Volume 1
Chapter 4 Part
1
In a Temple, a
Girl Smiles 1
Translator : PolterGlast
――――Ri~in, chiri, ,n.
"U......n."
How much time
has passed?
Akira's consciousness
slowly surfaced to the soothing melody of the wind chimes lingering in his
ears.
And then he realized.
His mind is much lighter.
Although the fatigue
and drowsiness have not completely disappeared, the strange pressure that had
been binding his mind until a while ago has vanished.
Therefore, his mind
seemed to be able to think a little better.
He blinks his eyelids
to make his hazy vision clearer.
The first thing that
came into view was his own knees sitting on the tatami mats, which were
carefully covered with soft rushes that could be recognized as new at a glance.
It was the first time
he had sat on a tatami of such high quality.
For the first time in
a long time, he enjoys the scent of the fresh, dried rush tickling the depths
of his nostrils.
―― Chirin, chiri, ririn.
The sound of the wind
chimes dancing in the wind lured his gaze to the left.
There is a wide-open
balcony with no obstructions such as shoji screens. There is a balustrade on
which one can sit and rest one's hand, perhaps to prevent one from falling
down.
――And beyond that, there
was a star-filled sky.
"......
Star-filled sky?"
After speaking dumbfoundedly,
Akira noticed something strange about it.
The starlight was so
close that his gaze was impossibly low to be called star gazing.
――They are the lights
from human activity, the lights of the city.
Finally, Akira had an
idea of where he was.
He was somewhere high
up in the hills, looking down on Karen.
"This place
is-............."
"――This is a
temple."
Akira's question was
met with an unexpected response from someone, and he turned his gaze back to
the front of the room.
A golden-haired girl
was sitting there, leaning on her side.
"Bankyū Daigaran. This is where I
reside."
――She is a frighteningly
beautiful girl.
"Who-........................."
-are you? Even that
simple sentence froze in the back of his throat as if he were paralyzed.
Beautiful. This is the
first word that anyone who has met the girl would use to describe her.
Young limbs, probably
just ten years of age. Her body was wrapped in a gorgeous single kimono of
vermilion with gold threads sewn into it.
Her long blonde hair, enough
to cover the kimono, gave off a luster reminiscent of delicate silk threads,
and her deep, yet bright, intricately colored azure eyes were endlessly deep.
A healthy white skin,
and cherry-red lips revealing pearl-like teeth.
Her fingers resting lazily
on her cheeks are delicate and tender, reminiscent of a white fish.
Everything about her
is so flawless.
――She is definitely not
a human being.
He thought the same
thing about Fuyou Gozen before, but in her case, he could say it with
certainty.
Although he had heard
that those from the West had golden hair and blue eyes, it was hard to believe
that such a beauty, with such vivid colors and perfection, was in the realm of
human beings.
Besides, it is the
girl's eyes. The part of her eyes that resembles an iris is tinted with a
flickering blue flame, and the part that resembles the pupil is not visible at
all. These are not the kind of eyes that a human being could have.
The girl's twin eyes
were scrutinized with amusement.
"It's Shuka."
"Eh............?"
"That's my name.
――Shuka, is my name, which only the chosen one is allowed to call. Remember it
well."
Fufu. Shuka chuckled
softly. It's a chuckle that might make one think she's making fun of others,
but perhaps because her chuckle fits her so well, it doesn't seem sarcastic at
all.
"So?"
"Eh,
p-pardon?"
"What is your
name? Wouldn't it be too unfair if it were only me who introduce myself?"
"Ah..."
Certainly, it would be
rude to not give his name after the other person introduced themselves.
"My name is,
Akira."
Although she might
look younger than him, it was easy to imagine that she was in an overwhelmingly
higher position than him. Therefore, even though it was unintentional, the tone
of his voice naturally assumed a formal one.
"Akira. Akira,
huh? Fufu."
Akira wondered what
was funny about his name. The girl was repeatedly saying Akira's name and
chuckling happily.
