Discussing stuff with those greedy bastards... You can't think of anything good that you can get from them, they only care for their own kind. You write to Sanae that you don't think you can benefit from negotiating with them and to tell the tengus that the bath house is already destroyed by Kanako and Suwako. She nods and turns to the staring high tengu.

“I'm sorry, we're unable to comply with your request.”

“Hm?” The tengu lord looks to you. “Why so?”

“Because the bath house that you mentioned is already destroyed.”

The high tengus are now talking to each other. It seems they are displeased by that.

“You can check the site yourselves, there are no longer any buildings around there,” Sanae adds. The lord gives a handsign to the reporter, and she walks out of the room.

“Now, while we're waiting for her report, would you tell us the why you built the bath house in the first place?”

“I will. The bath house was built by Lady Suwako-”

-------

“Thank you Reimu, as usual your tea is delicious~”

“Yeah, whatever...”

“Anyway, let's talk about that man you are hanging out with lately-”

“Hey hey hey, I told you, I don't want to talk about him now. ”

“But it's important for you to continue your bloodline, before you turn into an old hag~”

“Just like you, right?”

“Hihihihi, oh Reimu, there's no such thing as 'old hag' if the person that you're talking about is a youkai~”

*Tap! Tap! Tap!*

“I knew I'll find you here.”

Suwako walks from somewhere.

“What do you wa-”

“She's not talking to you, darling~”

The gap youkai puts her tea aside and retracts her fan.

“Hey, you have a problem with-”

“Don't worry about this Reimu. I'll be leaving early today, okay~”

Yukari walks to the goddess. Suwako's face looks very serious.

“Now, how about a nice walk while we're talking?”

-----

*Srrrk!*

The reporter returns, and gives the photos to the complaining high tengu.

“She's right, I didn't see any bath house there.”

“You have heard the details, and the offending building has been destroyed. Anything else?” The lord asks.

“...Please give our message to Lady Suwako so that she refrains from building stuff without our permission in the future.”

“I will.”

“Okay, this meeting is adjourned. You can leave now, except the Moriya envoys; I request your audience for a little bit longer. I hope you do not mind.”

“Of course we don't mind it, my lord.”

The high tengus are leaving the room after bowing to Lord Tenma, whispering to each other on their way out. Probably badmouthing your shrine for not playing their game, but that's what they get for being a bunch of selfish bastards.

“Come closer Nobu,” The lord commands and you obey. “I see you've found a replacement for my book. May I take a look at that device?”

It seems she doesn't mind that you don't have her gift... Still, you better don't tell her that her gift is ruined... You show her the device, and she starts examining it.

“Interesting device... It's like-”

“Uh, boss?” The reporter calls her. She didn't leave the room earlier.

“Hatate, I thought you left already. What's-”

“Sorry boss, but I think someone's left out...” She refers to the shrine maiden behind you.

“Don't worry, please don't mind me if you want to talk to Nobu my lord,” Sanae quickly says.

“Ah, where are my manners?” She gives the writing pad back to you, then looks to her. “Pardon me, miss Kochiya. I am Tenma, lord of the Tengu.”

“It's a pleasure to meet you Lord Tenma, my name's Kochiya Sanae, shrine maiden from Moriya Shrine. Nobu told us much about you.”

“Oh, is that so?” She thinks for a while, then turns her head to her reporter. “Hatate, don't you need to gather more news for your paper? You don't want Aya to take all the interesting ones, do you?”

“Ah, okay boss!”

The purple-skirt reporter bows to her and quickly leaves the room.

“She has a long way to go. If Aya doesn't have any competition, she can't improve herself...”

“Competition?”

“Yeah, that feeling when someone bests you, it compels oneself to be better-”

The lord suddenly stops.

“Ah, pardon me, do you mind if we drop the formalities?”

“Of course not-... I mean, if you wish it, my lord.”

“Do [i]you[/i] wish it?”

“Well... To be honest, I want us to speak in a... friendlier manner. I mean, there are times when we need to be serious and all, but outside of our duty, I will appreciate if we could talk with less pressure on our shoulders...”

The lord looks to her for a while. You can feel she's smiling under her mask.

“Well spoken,” she put off her mask, and smirks. “Then, let's take off our masks, shall we?”