Legend has it, hundreds of years ago, this town thrived with far greater prosperity than it does today.
Serving as a vital thoroughfare to the southwestern lands, it was a bustling hub where merchants converged and traffic flowed ceaselessly.
However, during the Warring States period, this strategically important town, guarding crucial trade routes, became a coveted prize for various daimyo.
Amidst the ravages of war, individuals found themselves powerless, much like the proverb: ‘When the nest falls, how can the eggs remain intact?’
From the east, a daimyo led tens of thousands of soldiers, their iron hooves shattering the town’s tranquility.
From the west, another daimyo erected formidable walls, intending to hold the enemy at bay.
As blades clashed, the very earth was stained crimson with blood.
Resentment and agony corrupted human souls, and countless malevolent spirits emerged from the mountains and seas, painting the sky an inky black.
The deity protecting the town guided its divine messenger to exorcise these malevolent spirits.
Yet, with the incessant warfare, the priest, prioritizing his family’s safety, abandoned his duties and vanished among the populace.
The ravages of war extended to the mountain shrine, leaving the Miko (TL Note: A Shinto priestess or shrine maiden) to struggle alone, its torii (TL Note: A traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred) gates crumbling, and faith itself fracturing.
By the time the war finally ceased, a century had already passed.
Gradually, people began to return to the town, which had been reduced to ruins, and painstakingly rebuilt it brick by brick from the ground up.
However, a town once obliterated could never reclaim its former prosperity.
Shion perused the script, filled with archaic language.
Even though it was a printed version meant for rehearsal, it still contained a surprising number of typos and grammatical errors.
Evidently, whether it was Class A or Class E, everyone was just putting on a makeshift show.
At the end of the script, a final line read:
“This mythological adaptation is based on the town’s history; if any similarities are found, they were definitely copied from our Class E!”
Huh?…
“Is this truly adapted from historical events?” Shion asked, holding the script.
Ayane leaned in, resting her head against her sister’s, and replied, “The scriptwriter said it’s based on history, but I wouldn’t know.
Perhaps there are records at the shrine or in the town’s library.”
‘Such things existed within the shrine?’ Shion scratched her head, pondering.
Since entering this game, she had cleaned the shrine and living quarters countless times, and indeed, there were some rather old books present.
However, for a low-scoring girl like herself, who couldn’t even focus on textbooks, flipping through books was a headache-inducing task.
“Ayane, I need to ask you something.”
“What is it?”
“Our shrine… when was it built?”
Ayane stared at her sister with a look usually reserved for the utterly bewildered.
“Just tell me already!” Shion said, gently pinching Ayane’s cheek.
“How would I know?!
My only responsibilities are eating and sleeping; aren’t all the tasks like worshipping the deities handled by you, Big Sister?
If you, the head of Hoshimori Shrine, don’t know, then why would I?” Ayane retorted, seizing Shion’s face in return.
Had they not been in Class E’s classroom, they would likely have continued their antics just as they did at home…
“Hello! Are you Hoshimori-san’s older sister?” A black-haired girl approached the bickering Hoshimori sisters and inquired.
Noticing someone had arrived, and seemingly having drawn a fair amount of attention, the two quickly ceased their squabble.
With black hair, glasses, and naturally fair skin, she wore a kind smile.
She appeared to be an exceptionally quiet girl, likely someone who enjoyed reading.
“Kujou-san, hello! This is my older sister, the most amazing Miko (TL Note: A Shinto priestess or shrine maiden) of Hoshimori Shrine, and her cooking is absolutely delicious!”
Despite their recent squabble, Ayane now spared no effort in using the most flattering words to introduce her sister.
The girl named Kujou bowed slightly to Shion.
“Hoshimori Shion-san, hello,” she said. “I’ve heard much about you.”
“Hello, Kujou-san, right?” Shion asked, scratching her head. “Um… what great reputation do I have?”
