Several minutes later—supporting each other—the two of them finally climbed the last step and arrived at the summit of Mt. Yougou, within the courtyard of the Grand Narukami Shrine. The shrine at night was still filled with warm lamplight, but the courtyard was empty. Perhaps Guuji Yae had dismissed the other shrine maidens early. After all, this was a special situation.
"...So this is the Grand Narukami Shrine? It's my first time seeing it up close."
Kokomi gently slipped free from Ayaka's support and slowly straightened, taking a few steps around as she looked about. A faint glimmer of curiosity flickered in her eyes.
"The Grand Narukami Shrine has a long history. We can talk about that later. There's no time to waste. Let's go find the others."
Ayaka unfolded her fan and fanned herself lightly before urging her forward.
"Mm..."
Kokomi gave the surroundings one last glance before following after her.
The two passed through the front courtyard, ascended another set of steps, and walked along the main building until they stopped before a private room.
"Wait..."
Just as Ayaka was about to slide open the screen door, Kokomi called out softly.
"...?
Ayaka looked at her in confusion.
"That Lady Ei... the Shogun's mother—is she inside as well?"
Kokomi asked nervously. Her hands had already clenched unconsciously, as though she were about to meet a lover's parents.
"...Haa. Yes. But you needn't worry. Lady Ei is very easy to get along with."
Seeing the tension written across her face, Ayaka shook her head helplessly and offered reassurance.
"Oh... I understand."
Kokomi let out a small breath of relief. Yet she was still nervous inside. Mainly because she had never met Ei before and felt uncertain. Under normal circumstances she would never be this flustered. She would handle things with ease.
But this was different. The other party was the Shogun's mother—and the Electro Archon of Inazuma. Because of that identity, she had no choice but to remain on edge. After all... she needed to leave a good impression.
Knock knock~
Ayaka lightly tapped on the sliding door before—
Rustle~
She slowly pulled it open. What greeted them was a simple bedroom bathed in warm lamplight. Inside sat four women—Yae, Ei, Pandora, and the little shrine maiden... Hanachirusato. The four of them were silent, each seemingly lost in thought. At the sound of the door, they instinctively looked up.
"Everyone, apologies... we're late."
Ayaka bowed politely and apologized smoothly.
We?
Hearing that word, the four of them instinctively looked past her to the unfamiliar girl standing behind. The dreamy, flowing sleeves of her ceremonial attire and her porcelain complexion gave her the air of a celestial maiden.
"And this is...?"
Ei looked at Ayaka in confusion, prompting an introduction.
"..." ×3
The other three were also examining Kokomi from head to toe. Yae in particular narrowed her violet eyes slightly, fingertips brushing her lips, her gaze unmistakably appraising.
"Go on, introduce yourself..."
Ayaka stepped aside deliberately, giving Kokomi the center and gesturing for her to speak.
"...Greetings. My name is Sangonomiya Kokomi. I am... the Divine Priestess of Watatsumi Island, and currently its leader. I—"
"Oh my~? And why would the leader of Watatsumi Island come all the way to Narukami Island? This matter has nothing to do with Miss Sangonomiya, does it?"
Yae deliberately cut her off, her tone teasing, though a sharp glint flashed through her eyes.
"..."
Ei said nothing, her gaze fixed silently on the girl before her.
"..."
The light in Kokomi's eyes dimmed slightly at the interruption, but she looked back at the pink-haired shrine maiden without fear.
"Oh dear, how rude of me—I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Yae Miko, the current Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine. I also serve as the overseer of the Sacred Sakura."
Yae smiled slyly and introduced herself at last.
Kokomi's expression did not change at that subtle, cunning smile. She returned a polite one in response.
"As for the one beside me, I suppose there's no need for introduction?"
Yae gestured toward Ei.
"..."
Kokomi looked over. The purple-haired woman before her was nearly identical to the Shogun, yet their temperaments differed. It was not a matter of superiority, merely distinction. Still, the noble aura she exuded was genuine—an existence where grace and beauty were perfectly fused.
"Raiden Ei. I've often heard the Shogun mention you—Kokomi, is it? Sit. There's no need to be nervous."
Compared to Yae, Ei was far easier to approach. She raised a hand and indicated the seat across from her, not treating Kokomi as an outsider.
"Thank you... Lady Ei."
Kokomi bowed slightly and obediently sat beside her, a small flicker of joy rising in her heart. She often mentions me...? So the Shogun thinks of me in her daily life as well?
"...Ayaka, sit as well."
Ei looked at Ayaka, who was still standing.
"Yes."
Ayaka nodded and deliberately seated herself on Kokomi's other side.
"And these two are..."
Ei looked toward Pandora and Hanachirusato.
"Hello, Miss Sangonomiya. My name is Pandora. I am... a friend of the Shogun. She has also shown me great kindness. Please take care of me."
Pandora introduced herself gently.
"Hanachirusato. Mm—just a small shrine maiden here, you could say. Hehe... there's no need to mind me."
Hanachirusato smiled warmly.
