Chapter 1 - Rite of the Hime-MikoPart 1A simple party had been held on Christmas Eve.The next day, in other words, on Christmas Day, Kusanagi G.o.dou"scompanions gathered once again in the Kusanagi residence. Their missionwas to clean up the complete mess left behind by the party last night. Dueto the party persisting until late into the night, they had decided to leave thecleaning up for the next day — now.While the clean up was in progress, Mariya Yuri could not help butmurmur."By the way, Shizuka-san looked quite troubled yesterday."The Yamato Nadeshiko quietly tilted her head as she brought up whatpuzzled her.As the elder brother of the person in question, G.o.dou shrugged and went"I guess so" in response."That Yinghua... Always so intimidating but that"s his personality, and eventhough Hikari was cheerfully smiling as always, Shizuka was probablyworried because of that.""By the way, even Your Majesty"s childhood friend was frequently makingstrange faces."G.o.dou"s childhood friend — probably meant Tokunaga Asuka who hadjoined in the party midway."Strange faces?""Yeah, looking like she was wondering "What should I do from now on?" toherself.""She probably had something on her mind. Maybe I should go ask hertactfully?""Kusanagi G.o.dou. I have no wish to speak evil of you, but I would adviseyou not to pursue that course of action."Sternly entering the conversation was Liliana Kranjcar."You should leave her alone is what I should say. At the very least, if youtry to get involved, you will only be pouring fuel onto the fire.""1-1 see."G.o.dou nodded with uncertainty.As a side note, the one who took charge of clean up efforts and a.s.signedroles flexibly to everyone was the silver-haired knight who had just offeredher counsel.Yuri also displayed domestic competency rivaling Liliana"s.Although she was not directing others as conspicuously as Liliana, shedisplayed tenacious effort true to her personality, making the Kusanagiresidence even cleaner and more organized than it was originally.Even Ena was clearing things up with surprising familiarity and skill.Perhaps this expressed part of the Yamato Nadeshiko"s "thorougheducation since birth."Unwilling to let the girls shoulder all the work, G.o.dou also put his seriouspersonality to work, immersing himself in the clean up efforts. Thanks tothat, the entire operation was finished in short time.On the other hand, a certain person"s behavior exemplified the life of aprincess used to being waited on."Well, Asuka-san"s matter will eventually resolve itself on its own, throughher making a choice — to distance herself from G.o.dou or the opposite. Inany case, this isn"t something G.o.dou could help her with even if he wantedto."Erica Blandelli spoke as she wiped the table with a damp cloth.Though her movements were richly rhythmic, they were far from diligent.Rather, she gave off a sense of elegant leisure.Lacking efficiency in domestic ch.o.r.es, Erica was clearly unsuited to thetask of cleaning.Furthermore, G.o.dou"s younger sister Shizuka had gone out at theinvitation of friends, having left the house early in the morning. Currently,G.o.dou, Erica, Yuri, Liliana and Ena were the only ones occupying thishome. Just G.o.dou"s companions.With the cleaning accomplished, everyone gathered in the living room. Aseveryone sat around the wooden table, each served with a portion of greentea, Erica slowly began to speak:"Well then, everyone. It"s about time we reach a conclusion for thatoutstanding issue from a while ago.""Outstanding issue?"G.o.dou was bewildered. Was there such a thing?"Yes, wasn"t it mentioned before? I am planning on traveling to Switzerlandfor the winter break. We can go skiing there, and Uncle Paolo should becoming.""No no. It has to be j.a.pan. j.a.panese hot springs are the best choice."Ena instantly cut in."You know, there"s an authentic secret hot spring in the mountains ownedby my family. We should all go deep into the mountains together and washout a year"s worth of fatigue. It"ll be great fun!"Faced with Erica and Ena"s competing proposals, G.o.dou could not helpbut close his eyes.Then he opened them and turned his gaze towards Yuri and Liliana. Theprim and proper Hime-Miko smiled helplessly, nodding inacknowledgement. On the other hand, the silver-haired female knightshook her head as if saying "What an inane conversation."Apart from Erica and Ena, the other two girls apparently agreed withG.o.dou. Hence, they were the majority faction in this 3 vs 1 vs 1 situation."About this issue, I think I"d better give my honest opinion while I"m stillalive... Well, here"s my serious answer, Erica.""What is it?""Ultimately, spending winter break in the European Alps as a high schoolstudent... Is way too extravagant. Seriously, there should be limits to doingthings beyond a normal student"s means.""What does it matter? You are the G.o.d-slaying Devil King, after all.""Is that even a reason? Fine, supposing I relent, but we were so busy withthe Saturnus incident that we haven"t even gotten the plane tickets yet.Taking the bullet train isn"t going to get us to Europe, right?""No problem. Taking advantage of cancellations is 100% possible, all ittakes is a bit of work.""No way, even if it"s possible. I"m sure it"s 100% illegal!"Before Erica could lay out concrete plans, G.o.dou preemptively objected.Next, he turned to Ena."Then Seishuuin, that whatever secret hot springs must be located deep inthe Chichibu mountains, right? Can you show me a mountain climbing planprepared for the journey up the mountain?""Uh, what?"As expected, the Hime-Miko of the Sword was instantly at a loss for words."You"ve never heard of it? In case of emergencies, that write up we give tofamily and the police before we climb a mountain."It was essentially a voluntary doc.u.ment. Since Ena called the place asecret hot spring, it must definitely be deep in the mountains. If that wasthe case, preparing for accidents was only a natural consideration.However..."It"s okay. Ena has never written anything like that."Seeing Ena completely nonchalant, G.o.dou grumbled."Compared to Ena who has lived the life of training in the mountains, therest of us are simply budding saplings nurtured in city life. All other thingsequal, we can"t possibly climb that kind of mountain in winter..."Excluding Yuri, the other three girls all possessed above average physicalcapabilities. Nevertheless, keeping up with Ena whose legs allowed her tojump around like a wild mountain monkey would be a tall order.Consequently as the arbitrator, G.o.dou rejected the second proposal withgood reason."Summing up, the time before and after New Year"s will be spentpeacefully resting."Liliana