Chapter 432 – Fruit and Sisters

000

At the same time as she revealed her face her, Cleon and Quon still could not erase their surprised expressions when she introduced her name her.

“Whoops. He’s surprised. Well, that’s understandable. I’m also surprised. I can’t believe there’s a person with a face like me in this world. Could this be a ‘doppelganger’ famous as a monster in the kingdom?” I mean.”

Grand Miko – Tokoyo said so, loosened her sitting posture and sat down comfortably.

“It’s fine for you guys to sit down too. We have a lot to talk about, so it’ll be hard to kneel down like that.”

“… Go, thank you.”

While Quon said so, when she sat down with her legs undone, the Great Miko put her hand on her chin and looked at Quon’s chest her, which swayed every time he moved, and she said, “Ho-ho-oh …” In an interesting way. Voice up.

“…”

Quon, too, must have noticed her in that gaze, so he secretly covered her chest with his, her arm her and blushed, but she was n’t something that could be covered by her slender arms her. The Grand Miko just put a smile on her lips.

“The face is the same… But the size of the breasts are so different, it should be easy to tell them apart even when the mask is off.”

Haha! Tokoyo slapped her own lap her with her hand her while smiling brightly at her.

Indeed, there was no doubt that she and Quon were quite different people apart from the shape of her face her, the color of her hair and eyes her.

Quon’s face her turned a little redder from her shame when he heard her words her, as if he did n’t have the shyness of a girl, but she said it.

In any case, when Quon and Cleon sit in her comfortable position and are ready to talk, Tokoyo puts her hand on her chin and asks a question to her Quon her.

“Quon. It was called kuon. An ancient word with the meaning of ‘eternity’. Also, a girl who holds the title of ‘shaman’ even though she is from the kingdom. Who are you? Where did you come from and what Did you do to grow up? I want to hear that story.”

When Tokoyo said so, with a childlike attitude, as if prompting her interesting old story of her somewhere, Quon took a small deep breath in her, looked at her, and replied.

“…I was born in a small village called ‘Berga’. There is a sacred tree in the village, and I grew up as a ‘shaman’ to protect that tree, following the tradition of my mother’s family. Have you ever had one?”

“No. There is none. It’s a name I’ve never heard of before. Speaking of overseas places I know of… I guess it’s about the royal capital…”

She mumbled, went through her head her, and then shook her head.

But, more than that place name, I care about it after all-

“Sacred tree… Is it?”

“Yes. It’s not as big as the one in Asteris. The one in my village is just a little big tree. But, I heard that it has the power to protect the village from the monsters around it because it has a divine aura. “

“Yeah. I think I can roughly understand the story. The relationship between Quon and me. Also, the relationship between the village called ‘Verga’ and this temple.”

After saying that, Tokoyo removed his hand from her from his chin and straightened his posture.

Seeing her face her become a little more serious, Kuondo also sat down with her back straight as her face her hardened involuntarily.

“The name of the shrine maiden in the ancient language. The shrine maiden who guards the sacred tree. And, such a similar face. If this is all a coincidence, then the god must be too fond of pranks.”

“Then, it must mean that there is something.”

When Cleon, who had been quietly listening to her until then, opened her mouth, Tokoyo nodded her head.

“Yes. It’s a bit long to talk about it… Quon and I are probably distant relatives.”

001

In the past, not to mention Asteris, the ancient times before the country called ‘Touhou’ was even created.

When some humans who wandered around looking for a land to settle down to avoid monsters came to this land, there was only a huge tree and an endless meadow around it.

At that time, there were so few people who could use magic that they counted faster with their fingers.

It is said that there was almost no technology to make weapons or even a social foundation to organize an army.

On the way, they found an area that monsters couldn’t get close to, so naturally, people made that spot their new home.

The divine energy dimly felt from the tree gave them a blessing, enveloping the people living there.

Even the demi-humans, who were thought to be unable to communicate with monsters, became docile near the tree.

People joined forces with them to create a small village.

That was the predecessor of the current Asteris, and the village that became the root of the Orient.

Naturally, the center of people’s lives was a huge tree with mysterious powers.

