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...
If you were to ask about the most famous shrine in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, it would undoubtedly be the Kanda Myojin Shrine.
However, Seishuuin Ena wasn't at that grand shrine. Instead, she was in a small shrine nestled on the side of a nearby street.
It was a small shrine, rarely visited by the chief priest or Miko, managed jointly by local priests and residents.
Seishuuin Ena gently pushed open the elegant doors of the shrine's main hall and stepped inside.
If anyone nearby had seen her, they might have found it strange.
The doors, usually kept tightly shut, were now forcibly opened, and a high school girl in a short-sleeved uniform was brazenly occupying the space.
However, there was no reason for her to be reprimanded. This shrine was actually the property of the Seishuuin family. And it was currently 5:00 am, with hardly any pedestrians on the street, so naturally, no one stopped Ena's forceful entry.
"Understood, Grandpa. It shouldn't be a problem... Although I don't have any experience dating boys, I can at least pretend, can't I?"
Seishuuin Ena sat gracefully on the floor of the shrine's main hall, talking on her phone with an unknown person. A strong wind howled outside, unusually fierce.
The wind's intensified, as if threatening to blow away the small, swaying shrine. Dark clouds filled the sky, and it looked like it was about to rain.
"Eh? Teach me how to deceive men? ...If I'm taught by a grandpa who's been single for over a thousand years, I'll definitely amount to nothing. You're completely out of touch with the times, aren't you? I'll learn on my own."
Seishuuin Ena deftly untied the bag she had placed on the floor with one hand.
A long sword, sheathed in a black lacquer scabbard, was revealed. The blade, measuring three shaku, three sun, and five bu (approximately 101.5 cm), was her trusted companion.
Scattered around Ena were a dozen or so documents, investigation reports on a boy her age.
"Kusanagi Godou" was written in large characters on the cover of the report. It detailed his personal information, family background, life experiences, the aftermath of his god-slaying in Italy, his abilities as a Godslayer, and so on, providing a comprehensive overview of his life.
"Speaking of which, while the Elusive King is away in Italy, you suddenly call me here and tell me to serve that Kusanagi Godou? Are you planning to place your bets on this newcomer, Grandpa? That's too reckless."
Talking to the sword lying on the floor as if it were a person, Seishuuin Ena looked outside.
The wind had died down completely.
The strong gusts had weakened, and the sky gradually cleared.
"That wind, was it really Grandpa's doing? He's always causing me trouble."
Shrugging her shoulders and muttering a few complaints, Ena was about to put her phone in her pocket.
But suddenly remembering that the battery was almost dead, she stopped and searched for the battery-powered charger in her bag.
The person Ena had been talking to was a cell phone that had already been powered off.
...
Near Shiba Park, the Shichiou Shrine was built on high ground.
To reach it, one had to climb the stone steps, which boasted the highest elevation in Tokyo.
Mariya Yuri, through years of training, could now easily handle the strain of climbing the long flight of stairs. Although there was an elevator, it was currently out of order.
Without even a hint of heavy breathing, Yuri felt the strength in her body. Compared to three years ago, she had become much stronger. She recalled how just fifty meters of climbing had left her gasping for air back then.
Upon reaching the shrine, Yuri, as was her custom, headed to the office to take a shower before starting her duties.
As the hot water cascaded over her, she suddenly became self-conscious of her body – her ivory skin, smooth and flawless, her slender frame devoid of any excess fat. Her limbs, lacking muscle definition, appeared delicate, as if they might break with any rough handling.Â
Yet, her bust and hips were well-proportioned.
Yuri turned off the shower and stepped out of the bathroom. The mirror in the washroom reflected her image.
Whenever she bathed with her fellow Hime Miko or changed clothes with her classmates, she often received compliments and envious glances.
Perhaps my figure isn't anything special.
Yuri, who had never worried about weight fluctuations or skin imperfections, had never really scrutinized her body before. She had no idea what the ideal figure should be.
But lately, she had been feeling insecure.
The image of the previous High Priestess of Nikko Toshogu Shrine, Toujou Miki, with her breathtakingly perfect figure, flashed through her mind.
"Do... do men really prefer that kind of figure? I know I refused to go because of school, but he went on a trip to Naples without me. Doesn't he know he should be more assertive? Though, Lady Miki didn't go either…" Yuri muttered to herself, frowning.
It wasn't just her figure. The girls around Haru were more proactive and courageous than her. And she, without realizing it, would sometimes speak harshly. He must hate being lectured like that...
Mariya Yuri sighed deeply.
Hoping a cold shower would clear her head, she hurried back into the bathroom.
Feeling calmer, Yuri dressed in her Miko attire – a white blouse and a hakama skirt.
Leaving the shrine office, she walked towards the main hall of the Shichiou Shrine. On her way, she exchanged brief greetings with the other Miko working there.
The position of a Hime Miko was completely different from that of these full-time shrine maidens.
Hime Miko were individuals with special abilities, dispatched by the History Compilation Committee. They were sent to important spiritual locations throughout the country. Because of the different chain of command, even the head priest of a shrine couldn't give direct orders to a Hime Miko. They were treated as honored guests.
This was partly because this particular shrine had been protected by the Hime Miko of the Mariya family for generations.
...
Waiting for her in the main hall was one of her Hime Miko friends.
"Ena? What are you doing here today?"
"Oh, Yuri, it's been a while. Just came for a visit."
Seishuuin Ena greeted her with her usual smile.
She was a girl with long black hair and a gentle, approachable face.
Instead of the Miko attire Yuri was accustomed to seeing, Ena wore a white shirt, a light brown vest, and a short skirt – a high school uniform of some sort.
And on the floor of the main hall, lay a long, narrow cloth bag.
The moment Yuri saw the bag, her heart pounded in her chest. She sensed a powerful, ominous divine power.
It was a specially woven bag used to seal magical energy. But even so, Yuri's spiritual vision could sense the true nature of the power within. Thanks to Haru's teachings of the Evolving technique, her abilities had improved significantly in all aspects.
Seishuuin Ena looked at Mariya Yuri and mouthed a silent plea.
Yuri's pupils constricted slightly. With her spiritual vision, she read Ena's unspoken words:
"Yuri, help me."
...
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