The Grand Onmyoji's Lover Outside?

"Fake death...?"

Tamamo no Mae looked at the Grand Onmyoji, her lips slightly parted, her eyebrows revealing a hint of surprise.

"Mr. Abe, what do you mean?"

"A very simple principle."

Ian replied as he tidied Tamamo no Mae's clothes.

"Tama-chan, if you were in charge of the search."

"When you can't find anything in the patrols, what would you think?"

"..."

Tamamo no Mae followed the Grand Onmyoji's train of thought and thought carefully.

Soon, she had her answer.

"Then you would start to suspect if she was hiding somewhere, right?"

Ian nodded.

"Tama-chan, you are indeed very smart."

"So—"

Before the Grand Onmyoji finished speaking, a noisy sound came from outside the shoji door.

It seemed that someone was trying to break in.

"..."

Tamamo no Mae looked at Ian, her beautiful golden eyes a little worried.

"It's okay."

Ian stroked Tamamo no Mae's head.

"With me here, there won't be any problems."

[You went outside the mansion.]

[Just as you had Tamamo no Mae guess, the people who came here were the foot soldiers who were searching in Heian-kyō under the Emperor's orders.]

[They didn't expect you to be here at all.]

[They expressed their surprise.]

"Lord Abe... how come you are..."

The leader of the foot soldiers clearly didn't expect Ian to be here at this time.

"Are you trying to search my mansion while I'm away?"

Ian glared at the foot soldiers in front of him and asked.

Although he wasn't usually the kind of person who would put on airs, he was still very oppressive when he questioned people like this.

The foot soldiers were a little guilty.

But if they kept silent, the problem would be even worse.

"Apologies, Lord Abe."

"Although it's very offensive... but you should also know that the Emperor is recently searching for that Algae Woman."

"We've patrolled all the places we should patrol many times, so we can only suspect that she's hiding in a mansion, we have no intention of offending you."

Just as Ian had guessed.

If the patrols were ineffective, they could only start doing house-to-house searches like this.

"I see." Ian nodded.

Seeing that the Grand Onmyoji's tone had eased a little, the leader of the foot soldiers tentatively asked.

"Then—"

"Lord Abe, is it convenient for us to go in and search?"

"Wait a moment."

[You went back inside the mansion.]

[Tamamo no Mae was waiting anxiously.]

[While you were chatting with the foot soldiers, she had wiped away all the traces of being "played" by you.]

[You told her that the foot soldiers were going to come in and check.]

"This..."

Tamamo no Mae became more nervous.

She didn't expect what Ian had just said to come true so quickly.

"Then should I hide now?"

"No."

Ian shook his head.

"There's nowhere to hide."

"And if you're discovered, it will be even more troublesome to explain."

"Then Mr. Abe, what should we do now?"

"..."

Faced with this question, Ian looked around and thought for a while, then replied:

"Tama-chan, just stand by my side later."

"Don't talk or make any extra movements."

Although she had doubts, Tamamo no Mae didn't ask any more questions and nodded.

"I understand."

[You had a plan.]

[You went back outside the mansion.]

[You allowed the foot soldiers who came to enter the mansion for a search.]

[They soon noticed Tamamo no Mae's existence.]

[You prepared to carry out your plan.]

At this moment, Tamamo no Mae had changed into the clothes she had worn when she was hiding.

Her fluffy tail and cute fox ears were covered up.

In this way, no one could know the fox demon's identity for the time being.

But—

In this situation, the appearance of such a strangely dressed woman was extremely eye-catching.

The foot soldiers' eyes quickly focused on Tamamo no Mae.

Suspicion and discussion arose and spread in an instant.

The fox demon was a little scared.

After all, in a sense, she was facing the thing she feared most.

A little carelessness could lead to her being caught.

But at this moment—

Tamamo no Mae felt a warmth coming from her hand.

She turned to the side and found that the Grand Onmyoji next to her had taken her hand.

"..."

"..."

Tamamo no Mae was stunned.

The foot soldiers were also stunned.

