God's Bride

 I am the cleaner of the Fire God, but for some reason, I am being doted on as a bride ~Moon Viewing Edition~

Author: Asaki Ito

Here, inside a certain mansion.

A girl dressed in a pale purple kimono walked through the interior surrounded by foreign furnishings.

In her hand, she held a small birdcage. There was nothing inside.

"Sayo, bring that over here."

Reaching out to take the birdcage was a tall man with brown hair. He wore an eyepatch and gazed fondly at Sayo with his lone eye.

The man's name was Hoozuki Oni.

He was a god who controlled fire in this imperial capital.

The girl known as Sayo gently handed the delicate birdcage to the god.

"Yes, Lord Hoozuki... um, may I ask, what will you do with this empty birdcage?"

"Catch the moon."

"The moon, you say?"

Seeing Sayo blink her eyes like a child, Hoozuki suddenly offered a gentle smile.

"I couldn't predict in what form it would appear this time, but since it emerged from the divination birdcage, it might be in the shape of a bird."

"So, it wasn't decided from the beginning to use this birdcage?"

"Correct. We had the fox foretell, and this time the oracle instructed us to use a birdcage, so I brought it out from storage."

Sayo gazed at the rounded birdcage in Hoozuki's hand.

It said nothing. Though Sayo could hear the voices of objects, the birdcage didn't say anything to her.

But it didn't seem to harbor hostility.

The birdcage seemed to maintain silence modestly.

"When you say 'this time,' does that mean the moon might appear in a form other than a bird?"

"Yes. Crescent moon, half moon, full moon... the moon takes various forms. It's said to have a hundred faces. It once appeared as a wolf, which made catching it quite a challenge."

Sayo tilted her head slightly.

Catching the moon. And it might appear as a wolf or a bird.

"I apologize, but I can't quite imagine what it means to catch the moon... Is there anything I need to prepare?"

"Well, how about some warm sake, and then moon-viewing rice cakes?"

"... It sounds just like moon viewing?"

"Tonight is the full moon. Might as well enjoy it."

Certainly, as Sayo bowed her head earnestly, Hoozuki narrowed his eyes for a moment.

"Of course, you are involved as well. After all, you were my wife," Hoozuki said.

At the moment she heard those words, a faint blush tinged Sayo's ears.

"No, I am... I am the cleaner for Lord Hoozuki, so I am not your wife."

"Still saying that? We even exchanged sake cups. We are as good as engaged."

"Well, that was because if I didn't, I wouldn't be allowed into this mansion... the Kaguragoten, the Fire Treasury."

"But we exchanged cups. Therefore, you are my bride, aren't you?"

"Well, yes."

"Finally, accept it and let yourself be loved by me. It will make things easier."

The words flowing from his beautiful lips were sweet, focused solely on Sayo.

His golden eyepatch narrowed with a dreamy look, unlike its usual sharpness.

Sayo couldn't seem to get used to the abundant honey-like love pouring forth from her divine husband.

Looking down at the blushing bride in her innocence, Hoozuki smirked with satisfaction.

Hoozuki and Sayo.

Their meeting had taken place within the mansion of Shoujou.

Sayo, born into the house of Kannagi, whose purpose was to console, communicate with, and serve gods, had no special abilities.

As a result, she was mistreated, falsely accused, expelled from her birth home, and sold to the Ayakashi known as Shoujou.

That's when Hoozuki found her.

He was a god who controlled fire, possessed immense power, yet his appearance was transformed into ugliness by a curse.

Due to his repulsiveness, all potential bride candidates fled from him.

However, Sayo crossed paths with him.

She wasn't daunted by Hoozuki's appearance.

For Hoozuki, that was enough.

That's why Hoozuki desired Sayo to be his bride.

However, Sayo, who hadn't received proper education as a priestess, adamantly refuses, feeling she's unworthy to be the bride of the Fire God.

Instead, she possessed the ability of "Butterfly Ears," the power to hear the voices of objects.

