I loaded the geek game

The gloom of the underworld has faded from the skies of the mortal world for several months, and the sun is once again pouring down its due heat.

It was late summer, and the air was thick with a heavy, sultry heat, as if trying to evaporate all the sunshine that had been taken away in the past few months.

In the courtyard of the Kamiya family home.

"po~po~really, all the flowers and plants in the yard have withered and died."

The eight-foot-tall woman wore her signature, slightly retro-style long, flat white round hat, and a pure white dress that reached her ankles made her figure appear even taller and slimmer, while also blocking most of the sunlight, casting a silhouette with alluring curves at her feet.

From beneath her skirt, several slippery tentacles, equally milky white in color and with a wet, glistening sheen, drooped lazily down.

These limbs, which might normally symbolize danger and alienation, are now deftly wrapped around a watering can, a small garden shovel, and even a slightly larger pair of garden shears.

"The cherry blossom tree that Lord Kamiya planted looks like its roots are still alive. Perhaps... it can still be saved."

Beside him, the hunched-over god of poverty, draped in tattered clothes, squatted under the cherry blossom tree in the corner, carefully fiddling with the soil near the tree roots:
"Uh... however, this tree has picked up some of my unpleasant smell, so I'll have to ask Lord Zashiki to come and remove it later."

The eight-foot-tall woman and the god of poverty are attempting to restore the garden. They are removing the plants that have died completely from the decay of the underworld and planning to plant new seeds, trying to bring this small garden back to life.

In addition, they probably thought that as a kappa who was close to water, Miyako would be good at controlling the water flow to irrigate new plants.

but……

"Slow down, I don't understand..."

Mimiko, who was dragged along to "help," looked completely bewildered.

She was clutching an empty flowerpot, which was now half full of water. As she turned around in a flustered manner, the water spilled out, wetting her webbed feet and a small patch of soil.

"Want some popsicles, everyone?"

When the "gardening trio" finally finished their work, Kanoya came over excitedly.

She was dressed in refreshing denim shorts and a simple white T-shirt, looking full of energy. In her hand, she held three brightly colored, well-packaged "Garigari" popsicles.

"Xiao Kui and I just bought it."

The little deer shook the popsicle in her hand, her smile radiant and almost too bright.

However, when the eight-foot-tall woman took the popsicle, her gaze lingered on the deer's carefree, smiling face, and the milky-white tentacles that had been leisurely curling up their tools suddenly froze.

Then, the very tip of the tentacle drooped down and relaxed in an extremely slow, almost gentle arc.

There was a hint of heartache in his movements.

After distributing the popsicles, the little deer turned briskly to the other end of the yard.

It faces the living room directly from the house. Spacious glass sliding doors open fully, seamlessly connecting the interior with the courtyard.

The wooden floor extends outwards, forming a side platform where one can sit and enjoy the view. The dark eaves gently cover the top, casting a comforting, cool shade with the fresh scent of wood.

Tsurumi Aoi is sitting here alone.

Unlike her usual sharp exorcist attire or simple casual clothes, Tsurumi was unusually dressed in a black dress today.

On the low table next to her was a clean white porcelain plate, on which were also stacked several popsicles.

Behind the white plate, a snowman about the size of a palm stood out conspicuously.

Two round snowballs, one large and one small, clumsily yet adorably stacked to form a body and head. They showed no signs of melting in the summer air, instead emanating an unusual, subtle coolness that ensured the delicate popsicles in the plate wouldn't melt in the sweltering heat.

"Hey."

The little deer sat down casually at the end of the wooden floorboards, her slipper-clad feet dangling over the soft soil of the courtyard. Her shapely, healthy legs, bathed in sunlight, gleamed with the delicate glow unique to a young girl's skin, tracing relaxed and carefree arcs as she swayed casually.

In stark contrast to her almost languid leisure, Tsurumi Aoi beside her maintained an impeccable, almost ritualistic kneeling posture. Her back was straight, her neck had a beautiful yet restrained line, and her hands were neatly pressed against her knees, folded on the hem of her black skirt.

But her fingertips, which were resting on her skirt, unconsciously and very slightly curled up, then slowly relaxed again.

"Don't keep such a tense expression, Xiao Kui."

Kanoya turned his head and gently nudged his junior sister, who was sitting upright beside him, with his shoulder.

She took another popsicle from the plate on the low table beside her, tore open the wrapper with a "rip," popped the cold popsicle into her mouth, squinted her eyes in satisfaction, and let out a muffled sigh.

Then, he picked up the two remaining popsicles from the plate, nudged Tsurumi with his elbow, and handed them to him.

"Want more?"

Tsurumi shook his head silently.

