Miko Miroku noticed the subtle atmosphere between the two of them, smiled softly, and said gently and dignifiedly, "Master Shinichi, Lady Tsunade, and Land of Demons are all deeply grateful for your heroic deeds. Please allow us to do our part as landlords and invite you to the Miko Palace for dinner and celebrate your victory."
Her voice was as gentle as water, but with a firmness that could not be denied.
Shinichi heard this, his eyes flashed, then he smiled softly and waved his hand, "Haha, that's not bad. The battle just now was really exhausting. I'm even hungry."
Tsunade, on the other hand, was still immersed in the emotion just now. He turned his head slightly, glanced at Shinichi with a complicated look, and finally nodded without saying anything more.
Miroku saw that the two agreed, so he personally led them towards the palace.
Along the way, when the residents of Land of Demons learned of the two heroes' visit, they spontaneously gathered on both sides of the road and looked at them with reverence.
Some children excitedly held their parents' hands, pointed at Shinichi and Tsunade and shouted, "Mom, are those the heroes who defeated Moryo? They are so awesome!"
"Yes, child, they are our great benefactors Land of Demons."
Some people knelt down and kowtowed excitedly, some shed tears of gratitude, and some even prayed for them quietly, hoping that they could return safely.
Faced with such a scene, Tsunade scratched the back of his head uncomfortably and muttered in a low voice, "Really, I just followed Teuchi along with some trash fish. How could it be so grand..."
Shinichi, however, smiled and leaned into her ear, teasing. "You are Lightning Valkyrie of Land of Demons. Isn't it normal for you to be so popular?"
Tsunade glared at him but did not refute.
When the three of them arrived at the Miko Palace, the place was already decorated with lights and colorful decorations. The long banquet was filled with sumptuous delicacies. The servants of the palace were shuttled back and forth, making final preparations for tonight's feast.
At the same time, Miko Miroku announced that tonight is not only a dinner party, but also an official award ceremony for Land of Demons to Shinichi and Tsunade!
The entire Land of Demons will hold a grand celebration for them to celebrate their success in killing Moryo and saving the people of this land!
Shinichi and Tsunade looked at each other and saw helplessness in each other's eyes - it seemed that they could not escape this feast!
In the palace of Land of Demons, the atmosphere of the celebration gradually became warm. Miko Miroku personally hosted the banquet and toasted to Shinichi and Tsunade, thanking them for saving Land of Demons.
Although Shinichi rarely drinks alcohol, at this moment, in this relaxed atmosphere, he drank a few drinks casually, and Tsunade was even more informal, drinking Land of Demons's unique fruit wine boldly.
The wine was clear and sweet, but its staying power was extremely strong. Soon, a slight blush appeared on both of their cheeks.
"Humph...Shinichi, were you... frightened just now?" Tsunade held his chin with one hand, squinted his eyes slightly, and sounded drunk, speaking softly and slightly teasingly.
Shinichi looked at her drunken look, curled up the corner of his mouth, and said half-jokingly, "Of course I'm scared. After all, if something happens to you, I will have to slaughter the whole Shinobi World, drag Madara Uchiha out of the grave and whip the corpse."
When Tsunade heard this, he was stunned for a moment, then chuckled, looked at Shinichi with soft eyes, and gently shook the wine in the glass, "... You guy always says things that are annoying."
Shinichi shrugged, picked up the wine glass and touched her gently, "To celebrate that little Tsunade is fine, cheers."
Tsunade looked at him, raised the corners of his mouth slightly, and drank the glass in one gulp.
Miko Miroku sat aside and looked at the two of them quietly, with a somewhat meaningful smile in their eyes.
This night, the moonlight was like silver, and the breeze blew through the palace courtyard, carrying a faint fragrance of flowers. Under this gentle night, the distance between Shinichi and Tsunade seemed to have quietly become closer.
The afterglow of the celebration is still lingering in the air, the aroma of wine floats gently with the breeze, and the moonlight shines through the carved window lattice on the corridor of the palace, reflecting a faint silver glow.
Shinichi squinted his eyes slightly and was carefully supported by a maid towards the guest room. Although he had a good drink capacity, the alcohol he drank tonight was too strong. His consciousness was a little erratic and his steps were not as steady as usual.
"This wine is really... stronger than Konoha's liquor..." Shinichi murmured softly, feeling the slight heat in his body, and couldn't help but shake his head.
On the other side, Tsunade's cheeks were stained with blush, and he was helped forward by another maid.
Although she has a good capacity for drinking, tonight for some unknown reason, she was more likely to get drunk than usual.
Perhaps it was because the afterglow of the Moryo battle had not yet dissipated, or perhaps it was because at the celebration, her mood was more relaxed than ever.