“As the head of Hoshimori Shrine, which has a heritage spanning centuries, your name is certainly known throughout the town,” Kujou replied with a friendly smile.
“Big Sister, this is Kujou Sakuya, the scriptwriter for the play we’re performing,” Ayane introduced.
“She’s incredibly skilled in both literature and history!”
Sakuya nodded slightly towards Shion.
Shion cleared her throat softly, adopting the demeanor she usually assumed when receiving visitors as the shrine’s Miko (TL Note: A Shinto priestess or shrine maiden).
“Hello, Kujou-san, I am Hoshimori Shion, the Miko (TL Note: A Shinto priestess or shrine maiden) of Hoshimori Shrine.
You are welcome to visit and worship at Hoshimori Shrine anytime,” Shion said, bowing slightly to Sakuya.
“Speaking of which, Kujou-san, did you really write the entire script for your class by yourself? That’s truly impressive.”
A little flattery would surely please the other girl.
Shion inwardly congratulated herself on her smooth and flawless social graces.
“Big Sister, Kujou-san isn’t from our class; she’s from Class D next door,” Ayane said, shaking her sister’s arm.
“You really are a dummy, Big Sister.”
“Eh? She’s not from Class E? Then why…”
Sakuya’s gaze flickered with a hint of sadness, though it vanished almost immediately.
“My class didn’t adopt my play script,” she explained.
“However, Class E thought this script was quite good, so I came to be their scriptwriter.
I also want to thank Hoshimori-san for her help!”
Ayane raised her hand, bouncing slightly, eager to claim credit.
“I was one of the recommenders!” she declared.
“When I saw that Kujou-san’s script included our shrine, I specifically requested more scenes featuring Hoshimori Shrine!”
So, the shrine worshipped by the Miko (TL Note: A Shinto priestess or shrine maiden) Ayane portrayed in the play was indeed Hoshimori Shrine?
“So, Kujou-san, did you write this play based on actual history?” Shion eagerly asked, this being the question she most wanted answered at the moment.
Sakuya nodded. “Yes,” she confirmed.
“I went through the town’s library and cross-referenced with Warring States period history.
During the Warring States period, two daimyo (TL Note: Powerful Japanese feudal lords who, until the Meiji Restoration, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary landholdings) indeed waged a fierce war right here in this town.
That battle undeniably resulted in heavy casualties among soldiers, and many civilians were also affected.
Furthermore, because the war lasted for several years, the town, serving as a battlefield, was almost completely razed.”
“Then, what about Hoshimori Shrine at that time?”
“At that time… the books I consulted indicated that this shrine wasn’t yet called Hoshimori Shrine, and it was presided over by a priest.
However, after the war, the shrine has continuously been managed by a Miko (TL Note: A Shinto priestess or shrine maiden), and the position of priest vanished from the shrine.”
Shion nodded.
In truth, a shrine being managed solely by a Miko (TL Note: A Shinto priestess or shrine maiden) has always been quite uncommon.
Typically, shrines require a priest to oversee offerings to the deities and other matters, but Hoshimori Shrine was an exception, having been continuously managed by its Miko for a long time, a tradition passed down to this day.
“However, for more specific details, I might need to visit Hoshimori Shrine during a pilgrimage and see if there are any archived books I can consult,” Sakuya said, her eyes seeming to sparkle.
“If it’s possible, I absolutely must visit!”
“Of course! You’re welcome to visit anytime, Kujou-san!
Oh, and one last question!” Shion made a pleading gesture.
“Finally, I wanted to ask, for Ayane’s scene, why does she need to wear that fox mask?”
“Because I think it looks really cool, of course!” Ayane exclaimed, picking up the fox mask and placing it back over her face.
Shion could sense Ayane making a goofy face at her from behind the mask.
“I secretly bought this with the money I took from Big Sister’s goldfish scooping at last year’s Autumn Festival!”
“Ayane! You are so done for, I’m telling you!”