But their thoughts were completely different at this moment.

Tamamo no Mae realized that Ian had asked her to stand by his side to hold her hand in front of the foot soldiers.

In this way.

The foot soldiers in front of them would be mistaken—she was his lover outside.

And that was indeed the case.

The foot soldiers glanced at Ian and Tamamo no Mae's hands, and then at the still steaming food and half-opened sake.

Even the most foolish person knew that they had come at the wrong time.

The subsequent inspection was also perfunctory.

"Apologies, Lord Abe."

The leader of the foot soldiers glanced at Ian, then at the woman next to him, his expression a little complicated.

"We disturbed you."

"It's okay." Ian shook his head.

"This is your duty, I won't blame you."

The mansion was quiet again.

Tamamo no Mae breathed a sigh of relief and then looked at Ian.

"Mr. Abe, thank you so much."

"If you weren't here, I wouldn't know how to deal with it this time."

"It's okay."

Ian let go of Tamamo no Mae's hand.

"I believe that even if I wasn't here, Tama-chan, you would definitely have your own way to deal with these problems."

"...Maybe."

Tamamo no Mae looked at her empty hand, looking a little regretful.

But she soon thought of something.

"Mr. Abe."

"Although we have solved this problem for now."

"But if this continues—"

"Your wife will also know about your affair with me... it will be troublesome for Mr. Abe to explain later, right?"

"It's all my fault for being confused... insisting that Mr. Abe come to this meaningless meal."

"Tama-chan, you're starting again."

Ian looked at the guilty Tamamo no Mae, put his fingers into her skirt, and gently stroked the treasure that had been watered.

"Didn't I say that?"

"Your show makes me feel happy."

"So—"

"Whatever happens later is worth accepting."

"Besides, I'm not unable to explain these things to Raiko."

"Eh?!" Tamamo no Mae was a little surprised, "Can you explain it clearly?"

"Yes." Ian nodded confidently.

"As long as Tama-chan doesn't play any more tricks, everything will be taken care of when you fake your death."

"...I understand."

Tamamo no Mae responded to the Grand Onmyoji, and a few more drops of dew overflowed from the treasure and flowed to his fingers.

She found that she seemed to like this feeling of being caressed.

[The search continues.]

[But you are not flustered at all.]

[Because you already have a complete plan in your mind.]

[The Father of the Four Heavenly Kings has been replaced by Kyoto's Extreme Name: Thanks to the search, your reputation no longer depends on your four adopted sons. You are a very eye-catching existence in Heian-kyō.]

[You often intentionally or unintentionally let people see you entering the mansion where Tamamo no Mae is hiding.]

[This is part of your plan.]

[And the rest requires you to further explore Tamamo no Mae.]

Inside the hiding mansion.

Tamamo no Mae's usual clothes were folded and placed aside.

She herself was lying on the ground, sticking out her back and tail.

There were a few hemp ropes on her white back.

And Ian stood behind her, looking at the fox demon's fascinating body curves.

But what he noticed was not Tamamo no Mae herself, but her fluffy tail.

"Tama-chan, I'm starting."

"I, I understand."

Ian took a deep breath and then gently grabbed Tamamo no Mae's upright tail.

With a snap.

The Grand Onmyoji pulled out a hair from it.

Tamamo no Mae trembled all over and shouted.

"Migu!!!"

"..."

Ian stopped and said:

"Tama-chan, is it very uncomfortable?"

"A little..." Tamamo no Mae's eyes were filled with tears, "but I can bear it!"

"So—"

"Please continue, Mr. Abe!"

"...I see."

[You pulled a few more hairs from Tamamo no Mae's tail.]

[Her screams echoed through the mansion.]

[You felt a little sorry.]

[But you knew it was necessary.]

Everything was finally over.

Tamamo no Mae collapsed on the ground.

"It hurts..."

"Even though you can't bear it, you still say you can hold on." Ian stroked Tamamo no Mae's long hair.

"It hurts but" Tamamo no Mae leaned into his touch and continued.

"This is what Mr. Abe ordered."

