Shrine Maiden Wife Yukino

Translator : Elizabeth

Having hurriedly driven down to Cheonan, I saw what used to be the lake park, now a complete mess.

Although I've never been here, according to the map app, there should have been quite a large lake here, but as per the report, not even a trace of the lake could be found; instead, a massive hill had formed where the lake should have been.

The hill, so large it made one wonder if it wasn't just a mountain, had steep stone stairs leading up to the summit, and wooden torii gates were installed intermittently along the stairs, adding a sense of elegance.

A massive hill appearing where a lake should be was already absurd, but what was even more absurd was that cherry blossom petals were scattering and falling tremendously from the giant cherry trees grown right at the top of the hill.

Cherry blossom petals in the midsummer of August!

It was an absurd phenomenon, but because it looked extremely beautiful, citizens had come out to view the cherry blossoms, fearing they might get hurt, so the Search Team Hunters were busy evacuating the citizens who came to watch the giant cherry trees outside the danger zone.

From the top of the hill where a large shrine was located, arrows were flying at tremendous speed and striking the ground, and seeing several Search Team Hunters groaning in pain or being evacuated to the rear, it seemed many had already been hit by that attack.

I already knew before coming, but seeing this scene now, I became even more certain.

"Is everyone okay? Charles! Are you hurt anywhere?"

As I got out of the car and asked while running over, Charles waved her hand at me while diligently dodging arrows.

"Ah, Senior is worried about me...♥ I'm fine, Senior!"

Looking at the Search Team Hunters being carried to the rear, I scolded the Hunters who could still stand.

"Didn't you receive the message through our staff not to fight? Why did you start combat?!"

"From the moment that staff member appeared, the other side started attacking as if they had no intention of talking, so were we supposed to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠just take it? We had no choice but to fight back!"

"Charles, I'm asking just in case, you didn't provoke the interdimensional transferee or anything like that, did you?"

Po-ong!

At that moment, an arrow struck the ground near Charles, and a vibration and roar that one could never imagine coming from a single arrow resounded as dust rose up.

Charles brushed through the dust and pricked up her cat ears.

"What did ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you say?! What do you take me for! I'm an excellent junior directly educated by Senior! Do I look like someone who would pick a fight with a transferee out of the blue?"

"You did that to Lily."

"T-That was because her attitude was totally crooked..."

"You really didn't pick a fight with the transferee, right?"

"I didn't!"

"Alright, then I'll try to resolve it. Give me the loudspeaker."

I received the portable loudspeaker from Charles and shouted to the Search Team Hunters preparing to counterattack.

"Stop the attacks! I will try to talk! She is my wife! We can resolve this with words!"

At that moment, the arrow attacks that were pouring down suddenly quieted.

I let out a sigh of relief, turned up the volume of the loudspeaker, and spoke to the person likely at the top of the hill.

First, I should offer the formal greeting I always give to transferees.

"I am Jung Hyun-soo from the Interdimensional Transferee Settlement Support Division! Transferee-nim, won't you talk for a moment! We didn't come to fight!"

Suddenly, a gentle breeze blew, and cherry blossom petals began to swirl around me much more intensely.

Simultaneously, a delicate and beautiful woman's voice flew on the wind and spoke to me.

『Who is this? Seeing that face again after 3 years. Mr. Hyun-soo?』

As expected, it was a voice I knew very well.

Since formal greetings or introductions were no longer meaningful, I called her name immediately.

"Yukino. Please don't attack the people here. They aren't people who came to fight you."

As soon as I finished speaking, blue foxfires (will-o'-the-wisps) suddenly rose around me and began to surround me threateningly.

The voice was heard not only from the gentle breeze but also from those foxfires.

『I didn't intend to fight at first either. But... that woman over there who looks like a cat yokai approached while scattering traces of your spirit very thickly, didn't she? Is there any reason for me to treat her kindly?』

"No... Since she's a junior at the same workplace and we spend a lot of time together, it can't be helped that my spirit is felt strongly..."

『Is that so? Is she merely a junior? If it were like before, I would have believed those words as they are, but...』

Suddenly, the foxfires burned roughly and fiercely. As if representing Yukino's feelings.

『I can no longer believe the words you say as I did before.』

"Umm... Excuse me... Yukino? You seem very angry right now, so please calm down a bit..."

『I am not angry. And since when were we close enough to call each other names so casually? Please maintain formality and call me Shrine Maiden Kamishiro.』

"Th... Yukin... No, Shrine Maiden Kamishiro. So—"

Shwoong—!

As soon as I called her Shrine Maiden Kamishiro, a neurotic arrow flew and stuck at my feet. What does she want me to do...

Eventually, I reverted the title to the original.

"Yukino...? Still, we were in a relationship where we even held a wedding ceremony. You must be very angry, but could you please bear with it a little and listen to my story?"

