The Bride Of The Sacred Forest God
Chapters 100. Black Wind Figure Targeting Bride Candidates bag. 2

At the same time that Nagi and Ginko returned after learning the clues about the figure that followed them, Hakuren and Kuroto were in the forest sky around the Aragaki residence.

The forest is a special area because it is close to the residence of the ruler.

“Find something, Hakuren?”

“No. Not in here. It seemed like in the depths of this forest there was nothing. Besides, I don't know but..I feel like we should go a little further.”

“Where do you get to?” kuroto asked with a serious face

“Border ‘place it’ I guess.”

“Place you mean..Nue no Kurai Dokutsu (cave of darkness Nue)?”

Hakuren nodded, but it seemed that Kuroto slightly disagreed with the idea.

“I think it's overrated. It was very far from the forest that the village girl used to come to and again...Why did you even think that far?”

Hakuren who heard his friend's response then fell silent and chose to go down and bowed.

In his heart, he was pensive, “I don't know, but I just thought that maybe this would be different. Why does my heart feel that I should look there?”

Kuroto who saw his friend down finally came down and approached him, “Don't you have gone too far if we get to Nue's place? Devil Nue won't do anything until Aragaki-sama himself throws the village girl there.”

“But I think Aragaki-sama will stop doing it this year and after this.Aragaki-sama will probably not need another village girl.”.

Hakuren's reply left Kuroto shocked. He just realized something.

“True too, Aragaki-sama has already started to take an interest and fall in love with that village girl. It is likely that this year and the coming years there will be no humans who will set foot in Higashi no Mori.”

“Devil Nue probably won't eat anything this year. So I see, this is what Hakuren was worried about apparently.”

Kuroto confirmed something, “Could you be anxious because there will be no offerings for the demon Nue anymore?”

Hakuren looks serious with his expression, “That's how. Just a hunch but seeing from the story and the long history since the tragedy, Aragaki-sama has never absent giving a sacrifice to the demon Nue.”

“It has been more than 200 village girls who become her food every year because Aragaki-sama so refuses to make peace.”

“And now, Aragaki-sama has found a different girl figure than before.”

“This may sound disrespectful to you, Kuroto. I want Reda-sama to be first and last for him.”

“...” Kuroto was speechless hearing all the Hakuren sentences. He knew from the beginning that his friend had so much hope for the girl and cared for her like a little fox.

Kuroto. He began to think back to check the place that became the source of his friend's unrest.

“I understand. We try–”

- Deg

A strange feeling was felt by the two tengu.

“What is this?!” kuroto asked with a panicked expression

“I don't know. We have to see it, It's not good!”

The two flew towards a place that was felt bad by them and once it arrived, they looked in front of them filled with dried leaves.

“What...ini? What happened?”

Not all places became dry, but most were up to several meters in front of him mongering. The trunk of the trees there are many that turn weathered and both observe the leaves and the soil looks dead.

Hakuren and Kuroto inspect the entire place.

“I'll look ahead. You wait here!” kuroto

He flew at a low altitude to check in front of him. Hakuren started touching and picked up some leaves. The leaves he took were easily crushed without being blown by the wind.

“All her life sarees are gone. What happened exactly?”

**

Meanwhile, Nagi and Ginko face the ruler who is in his room after finishing eating a sweet snack from the village girl.

“Log.”

Once inside, no more pleasantries. Nagi and Ginko immediately sat down and reported the incident from the direction of the market to the latest.

Aragaki's expression looked solemn and cold. Every report received from the two youko made it so cold. The ruler tried to restrain himself.

Ginko then says his guess, “It was like mitama, Nushi-sama. But we're not sure if it's mitama or not. In addition, there are many mitama figures that may be wandering around Higashi no Mori.”

Aragaki seemed to think while saying something.

“Now it is clear why I cannot detect their presence.”

“Mitama has characteristics such as the holy soul of choice. Therefore not all mitama can be felt its existence.”

“Despite that, there are many mitamas here. Which Mitama might be after Reda-sama?” ask Ginko back

“...” Aragaki is silent while seriously thinking

“Mitama is a soul that goes into the forest of Higashi no Mori and has long been believed to be a soul protected by Dewa.”

“Because of that, I never felt any threat. They are souls that blend well in this forest.”

“Although there are Ara-mitamas though, but they are not souls who will do bad things. Who's watching the girl?”

Aragaki was still unaware of the approaching storm. However, he tried to calm down and started to think clearly.

“I understand, thanks for the report. I think I'll start figuring it out myself later tonight. Please don't say this to my little fox. Hakuren and Kuroto will tell me as soon as they return.”

“Good.” answer both

“You can go now.”

The two youko left Aragaki's room. Behind his anxiety, the ruler wanted to see the state of the girl who was the source of his worry.

From here, Aragaki came out of his room to meet the village girl.

The ruler met the girl with his little fox as they were about to bring things towards the kitchen. He helped the girl bring her things, accompanied her to take the rest of her things back and walked together as she went to the kitchen together.

“I won't let anything happen to her and. I will start accepting the fact that I have fallen in love with her.”

That is the deepest and most sincere confession Aragaki has made to himself at this time. Trying not to lie to her, she finally understood that feeling.

Love, that's the name of the beautiful feeling on her chest right now.

After he finished delivering all the items to the kitchen, Aragaki was still there watching the beautiful girl's smile as she opened the cutlery Nagi and Ginko had bought.

**

In the forest at this time, Kuroto who was flying following the trail of the dead barren land started to pale.

“Too many, this is too much. Not just one or two trees, but all along this road almost completely dead and weathered. Why?” ask Kuroto in heart

Kuroto landed and walked. He saw a very unpleasant sight.

“This is crazy..”.

His face was shocked now and he turned pale. Not protracted anymore, he flew back to meet Hakuren.

“Hakuren should see this. We both have to report this to Aragaki-sama. It's serious!”

Once there, Kuroto didn't take long to pull her friend along. Without explaining anything, Kuroto flew over while pulling her friend and how pale Hakuren was.

“This disaster.”

“We go back and report this to Aragaki-sama. He should see this for himself!” hakuren said with a serious face. Kuroto nodded and they returned to the Aragaki residence.

As soon as they arrived, before telling the ruler, they saw the closeness of his master to Reda in the kitchen.

Now, the reluctance to destroy the beautiful moment finally makes them forced to postpone this important news.

****