Therefore, she believed she could be of use as the cleaner of Hoozuki's mansion, the "Fire Treasury."

Yet, the Fire Treasury was under a curse. Any humans aside from a bride who entered brought about harm.

Hence, Sayo reluctantly accepted the marriage with Hoozuki, insisting she was just his cleaner.

Such resistance, from Hoozuki's perspective, appeared as endearing shyness from his wife, Sayo.

＊

Night brought a slight chill. The warmth of hot sake felt pleasant.

Sayo placed the ordered hot sake and moon-viewing rice cakes on a tray, then headed towards Hoozuki's workroom.

She knocked on the door, but there was no response. As Sayo tilted her head in puzzlement, a voice called from the end of the corridor.

"Sayo, over here. You can get to the roof from here."

"Are you planning to catch the moon on the roof?"

"It's better without obstructions. Come."

Following his beckoning hand, Sayo followed Hoozuki to the rooftop.

The Fire Treasury was a Western-style mansion built by Hoozuki, imitating the Art Deco style.

The roof was made of a light brown stone rather than tiles.

It was mostly flat, making it easy to walk on.

Looking up, the silver moon shone brilliantly.

Taking the tray from Sayo, Hoozuki led her to a crimson cloth spread in the center of the roof.

On the cloth lay the birdcage she saw during the day.

As Sayo hesitantly sat down on the cloth, she felt a gentle warmth emanating from around her waist.

"It's enchanted to keep warm. Nights can get a bit cold."

"Thank you."

Sitting down heavily beside Sayo, Hoozuki scooted close, started drinking sake from a hand-poured cup.

Feeling a mixture of flustered and bewildered by Hoozuki's warm body temperature, when Sayo reached out to pour herself some sake, her hand was suddenly held.

"Your hands are cold. Hold onto my hand instead. It might serve as a substitute for a brazier."

"N-No, I couldn't possibly impose such a thing."

Indeed, Hoozuki's hand was warm, and combined with the cushion beneath them, Sayo no longer felt the cold.

Instead, her heart raced uncontrollably. She had never been this close to Hoozuki before.

As if to shake off her heightened awareness of Hoozuki's presence, Sayo looked up at the night sky.

"The full moon is so beautiful. It looks like it might fall."

"That's true. Good tears could be collected from it."

"Tears? Aren't you trying to catch the moon?"

"What I want is the tears of the moon. A potion made with them becomes an aphrodisiac."

"An aphrodisiac..."

Despite feeling flustered by the suggestive words, Sayo inquired further.

"Is this also a request from another god?"

"Yes. Quite the strange request for a god to desire an aphrodisiac. There must be some human they want to deceive."

As the Fire God Hoozuki, he specialized in crafting objects. While he sometimes created things at his own discretion, he mainly fulfilled requests from other gods.

Thus, the Fire Treasury was filled with items made or in the process of being made by Hoozuki. This is why they needed a skilled cleaner like Sayo.

"There are several methods for making aphrodisiacs, but those using tears of the moon are the most potent."

"...But, you couldn't get the tears unless the moon cried, right?"

"Exactly."

"It's a bit pitiful to make it cry, isn't it?"

As Sayo muttered, she felt a hint of a smile from Hoozuki.

"Don't worry. They cry on their own accord. Now, look."

Hoozuki pointed to the birdcage placed beside him.

At first glance, it still appeared empty, but a change was occurring.

Not within the birdcage itself, but in the shadow it cast, the form of a bird had emerged.

Sayo almost let out a gasp, but held it back.

She saw the silver light begin to take shape within the birdcage's shadow.

The light coalesced into thin threads, forming a mass. Gradually, the mass started to resemble a small bird.

Before long, a silver bird appeared within the birdcage.

"Wow..."

Despite being the size of a sparrow, it glistened in the moonlight, possessed majestic wings.

Its eyes were golden, its beak faintly tinged with gray, emanating a solemn atmosphere.

Somehow, Sayo felt that this bird was not of this world. It was different from the gods like Hoozuki, something she couldn't communicate with using words.