nodded in agreement as she spoke."Right... Based on my own family"s customs, year end aside, New Year"s isquite a busy and lively time.""You also have a New Year"s gathering?"Hearing G.o.dou"s mutterings, Yuri asked."Yeah. All my relatives, the whole bunch gathers from all over j.a.pan tohold a New Year"s party in Tokyo. Not only do they drink like mad, butthere"s also that troublesome after party. This year, I"m definitely notpartic.i.p.ating again!""Isn"t that a simple matter?"Erica immediately smiled and spoke up."If all you want is to wait for the New Year"s to pa.s.s, simply come over tomy home. Live there for a while and let us leisurely enjoy our privacy, justthe two of us, thoroughly affirming our love for each other. Hoho, isn"t thatthe most desirable manner to celebrate the beginning of a new year?""D-Don"t talk nonsense!"G.o.dou immediately rejected the devil"s proposal."If it was a guy"s place, then sure, but I can"t possibly live in a girl"s room.Besides, Anna-san is currently on vacation, which means it really will bejust me and Erica alone!?""Hence there is no problem. G.o.dou, let us have a sweet and lovingvacation together?""E-Erica-san!""Wait a minute. If that is the case, coming to my house is also an option!""Even Liliana-san!?""It is a perfectly reasonable development for the king to stay at theresidence of the one who shoulders the duties of the premier knight andgrand chamberlain."Yuri"s dissatisfaction with the red and blue knights" proposals was plain tosee.However, the other Hime-Miko also brought up nonsense at this time."What are you talking about? If that"s the case, His Majesty can also cometo the Seishuuin ancestral home. My house has plenty of rooms, you aregreatly welcome to stay.""Ena-san. Please refrain from such improper proposals!""Yuri should come too- It"s been so long since Yuri last visited Grandma,she misses you. This is perfect. In that case, how about everyone stay withus until the end of winter break? I welcome Erica-san and Liliana-san tocome together too."As a result of her naturally open and cheerful personality, the Hime-Miko ofthe Sword offered a new suggestion.Erica and Liliana"s expressions changed immediately. Their faces seemedto be saying "Rather than taking independent action, let us join forcestogether instead..." as they planned their next move.Facing this unstable situation, Yuri objected alone."This is so lacking in common sense... For such a large group to suddenlyrush there without notice.""No problem there. Even for an illegitimate child left behind by mydeceased grandpa, as soon as grandma found him, he was immediatelytaken in to live with us the next day.""N-Now that you mention it, I do recall such an event..."G.o.dou was rather shocked by this exchange that suddenly revealed theprivate affairs of another"s family.On the other hand, Yuri fell silent as if vaguely acquiescing.Glancing at the other"s faces from time to time, she seemed to bepondering something. Speaking of which, she was a high-cla.s.s young ladywho easily blushed unexpectedly due to the synergistic effect of her docilityand inexperience in worldly ways.No good. If G.o.dou did not try to stem the current tide of opinion, thingswere going to develop in a most unfavorable manner!?Just as G.o.dou was about to speak up frantically, Yuri went "Ah" and spokequietly."Ena-san, it does not work out. We have to attend the Great PurificationRite the day after tomorrow.""Eh?""Furthermore, starting from New Year"s Eve, I have to be at Nanao Shrinefor three consecutive days. Even Ena-san will be obliged to go forth tosome village and work at the shrine there."G.o.dou realized from Yuri"s reminder. Now that he thought about it, the twogirls were miko after all.The period before and after New Year"s should be one of the busiest timesfor them. However, the premier Hi me- Miko clutched her head in her armsin shock."Eh, even Ena is required to do that?""After all, this is our duty and obligation as Hime-Miko...""Annoying. In past years I was always training in the mountains andcompletely forgot about it!"Ena screamed towards the heavens. Then Liliana asked:"Mariya Yuri, what is this Great Purification Rite?""It is a purification ritual held during the year end when all of us Hime-Mikobelonging to the "East" gather together. But to be honest, given a choice Iwould prefer not to partic.i.p.ate. At least, not for this year..."Yuri sighed with a gloomy expression.Just as G.o.dou was surprised by the negativity displayed by thedependable high-cla.s.s young lady, he suddenly heard a cellphone"s livelyringtone. The sound came from Yuri"s bag."Excuse me." Apologizing, Yuri took out her cellphone and took the call.The conversation lasted for a couple of minutes. After the call, she put hercellphone away.Then Yuri slowly spoke to G.o.dou."The call was from Kaoru-san. Basically, regarding the Great PurificationRite we were just talking about, whether we should invite G.o.dou-san tocome along or not.""Me? Joining a gathering of the Hime-Miko?"Yuri explained the situation as G.o.dou listened in surprise.I see, if that"s the case — after hearing the reason, G.o.dou noddedimmediately.Part 2The morning after Christmas, G.o.dou suddenly informed his sister:"By the way, I have to go out to do something tomorrow, so I probablywon"t be back until late."On the breakfast table there was no one else but the two siblings. Shizukawent "Huh" as she sighed with worry."Are you going with Erica-san and the rest of the group?""I knew it. Onii-chan really did achieve explosive growth over the past halfa year. Rumors have already spread all around the neighborhood.""Saying I"m very similar to Grandpa again...?""It"s gone beyond that level. "Already like this in his teens, he"ll probablysurpa.s.s his grandfather by the time he"s in his twenties!" was what the manat the commercial a.s.sociation said. Very unlike Grandpa in the way youwent for foreign girls, that was what everyone discussed with greatinterest.""W-What is everyone saying!? This is completely unfounded!""In that case, you should show a little restraint in the way you suddenlybring home all these girls from who knows where. And on Christmas Eve,you even invited Mariya-senpai"s younger sister — an elementary schooler.Furthermore, you even said you were going on an expedition with thatpopular-looking handsome guy to pick up girls."Apparently, Shizuka had judged Sayanomiya Kaoru"s gender to be male.Explaining the truth would probably complicate the situation further. G.o.doudecided to not to correct that detail, but instead forced the conversation tobring up another person."Didn"t I invite another boy as well? Yeah, there was