When Fujiwara Reya got close, she kicked her leg, splashing a burst of water at his feet.
"Final warning to you!"
"Sorry, I’m the master here, little shikigami shouldn’t be so insolent," Fujiwara Reya said, sliding into the bathtub.
The bathtub, already quite full, overflowed with a rush of warm water.
Kawashima Miki immediately turned her back, leaving her smooth back to him, "Help me wash my back."
Mumbling under his breath, Fujiwara Reya yanked away the towel she was clutching to her chest.
Kawashima Miki cursed "bastard" and puffed her cheeks, glancing back at her little husband with her cheeks ballooned in frustration, then quickly crossed her arms over her chest, "The biggest mistake of my life was that day at the Onmyo-ryo when I approached you."
"On the contrary, my greatest fortune was going to the Onmyo-ryo that day." Fujiwara Reya bragged as he used the towel to wash her back.
Kawashima Miki wrinkled her nose adorably, then turned her head back, a bit embarrassed.
*Her skin was as thin as a spider’s. Even though they were already married, she still felt shy being naked. Sometimes when she was bathing, Fujiwara Reya would pretend to casually walk into the bathroom to wash his face or use the toilet. She wouldn’t protest verbally, just blush shyly and grab the edge of the tub, glaring at him fiercely like an angry little kitten.*
Mrs. Miki was just that cute.
*In front of outsiders, she was the decisive Empress, the mysterious and noble Asakusa Witch. But at home, she was just the Mountain God’s proud wife.*
"There are towels right there; you just had to take mine, you bad boy!" While Fujiwara Reya washed her back, Kawashima Miki rested her chin on one hand, staying still in a well-behaved posture, turning the topic to relieve her embarrassment, "Kuri just contacted me. She said she won’t board the ship until tomorrow."
"What else did she say?"
"She said she’s not been having much of an appetite lately and wants me to have dinner with her tomorrow night."
"Hmm... be careful not to let her take advantage of you," Fujiwara Reya said, "that one is too bothersome. Wait until I catch her, and see how I deal with her."
Kawashima Miki bumped the back of her head against him, "She’s your aunt!"
Fujiwara Reya’s hand slid to her waist, and she wriggled with laughter, moving away, "What do you think your aunt is really up to? In my guess, she’s probably helping you in her own way. Don’t doubt my words; the way she looks at you, it’s full of fascination and madness. As a woman, I’m too familiar with that kind of gaze... maybe she even likes you more than I do."
"Liking someone isn’t about ranking," Fujiwara Reya pinched her slender waist, "but can you women really judge who likes whom by their gaze accurately?"
"Uh-huh, of course," Kawashima Miki replied smugly, her lips curling up.
"Do you know how many people look at you like that?"
"So many you wouldn’t believe it. Whether it’s the politicians and businessmen who seek pleasure with the Empress or the mages and monks at the Onmyo-ryo meetings, too many men look at me with that gaze. And aren’t you the same? You can’t argue with that; it’s just that you had both the heart and courage to act on it, actually catching me."
Feeling happy, she started to swing her legs gently in the bathtub.
Gentle ripples formed on the water’s surface.
"It was your spider web that caught me," Fujiwara Reya said. With a playful brush, he ran the towel down her spine and poked her tailbone.
Kawashima Miki screamed instantly.
Her body instinctively leaned back, sitting directly on Fujiwara Reya’s hand.
The position was just right.
Fujiwara Reya wrapped his other arm around her body, letting her lean against him.
"You’re being restless again, aren’t you..." Kawashima Miki sat on his hand, her gaze fixed on one side of the bathtub, lightly biting her lower lip, "I’m talking business, don’t interrupt."
"You speak, I’m all ears," he said.
"What should I do when I see Kuri tomorrow..." Kawashima Miki’s face flushed an enticing red, "...should I secretly bring you along?"
"No need; if she wants to see me, she will come to find me. If not, don’t force her. You’ve got that gift from the Inari God, right? Just give it to her." Thɪs chapter is updated by NoveI~Fire.net
"Oh, that ring, right, I’ve been carrying it. If you’re not going, then you’re not. I’ll try my best to learn her purpose..." Kawashima Miki said, biting her teeth, almost relying on Fujiwara Reya’s arm for support, "If I can’t find out, you can’t blame me, you know, since she’s your aunt... I can’t just beat it out of her, right?"
Fujiwara Reya watched her little motions without speaking.
The water surface kept surging.
Kawashima Miki spoke with her teeth clenched slightly, "Will there be conflicts on the ship?"
Fujiwara Reya lowered his head, his nose nearing her neck, "There probably will be."
"Ha... um, I can help you..." Kawashima Miki’s body became tense, "After all, I am the Demon King, and so are my little spiders. Together, we can be quite formidable..."
"Wherever I need my wife, I won’t hold back."
"We are husband and wife, always in this together... If your aunt bullies me, you must... also teach her a lesson."
"Even without bullying you, I plan to teach her a lesson."
In the embrace of the young man’s arms, the unparalleled enchantress woman tried hard to analyze the situation with him, her expression switching between serious and alluring. However, most of the time, she kept her lips tightly closed, only emitting simple nasal sounds.
The Empress Luo Xinfu was confronting the terrifying Sagami Great Tengu!
Not long after, Kawashima Miki cursed, tensing her body backward into a bow.
"I’m talking... don’t interrupt, you creep..." (Embarrassed)
"Weren’t you just quite the tough girl?"