The Bride Of The Sacred Forest God
Chapter 57. Start to See It Closer

The next morning, on a sunny day, Jorogumo looks as if he has just finished cleaning Reda's still unconscious body.

“It seems he has no fever. Maybe he's exhausted so unconscious.”

Jorogumo who put a bucket of water and a small towel tidied up the clothes Reda was wearing.

“But, I did not expect that this morning Aragaki-sama sent Hakuren and Kuroto to pick me back up, even before sunrise.”

“In addition, I could feel that they were all prepared outside. Although Aragaki-sama is not here, but I am sure he must be looking.”

Jorogumo looked at the face of the sleeping girl.

“I can't believe that she's a shabby and dirty girl told by everyone.” she muttered slowly

“If she is indeed a cunning girl like that said, it is impossible for the five servants of Aragaki-sama to be so worried about her. Were all those rumors wrong from the start?”

As the spider woman muttered to herself, she saw Reda's eyes move.

“Ah..”

“Mmm...” Reda started to open her eyes slowly. “Where...ini?”

“You're awake? How are you feeling?”

Reda looked at the extremely beautiful female figure before her. At first, the eyes were still blurry. But after a while, Reda started to be able to see his figure clearly and that made her panic.

“Who?!” Reda forced herself to wake up in surprise. As a result of the wound on his back that is still not healed, Reda almost fell because of enduring the pain. “Ah!”

“Be careful!” Jorogumo held the girl

“Ma–forgive me, No–nona.”

“Nona say?” Jorogumo was surprised to hear that. He felt happy to be called a miss who had a youthful impression.

“This child has good taste. I know I'm beautiful.” murmured the woman praised herself

“You are still injured, you better not move first.”

Reda looked at the woman in front of him, “Who are you?”

“My name is Jorogumo. I was called here to cleanse your body and change your clothes as long as you were unconscious. Is there anything that feels uncomfortable?”

“Replace...clothing?”

Reda looked at her clothes. He looked around the room.

“This...not in the old hut inside the forest?”

“Old hut? Of course it wasn't. This is inside the residence of Aragaki-sama. Yesterday afternoon, you passed out from injury and Aragaki-sama himself called me to this place.”

“Eh? Nushi-sama who...call?”

“...” Jorogumo looks surprised. He had a slight look about the girl in front of him.

“He's more polite than I thought. I'm sure the rumors everyone is talking about are false. But is it completely wrong? I don't know why I wanted to know about this girl.”

“Ah, sorry. I'm Reda. I came from Kamakura Village as a candidate ‘brantin’ for Nushi-sama.”

“I already know. News about the candidate ‘brantin’ will be immediately known to all residents of Higashi no Mori.”

“Be–so...”

Not long after, the sound of small footsteps could be heard along with the sound of doors opening from the inner side.

“Reda-sama!!”

“Eh?!” the two people in the room were shocked

The little fox that came from the inner direction immediately hugged Reda while crying.

“Reda-sama! Reda-sama, Reda-sama! Thank goodness, thank goodness! Ryuunosuke is glad Reda-sama is awake. Huwaa..hiks...hiks...”.

“...” Jorogumo speechless with surprised face

Reda was happy to meet her little fox. Gently, the girl hugged her little fox. He rubbed Ryuunosuke's head and gave him a smile.

“Ryuunosuke, my sweet little fox. Are you okay?”

“Hiks. Huwaa..”.

“Ryuunosuke, don't cry. I've been better. Cup cup cup, sweet child.” Reda carried him and hugged him in her arms. His little fox replied by hugging him.

Looking at that scene, Jorogumo this time could not stop wondering.

“This is real? Little Ryuunosuke is really spoiled on this human girl? This is real?”

Reda looked at her little fox face and wiped away her tears.

“Give me a smile.”

The little fox immediately gave his smile with a tail that swayed quickly a sign he was happy.

Jorogumo who saw that smiled, “I finally understood why Ryoko's ribbon was on him. The little fox..Little Ryuunosuke must have given it.”.

Reda instantly realized something, “Ah, Ryuunosuke listen! Nushi-sama received the prize! Glad~Ryuunosuke should smile now. Nushi-sama smiled, Ryuunosuke!”

“Ryuunosuke already knows. Thank you, Reda-sama~”

They laugh together. The four Aragaki servants who were still outside were just listening. They agreed not to bother the little fox with the village girl for a while.

