Once I was finished with my meeting with Izanami, I teleported back home with Shuri trailing behind and Fou grumpily hitting my face.
I figured he'd be rested long enough by the time I summoned him but the slothful little thing was still sleeping.
Oh yeah, Shuri is coming back with me. After that lemon trick, Izanami was amused enough to let her go as a sign of goodwill, something that will help once the peace treaty comes around.
I will deliver her to the Himejima family, with the written statement of her condition. Suzaku to be specific since she is the current head of the family.
But first, I need to check up on things at home, check up on Vali and inform Ravel since she needs to be with me when I am going to Yasaka Shrine. Just because she couldn't follow me to Yomi doesn't mean she can't join later.
The release condition for Shuri was that she and Baraqiel have to take Akeno and go on a redemption arc, to ask forgiveness from Shinto Fire God Kagutsuchi for not getting his blessings when they got together, in return Akeno will be blessed with Fire Manipulation of Himejima Clan.
Wasn't Kagutsuchi killed right after his birth because Izanami died during birth? How come he is alive that he can bless Himejima Clan?
Anyway, that doesn't concern me, for now, I deposited Shuri to Gabriel, they can be considered in-laws.
"Gabby?" I call out to her.
"Yes, dear?"
"Here meet your sister in law. Baraqiel's former dead wife." I turn around, Shuri is shocked. "I need to see Yasaka before handling her deal, can you take care of her?"
"Of course." Gabriel walks up to Shuri and pulls her to her room, I can hear her whispering to Shuri. "You are a mother, right? Can you give me some tips..."
Well, with that done I walk up to Vali's room. She killed the person she always wanted to kill. She is probably feeling empty. I should check up on her before I leave again.
"Vali, I came to see if..." My words die out as I open her door. Vali of all people wearing a maid outfit was checking herself out when I entered... "10/10 would barge in again." I give her a thumbs-up as she blushes.
"You weren't supposed to see this yet. Idiot!" I narrowly dodge a pillow as I leave the room. Wait did she just said, yet?
"Merlin, Leviathan-sama wants to talk about the prisoner Vali brought in." Ravel comes with an adorable frown on her face.
"Is it urgent?" She shakes her head. "Then, put it at the end of the day. I want to finish the talks with Shinto Faction first." She nods but before she leaves I call out to her. "Get ready you're joining me before leaving."
"Okay, I'll get ready." Knowing how long that could take I relocate to the living room.
There I find Ophis playing Saints Row... Who gave her that game? She was just playing Pokémon a month ago...
"Hey Ophis, wanna play co-op?" I ask taking one of the controllers.
"Okay."
..
Ravel managed to finish preparing by the time we finished a couple of missions.
Now three of us are on the other side of Kyoto called Urakyoto, which is an alternate dimension. Ravel looks around in wonder seeing a new side of Kyoto and all these yokai are running away from us in fear...
"Why does everyone look scared and why they are running away from us?" Ravel asks herself.
"Fou-kun is scaring them..." I look at my chill familiar who looks harmless. He is actually taking in all the negative energies in this dimension and that looks horrifying to yokai.
"Eh, Fou-chan? Why?" Ravel asks, her gaze is on Fou now, making him puff up his chest in pride.
"He is actually a feral beast out for blood." Sensing the duo's gazes I cough into my hand. "He is out for my blood only, unfortunately." Fou nods totally agreeing with me.
"This is the weirdest familiar relationship I have ever seen."
"We love to hate each other..." Fou burps as I speak, signaling that he is finished eating.
..
The advantages of entering Yasaka Shrine from Urakyoto were being able to see many yokai chilling on their own and chance to see them using Youjutsu. Yokai version of magic, which wasn't in my library until now.
It isn't anything groundbreaking or something that will change my entire fighting style but adding poison mist to my flowers could be deadly. I already have illusions better than theirs and elemental manipulation exists in most magic systems.
We soon reached Yasaka Shrine where a karasu greeted us and ushered us to Yasaka's room. Unfortunately we had to wait for a while since we came without a reservation.
"So Ravel. My schedule will be pretty empty once this deal is over." I suddenly say, my eyes scanning the place. I just saw a small golden tail flickering.
"Yes, what are you planning on doing afterward Merlin?" She asks, her notepad ready to mark my words.
"Haven't decided yet, but let's go on a date first. You're the only one that is yet to have a date." I slowly leave the strutting mess that is Ravel and move towards the mischievous kit that has been flicking her tails.
It is a pretty common trope that Kunou is a lonely child that is starved for attention. Following the occasional tail flickers, I reach to a back garden where I found her smiling at me.
"Onii-san, will you play with me?" Ahh, I can already hear sirens and FBI operatives...
..
"Merlin, where did you go? I was looking for you everywhere." Ravel finally recovered and noticed I wasn't there.
By the time she found me I was already seated, watching Kunou chase my illusion. She came close to catching it a couple of times but I didn't let her catch it.
"Come sit down Ravel, I am practicing fatherhood." I pat next to me.
"Isn't that Yasaka-sama's daughter? We'll get in trouble!" Ravel nearly screams seeing my illusion.
"Quite the opposite actually." At that time Yasaka's voice reaches us. She comes near and looks over to her daughter. "Impressive illusion, even I am having trouble discerning it." She comments as Kunou finally catches up to the illusion, only for it to burst into flowers.
As the flowers clear up Kunou finally notices us looking at her and pouts. "Onii-san cheated!"
"Well, I am quite tired Kunou-chan I'll play for real next time." I then turn to Yasaka. "Well, I believe we have a meeting."
"Yes but I am just a priestess for Amaterasu-sama. She is the one you have a meeting with."
"Meeting three Goddesses in the same day. It must be my birthday!" I fake cheer.
Yasaka brings us to the entrance of the shrine on the human side, the place where people pray to God. Here I was asked to pray to Amaterasu for her to pull us to her domain.
I threw some money rang the bell and clapped my hands, similar to how I saw it in anime and bowed as my vision got overtaken with clouds.
..
Opening my eyes, I found myself in an office on the clouds, there is a black haired woman that looks similar to Izanami sitting on the desk working on papers with a scowl on her face.
On her side stands a man that could be said gender-bent Izanami... I keep forgetting Izanagi and Izanami being siblings.
He comes towards me with a hopeful expression. "Merlin-dono, what did Izanami say about my letter?.
"She called it cute." I say, his face practically glows. "Then she burned it without reading." Ahh, you can tell the exact moment his heart breaks into pieces.
"I see... Thanks for delivering..." He leaves the office room with a raincloud on his head.
"I don't know what chichiue was expecting when he sent that letter, anyway. Please take a seat, Merlin." Amaterasu gestures to the chair in front of her desk.
"Izanami told me I just need to give these to you." I take out the papers signed by her.
Amaterasu takes the papers and starts writing some things on them before stamping them. I have never been to DMV but I have a feeling the experience would have been similar.
"Well, I am honestly surprised that hahaue gave her permission on this. What did you offer to her?" She finally puts the documents into a file and puts them away before opening an energy drink.
"I made her fertile again." I say, make her spit the energy drink out.