C100 Interlude: A Corner of the Shrine Four Hundred Years Ago
“‘Shinto priest-sama, I report to you.'”
A miko, clad in pure white robes with long white hair, stood with utmost reverence in the shrine’s side hall, bowing deeply to the Shinto priest whose hair had already begun to turn a distinguished white.
“‘This morning’s worship of the divine has concluded, and offerings have been duly presented to the revered deities.'”
The elderly Shinto priest, seated in the center of the side hall, offered a nod of acknowledgment.
His own beard, too, was now touched with streaks of white.
“‘You’ve worked hard, Hoshimori,'” he rasped, his voice a little hoarse, before a few coughs escaped him.
“‘Then I shall proceed to guard the main hall,'” the miko named Hoshimori stated, bowing once more to the Shinto priest.
“‘Please, Shinto priest-sama, do take care of your health; the weather today has turned quite cool.'”
With another respectful bow, she turned, intending to depart.
“‘Wait…'” the Shinto priest’s hoarse voice halted Hoshimori Miko.
“‘Hoshimori, I must reiterate: there is a fundamental distinction between humans and divine beings.
‘The divine beings exist to safeguard this entire land beneath our feet.'”
Hoshimori Miko lowered her gaze, offering only a soft, murmured acknowledgment.
“‘Yes, I understand.'”
A silence stretched between them for several seconds.
Hoshimori Miko then lifted her head once more, inquiring, “‘Shinto priest-sama, do you have any further instructions for me?'”
The Shinto priest raised a hand.
“‘Hoshimori, the grain… how much do we have left?'”
The young miko, still clad in her ceremonial robes, shook her head.
“‘Not much remains.
‘This autumn’s offerings of rations amount to only fifty percent of what we received in previous years.
‘When I descended the mountain yesterday to purchase grain, I found no surplus left in the town either.
‘Everyone this year is praying solely for a bountiful harvest, with no other supplications.'”
“‘Even in bustling mercantile centers, the situation is dire,'” the Shinto priest lamented, letting out a heavy sigh.
“‘The state of the world has shifted this year.
‘I’ve heard that the daimyo in the west has already taken up arms, and the Igarashi family head is also conscripting soldiers…’
He paused, his voice heavy with worry.
“‘I… I don’t even know what has become of my own family.'”
Hoshimori listened in silence, though as a miko who had been sent to the shrine as a child and raised within its sacred grounds, she possessed little understanding of such worldly affairs.
Her sole comprehension was that fewer people had come to offer their devotions this year, and the offerings themselves were scantier.
Those who did arrive were invariably either deeply sorrowful or consumed by anger, demanding much of her energy to console them as they sought solace from the divine beings.
For she understood that even the divine beings would be saddened to hear of such troubles.
“‘Shinto priest-sama,'” Hoshimori Miko offered, “‘if you are troubled by worries for your family, you may certainly go to visit them with a peaceful heart.
‘I am capable of guarding the shrine in your stead for a time.'”
“‘No, never mind,'” the Shinto priest dismissed with a wave of his hand.
“‘If an era of turmoil is truly upon us, what meaning would a visit hold?
‘Go, guard the main hall.'”
With that, he gestured, indicating that the miko was free to depart.
Hoshimori Miko acknowledged his words, then turned and proceeded towards the shrine’s main hall.
Despite its designation as the main hall, the structure remained remarkably simple.
Within the wooden building, an offering platform had been crafted from exquisitely fine timber, upon which the divine being’s true form rested neatly, concealed beneath layers of intricate wood carvings and embroidered cloth.
This particular spot appeared to be the most meticulously adorned area within the entire shrine.
As Hoshimori Miko bowed before the divine being’s true form, a white figure suddenly darted out from the side, its movements remarkably agile, and swiftly enveloped the bowing girl in an embrace.
“‘Divine being!'” Hoshimori Miko exclaimed, returning the hug with a start.
“‘You—you’ve gotten heavier again…'”
She then quickly patted the white figure’s shoulders, urging her to release her embrace.
The white divine being, whose current form was merely an ethereal, white phantom, possessed an untouchable, otherworldly quality.
Yet, her figure was unmistakably modeled after Hoshimori Miko herself: an identical face, the same long hair, and even the very same miko attire.
“‘You’ve taken on a heavier manifested form, haven’t you?'” the divine being asked playfully, shaking her head.
