Kinoshita Mai, who had pulled the face towel up to her lower eyelids, lowered her little head so that her chin was almost touching her collarbone. Her eyes were fixed on her petite toes and the ten delicate strands wrapped under the black footbags.

The toes are constantly gripping the ground beneath their feet.

Although Kinoshita Mai pulled up the hijab on her face and tightened it, she actually only pulled it up, and the bright red clouds covered the corners of her eyes and forehead.

Even though Kinoshita Mai wore it to cover the area below her eyes, he was already very familiar with Kinoshita Mai's face. When he looked at Kinoshita Mai wearing a hijab, he could automatically picture Kinoshita Mai's face in his mind.

.

Even the corners of his eyes and forehead were flushed... Qingden could already imagine how red the area under his eyelids was now.

At this moment, Qingdeng felt a little moved in his heart.

Based on Kinoshita Mai's behavior and explanation just now, it is not difficult to see that Kinoshita Mai was anxious to see Qingnobo's injuries with her own eyes, and that's why she made the abnormal move of "asking Qingnobo to take off his clothes quickly and let me see".

After it was confirmed that Qingdeng's injuries were not serious and his worries were relieved, he slowly began to realize what a bold thing he had just done.

In this kind of environment where there are no outsiders, a man and a woman alone, asking a man to take off his upper body clothes... This kind of thing is very bold in the 21st century, let alone the 19th century.

feudal society.

Kinoshita Mai was so concerned about his injuries, which really touched Qingto.

Originally, Qingdeng didn't feel too embarrassed. After all, "taking off his shirt and exposing the wound to others" was completely harmless to Qingdeng, and he made the bold request of "taking off his clothes and showing the wound"

The person is Kinoshita Mai, not him.

But...after seeing Kinoshita Mai with her head lowered and her cheeks flushed, Qingto could not help but gradually feel embarrassed due to the influence of the surrounding atmosphere.

In addition to feeling embarrassed, Qingdeng also found that the itching feeling in his heart was getting stronger...

Qingdeng felt as if an invisible hand was scratching his chest... There was an itchy feeling on his chest.

I don't know if he was affected by this itching feeling, but Qingdeng felt that his heart was beating a little faster now.

What a strange feeling... I have never experienced this kind of itching feeling in my heart, whether in my previous life or this life.

While Qingdeng put his clothes back on, he was thinking about what to say to get rid of the awkward atmosphere.

While he was thinking, Qingto's eyes unconsciously fell on Kinoshita Mai.

Something that Qingdeng found incredible happened suddenly.

When his eyes were focused on Kinoshita Mai, Qingden suddenly found that the numbness in his heart had become much stronger...

The sudden itching sensation in his heart made Qingden subconsciously raise his hand to scratch his chest.

Originally, he wanted to say something to get rid of the awkward atmosphere lingering between the two of them, but due to the sudden and intense itching sensation in his heart, Qingdeng didn't know what to say now.

what.

Fortunately, at this moment, a strange sound suddenly sounded, which helped Qingdeng solve the problem of "how to speak"——

Meow~~meow~~meow~~meow~~

As Qing climbed up to their sides, a black cat appeared out of nowhere.

This black cat didn't seem to be very afraid of people. It sat on the ground obediently and meowed several times at Qingdeng and Kinoshita Mai.

"Ah, it's a cat~" Looking at her favorite animal, Kinoshita Mai's eyes suddenly softened a lot.

"This cat is so fat..." Qingdeng sighed in a low voice.

"There must be someone feeding it nearby." Kinoshita Mai agreed softly.

This black cat is really helpful.

With the presence of this "third party", Aoto and Mai Kinoshita had a few simple discussions about the size of the black cat, and most of the awkward atmosphere around them immediately dissipated.

Taking advantage of this good momentum, Qingden said quickly to Mai Kinoshita: "Miss Kinoshita, it's time for us to go back."

Qingdeng raised his head and glanced at the sky, then said:

"Being so tormented by that mysterious man in brown robe... Before I knew it, it was already this time, I have to go back quickly."

Judging from the current weather conditions, it is almost 5 a.m.

It is now approaching May, the days are getting longer and longer, and the dawn is getting earlier and earlier. If Aoto and Kinoshita Mai don't go back quickly now, it will be almost dawn.

"Hmm..." Kinoshita Mai nodded lightly.

"Let's go." Qingdeng coughed a few times, adjusted his clothes and the mask on his face, and walked out of the alley first.

Whether it is the mysterious person, the eternal gift "Hachiman of the Immortal", or the tingling feeling of unknown origin that has not completely dissipated from Qingto's heart until now, all of them are put behind his mind for the time being.