"You bear a name
that is the crystallization of the blessings that are finally born from the
five elements. It is certainly a name that is suitable for someone who has
attained the empty throne."*1
After repeatedly calling
Akira's name, Shuka turned her gaze to Akira.
However, there was
nothing harsh in her gaze, but rather a pleasant and gentle one.
"I was wondering
what was going on when I heard the twittering of the gossiping sparrows, and I
was surprised to hear that someone had successfully completed Misogiharae and
attained the empty throne. I would have never expected something like this to
happen."
"Empty
throne?"
He had heard this term
several times on his way to this place.
Until now, he had not
been given the leeway to even wonder about it, but those binds are now gone.
"An empty throne
is an empty throne. It is a miracle of the chosen one qualified to attain Kanna no Mikura."
"? ? ? ?"
Kanna-no-Mikura. Another unfamiliar
term.
Perhaps his confusion
due to his cluelessness was showing on his face. Shuka's amused expression was
mixed with a hint of bafflement.
"Kanna-no-Mikura
is the throne of God. Don't you know? I see. What family do you belong to?
Since you don't know, it is obvious that you are not from Kuga or Rindo."
Since the names of
Kuga and Rindo were mentioned, Akira understood that by "family" she
meant the eight families, but since Akira had been banished, he was not allowed
to mention the name of Ugetsu.
"I am an orphan.
I have no relation to the eight families, and I have no parents."
"I assumed you
were from one of the eight families. And there should be no other way than that
...... but, you don't seem to be lying."
Shuka was puzzled and
tilted her head as she seemed to know that what Akira had said was not a lie.
However, the puzzled
look lasted only for a short time.
Without much silence,
a gorgeous smile returned to Shuka's face.
"Well, that's
fine. I had Kanna-no-Mikura come to visit me in this Great Temple. That's all
that matters now."
"......
Ha~a."
When Shuka's
questioning ceased, Akira exhaled a faint breath of relief.
Although there are
actually a lot of things he is not sure about, it's better than being thrown
out of this place as soon as it is discovered that he does not have a spirit.
"More
importantly, your complexion looks awful. Are you feeling unwell?"
"I'm just
exhausted. I haven't slept a wink since last night because of the mountain
hunt, and I haven't eaten anything as well."
On top of that, he had
only come here to receive the [Shrine Parishioner Lottery], but he had to walk
around endlessly all day for no apparent reason.
Even though the
pressure that bound his mind had disappeared, the fatigue had grown so great
that it nearly blew away Akira's consciousness.
"I see, your
complexion looks as if you would fall asleep once you had something in your
stomach. But if you stay like this, you won't be able to talk to me. ――Here,
have a drink."
"Eh?"
Shuka's slender hand
was lifted up and pointed at Akira's knee.
When he looked at her
fingertip, he saw that a lacquered sake cup had been placed on the tip of
Akira's knee before he knew it.
The cup is filled to
the brim with a clear liquid.
It looked like water
to the naked eye, but the rising aroma insisted that it was not water at all.
The smell was too
wonderful to describe.
The aroma was not
typical of alcoholic beverages, so it was probably not sake, but it did have a
complex sweet aroma, similar to that of fruit, that intensely aroused Akira's
thirst.
"...... What's
this?"
"Water."
"...... There's
no way water would have such a sweet smell like this."
"There is no
deception on my tongue. It's Ochimizu. ――Go ahead and drink it."
Since there was no
explanation of what Ochimizu was, in the end, the meaning was unclear.
The aroma from the cup
was delightful, but he was hesitant to take a sip of something he didn't
understand, even if it were recommended to him.
"Oh, are you
afraid to taste it? Then let me taste it for you."
Before Akira knew it, Shuka
was holding another lacquered sake cup in her hand.
Inside the sake cup,
there was a clear liquid just like Akira's sake cup.
Without hesitation, Shuka
took the liquid from the cup into her mouth.
