"Feel free to state your terms. As long as I can bring Lord Raccoon Cat back to the shrine, I will agree to anything," Sakai Kaori said with a dead-serious expression. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

’Whoa, saying you’ll agree to "anything" is just asking to be misinterpreted.’ There were still quite a few customers in the shop. Seeing Sakai Kaori kneeling on the floor and saying something like that, the other patrons were starting to give them strange looks. Sylvie and Sun Qian kept glancing over, too.

’It’s not what you think!’ From the looks on their faces, the customers had clearly pegged Shen Yibin as some kind of villain trying to extort her. ’I’d better get this eccentric girl out of here, fast. God knows what she’ll do next.’ Shen Yibin quickly stood up and helped her to her feet.

"Let’s go talk upstairs. You’re scaring my customers." ’This isn’t Japan. You can’t just go around kneeling and kowtowing to people.’

"Ah, I’m so sorry! I’ll compensate you for your losses." As she spoke, she started rummaging in her bag for her bank card again.

"That’s not necessary. Please, just come upstairs with me. Hah’Er, Egg, let’s go." With that, Shen Yibin beckoned for Hah’Er and Egg to get up and follow him upstairs.

Normally, Shen Yibin didn’t care who went up the stairs first, but Sakai Kaori wouldn’t have it. She respectfully insisted that Egg go first. "As a shrine maiden, how could I possibly walk ahead of Lord Raccoon Cat? It would be far too disrespectful."

’From the looks of it, if we weren’t in my shop, she’d probably try to hold Hah’Er back from walking alongside Egg. That would also be disrespectful in her eyes. A panda might be cute, but it’s just a mortal creature. Lord Raccoon Cat, on the other hand, is a divine being.’

’But then again, if you took Egg back to Japan’s Warring States period, with the abilities it’s shown, duping those superstitious peasants and passing itself off as a god probably wouldn’t be all that difficult.’

Upstairs, Shen Yibin led Sakai Kaori to sit at the dining table. However, she absolutely refused to sit at a higher elevation than Egg. Instead, she chose to kneel on the floor to speak with him. Shen Yibin had no choice but to fetch two throw pillows from the bedroom to use as cushions, imitating her by sitting on the floor as well.

"Ah! You can’t be so disrespectful to Lord Raccoon Cat!" Just as Shen Yibin was wondering how to start the conversation, he heard Sakai Kaori cry out. He turned just in time to see Hah’Er and Egg roughhousing—Hah’Er was patting Egg on the head with its paw. Sakai Kaori immediately rushed forward to shield Egg.

’Good thing you got here a few days late,’ Shen Yibin thought, once again thankful she had missed the riverside barbecue. His relief was short-lived, however, as a sudden thought made him freeze. ’Uh oh... I like to pat Egg on the head, too. She doesn’t think that’s desecrating her deity, does she?’

"GA?" Egg had been having a great time playing with Hah’Er, so it was clearly annoyed at being interrupted. With a couple of grunts, it sidestepped Sakai Kaori and presented its head to Hah’Er again, as if inviting it to continue the patting.

"Lord Raccoon Cat, please, you must maintain your dignity!" Sakai Kaori’s heart shattered. ’You’re the divine being I’ve acknowledged! How can you act like this?’

"Sigh. The two of them are always roughhousing like this. It’s fine." Shen Yibin felt a headache coming on. ’This shrine maiden’s determination to get Egg is far greater than any previous customer’s. What am I going to do if her affinity test comes back and she doesn’t meet the requirements?’

"Huh? How can this be?" Sakai Kaori was conflicted. The Raccoon Cat, so revered at her family’s shrine, seemed to be treated no differently than any other pet here. It was difficult for her to accept.

"Don’t worry, Hah’Er and Egg are always careful when they play. Nothing bad will happen." ’Even... even that time by the river, Egg seemed to be fine, right?’

A troubled look crossed Sakai Kaori’s face. ’By all rights, as the shrine maiden of the Honjin Raccoon Shrine, I should be upholding Lord Raccoon Cat’s dignity. But since Lord Raccoon Cat himself doesn’t seem to mind, should I continue to interfere?’

"Bin, what’s for lunch?" Before they knew it, lunchtime had arrived. Sylvie poked her head out from the stairwell to ask, her eyes curiously sizing up Sakai Kaori. ’What’s this girl here for?’

"Ah, my bad. I was so caught up in our conversation that I lost track of time." Shen Yibin slapped his forehead in embarrassment. "I’ll go out and buy groceries right now."

He then turned to Sakai Kaori. "Miss Sakai, please stay and have lunch with us. We can continue our discussion afterward."

"I am sorry for the imposition." Sakai Kaori bowed deeply once more.

"Hah’Er, Egg, let’s go. We’ll see what goodies the fruit and vegetable shop has today. Miss Sakai, please rest here in the shop for a bit. We’re just going out to buy groceries." With that, Shen Yibin got ready to head downstairs.

"Um... may I go with you?" Sakai Kaori didn’t want to leave Egg’s side.

"Uh, alright." And so, Shen Yibin led the three of them out of the pet store and into the fruit and vegetable shop next door. He picked out some fish, shrimp, and bamboo shoots—ingredients that Egg and Hah’Er loved—then returned to the shop to start cooking.

’Hm? He took the fish and shrimp into the kitchen? Does Lord Raccoon Cat also like cooked food?’ Sakai Kaori watched with curiosity as Shen Yibin bustled about, seemingly under Hah’Er’s direction. Meanwhile, Egg was squatting at the kitchen entrance, its tongue lolling out, apparently unable to wait to taste the delicacies.

"Hah’Er, go tell the others to come up for lunch." Before long, the meal was ready. Sakai Kaori hurried over to help Shen Yibin carry the dishes to the dining table.

Without waiting for Shen Yibin’s instructions, Hah’Er and Egg grabbed their food bowls and sat down in their chairs, which gave Sakai Kaori another shock.

"This is Miss Sakai Kaori, a shrine maiden from Japan. And these are my employees, Sun Qian and Sylvie," Shen Yibin said, making simple introductions.

"A shrine maiden?" The title made both Sun Qian and Sylvie extremely curious.

"I am Sakai Kaori, the current successor and shrine maiden of the Honjin Raccoon Shrine in Sapporo, Japan. It is a pleasure to meet you." ’Sigh, why is this girl so formal? It’s making me feel all awkward,’ Shen Yibin thought.

"Alright, let’s save any questions for after the meal. Let’s eat, everyone, let’s eat." ’If I let her keep up with these formalities, the food will get cold.’

"Huh? How can Lord Raccoon Cat eat by himself? Please, allow me to serve you!" Seeing Egg holding its bowl and about to dig in, Sakai Kaori rushed forward.

With that, she took the food bowl from Egg’s grasp, picked up a piece of fish with her chopsticks, and looked as if she was actually about to feed Egg by hand. Shen Yibin, Sun Qian, and Sylvie all stared, completely dumbfounded.