But suddenly, several strange and gorgeous embroidered patterns flashed across her black dress. Immediately afterwards, two wide, brightly colored, ornate sleeves appeared out of thin air, moving without wind and gently draping down onto the wooden floor on either side of her body.

Several slender, soft, white, and boneless hands emerged gracefully from the colorful sleeves.

Tsurumi's only shikigami, Kosode, happily took one of the popsicles from Kanoya's hand, deftly unwrapped it, and then "whoosh," it shrunk back into its colorful sleeve, disappearing without a trace along with the popsicle.

The two female disciples sat quietly for a while.

"Senior sister," Tsurumi spoke again, "how long do you think it will take after Master ascends to the throne...?"

"Uh-huh……"

Kanoya looked towards a spot in the empty courtyard and gave a vague reply, not going to answer the question his junior sister hadn't been able to finish.

jingle--

The wind chimes under the eaves swayed in the sultry afternoon breeze.

Kanoya pulled the popsicle stem, still tinged with orange flavor, from between his lips and teeth, held it in his hand and gently shook it, then suddenly said:
"Xiao Kui, we're having sukiyaki tonight!"

……

Kamiya walked from the living room into the courtyard.

The first thing to react upon his arrival was the round little snowman on the low wooden table.

"Pfft, whoosh..."

The palm-sized snowman trembled violently a few times, like a wet puppy. Fine snowflakes were quickly flung away, revealing Thumbelina, dressed in a pale yellow dress and carrying a teru teru bozu (a Japanese doll that brings sunshine to the earth) on her back.

A small Japanese-style house in my home.

In the final battle in Tokyo, Kamiya's side captured a large amount of spoils, including relics from the Yuki-onna (snow woman) legend.

It perfectly matches Hiyoribou.

The new ability to transform into a snowman and emit cold air is especially convenient and popular during the sweltering summer.

"Master, you've come!"

Yukino Kanoya, who was sitting on the side of the edge, also realized what was happening. She jumped up from her casual sitting position and pulled Kamiyagawa to sit down next to Tsurumi.

Incidentally, I also slipped an ice pop into my master's hand.

Then, she picked up the Polaroid camera that had been prepared on the low wooden table.

This Fujifilm Instant Camera has a retro design and is small and cute. It was given to Kamiyagawa a long time ago when he was still conquering the Sea Kingdom, as a thank-you gift to the little deer who helped him run errands in the human world.

It can be considered the first pure gift that the master gave to his eldest disciple, without any exorcism or spiritual cultivation implications.

The deer kept it safe and sound.

"Next..."

Kanoya's gaze swept over the newly planted saplings and flowers in the courtyard, then over his master's calm profile and his junior sister's tense shoulders.

Let's take a picture!

Then, she turned around abruptly and announced with great joy, her voice louder than she had expected.

Without even arranging anyone's pose, he impatiently flipped up his Polaroid camera, brought his expectant and smiling face close to the lens, and tried to frame his master and his slightly stiff-looking junior sister sitting side by side behind him in the viewfinder.

"Get ready, it's coming!"

Tsurumi Aoi was clearly taken aback by her senior's sudden action, and a rare look of panic flashed in her eyes.

However, thanks to the extraordinary dynamic vision and instantaneous judgment granted by the "Autumn Hair Slash," she made a subtle and precise reaction in the split second before her senior sister was about to press the shutter—

Her originally straight body consciously tilted to the side, towards Kamiyagawa, slightly but noticeably closer... just a little bit closer.

After doing this, she belatedly felt a thin heat spreading rapidly through her ears, which she then forcibly suppressed.

The late summer afternoon sun pierced through the newly planted, still sparsely leafed trees in the courtyard, flowing lightly along the edges of the deep shadows cast by the eaves, gently and freely bathing the three members of the Kamiya family.

The profile of Kamiya is gilded, the figure of Kanoya is bathed in a halo, and the slender yet resilient outline of Tsurumi leaning slightly on his master's shoulder is outlined.

Click!

A crisp shutter clicked, accompanied by the subtle hum of the camera's internal mechanisms, and a small square sheet of photographic paper was slowly ejected.

"One more! Smile, Xiao Kui!"

"Cheese—!"

……

evening.

When the family members returned from the mortal world, a steaming hot sukiyaki was served on a low table in the center of the living room.

The rich broth simmered in the pot, steaming up plumes of hot, sweet and savory vapor, while various ingredients floated and sank within. The sukiyaki was surrounded by people of all ages.

This familiar hustle and bustle, this warmth and coziness, is what everyone present felt this detached house should be like.

"Everyone, come closer! Look here!"

Kanoya once again raised her beloved Polaroid camera, this time trying her best to include all her "family" at the table in the frame—

From Kamiya, who casually jokes with Onizuka, to Hannya, who gently serves tofu to Zashiki.

