"Hanachirusato? That’s quite a lovely name. Would you be interested in working at my Grand Narukami Shrine?"

Although corruption was something she was meant to eliminate—

Hanachirusato was an exception she was willing to make.

After all, she carried the traces of Lady Kitsune Saiguu.

Allowing one such exception... was acceptable.

"Lady Guuji jests. I am merely a corruption that inherited Lady Kitsune Saiguu’s memories. Once the Sacred Sakura Cleansing Ritual is complete, I will disperse along with it."

Which meant—

There was no possibility of her surviving.

At her core, she was no different from the Tumor of Filth just destroyed.

She wasn’t meant to exist in this world.

Hanachirusato had already accepted her fate.

She understood where her destiny lay.

And she knew the Guuji of the shrine understood that she could not continue to exist after the ritual.

Surely it was just polite words.

"Yes. Once the ritual ends, you’ll disappear. But... what if we simply don’t complete it?"

Yae Miko gently touched Hanachirusato’s mask.

"Look—your savior has already arrived."

"Before long, someone will return to Inazuma. I thought it might be nice for her to see that someone inherited her will."

Su Ran didn’t name the person.

But to Hanachirusato, it was obvious.

She was formed from Kitsune Saiguu’s memories.

If there was a will to inherit—

It could only be Saiguu’s.

But hadn’t Saiguu been devoured by the calamity of darkness?

How could she return?

If she could return—

Then why had Hanachirusato come into being?

Confusion filled her heart.

She did not understand.

But—

When she heard the news,

Her heart filled with joy.

Not joy at surviving.

But joy at knowing that Kitsune Saiguu would return to Inazuma.

"That won’t be necessary. If Lady Saiguu returns, then there is even less reason for me to exist."

She understood her own nature.

She was something that should never have existed.

"Because of your essence?"

Su Ran asked.

She nodded.

If she were not fundamentally corruption—

Of course she would wish to live and witness the beauty of the world.

But because she was filth,

She believed she had no right to remain.

"You’re overthinking it. I only need to extract your consciousness. You’ve already developed a self—awareness. Even if your consciousness was attached to corruption, it doesn’t mean it must vanish alongside the source."

For Su Ran, saving Hanachirusato was unnecessary.

But he wanted to.

It wouldn’t bring him material benefit.

But if it made him happy—

That was enough.

"When Saiguu is reborn, I think I should give her a gift. You’d be perfect. Maybe then she’ll be grateful to me forever. Perhaps she’ll even turn into a little fox and let me hold her."

He framed it as selfish motivation.

That way—

Hanachirusato wouldn’t feel burdened by guilt for surviving.

The choice would no longer rest on her shoulders.

Hanachirusato understood he was simply trying to save her.

Whether his stated reason was genuine or not no longer mattered.

What mattered was—

They were determined to save her.

She felt moved.

Yet didn’t know what to say.

How to thank them.

How to repay such kindness.

She didn’t know.

But she knew—

She could live.

"Thank you... everyone."

It was all she could manage.

"No need for thanks."

Yae Miko waved it off.

"Su Ran, can you solve her issue right now?"

That was what she truly cared about.

Because—

She had just thought of a brilliant idea.

"You’re scheming again, aren’t you?"

"Well... Ei is still learning to cook."

Miko smiled wickedly.

Su Ran inhaled sharply.

He stared at her in disbelief.

He thought she wanted to save Hanachirusato out of compassion.

Turns out—

This was her plan?!

"I don’t think your name should be Yae Miko."

That caught everyone’s attention.

"Oh? Then what should I be called?"

"Heartless. Or perhaps utterly devoid of conscience."

Saving her—

Just to send her into hell?

Even Satan would tattoo your name on his back!

"Hanachirusato, do you still want to die? It’s not too late!"

Su Ran looked at her solemnly.

Child, run!

What lies ahead is worse than hell!

Hanachirusato, utterly confused, watched his sudden shift in attitude.

"...So I can’t escape after all."

Later, beneath the Sacred Sakura—

Su Ran sighed.

He had originally not wanted to save her—for her own good.

Now that she was alive—

There was no running.

"Th-This... is this something humans eat?"

Paimon stared at the plate in horror.

Even Lumine swallowed nervously.

Was this truly edible?

Hanachirusato calmly picked up a charcoal-like piece and placed it in her mouth.

She chewed slowly.

Everyone else swallowed nervously.

"What a strange sensation..."

"Eh?! You didn’t spit it out?!"

Paimon’s tiny face was filled with disbelief.

Someone could actually eat that?!

"Perhaps you’ve forgotten—she was originally corruption. Even though she’s been given a new body, her consciousness is still what it once was. Something like this is nothing to her."

After all—

Wasn’t "corruption" essentially the same thing as Ei’s cooking?

Therefore—

Hanachirusato wouldn’t feel the instinctive disgust a normal person would.

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