Campione 13

by Princess Goddess of the South Seas

  "What does it matter? This is part of Kaoru-san's open-mindedness."

  "B-Besides, for two people to hold the title of premier, that is truly a strange use of the Japanese language."

  "Hahaha, oh well whatever."

  Yuri voiced her objections as Amakasu laughed foolishly. Sitting beside him, Erica spoke up and questioned:

  "Could this be why Yuri does not want to participate in the ceremony this year? You're embarrassed about the new title?"

  "That is also partially the reason."

  As Yuri bowed her head deeper, Godou went "Also?" in doubt.

  Snickering on the side, the driver Amakasu touched on the issue:

  "I think you should understand once you get a basic view of the ceremonial site. Well, it's not like I don't understand the feeling. Frankly speaking, if I were in the same position as Yuri-san and the other Hime-Miko, even someone like me would think the prospects suck in many ways!"

  Such suggestive words.

  Part 3

  The shrine being used for the ceremonial site was located within the ward of Midori-ku in Saitama city, the prefectural capital.

  Although the area was quite close to the city center, this massive zone of undeveloped greenery, covering over a thousand hectares, consisted of farmland, mixed forests, grassy wetlands, channels across vast marshes, preserving a spectacular and rich natural environment.

  Furthermore, standing alone amidst the expanse of natural scenery was this ancient shrine of Musashino.

  The historical site was surrounded by forest and bordered a park. Abundant but not ostentatious, the greenery provided people with a place to rest their minds and bodies.

  The deity worshiped at the shrine was Susanoo's wife, Kushinada-Hime, thus explained Amakasu.

  Within the vast territory of the shrine, roughly fifty girls dressed in miko outfits were gathered. They appeared quite lively as they chatted happily with one another.

  Hikari was also mixed within this group, but Godou could not find Yuri, Ena or Sayanomiya Kaoru in their midst.

  Also, standing around the various Hime-Miko were roughly ten-odd men in suits. They appeared to be Amakasu's colleagues and staff of the History Compilation Committee.

  Godou and his group walked to a slightly further place to observe the situation.

  Along the way, he found Hikari looking at him with a smile. Godou nodded in acknowledgement.

  "These girls are Yuri and Ena's comrades... All fellow Hime-Miko, right?"

  Erica posed a question. Naturally, it was directed towards Amakasu.

  "Yes. However, the majority are apprentice Hime-Miko like Hikari-san. Those who possess sufficient ability to be called a real Hime-Miko... Probably number in the twenties roughly. They are stationed as miko at various strategic locations of spiritual power distributed across Japan."

  "Speaking of which, I recall Mariya Yuri mentioning this was a 'festival for miko belonging to the East.'"

  Amakasu nodded in response to Liliana's murmurs.

  "You are correct. 'West'... Refers to a similar festival held at Shizuoka where various miko from that region gather. On the other hand, Yuri-san is a Hime-Miko of Musashino, the strategic region established after Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu's entry into Edo. Basically, it covers Tokyo and Saitama, as well as parts of Kanagawa and Chiba."

  Amakasu supplemented further to explain what the region of Musashino referred to.

  "If Kunikida Doppo-sensei[2] were still alive, he'd probably throw a massive fit to find out about this division of regions. The History Compilation Committee was essentially defined in this non-deliberate manner. Not counting apprentices, Hime-Miko belonging to Musashino... Probably number seven or eight."

  The great literary author just mentioned would surely have declared angrily that 'Musashino only reaches the Tama River, Hachiouji does not belong in Musashino!'

  Just as this thought crossed Godou's mind, Liliana looked over at the Hime-Miko group and commented.

  "Over in Europe, having miko potential is equivalent to possessing a witch's disposition. The same probably applies to the Hime-Miko as well, right?"

  "Yes. For example, if Yuri-san or Ena-san were to train seriously and successfully reached fruition, then very likely they could turn out into a witch like you, Liliana-san. However, the History Compilation Committee has no wish for the Hime-Miko to cultivate that sort of power."

  "Why?"

