"A festival?" Shana, in the midst of destroying the meal in front of her, suddenly lifted her head.
Twilight—known in Japan as the "Hour of Meeting Demons"—when the sun hadn't fully sunk behind the hills, when day and night overlapped. Legend said this was when ghosts and spirits wandered freely, when supernatural things occurred most easily.
Shana had lately been settling most of her dinners at Hirai Yukari's home. After learning Shana's family was always away and that she lived alone in an apartment, Hirai Miho invited Shana to stay with them. Yukari's father had no objections, either. Both parents had quickly grown fond of their daughter's new friend.
At first, Yukari introduced Shana to her mother simply as her classmate. Later, Shana transferred into Yukari's class, smoothly turning this initial lie into the truth. Indeed, Shana really did have her own apartment now.
"Yes, yes! Tomorrow is the festival. Would you like to go together with Yukari, Shana?" Sitting gracefully, Hirai Miho's eyes sparkled gently as she spoke. "It'll be very fun."
"I just think those things are noisy…"
Shana furrowed her brows slightly. Most of what she knew about festivals came from books. Back in Tendōkyū, Wilhelmina had taught her many things about human customs, and later, as a Flame Haze hunting Crimson Denizens, she'd observed festivals from afar. But she'd never once participated.
Aside from being "very loud and noisy," Shana had no other impression of festivals.
"If you two decide to go, you'll have to come home a bit earlier tomorrow. I'll help you put on your yukata."
Noticing the look on Shana's face, Yukari immediately understood—Shana had never attended a festival before.
So, after heading upstairs, away from her mother's sight, Yukari earnestly extended the invitation again:
"Shana, let's go enjoy the festival together tomorrow!" Yukari clasped her hands, gently smiling. "Just consider it as keeping us company, alright?"
Shana's expression showed hesitation. After a brief silence, she glanced downward toward the pendant on her chest.
"Alastor?"
"Hmm… Attending once shouldn't affect anything, as long as it doesn't interfere with training."
Since that previous conversation with Nitocris, Alastor had reflected deeply on whether his previous approach had been wrong. No one knew exactly what he'd pondered, but he'd indeed become noticeably less strict.
Even Alastor had agreed—Yukari knew immediately she'd won!
Excited, Yukari grabbed Shana's hand, her voice filled with anticipation for the festival. "You, me, Alastor-san, and Kami-sama—tomorrow will definitely be unforgettable! Also, Shana will look incredibly beautiful in a yukata! Kami-sama must surely think so too, right?"
Shana initially had no visible reaction, but hearing those last words, her eyes involuntarily drifted toward the golden pendant on Yukari's chest.
Under Shana's expectant gaze, Nitocris hesitated briefly, then spoke softly:
"Hm… I'll look forward to it."
Would Nitocris enjoy seeing Shana dressed in a yukata? The answer, naturally, was yes.
She'd even once used a picture of Shana in a yukata as her phone's wallpaper.
To Nitocris's words, Shana said nothing. She just stared intently at the golden pendant containing Nitocris's consciousness, then abruptly turned her head away.
"Well… then I guess I'll reluctantly agree."
"Yay!"
"Don't suddenly throw yourself at me! It's not like I agreed for your sake…"
Yukari had instantly wrapped Shana up in a tight bear hug. Ignoring Shana's irritated expression, she rubbed her cheek affectionately against Shana's face.
Shana found this kind of intimacy meaningless. Though wearing an openly annoyed expression, she didn't push Yukari away.
Several months had already passed since their first meeting, and Yukari had performed countless similar affectionate actions. Initially, Shana had strongly resisted, but gradually gave in, realizing resistance was entirely pointless against Yukari's stubbornness.
Festivals had never interested Shana before—she found them dull and noisy.
But… this time, it would probably be enjoyable, wouldn't it?
The festival would be held in the evening, but like Yukari, most people had already begun looking forward to it yesterday, or even several days ago.
When Yukari and Shana arrived at school in the morning, they overheard other students discussing whether to attend the festival, how many people to invite, or whether to ask more girls along.
Most attention-grabbing were those openly inviting someone of the opposite sex—either carefree types unconcerned with gender, or those harboring romantic feelings. Nitocris had even noticed Ogata Matake asking a boy with narrow eyes to go to the festival with her during a class break.