that dude with theslightly fierce gaze, who may turn out quite handsome in the future.""Ah, you mean that boy whose face was filled with arrogance. Him...Hmm..."Speaking of Lu Yinghua, Shizuka began to contemplate for some reason."What about him?""Actually, I did feel slightly concerned. Somehow I get a sense that he"sactually far more subservient than that look on his face would suggest.How should I put it, a bit of an underling flavor to him. He looks kind ofused to bowing down to a superior..."G.o.dou was shocked by Shizuka"s mumbling commentary.His little sister here could very well be extraordinary. To think she woulddiscern the dark side(?) of his nephew on their first encounter... G.o.dousecretly prayed for Yinghua, hoping he would not be ordered around likean underling regardless of the circ.u.mstances which might bring him tocross paths with Shizuka in the future.As the siblings" conversation reached the end of their meal...Shizuka"s cellphone on the table began to vibrate. Apparently she receiveda text."Ah, it"s from Dad. Heh... Onii-chan, come and take a look."After checking her messages, the younger sister handed the phone overand G.o.dou read content displayed."Dear daughter, I"m really sorry about earlier. By the way, Daddy isplanning to stay in the Caribbean to enjoy the sun and yachts for now.Would you like to come over for winter break?"Shizuka"s birthday was in early December. At the time, their fatheroriginally promised to return home but did not come in the end.Apparently he was trying to make up for it. For a middle-aged delinquentfather, such intentions were commendable. Furthermore, there was apostscript addressed to G.o.dou."P.S. Dear son, I won"t object if you decide to come, but be prepared for themisery of being excluded from a heartfelt reunion between father anddaughter."Indeed this was typical of his father"s speech. But more than that, G.o.douwas impressed instead.After all, the father was a terrible human being who could openly declare"I"m not the type of person who could treat a useless son and a cutedaughter equally!" He was still the same as always, making no progress atall."It"s the Caribbean. Does Onii-chan want to go?"Furthermore, before G.o.dou"s eyes stood the little sister who openlyignored the father"s wishes. Indeed, she was an extraordinary character,not one to be fazed by this level of occurrence.However, thinking that it would be rather troublesome getting along withthis twisted father, G.o.dou immediately said:"Why don"t you go alone? I"m going to be staying over at a friend"s placefor New Year"s.""Why? If you"re living in j.a.pan, there"s no reason to stay over, right?""If I stay at home during New Year"s, I"ll be forcefully tied up and draggedto that party by those relatives. I have resolved to cut myself off fromgambling matters this year!"The Kusanagi clan and its branches always gathered somewhere in Tokyoto hold a New Year"s party.The after party always held a crazy gambling carnival. For a good numberof years now, G.o.dou had been forced to partic.i.p.ate as the defendingchampion. The only way to stop this ugly tradition would be to get awayfrom home.But unfortunately, the grandfather was not home this year.If he left the house during New Year"s, Shizuka would be left alone —(Their mother did say she was coming, but it was uncertain when exactlybefore or after New Year"s she would arrive. Precisely because the motherwas a great fan of parties, she would often go around to attend variousparties during this time of the year. Consequently, G.o.dou felt a sense ofrea.s.surance at the thought of leaving his mother alone to handle the clan"sNew Year"s party.)However, given their father"s invitation, he no longer had to worry about hisyounger sister.As the elder brother resolved himself to go on a trip, Shizuka eyed him withsuspicion."So the place Onii-chan will be staying at, wouldn"t happen to be the homeof Erica-san or the others, right...?""Don"t talk nonsense! I"m completely unlike Grandpa. I will never doanything like that!"In actual fact, he was inspired yesterday by Erica"s suggestion of "living ata friend"s."But he had no intention of living in a girl"s home. G.o.dou strongly swore tohimself.After that, the day arrived for the imminent Hime-Miko year end gathering.G.o.dou left home at eight in the morning to meet up with Liliana. The two ofthem walked to Erica"s apartment and managed with great difficulty torouse the blonde beauty who always had trouble getting up in the morning.Then the trio departed from Erica"s apartment and took the subway train —Walking roughly ten minutes on foot from the station, they reached atwenty-story designer"s mansion. Their destination was a unit in thisbuilding, the gathering place for today."Welcome everyone!"The one greeting everyone at the entryway was one of the inhabitants ofthis unit, Mariya Hikari.This place was another residence of the Mariya family"s. Their ancestralhome was located in the Saitama prefecture, where the two sisters"grandparents originally lived. However, to facilitate the sisters going toschool and the parents commuting to work, they had moved to live inTokyo."Is Seishuuin already here?""Yes. More accurately, Ena-neesama has been staying over inOnee-chan"s room for the past few days."Hikari replied to G.o.dou"s question.Starting from the day Ena came over from Chichibu, she had alreadyplanned to stay for three days or longer."Could the Seishuuin and Mariya families be quite close in relationship?"Liliana suddenly asked."Not really. There exists a wide gulf in prestige between my family and theSeishuuins. You could even say that our families are not supposed toa.s.sociate directly. But since Ena-neesama has that kind of personality, shealready became good friends with Onee-chan when they were small."Entering a childhood friend"s home as naturally as if it were her own, Enabecame very familiar with the Mariya parents and grandparents, oftenshowing up suddenly without notice to renew her freeloader status."Even when Onee-chan is not home, Ena-neesama would play with me,the little sister. She would also make my mother and grandmother spoil herand ask for snacks. As time went on, she naturally became like a part ofour family.""That sort of scene is actually quite easy to imagine..."Erica nodded, perhaps reminded of Ena"s easygoing innocence.Furthermore, Ena in turn, had invited Yuri to her ancestral home withoutbeing concerned with any conventions. Thereafter, the Seishuuin familyhad not minded the difference in family stature despite being fellowHime-Miko, and allowed their friendship to continue...Hikari proceeded to explain the above to G.o.dou and the rest as she ledthem to the living room."Ah, but Grandma Ran, the current head of the Seishuuin family, alsoseems to like Onee-chan a lot. When Ena-neesama asked her ifOnee-chan could be adopted into the Seishuuin family, she answered "Noproblem" readily.""