70 – 70. They Suit Each Other So Well!
Self-growth.
Continuing to live and survive with one’s own strength.
Survival requires strength, but knowing the situation one is in is necessary for proper handling.
While strolling with the night teacher, most of the conversations with Tachibana Sawako were of that nature.
She revealed the situation she was in, the kind of existence she had become.
“Many things have changed, and more will change.”
You are now halfway between merging souls and the boundary of the strange.
You will inevitably be drawn into various events beyond the ordinary daily life.
Despite such explanations, Tachibana Sawako, with a somewhat troubled expression, still smiled bashfully and said,
“…I still can’t quite grasp it well, but if you ever need help in the future… Can I ask?”
I readily nodded at her discreetly checking. “Hoho, of course!” What could be so good about it? As soon as Tachibana Sawako heard my response, a bright smile adorned her face. The late-night briefing ended smoothly without any emotional exchange thereafter.
Coming home, stretching out legs for sleep, it seemed someone was dissatisfied. “…So, did you enjoy the meeting yesterday?” The morning after the sports event. On a leisurely Saturday morning, everyone gathered in the main room of the mansion for breakfast.
Sawamura Sento, scribbling on his plate with a slightly wrinkled face, suddenly asked, “The date seemed very enjoyable.” Clad in a yukata, with unkempt hair and even no makeup, Sento, perhaps due to lack of sleep, seemed a bit edgy, looking almost like a maiden ghost with her disheveled hair.
“Eh? Shiki, when did you go on a date?” Amidst already difficult conversation, without any hesitation, Kenichi chimed in, making it even more chaotic. Feeling awkward, I had no choice but to explain while stylishly scratching the back of my head, “It seems a new member might join our party.”
“…What?!” “…A new member?” “Yes, it’s time for us to be complete at last?!” A moment of silence passed. Dokomo, who was still serving side dishes, was so surprised that he stopped talking abruptly, even glancing around. Kenichi, who seemed surprised at how quiet it had become, rolled his eyes and began devouring the grilled fish on his plate.
On the other hand, Sento, sporting an indescribable expression, furrowed her brows before finally replying, “I don’t like it.” Her usual expressionless face was replaced by a very rough one. It was like the eldest child, who had monopolized their parents’ attention, was now being overshadowed by the newly born second child.
***
After breakfast, Sawamura Sento returned to her room and buried herself under the covers. “How foolish.” Has her mental age regressed to almost elementary school level recently? With her head buried in the pillow, she pondered again.
Having someone else to support her life, being treated like a lady at the Yanggat House, seemed to have driven her mind to a state of confusion. “…What exactly do you dislike?” The whining had gone beyond acceptable levels.
In reality, when she thought about it, Kenichi and herself were just there to fill the numbers. Whether it was dealing with youkai or people at the Sehei Mansion, Ichimaru Shiki’s role was overwhelmingly dominant. Essentially, he was a one-man team handling everything.
Perhaps things would change if she grew up in the future, learned more, but it was still too far off. What Ichimaru Shiki, who was practically the responsible one, was trying to do was neither a disadvantage nor arranging for someone else at Sehei.
There was no reason for her to oppose it other than her discomfort, so what could this be if not a whining noise?
“……Sigh.”
It was painful.
He felt foolish and resented himself.
With his head bowed, Sento let out a deep sigh.
…Why is life so hard?
Knowing a person’s heart is more challenging than killing a monster, controlling one’s emotions.
At the tender age of 17, Sawamura Sento was beginning to understand the ways of the world.
“…I should apologize.”
I apologize for venturing into my subject.
“I will quietly accept my fate.” With his self-esteem shaken, Sento staggered to his feet.
Tap-tap – from the direction of the door, a familiar sound and presence were felt at that moment.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Sento, are you there?
“……!”
In fact, it was Ichimaru Shiki, essentially her guardian and landlord, who had come to the room first.
Sento stiffened for a moment, then made a subtle expression and wiped his face with his hand.
Once his expression was somewhat composed, she opened the door, revealing the face of a man.
“Ha-ha, have you been resting well?”
Seeing Ichimaru Shiki’s carefree face, devoid of worries unlike her own, Sawamura Sento felt a sense of unease creeping up.