Tsk tsk, not just inviting someone of the opposite sex, but a rare case of a girl inviting a guy. Could something like this really happen in real life? Are you sure this isn't science fiction?
During class, too, it was obvious the students' attention wasn't on the blackboard or their textbooks. It was as if empty shells were trapped inside the classroom, their souls already drifting away toward the festival grounds.
Of course, even the teachers at the podium weren't exempt. They, too, looked forward to the evening's festival, especially those teachers still single—they also wanted to invite someone special to stroll through the festival together.
As soon as the school bell rang, apart from those poor students stuck on cleaning duty, everyone else left like birds freed from cages, smiles brighter than the sun itself.
Yukari and Shana hurried home early, and Hirai Miho was already waiting for them.
Miho led Shana by hand into a tatami room scented faintly with camphor wood. The sliding paper doors stood partly open, golden afternoon sunlight quietly seeping in like filtered honey onto the floor.
With Miho's help, Shana put on a deep crimson yukata—its base the dark hue of nighttime cherry blossoms, with fine silver embroidery detailing intricate patterns along the sleeves and hem.
After finishing, Miho stepped back slightly, amazement flickering through her eyes.
"Just as I imagined, this pattern suits you perfectly. When everyone else sees you, Shana-chan, they'll surely be startled by how beautiful you look."
Hearing Miho's compliment, Shana's ears flushed slightly. Her fingertips subtly tightened around the sleeves. The dark crimson yukata swayed softly with her movements, shimmering like a pool of embers stirred gently by wind. Lowering her gaze, the delicate trembling of her lashes cast faint shadows over her eyes. Looking at herself dressed like this, she felt nervous and yet somehow excited—like a kitten scratching gently inside her heart.
If it really surprises Nito, that would be great…
As soon as that thought surfaced, Shana blushed furiously. She didn't dare look up, yet felt the anticipation swelling in her chest, sweetening even her breathing.
In the mirror, she glimpsed her lips curving upward slightly—a faint smile blooming silently like a lone cherry blossom unfolding gently in the spring night, still glistening with morning dew. The smile was so quiet, she herself didn't even hear the tiny "plop"—a small pebble slipping gently into the lake of her heart in June.
When she saw Yukari again, the other girl was wearing a deep-blue yukata.
Its color wasn't monotonously dark like nighttime, but more like the sea at its calmest just before dawn—deep blue threads finely intertwined with silver, faintly shimmering under sunlight, as though stardust had been woven into the fabric itself. The collar and sleeves were trimmed narrowly with a muted crimson thread, resembling subdued flames that flickered briefly whenever she raised her hand.
Her sash was wide brocade, deep blue as its base, embroidered with white-crested waves and crane silhouettes. As Yukari walked, the cranes seemed ready to take flight; the obi knot rested at her right side, with a tassel of the same color cascading down. Occasionally, its tip brushed softly against the teeth of her wooden geta, whispering faintly like gentle waves lapping the shore.
Today, Yukari had undone her usual twintails, securing her hair instead with a single ebony hairpin. A few strands slipped loose around her ears, occasionally lifted gently by the breeze.
Her wooden sandals tapped crisply against the stone path, their clear echoes filling the empty courtyard. Yukari paced slowly, attempting to relieve her impatience while waiting.
As if sensing Shana's gaze, Yukari turned slightly. Her deep blue sleeve slid back a bit, revealing a slender, snow-white arm. Within the sleeve's inner edge, there was a barely visible ring of tiny silver bells, their soft jingling almost inaudible—like distant whale-song drifting from the ocean depths.
When Yukari saw Shana stepping out from the room, her eyes similarly sparkled in astonishment—as if stars had suddenly fallen into her gaze.
Yukari's heartfelt praise made Shana's cheeks burn softly. No one disliked being praised; even flattery drew eager listeners, let alone genuine compliments from the heart.
However, if she could choose, Shana would rather have heard those words from someone else…
Unconsciously, her gaze fell on the golden pendant resting against Yukari's chest.
Since Hirai Miho was still nearby, neither Alastor nor Nitocris could openly speak. However, they were silently observing everything that unfolded around them.
