fictional spring

When she came back, Miko-sama had a much calmer expression on her face. Not only that, but her mood seemed to have changed as well.

This feeling is also clearly reflected in the pieces she plays. Those beautiful pieces flow out from her slender fingertips, lingering in the room for a long time.

"Let's get here first today."

I don't know how long it took, the Miko-sama handed me the pipa in her arms, looked at the charcoal in the brazier that had already turned to ashes, and said to me: "Mutsuki-hime must have a lot of things to prepare for recently, and I don't have many excuse me."

The meaning of these words is to let me prepare for the upcoming wedding.

I was stunned for a moment, I don't know what Miko-sama was thinking during the short time I just went out, but the result is always good.

"So..." I summoned up the courage to ask her, "Will you come with me?"

Hearing this, the witch-sama smiled, raised the corners of her lips and replied, "That's natural."

She raised her eyes slowly, with bright arcs at the end of her eyes: "No matter where I go, I will go with you, just like you said, we will always be together."

In fact, my intuition told me that Miko-sama's words seemed to contain other meanings, but before I could think about it, I was interrupted by Miko-sama's actions.

She suddenly took the initiative to approach me, and stretched out her palm to cover the back of my hand, "In your eyes, how important am I?"

I was slightly taken aback, deeply surprised by her question.

In my opinion, Miko-sama would definitely not ask such words, but——

I've had enough unexpected things so far, and one more doesn't seem uncommon.

So I told her: "It is very important in my mind, and it can even be said to be an indispensable existence."

Hearing that the Miko-sama seemed a little happy, but she still didn't feel very satisfied, so she still asked, "So compared to other people?"

She raised examples one by one: "Is it more important than that drug seller?"

I nodded without hesitation.

"Is it more important than lizi?"

I continued to nod.

"Then..." Miko-sama's eyes darkened, she leaned slightly, approached me, and said softly, "What about your family?"

Only then did I realize that this is the real problem of Miko-sama.

Whether it is a drug seller or a lining, they are just unimportant foreshadowing and pretense.

The last question was the one she really wanted to know the answer to.

It was probably because of my temporary silence that Miko-sama's complexion began to turn in a bad direction again. She suppressed the expression in her eyes, and her brows seemed to be frowning.

But before she frowned, I replied, "You are more important."

I said that to her.

It's not that he doesn't care about his family, but that... the Miko-sama is a different existence from them.

In my mind, the positions of father and mother have always existed. I can understand their thoughts and empathize with their thoughts, but I can't feel the same way for myself as they do.

But my feelings for Miko-sama are one kind—I want to know her more deeply, I want to be by her side all the time... I also want to have the same feelings as her.

It's clear to me that it's not the same.

If there is anything I really can't let go of, it's only the promise I made with the Miko.

We made an appointment to be together forever.

and so--

The priestess breathed a sigh of relief when she heard the words, she got closer, stretched out her arms and hugged me, but sent me away before I could react.

"What is this?"

She suddenly asked me.

I thought about it, and was about to say it was an agreement, but when the words came to my lips, I suddenly turned a corner and replied: "This is a 'curse'."

Miko-sama suddenly opened her eyes wide.

Just when I convinced myself and started preparing for the wedding, I suddenly received a message from the maid.

She told me that it was what my father meant. After thinking about it for a long time, he felt that he made a decision for me in such a hasty way that he didn't consider my mood at all, so he told the messenger sent by Kyoto. Want to reject this marriage.

I don't quite understand the reason why my father suddenly changed his mind, but because it has been deep winter in the past few days, and the forest path has been covered with heavy snow, it is obviously not the right choice to go out at this time.

Because of this, the messenger who came all the way from Kyoto had to stay in the city for a few more days.

It was snowy and cold, and when I sat in the room and listened to what my father asked the maid to tell me, I suddenly felt a little dazed.

"Do you want to marry?"

Maybe it was because my expression was too straightforward, and this maid was probably new to me not long ago, so she actually spoke to me.

I shook my head, "I just feel that there seems to be something strange."

I can't say exactly what is strange about it, but the maid blinked her eyes and said to me, "It's really strange."

I subconsciously turned my gaze to her.