Despite just thinking about apologizing moments ago, she felt it.
…What’s wrong with me, is it adolescence?
Diagnosing her recent abnormal state, Sento responded with a composed face and tone.
“What’s the matter?”
“Well, we’re a family living under the same roof, and I felt like we lacked conversation.”
“…Family? …But we talked just yesterday. There’s no lack of it, so you can go back.”
“Then, I felt like the explanation was lacking! When we were talking about the party members earlier, you seemed a bit off.”
“…What? Me, off?”
Sawamura Sento replied with a snort.
“…Hmph! That’s impossible!”
With a sudden outburst, Sento glared at the man in front of her with a very distressed expression.
Seeing the mismatch between her words and actions, Ichimaru Shiki shrugged awkwardly.
“Is that so? Well, it seems I misunderstood again. Anyway, as there was a lack of explanation earlier, I will provide further clarification. Please let me know your acceptance or rejection regarding everything.”
“…Okay.”
“If you’re worried about unfamiliar people entering the community, you needn’t be. We’ve been seeing each other every day at school for the past few months.”
“…We, see each other every day?”
Sento blinked as she recalled the identity of the beauty she saw yesterday.
Tachibana Sawako. A woman who had become famous at school for her beauty. Popular among not only men but also women, perhaps due to her stunning appearance.
Although they had no real contact and were in different circles, they were in the same class.
With her and also with Ichimaru Shiki.
Sawamura Sento subtly furrowed his brow.
“…So?”
“hehehe, since it seems you’re not quite emotionally prepared at the moment, how about meeting in person to see how it goes?”
“…What, meet up?! With whom? That woman?”
“Hmm? Did I say it was a woman?”
“…No, go on.”
“Yes, now that the sports competition is over, and it’s a leisurely weekend morning, how about taking a walk together?”
Having said that, Ichimaru Shiki paused for a moment before quickly changing his expression.
“Oh, are you okay with hiking?”
***
“It’s been a while since we had guests, so clean thoroughly.”
Despite numerous psychological phenomena being dissected one by one, and despite the advancement of science, Japan remained closely tied to the gods.
In Tokyo, the most developed metropolis in Japan, there were hundreds of shrines.
Maintaining a shrine on expensive land was truly a miraculous feat, but the shortage of personnel was a completely separate issue.
“Hmm, is this sufficient?”
Yoyogi Shrine on Mount Yoyogi.
As the shrine overseeing the highest divine status in Tokyo, its main hall was also very spacious.
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However, there was only one shrine maiden in charge of the shrine, which posed a significant challenge.
The diligent shrine maiden who showed up for work even on Saturday mornings, Ichinose Hotaru, swept the floor dust with a look of frustration.
“Should I quit?”
She didn’t understand the duties of a shrine maiden, and she disliked cleaning.
It wouldn’t be much of a hassle if it was just a regular-sized room, but cleaning the entire shrine was quite a nuisance.
She wanted to finish cleaning quickly.
Swish, swish.
Sweeping the corridor in front of the stairs as if doing it roughly yet delicately, Hotaru suddenly heard footsteps.
Footsteps coming up to the shrine from below.
Given the shrine’s elevated location, the sound of someone panting heavily as if struggling to climb up seemed audible, and there were even sounds of a man and a woman chatting.
“Oh, a guest.”
Whether the guest just mentioned or a person who came for a usual visit, the shrine maiden was a figure resembling the face of the shrine.
Ichinose Hotaru adjusted her shrine maiden attire neatly by straightening it out here and there.
As she tidied her outfit, her steps had unknowingly brought her closer to the top.
When the jet-black hair came into view, the shrine maiden Hotaru warmly smiled as she faced them.
“…Hello-!”
“Good morning, how are you today?”
“…?”
For some reason, with a familiar voice, Hotaru quickly erased her smile and looked straight at the guest in front of her.
Always with a cheerful smile.
Standing next to her, Sawamura Sento’s expression was exceptional.
Ichinose Hotaru was certain that their expressions were not significantly different.
They were truly unexpected guests.
“Houtaru, the priestess outfit suits you so well!”
There was only one man laughing.
sulking child?