The Bride Of The Sacred Forest God
Chapter 23. Rejection That Leads to Pain

Reda calmed down and gave the soup in her hand to Aragaki.

“Nushi-sama, I beg you.although it is only one mouthful, please taste this!”.

Reda tried to throw away her fear. With his trembling hands, he tried to give her a bowl

that soup was on Aragaki.

“Ryuunosuke. I'm sorry for soiling that food with my scent that you hate so much, Nushi-sama. Ta–but this is really the sweet fox's artificial.”

“Only for a mouthful, after that Nushi-sama can throw it back! Please taste it and make Ryuunosuke smile. I beg of you, Nushi-sama!”

Reda lowered her head back. Nagi, Ginko and Ryuunosuke catch up with him. He saw the girl daring herself to stand in front of Aragaki while holding a small bowl in her hand.

“Reda-sama..” Ryuunosuke looks sad.

Aragaki's face looked at the soup in the bowl and picked it up. Reda was surprised and looked happy. But it was unexpected that it turned into an insult.

Aragaki spilled the soup onto Reda's head and threw her bowl into the courtyard. He was so cold he looked at Reda and pushed her with his tail until she fell down.

“Reda-sama!!”

The little fox ran over to Reda and tried to help her. While crying, the little fox tried to help the girl who was still shocked by the treatment of the man she admired.

“Don't dare be so presumptuous of me, man. The blood of the sinner in your veins is a meaningless filth in my eyes.”

Reda tried to stare at Aragaki. How trembling he was once his eyes met that cold and hateful look. With a haughty and angry tone, Aragaki said to the girl.

“Don't try to command me, don't try to stand in front of me and don't ever try to talk to me. Until anytime there will be no chance for you here.”

Aragaki left them to return to her room.

Ryuunosuke did not dare to say anything and just cried.

“Reda-sama..hiks..pardon Ryuunosuke. Forgive Ryuunosuke. Hiks..”

Reda just tries to be normal. He tried to calm himself and the little fox.

The two youko who were looking at it looked so shocked that they could not move. They did not expect to see such a rejection.

It does not mean they have accepted humans. It's just that since Reda's arrival to the place, they have begun to slightly change their respective views of the village girl.

Reda is seen trying to take off the little fox's embrace and clean her clothes.

“Ryuunosuke, let's get up. Your clothes will get dirty. My body smells of cooking now. Build.” Reda gave her smile to the little fox

Slowly, the girl cleaned the little fox's clothes, but the little fox ignored her and hugged her back crying.

“Aragaki-sama is evil! Ryuunosuke's furious! Why does Aragaki-sama do this Reda-sama. Hiks..hiks...”.

Reda rubbed the little fox's back and tried to calm him down.

“I'm sorry for being reckless. I just want Nushi-sama to taste it a little. I'm sorry, because the food was wasted. I'm sorry, for making Ryuunosuke cry.”

The little fox cried even harder and clasped Reda's clothes tighter.

Nagi seemed to have been unable to bear all that and walked over to Ryuunosuke. He's holding his shoulder.

“Little change, let's get up! It's dirty in here! The village girl has to mop the floor now and you have to clean the kitchen! Me and Ginko will help you, so stand up and stop crying!”

“Hiks...hiks..”.

Reda seduced the little fox into coming with Nagi.

“Ryuunosuke, I have to stand up and clean the floor. Come with Nagi-sama yes.”

“Do not want, Ryuunosuke wants to be with Reda-sama. Hiks.Aragaki-sama is evil! Ryuunosuke hates, Ryuunosuke hates. Hiks..huwaaa”.

“Ei! Don't cry any harder!! Let's wake!”

“Nagi-sama, Ginko-sama, sorry for making you see this embarrassing sight. Please take care of little Ryuunosuke first until his heart is calm.”

“Reda-sama..” Ginko saw the unexpected

The village girl gave a smile with so many tears coming out wetting her cheeks. With a slightly hoarse voice, the girl bowed and saluted the two youko.

“I'm sorry. Thank you very much for the help. Please take care of Ryuunosuke until he calms down.”

The facial expressions Nagi and Ginko made showed their feelings. Confused, anxious and sad to be one.

Nagi did not answer him and went to bring the little fox who continued to rebel. While Ginko answered the sentence and then said goodbye to the girl.

As soon as the two foxes left carrying the sad little fox, Reda's legs began to lose their balance. The girl again sat on the dirty engawa wood floor with soup.

Her soft black hair and clothes were wet from the soup.

“I've been trying to look clean so Nushi-sama is happy. But it seems I'm still too dirty for him.”

Reda recalled the sentence that actually stabbed her in the day.

[Don't dare be so presumptuous of me, man. The blood of the sinner in your veins is a meaningless filth in my eyes]

A sentence that so pierced his heart.

The tears kept flowing. Reda tried not to make a sound when crying. With both hands, he covered his own mouth and held it back so as not to let out his voice.

She cried alone for a while.

“Yes God, is there no chance for me to make Nushi-sama want to smile at a human like me? Is there no chance for me to get close to him? Why does it feel so painful? When I believe change will happen so quickly, why hurt more than ever?”

The girl was crying. From the sakura tree in the garden, Hakuren and Kuroto apparently saw it.

They both saw the girl trying hard not to make a sound while crying. His attempt to cover his mouth with both hands so as not to let out a sound had slightly touched the hearts of the two tengu.

“Aragaki-sama, we may be loyal to you. All we hope for is the happiness of our master.”

“During this time, none of your servants would be willing to accept the presence of humans due to their arrogant and arrogant attitude. Those who have killed our friends and family are enemies”

“But in front of me right now, there are humans who are so hard trying to hold back their sadness in order to make you happy. He begged my great master to taste your beloved little fox's cooking. Somehow seeing him cry like that.. make this heart so sore.”.

That's what's in Hakuren's mind.

He was one of five other Aragaki servants who at least began to accept Reda's presence though not completely. He understood the little fox's feelings and he had enough hope for the village girl.

Kuroto just muttered softly.

“You till when does she cry like that? Aragaki-sama will not listen and care about it. Can't she be a little stronger and not crybaby?”

It seems that out of all the Aragaki servants, Kuroto has an opinion that is almost similar to his master.

Although some time ago he had empathy, but as a demon who has hatred for humans, he did not forget the past.

Now, the poor girl who had just received a flush of meat soup had to wake up and wipe her tears. He walked to get water in the well.

While drawing water to mop the floor, he tried his best to hold back his tears. But it seems all for free.

Tears keep dripping. The smell of flesh in his hair and clothes was no longer ignored. The sadness and pain was so real slicing it up.

A painful treatment from the one he loved in silence. Even so, Reda tries to keep doing her best.

“Only 3 months. Only 3 months until all this pain disappears completely. I have to endure despite the pain. I still have to keep my promise to that sweet fox. Strengthen yourself, Reda. Strengthen yourself, strong..hiks..hiks....”.

The girl came back crying. This time, he did not hold his voice. He was crying and moaning. On her third day, she must again feel the pain of a rejection by a man she admires in silence.

****