"...It's a pleasure to meet you both."
Kokomi returned their smiles.
"Kokomi... may I call you that?"
Ei asked gently.
"Of course... Lady Ei."
Kokomi nodded and met her gaze.
"What Yae asked earlier was not without reason. The fewer who know of this matter, the better. It is special—and very important. May I ask why you have come? Or rather, what compelled the Divine Priestess of distant Watatsumi Island to appear here?"
Ei asked tactfully.
"..."
Yae gave an almost imperceptible nod and once again focused her gaze on Kokomi.
"Today, I am not the Divine Priestess. Nor am I Watatsumi Island's leader. I am simply Sangonomiya Kokomi—as the Shogun's friend. Just someone worried about her."
She met Ei's eyes and answered firmly.
"Haa... that child really does attract bees and butterflies. She's even drawn admirers from Watatsumi Island now."
Yae could not resist commenting. Just like someone else... no wonder they're mother and daughter. Does that sort of thing run in the blood?
"Yae..."
Ei stopped her.
"Fine, fine~ I'll stop~"
Yae shrugged obediently.
"Haa... please don't mind her. That's simply how she is—her tongue can be rather sharp."
Ei apologized softly.
"It's all right... if anything, I should take it as a compliment."
Kokomi laughed self-deprecatingly.
"Oh my~? So humble? That won't do, you know. You might lose her that way."
"Yae, enough."
Ei cut her off again, irritation surfacing.
Yae fell silent.
"...The name of the Guuji Yae Miko has long reached even Watatsumi Island. Meeting you today is an honor."
Kokomi responded courteously, unaffected.
"Mm~? Miss Sangonomiya's name has already spread throughout Narukami Island as well. I've wanted to meet you for quite some time. Today my wish is fulfilled."
"Then perhaps this meeting is fate."
Kokomi smiled politely.
"Kokomi... what you said earlier—was it sincere?"
Ei deliberately ignored the fox behind her and asked seriously.
"Not a single word of falsehood. Besides, the Shogun has helped me greatly in private. She has taken care of me in many ways. Now that Watatsumi Island and Narukami Island have reconciled, if the Shogun is in trouble, how could I remain indifferent?"
Kokomi pressed a hand to her chest.
"..."
Ei watched her steadily, studying the emotions within her eyes.
"..."
Kokomi met her gaze just as firmly, as if trying to lay bare every feeling in her heart for those discerning eyes to see.
"Haa... What I'm about to say may not be appropriate for the current situation, but I must still ask you... Do you not hate me?"
Ei asked.
"...Hate? Why would I hate you?"
Kokomi blinked in surprise, clearly caught off guard.
"Orobashi. You are his descendant. I slew him with my own blade. Do you not resent me for that?"
Ei's voice remained gentle rather than cold. She was accepting the girl before her—this question was merely a test, a way to hear her true heart.
"..."
The others instinctively turned their attention to Kokomi.
So that's what Lady Ei meant...
For some reason, Kokomi felt slightly relieved.
"There are indeed people on Watatsumi Island who resent you," she admitted calmly. "But they are only a minority. They simply fail to see the full truth."
"And you? Have you seen it clearly?"
Ei asked in return.
"Lady Ei... the Shogun once asked me that very same question."
Kokomi offered her a gentle smile.
"Compared to the Great Serpent, I care more about my people. My personal faith is not the most important thing—this was my answer to her at the time."
"Oh?"
Yae's eyes softened slightly, a trace of admiration surfacing.
"As long as my people live in peace, that is enough for me. That is why I sought reconciliation."
She continued evenly.
"I pity Lord Orobashi, but I will not defend him. No matter the reason, he was the one who invaded Inazuma first. He caused your soldiers to fall in battle. By rights, we should have perished beneath your blade. Yet you did not do so. Instead, you spared us. You incorporated Watatsumi Island into Inazuma, shielding us in Lord Orobashi's stead, allowing us to continue worshipping the Great Serpent rather than forcing us to worship you, the Narukami Ogosho."
"..."
Ei remained silent.
"The people who resent you fail to see this. Haa... forgive me, Lady Ei. That is my failure as their leader."
Kokomi bowed deeply, hands placed forward until her forehead touched the floor.
"I see why the Shogun values you," Ei said with a faint smile, folding her arms.
"Eh?"
Kokomi looked up, startled.
"You appear gentle, but there is a stubborn streak in you—perhaps better described as the resolve to act upon whatever you believe is right. It was the same when you opposed the Vision Hunt Decree. I imagine the Shogun admires that about you."
"..."
Kokomi bowed again.
"However... though the Vision Hunt Decree was my mistake, you knowingly challenged me despite fully understanding the vast disparity in our strength. That is not something to be praised. It was... reckless."
Ei's tone turned slightly colder, deliberately exerting a faint pressure.
"...I'm sorry, Lady Ei."
Kokomi's body trembled. She lowered her gaze, her earlier composure shaken by that subtle shift in authority. Her hands tightened in her lap as she struggled to suppress their trembling. The weight of Ei's presence was nearly too much to bear.
