Tokyo: The evil god doesn't want to be the top star

Chapter 491

"Ah sneeze!!!"

In the airtight basement, Xia Fan, who was lying in the middle of a mess of ancient books, sneezed and opened his eyes sleepily.

"I didn't pay attention and spent the whole night investigating..."

He took out his phone and checked the time, only to find that it was already morning.

"Speaking of which, the paparazzi nowadays are too omnipresent. Not only was it a gang crime, but they even found out the relationship between me and the Cat Ksitigarbha Foundation..."

"Fortunately, the authorities released a statement in time, otherwise there would be no way to defend ourselves."

After looking through the reports on major social media platforms and the public opinions online, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Since the Metropolitan Police Department and the Cat Jizo Foundation released statements yesterday, the seemingly logically rigorous and sharply worded arguments in the "conclusive evidence" article have been refuted one by one.

The public opinion about the entire "Burning Series Scandal" has also undergone a complete reversal and has been characterized as "the dying slander of the paparazzi group after their arrest."

After this incident, not only did Xia Fan's reputation reverse, his popularity even exceeded before, but even the stray animal protection organization Mao Dizang Hall was listed as a planned pilgrimage site for countless Xia Fan fans.

"After removing confidential information, restoring the truth is the job of the official agency. How can we let Mr. Xia Fan bear the blame for this?"

"Yesterday's investigation was very exhausting. Sir Xia Fan, please take a break first."

The figure of Aoi Jinguji appeared at the top of the stairs and waved to Xia Fan to go upstairs.

In the living room where she lives alone, the witch has thoughtfully prepared toiletries.

On the coffee table, rice, miso soup, grilled fish, pickled vegetables and fruits are neatly arranged in small grids on the plates, forming an exquisite and simple traditional Japanese breakfast.

After a quick wash and sitting at the table, Xia Fan couldn't help but have the illusion of "married life" as he looked at the witch opposite him serving him food.

"Come to think of it, I was shocked when I saw the statement..."

"The funds for the establishment of the Cat Jizo Foundation actually mainly came from the royal family. Jinguji really has great power."

After taking a sip of the hot miso soup, he instantly felt his fatigue from the whole night dissipate a lot.

"I can't say that I have great powers. I also have a share in the Sixteen-petal Chrysanthemum Fund, but it's a very small percentage."

"But there were so many cats and dogs in urgent need of help at the time. I could only rely on my status as Saiou of Ise Jingu to settle the matter privately..."

Aoi Jinguji sat across from him, eating the same breakfast in small sips and chatting calmly.

"What? You also have a share in the Sixteen-petal Chrysanthemum Fund..."

"That means you are also a member of the royal family, Jinguji. Why haven't I heard you mention it?!"

Hearing her say this, Xia Fan, who was sitting opposite her, stopped using his chopsticks.

The Sixteen Petals Fund is responsible for the financial operations of the royal family members, and the share holders can naturally only be members of the royal family.

The members of the royal family of District 11 are descendants of the legendary Amaterasu. They have no surnames, no right to vote or be elected, and are not even governed by household registration laws. Instead, their daily lives are regulated by the specially formulated "Imperial Law". They are a group of people with a very special status.

Because of the rule that "female royal family members cannot inherit the throne and will automatically be removed from the throne after marriage", and the fact that royal male blood has always been rare, there are currently no more than twenty royal family members recorded as alive in District 11.

For Xia Fan, learning that Aoi Jinguji is a "member of the royal family" is like knowing a friend for a long time suddenly telling you that he is a "giant panda".

"When we first met, I introduced myself as 'Saiou of Ise Jingu', but Lord Xia Fan was indifferent to fame and fortune and didn't care about it."

Jinguji Aoi slurped up the crispy and tender grilled fish smoothly and fluently, and said with a smile, "Saiou? I think I heard you mention it a few times. What is that..."

While eating breakfast, Xia Fan curiously checked on his mobile phone.

"I found out... Ise Jingu Saiou... Jingu Aoi Princess?!"

"You...are such a big shot?"

While silently checking the information, Xia Fan's face froze for a few seconds and he couldn't help but let out a low cry.

Saiou, also known as Saigū, refers to unmarried princes and queens who serve as shrine maidens at Ise Grand Shrine and Kamo Shrine and serve Amaterasu on behalf of the royal family.

This custom has continued from the Heian period to the present day. The current Ise Grand Shrine Saiou, officially recorded as "Prince Jingu Aoiko", is the 77th Saiou.

In other words, the Jinguji Aoi in front of us is not just an ordinary member of the royal family, but also a big figure who represents Shintoism in the royal family!
If we go back to the old days when the royal family was in power, she could take Xia Fan's head with just one word.

"As a member of the royal family, I don't even have a surname. I'm not used to using a given name either. You should just call me Jinguji Aoi."

"Moreover, according to the regulations, the Sai Ou will retire after the age of 28. And after I get married, I will leave the royal family and take my husband's surname..."

"So, Mr. Xia Fan, don't worry about my identity. Just treat me as usual."

When she spoke the latter part, Aoi Jinguji's face turned slightly red, and her weaker voice carried a hint of coquettishness.

"Yes, I understand, Jinguji Aoi Miko."

Xia Fan nodded seriously.

Since the defeat, people no longer have the same respect for the powerless royal family as they once did. Rather than calling them "big shots", they view them more as "mascots".

He was simply surprised about the identity of Aoi Jinguji.

"Speaking of which, we have sorted out the records related to 'Seven Wonders of Tokyo', right?"

“When will the on-site inspection begin?”

Recalling the messy ancient books in the basement, Xia Fan asked with concern.

After a day and a night of sorting, he and Aoi Jinguji had collected quite a lot of records about the "Seven Wonders of Tokyo", enough to support field investigations.

"The records of these seven strange stories have been sorted out, but we still need to narrow down the scope through detailed comparison and confirm the current situation on the ground. It will take some time..."

"As for these data processing tasks, I have extracted the information and arranged for Agent Aiba to help with the processing using AI."

"When the time is right, I will inform Mr. Xia Fan in advance."

When it comes to her mother's whereabouts and the seal of Amaterasu, Aoi Jinguji is obviously being extremely cautious.

"By the way, didn't Lord Xia Fan recognize a lot of spells when he was reading the ancient books yesterday?"

"I compiled the lost spells that the Psychic Association had kept in the past, together with the pages containing the spells yesterday, and also made a quick reference catalog."

"The syllables, rituals, gestures and other details of these spells have long been lost and are of no value to current psychics, but they may be useful in the hands of Lord Xia Fan."

She took out a palm-sized booklet and pushed it across the table in front of Xia Fan.

(End of this chapter)