The tree came to be regarded as ‘the first tree that sprouted in this world’, and soon it was called ‘the tree where the gods dwell’.

Hence, ‘sacred tree’. It was believed that they were able to survive in this harsh world thanks to the Divine Tree.

People wanted to get closer to the divine tree.

If there are really gods dwelling in trees, wouldn’t it be possible to hear the voices of the gods or receive more blessings by praying and offering offerings?

The hopes of such people gathered, and a pair of sisters were selected as persons who would guard the divine tree and offer prayers to it on behalf of the people.

Since childhood, the two had a mysterious power that no one else had, and they had no doubt that it was a gift from God.

People used the two girls as shamans in the village and used them as a bridge between the divine tree and people.

The sisters also knew that the energy felt from the divine tree sometimes felt the will of something, so they happily accepted the role with the thought that if they could contribute to the lives of the villagers…

Of course, after several hundred years, it was discovered that the mysterious power that the two possessed was magical power, and that if the two had learned magic without becoming shrine maidens, they would have been able to thrive as wizards.

At that time, the people of the village of Sacred Tree, who had a strong perception that magic was “An evil spell cast by demons and monsters,” Said that their power was “The power to communicate with the gods,” And was called “Mystic power.”

The system of ‘two shamans’, which started with two sisters, continued from generation to generation as ‘sisters’ began to be born from the older sister’s lineage.

As if a divine tree wanted that form, people began to believe in the existence of a god more strongly as they saw sisters born in every generation.

In any age, the two shrine maidens work together to protect the divine tree.

A government army was formed to protect the shaman.

Naturally, in the growing power, the merchants who became the main axis of economic activity began to join forces.

The form of the ruling class of the East, which is maintained as a trinity of ‘temple’, ‘royal palace’ and ‘sanghoe’, began to emerge.

The people gathered in the Village of the Divine Tree did not doubt that this peace would be maintained forever, and that the era of peace would continue.

Until one day, the divine tree bears fruit.

A few hundred years after the village was created, the divine tree bore fruit.

Every year, the villagers have witnessed a large number of flowers bloom and wither, but they have never seen the sacred tree bear fruit.

Naturally, the temple, the royal palace, and even the Chamber of Commerce had a heated argument about the fruit.

Some said that this was a gift from God, and others said that everyone should share the fruit.

At some point, such a story had degenerated into a story about the owner of the ‘fruit’.

Watching the leaders of the village, who had been sitting around the table laughing, raising their voices saying that they would have the fruit themselves, even until the day of the festival, which takes place on the day the flowers fall, before the fruit opens .

The shaman sisters of the time shed tears of sorrow.

In the end, he realized that the peace created by God would collapse in an instant due to human greed if there was an opportunity.

It is said that together her sisters shut themselves in the main hall of the shrine and spent several days and nights only praying.

It was because the divine tree’s will, which had been vaguely felt until now, had been strongly transmitted to them as well.

‘The Divine Tree does not want humans to fight over their fruits.’

If God really exists and if that being is a good being.

We will not stand by and watch as people’s desires run wild and cause trouble for their own people.

And- at the end of the prayer, the divine revelation was given.

I don’t know if it was really a sacred tree, or if it was a vision I had after not drinking or eating anything for several days.

However, the two sisters saw it clearly.

A god in the form of a girl whose whole body was shining bright appeared in front of the two of them and gave the revelation that “One of the sisters should take the fruit of the tree and leave this village.”

The sisters who saw the god in person immediately informed the elders of the temple, the royal family of the palace, and the merchants of the store.

Of course, blinded by greed, they did n’t want to believe the sister’s words of her, but the sister’s side of her, who was usually quiet and kind, turned out to be a shrine maiden.

When he shouted loudly at the three people who had no regard for the peace of the town at all.

Legend has it that behind her her, a being with her bright wings appeared and lowered her halo upon her.

In the end, people left the fruit to the Miko sisters, confirming that her sister had received the real revelation, not a lie, and that the existence of God was certain.

Originally, her younger sister’s shrine maiden, who was less popular with the villagers, tried to leave the village with her fruit her.

That role was taken over by her older sister Miko.

