LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 53
Saigo Rise.
She was a shamaness I had known since childhood, and every time we went to our regular gatherings, she became my excellent pastime.
‘With a man?’
Rise was coming to the shrine with a man dressed in a suit. The man had a face that looked as soft as a rabbit and a tall, well-built body typical of an athlete. The suited look suited him well, indicating he was definitely not of humble origins.
‘No way?’
Could he be Rise’s boyfriend?
That thought flickered through her mind.
But she quickly dismissed it.
The Rise I knew was an innocent girl who feigned purity, utterly naive to the ways of the world. There was no way someone like her could have a boyfriend. Besides, if she had taken in a live-in son-in-law, I would have surely heard the news.
‘It’s just a coincidence.’
She straightened up and hurried toward them.
Then she greeted Rise with a false cheerfulness.
“Oh my, Rise! What brings you here?”
The smile was so artificial it looked like a bucket of fake cheer had been poured over her, appearing unnaturally bright. Rise momentarily frowned in disgust at her expression before replying.
“…I’m here for something.”
She was here for something.
Something.
Something, huh?
She recalled the conversation she’d just had with the mayor and looked at her with skepticism.
“By any chance, what is that ‘something’?”
“Didn’t you get the message?”
“Oh my. How could one or two messages suffice? Nowadays, with so many people visiting the shrine and the festival just around the corner…. Sigh. I’m so busy that I can’t even remember what messages I received. I wish I could enjoy peace like you do.”
“Isn’t that because you’re getting older?”
“Hoho. I’m still young. Look, I still can’t seem to find the right fit for my clothes! These clothes were tailored a few months ago, but they’re tight at the chest… and the pants have become loose after just a few months, needing a belt to hold them up. The cost of clothes isn’t cheap either… I really wish I had a body that fit me like yours.”
“Is that so?”
Jinseong, who had been quietly observing their conversation, took a step closer with a harmless smile and introduced himself while offering a handshake.
“Hello, Kishimoto Narumi. I’ve heard a lot about you from Rise.”
“Uh, uh? Yes, hello….”
Narumi showed an expression of momentary bewilderment at the brightly smiling man’s request for a handshake. Then, with a face of disbelief, she glanced at Rise, who wore a proud or perhaps pitying expression.
‘She got a boyfriend?’
Narumi was taken aback by the news of Rise having a boyfriend and took his hand.
“I’m the future son-in-law of the Saigo Clan. Right now, I’m being called the next Shinto priest, so I hope we can have many opportunities to interact moving forward. Just so you know, you can call me Saigo without feeling burdened since I’ve decided to take on Rise’s surname as a live-in son-in-law.”
“Live-in… son-in-law?”
“Hahaha. That’s right. Oh, I bet you didn’t receive this news because it was decided suddenly. Originally, I planned to make a grand announcement at the next gathering… but Rise insisted on telling her close sister first, which is why I came to visit you like this. I also thought I’d offer help since the festival is just around the corner.”
“Eh?”
Having been swept away by Jinseong’s friendly demeanor, Narumi suddenly snapped back to reality at something he said.
“Help… for the festival?”
“Oh, yes. Hahaha. Since I’m said to be close to Rise, I couldn’t just stand by. So, I brought some supplies with me.”
“Supplies….”
Narumi saw countless laborers hauling cargo behind Jinseong, all muscular, suggesting a lifetime of hard labor, many bearing scars as if from rough work. But muscle and scars weren’t unusual for a warrior, so she thought nothing of it.
“Isn’t it normal for a festival to require a lot of supplies? That’s why I brought these.”
“…That’s quite a lot. Wasn’t it a burden for you?”
“A burden? Don’t say that. I’m not one to boast, but I have enough wealth that this amount is no trouble. Although, preparing it all in a short time was quite difficult, but thankfully, friends who are close to me helped out, so I was able to manage it safely. Ah, by the way….”
Jinseong asked with a bright smile.
“Has it become a burden?”
Of course it is!
Narumi barely swallowed those words that almost escaped her throat.
Then she plastered a bright smile that differed from her inner thoughts and narrowed her eyes in disbelief.
“No, no! I was actually worried we might be short on supplies, so… thank you very much!”
“Hahaha. Thank you for saying that. Oh, would you like to check the supplies I brought? I chose them with care, so I think you’ll like them.”
Watching Jinseong act clueless made Narumi’s insides boil.
However, recalling how the mayor had recently emphasized the significance of ‘noble individuals’ and the manner in which Jinseong flaunted his wealth alongside his connections that allowed him to prepare massive supplies in a short time, she realized the man before her was not someone she could treat carelessly.
