Chapter 88

However, having realized the greedy and selfish nature of oneself, one should honestly admit it.

And start taking action.

—

On the other side, Jingo Shinji, that old man, hummed an off-key tune as he swayed into the kitchen of the hot spring inn, starting to prepare dinner for Qi Xing and the others.

Tonight's menu was vegetable casserole, roasted veal, yogurt, and naan.

The kitchen had a traditional Japanese-style stove, with firewood and charcoal bags piled in one corner, and a modernized electric stove and refrigerator in the other. Jingo Shinji took out ingredients with familiar ease, put on his sleeves, washed his hands, and began preparing the ingredients while humming.

However, just as he grabbed a handful of carrots—suddenly, two paper shikigami flew in silently through the window crack, circling around Old Man Shinji.

He didn't even look up, just glanced at them, continued peeling the carrots, and curled his lips in a smirk.

"I told you guys you'd mess this up, didn't I?"

He tossed the chopped carrots into the pot, grabbed beef strips from the cupboard, slapped them onto the cutting board, and sliced them up.

"I said long ago that those idiots have empty heads, only fit to be cut off and turned into wine flasks."

After sprinkling salt and black pepper on the beef, he added butter to the iron pot on the stove nearby and turned to whistle out the window.

"You pushed them too hard, making them reach for things they don't understand."

As he spoke, he grabbed the casserole base and placed it on the induction cooker.

"I lent my daughter to you as the Guardian of the North, and I've played the villain for you, so you can handle the aftermath yourselves."

"By the way, you should return Jingo Rin to me. That girl has nothing but men on her mind now; she won't stay in the Northeast for long. It's time to let her out of the cage of the Guardian of the North."

Before he finished speaking, he took a charcoal stove from the shelf and looked back at the two paper shikigami that were still floating around.

Silence lasted for a moment.

Then, Old Man Shinji said: "Say, Gojo, isn't it about time you considered retiring? Can you even taste anything anymore?"

"Sugawara no Michizane's curses always hurt the user before the target… If you want to live past 60, you should retire early."

By the time he said this, he had prepared all the ingredients, and the broth in the pot began to bubble and steam.

The two paper shikigami paused as if speechless.

Then they burned in mid-air and dissipated into ash.

—

That day's dinner was delicious.

But that "deliciousness" wasn't about complex flavors or stinging the taste buds; it was a sense of indescribable stability after eating—as if the world had been briefly pulled away from the noise, leaving only this warm, solid food in one's mouth.

The first dish served was a colorful stew.

Unlike the common Japanese casserole with rich broth, this dish had almost no visible liquid. Instead, onions, zucchini, eggplant, carrots, cucumbers, and chickpeas were layered and slow-cooked, blending slowly with the vegetables' own juices and olive oil.

The whole pot had not a drop of excess water, yet it was rich in layers with interwoven aromas.

The second dish was roasted veal. It used beef chuck, with fine marbling, firm meat that wasn't tough. The surface was brushed with a layer of lemon juice and olive oil, then wrapped and roasted.

The heat was perfectly controlled; the outer layer was charred and crispy, while the inside remained tender. When cut, juices flowed out slowly, without any gaminess or blood. No extra sauce was needed, only a little sea salt and pepper. But even just chewing the beef with naan, one could feel layers of aroma rolling on the tongue—fat, meat, and fire.

This wasn't eating "to fill the stomach," nor was it eating "to satisfy the taste buds," but a way of eating that reminded you that you were alive and that it was worth living.

So much so that while eating this meal, Qi Xing and Elaine didn't speak. Even Elaine, who was best at cooking, couldn't help but be amazed, wondering what seasonings, heat, or techniques Old Man Shinji had used.

Early the next morning, Jingo Rin, as the Guardian of the North, received news from the Japanese Ministry of Divine Affairs and the Onmyoryo.

An elite team of Official Exorcists had arrived in Aomori this morning.

The hand of the central government had finally reached into this northern region where the snow had not yet melted, aiming to uncover the remaining closed corners of Northern Japan.

087.5: Intermission

After the hot spring, that night, after dinner.

"Simply put." Elaine sighed, looking up from the report on the computer screen,

"My fiancé was sweet-talking me a few hours ago, saying 'I have enough with you,' 'I'm not the kind of scum who wants to start a harem'… and now he comes running to me saying—'Sorry, Elaine, I still crave her body'?"

