Crown Master

The land of Yayuan is inhabited by a large number of monsters. They usually hide in the deep mountains and occasionally come into contact with humans.

Natsume Takashi, as an outsider who just moved here, unexpectedly enjoys eating among monsters.

Even in the deep mountains and old forests, you can meet monsters who know him.

A beautiful banshee with snow-colored long hair poked her head out from behind the thick tree, her clean and clear eyes were like a handful of emerald lake water reflecting the sun, when she looked at Natsume, her eyes were full of joy without blinking. Focus on the taste.

This look makes it hard for people not to misunderstand whether Natsume has done something to others?

The fat cat teacher jumped up and gave Natsume a kick in the stomach.

Natsume: "Ugh!"

Teacher Cat: "Did you do something to bully people?"

Natsume Takashi stared at it in embarrassment while clutching his stomach.

"How is it possible! I have never seen her!"

After the monster behind the tree found out that Natsume had been beaten, distress flashed across his face, hesitantly leaned out and waved to Natsume.

"Suzu..."

As soon as this remark came out, the relationship between Natsume and Mr. Cat was settled.

It turned out to be grandmother/Suzuko's romantic debt again.

"That... I am not Suzuko, she has passed away, I am her grandson Natsume Takashi."

Natsume put down the hand holding his stomach, and looked peacefully at the monster walking out of the tree.

Her snow-colored hair hangs down to her ankles, and some strands of her long hair get into the collar of her kimono. It can be seen that she is a monster who doesn't know how to take care of herself. Even her clothes don't fit so well. One side is longer than the palm, and the layered placket reveals half of the shoulder.

From the aesthetic point of view of monsters, she is a beauty.

But the most eye-catching eyes of this beauty never left Natsume Takashi from the beginning to the end.

"You said... Suzuko died...?"

The banshee paused for a while, the confusion in her eyes could be seen even by Natsume and the others, it seemed that it took her a long time to understand the meaning of death accurately, after that, her light voice revealed heavy sadness .

"Humans are still so fragile. I thought Suzuko was different..."

The surrounding atmosphere seemed to be infected by the sorrow emanating from the banshee, the clear bird calls gradually disappeared, and the eyes of several people couldn't help but stay on the banshee's beautiful face.

Yuan Gongqian cautiously came to Changhao's side, and asked softly, "Who is she?"

Abe Masahiro turned his head and whispered to her: "It seems to be an acquaintance of Natsume's grandmother."

Yuan Gongqian: "Natsume's grandmother?"

"Natsume Reiko, a woman who does whatever she wants."

Without giving Yuan Gongqian a chance to ask questions, the cat teacher with a mysterious background jumped in front of the banshee.

Fat maneki neko with a funny smile.

"That guy Suzuko is dead, this guy is Natsume, did you come to him to get his name back?"

"Name?" the banshee repeated, before revealing an expression of sudden realization, "Yes, I'm going to find Suzuko to get back the name."

Natsume asked habitually after hearing the words: "May I ask what your name is?"

The banshee was silent for two seconds, and said slowly, "Shelley, a monster from the northern kingdom."

North?

Teacher Cat opened her small eyes.

"Why did the monsters from the northern kingdom come to Yayuan?"

Shelley: "..."

Teacher Cat: "Can't you tell me?"

Shelley shook her head, folded her hands on her knees and squatted down, her emerald eyes resting on Mr. Cat.

"Because of a war many years ago, the monster leopard cats of the Northern Kingdom conquered the land of the Western Kingdom including Yayuan, and established a long rule here. Hundreds of years later, the leopard cat clan was overthrown by the dog clan. I Involuntarily got involved in that war, and was forced by the leopard cat clan to bring it to Yayuan, until the leader of the leopard cat clan, Qin Fang, died, and his heirs took the rest of the clan back to the north, and I was abandoned here many years……"

"It's actually a monster from the Warring States period, can't you see it?" Teacher Cat walked around Shelley with his short legs, sniffing with his little nose, "You don't have a strong demonic aura, could it be that you have learned to restrain yourself?" A demonic way?"

Shelley explained in a low voice: "I'm used to lowering my sense of presence." His eyes turned loosely, and once again stayed on Natsume, "Can you come over and let me see you?"