Her throat moved, and
he could see the girl swallowing the liquid for sure.
After she had drained
the entire contents of the sake cup, Shuka's mouth arched in a provocative
manner.
"See? Everything
is all right, isn't it?"
From her mouth,
vermilion-gold glittering particles trailed thinly on the wind.
The mellow aroma that
rises along with the particles tells Akira that the liquid Shuka just drank is
the same liquid that is in Akira's sake cup.
Pressured by her
smile, Akira put his mouth on the sake cup.
A thick, slightly
viscous liquid runs down his tongue.
――Sweet.
Nectar, that's how it
is described. It has a very slight sourness and a stinging sensation on the
tongue. It is similar to a peach, but the sweetness is more overwhelming than
the peach that Akira remembers, and it is enough to make him fall in love with
it.
Akira's sake cup was
quickly drained due to this rich, exquisite taste.
The nectar-like liquid
sloshes down his throat and permeates his gut.
Akira could feel his
exhausted strength being revitalized immediately.
"What is this?
......"
"It's
poison."
Akira unintentionally
asked what kind of potion it was, to which Shuka replied so.
Akira coughed
involuntarily at her words, to which Shuka chuckled and showed a smile.
"I'm joking.
Indeed, a single drop of this Hen-Wakamizu
is poisonous to humans, but to me and you, it is an elixir that will purge you
of all ailments, so you can drink as much as you wish."
She seemed to be
telling the truth. Akira's body, which was stiffened when he heard the word
"poison", relaxed with relief.
As if to prove Shuka's
words, his fatigue was washed away by a pleasant heat.
After a short while,
all that remained of Akira's body was sleepiness like a gentle wave flowing in
and out of his body.
"Is your throat
hydrated now?"
"Yes. ...... it
was a relief."
"Good. It is our
pleasure to fulfill your wishes."
Ahem. The girl smiled,
clearing her throat, and then looked at Akira with a somewhat serious gaze.
"――So? What is
your business, Akira?"
This question brought
Akira's thoughts back from his sleepy state of mind to reality.
That's right. Akira
did not come here to rest nor to drink nectar-like water, but to become a
shrine parishioner.
"......I want to
become a shrine parishioner. I've come to receive the [Shrine Parishioner
Lottery]."
"......It is
impossible."
In response to Akira's
request, Shuka raised her eyebrows and replied so.
It's not Shuka's
fault, and he knows she was trying to give him a sincere answer. Still, the
fact that the answer he got after going through all this trouble was the same
as before made his blood boil.
"Why? Is it
because I am an orphan? Because I have no spirit? Because I'm a pseudo
kegare?"
His vision and
thoughts were blurred with tears. He dug his fingernails into the tatami mats
and scratched at its surface.
――He wanted an answer as
to why he existed. He was cursed to be born without a spirit, not allowed to
live even a peaceful life.
Become a shrine
parishioner. To be recognized as a citizen of Karen.
Living in a corner of
society in a very ordinary way.
Even such a dismal
life is a pipe dream for Akira.
"I want to be a
shrine parishioner! I want to live as a citizen of Karen, even if it's just
living in a corner of the city! ――Is it a sin for me to wish for such a thing!?"
――Chirin, ri~in, ririn.
The sound of wind
chimes took away Akira's emotions, and a momentary silence lay between them.
After a few moments of
silence, Shuka opened her mouth.
"――It is not a
sin. Akira's wishes will be granted, and my intentions will never change."
Shuka spun her words
with sincerity.
"It is not
because you are an orphan. And I can promise you, you will never become a
kegare."
Shuka simply stared at
Akira with sincerity.
The girl, who looked
less than ten years old, warmly embraced Akira's heart like a mature woman.
"The reason why
you cannot be a shrine parishioner is simple. ――You have been granted the
status of Kanna-no-Mikura from the
time you were born. You cannot become anything else. Neither the shrine
parishioner, nor the protector, nor the divine messenger, nor the shrine
maiden, nor the guardian, and no one can ever change this fundamental
rule."