Afraid that making a loud noise might startle the bird away, Sayo asked in a hushed tone.

"What a beautiful bird. Is this the moon you wanted to catch, Lord Hoozuki?"

"Yes. Although, I thought it would be a bit larger."

In response to Hoozuki's words, the small bird spread its wings.

And suddenly, the shadow began to grow at an astonishing rate.

While the actual bird could fit in the palm of one's hand, its shadow expanded to cover the entire rooftop of the Fire Treasury.

The shadow had flamboyant tail feathers, and while it had a small beak, it held its head high with a somewhat haughty air.

"It's going to cry."

As Hoozuki spoke, he pulled out a beautiful small box from his pocket. Made of jade and adorned with goldwork, it was only large enough to hold three or four pieces of sugar candy.

It reminded Sayo of a beautiful seashell from a tropical land.

As soon as the bird caught sight of the box, its shadow began to tremble.

While the bird inside the birdcage remained motionless, its shadow seemed to writhe with life.

When Hoozuki extended the opened box towards the shadow, the bird emitted a soft chirp.

Unlike the cute chirping of a small bird or the crowing of a rooster, its unique sound resonated in Sayo's chest like a lingering melody from a harp.

Gradually, the shadow turned to face Sayo.

Its beak lowered gently, and it approached Sayo with caution.

Quick to intervene, Hoozuki intervened, but the creature was just a shadow. It easily slipped past the hand of the Fire God and touched Sayo's shadow.

From that shadow, a single white drop fell.

Swiftly reaching out, Sayo's shadow mimicked the same movement.

In Sayo's shadowy hand lay a single pearl-like droplet, which rolled gently.

"Ah..."

And in Sayo's palm, a white droplet appeared as well.

Resembling a miniaturized full moon, it shone vividly and emitted a rainbow of colors when rolled slightly.

It was luxurious like a pearl, yet dazzling like a diamond. It was too extravagant, too beautiful to be called a tear.

"So, these are tears of the moon..."

"Yes, the tears of tonight are exceptionally beautiful."

Hoozuki murmured softly as he gently plucked the tear from Sayo's palm, carefully placing it back into the small box he had opened earlier.

When the lid closed with a snap, the unintentional intensity that Sayo had felt seemed to dissipate, and she let out a relieved sigh.

Staring at the bird's shadow, Sayo muttered almost to herself.

"Why do you cry so beautifully?"

"...One theory is that they cry out of pity for us."

"Pity?"

"We, immortal gods who cannot exist without mortals. I've heard that they cry out of pity and sympathy for our fleeting existence."

Listening to Hoozuki's words, Sayo gazed at the bird's shadow.

Although she couldn't hear anything from the shadow, she focused her senses, attempting to gauge its emotions.

It might be an entity neither human nor god, devoid of emotions.

Yet, Sayo felt a connection with the bird's shadow, as if they might share the same sentiment. She thought it could be a being she could empathize with, someone who could understand her feelings.

"From what I can tell, I don't sense such pity."

"Hmm. Can the 'Butterfly Ears' that hear the voices of things also work with the moon?"

"I'm not sure, but... maybe we're not so different after all."

Sayo murmured softly.

"True, humans are ephemeral creatures, living about sixty years at most... But it's like the waxing and waning of the moon. We live and die, just like the moon goes through its phases. There's nothing constant, and we die to be reborn, and are born to eventually die."

In Sayo's mind, she saw her mother's face.

Her mother, a skilled priestess, had passed away when Sayo was young.

Still, she retained the knowledge passed down from her mother. Inheriting her mother's blood, Sayo herself was here.

"There was my grandmother who raised my mother, my mother who gave birth to me, and me... If something is passed down and continues to exist, perhaps death isn't necessarily something sad or pitiable."

"After all, the inevitability of death is a fate of life. Mourning every single time wouldn't get us very far."

Hoozuki spoke with amusement.

"So, what you're saying is that there's no reason for the moon to be pitied?"

