Dawn was barely tinting the clouds orange when three girls walked along the nearly deserted sidewalk, each carrying a small suitcase.
At the front walked Haruka, with her elegant posture and her calm, expressionless face as always. Her steps were firm and steady. Behind her, Mochi and Miyu were practically bouncing with excitement, unable to hide their enthusiasm.
The day before, Zeke had called them to inform them that everything was ready for their "training trip." He didn't say where they were going, nor who would accompany them—only that it would be a short trip, just a couple of days.
Mochi's surprise upon discovering that the assigned agent would be Haruka was so great she almost dropped her suitcase. Since then, she hadn't stopped smiling.
—¡I can't wait! It's going to be an amazing vacation! —Mochi proclaimed, her eyes shining.
Haruka didn't even turn around; she only sighed, very, very faintly.
—Mochi… this is not a vacation. The goal is for you and Miyu to completely master the use of your weapons. Nothing more.
But for Mochi, it was impossible to see it that way. They were heading to an inn beside a huge lake, famous for its hot springs and relaxing landscapes. In her mind, that and the word "vacation" were basically the same thing.
Miyu gave Mochi a little tap on the arm.
—Don't get discouraged, Senpai. Surely we won't be training all the time. In our free moments we can enjoy the hot springs… and maybe do a little sightseeing —she commented, completely convinced by her own optimism.
Then she turned her attention to Haruka.
—By the way, Haruka-san… why train at that inn specifically? Wouldn't it have been easier to do it here, in the city? Does it have something special that makes it worth traveling so far?
Haruka didn't stop or turn her head. Her calm voice reached them with the same serenity as always.
—The environment of that place is unique. The air is overflowing with natural ether. It concentrates there at much higher levels than anywhere else —she explained—. Precisely because of that, it's perfect. In a place like that, we can use a training method that would be very difficult to apply anywhere else.
Miyu opened her eyes with curiosity.
Mochi swallowed, excited.
They continued on their way until they reached the station, where they boarded a bus that would take them to their destination.
It didn't take long for the group to face the first major dilemma of the trip: who would sit next to Mochi?
The bus had seats arranged in pairs, so only one of them could accompany her.
—I'm the leader of this mission, so follow orders and find another seat —Haruka said coldly, appealing to her authority as the temporary leader and her higher rank.
—Being the leader has nothing to do with this. It's just a seat; it doesn't affect the mission. So I'll be sitting next to Senpai —Miyu shot back without yielding even an inch.
—If it's just a seat, then you won't mind finding another one —Haruka countered, her tone far too sharp to be casual.
Both of them stared at each other, neither willing to back down. Several seconds passed in a silent duel until, almost in sync, they turned their heads toward Mochi.
—Senpai!
—Mochi!
—Who are you going to sit next to!? —they said in unison.
—Uhhh… I… —Mochi felt a drop of sweat slide down her temple. How had this turned into such a childish fight? She let out a sigh—. Fine, if you want me to decide… then I'll decide!
The bus engine roared, and the driver announced that they needed to fasten their seat belts because they were about to depart. Mochi straightened up and leaned over the back of the seat to look behind her.
There were Haruka and Miyu… sitting next to each other, with clearly dissatisfied expressions, as if both of them had lost.
—You heard me —Mochi said as she fastened her seat belt—. Put your seat belts on and behave yourselves. Take this opportunity to get along better.
Haruka pressed her lips together.
Miyu puffed out her cheeks.
And without speaking to each other, both obeyed.
The rest of the trip passed with relative calm. As the bus moved along the mountain-lined road, Mochi began to feel something different… like a strange tingling running through her arms.
She didn't pay it much attention at first, but when the sensation grew stronger, she couldn't help but sit up and peek over the back of her seat. Even though the bus was almost empty—they were already near the last stops and most of the passengers had gotten off—Mochi decided to whisper, to avoid being heard by others.
—Hey… do you feel like the atmosphere is weird too? It feels… charged, like there's energy floating everywhere.
—Yeah, I feel it too —Miyu replied, rubbing her arms—. It's like electricity in the air… it gives me goosebumps.
—Right?! Look at Kero —Mochi raised her hand to show how the sleeve of the parka was trembling, fluttering as if vibrating with excitement—. It looks like he loves this place.
Kero made a quick movement, like a happy shake.
Mochi and Miyu then looked at Haruka, searching for an explanation.
Haruka lowered the book she was reading, marked the page with a finger, and spoke calmly.
—That's the ether in the environment. The concentration here is quite high… and it will be even greater when we arrive. As for its origin, it's unknown. There are several theories, but none have been proven. —She closed the book gently—. But for our purposes, it will be very useful.
Haruka shifted her gaze toward the window and gestured with her chin.
—Look. You can already see the inn from here.
Mochi and Miyu immediately pressed their faces against the glass.
—Wooooow…!
—It's huge!
On the hill, surrounded by trees and bathed in the warm light of the sun, stood a large traditional inn. Its elegant, expansive structure looked more like a small traditional mansion than an ordinary lodging.
As they got off the bus, a gust of cold mountain air hit them head-on.
—B-brrr… it's so cold! —Mochi hugged herself, hunching her shoulders and arching her back—. I hope we're lucky and it snows… but it's way too cold! Let's hurry inside or… my tail's going to freeze off!
A small "pffft" escaped from Miyu as she tried not to laugh at the image.
The three of them hurried toward the entrance. The interior was warm, lit by paper lanterns and decorated in a traditional style that perfectly matched the atmosphere of the place. The smell of warm wood and freshly brewed tea wrapped around them instantly.