Teacher Cat: "Hey! Don't ignore me!"

However, this time Shelley really didn't intend to pay attention to it, and focused on Natsume intently.

Seeing this, Masahiro Abe whispered to Natsume, "She doesn't look hostile."

Natsume nodded, raised his foot and walked towards her, then squatted down after getting close to her.

"Do you have a good relationship with your grandmother?"

"She is a willful person," Shelley held Natsume's face, feeling the tightness of the skin under her fingertips, and she stroked it slowly as if comforting, "Don't be nervous, let me take a good look at 'her'. "

To be honest, Natsume Takashi was very awkward at first, especially after a beautiful female monster stretched out his hand, but when he felt the cold breath coming from Shelley, his chaotic mind inexplicably calmed down.

She meant no harm.

Natsume is clearly aware of this now, when talking about Suzuko's grandmother, the atmosphere around her is tender every second.

"Suzuko is too much. She promised to marry me back then, but in the end she left me here and made me wait year after year. Just now, I accidentally saw you who resembled her very much. I thought she was finally going to fulfill the promise Well, hehe."

Natsume Takashi: "...huh?"

Teacher Cat: "Huh?"

Masahiro Abe and Akane Motomiya honestly acted as background boards, because following the instructions of Gudazi, the two generals who were hidden nearby to ensure everyone's safety were also: "...?"

What's the situation?

Natori Zhou Yi frowned, feeling that it was not appropriate to continue digging into this matter.

I remember correctly, Natsume's grandmother was a girl, and the youkai who provided evidence of Suzuko's flirtatiousness in front of him was also a girl.

Ugh--?

Teacher Cat furiously said: "That guy Suzuko actually did such a thing! How irresponsible!"

Natsume Takashi broke out in a cold sweat, what do you mean?what's the situation?is this real?

Shelley smiled, and said softly: "Don't worry, of course I know what kind of person she is and what she will do. It's just that I am willing to wait for her, even if she will never come back to complete the agreement. "

Lowering her eyes, the warm sunlight shone on her body, and the many sounds around her made her recall that moment in a trance.

"Shelley? Shelley?"

The girl with long chestnut hair waved her hand, her flying spirit made the ice monster from the Snow Country shiver in discomfort, and buried herself in the shadow of the big tree.

"Are you here again? Human children, be careful to be eaten by monsters in this forest."

Natsume Reiko: "You told me your name, why don't you want to write it to me?"

Shelley said slowly, "Tell me, what are you doing here?"

"Well, I haven't thought about it, but now I think about it, how about taking Shelley to bask in the sun?"

"……Forgive me……"

Shelley hugged the thick tree with her hands sadly, but because the tree was too thick, she was easily caught and dragged towards the sunny river.

Natsume Reiko went her own way and seldom cared about other people's opinions. Similar situations often happened. At first, Shelley disliked this guy very much because she disturbed her own peace.

But after she said this to her, Suzuko tilted her head and asked bluntly, "Then what are you thinking about?"

Shelley thought for a while and said, "I'm wondering how I'm still alive."

Natsume Reiko: "What is this? It sounds like a waste of time, so don't even think about it, you will become stupid."

Listening to the ninja laughter coming from beside her, Shelley stared unconvinced. Her thick hair blocked her beautiful eyes, and even her threatening eyes couldn't exert their power.

"How can humans with short lifespans understand the thoughts of monsters?"

"But...you look lifeless."

Natsume Reiko picked up the stone next to her calf and threw it casually, leaving a few ripples on the river.

"Whether monsters or human beings can't understand each other, the time they experience will overlap. For example, you and I are staying together at this time. This overlapping time belongs not only to you, but also to me. And It's not black and white, but mixed together. Do you understand? Your lifelessness will also affect my mood. I ran all the way into the mountains, not to grow mushrooms with you."

Shelley hugged her knees and muttered unhappily: "I didn't ask you to come... Woohoo! What are you doing?"

The monster whose bangs were forcibly pulled away stared at her with a look of helplessness, but Natsume Reiko took out two hairpins from the pocket of her skirt to pin up her long hair on her forehead, revealing her amazing facial features. He whistled frivolously.

"I am content."

Shelley: "...You should die quickly! Human beings with a short lifespan should die sooner!"