"But I've never
received anything but a blank piece of paper in the [Shrine Parishioner
Lottery], have I?"
Right. If it has been
decided from the beginning, then why can't the result of [Kanna-no-Mikura] be
drawn?
"[Shrine
Parishioner Lottery] is just a ceremony in which a person and a land deity form
a contract. Naturally, only results that fall within this category can be
drawn. ――The Shrine Maiden of
Sannomiya, the Divine Messenger of Shi-in, these are titles that are closest to
the vessels of deities. And [Kanna-no-Mikura] that you bear is also included in
this category."
Shuka tilted the sake
cup in her hand and took a mouthful of Hen-Wakamizu.
The particles of
vermillion gold mixed with her breath were puffed out like cigarettes, filling
the air with a sweet fragrance.
"That is why you
can only get a blank result when you draw the [Shrine Parishioner Lottery]. To
begin with, Shrine Parishioner is a title of the lowest rank. It is something
that someone who attained the status of [Kanna-no-Mikura] should have no reason
to be concerned about."
But, I do have
a reason. Akira shook his head like a spoiled child.
This [Kanna-no-Mikura]
was, however, something that did not interest Akira.
Akira had been
banished from his hometown because he was declared incompetent and abandoned by
the spirits, who could not even become a Shrine Parishioner. The absence of a
spirit was the root of the emotional trauma that constantly overshadowed
Akira's entire life.
Therefore, even though
it was the lowest title, being a Shrine Parishioner was an unattainable longing
for Akira.
That is why he wanted
it.
He wanted recognition
that he is a human being.
He did not want to be
ridiculed as incompetent.
He wanted to be
accepted that it was okay for him to live his life here.
――All of this was not
allowed back in his hometown.
"It can't be
helped."
Her tone of voice was
mixed with a hint of both troubled and pleased as she then responded,
"Let's appoint you as a shrine parishioner then."
"......Eh?"
Akira's reaction was
slightly delayed due to the suddenness of her words.
Certainly, he wanted
to be a Shrine Parishioner, but the moment when he was given that word, which
he wanted more than anything else, was so abrupt that he couldn't really
comprehend it.
Who is the girl
in front of me in the first place?
Judging from her
appearance, there is no doubt that she is a fairly high-ranking noble, but he
has never heard of anyone who can tamper with the [Shrine Parishioner Lottery]
before.
"What? I'm going
to grant you your wish and make you a Shrine Parishioner, are you perhaps not
happy about it?"
"N-no. I am very
happy and grateful."
But how? Perhaps sensing what
Akira was about to say, Shuka spun her words with an apologetic expression on
her face.
"Sorry, but even
I can't really grant you the status of Shrine Parishioner. ...... And neither
do I want to. All I can do is present you with the results of the lottery as a
Shrine Parishioner."
When asked if it was
okay, Akira nodded his head without a second thought.
Akira's wish was to
complete the [Shrine Parishioner Lottery] and become a Shrine Parishioner. And
then, to be registered with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and to live in
Karen as a citizen.
"Ah,..." At last, my long-cherished wish has come
true.
"――Thank,
you..................."
No words could be
spoken. The overflowing joy choked his throat.
Akira just kept
drenching his knees with tears as Shuka was watching him with affectionate
eyes.
"――Well, may I
continue?"
After a few moments,
Shuka once again cut in.
"I'm going to ask
you to do your part to bring out the result of Shrine Parishioner."
"Yes."
"Umu. It's not
that difficult. After our encounter is over, you should go to Shusha and take
the [Shrine Parishioner Lottery] there. Then, you will surely be able to draw
the result of the Shrine Parishioner without any problem."
"Yes. ......Eh?
Is that all?"
"Yes. Actually,
it is not impossible in other lands. However, the land of Shusha is under my
direct control, so it is easier for me to interfere."
Does the location
matter? For the time being, Akira nodded his head without really understanding
the situation.