The maid said: "The city lord seems to be feeling unwell these days, so he has been staying in his room all the time. I heard that sometimes he can hear strange sounds... Ah, but you don't have to worry too much, I have already invited you The doctor came over and said it was just a small problem."

I blinked, unable to adapt to such an answer for a while.

The maid who came to deliver the letter was far more lively than I had imagined. Not only did she chatter in front of me for a while, but when she was about to leave, she still looked at me with some unsatisfactory expressions.

Seeing this, I couldn't help laughing: "Next time, if you have time, come and find me again."

The maid showed a look of uncertainty: "Is it really possible?"

I nodded and said to her: "On weekdays, Li Zi is the only one to take care of me. In fact, if you want, I can also go to my mother and talk to me, and come to my side..."

Hearing this, the maid showed a hesitant look, as if she was a little moved, but what she said was: "Madam...seems to be in a bad mood recently."

I was taken aback when I heard this, the lack of news caused by staying in the yard for a long time also indirectly affected my understanding of what happened in the city.

Since the maid told me that my father and mother are not in good condition recently, I definitely can't just stay in my room.

After the maid left, I called Lizi and asked her to tidy up my appearance. When I checked my appearance in the mirror, someone pushed the barrier door open again.

The Miko who had already changed into ordinary clothes stood at the door and glanced at me in surprise: "Are you going out?"

She frowned and confirmed again: "In this weather?"

"I just went to visit my lord father," I said to her, "I heard from the maids that my lord father's health seems to be a little sick recently, so it's more reassuring to go and have a look."

I heard that Miko-sama didn't say a word, and when I asked her how she was dressed, she nodded cooperatively and said to me, "Very beautiful."

It was just a simple and ordinary compliment, but I felt a little hot on my face for no reason.

There was probably some intention of covering it up, but after hastily bidding farewell to Miko-sama, I brought Riko to my father's residence.

I also heard so-called "strange noises".

Just when I was about to knock on the door, suddenly there was an inconspicuous sound from the room, as if some beast was hungry or vigilant, making a low sound from its throat.

The hand that was about to knock on the door paused in mid-air, and I asked the attendant guarding the gate of the courtyard if my father had brought back any beasts.

"Like a cat or a dog or something?"

Hearing this, the attendant showed a dazed look, as if he didn't understand why I would suddenly ask such a question.

In fact, at this time, I already understood——

"No."

The servant replied.

A strange thought suddenly rose in my heart, as if I was vaguely aware of this situation, but it was so hazy that I couldn't see anything clearly.

Complicated emotions entangled Panqiu in my heart, but I still failed to knock on the door of my father's room, and I went back to my room along the way I came.

Unexpectedly, Miko-sama is still waiting for me in my room.Seeing me come back, she got up and asked, "How is the situation of the Lord City Lord?"

I shook my head, sat down in front of her, took the cup in her hand when Miko was pouring water for me, and replied, "I haven't seen Father."

Hearing that the witch-sama asked me: "What's wrong?"

"I just feel... It doesn't matter if I don't see you."

I thought about it for a while, but I still couldn't figure out where the weird feeling came from—as if I was escaping or deliberately avoiding something, I let go of my knuckles that could have knocked on the door.

It was like something was telling me wordlessly - don't do this.

And I subconsciously didn't visit my mother, even though my mother's residence was only about a few courtyards away from my father.

**

A few days later, the weather seemed to improve slightly, and even a little bit of sunshine appeared faintly.

But the temperature outside didn't warm up because of the weak sunlight.

The heavy snow exudes a deep chill, and the cold wind that blows past is biting, because it is blocked by the chill and snow, the messenger from Kyoto stayed in the city for a few more days.

"If it continues like this, maybe we won't be able to leave the city until the Spring Festival comes."

The lively maid said in front of me: "You don't seem to care at all? It's obviously your marriage."

Hearing this, I tilted my head, "You don't need to worry about anything, anyway, I refused."

Hearing this, the maid nodded: "I don't know what the city lord is thinking. He clearly agreed beforehand, but suddenly changed his mind after only a few days. Fortunately, the messenger from Kyoto I also stayed for a few more days because of the weather, otherwise I would have to send people to the capital to deliver new news, which would be very troublesome."

I nodded as an answer.

