Ei looked up, calmly at her: "Warfare is a path of deception, which I also learned from you."
"You learned well." The Shrine Maiden's smile remained unchanged. She picked up a white stone, but instead of placing it immediately, she gently tapped the edge of the board with her fingertip, making a crisp tapping sound. "However, Ei, if you only know how to attack in Go and not how to maneuver, you'll suffer a loss, won't you?"
The implied meaning in her words made Ei frown slightly. But Ei didn't retort, only quietly waited for her move.
The Shrine Maiden flicked her wrist, and the white stone fell lightly, not in any of the positions Ei had anticipated for a response, but instead into a seemingly insignificant corner.
This move, seemingly abandoning the struggle for the large dragon in the center, actually opened up a new battlefield with profound intentions, carrying the Shrine Maiden's usual unpredictable style.
Ei's brows furrowed even tighter. She focused intently on the game, trying to discern the true intention behind the Shrine Maiden's "leisurely move."
In the subsequent game, the atmosphere gradually grew subtle.
Ei pressed relentlessly, while the Shrine Maiden, like a slippery fish, parried left and right, appearing passive but always able to resolve crises with exquisite skill at critical moments, even occasionally setting small traps that forced Ei to expend mental effort to counter.
"Clack!"
Ei placed another stone, aggressively pointing directly at the throat of a lone white stone group.
The Shrine Maiden, however, seemed oblivious to the immediate danger. Instead, she propped her chin on her hand, smiling as she looked at Ei: "Ei, you have such strong killing intent today. Could it be that you were lonely all afternoon and became discontent?"
Ei's hand, holding a stone, paused. Her earlobes felt slightly warm, but her expression remained cool and aloof: "Focus on the game."
"I am very focused." The Shrine Maiden blinked, the white stone held between her fingertips twirling nimbly in her slender fingers. "I just think that my Kagemusha looks so serious and cute even when playing Go, it makes me want to tease her."
With that, she gave a slight shake of her wrist, and the white stone didn't land on the Go board, but "accidentally" dropped onto Ei's hem, rolling away.
"Oh dear, my hand slipped." The Shrine Maiden apologized without sincerity, leaning forward as if to pick up the stone, her slender fingers "unintentionally" brushing against Ei's hand.
A cool touch, with a faint, almost imperceptible tickle.
Ei's body instantly tensed. She sharply withdrew her hand, looking at the Shrine Maiden with a hint of annoyance mixed with embarrassment: "Shrine Maiden!"
"Yes?" The Shrine Maiden picked up the stone, returned to her seat, her face still wearing that innocent yet mischievous smile. "Ei, it's your turn to place a stone."
Ei took a deep breath, trying to calm her disturbed mind.
She knew the Shrine Maiden was doing it on purpose; this fox was most skilled at disrupting her composure at such times.
She refocused her gaze on the board, only to find that due to the recent interruption, her previously clear thoughts were broken, leaving her momentarily hesitant.
Watching her seriously contemplative profile, the smile in the Shrine Maiden's eyes deepened. She liked seeing Ei like this, liked seeing her lose her usual calm self-possession because of her.
It made her feel that the barrier built by responsibility between them was so fragile when they were alone.
Finally, Ei placed a stone. Though still sharp, it lacked the previous unyielding resolve and showed a bit more caution.
Seeing this, the Shrine Maiden knew her "little tricks" had worked, and her mood grew even more joyful. She no longer deliberately caused trouble, but she didn't relax either; her playing style became increasingly unpredictable.
Soon, the game entered the endgame. When Ei placed her last stone and calculated, confirming she would win by a narrow margin, she imperceptibly let out a sigh of relief, looked up at the Shrine Maiden, and waited for her to resign.
However, the Shrine Maiden merely glanced at the board, then lazily leaned back, a teasing curve forming on her lips: "Oh dear, it seems I've lost."
Her candid admission made Ei slightly stunned.
"However…" The Shrine Maiden changed the subject, her fox-like eyes sparkling with mischievous light, "Shouldn't the reward for winning be decided by the loser?"
A warning bell subtly rang in Ei's heart; her intuition told her this fox was up to something again.
"What do you want?"
The Shrine Maiden stood up, walked around the board to Ei's side, leaned down, and propped her hands on the armrests of Ei's chair, encircling her.
The sweet scent enveloped Ei once more.
"The reward is…" The Shrine Maiden leaned close to Ei's ear, her breath like orchids, her voice carrying a seductive magic, "Tonight, I will bathe and dress you. How about that?"
"My… Victorious One?"
Ei's cheeks instantly flushed crimson, and even her neck didn't escape.
She tried to maintain her composure, but her flickering gaze and slightly accelerated heartbeat betrayed her.
"Nonsense! How undignified!"
"A bet's a bet." The Shrine Maiden smiled like a little fox who had stolen a chicken, gently twirling a strand of Ei's hair with her fingertip. "Or are you saying that the dignified Raiden Shogun, after winning a game of Go against a mere woman like me, doesn't even dare to claim such a small prize?"
Ei looked at her triumphant smile, feeling both annoyed and helpless, yet deep down, there seemed to be a subtle, hidden anticipation.
She turned her face away, avoiding the Shrine Maiden's burning gaze, her voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz: "…As you wish."
Upon hearing this, the light in the Shrine Maiden's eyes intensified. She took advantage of the situation and lightly pecked Ei's warm earlobe.
"Then… it's settled."
[Chapter 3: Cloud and Rain]
(One thousand words were elbowed here, please go to the Melusine family group to view)
...The passion gradually subsided, but the lingering aftertaste remained.
Ei lay limp in the Shrine Maiden's embrace, utterly drained, not even wanting to move a fingertip. The Shrine Maiden meticulously kissed away the dampness from the corners of her eyes, pulling her even tighter into her embrace, and drew the soft brocade quilt over them both.
Outside the window, the moonlight was serene, and cherry blossoms swayed.
Ei buried her flushed face in the Shrine Maiden's warm neck, inhaling the reassuring scent, listening to their gradually calming heartbeats.
All words seemed superfluous at this moment; only their intertwined body heat and mingled breaths spoke of the most direct love.
The Shrine Maiden idly stroked Ei's smooth back, a lazy, satisfied smile playing on her lips.
"Tired?" she asked softly.
Ei let out a muffled hum, like an answer, and also like a spoiled whine.
The Shrine Maiden chuckled, holding her even tighter.
"Sleep, my Lord General." Her voice was as gentle as water. "Tonight, I will guard your eternity."
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