Tango with Tengus 3

"Oh right! The reward, how could I forgot?" Lu shook his head.

"Hmm? There's no need for that, Your Majesty. Sating my curiosity is good enough compensation-"

"Promotion is... something you wouldn't prefer, so how about this? I'll give you title that grants you more freedom. And even the same level of authority that Sara has." He offered with a victorious smile.

"Deal!" The hot-blooded young man replied.

"Pleasure doing business with you~." The deity offered a handshake, and the detective accepted gleefully.

...

..

.

"Speaking of businesses, what's the reason for your stay here, Heizou?" He feigned ignorance.

"I was only enjoying myself before I go back. Lumine already helped me sort out the situation." The detective informed him about the Resistance's schemes.

...

"And that's all of it. They then let me stay here so I wouldn't blabber about it to anyone. Though they definitely didn't expect that the head of the Shogunate himself would come looking for me." Heizou wryly stated.

"Goodness... There's no need to go this far. They only need to petition one such problem to me and it would be resolved." The cheeky liar gasped.

"I'm reaching a bit here, Lu. But maybe there's a specific reason why they don't want to depend on you?" The detective spoke.

"I wonder what it could be... 𝘒𝘰𝘬𝘰𝘮𝘪 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘦... I'll talk to their divine priestess later... 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘯'𝘵. 𝘚𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸..." Lu replied, before changing the subject to some casual topics.

The two continued to converse like they were old buddies. Laughter was heard throughout the beautiful scenery. So naturally...

"Allow me to pour you another cup of tea, Your Majesty." A wild tengu reappeared...

"Hey hey, what about me?" Heizou pointed at himself, but he was simply ignored.

"No need for that, Sara. I had enjoyed my time here long enough. It's about time we depart." Lu replied with his usual smile.

"I'll be sure to be back in no time, Your Majesty~." The tengu clicked her tongue for the doushin's casual tone.

"I hope you don't mind accompanying me for a bit more, Sara. I have a detour to take." The deity secretly sent a thumbs up to the detective, which was returned immediately.

He gave the young prodigy a few tips on how to deal with an angry visitor later. His concealing barrier is nearly spent...

"Understood." The general nodded, while Lu was still praying for the young man.

"𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘩... Hehe..." Sara only gave him a suspicious glance. Susfishious hehe...

***

"This is..." His student mumbled.

"Komore Teahouse. Care to join me for lunch, Sara. I had too much tea." Lu chuckled.

"... Why pick this place then?" She didn't refuse, but she was definitely confused.

"They serve other delicacies here too, not just tea. Anyway, I already informed Ayato so off we go~ 𝘏𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳..." They hurried inside since they were already receiving a number of stares.

...

"Y-Your Majesty? What's the occasion?" The two were greeted by a confused Thoma.

"Did you forget my reservation, Thoma? I'll leave the preparations to you..." Lu simply winked at the unexpected person.

"...Alright! The farthest room is all set and ready, Your Majesty." He took the signal and played along.

"Shall we?" The deity smiled to the tengu with him.

...

..

.

"It's unnecessary to be reluctant, Sara. I already informed Thoma to not disturb us..." Lu stated.

"But Lu... This is unacceptable..." She tried her best to resist the allure.

"Why resist? No one else would know, Sara. It's nothing sort of a forbidden fruit anyway..." A devil's temptation.

"I-I'm still at work... my duty comes first... We can save this for later..." The tengu averted her eyes.

"Sigh* It seems like I have no choice but to force you, little Sara~." He spoke with a cheeky tone.

"You won't- Hmmh?!!!"

"I told you... Resistance is futile!" You've done it...

"...Sweet."

"See? I knew you would like it~." Lu teased while watching Sara eat the dessert he shoved into her mouth.

"I understand that you want prioritize your work first, bu don't forget that you're my student too. So let me treat you a bit from time to time~." He chuckled at the pouting tengu.

"If by treating, you mean shoving some food forcefully in your student's mouth, then I refuse." She turned away in embarrassment.

"Don't be like that~. I'm sorry, Okay?" He apologizes as he keeps laughing. At least he helped her clean her mouth with a tissue.

"Now I see why the others are annoyed greatly with you." Sara harrumphed.

"I know, I know~. I value all of you greatly too." Lu smirked.

"... Scoundrel..."

"Peace, Alright? Let's continue dining. Don't hold back now..." Thoma's cooking doesn't disappoint. It was a lucky encounter in the end.

"It can't be helped... It would be a shame to waste this well-cooked egg roll after all." Hook, line, and sinker...

Lu took the chance and sent a secret message to Thoma to deliver more food...

***

**

*

"It was a mess in the kitchen, princess. I didn't expect such a duo to arrive. I asked milord once I came home, and he said that he simply forgot to inform me... I guess that happens from time to time." Thoma narrated what happened.

"𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘢, 𝘩𝘶𝘩... 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥. 𝘛𝘸𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦... Did you hear anything weird, Thoma?" Ayaka inquired.

"Hmm? Nothing at all. I was in the kitchen the whole time. And when I'm not, I was watching for any possible troublemaker since His Majesty informed me so... Something in your mind, princess?"

"Princess... Princess, are you there?" The alarmed manservant called out to the eerily silent Ayaka...

***

"I swear I don't know anything!" The nervous Heizou exclaimed, as he was dragged by Gorou.

"I'm really sorry about this, since you helped us and all... But the divine priestess' orders come first. Don't worry, I'm sure she only has a few questions for you." The reluctant doggo reassured him.

"Then why do I need to be tied?! The thought of escaping haven't crossed my mind at all!" The detective tried to plead, but it was futile.

"I'm really sorry about this..." The constant back in forth between the two was heard loud and clear on Watatsumi Island...

The young man only cursed the culprit in his mind... His advice was all lies.

And he should have left much earlier...

***

Don't forget the powerstones! It's the easiest way for me to check how many people read the latest one.

If we reach 200 powerstones this week, I'll upload a bonus chapter by the end!