"Sangonomiya Kokomi. As Watatsumi Island's strategist and Divine Priestess, you must consider the consequences of your decisions. You cannot simply charge forward blindly."
"...Yes, Lady Ei."
Kokomi lowered her eyes obediently and answered softly. The soles of her white-stockinged feet shifted faintly against the tatami, an unconscious attempt to relieve the mounting pressure. Her clasped hands continued to tremble.
"Do not be so tense. Watatsumi Island and Narukami Island have reconciled. You are all now citizens of Inazuma. I would never speak cruelly to my own people. I simply hope you will not repeat the same mistake in the future, Sangonomiya Kokomi."
"Understood... Lady Ei."
"Haa..."
Ei gradually withdrew her aura. Before her sat a girl pale from the pressure, hands trembling, a thin sheen of sweat on her brow.
"Come here. Sit closer to me."
Her voice softened again.
"...?
Kokomi cautiously lifted her eyes. Seeing Ei's expression gentler once more, she finally exhaled in relief and obediently shifted closer, sitting within arm's reach.
"Take my hand."
Ei raised her hand.
Kokomi obeyed. The warmth of Ei's palm spread through her, melting the chill in her heart. She looked at her in confusion.
Ei clasped her hand and placed it upon her own thigh, covering it with her other hand as well. She closed her eyes briefly, as though sensing something. Kokomi remained silent.
"Did I frighten you just now?"
Ei asked softly.
"...I deserved it. To be honest... I once went to Narukami Island and stood beneath the Statue of the Omnipresent God. I watched the Visions embedded within it glow, and I could not help but think those were wishes bound in chains. They should have shone freely, illuminating the world. In truth—"
Kokomi paused, glancing at Ei uncertainly.
"Why stop? It's all right. Today, I wish to speak heart to heart with you. I will not take offense. I want to know what you truly thought back then."
Ei encouraged gently.
"In truth... when I organized the resistance, I never believed we would win. I knew the disparity between us was too great. I once told the Shogun that we were merely struggling—struggling before your eyes. We wanted you to see that even the weak would stand for their wishes without hesitation."
"Even so, you are right. I was reckless. That was my fault. I'm sorry, Lady Ei. You were the one protecting us all along."
Kokomi tightened her grip on Ei's hand, remorse surfacing in her eyes as she apologized openly before everyone present.
"Even if the people resent it, protecting them remains a god's duty. It is all in the past now. What matters is that you have learned from it. One cannot move forward while clinging to the past. That, at least, I understand very well."
Ei's tone grew warm once more.
"...Thank you, Lady Ei."
Kokomi nodded quietly.
"You truly are eloquent. As the Shogun's mother, I trust her judgment. If she trusts you, then so do I."
"...!"
Kokomi's eyes widened.
"Whatever the circumstances, your feelings for her are sincere. You are willing to give for her, to devote yourself to her. That is enough for me."
"...Lady Ei..."
Kokomi's eyes grew moist, her nose tingling faintly.
"Kokomi, you are still young. Young people make mistakes—it is natural. But do not repeat them. Learn from them. And to make up for those mistakes, I ask only this: when she needs you, you will be by her side. Can you promise me that?"
Ei gently brushed a stray strand of hair behind the girl's ear.
"I understand... I will never disappoint the Shogun. Nor will I disappoint you, Lady Ei."
"Good. I believe you."
Ei smiled, then turned to the others.
"As the saying goes, many hands make light work. Miss Sangonomiya's presence here today already proves her sincerity. Yae, do not treat her with hostility any longer."
"I wasn't hostile," Yae protested with a shrug. "In fact, I admire her. I've long wanted to meet her."
"As have I. I once hoped to meet Guuji Yae as well."
Kokomi discreetly suppressed the tears in her eyes and resumed her composed social demeanor.
As expected of Watatsumi Island's leader, Ayaka thought. Her control over her expression is remarkable—even more so than mine.
"Though more people means more strength, we still have no results. That is regrettable."
Hanachirusato spoke softly.
"Indeed... We have searched all of Inazuma, yet there is no trace of that child."
Yae sighed, reclining lazily against the tatami, though the fatigue in her eyes betrayed her worry.
"Ayaka, Kokomi... what about you? Any clues?"
Ei asked the two girls before her.
"Regrettably, no. I searched the islands beyond Narukami Island, including Tatarasuna and Yashiori Island. I examined caves and other concealed locations as well."
Ayaka shook her head.
"Watatsumi Island was the same. I personally guided Miss Kamisato through every corner familiar to me. There was no sign of her."
Kokomi nodded in confirmation.
"..."
Silence fell once more.
"What about Seirai Island?"
Yae asked.
"I went. She wasn't there."
Ei answered crisply.
"And Tsurumi Island?"
"I went there as well. No sign of her."
The others could not help but marvel at Ei's efficiency.
"..."
Silence settled again, each lost in thought.
Several minutes later—
"The Plane of Euthymia..."
A clear voice like still water broke the quiet of the room.