Walking down the corridor leading to the Grand Narukami Shrine, Lumine's steps were light. Her goal was to finally rid herself of Urakusai. Though she had discovered a way to suppress him—rendering him unconscious and unresponsive—he was still *inside* her, wasn't he?
Nothing lifted the spirits like knowing a nuisance was about to be resolved.
To enter the shrine, one needed permission from the shrine maiden Inagi Hotomi. Stationed at the entrance like a guardian deity, even high-ranking officials seeking an audience with the Shogun had to submit their requests through her.
Lumine wasn't a dignitary, but she *was* well-acquainted with the shrine's most influential figures.
"Ah, Traveler. What brings you to the Grand Narukami Shrine this time? Unless it's urgent, I'm afraid I'll have to refuse your entry."
Paimon gasped. "Huh? Miss Hotomi, what counts as 'urgent'? Can't we just go in? We used to be allowed before!"
"Before" referred to the period after the Vision Hunt Decree ended, when the Shogun had temporarily resided at the shrine. Back then, ordinary visitors were barred from the inner grounds, and Lumine had only gained access thanks to the shrine priest's approval.
When Inagi Hotomi shook her head, denying them entry on familiarity alone, Lumine pressed further. "What if we submit a request?"
Hotomi hesitated. "It's not that simple… Even *I* can't enter freely right now. Look over there." She gestured toward the shrine grounds. "At the moment, most shrine maidens have been instructed to stay outside the main precincts."
"Eh?!" Paimon blurted out, swiveling to where Hotomi pointed. Sure enough, clusters of shrine maidens lingered at a distance.
Lumine had noticed them earlier but hadn't thought much of it. Now, curiosity prickled at her.
What could possibly require evacuating the shrine maidens? What were the shrine priest and the Guuji doing?
"Traveler, what do we do? We *have* to deal with Urakusai, right?" Paimon fretted.
Lumine turned back to Hotomi. "Isn't there another way? This is urgent."
"Yeah, yeah! It's a commission from the Guuji herself!" Paimon added hastily.
Hotomi pondered for a moment. "The Guuji didn't mention anything… But the shrine priest did leave me something."
From her sleeve, she produced a small paper crane. "This is a communication tool he gave me. I was told to use it only for critical matters. Traveler, would you say your situation qualifies?"
Before Lumine could answer, Paimon bobbed her head vigorously. "Super critical! It's about the Traveler's *life*!"
"Paimon, don't exaggerate. But yes, it *is* important," Lumine corrected.
Hotomi nodded, then whispered into the paper crane and activated it. The origami figure stirred to life, its wings fluttering as it took flight—straight into the shrine's inner sanctum.
Seizing the moment, Lumine asked, "What exactly is happening inside?"
"Nothing major. Just an influx of spirits returning a few days ago." Given Lumine's close ties to the shrine priest, Hotomi elaborated.
It had started when the Guuji, Yae Miko, made a rare return to the shrine. Shortly after, a horde of spirits descended upon Mt. Yougou. Had the shrine priest not intervened with the Shogun's authority, the Tenryou Commission samurai stationed there might have clashed with them.
Later, the shrine maidens were told these spirits were remnants of ancient youkai who had perished in battle—nothing to fear.
Hotomi admitted that modern shrine maidens were more accustomed to handling residual godly miasma than actual youkai. Aside from tanuki, most youkai existed only in textbooks. Seeing so many at once had been… jarring.
—After all, everyone knew most of Inazuma's youkai had fallen in battle long ago.
As Hotomi explained, Lumine nodded along, while Paimon peppered her with questions—simple ones, but Hotomi answered each patiently.
Unbeknownst to Paimon, Hotomi's gaze toward her had shifted subtly, as if looking at a child rather than an equal.
Lumine decided not to mention it.
Instead, she reached out mentally to Urakusai: *'Why so quiet?'*
This telepathic trick was new, mastered only in the past few days. Far better than talking to herself like a lunatic.
*'This old fox… doesn't quite know what to say. The changes are staggering. I hadn't realized until now—this Inazuma isn't the one I remember.'*
*'Don't take it too hard.'*
*'Not hard. Just感慨. If even an Archon can fall, what's left to surprise me?'*
The Raiden Shogun had once been twin gods. Five hundred years ago, one was lost.
Lumine understood.
If even a god could perish, was anything in this world truly unshakable?
They didn't wait long. Soon after the paper crane disappeared into the shrine, a masked shrine maiden emerged—one of the priest's shikigami.
"Follow," the shikigami intoned in Li Mo's voice. Then, to Hotomi: "The paper crane will be replenished after use."
"Understood." Hotomi bowed slightly.
*'That priest… he commands such loyalty from the maidens? Isn't the Guuji the one in charge?'*
*'She is. But she rarely involves herself in day-to-day affairs. The priest handles most of it.'*
*'That lazy little fox… In Lady Saiguu's time, things were never so lax.'*
Saiguu—the name of the previous Guuji, who had perished five centuries ago.
Lumine had learned of her by chance from the priest. She'd never forget the look in his eyes when he spoke that name.
Following the shikigami inside, Lumine finally understood why Hotomi couldn't enter freely.
The courtyard before the Sacred Sakura was packed with figures of all shapes and sizes—each one unmistakably a youkai.
Bound by invisible restraints, they looked almost like prisoners.
"Ah, Lumine. You're finally here. Perfect—we're just missing Urakusai now," the shrine priest called from the center.
*'…Should this old fox be telling you to run?'*
Before Lumine could reply, Urakusai's voice echoed wryly in her mind.