Chapter 121: Miyamizu Shrine (Long Chapter)
After lunch ended, no one left the table. Once the dishes were cleared away, Yuika and her younger brother promptly served tea. Thin wisps of steam rose into nine distinct streams before vanishing simultaneously into the air.
A faint, fragrant aroma of tea spread through the room.
Aside from the three members of the younger generation, including Yuika, everyone's eyes were fixed on Akishin.
They had stayed behind because Akishin had specifically requested it.
Akishin sat in a formal seiza position on the tatami, observing everyone for a moment. He then lowered his head slightly in a gesture of respect and spoke. "To introduce myself formally, my name is Chishima Akishin. Professionally, I am a teacher at Sobu High School. Beyond that, I am also a swordsman and a chef, and I manage an Izakaya in Chiba City.
As for the reason for my visit today, I believe everyone is already aware. I won't pry too much; I can only state that I have no intention of harming the Kondo family. Finally, I would like to ask for all of your opinions."
With the exception of Shizuka, everyone remained silent for three seconds. Then, they sat up straight and bowed their heads in return. "No, it is we who should be thanking you, Chishima-sensei."
Yuika was the most visibly moved; she wept while trying to stifle the sound of her crying, though the tears continued to fall. Kaiko stayed by her side to comfort her. Meanwhile, Soichi remained quiet, his small face tight with an uncharacteristic seriousness.
Akishin nodded. He turned to retrieve a subsidy agreement from a small bag he had brought and placed it in the center of the table. "This is the agreement regarding my decision to subsidize Yuika and Soichi. Please, take a look. If it meets your approval, we will finalize it. If not, we can continue to discuss the terms. This was my primary objective in coming here."
Keiko nodded apologetically to Akishin first, then took the document and began to read it with painstaking care.
This concerned the future of her children; even though they were the ones receiving help, they had to remain cautious.
The world was an unpredictable place; if this assistance turned out to be some sort of conspiracy, their family would only fall into a deeper abyss.
While Keiko read the agreement, the others waited in silence. Akishin lifted his teacup and took a sip, appearing calm and unhurried.
He glanced at Yuika and saw the girl staring intently at the paper in her mother's hands, a suppressed urgency in her eyes; she clearly desperate to know the contents.
In this room, aside from Akishin, Shizuka was likely the most composed. She had helped Akishin draft the agreement, so she already understood every detail.
Ten minutes later, Keiko finally finished reading the brief document—one that really could have been finished in two.
The way she looked at Akishin changed, shifting into a mix of gratitude, admiration, or perhaps both.
"Chishima-sensei, thank you... thank you so much, I am truly grateful..."
Keiko bowed her head so low it touched the table.
Akishin smiled and shook his head gently.
Sakurai Seiji spoke up. "Chishima-sensei, would it be alright if I read this agreement as well?"
Akishin was momentarily stunned, then replied, "Please, go ahead. The more witnesses we have, the better."
"Thank you."
Sakurai Seiji took the agreement from Kondo Keiko's hand and began to read. Compared to Keiko, he moved through it much faster. Once finished, he handed it to his wife.
He, much like Keiko, bowed his head in gratitude. "Chishima-sensei, thank you for your sacrifice."
He did this to represent the Kondo family in expressing their thanks to Akishin. In a situation where the Kondo household lacked a male head, he stood in to fill that role to a certain extent.
This was his way of supporting the Kondos.
Akishin did not decline; this was the gratitude he deserved. He simply nodded with a smile—just as he had once told Soichi: on what basis would someone lend you money? Just because you claim you'll make a lot of money in the future?
Toward someone willing to lend you money—excluding illegal loan sharks, of course—you must carry a sense of gratitude.
It is precisely because of the help from others that one can overcome suffering.
The contents of the agreement were quite simple:
Akishin promised to cover the educational expenses for both Kondo Yuika and Kondo Soichi until Yuika completed her education.
Beyond the tuition, he would also provide a specific monthly allowance to the Kondo family. The amount wasn't massive—just over a hundred thousand yen—but it was enough to guarantee a normal, stable life.
The condition was that Kondo Yuika had to pass the entrance exams for one of the top ten universities in the country, such as the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, or Waseda University. The reasoning was that graduates from these institutions would find it easier to earn the money required to pay back the debt.
As for the repayment standard, it involved adding a one-time interest equal to the original amount. While it seemed like a lot, the agreement stated that repayment would only begin after graduation, with no strict time limit on when it had to be fully settled; the debt could be paid off over several years through dozens of installments.
Keiko didn't see the deeper meaning behind that last point. Her priority would undoubtedly be to clear the debt as quickly as possible.
She also expressed her gratitude to Akishin—this was what she had worried about most: the fear that she couldn't provide a decent life for her two children and would instead become a burden to them.