The older shaman told her younger shaman, ‘She will surely be able to become a shaman better than herself, and when that time comes, all the villagers will like you.’ .

With her fruit her, she left town, she says.

When the fruit disappeared, the village leadership, who regretted their ignorance, took it as a sign of self-reflection and agreed to rule the village under much more equal conditions than now with the three organizations joining forces.

The elders of the temple completely withdrew from the front line, and from then on, her remaining sister’s priestess assumed the title of ‘great priestess’ and became the representative of the temple.

When shamans reached a certain age, they paired up with a man who received a revelation from God, and gave birth to another shaman to continue the generation.

Until then, they were definitely blood relatives of the great priestess of Asteris, where the ‘sisters’ were born.

It is said that since the elder sister’s shrine maiden left, only one ‘child’ was born.

As if it were proof that she had done all she had to do as a sister.

002

When Tokoyo’s story is all over, she is pouring tea into a teacup with one hand as she puts her cookie in her mouth that she received from Cleon at some point.

“…Then, the shrine maiden of her sister’s side who left with the fruit…”

“Yes. According to the circumstances, Kuon’s ancestors. And, they went to a very far place in the East, planted fruits, and a new tree grew.”

At Tokoyo’s words her, Quon nodded her head as if he understood.

“Then… Is Quon a descendant of the clan of the great priestess of Asteris?”

“Yeah. Looks like they’re close in age… Oh, I guess I’m a little younger?”

“Uh, why are you talking while looking at my chest…?”

To Tokoyo’s gaze and words her, Quon responds in embarrassment once again, and she responds by brushing off her crumbs from her hands her.

“However, in Quon, I feel the aura of her alien divine magic her stronger than her her main power her as a shrine maiden. It’s like she cut a flower from the stem that should have bloomed and grafted it onto Another stem…”

As if crawling on the floor using both of her hands, Tokoyo approached Kuon.

Sniffing, ringing her nose and bringing her own face to her quon’s her, it was as if she were looking in a mirror.

“When was the last time you worked as a shrine maiden?”

“… Three years… No, about four years ago… I guess? Actually, I did n’t even call myself an apprentice, and my mother was still in charge of her duties as a shaman. ..”

“It’s too late… In the temple, I started working as an apprentice shrine maiden at the age of 5.”

Tokoyo tilts her head away from Quon in a strange way.

Then, Quon said “…Ah” As if he had remembered something about her.

“…That’s probably it. Because of my maternal cousin… I have to take care of him, so when I get a little older, Miko’s training becomes…”

Cleon nodded her head at her words her.

The past of Quon that she saw before-she was only able to study her healing arts her because she was swayed by Albein, and she could not concentrate on other things like her training her as a shrine maiden.

“Maternal cousin!? Did her mother have siblings?”

But Tokoyo raised her voice as if she couldn’t believe that Quon had a cousin of hers.

“Ah, yes… My mother’s sister…”

In response to Quon’s words to her, she said, “That’s strange…” And once again, her face her seemed to be struggling with something.

Then, Cleon spoke to Tokoyo as if to give a supplementary explanation.

“Quon came after her, and she came out of town with her cousin her to be her adventurer her. So, it’s true that she barely got her training as a shrine maiden.”

Even after hearing Cleon’s words, Tokoyo thought about it for a while, and then said, “Ah,” As if she understood herself.

“As expected. Yes. Then there’s nothing you can do about it. It’s a bit unexpected, but I mean.”

“Unexpected…?”

On the contrary, Cleon asked as if wondering what Tokoyo was expecting.

“Ah- yes. Actually, there’s a little problem with the Sacred Tree of Asteris in this city right now. Have you heard of it? The fact that there is too much magic accumulated in the spirit vein.”

“Ah. I heard about that from His Majesty the Beauty Painter just a moment ago.”

When Quon said that, Tokoyo nodded as well.

“…Actually, it seems that a lot of mana has accumulated in this land every few hundred years. However, at first, it is said that Miko’s sisters were able to release it through a ritual.”

“… But, the sister priestess must have disappeared, right? As her older sister took her fruit and left.”

At Cleon’s point, Tokoyo affirms once again, saying ‘yeah’ and saying that he was stabbed in a painful place.

