Chapter 326
Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW
Chapter 326: Changing the Past Equals Killing the Future
Bai Wei lay on a knee pillow, recounting the events of the past few hours before his departure.
Miss Hokusinn had willingly offered her lap as a pillow, and Bai Wei wasn’t one to refuse such comfort. Still, he wasn’t overly sentimental about it.
“Is it the Hundred Demons Party?” Hokusinn Kichyō wondered aloud, her gaze contemplative. “I wonder if they’re worth confronting.”
“With your current strength, you could handle one Hundred Demons Party. Two would be dangerous, and three? Run,” she advised.
“Why? I feel fearless.”
“A wise warrior never engages more than they can handle. You need to know when to proceed cautiously,” Hokusinn replied sternly.
“Miss White’s lesson. I, Hokusinn Kichyō, have taken note,” Bai Wei teased.
“Speak properly, and stop leaning forward. You’re blocking my view.”
“Aren’t your eyes closed?” Hokusinn tilted her head, her tone playful. “Isn’t this angle good enough?”
“Maybe if it were Jingūji… sigh…”
Hokusinn pinched his ear with mock irritation. “In my presence, refrain from mentioning other women’s names.”
“You’re quite strict,” Bai Wei muttered.
“Humph~ I can have a little temper too,” she retorted.
“Well, your temperament doesn’t meet my criteria. In the future, I plan to marry seven or eight wives and create a royal harem.”
“Ah, yes, yes, yes,” Hokusinn replied dismissively. “I believe you.”
Her tone was so indifferent it made Bai Wei wonder why no one seemed to take him seriously. He wasn’t joking—he genuinely aspired to that dream.
The door creaked open, and Miko Kuya entered, carrying food. In her hands were baskets filled with wild game and fruits from the mountain, freshly gathered but still unprocessed.
“Can I help?” Hokusinn offered.
“I can manage,” Kuya replied. “You’re my guests, so I’ll handle the hospitality.”
She began preparing the ingredients, her movements efficient. Kuya, despite living in solitude, carried an air of quiet competence.
“It’s rare to feel such tranquility,” Bai Wei mused.
“For now, at least,” Hokusinn said softly.
“No, the matter isn’t truly resolved yet,” Kuya interrupted, rinsing fruits in the sink.
“Indeed not,” Bai Wei agreed. “Because you are still here.”
“Yes,” Kuya replied. “My existence signifies that history hasn’t been significantly altered. Kamitsumiwoikirihime remains deceased.”
“So all our efforts were in vain?” Hokusinn asked, her expression darkening. “Does that mean the future can’t be changed?”
“It’s not that it’s impossible,” Kuya explained, “but the changes so far haven’t been substantial enough. You’ve only managed to temporarily stall the crisis, not eliminate the source.”
“And the source is…?” Hokusinn prompted.
“The Hundred Demons Party,” Kuya said.
“Eliminate them, then,” Hokusinn said bluntly.
“You make it sound so simple,” Kuya replied with a sardonic smile. “The Hundred Demons Party isn’t a group you can wipe out with a single strike. Their influence runs deep, and they’re highly organized.”
Hokusinn fell silent, her fingers gripping the edge of the table.
Bai Wei broke the tension. “What exactly happened twenty years ago?”
Kuya paused, slicing fruit with deliberate care. “It’s a long story. But in short, the Hundred Demons Party came for Kamitsumiwoikirihime, performed their ritual, and she perished. That’s all there is to it.”
“And you?” Bai Wei pressed. “How did you come to exist?”
Kuya’s voice softened. “I was born from the remnants of Kamitsumiwoikirihime’s essence. Her death gave rise to my consciousness.” She chuckled bitterly. “It’s not exactly a glamorous origin story.”
“Do you resent your existence?” Bai Wei asked.
“Not particularly,” Kuya said. “But I also wouldn’t mind disappearing. Life here is monotonous—countless days blending into one another. If erasing me restores the past, so be it.”
Her calm acceptance left Bai Wei and Hokusinn momentarily speechless.
Kuya served a simple yet hearty meat soup. At the dining table, the atmosphere was subdued. Bai Wei broke the silence once more.
“The fifteenth night of December will bring the Red Moonlight, the peak moment for the Hundred Demons Party’s ritual,” he said.
“What’s your plan?” Kuya asked. “Will you face them head-on at Kamitsumi Shrine?”
Bai Wei nodded. “We’ll confront them, but we’ll need to be prepared. This is our only chance to prevent their success.”
Kuya leaned back, her expression unreadable. “Then I’ll come with you.”
Hokusinn raised her eyes, surprised. “You’re sure?”
“There’s nothing left for me here,” Kuya said simply. “If I can help, I will.”
With that, the decision was made.
As the evening deepened, Kuya began arranging bedding for the night.
“The space here is small, so it’ll be a bit crowded,” she said.
Hokusinn glanced at Bai Wei, a faint smile on her lips. “Looks like you’ll be sleeping sandwiched between us.”
Bai Wei sighed, resigned to his fate. The room was quiet, yet the weight of the coming battle loomed heavily in the air.
