Hoshimori Shion settled into her train seat, her gaze fixed on the shifting landscape beyond the window. What had once been an endless expanse of clear blue sky gradually gave way to a scattering of quaint villages. In the fleeting vignettes that flashed by, she observed farmers tilling their fields and fishermen casting their nets upon the distant sea. The midday sun, warm and bright, streamed into the gently swaying carriage, accompanied by a soft breeze.
‘Was this, then, the outside world?’
For Shion, her hometown had always been her entire world—a small, intimate sphere where she attended school and shared laughter with her sister and friends. When night descended, she would take up her Spirit Cutter, ready to exorcise malevolent spirits and safeguard the tranquility of their cherished haven.
And was it not the same for Igarashi Rie? As a scion of the Igarashi family, a direct descendant of the town’s once-illustrious daimyo, she bore an equally profound and weighty destiny.
Yet, at this very moment, both young women were in the act of escaping their respective worlds. Rie had made the choice to flee, while Shion had chosen to accompany her, becoming the radiant light beside this princess as she broke free from her castle walls.
As soon as she had boarded the train, Shion had messaged Hoshimori Ayane, explaining that she would be out with Rie for a while and might return late. She instructed Ayane to use her own money to prepare lunch, and perhaps even dinner, given how high the sun already hung in the sky while they were still en route.
Rie gazed out the window, a hint of dejection clouding her features. She wrestled with the uncertainty of whether her decision to flee was truly the right one. After all, she was the sole individual left in the town with the Igarashi bloodline, the only one capable of manipulating the sacred seals. Should she abandon her post, and a problem with the town’s seals arise, there would be no one to prevent disaster.
‘No, no, that’s not right,’ Rie hastily thought, shaking her head. ‘Logically, it’s impossible for anything to go wrong.’ Thanks to the recent “pressure releases” over the past few days, the seals were in a much better state; at the very least, they wouldn’t pose an issue for the next year. In fact, Rie’s accidental misstep yesterday, which had inadvertently unleashed a multitude of malevolent spirits, had actually proven to be a blessing in disguise, significantly alleviating the seals’ burden. ‘Though I truly do feel awful about Hoshimori Shion’s involvement.’
As these thoughts ran through her mind, Rie gently patted her cheeks, only to find herself meeting Shion’s gaze, which had been quietly observing her.
“Igarashi-senpai, you seem a little down today,” Shion remarked, her voice laced with concern as she sat across from Rie. “Senpai, let’s just consider today a fun escape. Surely your family’s responsibilities can be managed even if you’re away for a single day, can’t they?”
Rie reached out, gently ruffling Shion’s long white hair. Shion must have left in a rush that morning; her hair was a little disheveled, yet it remained remarkably soft to the touch and carried a faint, sweet fragrance.
“And from what I understood, Grandpa Butler seemed to have given you permission to come out and enjoy yourself, didn’t he, Igarashi-senpai?” Shion asked, allowing Rie to continue playfully ruffling her hair.
Rie took a deep, steadying breath. ‘She’s right,’ she mused. ‘I can’t be sighing and moping in front of my sweet junior. After all, I was the one who insisted she come along.’
Adopting her customary gentle smile, she retrieved two bento boxes from her bag. One appeared rather luxurious, nestled within a seemingly expensive lunchbox, while the other was decidedly more humble, clearly a purchase from a convenience store.
Ah… Shion, recognizing the packaging, felt certain she knew precisely which convenience store Rie had visited—it was the very one she frequented for her own groceries.
Rie offered the more elaborate bento to Shion, retaining the convenience store purchase for herself.
“Here you go, Hoshimori Shion, today’s lunch,” Rie announced, clapping her hands together as she produced the utensils.
“Igarashi-senpai, I recall hearing that eating isn’t allowed on the train…”
“It’s perfectly fine! A compartment ticket is specifically for enjoying meals. As for the one you prepared, Hoshimori Shion…”
Shion had already opened the bento box. While the ingredients themselves appeared quite good, the overall presentation of the dishes somehow filled her with a subtle, unsettling apprehension…
‘Oh well, it’s probably just my imagination,’ she thought, ‘and I am rather hungry right now.’ Shion scooped up a piece of meat with a mouthful of rice and bravely took a large bite.
“I made it myself~” Rie finished, completing her sentence.
The instant those words registered, Shion felt herself practically turn to stone.
It wasn’t merely Rie’s confession; it was the immediate realization of the undercooked rice, the burnt, over-fried meat, and the unmistakable, overwhelming taste of far too much soy sauce!
Shion fought back the overwhelming urge to spit out the mouthful, instead forcing a strained smile as she swallowed the unappetizing concoction.
“Senpai, I… I’m quite full…”
‘My dear Lady Igarashi Rie, perhaps it would be best to entrust all future household chores to someone else…’
****
The landscape outside the window subtly transformed, evolving from the familiar, unassuming villages and towns into a sprawling expanse of towering skyscrapers. Beneath this veritable forest of steel, throngs of people teemed, and the ceaseless flow of traffic created a vibrant, restless energy. Beyond their compartment, Shion could discern the rising crescendo of voices, a growing clamor that infused the previously subdued train with a newfound vivacity.
“Igarashi-senpai! Look at that tower over there—it’s incredibly tall!”
Shion’s sudden, excited cry startled Rie, who had been on the verge of drifting off. Following the direction Shion indicated, Rie glanced out the window.
Before them stood a tower that pierced the very clouds. Its silver, steel-forged body seemed capable of propping up the entire azure sky. The imposing skyscrapers Shion had just marvelled at now appeared as mere charming miniatures beside this colossal structure. Even from a distance, Shion found herself unable to contain her awe at the magnificent edifice.
“It’s so beautiful…” Shion whispered, her face practically pressed against the windowpane as she gazed at the towering structure.
A reminiscent smile graced Rie’s lips, as if a cascade of cherished memories had suddenly resurfaced from the depths of her heart.
She moved closer to Shion, inviting her to lean against her shoulder. “That tower,” Rie began, “is precisely the Tokyo Sky Tree I mentioned to you, Hoshimori Shion.”
“That’s the one!” Shion exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with delight.
“Indeed,” Rie affirmed with a gentle nod. “When the time comes, I’ll take you, Hoshimori Shion, to see what it’s like at the place closest to the sky.”
“May I truly look forward to that, then?”
Observing the hopeful smile gracing Shion’s face, Rie found herself smiling in return, a soft, unbidden joy blooming within her.
“Yes, of course. It’s a promise.”
Just then, the gentle voice of the announcer resonated through the train’s speakers.
“Tokyo Station. Tokyo Station, now arriving.”
As the train doors hissed open, the vibrant sunlight of Tokyo streamed into the girls’ compartment, bathing them in its glow.