A Triangle of Drama

As he spoke, his tone softened halfway through, and looking at Yotsuya Miko in front of him, he suddenly regretted his initial choice.

If only she hadn't refused when Miko said she didn't want to go...

"Yes, I know." - Yi Qi Si Wu

Yotsuya Miko braced herself to stay away from the wall. Thankfully, her body had been significantly strengthened recently; otherwise, this charge that slammed her against the wall would have given her a huge bump on the head.

I'm sorry to have made you worry about me again, but...

But what?

She wanted to speak, but when the words reached her lips, she suddenly didn't know how to say them.

Should I tell her I won't worry her anymore? Or should I just give her the excuse I'd already prepared?

After a brief pause, she resumed what she was about to say.

Lu Yi discarded his clothes and said, "Yuria."

The Golden Twin-Tailed Girl, trying to keep herself inconspicuous, looked at her "friends" who were exchanging feelings in front of her, wondering why Miko had suddenly called her name.

Could you please explain the situation to me?

Why don't you just say it yourself?

Yuria thought to herself, she didn't know what Yotsuya Miko was afraid of. She had already told her family about this, so why couldn't she tell Hana herself?

But she didn't ask; she simply stood up.

"Okay, I understand."

He cleared his throat before speaking.

"Actually, it's like this, Hua. I'm sorry to keep this from you, but there's no benefit in knowing this. Do you believe that ghosts exist in this world?"

"Ghost?"

Yurikawa Hana glanced at her blankly.

"Yuria, what are you talking about?"

The conversation didn't take long; Yuria clearly told Yurikawa Hana everything, informing her of a world completely unknown to the world, a world belonging to the extraordinary.

The three of them chatted in the coffee shop for a long time before reluctantly leaving.

Hua suppressed her sadness and, upon learning that Yuria and Miko were exorcists, was only slightly surprised before quickly regaining her usual lively and cheerful demeanor. She asked Yuria about interesting things that had happened since becoming an exorcist, while Yotsuya Miko chimed in, her attitude unchanged from before; she wasn't exactly a talkative person to begin with.

Perhaps because she received so much information at once, Hua didn't notice that something was wrong with Miko, but Yuria did; she noticed the depression in her mood. She didn't understand why she had become so depressed.

What exactly are you worried about?

She was a very straightforward person, always speaking her mind, so on the way home, she managed to block Yotsuya Miko's path.

"You could have said it yourself, couldn't you? Why did it end up with Hua and me talking while you were left out in the cold?"

"... You figured it out?"

"It would be strange if you didn't notice something like that, wouldn't it? Miko, this is completely unlike you."

Yotsuya Miko remained silent, merely blocking out the attention of certain individuals and using the Blood Soul Nightmare Entry to alter their memories.

"I worry that Hua will end up like you were in the past."

"Me in the past?"

Yuria opened her mouth, but quickly understood the meaning behind her words.

"Could it be... that you're afraid Hua will distance herself from you because of this?"

Yes, I'm very worried.

There's nothing wrong with admitting it, especially in front of your friends.

"Yuria, do you remember? Even though I never intended to abandon you back then, you still chose to... distance yourself from me and Hua because of the gap between us."

But... but that's different.

Looking at the conflicted Miko before her, she had the illusion that the world was collapsing.

At that time, she had only just become friends with Miko and Hua; their relationship wasn't that deep. But what about Hua?

Do you really feel that your relationship with Hua is so fragile, unable to withstand such a blow?

Yuria laughed, but as she laughed, she suddenly felt a little breathless.

Did the girl standing before him ever consider the impact that phrase, "I am her god," would have on her that day?

She had finally managed to give up and let go, but...

Do we really have to force her to admit it?

"I Miko."

Yuria's voice was calm.

"Hua cherishes you just as much as you cherish her, doesn't she? I believe she must love you deeply. That deep love won't change because of anything you do; it will remain the same as always."

Because, well, she's experienced that feeling before.

Chapter 167 The Love Triangle

The conversation temporarily ended with Yuria's departure.

She was somewhat angry, and also somewhat sad. A faint sadness mingled with her anger, which she forcefully suppressed.

However, as she walked, she gradually let go of her feelings and carefully put those vented emotions back into her heart.

Yes, because that's Yurikawa Hana.

Yuria realized that perhaps it was precisely because she cared so much that she was overthinking things, hesitating and unable to express herself. Wasn't that also a form of deep love?

At least... in front of her Miko never considered such a thing.

Only love can make people blind.

The Cave Bear's words stirred something within her once more; the man, weathered by life's storms and possessing a wealth of experience, had long understood this.