Qi Xing was covered in cold sweat.

Hearing her put it that way, it really did seem quite scummy.

But now that things had come to this, he at least knew that making excuses or shirking responsibility would only lead to a worse outcome. So he honestly nodded and admitted: "I do crave her."

"Although I could come up with reasons like 'the hot spring is mixed-gender,' 'I thought there was an assassin,' or 'it's Samael's fault'… but in essence, really, I just realized I crave her body."

"Bringing you out on a pre-wedding trip and causing this kind of thing, I'm really sorry."

Speaking of this, Qi Xing himself felt somewhat uncomfortable. Although he knew deep down that Elaine wouldn't truly be furious or hate him because of this, and he wouldn't lose Elaine… but regardless, this was still an act that really hurt his wife—even if they weren't married yet.

Taking a fiancée whom he loved and who loved him back out on a pre-wedding trip, seeing a beautiful girl in the travel destination, and then craving her as soon as they locked eyes.

Stepping out of his personal narrative and just thinking about the act itself—good god, is this something a human would do? Isn't it too scummy?

Even if Qi Xing had realized he was this kind of person. Even if Qi Xing had realized the dark, greedy nature of craving someone else's body, one thing was one thing. Thinking about how much Elaine's heart would be hurt because of this made him feel very ashamed.

"Next time something like this happens," as expected, Elaine looked quite unhappy, but she didn't seem truly furious, just her tone was terrifyingly calm, "you must tell me."

What?

For a moment, Qi Xing even thought Elaine was being sarcastic.

"I said next time, whether you want to take a nude hot spring bath with other women, sleep with them directly, or do other intimate things—you must remember to tell me early."

Unexpectedly, Elaine's voice was extremely calm, as calm as if she were announcing some daily routine.

Now Qi Xing was actually starting to panic! Why?! Elaine wouldn't really be angry, would she?

Of course not. Although Elaine was indeed a little angry, it was only a little.

Because it was funny, and even a bit terrifying—Qi Xing didn't actually know what Elaine was thinking about most of the time.

Although he knew Elaine's greatest fear, knew she was a bit insecure, knew she was most afraid of being useless, of only being a victim saved by others, just a note in someone else's life symphony… but Qi Xing never knew how heavy Elaine's heart truly was.

Angry? She wouldn't be angry just because Qi Xing found other women. She never thought of herself as someone who possessed Qi Xing. Because he deserved her everything, and she was just the opposite.

She only hoped to stand by Qi Xing's side, she only longed for Qi Xing to like her, to love her.

Elaine would only be angry because Qi Xing didn't let her participate in this, would only be angry because she wasn't a part of this.

Now, Qi Xing felt guilty because of cheating, worried if Elaine would be hurt because of this… What was this? This was love.

His love for her was so deep that he felt guilty when craving other women… This thought alone was enough to make Elaine's mind float.

Ah, she was too shameless, how selfish.

"Qi Xing, don't misunderstand, I don't think it's a bad thing that you are interested in Miss Jingo Rin." Elaine shook her head, speaking seriously, her tone nearly gentle,

"I don't think there's anything wrong with you liking other women. But I cannot accept you excluding me from important life choices."

This was enough to shock Qi Xing: "You don't mind me starting a harem?!"

He had seen women in novels and manga who didn't mind the male protagonist having a harem, but those were novels and manga! Was it just because he transmigrated into an absurd world comparable to an eroge that he could do this too?!

He had thought Elaine was the person least likely to accept something like this.

"As long as it's a harem beneficial to you, as long as you don't hide it from me, behind my back, as long as you give me the qualification to 'participate.'"

Elaine paused, her tone softening, almost like a gentle sigh, "I certainly don't mind."

Whoa! This sentence was like a sword, deeply piercing Qi Xing's conscience! How terrifying!

"I also know that if you insist on liking someone, I can't stop you. But I still hope that if you really decide to do something, please tell me in advance so that I can provide you with some advice and information."

She spoke extremely calmly, as if discussing some diplomatic treaty, "After all, if you rashly make a move on Miss Jingo, Qi Xing, you might get dragged into the power struggles of Japanese supernatural politics. The same goes for other future relationships."

This immediately poured a bucket of cold water on Qi Xing, making him frown: "Why are you suddenly saying this?"