  "Specialization. In order to achieve substantial results, learning witchcraft would require spending at least a decade studying abroad in the place of origin, namely, in eastern or southern Europe. Besides, the Hime-Miko have many other dispositions. For example, take Yuri-san's spirit vision or Ena-san's divine possession."

  "Are they all spirit powers originating from the blood of the Divine Ancestors?"

  Liliana muttered. Amakasu deliberately winked in response.

  "Oh my, did I ever mention that before?"

  "No. I am simply speculating on my own. Ever since meeting Princess Alice and Guinevere-sama, I started noticing the similarity in powers compared to the Hime-Miko."

  "How about this? In the past, the Divine Ancestors' bloodline was passed down to modern Japan through their descendants."

  Hearing Liliana's speculation, Erica inserted herself into the conversation.

  "Learning of this fact through some manner, the people of that time carefully preserved the rare bloodline of the Divine Ancestors by influencing the marriages of the Hime, thus they succeeded in maintaining the bloodline to modern times. —The fruits of these efforts are the Hime-Miko, am I right?"

  "Since you've already met those Divine Ancestor ladies, indeed, you would notice that intuitively."

  Smiling wryly, Amakasu expressed agreement. Speaking of which, Godou recalled a certain memory.

  In the Netherworld, the Princess of Glass had told him something similar...

  "Well, those who inherited the rare bloodline are the Hime-Miko indeed. The Committee hopes to raise as much as possible their spirit powers stemming from that blood. In this regard, Ena-san and Yuri-san can be considered the two at the pinnacle. —Oh, here they come."

  This was the ancient shrine known as the "First Tier Shrine of Musashi Province" in the past.

  Three Hime-Miko came out from the worship hall.

  Yuri and Ena, as well as Sayanomiya Kaoru.

  These miko were dressed differently from usual. On top of their white robes and hakama, they also wore a thin upper garment—the chihaya. Their heads were also adorned with glamorous diadems and hairpins.

  They stood out in stark contrast to the other Hime-Miko whose style consisted of just the white robe and the hakama.

  Also, the man's priestly garb—Eh? Godou was taken aback by what he saw.

  There should be three Hime-Miko exiting the worship hall. Ena and Yuri who had been bestowed the premier title, as well as Sayanomiya Kaoru who was slated to be the next chairman of the History Compilation Committee.

  However, the last person was not dressed in miko attire. Instead, Kaoru was dressed as a man, wearing a Shinto priest's attire.

  "Even on an occasion like this, she still cross-dresses...?"

  "Well, this was her personal request, and besides, no one wants to see her dressed as a female... All the other Hime-Miko are very pleased about this."

  Amakasu replied to Godou's mutters.

  Indeed, Kaoru was a very popular person. As soon as she came out onto the grounds, all the other Hime-Miko gathered delightfully before her. Like a bunch of fans crowding around an idol.

  Surrounded by these young girls, Kaoru stood out greatly as she responded to the incessant greetings with a cheerful smile. It felt like she could instantly get into a certain talent agency whose name started with "J" without any difficulty at all.[3]

  Kaoru was not the only popular one. Ena was also surrounded by the other Hime-Miko. Likewise for the meek Yuri.

  Surrounded by these lively and bustling girls, Ena was responding uncharacteri
stically with a "this is so troublesome" attitude. But viewed from another perspective, it was apparent that she was the "cool mysterious beauty with long black hair."

  As for Yuri, it was readily apparent that she was not very used to these kinds of situations.

  Every time someone greeted her she would return the greeting solemnly, pondering nonstop how she should respond, sometimes getting frantic when she could not react fast enough, always standing in the same spot...

  Amakasu remarked as he watched the noisy crowds of Hime-Miko.

  "I guess the sight of Rosa Foetida, Rosa Gigantea, and Rosa Chinensis en bouton would pretty much be like this..."[4]

  "W-What is the meaning of your incantation?"

  Liliana questioned the special agent who uttered suspicious words.

  "Also, Mariya Yuri looks really pitiful. Is anyone going to help her—"

  "Not me. Besides, I'm pushing thirty already. So I don't really have what it takes to penetrate a crowd of girls ranging from teenaged to their twenties. Ah, by the way, once these Hime-Miko reach a certain age, they are allowed to resign from their miko duties. Once they reach that stage, they become active as consultants for the Committee."

