sc-scared me to death..." Yuigahama Yui then gently patted her chest and let out a breath.
"How about this place?" Asakura asked.
"What about what..."
The girl subconsciously looked in the direction he indicated, and then she saw a pond.
No, for a pond, this place was too vast. If anything, it was more like a small lake.
Amidst the rustling of bamboo, the lake surface reflected shimmering ripples. The view transformed from a forest path to a wide, unobstructed lake, and the feeling of sudden openness was indescribable.
"It feels pretty good," Yuigahama Yui said sincerely, looking at the lake.
At this moment, the small snake, which had somehow followed behind them, hung on a nearby small bamboo and spit out a small black insect from its mouth.
Asakura picked up the insect, and after examining it for a moment, the insect's rear suddenly emitted a bluish-green light.
This made him raise his eyebrows slightly and curl his lips: "I see, it seems this is indeed the best choice..."
join p atreon.com/KeyofStars and become a Sequence 9: Reader for dozens of advance chapters for over a dozen fics | Every 100 powerstones = 1 extra chapter