Waiting for them were three people: an elderly couple and a young girl with black cat ears and golden eyes. The girl, clearly another catsith, lightly swayed her tail when she saw them.
—Welcome —said the elderly man kindly, stepping forward—. I am Kamiki Genzou, the owner of this inn.
—And I am Ume, his wife —added the woman with a gentle bow.
—And I'm Kamiki Rin —the girl introduced herself, greeting them energetically.
The three of them showed impeccable hospitality.
—This way, please —Genzou continued—. We'll show you to your room. And don't worry about your luggage; one of our employees will take care of it shortly. We truly appreciate that you chose to stay with us.
As they walked through the polished wooden hallways, Mochi slipped over to Haruka's side and whispered suspiciously:
—Hey… did you do something? It's strange… the owner of such a big place coming to greet us personally?
Haruka, without changing her calm expression, replied casually, as if it were no big deal:
—I rented the entire inn for the weekend. That way we can train without worrying about other guests.
Mochi stopped mid-step, her eyes wide open.
—Huh!? You rented the whole thing? The entire inn—like, the entire entire inn? For the whole weekend?
—Yes —Haruka replied, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
—W-wait… OHRA paid for that, right?
Haruka shook her head.
—I paid for it myself. Don't worry, it was nothing.
Mochi wondered how much money a second-rank agent had to earn to say that renting a huge, luxurious inn was "nothing."
Mochi wondered just how big Haruka's bank account must be.
The three of them entered the room on the second floor. It was spacious, with gleaming tatami mats, a low table holding a vase of seasonal flowers, and a huge sliding window that offered a view of part of the forest. Mochi's eyes widened.
Of course… Haruka must have rented the largest room in the entire inn.
At least Mochi felt relieved that the three of them would be sharing the same room; that would prevent another absurd argument like the one on the bus—only this time, the battle would have been over who got to sleep closest to Mochi.
Genzou took his leave with another polite bow before departing. Shortly after, two employees arrived to carefully place their luggage against the wall.
—Sempai! —Miyu was already clinging to Mochi's arm—. Let's go to the hot springs! I can't wait to get in!
But before she could drag her out, one of the employees apologized gently.
—We're very sorry. The hot springs are currently being cleaned. But don't worry, they'll be ready in about an hour.
Miyu deflated like a balloon, her shoulders drooping.
Mochi gave her a few comforting pats on the back.
—Don't worry, Miyu. We'll be here for three days. We'll have plenty of chances to soak!
—Mmm… I guess so… —Miyu murmured, regaining a bit of her spirits.
Then, as if a switch flipped in her head, Miyu pointed toward the window with renewed energy.
—Let's go for a walk! I want to see the lake up close!
Haruka, who was organizing some training tools, nodded without lifting her gaze much.
—Go ahead. I'll stay here and prepare what we'll need later.
Mochi opened her mouth to refuse, remembering the icy air outside, but Miyu was already pushing her toward the door.
—B-but it's cold! —Mochi protested, shivering just at the thought.
Even so, she ended up giving in. She put on a second layer of clothes under Kero's body, and also a thick cap to cover her ears.
—Alright, I'm ready… I think…
The two of them left the inn and went down the stone paths surrounded by trees. The air was cold, but also clean and refreshing. When they reached the natural lookout, both of them were left speechless.
The lake was enormous and gleamed under the sunlight like a gigantic mirror. The forest reflected on its surface, creating a landscape worthy of a storybook.
—Incredible… —Miyu whispered.
—Yeah… it looks like a painting… —Mochi replied, awestruck.
As they walked along the path beside the lake, they spotted something ahead: a small wooden structure, like an altar. And in front of it, someone was kneeling, praying in silence.
—Oh! It's Rin! —Miyu said, recognizing the figure.
The two of them approached curiously. Rin finished her prayer and rose gracefully. When she saw them, she smiled and gave a polite bow.
—Welcome back. I'm glad to see you enjoying the scenery.
Mochi looked at the small wooden altar, humble but well cared for. It was decorated with white ribbons and little bells that chimed softly in the breeze.
—Is this altar for some local deity? —Mochi asked, tilting her head slightly.
Rin smiled and stepped closer to the altar, placing a hand on the upper beam with a careful gesture.
—Yes. This is the altar of Mizuchi-sama, the guardian deity who dwells in the lake.
—A deity…? —Miyu's eyes widened with curiosity.
Rin nodded before continuing, her voice taking on a calmer tone, as if she were telling a story passed down through generations.
—According to legend, centuries ago this place was attacked by an army of yokai that emerged directly from Yomi.
The inhabitants of these mountains believed it would be the end for them. The creatures were countless… and ferocious.
But then Mizuchi-sama appeared. It is said that he fought that army for three days and three nights without stopping.
The battle was so intense that the entire lake was stained red with the blood of the defeated yokai.
Miyu's eyes shone with both excitement and fear.
—And at dawn on the fourth day, when the battle finally ended, Mizuchi-sama returned to rest at the bottom of the lake… and its waters were purified.
Since then, the people of this valley have revered him as their protector —Rin continued.
Mochi and Miyu, caught up in the solemn atmosphere, bowed respectfully before the altar.
—Thank you for telling us the story, Rin —Miyu said with a sincere smile.
—Yeah… it's a beautiful legend —Mochi added.
Rin responded with another small bow.
—I'm glad you liked it. If you need anything, don't hesitate to let me know.
After saying goodbye, the two girls resumed their walk back toward the inn. The sun was beginning to set, dyeing the lake in golden hues.