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It is not often that a commotion grows at the gates of the Grand Narukami Shrine. The last time, Yae thinks, had been the intrusion of Kujou Sara. Today is of no such severity. A gaggle of her shrine maidens clusters just outside the entrance, peeking over one another and gossiping in a hushed twitter.
“Hold on!” Maki toes herself up to full height. “Move your head. I want a look!”
“Oh, wow,” comes another whisper. “Do you really think — ”
“No. Shhh. Ringo, just look at her —”
Now, now. This, oh, this piques her interest. What could possibly have all her dear maidens in such a tizzy? Few things catch their attention in such a way that it distracts from their duties. But Yae can say with certainty, there are times in which they are in need of some levity .
“My girls, are you not aware?” They shiver and draw to attention at the presence of their Guuji. Her eyes lay upon a woman at the threshold of the gate. A strange yet beautiful woman. It is no wonder she captures their attention. She stands before the basin of water, cleansing herself for entry to the shrine. Her movements are practiced and perfected, as if native to Inazuma yet her clothing gives her away.
Fine Liyuean silk, trimmed in gold and carefully printed in a delicate pattern of… Ah, it has been some time since she ventured across the sea. Glaze lilies, perhaps? The dress just skims her ankles. It’s of a traditional design, form-fitting to a rather eye-catching figure, if Yae is to put it in polite terms.
The Sakoku Decree has been lifted, but it is still rare to see a tourist venture up the great mountain to visit her shrine.
Ah, yes. This is a fortuitous day. She has been looking for a way to attract more people here, and this woman before her presents the perfect opportunity. Her hands rest on the shoulders of Hokomi and Maki, and Yae parts through the sea of gawking girls to say, “It is impolite to stare.”
“My, my. What could you possibly be doing here, my dear stranger?”
The woman looks back over her shoulder to where Yae approaches with careful steps. She can’t scare her off now, can she? Not when they have so much work to do.
“I am but a visitor. A tourist, if you will. I am here to pay my respects, and—”
Her eyes — my, what bottomless depths they have, as if holding such knowledge — they rake over her. Yae is unaccustomed to feeling picked apart herself; usually it is her doing the prying. Eventually, they settle on the ornament adorning her head and the set of ears she so nearly hides. For a moment, she watches them grow wide. Surprise, is it? Surely, one from Liyue would not be shocked in the presence of a kitsune when the adepti roam their lands. The falter in her expression is quickly recovered and settles into something soft.
“My apologies, I had not recognized you initially. You are the head priestess here, correct?”
“Quite astute of you, I must say. It is almost as if you are familiar with our traditions.”
She laughs lightly into the back of her hand. “Perhaps. Though, I fear the Guuji may give me too much credit.”
A lie.
She bats her hand with the ease of smile. “Guuji is so formal. You may call me Yae.”
“Zhongli,” is the name the woman of Liyue gives, and there is something in it that strikes her as peculiar. It is not that she recognizes the name. She certainly does not. But her nose twitches in such a way that she senses something… familiar . Familiar with the honeyed, floral scent that wafts from Zhongli. Not unlike the imported teas now flooding Ritou. It is a deep, earthy scent and reminds her of a memory long past. How strange.
“Well, Zhongli, you are in luck this day. For a limited time, we are offering trial runs of a new… service here at the shrine.” A service Yae has just made up on the spot. “I am sure one as discerning as yourself would enjoy the authenticity of experiencing the Grand Narukami Shrine in traditional shrine maiden garb. We are but in the trial run stage, so no visitors have yet to partake in this activity. You would be the first. It is a great honor.”
Yae weaves her web deeper.
“Ah, there is one minor detail. For the sake of the shrine, of course. We lack overseas promotional materials. I would like your permission for some kamera photography to be used and distributed at the discretion of the shrine.”
With Zhongli’s looks and refined demeanor, this will certainly be someone’s dream come true. Yae is, after all, a very giving woman.
“It is a small price to pay.”
Zhongli mulls over it for a moment with a careful, thoughtful hand resting on her chin. It is after that when she settles on an answer. A small smile curls at the corner of her lips. “With the Guuji offering, I can hardly decline. I will place myself in your capable hands, if that is the contract you wish to form with me.”
“A woman like yourself? With such a fine appreciation for culture and history?”
Cultural history and a huge rack. Fortune shines on them both this day. Yae knows what sells in this climate. She may be the Guuji first, but she is also a businesswoman. The readers of her light novels will eat this up. She can already imagine a new one. Reincarnated as a shrine maiden, but not just any shrine maiden , a shrine maiden with a massive pair of —
“Oh!”
She claps her capable, plotting hands with finality. “We are in agreement then? I hope to make this experience for you exceptionally memorable, Zhongli.”
Memorable. Yae imagines that could be one word for what befalls the shrine this day. Her girls are whipped into a flurry — set to serve, pamper, and dress this stranger in their midst. An experience. Authentic and thorough. That is what she promised as Guuji, and Yae does not break promises.
“Lady Yae!” one of her girls exclaims, her cheeks as pink as the very sakura that frame the shrine around them. She looks utterly scandalized in seeking her aid. Even Yae must hold back her laughter at that. She cannot be too cruel. “It’s, uh, Lady Zhongli. Ma’am, she—”
Maki gestures in front of her chest, hands cupped as if carrying the heftiest of lavender melons. Eventually, she heaves a dramatic sigh and along with it, says, “None of them… fit. ”
Yae hides the sly twitch of a smile beneath her hand and feigns a gasp.
“Of course, my dear. I will deal with this personally.”
By personally, she means pulling Zhongli aside—the woman in such a wonderful state of disarray. She’s flushed, a little out of breath (no doubt from her shrine maidens fretting) with lips pursed to a slight frown.