...Why would the Seishuuin family want Mariya as an adopted daughter?"G.o.dou puzzled over this sudden question as he sat down on the livingroom sofa.Erica and Liliana also sat down left and right of him respectively. TheMariya residence"s living room had an area greater than ten squaremeters. This s.p.a.ciousness, combined with the ample lighting from the sun,made for quite a comfortable environment."It"s because ever since Onee-chan decided to follow Onii-sama,Ena-neesama worried that Onee-chan would be treated unfairly."G.o.dou went "Eh?" in surprise. Why would he become the reason for that?"Seishuuin, Sayanomiya, Kuhoudzuka and Renjou — amongst these FourFamilies and their branches, although it"s only a minority, there does existthose who arrogantly look down on families of lower stature. Especiallythose obstinate members of the older generation..."Hikari spoke with a slightly troubled expression."Because Onee-chan is an official Hime-Miko, in theory she shouldtranscend those differences in family origins and be treated as "Hime"instead... However, there exists people who disagree no matter what.""I see. So that"s where the "adopted daughter" idea comes from."Hikari nodded vigorously."Just a formal process to allow women not of high-born blood to marryroyalty and n.o.bility. With that, the question of family stature goes away.""However, Yuri should be backed by the support of the History CompilationCommittee and Kaoru-san, right?"Erica interjected as if she completely understood the situation."Not if a measure like adoption was not essential? In my opinion, successshould be guaranteed if these people resort to this.""Ah yes. It is exactly as you say. As expected of Erica-neesama."Hikari smiled with a giggle and replied cheerfully."Our family was also very surprised to find out that Onee-chan was beingofficially recognized as Kusanagi G.o.dou-sama"s partner." This is no jokingmatter after all.""A-About being my partner..."Should he be happy for Yuri or should he be concerned with the problemat hand? Faced with this agonizing problem, G.o.dou"s face began to twitch.At the same time, he was feeling increasingly apologetic."It"s because of me that things have become so complicated. If only Mariyahad spoken out herself to let me know. Even someone like me shouldperhaps start getting used to making use of my power and influence.""Ah, don"t worry, Onii-sama."Hikari smiled without concern."Other than when she"s lecturing, Onee-chan is a gentle person. Regardingvarious issues related to family stature, or whether she would garnerjealousy because of her relationship with Onii-sama, Onee-chan does notmind such matters. Because of that, I don"t think Onee-chan ever felt likeshe was suffering.""That"s the Yuri I know. For better or worse, she is a girl unfamiliar withworldly ways."Just as Erica nodded with a knowing expression...Yuri and Ena — the two people in question, came out from their room, theirharmonious relationship clear to see.As a side note, Yuri was dressed in casual wear with a white blouse, acherry-colored cardigan and long skirt. On the other hand, Ena was still inher same old school uniform.She was also dressed the same when she came to the Kusanagiresidence recently. Apparently, expecting this carefree and unfetteredHime-Miko to choose other clothes would be quite a challenge."Ah... Originally I was thinking of taking everyone to watch the sunrise forNew Year"s and enjoying Yuri"s cooking, pa.s.sing time in a relaxed andcasual way. Flying some kites or something.""Well, rice cake soup and red bean porridge can be made any time of theyear, you know.""- ^"Really? Then can Ena do New Year"s duty at Nanao Shrine together withYuri and Hikari? Going all the way back to Chichibu would be a pain."Yuri smiled wryly as she comforted Ena"s depressed spirits."Well, rather than New Year"s, our first priority is getting through today"sGreat Purification Rite. Even Yuri hates this troublesome work, right?""l-lt is not really troublesome, but if possible, I would rather notpartic.i.p.ate..."Yuri displayed a troubled expression in response to Ena"s attempts torecruit her as a spiritual accomplice.Perhaps this was G.o.dou"s first time to witness the Hime-Miko in thismanner. Just as G.o.dou felt intrigued, the cellphone in his bag began tovibrate. G.o.dou took it out.It was a call from the History Compilation Committee"s agent, AmakasuTouma.He had arrived to pick them up."Hahahah, to think that the two premier Hime-Miko are thinking of slackingoff."After hearing about the matter, the person laughing frivolously wasnaturally Amakasu on the driver"s seat.He was driving a minivan to pick up the Mariya sisters and Ena topartic.i.p.ate in the Great Purification Rite, as well as G.o.dou, Erica andLiliana who accompanied them.Carrying everyone, the vehicle followed the Shuto Expressway"s loop routeto head north to the Saitama prefecture."The two premier Hime-Miko? Amakasu Touma, if my memory serves meright, that should be — "Hearing his statement just now, Liliana spoke up."I remember the t.i.tle of the premier Hime-Miko belongs to Seishuuin Enaalone.""Yes. Up until recently, that was indeed correct. However, Yuri-san"spowers have rapidly developed over the past half a year, and moreimportantly she is also one of the Hime-Miko with the closest relationshipwith Kusanagi-san. Hence, Kaoru-san said "Given these circ.u.mstances, itis enough to crown her with any t.i.tle for a promotion stunt" and thus it wasdecided with this reasoning.""1-1 had no idea all this was happening..."As Amakasu disclosed this was what happened behind the scenes, Yurishyly lowered her head."A person of my position, is truly not worthy of such a grand t.i.tle...""What does it matter? This is part of Kaoru-san"s open-mindedness.""B-Besides, for two people to hold the t.i.tle of premier, that is truly a strangeuse of the j.a.panese language.""Hahaha, oh well whatever."Yuri voiced her objections as Amakasu laughed foolishly. Sitting besidehim, Erica spoke up and questioned:"Could this be why Yuri does not want to partic.i.p.ate in the ceremony thisyear? You"re embarra.s.sed about the new t.i.tle?""That is also partially the reason."As Yuri bowed her head deeper, G.o.dou went "Also?" in doubt.Snickering on the side, the driver Amakasu touched on the issue:"I think you should understand once you get a basic view of the ceremonialsite. Well, it"s not like I don"t