Multiverse: Why does the world show a health bar? !

The shrine maidens of the Narukami Grand Shrine didn't particularly like the shrine festivals. The first to think so was the shrine's head priestess, Lady Yae Miko. The maidens all knew that Lady Yae was naturally lazy, but every time the shrine festival came around, the skies outside Mt. Yougou would be filled with fireworks, and the air would be buzzing with excitement. Yet, she had to sit inside the shrine with a dignified smile...

For her, this was a way of erasing her true personality.

Regret was what Lady Yae Miko felt. She had told many people that accepting the position of "Head Priestess" from Lady Saiguu due to the temptation of fried tofu was the most foolish decision of her life.

But alas, the past was gone with the wind. She couldn't travel back in time and refuse the position of "Head Priestess," could she?

"Lady Miko, if you keep bothering me like this, I might just pack up and leave."

Within the Narukami Grand Shrine, the only one who dared to threaten Lady Yae Miko was Li Mo. This outsider from another world didn't care about titles like "Head Priestess."

In truth, after obtaining the "Hakutaku" bloodline that day, Li Mo had planned to leave. But he was invited by the shrine maidens to stay and watch the fireworks festival before departing.

This fireworks festival had nothing to do with the shrine's rituals, so the maidens could enjoy the fireworks to their heart's content. During other shrine festivals, the maidens had to attend to the guests visiting the Narukami Grand Shrine. Fireworks? They had no time to watch them. Exhausted from hosting, they would rather rest in their rooms than engage in any entertainment.

Li Mo stayed.

He had seen fireworks before. But those were the fireworks he watched with Hanachirusato. During previous shrine festivals, he had secluded himself in his guest room, studying the Yatsugami Onmyojutsu.

"Then go ahead and leave. Honestly, I was thinking of having you, the shrine's priest, take my place during the next shrine festival so I could go watch the fireworks," Lady Yae Miko complained.

She had gone to great lengths to spread information about the priest, hoping this child would take over her duties as Head Priestess.

Over the past few months, Lady Yae Miko had seen Li Mo practicing his swordplay. According to him, he was honing his sword techniques, but... what kind of sword techniques could be so beautiful?

They seemed to have no practical combat value.

If such a dance were performed during the festival, surely everyone's attention would be drawn to it, right? Then she could finally rest!

But alas, the little guy was leaving. Why, after deciding to leave, would he still want to watch a fireworks festival?

"Lady Miko, why do you look so resentful? Dignity, dignity. Where's the dignity of the Head Priestess?"

"Do you care?"

Hearing this, Li Mo clapped his hands. "True, Lady Miko never acts like an elder around me."

"Little guy, if you want to upset me, just say so. If you want to play a game of 'Fox Spirit Escape,' that's fine too."

Fox Spirits were the familiars Lady Yae Miko controlled.

In battle, Lady Yae Miko's most basic attack method was to summon Fox Spirits to chase her enemies. The Fox Spirits' attacks carried the element of Electro, and their high mobility made them difficult to deal with. With just this ability, the Head Priestess could easily handle monsters.

However, the last time the Fox Spirits were summoned, their target was a certain little guy named Li Mo...

Li Mo complained, "Last time, the Fox Spirits chased me all over the place, and I almost stepped on Sayu, who was sleeping on the roof."

Sayu's napping spots were unpredictable, so much so that Nana Kamisato had to search for her before dinner every evening. Recently, the girl had been looking quite haggard.

"Oh—little guy, do you want a Fox Spirit? I can give you one," Lady Yae Miko said.

Her Fox Spirits were just familiars she had accumulated over the years, much like the Sacred Sakura she controlled. Normally, she would summon these familiars to handle tasks, but if they couldn't manage, she would show everyone what a true Kitsune was.

As someone who had mastered Yatsugami Onmyojutsu, Li Mo could control these familiars.

Li Mo retorted, "No thanks, I've got a psychological shadow from Fox Spirits. They're creepy."

For the rest of the afternoon, Li Mo and Lady Yae Miko lazily drank tea. Today, the Narukami Grand Shrine was almost empty, as the townsfolk had all gone to Kannazuka Island to watch the fireworks. Few ventured to the shrine.

This wasn't a shrine festival, after all.

As night fell, the Narukami Grand Shrine was illuminated by lanterns from distant lands, lighting up every dark corner.

The shrine maidens gathered at the entrance of the shrine, each holding food and surrounding Sayu. Who didn't love a little girl? Even if this little girl didn't think of herself as one. While everyone verbally agreed, their actions—constantly pinching and squeezing the little girl—said otherwise.

Sayu couldn't even retaliate with "hits" against the shrine maidens. The shrine maidens were all very kind, and besides, the Head Priestess and the shrine priest would punish her if they found out.

Being forced to sleep in the Head Priestess's arms was a humiliation Sayu never wanted to experience again!

Li Mo and Lady Yae Miko were nowhere to be seen among the crowd. If one wanted to watch the fireworks rising from Kannazuka Island, the entrance of the Narukami Grand Shrine was the best spot. Other places were blocked by buildings, but the two of them weren't ordinary people and didn't mind sitting on the roof.

"Actually, I think the Sacred Sakura tree would be even higher."

"Little guy, you're braver than I thought. You actually want to watch from the tree?" Lady Yae Miko was genuinely surprised.

Li Mo said, "You keep hinting that you want to go higher. The only place higher than here in the shrine is the Sacred Sakura tree. I don't believe the two of us would collapse the tree... unless, Lady Miko, is it your weight?"

He smiled teasingly. A woman's two greatest concerns were age and weight. But then again, did Lady Yae Miko really care?

Li Mo decided to test the waters.

Lady Yae Miko said, "Little guy, do you want to test my weight yourself?"

"Of course not. If I really tried to lift you, who knows how many spells you'd use to make yourself heavier."

"Oh—you think I'd give you that chance?" Lady Yae Miko replied.

Li Mo took a sip of sake. He wasn't much of a drinker, and he lacked the bold, heroic demeanor of a heavy drinker. But he couldn't refuse Lady Yae Miko's request.

"Right, right, I bet your answer would be, 'In your dreams,'" Li Mo said, mimicking Lady Yae Miko's voice.

The latter laughed. "You really do understand me."

"I'm half a jester, Lady Miko. Maybe in a few hundred years, I'll be as carefree as you," Li Mo said.

Lady Yae Miko replied, "We'll talk about that in a few hundred years. I hope we can still drink like this then."

"Once your old friends return, you won't need a young guy like me anymore. Lady Miko, the winds from distant lands will change the nation of Inazuma."

Lady Yae Miko said, "Oh? Then I'll look forward to seeing what changes you bring when you return."

As the words fell, the first firework rose from the island, blooming into a beautiful flower in the sky.

The fireworks festival had begun.

Lady Yae Miko and Li Mo clinked their sake cups.