"Because I have already received a secret letter from the Papal Privy Council." Elaine closed her laptop, her fingers gently tapping the mouse,

"An elite team of Official Exorcists from the central Onmyoryo will arrive in Aomori before noon tomorrow to 'support' the security work of Miss Jingo, the Guardian of the North."

"You should also know that, normally speaking, given the work efficiency of Japanese Official Exorcists, it's impossible for them to be that fast. I can only assume this was prepared in advance."

She spoke slowly, but every sentence hit the point.

"I previously found it strange that the changes Miss Jingo Rin has made in the Northeast region over the past few years were not only radical but also too efficient. Although she probably didn't think too much about it, just acting on her own impulses, the cooperation of the other Official Exorcists was done too well."

"This time, True Buddhism attempted to assassinate her, and the Kito Family was discovered colluding with the cult. The central Onmyoryo immediately dispatched elite Official Exorcists from the Gojo Family and Tsuchimikado lineage, saying they wanted to search the local exorcist families. I suspect the Japanese government has long been waiting for an opportunity like this. That is to say…"

Elaine shook her head, "What Miss Jingo Rin has done in recent years may be a test of obedience by the Japanese government towards the sorcerer families in the Northeast region."

"They gave her the power of the Guardian of the North not only because she is truly powerful, but also because they want to use a locally born powerhouse to screen for 'troublemakers' and 'obedient people.' It's to see who obeys and who doesn't."

"After the list is complete, the government will eventually find an opportunity to close the net and deal with these local sorcerer clans that obey orders but don't listen to announcements… and now is exactly that opportunity."

Qi Xing's brows furrowed even tighter.

Is it really necessary?

Actually, it's very possible. Whether in ancient or modern times, during the process of centralization, governments will more or less do similar things.

It's hard to talk about modern affairs, so let's take ancient times as an example. Emperors of all dynasties liked to trample on Confucian etiquette. Zhu Yuanzhang deleting [Mencius], the Great Rites Controversy of the Jiajing Emperor—and the most famous story of [Pointing at a Deer and Calling it a Horse], when stripped down, are actually tests of obedience.

Japan's Northeast has since ancient times been a place with many local powerful families who were unwilling to submit to the central government's control.

In modern society, the central government's control over the local regions has improved quite a bit, regardless of what is said. But the independence of Japan's northeastern supernatural families remains relatively strong. Until recent years.

"I see, what you say makes sense. Rin herself might not care or know, but she is actually a very important part of Japanese supernatural politics." Qi Xing shook his head,

"But this doesn't seem to have much to do with me? I'm basically considered a [brute force user] already; will the Onmyoryo come to trouble me? Do I need to care about this?"

"You don't need to care—but Qi Xing, you must know. Knowing and not caring is a kind of coolness; not even knowing is just being foolish." Elaine's answer was very serious, her tone carrying a bit of reproach, yet as firm as a good teacher,

"This is also why, if you really decide to find other women in the future, please tell me in advance; I can provide you with some advice and information."

Qi Xing was a bit speechless: "I always feel like you're talking about me craving other women as if it were making strategic decisions."

"Don't you think it is?"

"Overall, Miss Jingo Rin is certainly a very good choice. Even in future battles against the Silver Coin Messenger, she should be able to provide you with effective support. This will definitely be helpful for your plan to collect silver coins." Elaine continued, speaking methodically and convincingly. As if to prove that Qi Xing starting a harem of beautiful girls, all of whom are top-tier experts, would surely help his great cause of collecting silver coins and changing the world.

But Qi Xing rubbed his forehead, feeling quite unmotivated instead. Before, even if dual cultivation could make him stronger, Qi Xing didn't want to dual cultivate just to become stronger; similarly, even if he was indeed greedy now, he didn't want to start a harem just because it was 'useful.'

It had nothing to do with benefits, it was purely about [wanting and not wanting]. Perhaps this was the most important thing in the world.

"The matter with Rin is still too early to talk about. I just happened to like her, I don't even know if she likes me yet."

"So Elaine, I am just asking you a hypothetical question now, but I hope you can answer me seriously." So Qi Xing said seriously,

"If I really start a harem in the future, will you really not be sad at all? Answer me seriously."

This finally made Elaine smile helplessly.

"Qi Xing, do you remember when we were on our date earlier, why I told you I gave that date 140 points?"