understand the feeling. Frankly speaking, if Iwere in the same position as Yuri-san and the other Hime-Miko, evensomeone like me would think the prospects suck in many ways!"Such suggestive words.Part 3The shrine being used for the ceremonial site was located within the wardof Midori-ku in Saitama city, the prefectural capital.Although the area was quite close to the city center, this ma.s.sive zone ofundeveloped greenery, covering over a thousand hectares, consisted offarmland, mixed forests, gra.s.sy wetlands, channels across vast marshes,preserving a spectacular and rich natural environment.Furthermore, standing alone amidst the expanse of natural scenery wasthis ancient shrine of Musashino.The historical site was surrounded by forest and bordered a park.Abundant but not ostentatious, the greenery provided people with a placeto rest their minds and bodies.The deity worshiped at the shrine was Susanoo"s wife, Kushinada-Hime,thus explained Amakasu.Within the vast territory of the shrine, roughly fifty girls dressed in mikooutfits were gathered. They appeared quite lively as they chatted happilywith one another.Hikari was also mixed within this group, but G.o.dou could not find Yuri, Enaor Sayanomiya Kaoru in their midst.Also, standing around the various Hi me- Miko were roughly ten-odd men insuits. They appeared to be Amakasu"s colleagues and staff of the HistoryCompilation Committee.G.o.dou and his group walked to a slightly further place to observe thesituation.Along the way, he found Hikari looking at him with a smile. G.o.dou noddedin acknowledgement."These girls are Yuri and Ena"s comrades... All fellow Hime-Miko, right?"Erica posed a question. Naturally, it was directed towards Amakasu."Yes. However, the majority are apprentice Hime-Miko like Hikari-san.Those who possess sufficient ability to be called a real Hime-Miko...Probably number in the twenties roughly. They are stationed as miko atvarious strategic locations of spiritual power distributed across j.a.pan.""Speaking of which, I recall Mariya Yuri mentioning this was a "festival formiko belonging to the East.""Amakasu nodded in response to Liliana"s murmurs."You are correct. "West"... Refers to a similar festival held at Shizuokawhere various miko from that region gather. On the other hand, Yuri-san isa Hi me- Miko of Musashino, the strategic region established after LordTokugawa leyasu"s entry into Edo. Basically, it covers Tokyo and Saitama,as well as parts of Kanagawa and Chiba."Amakasu supplemented further to explain what the region of Musashinoreferred to."If Kunikida Doppo-sensei^ were still alive, he"d probably throw a ma.s.sivefit to find out about this division of regions. The History CompilationCommittee was essentially defined in this non-deliberate manner. Notcounting apprentices, Hime-Miko belonging to Musashino... Probablynumber seven or eight."The great literary author just mentioned would surely have declared angrilythat "Musashino only reaches the Tama River, Hachiouji does not belong inMusashino!"Just as this thought crossed G.o.dou"s mind, Liliana looked over at theHime-Miko group and commented."Over in Europe, having miko potential is equivalent to possessing awitch"s disposition. The same probably applies to the Hime-Miko as well,right?""Yes. For example, if Yuri-san or Ena-san were to train seriously andsuccessfully reached fruition, then very likely they could turn out into awitch like you, Liliana-san. However, the History Compilation Committeehas no wish for the Hime-Miko to cultivate that sort of power.""Why?""Specialization. In order to achieve substantial results, learning witchcraftwould require spending at least a decade studying abroad in the place oforigin, namely, in eastern or southern Europe. Besides, the Hime-Mikohave many other dispositions. For example, take Yuri-san"s spirit vision orEna-san"s divine possession.""Are they all spirit powers originating from the blood of the DivineAncestors?"Liliana muttered. Amakasu deliberately winked in response."Oh my, did I ever mention that before?""No. I am simply speculating on my own. Ever since meeting PrincessAlice and Guinevere-sama, I started noticing the similarity in powerscompared to the Hime-Miko.""How about this? In the past, the Divine Ancestors" bloodline was pa.s.seddown to modern j.a.pan through their descendants."Hearing Liliana"s speculation, Erica inserted herself into the conversation."Learning of this fact through some manner, the people of that timecarefully preserved the rare bloodline of the Divine Ancestors byinfluencing the marriages of the Hime, thus they succeeded in maintainingthe bloodline to modern times. — The fruits of these efforts are theHime-Miko, am I right?""Since you"ve already met those Divine Ancestor ladies, indeed, you wouldnotice that intuitively."Smiling wryly, Amakasu expressed agreement. Speaking of which, G.o.dourecalled a certain memory.In the Netherworld, the Princess of Gla.s.s had told him something similar..."Well, those who inherited the rare bloodline are the Hime-Miko indeed.The Committee hopes to raise as much as possible their spirit powersstemming from that blood. In this regard, Ena-san and Yuri-san can beconsidered the two at the pinnacle. — Oh, here they come."This was the ancient shrine known as the "First Tier Shrine of MusashiProvince" in the past.Three Hime-Miko came out from the worship hall.Yuri and Ena, as well as Sayanomiya Kaoru.These miko were dressed differently from usual. On top of their whiterobes and hakama, they also wore a thin upper garment — the chihaya.Their heads were also adorned with glamorous diadems and hairpins.They stood out in stark contrast to the other Hime-Miko whose styleconsisted of just the white robe and the hakama.Also, the man"s priestly garb — Eh? G.o.dou was taken aback by what hesaw.There should be three Hime-Miko exiting the worship hall. Ena and Yuriwho had been bestowed the premier t.i.tle, as well as Sayanomiya Kaoruwho was slated to be the next chairman of the History CompilationCommittee.However, the last person was not dressed in miko attire. Instead, Kaoruwas dressed as a man, wearing a Shinto priest"s attire."Even on an occasion like this, she still cross-dresses...?""Well, this was her personal request, and besides, no one wants to see herdressed as a female... All the other Hime-Miko are very pleased aboutthis."Amakasu replied to G.o.dou"s mutters.Indeed, Kaoru was a very popular person. As soon as she came out ontothe grounds, all the other Hime-Miko gathered delightfully before her. Likea bunch of fans crowding around an idol.Surrounded by these young girls, Kaoru stood out greatly as sheresponded to the incessant greetings with a cheerful smile. It felt like shecould instantly get into a certain talent agency whose name started with "J"without any difficulty at all.