‘That girl who was always looked down upon in gatherings has suddenly snagged a handsome man…’
Instead, Narumi directed her resentment towards Rise.
It was towards Rise, who had been treated as a nobody by the shamans participating in each gathering.
‘That little brat who looks down on the profession of a shaman.’
Narumi suspected that this situation had been heavily influenced by Rise.
Perhaps out of resentment for being overlooked in every gathering, she had made such a request to the man who became her live-in son-in-law. That was her line of thinking.
And there was something that solidified her suspicion.
That was the expression that Rise was wearing.
When Rise looked at the man, her expression was one of intimacy and admiration, but when she glanced at Narumi, that same expression transformed into one of pity and sympathy. The extent of that expression irritated Narumi so much that she nearly bit her lip without realizing it.
Pity and sympathy.
And a touch of bittersweetness?
Such emotions couldn’t coexist easily.
For them to coexist, a very special circumstance must be added.
Narumi considered that ‘special circumstance’ to be an appreciation of the revenge Rise had executed.
“Now, come over here. I’ll show you personally.”
Jinseong, whether aware of Narumi’s boiling resentment or not, led her toward one of the piled supplies. As they approached, a fragrant scent wafted from the large pile of goods, and Narumi felt her anger cool slightly as she inhaled that scent.
Curiosity arose in her about the pleasantly scented cargo. So, she called over one of the laborers nearby.
“Excuse me?”
But the laborer merely glanced at her and ignored her while continuing his work, which reignited Narumi’s anger.
She was about to scream at the laborer.
But then, at just the right moment, Jinseong intervened.
“Hey, you there, the one carrying the supplies. Could you help us with unpacking these for a moment?”
“Understood.”
When Jinseong smiled and spoke, the man actively helped unpack the supplies, his demeanor contrasting sharply with the earlier coldness he showed Narumi. After finishing, he accepted Jinseong’s thanks with a blank expression before disappearing again with the cargo.
“That man seems to be a bit shy. You know, there are some men who get flustered around women, right?”
“…Is that so?”
“Actually, it’s often those ruggedly handsome types who feel awkward in front of beautiful women. So don’t take it too personally.”
Jinseong said this while holding Narumi’s hand and drawing her in closer. Then he placed a fragment of wood with a smooth surface in her hand.
“This is sandalwood. It has a refreshing, sweet scent. It’s quite popular among women, so they use it as an ingredient for perfumes. I thought it would be perfect for the festival. What do you think?”
Narumi glanced at Jinseong, who treated her amiably, and brought the sandalwood to her nose.
“It smells nice.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
She found the scent of the sandalwood delightful.
“Would you like to see more supplies? I also brought fresh dairy products and spices for yuba dishes. Moreover, just in case you might not use them in cooking, I gathered various food ingredients as well. Oh, right! I also brought a gift just for you, Kishimoto-san.”
Jinseong beamed as he revealed a smaller package beside the sandalwood.
Upon unpacking, a mirror emerged, adorned with jewels.
The mirror was housed within wrapping made of roses, buried within the floral settings.
On the back of the bronze mirror was an exquisitely engraved decoration that resembled flames converging into the stunning appearance of a flower. Adorning it were red-hued jewels, the opulence of which was beyond description.
Jinseong handed the bronze mirror to her, and as she took it, she instinctively turned it over. The reflective surface, unblemished, mirrored Narumi’s face without a flaw.
Jinseong noticed her satisfied expression as she admired the mirror and then retrieved a single rose from the box, extending it toward her.
“How about it? Do you like the mirror and the flower?”
“Oh my.”
The sight was reminiscent of Jinseong saying that Narumi reflected the beauty of the flower in the mirror.
Narumi felt the anger she had just experienced dissipate.
“Oh, wait a moment. I want to show you this supply as well. This is a gift for Shinto priest Kishimoto Yoshiaki, from Thailand. It’s a cigar set, and I heard the fragrance is just wonderful. I acquired it after hearing rumors that Yoshiaki is a connoisseur.”
Instead of anger, what had settled in was a fondness for Jinseong.
No woman disliked a handsome and polite man.
Especially one who was wealthy, well-connected, had a charming demeanor, and seemed to care for her.
There was nothing wrong with him.
That’s why, instead of following Jinseong to keep watch over him as he unpacked, she chose to stand there, admiring the beautiful mirror and the unpacked supplies.
“Master, the outer regions are finished.”
The laborer reported to Jinseong using a smartphone, oblivious to the report he was making.