Seeing this, the maid was silent for a while, and her voice became softer: "Is it because I talk too much? You seem to..."

"It's nothing." I said to her, "I'm very happy to have someone come to talk to me, so I don't need to have any scruples at all."

Hearing this, the maid's expression became much more relaxed. Recently, she often came to see me, and when she spoke, she changed from being well-behaved to being casual and natural now.

She told me: "Originally, I thought you were an unapproachable person from what other people said, but after meeting, I feel that you are much friendlier than the rumors say."

I smiled, noncommittal.

At this moment, the barrier door was suddenly pulled open, and the Miko who entered the room through the barrier door looked at the maid opposite me, and frowned slightly.

The Handmaid didn't capture this, but I saw it.

Seeing this, I asked the maid to go back temporarily, the reason being that I have something to talk to the Miko.

When the barrier door was opened and closed, and only Miko and I were left, Miko asked me, "What do you want to tell me?"

When she said this, she stared into my eyes tightly, which made people feel a little guilty for no reason.

I pursed my lips, and suddenly remembered something the maid casually mentioned to me just now.

"I heard from the maid that my father's body seems to have not fully recovered, and he has even been in his room for the past few days, and he seldom even has the time to go out."

Having said that, I paused, looked at Miko-sama's unchanged face, and asked, "Sure enough, I should go and see..."

"What can I do if I see it?"

Miko-sama replied like this: "You are neither a doctor, nor can you make any changes to this. Whether you watch it or not, the result is not the same?"

I thought about it, and things are indeed as Miko-sama said.

but--

"It's always better to go than not to go, right?"

Hearing this, the Miko frowned, "It's up to you."

That's what I said, but in fact I still haven't been able to see my father.This time it's not because of me, but because my lord father ordered the guards at the gate, no one is allowed to enter his yard.

Even the three meals a day are only placed at the door. This practice... suddenly gave me a sense of familiarity.

When Miko-sama first came here, it seemed that she had always asked the maids to do this kind of thing.

She is unable to see the sun because of a strange disease, so what is the reason for my father?

Not long after I returned to the room in bewilderment, footsteps suddenly sounded outside the barrier door. After the barrier door was opened, it revealed the familiar face of my mother.

Her face was far uglier than anything I had ever seen before, as if she was troubled and worried about something, but also seemed to be in some kind of extremely strong panic.

Not as elegant and demure as before, my mother came to me without even taking off her coat, and the coolness brought in from the outside hit my face, making me lean back involuntarily.

I began to speculate on the reason why my mother showed such an appearance, and I could only think of it—maybe it has something to do with my father's recent strangeness.

Thinking of this, comforting words have already reached my lips. When I heard my mother say to me: "Muzuki, I think your father seems to be a little strange recently." When I was about to speak, I was caught Mother-sama held both hands.

Her hands were tightly grasped, and the coolness brought from the outside penetrated into the skin gradually.

"Did you find out, Mutsuki," my mother said, "He hasn't been out of the house for a long time. The maids who delivered the food told me that the food that was placed at the door has not been touched. Your father..."

My mother's eyes were wide open. When she said this, she suddenly stopped her voice, turned her head and looked around, and after confirming that there were indeed only the two of us in the room, she breathed a sigh of relief and planned to tell me something. : "I saw that day..."

The barrier door was suddenly pulled open.

The Miko-sama stood at the door with the backlight, her curly curly hair fell on her shoulders, and her scarlet eyes seemed to be shining with some strange luster.

Mother's voice stopped abruptly.

I was wondering why the Miko-sama would appear here again when the sun was out today, but when I looked out the door, I suddenly realized that at some point, the thick clouds had completely blocked the sunlight that was accidentally revealed. up.

"Why did you come here suddenly?"

I asked the reason with some doubts.

Miko-sama didn't speak, but raised her eyes slightly to glance at Mother, and I also looked at Mother subconsciously, her face still had a slightly panicked expression.

Seeing this, I was about to tell Miko-sama that it is not convenient to see her at this time, and I wanted to ask her to wait, and I will go to her room to find her after Mother leaves.

But unexpectedly, Miko sat down next to me, sat with me opposite my mother, nodded slightly: "Hello."

Mother just kept silent.