She was truly thankful to Akishin.
Akishin's presence helped her resolve her most serious problems. At the same time, she believed her daughter was capable of getting into a top-tier university—she had never pushed Yuika regarding her grades, yet Yuika had never disappointed her.
Sakurai Seiji caught the hidden message within Akishin's phrasing, causing his respect for the man to grow, though he didn't voice it explicitly.
After Sakurai Kana finished reading, she nodded to Akishin, and then the papers were taken by Yuika.
"...Chishima-sensei, didn't you say three times the amount before? Why did it change to two?"
Akishin laughed with a hint of helplessness. "Kondo, I'm not a loan shark. Why would I ask for three times? What I said before was just for your ears. Three times is a bit much, so I changed it to two.
Besides, the prerequisite is that you pass the entrance exam for a top university in two years. If you don't, these terms are automatically void, do you understand?"
"...I understand, Chishima-sensei!"
Yuika looked at Akishin's face, which had shifted from helpless to serious. She took a deep breath, stood up, took two steps back, and performed a formal Dogeza before Akishin. She spoke with solemnity and gravity. "I will not fail your expectations..."
...
The evening ritual ceremony in Itomori Town was incredibly lively.
After passing through the red Torii gate and entering the sacred grounds of the shrine, then climbing two flights of stairs, a small plaza paved with stone slabs appeared.
Golden-yellow lanterns hung everywhere. Various small food stalls were set up, creating a festive atmosphere. Men and women dressed in Kimonos walked among them.
It was crowded, yet not noisy. Everyone spoke in hushed tones, as if afraid of disturbing the gods.
At the edge of the small plaza, looking down, one could see the sky reflected in the massive lake below, looking as though it could be touched just by reaching out a hand...
Akishin and Shizuka arrived here following Soichi. Yuika and Kaiko had come along as well. Both were wearing light yellow Yukatas embroidered with maple leaves, holding small round fans. Their hair was rolled and tied up, and they wore light makeup. Their black hair reached their eyebrows, and their sweet faces radiated a sense of grace.
Akishin couldn't help but look at them for a moment longer, then asked with a smile to Shizuka beside him, "Shizuka-chan, what would you look like in a Kimono?"
Shizuka had finished bathing and changed into casual clothes—a white shirt with a black coat over it. The night wind blew, causing the hem of her clothes to sway gently.
She glanced at Yuika and her friend walking ahead in their wooden sandals, then said with a cheerful smile, "I haven't worn one in years, but I used to look quite beautiful in them. Hmm~ wait until the fireworks festival at the end of August. I'll wear one for you then."
"That's a promise."
"...Yeah, it's a promise."
Suddenly, Akishin laughed and naturally reached out to take Shizuka's wrist.
Shizuka's face turned bright red. She glared at Akishin, looked left and right, then used some strength to pull away from his palm.
Akishin felt a momentary surge of panic. But in the next second, a warm, soft hand gripped his.
Their hands were intertwined.
"Shizuka-chan, this..."
Akishin stared at Shizuka in shock, almost thinking he was dreaming. He squeezed the small hand in his grasp to make sure it was real.
"It's nothing, you... don't... don't get any ideas. Ha... having my wrist pulled is uncomfortable. For a grown man, why are you such a coward... Fine, let's just keep it like this and look ahead."
Shizuka stared at the full moon in the sky, her voice stuttering slightly as she took the initiative to pull Akishin forward.
...
Miyamizu Shrine was merely a small shrine in Itomori, so it naturally couldn't compare to grand shrines like Meiji Jingu or Fushimi Inari Taisha.
However, despite its size, the facilities were complete. Miyamizu Shrine had everything it was supposed to have.
There was the Honden where the deity resided, the Haiden where worshipers prayed, the Heiden where coins were offered, and the Shinden where offerings and musical instruments were kept.
Other features included the divine messengers (stone Komainu statues), stone lanterns, the Chozuya (the water basin for washing hands and mouth), the Torii gate, the Sando (the path leading to the shrine), and the Kagura-den.
While everything was small—some parts were only the size of a human—it was all there. The main building was the largest, but strangely, there was almost no one there.
Upon asking Soichi, he explained: Due to a great fire several hundred years ago, Miyamizu Shrine had lost many of its records, and now even the true meaning behind the rituals was unknown...
The history of Miyamizu Shrine could be traced back to 446 AD, the year it was established in Itomori.
In 813 AD, Itomori was struck by a meteorite that formed Lake Itomori. A large number of residents perished due to this strike.
The survivors felt betrayed by their god, so they shifted their faith to the god of textiles (Takehazuchi-no-Mikoto) and carved murals of the falling comet in the Goshintai cave (located on Mount Ryujin) to warn future generations.