"Hey... slow down, I can walk by myself." Tsunade muttered and shook off the maid's hand. Although his steps were a little messy, he still straightened his back stubbornly.
She raised her head and her eyes accidentally fell on the familiar figure in front of her - Shinichi, who was being supported by the maid and walking forward. She tilted her head slightly, as if she was talking to the maid.
Tsunade was slightly startled, feeling a little irritated for some reason, and unconsciously walked a little faster until he was walking side by side with Shinichi.
"Hello, Shinichi." She called softly.
Shinichi turned his head when he heard the sound, looked at her slightly drunken appearance, and raised a smile at the corner of his mouth, "What? Little Tsunade, you don't want to take me back to the room, do you?"
Tsunade glared at him and said stiffly, "Who wants to send you back? I just think... well, the road to this palace is too long."
Shinichi chuckled, with a hint of cunning flashing in his eyes, "How about we compete, who can walk to the room first?"
Tsunade blinked, then raised the corner of his mouth. "Do you think I will lose to you? Come on!"
With that said, she shook off the maid's hand and walked forward faster, while Shinichi followed leisurely behind, saying lightly, "Be careful not to fall, Miko Palace's floor is much harder than Konoha's floor."
Tsunade snorted disdainfully, but his steps became a little firmer.
The two maids standing at the back looked at each other, with a bit of a smile in their eyes, and murmured in a low voice, "The relationship between these two is really interesting."
Under the night, at the end of the corridor, two figures walking side by side were reflected, heading towards their respective guest rooms.
The night is as dark as ink, the Milky Way is upside down, and the stars are twinkling on the dark sky, reflecting the simple cornices of the Miko Palace.
The breeze blew by, bringing with it the slightest chill of night, but it did not dispel the drunkenness of the two of them at all.
Shinichi and Tsunade did not return to the guest room, but arrived on the roof of the palace by accident.
They sat side by side, with their backs against the glazed tiles of the palace, and the deep and boundless starry sky above their heads.
The night breeze gently blew over their cheeks, taking away some of the alcoholism, but making the subtle emotions in their hearts clearer.
"Hey, Shinichi..." Tsunade tilted his head lazily and looked sideways at the boy beside him, his amber pupils flashing slightly in the night, "Do you think we will be different after this trip is over?"
Shinichi did not answer immediately, but looked at the night sky leisurely. After a moment of silence, he slowly said, "Who knows? But at least the stars tonight are different from those of Konoha."
Tsunade was stunned, and followed his gaze to the sky. The stars were bright, like colorful glass beads, scattered on the vast night.
"... You guy, you still talk so strangely." Tsunade sneered slightly, but the corners of his mouth unconsciously raised an arc.
Shinichi turned his face sideways and looked at her slightly tipsy appearance, his eyes softened a bit, "Little Tsunade, actually... have you ever thought about what Konoha will look like in the future?"
Tsunade was stunned for a moment, as if he didn't expect that he would suddenly ask this question.
"Konoha in the future?" She tilted her head, thought for a moment, and said with a casual tone, "It should still be the same, Hokage is in charge, the villagers live and work in peace and contentment, ninjas perform tasks, and wars come and go..."
"But I don't think so." Shinichi interrupted her, her voice soft, but with an unshakable determination.
Tsunade looked at him with some surprise, and found that Shinichi's eyes were so deep that he seemed to be able to see through everything in the world.
"This Shinobi World will eventually usher in great changes." Shinichi said calmly, with a hint of certainty in his tone, "Everything we are familiar with now will be washed away, reshaped, or even destroyed by the waves of the times."
Tsunade was silent.
She rarely heard Shinichi speak in such a solemn tone, which made her feel a little uneasy.
"... Do you know something?" she asked tentatively.
Shinichi chuckled and did not answer directly. Instead, he raised his hand and pointed at the stars in the sky, "Look, no matter how bright the stars are, they will fall one day, but their brilliance can shine far away."
Tsunade was slightly startled, looking down at his clenched fists, with a myriad of thoughts in his mind.
"But at least, we can still see its light." Shinichi said softly, his eyes still fixed on the night sky, with a bit of relief in his tone, "So, what we have to do is to let it illuminate as many places as possible before it disappears."
Tsunade looked at him deeply, suddenly smiled, gently stretched out his fist, and lightly hit his shoulder, "You always like to say these profound words."
Shinichi was slightly shaken by her punch, but she just smiled helplessly, "There is no way, genius is always lonely."
Tsunade rolled his eyes, "What a stinking fart."
The two of them sat quietly on the roof, the night breeze blew gently, the stars twinkled, and the world seemed to have stopped.
At this moment, the future is unknown, but at least they are still by each other's side, accompanying this bright starry sky.