“So, what happened while we were gone?” I asked, my curiosity piqued as I glanced down at Ai, who was still clinging to my hand.
Ai’s silver-white eyes shimmered with excitement as she flashed me a warm smile. Instead of answering immediately, she gently pulled on my hand, urging me forward. Without hesitation, I followed her as she led me toward the front of the shrine. The sound of our footsteps echoed softly against the stone pathway, each step accompanied by the faint rustling of leaves in the breeze. The air felt fresh, crisper than before, as if the entire area had been renewed. It was subtle, yet the change was undeniable.
As we passed beneath the torii gate, I instinctively lifted my gaze. The sunlight bathed the sacred archway in a golden glow, its warmth caressing my skin as I took in the breathtaking sight before me. The shrine, once weathered by time and corruption, now stood tall and radiant. Its wooden beams, which had previously been cracked and decayed, were now pristine and polished, reflecting the sunlight like a newly restored relic of the past.
The once shattered and uneven stone walls that had been overtaken by moss and cracks were now replaced with smooth, well-maintained bricks, each one carefully arranged as if a divine hand had rebuilt them overnight. Even the rooftop, which had been littered with fallen debris and worn tiles, gleamed under the sun’s embrace, its deep crimson hues appearing as vibrant as a freshly painted canvas.
“It looks… different,” I muttered under my breath, my voice barely above a whisper. My ears twitched slightly as I took in the overwhelming transformation. I could still remember how the shrine had once stood in eerie silence, its structure filled with the remnants of decay and darkness. Yet now, it radiated an undeniable sense of purity, almost as if it had been reborn.
Ai nodded enthusiastically, her tiny fingers squeezing mine as she led me further in. “While you were gone, the NONO creatures disappeared too,” she explained, her voice carrying a soft but firm certainty. “And as they vanished, the corruption that had tainted the shrine started to fade away, little by little.”
Her words lingered in the air, weaving themselves into the very essence of the scene before me. I looked around, taking in every restored detail, the clean, polished stone pathway beneath my feet, the fresh scent of blooming flowers that I hadn’t noticed before, the gentle sway of sacred paper talismans hanging from the eaves, no longer worn and tattered but instead glowing faintly with spiritual energy. It was as if the shrine itself had been holding its breath for centuries, waiting for this very moment to be freed from its long-standing suffering.
I turned my attention back to Ai, who stood before me with a small, proud smile on her lips. Tiny flakes of snow danced around her in the sunlight, vanishing before they could touch the ground. The sight filled me with a strange sense of peace, a quiet, lingering reassurance that whatever had once haunted this place was now truly gone.
“Did you do all of this?” I asked, my voice softer this time.
Ai giggled, shaking her head as her silver hair shimmered like spun frost. “Not alone,” she admitted. “The shrine was waiting for you too, Mistress.”
I couldn’t help but smile at Ai’s words, warmth blooming in my chest like the first rays of morning sunlight melting away the last traces of winter. There was something reassuring about the way she spoke, as if the shrine itself had been waiting, not just for me, but for this very moment of renewal. Her small hand remained clasped around mine, her grip gentle yet firm, as if she was afraid to let go. Tiny snowflakes continued to dance around her, twinkling in the golden light like fragments of a dream lingering just beyond reach.
A familiar voice broke the tranquil moment.
“Are you fox girls going inside the shrine?” Yuki’s lazy tone drifted toward us, carrying a mix of disinterest and amusement. I turned my head to see her approaching, her slow, deliberate steps barely making a sound against the soft grass. She didn’t wait for a response. Instead, with a sigh, she settled herself onto a patch of grass beside the shrine, stretching out as if she had all the time in the world. Her long, silver-white hair cascaded around her like a silken veil, shimmering under the sunlight as the tips brushed against the blades of grass.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
Her school uniform, which had remained mostly pristine, now spread across the ground as she sprawled lazily, completely at ease. The contrast between the sacred, newly restored shrine and Yuki’s nonchalant demeanor was almost amusing. She let out another soft yawn, her cat ears twitching slightly before she blinked up at us with her usual half-lidded gaze.