**

In his room, Aragaki looks at the ikebana given to him at his desk. She saw everything that happened to the girl and her little fox this morning from her visualization skills.

“…”

Unwittingly by himself, a smile is seen on Aragaki's face and a memory of her little fox words appears.

[Aragaki-sama, Ryuunosuke please take a good look at Reda-sama. Reda-sama loves you so much, Reda-sama loves Aragaki-sama so much]

“Love..”.

Aragaki's heart started to tingle. He went out of his room to see the state of the village girl he thought was dirty himself.

**

- Kruuyuuuk

“Hmm?” Ryuunosuke and Jorogumo heard the sound of someone's stomach calling

“Ma–forgive me!”

Reda's face flushed with embarrassment. It was the sound of his stomach asking for their right because from the afternoon they had been filled with nothing.

“Reda-sama hungry? Ryuunosuke makes soup and tamagoyaki. Wait a minute ya.”

The little fox immediately ran into the kitchen to retrieve it.

“Ahahaha! Little girl, it seems like your stomach is much more cheerful this morning. Then I'll go back home. May it heal quickly, Reda-sama.” Jorogumo smiled at him. Reda lowered her head and gave her smile.

As soon as he came out, Jorogumo spoke to the four Aragaki servants.

“He is happy again. The little fox gave him a hug this morning.”

A relieved face from the four of them.

“Jorogumo-san, I will take you back.” Hakuren said

“No need. I will go to the room Aragaki-sama and–...Aragaki-sama!”.

Jorogumo immediately lowered his head in respect. The four servants also knelt down and welcomed the arrival of the ruler.

“Good morning, Aragaki-sama.”

“Good morning, Nushi-sama.”

“Pagi. How's it inside, Jorogumo?” Aragaki asked Jorogumo as the form of the bases. He just wanted to find an excuse to look inside without suspecting the others.

“That girl..Reda-sama is awake. Little Ryuunosuke was going to the kitchen to get him breakfast.”

“Hurricane?”

“The wound is almost healed, even so he still can not do heavy work for the next 4-5 days so that the medicine really makes the wound dry and completely closed.”

“I understand. Hakuren, please intersect Jorogumo.”

“Good. Please pass here, Jorogumo-san.”

Hakuren walks with Jorogumo. As soon as he reached the gate, the woman asked him.

“Hakuren, that girl named Reda-sama is very different from the others. He smiled and hugged the little fox. It's similar to what Ryoko.” always does

Hakuren stops and smiles, “Jorogumo-san, Reda-sama is the bride-to-be of Aragaki-sama.”

“Eh?”

“Reda-sama will become Aragaki-sama's wife. That's what we all believe. I'm sure, those in the sky also gave his blessing.”

So sure Hakuren answered the woman.

“Ah, so it seems. It turns out that all the rumors are just falsehoods. The human girl was indeed..good person.”.

**

Meanwhile outside Reda's room, Ginko pulls Nagi and Kuroto's hands to leave Aragaki alone. Both of them noticed the gesture and nodded.

“Nushi-sama, we'll excuse you first. We will work until breakfast time arrives.”

“We excuse me, Aragaki-sama.”

They left without saying anything. Now the ruler is alone.

There was doubt from him, but he decided to go in.

“I'll see it up close. I want to know, what makes them so hard to defend him.”

As soon as the door was opened, Aragaki's gaze immediately fell on the girl. Reda who saw the arrival of Aragaki-sama was shocked.

Their eyes looked at each other. No one thought that Aragaki, who had always refused to meet him, had now entered to see for herself.

Reda's face immediately red blushed because it was happy to mix with shame. His heartbeat was so fast that it made him cold and tremble.

“Nushi-sama..”.

The girl immediately panicked and intended to kowtow to him, but because her body was still sore it made it difficult for her to move.

When he almost fell down from pushing himself, it happened again.

Aragaki knelt down to catch her before the girl's body fell onto the tatami. Reda who was surprised without a second thought immediately looked up.

Who would have thought that their faces were so close. It was a very close face. As if only breath limited the two, the gaze of those eyes met each other.

A very sweet surprise for the feeling of a beautiful and innocent country girl. When the idol of his heart was so close to him, his mind could not escape him.

And for the ruler who hates man, this is his first time in such a close distance.

His body subconsciously caught the girl he thought was dirty, as if he wanted her to be the place to lean on.

****