^Kaoru was not the only popular one. Ena was also surrounded by the otherHime-Miko. Likewise for the meek Yuri.Surrounded by these lively and bustling girls, Ena was respondinguncharacteristically with a "this is so troublesome" att.i.tude. But viewedfrom another perspective, it was apparent that she was the "coolmysterious beauty with long black hair."As for Yuri, it was readily apparent that she was not very used to thesekinds of situations.Every time someone greeted her she would return the greeting solemnly,pondering nonstop how she should respond, sometimes getting franticwhen she could not react fast enough, always standing in the same spot...Amakasu remarked as he watched the noisy crowds of Hime-Miko."I guess the sight of Rosa Foetida, Rosa Gigantea, and Rosa Chinensis enbouton would pretty much be like this...""- 4 -""W-What is the meaning of your incantation?"Liliana questioned the special agent who uttered suspicious words."Also, Mariya Yuri looks really pitiful. Is anyone going to help her — ""Not me. Besides, I"m pushing thirty already. So I don"t really have what ittakes to penetrate a crowd of girls ranging from teenaged to their twenties.Ah, by the way, once these Hime-Miko reach a certain age, they areallowed to resign from their miko duties. Once they reach that stage, theybecome active as consultants for the Committee."As Amakasu tried to evade the question by offering useless trivia, G.o.doudirected a question at him."So this is why Mariya didn"t want to come?""Yes, because Kaoru-san is this kind of person, she is always popularwhether in a girls school or any other place. As for Ena-san, due to herabilities meriting the t.i.tle of the premier Hime-Miko as well as the prestigeof the Seishuuin family, she was already popular amongst the Hime-Mikovery early on. Then there is Yuri-san... Who has achieved this resultthrough various developments.""What"s that supposed to mean?""Oh dear. The Hime-Miko residing in Tokyo, Mariya Yuri-san who standsas the partner of the Campione, Mr. Kusanagi G.o.dou. Rumors havespread of how she has repeatedly received favorable treatment fromvarious areas. Through various individuals privy to the situation, thingshave been publicized amongst all sorts of people related to the world ofmagic."Hearing that it was related to himself, G.o.dou went "Eh" in surprise."And Kusanagi-san, you have been greatly active in a manner that greatlyexceeded initial expectations. Incinerating the Tokyo Tower, opening up acrater at Nikkou, smashing the Yokohama Bay Bridge... You are thenumber one celebrity and source of gossip in our field. Yuri-san is widelyknown to others as the "woman" belonging to this celebrity.""In other words, then — ""Those related to the field would regard Yuri-san as equivalent to the firstlady of a major country. "An amazing princess lives in Tokyo" is the rumorthat has spread throughout the Hime-Miko. In the blink of an eye, herpopularity had already sky rocketed to such heights."Amakasu grinned as he spoke."Furthermore, what"s surprising is that instead of hiding behind the greatDevil King, Yuri-san is a very capable person in her own right. Also, herpowers have grown to the point where she merits the premier t.i.tle. Due toall of these various factors, this is the result.""B-Basically, it"s because of me...""Yes. Or perhaps one should say, ninety percent or so."Dealt a final blow by Amakasu"s smiling words, G.o.dou felt like collapsing."Well... It"s not a bad idea to experience all sorts of situations beforehand,though it is a role that doesn"t suit Yuri very well. Smiling to the guests likethe mistress of a ball."Erica smiled wryly as she commented.G.o.dou agreed with her. Perhaps —Maybe not just Yuri, but also Erica and Liliana beside him, as well as Enain all her cheerfulness, all these girls might have been forced to shoulderunnecessary hardship because of Kusanagi G.o.dou?Met with this notion, G.o.dou could not help but feel rather dispirited.Not long after that, the Great Purification Rite started.As the ceremonial site, the ancient shrine"s surroundings had already beensealed off by the History Compilation Committee"s staff, restricting entry forthis particular day.The cold winter wind blew through the greenery of the mixed forest thatsurrounded the vast grounds of the shrine.These final days of December truly lived up to their name. Mercilessly coldwind robbed the warmth from people"s skin. However, despite wearing onlya flimsy miko outfit, none of the Hime-Miko showed any reaction on theirfaces.Solemn ritual prayers were offered, followed by an elegantly flowing danceto sacred Shinto music, the kagura.Miko accomplished in swordsmanship wielded wooden swords for groupperformances. Other miko displayed their prodigious prowess with bowsand arrows.The focus of these rituals who made sure they proceeded smoothly werestill the trio as before.Sayanomiya Kaoru. Together with the two premier Hime-Miko, Yuri andEna.The first to wield a sword of unvarnished wood was Ena as part of thegroup sword performance. Yuri on the other hand, was performing thesacred kagura dance in the center amongst the miko. The one who led theritual prayers and took charge of directing everyone"s duties was Kaoru.G.o.dou was particularly surprised by Kaoru"s highly skilled marksmanshipwith archery. Repeatedly, she shot the target"s center with spectacularhundred percent accuracy. Now that he thought about it, G.o.dou did recallsomeone telling him that "Kaoru was equally accomplished in literary andmartial arts."Furthermore, other than these three, the rest of the Hime-Miko were alsopartic.i.p.ating and proceeding with the Great Purification Rite with earnestsolemnity.The earlier commotion seemed like it was nothing but a dream. True totheir status as Hime who were carefully selected, this was a gathering ofthe top elite.Finally after two hours or so, the Great Purification Rite came to an endwithout incident."In other words, the gathering is purely for a ritual festivities rather than amagical ceremony."Liliana concluded after watching the ritual from beginning to end. Amakasuresponded wryly."Please don"t compare this with the gatherings of witches. This is wherethe various miko gather to ritually cleanse themselves of the impuritiesacc.u.mulated over the past year. This will continue to be repeated once ayear. I suppose gathering all the Hime-Miko together also has a purpose ofcultivating solidarity and harmony between them. After this, there"s thegarden party.""By garden party, umm, do