"Alright. Now
then, let's talk about the price."
Price. Hearing that,
Akira turned pale.
It was only natural.
The girl with whom he was talking was obviously a high-ranking noblewoman, and
Akira, a lower-ranking existence, had imposed the trouble on her.
Even if it was only a
means of compensation, a considerable amount of money would be required.
Akira wondered if she
were going to charge him so much that he would not be able to pay it.
"Let's see.
...... You can start from next Saturday. Come visit me every week at this temple
of mine."
"......Eh?"
Akira was trembling
with fear, wondering how much money he would be asked to pay. However, after
hearing her next words, his shoulders slumped.
Seeing this, the girl
looked at Akira with a miffed expression, perhaps misunderstanding him.
"What, are you dissatisfied
with it? But this one thing is non-negotiable. A meeting with
[Kanna-no-Mikura], that is the best compensation for me. Or are you saying that
the price is too high for such a simple task?"
"N-no",
Akira hurriedly waved his hands to deny it.
"I'm a trainee
soldier, so I was just wondering what I should do when I have a duty."
"Don't worry.
Such trivial a matter won't be a problem at all."
Akira was at a loss
for words to see such an incomprehensible demonstration of power so up close.
"What do I have
to do to get to this place? ......"
"At that time, I
will send you a guide to this land."
Then ....... As Akira
searched for his next words, Shuka raised her eyebrows even more.
"I don't know
what you're dissatisfied with, but if you think the price is too high, just go
ahead and say it. ――Alright then, now tell me, what do you wish for?"
It's not that it's too
high or anything, it's just that Akira doesn't know what the standard of value
is.
Looks like something
outrageous is being decided without him knowing what's going on.
"What's the
matter? Just name a wish that is appropriate for your visit."
".......M-my wish
has already been granted. It is to become a Shrine Parishioner."
"That's not quite
the case. You seem to be thinking something in a split second there. That means
you must still have some wishes to fulfill."
"――――――――！！"
Akira gasped upon
hearing Shuka's point.
It was true. When
asked what he wished for, there were things that immediately came to mind.
"――Say it. What
is your wish? I will fulfill all of it."
Is it alright? Akira
hesitated to speak of his own wishes.
He was about to tell a
young girl, whom he had just met, about his own vulgar and greedy wishes.
It seemed to him that
to do so would be synonymous with violating and defiling Shuka's good
intentions.
――Even so, is it really alright?
He pondered so in a
somewhat indecisive manner.
In any case,
all I do is just say it out loud. As long as I can become a Shrine Parishioner,
I don't care about anything else.
"There is a
possibility that my parents will take my soul stone away from the Ministry of
Humanitarian Affairs. Before that happens, I want to transfer my soul stone to
the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs in Karen."
"Umu, granted. I
will quickly transfer your soul stone to Karen's Ministry of Humanitarian
Affairs."
"I am merely a
trainee soldier. Therefore, I don't want to die."
"Naturally, I
don't want to lose Akira either. I promise you. As long as you keep your toe in
Shumon Province, everything in the province will join forces in your
favor."
"――I want power.
A power stronger than anything else that can repel unreasonableness."
"I will give it
to you. You will have unrivaled strength. ――Therefore."
Suddenly, Shuka's
voice reached his ear like a whisper.
When he raised his
gaze in surprise, before he knew it, Shuka was already standing right in front
of him.
"Give me the
compensation. I will satisfy you. In return, you will satisfy me. ――Your favor
is my pleasure."
Shuka's graceful
fingertips poked Akira's chest.
Although she didn't
use much force, Akira was pushed backward without being able to resist.
Shuka's body lay on
top of Akira's body whose back fell against the tatami mats.
Akira's body was
wrapped by the young girl's limbs, and Shuka's face was right in front of
Akira's. Apart from the sweet fragrance of the Hen-Wakamizu, the scent of Kyara*2,
which must have been burned and perfumed on her clothes, clouded Akira's
thoughts.