『Wedding? Did we do such a thing? I apologize, but I was not insane enough to love a man who does things that even a street thug wouldn't do, like abandoning his wife and running away on the first night ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of consummation.』

Lily was like this too, but it seems she is also angry to the top of her head...

The only difference from Lily is that at least she isn't the type to throw a punch first.

But that doesn't mean I can dismiss it as nothing; Yukino is the type to bottle things up and explode, so it was actually more dangerous when she spoke quietly like that while angry.

'I have to untangle this somehow right now!'

I swallowed hard and continued with excuses... no, persuasion to appease Yukino's mood.

"Yukino, I understand you being angry. If I were you, I would have been so pissed off I couldn't sleep. But I didn't intend to abandon you or run away; there is a deep story here that even the First Shrine Maiden would forgive..."

『What if the First Shrine Maiden forgives you but I cannot?』

Hmm, is this déjà vu? I feel like I've had this conversation somewhere...

I diligently explained the circumstances and persuaded Yukino.

"So this and that happened, and after falling asleep following the first night, I was transported to another world. I missed you too, but I couldn't find a way back. After that, I wandered through 2 more worlds before coming to this original world. I can't ask you to forgive me, but... won't you believe me just once?"

『......』

Did it work?

Holding a shred of expectation, I looked toward the top of the hill, so high it wasn't visible well, in the direction where Yukino would be.

After a little time passed, a gentle breeze carrying Yukino's voice blew.

『I see. I didn't know you had such circumstances.』

"You believe me?"

But at that moment, suddenly the gentle breeze turned into a fierce gale, and several talismans flew from the top of the hill and positioned themselves around me.

Chains surged from within the talismans and bound me, and I was held in the air in the posture of a sinner about to be torn apart by oxen, unable to move.

『However, because of you, I couldn't sleep properly for 1 year due to sorrow, and for 2 years due to anger and desire for revenge! If I don't make you pay the price, I absolutely cannot bear it! I will control the power appropriately, so receive your punishment first!』

"W-Wait a minute! Yukino, hey!"

Damn it! It's the point where what's piled up explodes!

When Yukino and I traveled to exterminate yokai, whenever her anger piled up and exploded, she would bind me with talismans like this and shoot arrows at me.

Back then, even if I got hit by an arrow filled with Yukino's resentment and my side got blown away, I recovered quickly with spiritual power, but...

"Yu, Yukino! I can't be hit by an arrow here! It's not like before! I could really die!"

『Shut up! Are you saying you hate receiving even one punishment now after doing such a thing to me! I clearly know your power, so where are you pulling such a trick! Until I shoot one shot at you, I absolutely cannot forgive you! Let's talk again after you get hit once!』

Shwoooong!

The arrow Yukino poured out with her resentment flew straight toward my abdomen.

Back then, getting hit by that would end with "Ouch, stings, what are you doing," but if I get hit now, I'll definitely die, but Yukino doesn't know that...

I lived a clean life without committing sins against others or causing nuisance, but such a pure water life ends here.

Goodbye, world...

The moment I accepted death while swallowing tears.

Kugugung!

Suddenly, the ground around me rose up and blocked the arrow Yukino shot.

Pue-e-e-eok!

However, Yukino's arrow wasn't of ordinary power either, so the ground that surged up was also shattered as it was.

Fortunately, just before the rising earth was destroyed, it damaged the talismans in the air constraining my body with chains, and thanks to that, I barely regained my freedom of movement.

『What is this...?』

After falling to the ground and lifting my head, I saw the back of a woman wearing a black robe and a uniquely shaped hat with long blonde hair fluttering.

Recognizing the identity of the woman who saved me, who almost crossed the Sanzu River, I shouted with a glad heart.

"As expected, it's Lily! You came to save me!"

At my words, Lily turned her body toward me and answered with a smile.

"No, I came to kill you?"

Pue-eok!

And I received ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a shock to my groin that made my mind go dizzy.

"Keong..."

That was my last memory.

Lily, who kicked Jung Hyun-soo's groin and knocked him out, glared at the top of the high hill in front.

Because the height was high, it wouldn't be visible well to other people's eyes who was up there, but to her eyes, the figure of the person on that hill was clearly visible.

『Who are you? Don't interfere.』

"Hey, you're his wife? Who are you?"

At the abrupt informal speech, the voice of the person on the hill became somewhat sharp.

『You are very rude for a first meeting. And it is none of your business.』

"No, it is my business. I'm the only one allowed to punish this bastard. Not you, who mimics a wife without even knowing where you rolled in from."

『Excessive self-consciousness, vulgar conduct, and unable to grasp the subject matter? From my standpoint, you are the bare-naked fool who can't distinguish where to interfere and where not to.』

"Ha, look at the way she speaks. Every single word is annoying."

『That is quite a coincidence. I have also begun to find you extremely annoying right now.』