“I’ll wait here,” she added, resting her hands behind her head as if she were about to take a nap.
I let out a small chuckle at her predictable nature before nodding in understanding. “Alright, suit yourself,” I replied, knowing full well that Yuki preferred observation over direct involvement, at least, when she had the choice.
Ai’s grip on my hand tightened slightly, her excitement barely contained as she gently tugged at me. I glanced down to see her silver-white eyes shimmering with anticipation. Without another word, she began leading me forward, her delicate footsteps barely making a sound as she moved toward the shrine’s entrance.
Meanwhile, the soft pitter-patter of additional footsteps caught my ears. Turning slightly, I saw Yuzu trailing behind us, her black eyes darting around in wonder. Her twin black tails swayed eagerly, their fur fluffing up as she took in the sight before her.
“Bery pretty…” she muttered under her breath, her voice filled with quiet awe. Her hands reached up, lightly tracing the edges of one of the shrine’s support pillars, as if she wanted to confirm that it was real. The wooden structure, once battered and aged, now stood strong beneath her fingertips, its fresh coat of paint gleaming under the sunlight.
I stepped further into the room, and as I did, the familiar chime of a system notification rang in my ears. Almost instantly, a translucent interface materialized in front of me, glowing softly with its usual ethereal light.
[+1500 EXP]
[You have leveled up to Level 5 (EXP 390/1000)]
Health Points: 144/144 → 207.36/207.36
Mana: 28.8/28.8 → 41.47/41.47
Physical Attack: 14.4 (+3) → 20.73 (+3)
Magical Attack: 0.24 → 0.34 (+18)
Defense: 2.88 → 4.14
Agility: 17.27 → 24.86
My eyes darted over the newly updated stats, taking in the growth that had occurred. I blinked in mild surprise before muttering, “Huh, I leveled up again.” My gaze lingered on the Magical Attack stat, where an unexpected (+18) boost stood out from the otherwise modest increases.
It didn’t take long for me to put the pieces together. “That must be because of the Yumi Bow I got from the gacha yesterday,” I mused, recalling how the item’s description had mentioned a significant increase in magical energy output.
Feeling a newfound sense of strength coursing through my body, I clenched my fist experimentally, sensing the subtle but tangible difference in my movements. My agility stat had seen a notable increase as well, and I could already tell that my reflexes had sharpened. It was an odd sensation, like stepping into a body that had always been mine, yet somehow… more efficient. More attuned.
“Nnai, Mashiro bery leveled up again?” Yuzu asked, her eyes gleaming with curiosity as she circled around me like an excited child discovering a new toy. Her black tails swayed in sync with her movements, flicking back and forth in an erratic rhythm. She leaned forward slightly, her ears twitching as she peered at me with pure fascination. “Mashiro bery strong now?” she asked, tilting her head so much that her long, dark hair nearly brushed against the floor. It was as if she were inspecting me for any visible changes, as though leveling up would suddenly cause me to sprout new features or glow with some kind of divine energy.
Ai, who had been standing beside me, suddenly straightened up, puffing out her small chest with unmistakable pride. Her silver-white eyes shimmered with an unspoken sense of accomplishment, and with a confident nod, she declared, “Miss Mashiro is a Shrine Maiden, so cleansing corruption and evil spirits is her job.” She crossed her arms and lifted her chin slightly, her fox ears twitching as if expecting praise for her insight. “Since I’m her guardian spirit, or more accurately, her shikigami, it’s also my duty to assist her in purifying the shrine.”
Her voice carried a sense of authority beyond her youthful appearance, as though she had rehearsed these words many times before. Then, placing a hand over her heart, Ai continued, “So if her guardian spirit—that’s me!—does a good job, then she will receive experience points and grow stronger.” A satisfied smile graced her lips as if she had just given a flawless lecture. The tiny snowflakes that always seemed to surround her glowed faintly, swirling in the air as if responding to her moment of pride.