, leave it to think about it later.

Now, hurry back to the trial clinic.

Qingto and Kinoshita Mai walked out of the alley one after the other.

At this time, Kinoshita Mai suddenly seemed to have recalled something, and her steps stopped.

"Ah, wait a minute." Kinoshita Mai called out to Qingto, "I almost forgot... Tachibana-kun, this is for you."

"Huh?" Qingden, who was walking in the front, turned his eyes in confusion, and happened to see Kinoshita Mai taking out a delicate cherry blossom from her arms.

It was the cherry blossom that Mai Kinoshita had taken off just before she left the riverside with Aoto and chased the mysterious man and was blown by the night wind in front of her eyes.

"this is?"

The corners of Mai Kinoshita's mouth hidden under the scarf curled up slightly: "Tachibana-kun, there are actually two reasons why I suddenly took you to see the cherry blossoms by the river just now."

"The first reason is that I told you that I want to try to see the night cherry blossoms."

"And the second reason... is that I want to make you an amulet."

After that, Kinoshita Mai closed her eyes, held the delicate cherry blossom with both hands, moved her lips, and recited something in a low voice to the cherry blossom in her palm with a volume as soft as a mosquito's moan.

The posture is solemn, like a devout believer praying to the gods.

Qingden originally had many questions that he wanted to ask Kinoshita Mai, but after seeing Kinoshita Mai's pious look, in order not to disturb Kinoshita Mai, he swallowed back all the questions that had flowed to his lips.

Belly.

——What is she doing?

Qingto asked himself this in his mind while gathering his thoughts. Relying on his newly enhanced hearing tonight, Qingto could barely hear clearly what Kinoshita Mai was reciting - a paragraph mixed with many ancient Japanese words, very mysterious.

Congratulations in Taoist style.

Aoto doesn't know much about Shintoism, so Aoto doesn't quite understand the meaning of this blessing that Kinoshita Mai is currently reciting.

Therefore, Qingto could only wait slowly, waiting for Kinoshita Mai to finish reciting her congratulatory message to the cherry blossom in her palm.

Finally - after a long while, Kinoshita Mai stopped chanting and slowly opened her eyes.

"Tachibana-kun, please accept this." Kinoshita Mai handed the cherry blossom in her palm to Qingteng with both hands.

To show respect, Qingto took the cherry blossom from Kinoshita Mai with both hands, "Miss Kinoshita, what is this?"

Kinoshita Wu smiled:

"You 'Sanchai' have been in a troubled time recently, haven't you?"

"The 'radical anti-barbarian faction' is still causing unrest."

"The notorious anti-barbarian group is still at large."

"So just now when I was passing by the riverside with cherry blossom trees, I thought about using the cherry blossoms to make you an amulet that can protect your safety."

Having said this, Kinoshita Mai's voice paused for a moment, and then changed to a proud tone.

"I know a pretty magical spell."

"As long as you recite this incantation to a cherry blossom, you can imbue the cherry blossom with divine power and turn it into a talisman that can bring good luck to the holder."

"It's very effective! I have tried it myself. After carrying around the cherry blossoms that have been imbued with divine power by my spell, my luck will really become very good!"

Qingto raised his eyebrows, lowered his eyes, looked at the cherry blossom in his hand, and couldn't help but smile: "In other words, Miss Kinoshita, the long paragraph you just recited to this cherry blossom sounded like a Shinto blessing.

Is that thing the spell you just mentioned that can imbue Sakura with divine power?"

"Yeah!" Kinoshita Mai pecked the little head vigorously a few times.

——Is there a spell that can imbue Sakura with divine power...

Although he has experienced the rather unscientific thing of time travel, Qingdeng is still a very firm atheist.

"Infusing magical power into cherry blossoms", "bringing good luck to people"... Qingnobo was not particularly interested in Kinoshita Mai's remarks.

But, after all, this is a good intention from others.

Therefore, Qingden held the cherry blossom to his chest with both hands very solemnly, and said sternly to Kinoshita Mai:

"Thank you, I will always carry this amulet with me."

After being told "Thank you" by Aoto... Mai Kinoshita, whose expression under the kerchief became slightly unnatural, placed her clasped hands in front of her body, stretched her left foot behind her right foot, and placed her left instep close to her right heel.

He stuttered in response:

"No, you're welcome...it's just a little effort from me..."

Seeing Kinoshita Mai's embarrassed posture, a faint and gentle smile unconsciously appeared on Ayoto's cheeks.
To be continued...