“ Apologies,” Zhongli offers, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. She attempts to straighten out her clothing to something more modest . It’s a futile attempt . “I hope it is not improper to ask, but—”
Oh, her girls were right. Yae understands what had scandalized them to the point of being smitten. Certain assets are impossible to hide, and Zhongli has a wealth of them. Two, to be exact, busting out of her top completely. Hm, Yae considers, a potential problem for any future guests to the shrine. She will have to look into it.
Zhongli shifts, a little sheepish beneath Yae’s appraising stare.
“Is it… supposed to look like this? ”
No, the ample cleavage that spills from her poorly closed top, is not the proper way to wear it. Though, it seems like an impossible venture to will it closed, and, perhaps, a missed opportunity.
Yae does love it when they fall into her lap like this.
“Zhongli,” she says, grazing just beneath the woman’s chin to lift it to her. There’s a small, surprised, ‘oh,’ which falls from her lips. How delightful. “ It’s perfect. ”
Perfectly enticing to slide between the pages of her new romance novel series set to release. Perhaps, even some of the harem fantasy stories. A woman like Zhongli? She is certain to move volumes and even entice the intrepid reader to Yae’s abode for a more lively experience.
Zhongli does not realize what she’s gotten into.
“Ah,” Zhongli hums, curious if not a little confused . Her crimson hakama spreads out amongst the soft grass, each pleat folded neatly beneath her hands. Sakura petals fall like snow. An errant one lands on her nose, which she blows away with a purse of her lips. Cute.
“Move forward. Arms like this —”
Zhongli heeds her, palms resting on her thighs with her arms shoved together, emphasizing the already ample swell of her chest.
“ Like this?” she repeats aloud, a little embarrassed no doubt at the suggestion the position entails. Yae eats it up eagerly behind the lens of the kamera.
“Yes.” Click . “Perfect.” Click .
She can imagine it now—the flurry of photo cards distributed across the water. ‘Who is this mysterious woman?’ Beautiful. Alluring. Driving men and women to Inazuma’s shores and to Yae’s shrine and publishing storefront. After all, there is one thing that no matter the climate sells, and the ideal example sits right before her.
“On your knees,” Yae suggests effortlessly.
That gives her pause, and Zhongli does a double-take. “Excuse me, you wish for me to—?”
“No, no.” She misunderstands. Although, it does give Yae some ideas. Perhaps, for a premium-priced set. A thought for a later date. “Push your chest out, back twisted—ah, yes! Like that, Zhongli. You’re a wonderful model. Have you not done this before?”
“Oh?” The praise hooks her just as Yae expects. “Am I? I fear that I am unfamiliar with the art of kamera photography. However, I have modeled for the artisans of Liyue on occasion—my likeness painted to fine silk and carved to stone.”
Zhongli naturally falls into a lascivious position this time, even without Yae’s egging.
Statues, hm? Something about this feels… familiar.
“The modernity,” she continues. “And human creativity, I find experiencing them quite amusing.”
Amusing? Zhongli’s face lights in a way that, for once, Yae is the one who feels as if she’s been tricked. “Modernity? For a woman as young as yourself? You make it sound as if—”
Ah.
Zhongli’s eyes glimmer. Her lips quirk with the softness of a sly smile. It’s something she should have realized from the beginning. Maybe even a fox’s senses can be dulled in Inazuma’s prolonged isolation. Never once did she expect a visit from—
“Morax.”
Yae recalls faintly words once read in Liyue’s script.
Eyes of brilliant amber, fine as precious jade. A woman so beautiful that every craftsman clambered to recreate her likeness.
Oh, Yae feels infinitely silly. Morax, this Zhongli, who masquerades before her as a human. She knows her well from times long past, when the Seven were once cordial and before Ei sequestered herself in her plight for eternity.
Old friends.
Zhongli laughs. It’s a little thing. The rare occasion where Yae feels foolish. “It was never my intention to trick you. I did not anticipate you not recognizing me. I only wished to see how long it would take. And this, Miko—” She gestures to herself and the space held between her and the kamera. “I’ve rather had fun here today.”
Fun .
This time, Yae laughs. At the willing sacrilege of Liyue’s once-god to prostrate herself so eagerly for Yae’s plots. Dressed and dolled up of her volition for the entertainment of the common folk. A god like Morax, walking amongst the people in her retirement? It’s an even better story than Yae once imagined. She can picture it now. Zhongli’s enticing image printed upon one of her books. The title plastered across the cover.
Help! The new sexy shrine maiden is a former dragon god?
Xiao stares at this egregious novel left out on one of the tables of the Wangshu Inn. It’s a salacious thing. The woman drawn upon the cover was scantily clad and in an even more suggestive position. How humans enjoy these things, he cannot even fathom.
Yet… there is something familiar about her appearance. The demure smile, a face framed with dark brown hair, and eyes of glimmering gold. Xiao cannot quite place it until he picks up the offending book, and something slips out from between the pages.
He catches it mid-air before it can flutter away in the wind. Curiosity, it is just simple curiosity that has him rummaging through a guest's things. He turns the card over and his eyes grow wide. Baffled, confused, and increasingly irritated at this blatant sacrilege.
“What is the meaning of this?”
That Xiao is utterly scandalized by something so insignificant. This photo card is emblazoned with an image similar to the art of the woman on the book’s cover. Just as shameless and as raunchy . Only this time, Xiao realizes what had struck him as familiar.
Slitted gold eyes look to him from beneath Inazuma’s Sacred Sakura. The maiden’s attire askew, slipping down her shoulder and revealing enough skin that even he feels flush. It is not any woman that portrays the heroine of this ‘Dragon God’ book series, but one he knows well.
Xiao’s face heats with fury or embarrassment. Really, a combination of both.
Who has been distributing his lord’s lewds like this?!