"No, no, I didn't mean it that way at all. I've spoken at length and been quite rude."

Sayo fumbled for words, fidgeting with her sleeve.

"It's just that I thought maybe this moon isn't pitying us, but perhaps it's empathizing with us."

"Empathy, huh? That's a theory I've never heard before... Interesting. I like it."

Hoozuki responded cheerfully, his gaze fixed on the bird inside the cage.

The once large shadow had shrunk, now the same size as the actual bird.

With golden eyes, the bird tilted its head slightly and let out another melodious chirp.

Then, the bird fluttered its wings gently.

Slipping through the bars of the cage, the silver bird flew towards Sayo and perched delicately on her fingertip.

Blinking her eyelashes, Sayo gazed intently at the bird.

The silver light somehow felt softer than before.

The bird let out another chirp, and a tear fell from its eye.

A tear of the same size as before floated gently in front of Sayo.

She hastily caught it with her other hand, and the small bird puffed out its chest contentedly.

"Seeing a second tear is a first for me. Quite generous, isn't it?"

Mocking, Hoozuki teased, causing the bird to turn its head away from him and take flight from Sayo's hand.

Its form melted into silver light.

In an instant, the outline of the bird vanished into the air, dispersing into a sparkling cascade that vanished into thin air.

As with their previous encounter, their departure was just as casual.

Sayo watched the lingering traces of light in the sky wistfully, then presented the second tear of the moon to Hoozuki.

However, Hoozuki did not accept it.

"That's what the moon has given you. If you're making an aphrodisiac, one tear is more than enough. Keep it for yourself."

While saying this with tolerance, he crossed his arms, seemingly annoyed.

"But giving a gift to a wife in front of her husband, don't you think that takes some nerve?"

"Excuse me?"

"Were you trying to woo Sayo? I don't like it. If you're going to give Sayo a gift, you should first ask for permission from me, her husband."

"Uh... Should I still hand it over to you, Lord Hoozuki?"

"No, you can't. It's yours. I don't like it at all, but fine."

Sayo was unsure of what to do.

If Hoozuki was upset by receiving the moon's tear, she would rather return it.

She only serves Hoozuki, no one else. And she wishes for him to be happy.

Ignoring Sayo's confusion, Hoozuki looked down at the small box containing the moon's tear.

"We've achieved the goal of obtaining the moon's tear. Shall we relax and enjoy the moonlight together? Sayo, will you join me?"

"Of course, my lord."

Hoozuki and Sayo once again nestled close together, gazing up at the brilliantly shining full moon.

Sayo pinched the second moon's tear with her fingers and held it up to the sky. Bathed in the moonlight, it gleamed even more beautifully.

"Beautiful."

"Do you like it? I could give you much more beautiful things if I wanted."

Hoozuki's straightforward words caused Sayo's lips to involuntarily curl into a smile.

It was a bit uncomfortable and embarrassing that this mighty Fire Deity had taken an interest in her, but it also made her feel somewhat happy.

His sincere words gradually started to melt away the tension in Sayo's heart, and she could feel it seeping in.

"Thank you very much. However, I already have something beautiful."

"I, I see. But aside from the moon's tear, there are many other beautiful things. Maybe I should make something for you."

Trying to catch Sayo's attention, Hoozuki spoke enthusiastically, and she looked at the eye not covered by his eyepatch.

His golden eyes radiated a brilliance comparable to the moon's tear. They observed every move Sayo made, not missing a thing.

For Sayo, who saw these eyes every day, she didn't need any special gifts.

She just needed to look up and see someone by her side.

"No, there's no need for you to make anything. Instead, please allow me to stay by your side a little longer."

Hoozuki appeared taken aback by Sayo's words, but after a moment, he smiled with a hint of happiness.

"Of course! We've been companions for a long time, haven't we? Let's be together not just for a short while, but for eternity."

The Fire Deity cheerfully took Sayo's hand. As she returned the warm grip, Sayo smiled softly.

Thank you for reading!