The girl's eyes, which
should have been of an age with less sex appeal, moistened with a definite lust
as she looked back at Akira.
"A~a, my first
one, my love. Truly, the [Kanna-no-Mikura]. What a fortunate thing for you to
appear in front of me."
Akira tried to escape
from this situation, but against his will, he could not move his body at all.
"......Wait
a-."
"I will not wait.
I have waited long enough. [Kanna-no-Mikura], for the first time in a very long
time, is mine."
After saying so,
without hesitation, she laid her face on top of Akira's.
――――Snap.
"――――――！?"
A small burst of sound
was heard, and Shuka's body was separated from Akira's as if bounced away.
"...... Eh?"
Akira's reaction was a
bit delayed.
A jet-black glowing
particle was dancing around Akira's body, as if protecting it.
"――......
Mizuke."
Shuka said so and then
looked back at Akira.
"Akira. Have you
already belonged to Kuro!?"
"B-belonged to
Kuro?"
What does she
mean by Kuro? Does she refer to these particles that dance around me? Akira, who had no
idea, asked Shuka in confusion.
"That's right,
Kuro. This is without a doubt Kuro's Mizuke. Akira, you have met Kuro, haven't
you?"
"......
A~a." Kuro, wait, does she mean that
Kuro? Akira eventually remembered.
Does she refer
to the girl who greeted me at the Gioin mansion and served as my personal
chaperone?
"...... Yes. I
have met her a long time ago."
It is a nostalgic
memory. The once-every-six-months meeting that he looked forward to with those
two sweet girls.
Naturally, his mouth
began to smile.
"Has Kuro
discovered you, Akira? No way, but then, how come you are here?"
"I-I was banished
from my hometown ......"
"Impossible. Kuro
would never let go of you. This Mizuke that envelops you is the proof of it."
"But, it's
true..."
While Akira stuttered
in confusion, Shuka mumbled something and tried to organize her thoughts.
"Was there a
family feud in Kokuten? But still ......"
Shuka sank into her
thoughts for a while, but she seemed to have given up forcing a conclusion that
would not come out and decided to look only at what she could see in front of
her.
She lifted her face
and, like a little girl who has come up with a prank, giggled and chuckled in a
way that was appropriate to her appearance.
"Fufu~, oh, well,
it doesn't matter. I don't know what the circumstances are, but it is an
undeniable fact that [Kanna-no-Mikura] has come to me. That is all that matters
now."
She leaned over Akira,
who was still lying on the ground, and brought her face close to Akira's.
The black particles
strengthened their radiance and showed signs of resistance, but when Shuka
wrapped her hands around Akira's cheeks, the radiance disappeared as if it had
melted away.
"Looks like Kuro
is growing senile. ――I can't wait to see the look on that impertinent fellow's
face when she finds out that Akira has been stolen away by me. It would be a
sight to behold."
Akira felt that
something enormous that had been inside him until then was suddenly lost.
His strength was
drained, and a weight that he had never felt before was cutting away at his
consciousness.
"――Akira,
remember this. It was undoubtedly you who satisfied me. You can look forward to
your reward."
Shuka, who was
chuckling with enjoyment, told so to Akira.
In place of what was
lost, something else filled Akira's body.
――It is something that
bears no resemblance to what has existed up until now.
――Something that emits
vermillion-gold radiance.
Akira's consciousness
was submerged in a muddy wave of sleepiness.
After that, Akira's
memory was cut off.
*1 Akira’s
name in Kanji is 晶, which is literally means Crystal.
*2 Aromatic
wood.
――――――――――――――――
TIPS: About Hen-Wakamizu.
One sip and you will
be cured of all ailments, two sips and you will stop aging, three sips and you
will be rejuvenated.
It is a pure divine
liquid that contains a powerful healing effect.
Naturally, it is not
something that can be handled by human hands, and if someone other than the
chosen ones were to take a sip of it, it would mean death.
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