Among the pictures Nitocris had collected before, most featured Shana in red or cherry-blossom pink yukatas. It seemed Yukari's mother shared the same idea—that red truly suited Shana best—even though she'd never seen Shana's flame-haired, burning-eyed form.
Amidst the monotone rhythm woven by cicada cries, the setting sun resembled a copper mirror slowly tipping, sliding down the edge of the mountains.
Sharp rays softened into warmth, first brushing the rooftops, then the eaves, stretching every shadow long across the ground.
After waving goodbye to Miho, Yukari and Shana—both dressed in yukata—walked onto the streets, heading toward the festival.
"Nito, what do you think of…my yukata?" Shana clasped her hands in front of her, nervously gripping her sleeves as if trying to knead that crimson hue deeper into the fabric. Though dusk hadn't fully arrived, her cheeks already flushed faintly. Her lips moved carefully, her voice so soft it seemed afraid of disturbing the clouds. "Is there anything strange about it?"
Nitocris's voice promptly answered through Yukari's pendant:
"It suits you very well—you're even prettier than I imagined."
Nitocris wasn't lying. She genuinely thought Shana looked beautiful, entirely different from admiring mere images.
If her emotions weren't still restrained by her divinity, Nitocris might have already clutched her chest blissfully, exclaiming, "I could die happy now!"
So this is the real charm of the Moe Queen, huh? Ah, my heart…
At Nitocris's words, Shana's fingertips abruptly tightened on her sleeves, as if gently tugged by invisible threads.
"Even…even prettier than imagined…"
Her voice stuck in her throat, escaping first as a short "Mmn," then as heated steam from between her lips.
Her wooden geta tapped the ground softly, producing a faint "clack."
Thump… Thump… Thump… The irritating noise annoyed Shana greatly, until she suddenly realized it was her own heartbeat.
Shana didn't quite understand the meaning behind these reactions, yet instinctively turned her head away, hiding her burning face behind the long sleeves of her yukata, as if fearful her thoughts might be exposed.
At that moment, she resembled a spring cherry blossom unintentionally blooming beneath the setting sun—trying to hide, yet burning openly and brightly red.
...
Because of the festival, people in yukatas filled the streets everywhere.
Nightfall hadn't even fully arrived, yet the riverside festival venue was already bustling with excitement, packed full of people coming and going.
It was Shana's first time stepping onto the lively, lantern-lit streets of a summer festival, and all the new sights dazzled her eyes.
Paper lanterns strung above formed a molten-golden river overhead; every breeze made it shimmer and sway into countless glittering fragments.
The sizzling iron plates cooking takoyaki filled the air with the sweet-spicy aroma of caramel and soy sauce, wrapping invisibly around her senses.
A goldfish-scooping stall caught Shana's attention. The delicate paper nets felt almost nonexistent, while the fish darted swift as liquid lightning, escaping with a splash that sprinkled her face with cool droplets.
By the end of the festival, Shana held a candy apple in her left hand and a small plastic bag filled with water in her right, containing her prize—a tiny goldfish.
Perched slightly askew atop her head was a fox mask.
Shana had genuinely enjoyed herself tonight. If she had to find something to complain about, however…
"Nito, why couldn't you wear a yukata and join us?"
"I've always borrowed my contractor's body. Wouldn't me wearing a yukata just be Yukari wearing one?"
"Of course there's a huge difference! Hmph!"
As if venting her annoyance, Shana bit aggressively into her candy apple.
She knew Nitocris was right, of course, but being upset was still being upset—and being upset meant complaining.
"Actually… I'd really love to see Kami-sama in a yukata too, ehehe…"
Yukari shyly scratched her cheek, clearly aligning herself with Shana's sentiment.
"You two…" Nitocris sighed softly. She was about to say something more, but suddenly paused, releasing a startled gasp as if sensing something unusual.
"Eh? This… this presence… A Flame Haze?"
And not only that… Nitocris recognized this aura. Not long ago, she'd clearly seen this person's… illusion.
---
A/N: Let me confirm once again: playing FGO truly brings no happiness!
It took me 600 quartz to get my first Summer Senpai, and 800 quartz for my second one. In the meantime, I pulled four copies of Xu Fu and three copies of Nikitich!
T/N: :)