At that time, she hadn't thought too much about it. Even after hearing about the "big incident" that Yotsuya Miko and Yurikawa Hana had caused at school, she only slightly marveled at the closeness of their relationship and dared to only speculate about it in private.

However, the problem fell on her shoulders.

When she was at her most helpless and betrayed once again, her friends, whom she had previously distanced herself from, stood up for her.

He stood before her and made a promise to her that he would never leave her until death.

In that instant, her frozen heart felt warmed again, and it began to beat joyfully, ringing in her ears.

Yuria looked at the man's handsome yet resolute face, but just looking at him filled her with trepidation.

That was a fear she dared not even imagine, a feeling she suppressed deep within her heart.

Perhaps time will heal all wounds, but at least for now... she can't.

"I really envy you, Hua."

She murmured softly, gazing at the sky, her thoughts drifting away with the swallows.

The swallows that swiftly flew through the air have vanished without a trace.

What happened to her?

Spiritual Sense could naturally perceive Yuria's subtle emotions; the only regret was that Spiritual Sense could not discern the source of those emotions.

Yotsuya Miko tossed her hair back.

Just as Yuria had thought, she worried that her relationship with Hua would gradually become distant because of her identity.

That's why she refused to speak, and fearfully steered the conversation toward Yuria.

But?

Miko frown, she didn't know why she was afraid and distant, just as she didn't know why Yuria would show such emotions.

Such emotions cannot be conceived through contemplation, nor are they related to cultivating immortality or transcending the mortal realm.

She thought she had nothing left to fear, but her emotions didn't seem to be behaving as she expected.

Parting...

Perhaps for ordinary people like Yurikawa Hana, distancing themselves is the best solution.

Yotsuya Miko thought this way,

She has the ability to protect Hua from external harm, but she cannot control Hua's choices, just like Yuria did back then. The only difference is that she treated that time as a trial for Yuria, while for Hua, she would ensure that she wouldn't be hurt in the slightest because of these things.

Is this the reason for the differential treatment?

She savored the word, then paused.

That's probably true.

She treated Yuria as a trustworthy friend, and therefore did not protect Yuria like a nanny, but allowed Yuria to grow on her own and become independent. If Yulia encountered a situation she could not handle, she would be her support.

But what about Hua?

Perhaps it was the influence of that previous incident, or perhaps it was a friendship from even earlier times.

For some reason, she couldn't bring herself to let Hua endure such a thing.

Just as the Cave Bear said, she seemed to treat Hua as her possession.

Even so, she...

"Thinking too much is actually bad."

Shaking her head, Yotsuya Miko put aside these complicated thoughts.

After Kawamori, she didn't really have anything else to do. She had simply agreed to Divine Gate's request to handle some matters at Kamikakushi Mountain, which was indeed insignificant.

Through the incident of dealing with the Xuanming Python, she gradually realized her serious imbalance in cultivation. Perhaps she would need a long time to deal with this imbalance and take this opportunity to consolidate her current level.

She was no longer in a hurry about the Gate of the Underworld. Even if she were, it wouldn't make a difference, Miko had no idea what kind of demonic beasts or monsters awaited her inside. Besides, she needed to research the Gate of the Underworld further.

For these reasons, it will take her quite some time to return to her normal study schedule, and that long period will be enough for her to handle everything, including matters concerning herself, Hua, and Yuria.

I have plenty of time.

She comforted herself with these thoughts and silently walked towards home.

The last of the three, the orange-haired girl, was also walking home.

Yurikawa Hana maintained her energetic and lively image until Miko and Yuria disappeared from sight.

The smile on his face slowly faded, turning into a sense of loss.

Yotsuya Miko probably never imagined that this carefree girl possessed such a delicate side, nor did her Spiritual Sense detect it.

"An exorcist, huh? So that's how Yuria and Miko met? How nice, they have so much to talk about. But I can't participate in any of it."

Sighing, he touched his empty stomach, feeling little appetite.

She could tell that Yotsuya Miko Yuria were both hiding things from her, but she silently respected their privacy and didn't want to put them in a difficult position any further.

But she, Yurikawa Hana, really hated the feeling of being kept in the dark.

It felt like one day she might be completely abandoned by the two of them for some reason.

"I wish I could become an exorcist."

Such words are merely empty promises. From Yotsuya Miko's desperate attempts to conceal the matter of exorcists, she understood Miko's meaning.

Her friend didn't want her to get hurt in any way, even if it strained their relationship.

But shouldn't friends help each other?

Suddenly, she remembered the incident from last time and a vague guess formed in her mind.

Could it be that Miko really is...?

"No, no, no, that's impossible!"

She shook her head frantically, but the more she thought about Yotsuya Miko's actions, the more certain she became in her heart.

"It's probably... unlikely?"