From Mary, who was trying to forcibly take the sake cup from Satoru's arms, to the quiet clinking of sake glasses between the Demon Queen and the Baku.

From Miyako, Ayaori, and Bakujima intently watching the meatballs rise and fall in the pot, to Inugami and Toushi secretly touching foreheads in the corner...

"Cheese—!"

The shutter clicked again, capturing a family portrait that, while perhaps slightly crowded and filled with diverse expressions, was nonetheless incredibly vibrant.

……

As dinner at the Kamiya family's house ended, the mess of dishes was gradually cleaned up, the lingering noise subsided, and the night deepened.

Wenche Yaofei, Xiaoxiao Laotou, Wu, and the others still had many matters to attend to in Takamagahara, and have gradually returned to the mortal world.

Afterwards, Kamiyagawa, along with Mary, Hannya, and Onizuka Kiri Hotaru, also went to the Eternal World.

They probably still have important things to do.

The home in this world has become somewhat quiet.

Tsurumi Aoi had just finished taking a shower in the bathroom.

The warm steam had not completely dissipated, still lingering on the girl's dewy skin, revealing a delicate, healthy, rosy glow.

As she continued to dry her mostly-dried hair with a towel, she walked barefoot on the cool, smooth wooden floor, silently heading towards her bedroom on the first floor.

Only one soft night light was on in the corridor, casting her long, thin shadow.

wow——

A soft sound, the rustling of fabric against the wooden door frame.

Tsurumi gently pulled the bedroom door open a crack from the outside, and the light from the corridor slipped in, creating a small, hazy patch of light in the deep darkness inside.

Kanoya Yukino was already lying on the futon laid out on the tatami mat. Her back was to the door, her whole body curled up under the soft futon, with only a small section of her smooth nape and chestnut hair scattered on the pillow showing.

For some reason, Tsurumi felt that her senior sister's figure in the darkness, with her back to him and huddled under the covers, seemed much more delicate and frail than when she was full of energy in the courtyard during the day and chatting and laughing at dinner.

On the tatami mat next to my senior's bed, a small whiteboard sat quietly. Scattered around it were several Polaroid photos taken that afternoon and evening. The limited light from the corridor illuminated the photos, causing the square sheets of photographic paper to reflect a faint, dim light.

Tsurumi narrowed his eyes and examined the photos.

The one closest to the edge is a group photo of the three of them, master and disciples, taken in the courtyard that afternoon.

In the photo, even in a frozen moment, the master's figure appears gentle and reliable; the senior sister who is at the very front of the camera has a bright smile that almost overflows from the photo paper; and she herself... stiffly makes a not-so-standard peace sign, her expression is tense, but her eyes involuntarily turn towards the direction of the master.

She continued looking at the other scattered photos.

The same goes for those "family photos" taken before and after dinner; no matter how many people are crammed into the frame—

The noisy hearse procession, the valiant tengu, the petite Hiyoribou, the slightly "not very smart" bashi... Senior Sister always carefully and unequivocally placed Master's figure at the very center of every photo composition.

"Before I pushed the door open and came in, my senior sister probably wanted to carefully paste all these photos onto that small whiteboard as a keepsake."

As Tsurumi thought this, the corners of her mouth turned up in an almost imperceptible smile.

Then, barefoot, she stepped onto the cool tatami mat and entered the room almost silently. Her gaze returned to her senior sister, who was facing away from her and seemed to be asleep.

The dim light in the corridor shone at just the right angle on the back of Kanoya's neck, making that exposed skin appear exceptionally white, and also exceptionally... fragile.

Then, she saw the outline of her senior's slender shoulders, covered by the blankets, tremble slightly. It was an extremely subtle, yet unmistakable movement—a rhythmic, suppressed tremor, one after another.

A silent, damp, and salty emotion was emanating from that familiar yet delicate outline, seeping into the thin light that seeped in through the crack in the door.

Tsurumi Aoi stopped in her tracks.

After a few seconds of silence, she quietly bent down and gently picked up all the Polaroid photos that captured laughter and warmth scattered around the whiteboard, placing them within easy reach of her senior's pillow.

After doing all this, she didn't walk back to her own bed a few steps away, but instead gently lay down next to her senior sister.

For no apparent reason, Tsurumi recalled the question he hadn't been able to fully ask in the courtyard that afternoon—

"After Master ascends to the throne, how long will it be before we... see him again?"

Tsurumi suddenly realized that her senior sister had probably been pondering and digesting this unanswerable question deep in her heart long before she had.

"Well……"

Tsurumi pressed his forehead against Kanoya's still slightly trembling, damp and warm nape.

then……

This usually quiet yet resilient girl finally wanted to cry. (End of Chapter)