Enchanted by His Beauty; Kamisato Ayato X Reader

Chapter 37: Gambit's Ploy

The storm of approaching footsteps grew closer, a thunderous wave of urgency that seemed to echo through the very air. 

Ayato's grip tightened, pulling you behind the concealment of the shrine's buildings. Your hearts raced in unison, a blend of trepidation and curiosity diving you to peer cautiously from your hidden vantage point, glancing at the unfolding scene. 

As you and Ayato carefully observed, a chilling tableau unfolded before you. A contingent of soldiers, roughly twenty in number, had encircled Yae Miko, forming an imposing phalanx. In their midst stood a figure whose very presence left a bitter, acrid taste in your mouth.

"Kujou Takayuki," you muttered through clenched teeth, the name dripping with disdain.

Yae Miko regarded Takayuki with an arched eyebrow, a subtle curl at the corners of her lips. "Oh? To what do I owe the pleasure of so many...guests gracing the Narukami shrine with their presence?"

The air thickened with tension as the tall, sinewy figure of the elderly man scoffed, dismissing Yae's diplomatic veneer. "Drop the pleasantries. Where are they?"

The soldiers aimed their weapons at Yae, their readiness to act palpable. The kitsune's mischievous laughter rippled through the tense atmosphere, though none of the soldiers seemed inclined to lower their weapons.

"Now, now," she cooed, a sly glint in her eyes, "Surely you recall the sanctity of this shrine? Violence has no home here." Her gaze held each weapon in turn, challenging the determination of the soldiers. 

Takayuki circled Yae, a predator stalking its prey, each step deliberate and calculated. "Lady Guuji," his voice dripped with the honeyed poison of political decorum, "Times have changed. Surely you can find it in your heart to extend a courtesy to the new governor? Shielding wanted political figures hardly befits your station."

The tension in the air crackled like electricity, every word laced with veiled threats and hidden agendas. In the midst of this complex situation, the shrine's sacred stones bore silent witness, their ancient wisdom holding secrets only the winds dared to whisper.

You turned to Ayato, your voice barely a whisper as shock rippled across your face. "We're wanted???"

Ayato's hushed response carried the weight of the grim reality he was witnessing. His eyes remained locked on the unfolding scene before him as he spoke, his voice tinged with a mix of anger and sorrow. "We're seen as...enemies of the oligarchy. The Tenryou and Kanjou Commissioners, along with their forces, are carrying out a political purge against us."

Your eyes widened in disbelief. "But why?"

Ayato's hand gently patted your head, though his touch bore a heaviness that betrayed the depth of his emotions. "Because we stand as the followers of the Shogun."

Yae's features contorted in a grimace of revulsion, her voice firm. "I assure you, whatever you seek is not within this shrine."

Kujou Takayuki's countenance darkened, his patience fraying at the edges. "Do you take me for a fool?!" His sword found its way to Yae's throat. He spoke with a chilling blend of authority, coldness, and precision. "You'd be wise not to underestimate my knowledge of their presence here."

The Commissioner's aged eyes pierced into Yae's, a chilling determination etched in his gaze. "Shinsuke and I invested the last fourteen years of our lives plotting the downfall of that ineffectual God. Hundreds have met their end at our hands, all for the sake of Inazuma's true prosperity." His expression soured. "Even that blue-haired brat's parents suffered their final days due to our orchestrated ailments, all because they refused to turn against their so-called Shogun."