  As Amakasu tried to evade the question by offering useless trivia, Godou directed a question at him.

  "So this is why Mariya didn't want to come?"

  "Yes, because Kaoru-san is this kind of person, she is always popular whether in a girls school or any other place. As for Ena-san, due to her abilities meriting the title of the premier Hime-Miko as well as the prestige of the Seishuuin family, she was already popular amongst the Hime-Miko very early on. Then there is Yuri-san... Who has achieved this result through various developments."

  "What's that supposed to mean?"

  "Oh dear. The Hime-Miko residing in Tokyo, Mariya Yuri-san who stands as the partner of the Campione, Mr. Kusanagi Godou. Rumors have spread of how she has repeatedly received favorable treatment from various areas. Through various individuals privy to the situation, things have been publicized amongst all sorts of people related to the world of magic."

  Hearing that it was related to himself, Godou went "Eh" in surprise.

  "And Kusanagi-san, you have been greatly active in a manner that greatly exceeded initial expectations. Incinerating the Tokyo Tower, opening up a crater at Nikkou, smashing the Yokohama Bay Bridge... You are the number one celebrity and source of gossip in our field. Yuri-san is widely known to others as the 'woman' belonging to this celebrity."

  "In other words, then—"

  "Those related to the field would regard Yuri-san as equivalent to the first lady of a major country. 'An amazing princess lives in Tokyo' is the rumor that has spread throughout the Hime-Miko. In the blink of an eye, her popularity had already sky rocketed to such heights."

  Amakasu grinned as he spoke.

  "Furthermore, what's surprising is that instead of hiding behind the great Devil King, Yuri-san is a very capable person in her own right. Also, her powers have grown to the point where she merits the premier title. Due to all of these various factors, this is the result."

  "B-Basically, it's because of me..."

  "Yes. Or perhaps one should say, ninety percent or so."

  Dealt a final blow by Amakasu's smiling words, Godou felt like collapsing.

  "Well... It's not a bad idea to experience all sorts of situations beforehand, though it is a role that doesn't suit Yuri very well. Smiling to the guests like the mistress of a ball."

  Erica smiled wryly as she commented.

  Godou agreed with her. Perhaps—

  Maybe not just Yuri, but also Erica and Liliana beside him, as well as Ena in all her cheerfulness, all these girls might have been forced to shoulder unnecessary hardship because of Kusanagi Godou?

  Met with this notion, Godou could not help but feel rather dispirited.

  Not long after that, the Great Purification Rite started.

  As the ceremonial site, the ancient shrine's surroundings had already been sealed off by the History Compilation Committee's staff, restricting entry for this particular day.

  The cold winter wind blew through the greenery of the mixed forest that surrounded the vast grounds of the shrine.

  These final days of December truly lived up to their name. Mercilessly cold wind robbed the warmth from people's skin. However, despite wearing only a flimsy miko outfit, none of the Hime-Miko showed any reaction on their faces.

  Solemn ritual prayers were offered, followed by an elegantly flowing dance to sacred Shinto music, the kagura.

  Miko accomplished in swordsmanship wielded wooden swords for group performances. Other miko displayed their prodigious prowess with bows and arrows.

  The focus of these rituals who made sure they proceeded smoothly were still the trio as before.

  Sayanomiya Kaoru. Together with the two premier Hime-Miko, Yuri and Ena.

  The first to wield a sword of unvarnished wood was Ena as part of the group sword performance. Yuri on the other hand, was performing the sacred kagura dance in the center amongst the miko. The one who led the ritual prayers and took charge of directing everyone's duties was Kaoru.

  Godou was particularly surprised by Kaoru's highly skilled marksmanship with archery. Repeatedly, she shot the target's center with spectacular hundred percent accuracy. Now that he thought about it, Godou did recall someone telling him that "Kaoru was equally accomplished in literary and martial arts."

  Furthermore, other than these three, the rest of the Hime-Miko were also participating and proceeding with the Great Purification Rite with earnest solemnity.