“That’s right. By the way, a few years after the elder sister left the village, a package of unknown sender arrived to the younger sister, and it was said that it was the ‘ambassador’s orb.’ It was considered a national treasure because it could prevent this from being used.”

“Maybe it was sent by her older sister her, Miko.”

“…Then shouldn’t she use the orb of that line?”

When Cleon said that, Tokoyo put a hand on his forehead and sighed.

“By the way… The ambassador’s orb disappeared from this land decades ago. From where it was kept, without a trace.”

“… I wonder if it’s a thief?”

“Perhaps so… Anyway, the Beauty Painter and Firm are still searching for the ambassador’s orb, so we have no choice but to use a different method. That is, the ‘ritual performed by two miko’.”

Hearing Tokoyo’s words, Quon swallowed his saliva and became somewhat nervous.

“There.

“…Well you know.”

When Tokoyo said that while pointing at Cleon, Cleon didn’t deny it.

“…Should I say it’s a wave of power… That’s a very important ritual. I need the help of a priestess who is compatible with me, the great priestess. Unfortunately, there are very few people like that—”

“…The power of blood. I wonder if it’s the power of the same blood.”

Cleon nodded his head as if he knew, then turned his gaze to Quon.

A story like this- there was no way that Quon, a kind nosy person, could easily get over it.

If there is a problem, she is a very newbie as a shrine maiden, and she rather she has accumulated more experience as a clergyman.

Being told to become a shaman overnight, if that is possible, then what do the shamans of this temple who gain experience as shamans from a very young age become?

“…So, Kuon. Do you have any plans to practice as a ‘shaman’? In this temple.”

“Yes?”

Tokoyo clasps Quon’s hand, who is a bit flustered, and talks.

“If you acquire the skills of a shrine maiden, you will surely be able to do many more things in the future! Rather than simply performing divine magic with magical power, you will learn talisman arts and self-defense techniques as well. Oh! And, if you want to do martial arts as well-“

“Now, wait a minute! So suddenly…”

While Quon was taken aback by Tokoyo’s proposal, she seemed a little interested.

That would be too. It was not because of her will that she did not receive training as a shrine maiden, but because of Alvein.

Besides, it was said that she might even grow as a party power, so in fact, there was no reason to refuse.

“Surely, since they are related to me, they will learn quickly! Please, please!

“Hey, little sister…”

Quon swallowed his saliva at Tokoyo’s words.

Certainly, there was little difference between her heights her, but they had the same voice and the same face.

The biggest difference is only part of her chest.

Even though she is connected by blood, she feels like the younger sister of her distant relative her.

“…Wouldn’t it be okay? Quon. After all, we are indebted to this city. If we can help solve the problem.”

Cleon, after seeing a little bit of such a sign of Quon, said that to push his back her.

“Oh! That sounds great, Quon’s boyfriend! That’s right, it’s not for me, it’s for the whole city!”

“Uh, yes… Okay. Then, training as a shrine maiden… I’ll take it.”

“Okay! This is the decision!”

When Quon nodded her head, Tokoyo jumped in joy and grabbed Cleon’s hand and shook it.

“Now, remove the horns as well. So, let’s start today!”

“Is it from today…? I should be able to go back by dinner preparation time…”

When Quon worries about the mansion where Layla and Sasha remain, Tokoyo says, ‘Oh, it’s okay. I’m going to make the foundation today,’ he replied, snapping his fingers.

OK. Up until now, Tokoyo had moved from a room like a drawing room to welcome them, to a space similar to the bedroom of the dorm where they were staying.

And, in the middle of the room—there was a blanket and pillow large enough for two people to lie on.

“Then. The two of them lie down there. Shall we start the ‘cleansing ritual’ from now on!”

“…A ritual of purification?”

Looking back, Cleon asks her about something, her uneasy feeling of her.

There, Tokoyo put the index finger of the other hand in and out of a circle made by connecting the index finger and thumb with one hand.

“What, what!?”

“Don’t worry, it’s Chinese medicine!”

I wish I could tell you where to stop worrying.

Quon and Cleon, he thought with a stiff face.