"Look, I'm unhappy again after being cursed by you, so I'm going to punish."

"Whoa!!!"

……

"In the next few days, Suzuko always went to the mountain in the name of punishment, combed my hair, and dressed me. Those days passed quickly, and they disappeared in my hands before I knew it."

Shelley stroked the snow-colored black hair hanging down her chest, and whispered softly: "She is a willful fellow, and so am I."

The last time they met, both of them seemed to have noticed something, but they were pretending not to know.

At that time, Suzuko still smiled and said to her, seeing you become so beautiful, I will be very unhappy if someone else marries you, or... shall I marry you?

Shelley kicked her unhappily. Of course, she missed it, so she said to Suzuko unhappy: "How can a human being with a short lifespan keep the promise? Wait, Natsume Reiko, remember this is a curse I gave you, I will definitely wait."

Although when getting along, Shelley felt that she was a monster and was more ruthless, but in fact, the ruthless she chose to wait forever, but she who seemed affectionate and gentle never came back. She was indeed as Shelley said That missed the appointment.

"Hehe, why did you make such an expression?" Shelley squeezed Natsume's face, her thinking became more active as time went by, she no longer looked so confused and blunt, and the smile on her lips became more charming, " Looking at you like this, it's like seeing her expression after she missed the appointment, it feels weird, but also a little proud."

Natsume Takashi opened his pursed lips with a complex expression.

"Do you... hate grandma?"

"I hate her the most." Shelley said without hesitation, "She was the first human being who made an agreement with me, and she was also the first human being whom I cursed, but neither the agreement nor the curse succeeded. She died, right? ?"

Teacher Mao snorted softly: "That fickle woman, if you want me to tell you, you'd better not wait, she must have never thought of coming back from the beginning."

Shelley shook his head: "Even so, I will wait."

Natsume Takashi was taken aback, because Shelley's finger lightly touched the corner of his eye.

The banshee said softly: "I really hate her, but I like her more. There is a saying she said is right, whether it is human beings or monsters, although they cannot understand each other, when time overlaps, some feelings will fade away." Become interconnected. Just like me at this time, my body is full of traces of her, which makes me forget even if I want to."

"What a nasty guy, isn't he?"

grandmother……

Natsume Takashi subconsciously thought of the woman who appeared in the memory of many monsters.

Natsume Reiko.

Repelled by humans, she often mixes with monsters. The consequence of this is that the distance between Suzuko and humans is getting farther and farther.

But whether it's humans or youkai, when their times overlap, there is always something left over.

This may not even have occurred to Suzuko's grandmother.

He didn't really want to put the label of a coward on his grandmother, but after seeing the two people getting along with his own eyes, Natsume invisibly confirmed this view.

The moment the names were returned to Shelley, a scene from their past flashed in their minds.

The girl who pulled the banshee's hair back laughingly had gentle eyes with a little bit of slyness.

That was the way she was looking at her friend, and I don't know if Grandma Suzuko realized it in the end, or because she realized it, she was unwilling to continue getting along with her.

Natsume Takashi lay on the grass, looking at the sky, and couldn't stop thinking.

"Okay, boy, there is no need for extra thinking. Many regrets are missed opportunities precisely because of constant thinking."

Natsume looked at the banshee who was sitting cross-legged beside her, and the other's hand ran gently through his hair.

Shelley: "Since you look up, take a good look at the blue sky. This endless sky will eliminate the redundant worries in your heart. In many cases, instinct will replace thinking and make the right choice for you."

"Suzuko just misses it because she thinks too much. I hope you don't make the same mistakes and choose to 'miss the appointment' like her."

Natsume: "Grandmother...she likes you very much."

Shelley smiled gently: "I know."

The banshee's smiling expression was as moving as if her lover had accepted her love show, and the embarrassment was mixed with unstoppable joy, which impressed him deeply.

That night, several people returned to Fujiwara's house, and the lights in the house were unexpectedly turned on.

The group of Gudazi looked blankly at the middle-aged woman who opened the door, and Natsume was the first to react.

"Aunt Tazi?"

Toko Fujiwara looked at these teenagers and girls who used their dirty clothes to prove that they had a good time, and a deep smile flooded from the bottom of their eyes.

"Welcome back."

"I am back!"