Tamamo no Mae put her head on Ian's lap.

"I have to do it well."

After what had happened before, Tamamo no Mae didn't dare to have any more tricks.

She confirmed that the Grand Onmyoji next to her was her only savior.

"Yes... what you said makes sense."

Ian responded and then gently turned Tamamo no Mae over.

At this moment.

The enchanting fox demon was naked in the Grand Onmyoji's eyes.

It was a gaze that swept over every inch of her skin from bottom to top.

Tamamo no Mae was a little shy.

But she didn't cover any part of her body, but let him examine her freely.

When the Grand Onmyoji's eyes stopped, she whispered:

"Mr. Abe, have you finished looking?"

"Is there any place you didn't see clearly... I can let you see more clearly."

Not flattering.

Not even ingratiating.

But just because he needed her to do this, Tamamo no Mae said it.

"That's enough."

Ian replied.

"I've seen enough of Tama-chan's body."

"Then—"

"Can I ask you a small question?" Tamamo no Mae asked cautiously.

"Of course."

Ian nodded.

"Then Mr. Abe... is Tama-chan beautiful?"

"..."

[You realized that this question might be important to Tamamo no Mae.]

[You thought for a while.]

"Beautiful."

Ian's eyes fell on Tamamo no Mae's undulating body again.

"It's a body that gathers beauty."

"So to preserve this beauty... something must be done."

"Mr. Abe..."

Tamamo no Mae was very moved.

After all, although he always talked about exchanging benefits, he actually took a lot of risks for her.

"Then what should we do next?"

"I won't neglect it anymore."

"Tama-chan, put your hands out." Ian said.

"..."

Tamamo no Mae sat up and obediently stretched out her hands.

Ian picked up the rope that was just on her back and tied Tamamo no Mae's hands.

"Tama-chan, if it's a knot like this, do you think you can break free?"

"..."

Although she felt that this question was strange, Tamamo no Mae still answered honestly.

"A little looser and I could."

"Well, that's good," Ian nodded thoughtfully.

"..."

"Although I may not have the right to ask," Tamamo no Mae said cautiously, "but I still want to know Mr. Abe's purpose."

"My tail hair."

"My body's appearance."

"And the current rope."

"Mr. Abe, are you going to..."

Faced with Tamamo no Mae's question, Ian didn't hesitate and explained.

"Tama-chan, what do you think is the most direct way to determine a person's death?"

"..."

Tamamo no Mae thought for a moment and then had her answer.

"Is it to find the body?"

As soon as she finished speaking, she realized something.

"Mr. Abe... are you going to use those things to make my 'body'?"

Tail hair is a disguise for smell and identity;

The shape is needed to shape the body;

"Tama-chan, you are indeed very smart." Ian affirmed Tamamo no Mae's statement in an approving way.

"Then—" she asked.

"What about the rope?"

"Because I want others to know that I caught you, and then 'kill' you in front of them—in this way, I can confirm the 'death' message."

Tamamo no Mae certainly knew that the "kill" Ian said was definitely not really killing herself.

If you clarify the idea—

That is, the Grand Onmyoji is going to pretend to kill the tied-up self in front of everyone, but in fact it is just to create the illusion of death and let the body appear in front of everyone.

In this way, Tamamo no Mae will be identified as a "killed monster" and the search will end.

Thinking about it this way... the previous hand-holding might have been to attract attention.

This is an adventurous action to deceive everyone.

Once a clue is discovered, there will be danger on the spot.

And this is just to get rid of the search.

Tamamo no Mae looked at the man in front of her, her golden eyes filled with gratitude and worry.

"Mr. Abe... isn't this a little dangerous for you?"

"No."

Ian looked at Tamamo no Mae's graceful body, without any worry about facing danger.

"If I don't even have this courage—"

"How can I deserve the title of Kyoto's number one Onmyoji?"

Hearing this, Tamamo no Mae blushed and muttered softly.

"Um... Kyoto's number one Onmyoji."

"He is someone worthy of my wholehearted service..."