Similarly, because the fragments of the Tiamat comet hit and formed Lake Itomori, the area became rich in mineral and fishing resources, allowing the ancestors to prosper and settle down.
In 1803, the Mayugoro Fire destroyed all documents and literary data of Miyamizu Shrine, resulting in the shrine today having the form but having lost its soul.
Or one could say it was in a bit of an awkward state.
But with the passage of over fifteen hundred years, everyone had grown accustomed to Miyamizu Shrine. During every annual ritual or New Year, they would come here to pray for blessings and wishes.
But that had nothing to do with Akishin. Once he understood the general history of the place, he looked at the shrine buildings and simply felt a sense of fascination and awe.
One thousand five hundred years... how much history in the world could be traced back that far?
Yet this little shrine had managed to do it.
Then he looked at Lake Itomori shimmering under the sky. His perception shifted instantly; this was actually a lake formed by a meteorite that had broken off from a comet!
Amazing!
Only...
That Tiamat comet seemed to have returned recently? There were reports on TV and in the news; apparently, its cycle was about 1300 years!
Akishin couldn't help but look up at the star-filled sky, but he didn't see the comet.
Perhaps it would take a few more days before it became visible.
At that time, standing in the place that had once been destroyed by the comet while watching it pass by—the feeling would surely be incredible. If the comet decided to drop another piece right here at that moment, it would be even more incredible...
"Hahaha..."
Akishin found himself amused by the sudden thought and laughed out loud.
As if!
If that comet really traveled for 1300 years only to come back and strike the same spot again, just how much would that comet have to hate Itomori Town!!!
He shook his head, brushing the sudden thought aside. Akishin held Shizuka's hand and continued walking elsewhere with Soichi and the others.
[Additional Note: "…"]
The five of them walked along, buying various snacks. Everything was Akishin's treat, and the atmosphere was filled with happiness. Before long, they arrived at a crowded area where bonfires were burning.
The Kagura-den.
The place where the shrine's maidens performed the Kagura dance to pray to the gods.
On a wooden stage over two meters high, two Miko dressed in white shrine maiden attire held Kagura-suzu bells and performed mysterious movements to the rhythm of the music.
The Kagura-suzu bells occasionally let out a melodious chime with every swing of the maidens' hands. They stood there and watched for a while, a unique feeling washing over them.
Both Miko were very young. The older one was perhaps in high school, while the smaller one was about the same age as Kondo Soichi.
"Chishima-sensei, can we leave in three days?"
"Why leave in three days?"
Akishin looked at Soichi, who had asked the question out of the blue, with a confused tone.
Soichi raised a finger, pointing toward the two Miko on stage. "Because three days from now is the official ritual time. These two days are just the opening. I want to experience this ritual before leaving for Chiba."
Yuika, hearing her younger brother's voice, immediately scolded him. "Soichi, don't trouble Chishima-sensei. We already agreed, we'll help you transfer schools tomorrow, and tomorrow is when we leave..."
She rarely showed anger, causing Soichi to shrink his head back.
Akishin raised a hand to stop Yuika's reprimand. He looked at Yuika, who seemed a bit emotional, and Kaiko beside her, whose expression had dimmed slightly. He asked, "Kondo, Kaiko, do you both want to leave after the ritual is finished?"
Kaiko bit her lip with a face full of hesitation; it was clear she wanted to stay. Yuika also wavered for a moment, but still spoke firmly. "Chishima-sensei, you have already helped our family too much. We shouldn't add to your burden. As we said before..."
"Kondo, you're wrong."
Akishin cut her off, looked at her, and smiled. "Remember what I said earlier? I came here to handle business and to do some sightseeing. If we leave tomorrow, it means I only stayed for a day before heading back to work. How could that be called sightseeing?"
"That... that, Sensei, that's not what I meant..."
Yuika began to panic, feeling completely at a loss.
"Stupid Yuika, Chishima-sensei is just teasing you," Kaiko patted her friend's shoulder and gave a small laugh. "He's not blaming you."
Akishin crouched down to look at Soichi and asked with a smile, "Soichi, tell Sensei, is the ritual fun? Is it interesting?"
Upon hearing this, Soichi's eyes lit up, and he nodded emphatically. "It's fun, it's fun, it's really interesting! Later, almost everyone in town will come; it's very crowded. There will be lots of good food, everyone will dance together, and there will be fireworks—so many beautiful fireworks..."
After hearing that, Akishin made his decision. "Alright, we'll leave in three days after the ritual is over." He looked back at Yuika and asked with a smile, "Kondo, leaving in three days then?"
A clear joy flashed in Yuika's large eyes, but she still replied politely, "I will follow Chishima-sensei's decision."
However, she couldn't quite hide her smile.
—There was always this feeling that once they left this place this time, it would take a very long time before they could return here again!
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