Kanki carried the hefty stone tablet but ran faster than Shin'en.
With him leading the way, Shin'en climbed the northwest hillside and ran toward a bamboo grove.
"Your Majesty! Look ahead!"
Shin'en didn't need the reminder — he had already seen it.
In the middle of the bamboo grove, a bright white light appeared, standing out against the dim moonlight.
Junichi and the others were gathered around the fading glow.
From the light, a woman in white appeared, her skin whiter than snow. Long, silky white hair flowed down to her calves — like a celestial maiden straight out of myth.
In this era, the whiter a woman's skin, the more beautiful and noble she was considered.
Kaguya's appearance left the soldiers in awe.
"Your Majesty!"
Seeing Shin'en arrive, Junichi and the others immediately kneeled, no longer raising their eyes toward Kaguya.
"Rise," Shin'en waved, but his gaze remained fixed on the woman.
Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.
Finally, she had arrived.
Joy surged through his heart, but he suppressed it, keeping calm as he looked at Kaguya's confused expression. He casually asked:
"Where do you come from?"
Kaguya remained dazed.
"Rude! The Emperor is speaking to you!" A soldier nearby scolded her, frustrated by her inaction.
Shin'en's face darkened slightly. He shot the soldier a glare. Instantly, the soldier fell silent and stepped back.
"If you have nowhere to go, you can come with me. My home is large and safe."
Shin'en's voice was gentle, a warm smile on his face as he slowly approached Kaguya, extending his hand.
Something in his words seemed to awaken her. She finally snapped out of her daze.
She glanced at Shin'en, white-haired and fair-eyed, sizing him up.
After a moment of hesitation, she lifted her right hand.
Shin'en took her hand — it was icy cold and soft.
"Let's go." He led Kaguya out of the bamboo grove.
Meanwhile, Kanki followed Shin'en's earlier instructions, placing the stone tablet where Kaguya had appeared and quickly digging a pit in the ground.
"Fire! Someone's coming!"
"From their attire, they must be from the Land of Soshino!"
Before Shin'en had left the bamboo grove, a dozen or so people holding torches began approaching quickly from a low hill on the right.
"Stay here. Follow the plan. No conflicts!" Shin'en instructed Kanki quietly.
"Yes!"
Junichi and three soldiers escorted Shin'en, while Kanki and the rest stayed behind, waiting for the Soshino soldiers.
"Shouldn't be a problem if we move quickly," Shin'en muttered, removing his black coat and draping it over Kaguya, then speeding up with her in hand.
Kaguya said nothing, letting him guide her as they quickly ran to the other side of the hillside.
"I'm Shin'en. What's your name?"
Breath coming in quick gasps, Shin'en slowed only when they reached a wooden fence near a nearby village.
Even though he already knew, talking was important to deepen their bond.
"My name is Kaguya."
Some life returned to her eyes.
Soon, Shin'en led Kaguya into Hane territory.
"You two will attend exclusively to Lady Kaguya. Fulfill all her requests. She will live in the side hall."
Shin'en summoned two maid attendants to give the orders.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"Kaguya, you should rest now. Anything else can wait until tomorrow. Don't worry — this place is safe. I'll protect you," he said, his gaze burning into hers.
Kaguya's eyes flickered with a strange light. She seemed to sense Shin'en's sincerity. Silently, she nodded and followed the maid toward the side hall. She paused at the corner, glancing back at him.
Shin'en smiled faintly.
Once she left, he allowed a small smile to creep onto his lips.
This Kaguya was incredibly powerful yet overly innocent.
Finally!
Suppressing his excitement, Shin'en returned to the main hall's bed.
Recently, after the Land of Bizi had cleared the western villages, there were subtle signs they might probe eastward.
Unlike the agricultural Soshino and Hane, Bizi was aggressive.
Shin'en had been worried that Bizi might strike Soshino and Hane prematurely after securing the west.
But now, with Kaguya here, Bizi's threat was neutralized.
Only the original Soshino emperor in the source story acted foolishly, abandoning Kaguya after she killed a few Bizi soldiers, even sending pursuers. Ridiculous.
Soon, Kanki returned with the remaining soldiers, reporting that the Soshino soldiers had brought back a meteorite inscribed with unknown characters.
Shin'en rewarded them with grain and a small portion of rare spices before dismissing them.
Though the team tonight was reliable, this was merely an extra precaution, buying time and diverting attention from Bizi and Soshino.
This gave him the opportunity to build his relationship with Kaguya.
That night, time passed slowly. Shin'en was so excited he couldn't sleep.
The next morning, he went to the open courtyard outside the main hall to practice martial arts.
Partly habit, partly to gauge Kaguya's reaction.
He trained calmly, focusing his mind.
When he looked up, Kaguya stood on the corridor, silently observing him.
"Kaguya, why are you up so early? Did you rest well?"
Shin'en took a towel from the maid and wiped the sweat from his face before approaching her.
Kaguya nodded.
Her reaction was unsurprising — it would take time for her to acclimate.
It seemed she didn't understand his gentle fist style.
Understandable — the only gentle fist Kaguya knew would be at the divine sky strike level.
Shin'en's style was a weakened version passed down over a thousand years; it was natural she didn't recognize it.
After a short conversation, Kaguya seemed uninterested in talking, her eyes fixed on the sky.
Shin'en didn't mind. They simply chatted lightly as they watched the sky together.
When something interesting happened, Kaguya would glance at him.
Although her words were few, the atmosphere was comfortable.
Before long, it was lunchtime.
To entertain Kaguya, Shin'en ordered a hunt in the nearby forest, killing two fawns.
One portion was stir-fried, the other roasted.
Seeing the steaming venison on the table, he licked his lips — meat was a rare treat these days.
Not due to scarcity — the surrounding forest was full of wildlife.
The real issue was spices. Hane's spices were largely reserved for him, but still insufficient for lavish cooking.
Even young deer had a strong gamey smell, which required heavy seasoning to mask.
"Try this, it's delicious!"
Shin'en cut pieces from the rack, placing them on Kaguya's plate and sprinkling a yellow powder resembling chili.
Seeing her stare blankly at the meat, he remembered: Ōtsutsuki rarely needed to eat, except for chakra pills.
Gently, he tapped her arm, took a piece of venison, and ate it himself.
"Mm~" Shin'en closed his eyes in enjoyment — it tasted amazing after days without meat.
"Try it!" He held a piece to Kaguya's mouth.
She stared at his fair, handsome face, hesitated, then slowly took a bite, chewing a few times.
Instantly, her eyes brightened. She opened her mouth wider and bit the entire piece, chewing a bit faster.
Afterward, she mimicked Shin'en with chopsticks.
After three failed attempts to pick up meat, she looked at Shin'en steadily.
Shin'en sighed and sat behind her, teaching her how to use chopsticks, hand over hand.