you mean it takes place in a residencesomewhere?"G.o.dou reacted with surprise as he heard Amakasu"s unexpectedannouncement."I"m serious. Let"s keep the explanation simple. That is precisely the kind offeeling you get at the scene. In any case, this serves as a year-end party.""But before that... We should be doing something else, right?"Erica pointed out in response to Amakasu"s explanation. She wascompletely correct.This was the whole reason why they made their appearance at theHime-Miko gathering.After the Great Purification Rite, they were going to meet Haya Susanoono Mikoto — Ena"s guardian deity and the Old One who controlled j.a.pan"swizardry scene from the shadows.G.o.dou was invited here in particular to be the witness to the occasion.Part 4"By mobilizing all our members of the East"s Hime-Miko to hold a Shintoritual, a state is achieved where all filth and evil presences in the shrine"svicinity are purified and driven out to a greater extent than usual. Suchcirc.u.mstances allow for the descent of divine spirits from the Netherworld."Walking ahead to lead everyone else, Kaoru explained to G.o.dou."Although Ena contacts the Netherworld occasionally through hercellphone, nothing can be done if the Old One decides to ignore her.Hence, if a portion of his divine spirit is summoned over here, directdialogue is possible.""If G.o.dou is the negotiator, the other party cannot dismiss him completely.""Yes. Indeed that is the situation here."As Erica chimed in, Kaoru nodded and smiled.Watching this scene unfold, G.o.dou was struck deeply by this thought.These two highly competent girls only displayed such expressionswhenever they were carrying out some nefarious scheme...After the Great Purification Rite, G.o.dou and his group were now headingtowards a gra.s.sy clearing neighboring the shrine being used for theceremonial grounds.With Kaoru and G.o.dou in the lead, Erica, Yuri, Liliana and Ena followed intow. As for Amakasu, he had already left the shrine, saying "I havepreparatory work to do for the garden party.""This area should be fine. Well then, Ena, and Yuri too... Let"s start."Walking all the way to a wide open s.p.a.ce, Kaoru then called out to herfellow Hime-Miko.The two girls nodded and walked up to her. Then the three Hime-Mikobegan to offer prayers."Hereby with humble reverence, appealing to the Great G.o.d of Susa...""Herein these sacred grounds of Musashino Shrine, exorcised and purified,a stately offering...""To proffer endless admiration and praise to your divine grace and virtue..."The three Hime-Miko raised their magical power as they appealed toSusanoo for his descent. Then halfway through, Ena threw G.o.dou aglance. Discovering her intent, G.o.dou relaxed himself. Residing in his rightarm, Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi — the steel that once stood asSusanoo"s beloved sword, manifested in Ena"s hand."O divine blade of Ama no Murak.u.mo. I beseech you to call for your formermaster, Susa"s Old One, imploring him to manifest here in this place!"Lending the power of the divine sword, Ama no Murak.u.mo no Tsurugi, Enaimplored her guardian deity to appear.Immediately afterwards, gusts of wind suddenly began to rampage allaround.Gra.s.s and branches shook as the atmosphere trembled with a greatrumble. In addition, the wild gusts of wind brought forth a merciless chillupon G.o.dou and his group, robbing their bodies of their warmth.Soon after, the voice of a familiar old man was heard from the strong gustsof wind."Making such a noisy racket without end, hey."This voice belonged to Susanoo, the G.o.d whom G.o.dou had faced severaltimes in a storm-battered mountain.At the same time, G.o.dou felt his body overflow with power for battle. Dueto a G.o.d — or rather, a portion descending upon the earth, G.o.dou"s body ofa Campione"s had entered a state of battle."Stop shouting nonstop to summon an old man who lives in seclusion. Afterall, coming over to this side is quite inconvenient."G.o.dou took a step forward and yelled at the sky."I"m sorry, but we have questions for you.""I thought so too. Oh well, it has been somewhat amusing for me, watchingfrom up high as you people scurry about all over the place. That"ssomething you people can"t do in the real world."Susanoo could barely stifle the snickering suddenly spilling out from hissimmering voice. G.o.dou frowned."I knew you were playing dumb while being fully aware of everything."Ever since Athena"s second attack, Ena had attempted many times tocontact her "grampsy" to inquire about the "King of the End" and theHeavenly Reverse Halberd.However, she was completely ignored every time."Hold your temper. Regarding that brat, I cannot publicize too much. A G.o.dliving in seclusion is still a G.o.d after all. Imparting knowledge from theDomain of Immortality to the real world is prohibited. What we G.o.dsprioritize above all else is the balance between this world and yours."Susanoo basically gave a vague excuse to dodge the issue.The Domain of Immortality. A term G.o.dou had heard mentioned a numberof times in the past. It was apparently the place where the G.o.ds of mythsresided, that was how G.o.dou always felt the term could be understood.Furthermore, the place where ordinary humans lived on earth was theso-called Domain of Life...The realm sandwiched between these two worlds was the "Boundary ofLife and Immortality." Human magi called this realm the Netherworld or theAstral Plane —"However, a thousand years ago, didn"t you guys seal up that "King of theEnd" guy?""He was not sealed. Rather, after that brat ran off to fall into deep slumberdue to exhaustion, we simply switched the location where he sleeps.However, it is probably about time for our little trick to lose effectiveness."A G.o.d"s aloof tone increased in Susanoo"s voice."Since things have come to this, we whose fates are predetermined shouldnot interfere excessively in various affairs on earth. As well as all sorts ofother reasons. Hence, Ena was ignored.""That"s what I thought too. Indeed, it is a course of action very much in linewith how grampsy would think!"Hearing her guardian deity"s explanation, the Hime-Miko of the Swordshrugged."Hold your peace. Thus, Ena, you should stop pursuing this matterhenceforth. The one we have hidden away, that troublesome — that bratshall be left for you people to handle... Oh well, as a result of the previousround of commotion, even that brat has unambiguously conveyed hisintent to stay true to the "lazybones" t.i.tle."Susanoo"s voice issued a stern order then became relaxed again."The meddlesome outsiders not only failed to rouse that brat from hisslumber, but also caused a whole pile of