Seeing this, the Miko continued: "I should have found time to chat with you a long time ago, and I also wanted to thank you for allowing me to stay in the city for so long, but I have been unable to find an opportunity. Since I happened to meet today, you have Is it empty?"

Miko-sama's expression is extremely sincere and serious, as if she really did what she said, she just wanted to express her gratitude to her mother, and happened to see my mother in my room when she came to look for me, so she wanted to chat with her a little more .

But the mother's face was not very good-looking.

Her complexion turned pale, she turned her eyes away and did not meet the Miko-sama, hesitated for a while on me, but still looked away and lowered her head.

Just when I felt a little strange, my mother helped her forehead and said to us: "Sorry, I suddenly feel a little uncomfortable, what's the matter..."

Speaking of this, the mother suddenly paused, but quickly resumed: "If there is anything, I will talk about it next time. I want to go back and rest first."

It is said that we have no reason to stop her, and Miko-sama has no intention of forcibly retaining her mother. After all, you can keep that kind of talk at any time.

But looking at the appearance of my mother getting up, I suddenly felt that she seemed to be trembling.

It's like seeing or thinking of something extremely terrible, so I feel deeply afraid of it, and I can't even continue to maintain my demeanor.

And the reason why it became like this... I seem to be able to perceive something.

——Probably because of Miko-sama.

He obviously didn't show this appearance when talking with me, but after Miko-sama came in, he suddenly stopped what he was going to talk to me, and even trembled uncontrollably after Miko-sama spoke.

Is Miko-sama scary?

I never felt that way.

Although at certain times she would indeed show an extremely ugly expression, and her appearance at that time was indeed a bit scary, but that was all, and it was far from the point where her mother would show that expression.

Or there are other possibilities. When I couldn't see it, when I didn't know it, Miko-sama did something that was enough to scare my mother.

That's the only reason I can think of.

And Miko-sama's behavior was obviously different from usual, she came too timely, just when my mother wanted to say something to me—probably something very important, at this time, she suddenly pushed open the barrier door.

Everyone has become very strange.

Suddenly, I couldn't understand the current situation. Whether it was my father, my mother, or the Miko, the closer the person was to me, the weirder the way they behaved now, so that I subconsciously called out to my mother.

When she put her trembling hand on the barrier and was about to open the barrier to leave, I said to her, "Please take care of yourself."

Hearing that, my mother seemed to be frozen, her palms were pressed against the barrier, and she remained motionless. After a while, she raised her head, turned her face and said to me: "Muzuki, the messenger from Kyoto hasn't left yet."

After leaving only this confusing sentence, my mother pushed open the barrier, and her figure completely disappeared in front of us.

I blinked my eyes and looked away at Miko-sama. She had just looked away from Mother, and there seemed to be some coldness in her eyes, which made me stunned for a moment.

After meeting my eyes, Miko raised her chin lightly and said to me: "Is it important to you whether the messenger from Kyoto has left the city?"

I thought about it and shook my head.

Since my father has rejected the other party's marriage proposal, that person has nothing to do with me.

After my explanation, Miko-sama raised a slight arc in satisfaction, "Since that's the case, then you don't have to worry about things that have nothing to do with you."

After she finished speaking like this, she took out the collection of poems and wanted to read them with me, but I couldn't help but think of the words my mother left before she left.

— not meaningless nonsense.

After showing obvious fear of Miko-sama, my mother said these words to me at the last moment of fleeing.

This just shows that she has something to tell me, and these words are precisely related to another person in the room at that time—that is, Miko-sama.

What she wanted to tell me was - get out of here.

If you have the chance, get out of here as soon as possible.

Mother never knew that even if I was going to marry to Kyoto, I wanted to take Miko there with me—this kind of thought.

And she wouldn't know, even if she said this to me, even if I understood what she meant, even at this time, I still couldn't feel the slightest fear of Miko-sama.

I sat beside her, watching her side face in silence, I don't know how long it took, when it seemed that even time had become quiet, I suddenly spoke——

"No misery."

I called her name, and when she turned her face to look at me, I asked her, "Is your name just Wu Mi?"

Although it is very common to not have a surname, but for some reason, this question has been blurted out before I can react.

And she shook her head and said to me—