The cold fluorescent light cast three shadows on the ground.
Kawashima Miki bit her lower lip, gazing at Fujiwara Reya who stood so close to her, her body trembling.
"What’s wrong, madam?" Fujiwara Reya asked, his expression mixed with a hint of mischievous delight, "Are you feeling unwell, or were you frightened by my Shikigami?"
"A little," Kawashima Miki’s sultry lips quivered, "I have an urgent matter, I need to leave..."
With that, she quickly turned around, planning to lift the curtain and escape.
"Hey, madam, hold on." Fujiwara Reya reached out, grabbing her wrist, and said softly, "Leaving just like that is quite rude."
With her wrist held, Kawashima Miki turned back uneasily, "What do you want..."
"Shouldn’t I be asking what the madam wants?" Fujiwara Reya took a large step forward, pinning her against the wall beside the curtain, "You asked me to come and perform an exorcism, yet you’ve been making excuses to stall me. You’ve finally brought me to the scene, but before I could relay the results, you wanted to run away. Is there really something urgent, or is it a guilty conscience?"
Kawashima Miki shouted in grievance, her hands against his chest, lightly struggling, "I want to go back, let me go..."
"I examined the scene, and there’s nothing wrong." Fujiwara Reya stepped back with a smile, "As the client, shouldn’t you at least say thank you to me? It’s not an unreasonable request, is it?"
Kawashima Miki said nothing.
*She felt as if she were on a ship sailing at night, walking alone on the deck, suddenly losing her footing and falling into the sea, a profound unease.*
"It’s fine, I don’t like forcing people." Fujiwara Reya placed a hand on Luo Xinfu’s smooth shoulder, smiling gently, "Then goodbye, I’ll take my Shikigami home to sleep."
With that, he flipped onto the spider’s back.
Inexplicably, Kawashima Miki felt a heavy pressure on her back, bending her waist slightly.
*She couldn’t let him leave just like that.*
*The primary issue now was to understand the physical sensation between herself and his Shikigami.*
"I’m very sorry, it was rude of me." As she spoke, Kawashima Miki paused, as if composing herself, staring at her toes, she bowed deeply, "Thank you very, very much for the little wizard’s help."
Once she finished speaking, she raised her head, seeing Fujiwara Reya’s expression return to normal.
Her lips trembled like ripples, then tilted to one side, and a cute little dimple appeared on her right cheek. The charming smile, though well-practiced, miraculously lacked any pretense.
There was no white light emanating from her body.
Fujiwara Reya was able to confirm one thing, this lady had no sincerity whatsoever, she was acting from start to finish.
*You provoked me first, so don’t blame me for being rude...* Fujiwara Reya stepped forward again, blocking her way, looking into her eyes with an overwhelming presence, "So, madam, are you prepared with the payment?"
"Uh," Kawashima Miki forced herself to stay calm, relaxing her expression, "Money, right? How much does the little wizard need, I can give it all."
"No, no, no, I’m not that mundane." Fujiwara Reya leaned down, whispering in her ear, "I came all the way here, it would be a shame to just look around, you said it yourself, you won’t go back on your word, right?"
*That’s even more mundane, damn it.* Kawashima Miki screamed inwardly, maintaining a fake smile, "Understood, I’ll arrange everything for the little wizard, I guarantee you’ll be thoroughly satisfied."
"Madam, it seems you don’t understand anything, do you?" Fujiwara Reya laughed a bit arrogantly, a bit annoyingly, "Didn’t we discuss this earlier? I dislike the environment and the women here, except for you, madam."
Kawashima Miki pressed her lips together, turning her head away without speaking.
"You mentioned entertaining me personally," Fujiwara Reya pinched her chin, forcing her gaze back to him, "Were you deceiving me all along?"
Kawashima Miki was forced to lift her chin, her eyes turning red as she glared at him.
Beside them, Luo Xinfu leaned closer, her alluring violet eyes curiously watching her master and the immobilized woman in front of him.
Kawashima Miki cursed in her heart.
Glancing at Luo Xinfu from the corner of her eye, meeting those eyes, she remained silent for a moment, then said, "I understand, please let the little wizard soak in the pool first, I’ll prepare the essential oils."
The voice sounded tired, like that of a patient utterly exhausted.
Fujiwara Reya wouldn’t show her any pity.
*Why be kind to a potential enemy?*
*Besides, he didn’t have any malicious intent; he just purely wanted to experience a soak... no, he wanted to find the real Luo Xinfu to help the little spider awaken. What’s wrong with that?*
Kawashima Miki turned off the ceiling’s fluorescent light and switched on a floor lamp. The light had the warm glow of old times, not too bright, but enough to see one’s silhouette.
Fujiwara Reya changed into disposable shorts in the small room, coming out to see her crouched on the ground, stirring something in a small basin with her hands.
"Why is the madam still dressed?" he asked.
Kawashima Miki looked up angrily, displeased, "This is a legitimate parlor!"
"But the third floor earlier was anything but legitimate." Fujiwara Reya shrugged, stepping into the pool water.
The warm water had a faint fragrance, like the scent of fresh flowers.
*I’m such a fool...* Kawashima Miki cursed herself again, pouting like a child, with a sigh. Luo Xinfu looked left and right, slowly crawling on her eight legs in front of her, squatting down and poking at the lubricating liquid in the basin with her finger.