  The earlier commotion seemed like it was nothing but a dream. True to their status as Hime who were carefully selected, this was a gathering of the top elite.

  Finally after two hours or so, the Great Purification Rite came to an end without incident.

  "In other words, the gathering is purely for a ritual festivities rather than a magical ceremony."

  Liliana concluded after watching the ritual from beginning to end. Amakasu responded wryly.

  "Please don't compare this with the gatherings of witches. This is where the various miko gather to ritually cleanse themselves of the impurities accumulated over the past year. This will continue to be repeated once a year. I suppose gathering all the Hime-Miko together also has a purpose of cultivating solidarity and harmony between them. After this, there's the garden party."

  "By garden party, umm, do you mean it takes place in a residence somewhere?"

  Godou reacted with surprise as he heard Amakasu's unexpected announcement.

  "I'm serious. Let's keep the explanation simple. That is precisely the kind of feeling you get at the scene. In any case, this serves as a year-end party."

  "But before that... We should be doing something else, right?"

  Erica pointed out in response to Amakasu's explanation. She was completely correct.

  This was the whole reason why they made their appearance at the Hime-Miko gathering.

  After the Great Purification Rite, they were going to meet Haya Susanoo no Mikoto—Ena's guardian deity and the Old One who controlled Japan's wizardry scene from the shadows.

  Godou was invited here in particular to be the witness to the occasion.

  Part 4

  "By mobilizing all our members of the East's Hime-Miko to hold a Shinto ritual, a state is achieved where all filth and evil presences in the shrine's vicinity are purified and driven out to a greater extent than usual. Such circumstances allow for the descent of divine spirits from the Netherworld."

  Walking ahead to lead everyone else, Kaoru explained to Godou.

  "Although Ena contacts the Netherworld occasionally through her cellphone, nothing can be done if the Old One decides to ignore her. Hence, if a portion of his divine spirit is summoned over here, direct dialogue is possible."

  "If Godou is the negotiator, the other party cannot dismiss him completely."

  "Yes. Indeed that is the situation here."
>
  As Erica chimed in, Kaoru nodded and smiled.

  Watching this scene unfold, Godou was struck deeply by this thought. These two highly competent girls only displayed such expressions whenever they were carrying out some nefarious scheme...

  After the Great Purification Rite, Godou and his group were now heading towards a grassy clearing neighboring the shrine being used for the ceremonial grounds.

  With Kaoru and Godou in the lead, Erica, Yuri, Liliana and Ena followed in tow. As for Amakasu, he had already left the shrine, saying "I have preparatory work to do for the garden party."

  "This area should be fine. Well then, Ena, and Yuri too... Let's start."

  Walking all the way to a wide open space, Kaoru then called out to her fellow Hime-Miko.

  The two girls nodded and walked up to her. Then the three Hime-Miko began to offer prayers.

  "Hereby with humble reverence, appealing to the Great God of Susa..."

  "Herein these sacred grounds of Musashino Shrine, exorcised and purified, a stately offering..."

  "To proffer endless admiration and praise to your divine grace and virtue..."

  The three Hime-Miko raised their magical power as they appealed to Susanoo for his descent. Then halfway through, Ena threw Godou a glance. Discovering her intent, Godou relaxed himself. Residing in his right arm, Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi—the steel that once stood as Susanoo's beloved sword, manifested in Ena's hand.

  "O divine blade of Ama no Murakumo. I beseech you to call for your former master, Susa's Old One, imploring him to manifest here in this place!"

  Lending the power of the divine sword, Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi, Ena implored her guardian deity to appear.

  Immediately afterwards, gusts of wind suddenly began to rampage all around.

  Grass and branches shook as the atmosphere trembled with a great rumble. In addition, the wild gusts of wind brought forth a merciless chill upon Godou and his group, robbing their bodies of their warmth.

  Soon after, the voice of a familiar old man was heard from the strong gusts of wind.

  'Making such a noisy racket without end, hey.'

  This voice belonged to Susanoo, the god whom Godou had faced several times in a storm-battered mountain.