“‘Someone will arrive to pray soon,'” Hoshimori Miko chided, “‘and they might just witness the divine being in such a mischievous state.'”
She playfully ruffled the divine being’s hair, though in truth, there was no sensation to it; the divine being’s current form was merely an imitation, lacking any genuine tactile presence.
The white divine being promptly declared, “‘Oh, no, they won’t.
‘No one is ascending the mountain to worship right now.
‘It’s just you and Iori Shinto priest here.'”
“‘Lately, it feels as though fewer and fewer people are coming to worship,'” Hoshimori Miko mused.
“‘Divine being, do you think that perhaps in a few hundred years, no one will come to worship at our shrine at all?'”
“‘Uh… surely not?'” The white divine being scratched her head, a hint of uncertainty in her voice.
“‘I’ve diligently strived to grant all the wishes they made when they came to worship, all the ones within my power, haven’t I?'”
“‘Such as what?'” Hoshimori Miko challenged.
“‘The growth of crops in the fields isn’t within your purview, is it?'”
“‘Uh… no, I can’t manage that.'”
“‘Then, what about wishes to find a spouse?'”
“‘That’s not within my domain either.'”
“‘And wishes to bear children?'”
“‘That… also isn’t possible.'”
“‘Then what wishes *have* you actually helped them fulfill?!'” Hoshimori Miko couldn’t help but exclaim, a hint of exasperation in her voice.
“‘I have a distinct feeling that in another four hundred years, our shrine might be utterly deserted!'”
“‘No, no, it won’t happen…'”
Despite the divine being’s confident assertion, Hoshimori Miko’s expression remained unconvinced, prompting the divine being to append a hesitant “‘…right?'” to her statement.
‘Truly, what an unreliable divine being.’
“‘I have been diligently working, you know!'” The divine being scratched her head in defense.
“‘Look, it’s been five or six days now without any incidents of evil spirits harming people, hasn’t it?'”
“‘Is that all?…'” The miko continued to scrutinize the divine being before her with a skeptical gaze.
“‘I can suppress those evil spirits perfectly well with the Spirit Cutter myself.'”
“‘Oh, goodness, maintaining the balance between life and death is a profoundly important matter, something a simpleton like you, who dislikes studying, wouldn’t comprehend,'” the divine being retorted, throwing out several terms that Hoshimori Miko clearly didn’t understand.
“‘Four hundred years is such a long stretch of time; you might very well have become a bona fide dummy by then.'”
Hoshimori Miko pursed her lips, then delivered a light tap to the divine being’s head.
“‘There’s a distinction between humans and divine beings…'” Hoshimori Miko began, then paused.
“‘Divine being, do you truly understand what Iori Shinto priest meant by that?'”
“‘It’s because you don’t apply yourself to your studies that you don’t grasp the meaning of such a simple phrase!'” The divine being declared, hands on her hips, looking utterly smug.
“‘I know far more than you do!
‘Humans and divine beings are different’ (TL Note: A concept emphasizing the fundamental separation between humanity and divinity), its original meaning implies that humans and divine beings are not the same, and its extended meaning suggests that humans and divine beings cannot be together, nor have too much interaction…'”
As she spoke, the divine being seemed to suddenly realize the implications of her own words, and her voice gradually trailed off into a whisper.
Then, with an abrupt shift in tone, she exclaimed, “‘What utter nonsense is Iori Shinto priest spouting!
‘If humans can forge bonds with kittens and puppies, then why can’t there be bonds between humans and divine beings?
‘I am here to protect all of you; what reason would I have to protect you without such connections?
‘Those paltry offerings aren’t even enough to sate my hunger!'”
The divine being clasped the miko’s hands, causing the previously somewhat dimmed light in the girl’s eyes to sparkle once more.
“‘Don’t pay any mind to Iori Shinto priest!'” she declared with fervor.
“‘Even if four hundred years were to pass, I would still come to find you!
‘I absolutely will!'”
****
At that very moment, the daimyo in the east had already led his vast army, sweeping his forces westward.
Battle flags, as if stained with blood, fluttered ominously in the wind.
The local daimyo, the renowned head of the Igarashi family, was likewise engaged in conscripting soldiers and erecting defensive walls.
That year, early autumn arrived with an exceptional, biting cold.