Chapter 44 - Another Disguise.

Another disguise? And this time, disguised as a yokai!?

Hearing Konkiku's words, Miketsu was first startled, then, after a moment of careful thought, she understood. Indeed, her divine identity absolutely could not be exposed. Since she had to disguise herself as a human when going to the Human Realm, it was natural that she would need to disguise herself as a yokai when going to the Demon Realm.

“But those yokai are all so strange and varied. How can I disguise myself as a yokai without being discovered?” Miketsu voiced her question to Konkiku.

“Please rest assured, Lady Uka. Not to mention those who can shapeshift, there are many yokai who are naturally humanoid. Lady Uka, you can simply put some effort into your attire. As long as it's peculiar, strange, and conceals your appearance, that will be enough. Konkiku naturally has a way for the rest.” The little fox Konkiku said confidently, looking at Miketsu. Seeing Konkiku like this, Miketsu couldn't help but narrow her eyes suspiciously.

This little fox knows so much about this kind of thing. She probably often sneaks off to the Demon Realm to play, disguised as a yokai, when Tsuruha isn't paying attention. This time, she's bold enough to want me to go with her. Is she hiding some other ulterior motive?

Although she sensed Konkiku's unusual behavior, Miketsu didn't intend to point it out. She still planned to make a trip to the Demon Realm with Konkiku, for no other reason than that she desperately wanted to improve her diet. To get a meal with meat, even the somewhat risky Demon Realm was worth venturing into.

“So, when are we going?”

“For that, we'll need to wait until night. Yokai gatherings usually happen at night, so Lady Uka can use this time to sort out your attire.”

“Also, this matter absolutely, absolutely, absolutely cannot be known by Sister Tsuruha. Otherwise, not only will Lady Uka not be able to go, but I, Konkiku, will also be punished! And it will be a very severe kind!”

Don't let Sister Tsuruha's gentle demeanor in front of you fool you; she's very strict with the other foxes normally, completely lacking any foxy charm!

That last sentence was Konkiku's internal grumbling. As the most typical problem fox among the Inari foxes, she certainly didn't get punished lightly on a daily basis.

“Mm, I know that... Let's keep it from her for now.” Miketsu, who understood Tsuruha's personality, nodded and agreed with Konkiku. She planned to go a few times, and if there were no problems, she would then explain everything clearly to Tsuruha.

And so, after Miketsu and Konkiku discussed some further details, Konkiku left first to continue her patrol. They agreed to act tonight, and before that, Miketsu needed to resolve the issue of her external disguise.

Afterward, she sat alone on the torii, contemplating how to disguise herself. She needed to consider two main characteristics: concealment and peculiarity. At the same time, she also had to ensure her attire would, to some extent, prevent direct contact with yokai, lest her demon-warding power burn them and expose her identity.

After half an hour of solitary thought, Miketsu finally came up with a plan.

With a plan in mind, she immediately set to work. Miketsu decisively jumped off the torii. After wandering around the shrine and the Secret Realm, she found the foxes who had previously gone down the mountain to find human women's clothing for her. Under their bewildered gazes, Miketsu presented her new requests.

...

The sun in the sky quickly sank below the horizon. Daylight swiftly passed once more. After a brief twilight, Inari Mountain welcomed the arrival of night again.

At the second quarter of the Hour of the Dog, although it was still early for deep night, the shrine maidens had already closed the shrine and returned to their rooms. The foxes had also returned to their respective dwellings. At this moment, Inari Mountain's Human, Demon, and Divine Realms were all silent.

Inside the small building within the Secret Realm, Miketsu alone examined the attire the foxes had prepared for her during the day.

A pitch-black hooded robe, a large bundle of white bandages, and a pair of noticeably thickened and heightened geta. These three items were now laid out before Miketsu.

Looking at the items before her, Miketsu nodded in satisfaction, then immediately began her transformation. She first removed all her miko attire, then took up the long white bandages, wrapping them from her feet upwards, little by little. After considerable effort, she finally wrapped her entire body, not even sparing her head. Her short white hair was also completely bound within, leaving only a few slits for her mouth and eyes.

Just like that, in an instant, Miketsu had wrapped herself from head to toe in bandages, with no exposed skin, looking exactly like a mummy.

After checking the wrapping of her entire body, Miketsu picked up the pitch-black robe from the ground and put it on, pulling up its attached hood. Finally, she stepped into the heightened, thick geta.

At this very moment, Miketsu's appearance had undergone a radical change. A black robe covered most of her body, her exposed hands and face were wrapped in white bandages. In the shadows beneath the hood, her crimson eyes reflected an eerie glow. This combination suddenly gave Miketsu a strange sense of oppressive presence. Her originally petite figure, due to the heightening and the concealment of the black robe, seemed to vanish.

Standing before the indoor bronze mirror, Miketsu repeatedly examined and adjusted her new image. Overall, she was very satisfied, especially with her naturally slightly glowing crimson eyes. Paired with the shadows of the hood and the exposed, wrapped bandages, the effect was simply superb, giving her the distinct impression of a sinister villain.

Miketsu looked at herself in the bronze mirror, pondering what else she could adjust to make herself feel more alien, more non-human. Suddenly, she had a whimsical idea. She reached out and pulled down a strip of bandage on her face just a little, perfectly covering her left eye, leaving only her right eye exposed, emitting a faint red glow, creating a cycloptic image.

After this adjustment, Miketsu felt her appearance was even closer to that of a yokai. After giving her transformation a high score in her mind, she looked at the bright moon outside the window and estimated the time.

“It's almost time.”

After a final check of her disguise, Miketsu exited the room and pulled the door shut, then quietly and secretly left the Secret Realm under the moonlight. Read at Novels Haven (novelshaven.com)

Normally, she would be asleep by this time, and Tsuruha wouldn't disturb her until morning. As long as she could return before dawn, her sneaking out for the night wouldn't be discovered.

Although she also wanted to explain things clearly to Tsuruha and get her permission to go to the Demon Realm to improve her diet—after all, she was a deity and Tsuruha was her divine messenger, so Tsuruha should ultimately agree if Miketsu insisted—doing so would undoubtedly betray Konkiku. The little fox had repeatedly warned her not to tell Tsuruha about this, otherwise, regardless of the outcome, she would be punished.

For all these reasons, Miketsu currently felt like a child or student sneaking out behind their parents' or teachers' backs.