messy affairs. Even so, thesekinds of fellows will continue to keep popping up!"Outsiders — Indeed, the divine ancestors apparently still had othercomrades.Thinking that, G.o.dou sighed."Besides, the brat should have slept for over a thousand years already. Ifhe were going to wake up, perhaps there is a particular time and place forit. That is called destiny.""Hey hey..."Just as G.o.dou grumbled at these irresponsible words, Kaoru suddenlystepped up.Until now, everyone apart from G.o.dou and Ena had refrained fromspeaking to Susanoo in fear of his divine splendor. But at this moment,Kaoru took action.Under the gaze of everyone apart from Susanoo, Kaoru knelt down andbowed her head."In that case, Old One, I have a matter I would like to inquire.""Oh?""Since the Old One harbors such ideas, we have decided to look up toKusanagi G.o.dou as our leader and protector henceforth, allowing us totake action as subordinates under his banner first and foremost — That isour humble opinion. Regarding this proposal, what are your thoughts, OldOne?"Currently holding the t.i.tle of the Tokyo Branch Chief, Kaoru was poised asthe next leader of the History Compilation Committee.But in actual fact, her position commanded the entire core leadership ofthe Committee in the Kantou region. Thus the androgynous Hime-Mikothrew out such a shocking proposal.Erica and Liliana exchanged sharp glances while Yuri and Ena wererendered speechless.Speaking of G.o.dou, he was blinking repeatedly in puzzlement. Whatexactly were Kaoru"s intentions?As for the ancient G.o.d who had descended together with violent wind —"Fine with me."A curt answer."I have no interest in knowing what kinds of cliques and a.s.sociations thepeople on earth wish to make. If that is indeed what you mean, all I cansay is, be my guest. You people on earth, whether you wish to obey myorders or to ignore them by relying on the G.o.d-slayer as a shield, it is amatter up to you to decide — together with this Kusanagi G.o.dou here."Downright readily, Susanoo was approving Kaoru"s proposal.Having obtained a.s.surance, Kaoru continued to kneel on the ground,bowing her head deeper in reverence.Then the wild winds rapidly weakened. The power surging from withinG.o.dou"s body for battle also diminished. Susanoo"s divine spirit hadapparently left the location already."Oh dear. Say, in the past half a year, hasn"t G.o.dou-san become our kingalready in all but name?"After Susanoo left, Ena asked "What was that about?"Kaoru replied nonchalantly:"Considering G.o.dou-san"s personality, this situation isn"t going to changesubstantially from now on. So in preparation for future emergencies, I thinkwe need to have a certain someone ascend to the throne.""Th-Throne?"Kaoru winked at G.o.dou who was shocked by the usage of thatquestionable word."Basically, I"m referring to G.o.dou-san"s status and position. Fighting battlesaccording to your will, a.s.sisting friends, sometimes bringing disaster to thisworld and nation, other times offering protection instead — This is a positiononly afforded to the king.""Then doesn"t this mean, compared to grampsy, His Majesty is even moreamazing?"Ena commented with a happy smile while Kaoru responded with amalevolent smile of her own."Compared to a G.o.d living secluded in the great spiritual world, it is onlyinevitable and natural that power and influence is wielded by the king onearth, is that not so? Oh well, this is the best decision. In preparation forfuture needs.""Indeed that is true..."Liliana nodded vigorously."If the hero of salvation really sleeps in Tokyo"s vicinity, it would not bestrange for [Heretic G.o.ds] and other Campiones to be drawn here.""But Kaoru-san."Yuri brought up her concerns with a worried expression."If you move ahead with this proposal, which is tantamount to holding theOld One"s power and influence in contempt, even ignoring those of ourgeneration for now, the elderly are certain to raise objections...""They can object as much as they want. After all, it amounts to nothingmore than grumbling.""Because we hold the absolute trump card, the G.o.d-slaying Devil King onour side. For ordinary mortals, rallying resistance against a Campionewould be no different from suicide."Erica concluded as if summing things up."Because it"s Kaoru-san we"re talking about, you"re sure to take greatinitiative in apparently troublesome areas.""Well well. However, it would be quite interesting to sweep away allhindrances of the past to simply start a new venture in one fell swoop."New venture. Yet another unsettling term was mentioned.Presumably due to the expression of unease on his face, Kaoru turned toface G.o.dou in his shocked confusion."Oh dear. In the near future, I will be using the Tokyo area as G.o.dou-san"sstronghold to take on the venture of building Kusanagi G.o.dou"s kingdom.I"m sure it will be a very interesting job. G.o.dou-san, if you agree, may Irefer to you as GM (General Manager)?"An excellent job indeed, Kaoru smiled as she spoke."B-By kingdom you mean...""Gathering up the talent around you, G.o.dou, to establish a newa.s.sociation. I"m fairly certain Lily and I can transfer our allegiancessmoothly. All sorts of preparations are already underway.""As for me, Yuri and Ena... Or even the entire History CompilationCommittee, it feels like everyone pretty much owes allegiance to thehouses of Sayanomiya and Seishuuin. Once these two families are undercontrol, everything goes without a hitch."Kaoru discussed an unsettling plan as though she were playing anintellectual game.In response, Liliana made an expression as if she wanted to remark"nefarious scheming again..."On the other hand, Ena"s eyes glowed as though she had heard aboutsome sort of new mischievous prank while Yuri displayed a face full ofworry.As for G.o.dou, he nodded in agreement with Yuri and Liliana whileexpressing his regrets on behalf of the common sense faction to theirexcessively radical friends.References1 . t Oz6ni(&$i^k): a j.a.panese soup containing mochi rice cakes. Stronglya.s.sociated with j.a.panese New Year"s, it is one of the most auspicious foodseaten for the occasion. Z): a sweet porridge of azuki beans boiled and crushed,served in a bowl with mochi. It is loved by many j.a.panese, especially duringthe winter.#j.a.pan2. t Kunikida Doppo(i]7Kffl (15 July 1871 -23 June 1908) aj.a.panese author of novels and romantic poetry during the Meijiperiod. kipedia.org/wiki/Kunikida_Doppo3. t A reference to Johnny & a.s.sociates, a j.a.panese talent agency thattrains and promotes groups of maleidols. kipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_%26_a.s.sociates4. t Reference to Maria-sama gaMiteru. #Yamayuri_Council