As if sensing something, Raiden Ei suddenly looked toward where Yae Miko was standing.

Then she saw a white-haired fox woman covering her mouth, laughing uncontrollably.

While laughing, she kept slapping Yae Miko on the shoulder—

So hard that Miko herself couldn't laugh anymore.

There was joy in the reunion, yes—

But right now, there was far more shock than joy.

Because Ei quickly realized why Kitsune Saiguu was laughing.

Maybe it was because of her tiny body.

Or maybe because she saw Ei cooking.

But it was definitely not because she was happy to see her again.

The next moment—

Ei's gaze turned sharp.

She grabbed the huge ladle in her hand and threw it directly at Kitsune Saiguu.

"Hey! Hey! Is this how you treat me after so long? No welcome gifts is one thing, but trying to attack me the moment we meet?!"

Saiguu hurriedly dodged the flying ladle.

Then she slowly walked closer.

Looking down at Ei—

Who was standing on a chair yet still had to look up at her—

Saiguu burst out laughing again.

"My majestic and awe-inspiring Ei… how did you become so small and adorable?"

If Saiguu hadn't been an old acquaintance—

Ei would have silenced her immediately.

This kind of black history was being discovered by more and more people.

At this point, so many people knew that she was almost becoming numb to it.

"So what are you making here? Poison? I have to say—you seem very talented at it."

Looking at the purple soup inside the pot, Saiguu felt Ei's methods were truly vicious.

Being overwhelmingly powerful was one thing—

But this poison technique was also top-tier!

"…This is tofu soup."

After hearing the truth, Saiguu looked down again at the pot.

The color looked like the Grim Reaper's smile.

"…Who are you planning to kill?"

If this pot of soup were served to the shrine maidens of Narukami Shrine—

The entire shrine would probably need to replace its entire staff afterward.

"..."

Ei stared straight at Saiguu.

Now that Miko wasn't the only one here, and Saiguu had returned—

Wasn't she the perfect taste tester?

Letting Hanachirusato do it every time felt strange.

After all, Hanachirusato wasn't truly human.

Even if the food tasted terrible—

She wouldn't be poisoned.

But she also couldn't give meaningful feedback on Ei's cooking.

To her—

Everything was edible.

Which meant Ei had no way to improve.

But now that Saiguu has returned…

"Ei… this isn't funny…"

Seeing Ei's gaze, Saiguu suddenly regretted coming here.

Wouldn't it have been better to just stay up in the space station?

Why did she come down here to suffer?

"Please, Saiguu. I really need to learn how to cook. This is Su Ran's requirement."

"Your benefactor's request?"

Saiguu looked at the strange pot with great difficulty.

"…How about I try convincing him to change the test?"

Learning cooking seemed harder than overthrowing the heavens.

Ei simply had zero talent for cooking.

Absolutely none.

"Even if we could change it, it would have happened already. Su Ran came back two days ago and didn't say anything."

Yae Miko sighed.

If that weren't the case—

She wouldn't tremble every time she saw Ei now.

She had suffered too much already.

"Then how about letting Chiyo do it? She's an oni—strong and sturdy. If it were me, I definitely wouldn't survive."

Saiguu shook her head violently.

No matter what—

She refused to drink Ei's soup.

She had already died once.

She had no intention of dying a second time.

"But… this is tofu soup."

If it were another dish, Ei wouldn't have said anything.

But this was tofu soup.

Oni were afraid of beans.

If Chiyo drank it—

Then it would truly become deadly poison.

Saiguu: "…."

She had forgotten that.

If Chiyo drank it—

It would be poison stacked on poison.

At that point they'd probably have to ask Su Ran to resurrect her again.

"Oh right. Speaking of Chiyo… What about Makoto?"

Hearing that Mikoshi Chiyo had returned made Ei very happy.

But what about her sister, Raiden Makoto?

Ei cared about that deeply.

"Makoto…"

Saiguu hesitated when she saw Ei's expression.

She couldn't exactly say that Makoto wasn't eager to return yet.

Chiyo and Saiguu had returned early because they didn't know the state of Inazuma and missed home.

But Makoto…

She had already returned once before.

And more importantly—

She probably knew what Ei was currently doing.

And didn't want to become the next victim.

"Maybe Su Ran plans to let Makoto return after you fully master cooking."

Seeing Saiguu hesitate, Yae Miko quickly stepped in to smooth things over.

She winked at Saiguu.

"Exactly~ That's right. And if you manage to learn cooking before she comes back, wouldn't that be a wonderful surprise? So do your best, little Ei!"

Saiguu immediately followed Miko's lead.

Ei, who had been worried, relaxed slightly.

"If that's the case, then I won't disappoint Su Ran. When Makoto returns, I'll give her a big surprise!"

Standing before the massive pot—

Ei made a firm decision.

No matter what the cost, she would learn to cook properly.

Meanwhile—

Mikoshi Chiyo hurried toward Narukami Shrine.

Looking at the shrine, she sighed in admiration.

It was far more magnificent than it had been five hundred years ago.

That little fox really had worked hard all these years.

Chiyo couldn't help but feel impressed.

Soon she found a shrine maiden wearing a mask walking through the shrine.

"Miss shrine maiden, may I ask if the Guuji is here? Or perhaps the Raiden Shogun?"

"!!!"

Seeing Chiyo's face—

Hanachirusato froze in shock.

She stared at the woman in front of her in disbelief.

"…Lady Torachiyo?" 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"You know me?"

Chiyo was stunned.

Five hundred years had passed.

Even the oni race had declined—

Yet someone still recognized her?

"Yes. You're looking for the Shogun and the Guuji, right? Please follow me!"

Recently both Raiden Ei and Yae Miko had been staying here.

So finding them wasn't difficult.

They were probably in the rear courtyard.

Hanachirusato led Chiyo there.

But when she arrived—

She froze again.

Because right now…

Yae Miko and Raiden Ei were panicking while holding a fox-eared woman lying on the ground, foaming at the mouth.

"Lady Kitsune Saiguu…?"

Had she started dreaming again?

Wasn't Lady Saiguu supposed to have been devoured by the Cataclysm?

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