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A solemn air pervaded the precincts of Tenrei Shrine.
Beyond the meticulously laid cobblestones, the flames within the lanterns flickered in the breeze, casting a soft glow over the silent Worship Hall. Even with the low murmur of the crowd, it felt as though everyone was instinctively speaking in hushed tones.
A dense throng had already formed before the yagura platform erected beside the Main Hall. We stood on the outer edge of the circle, candied apples in hand, waiting for the ceremony to begin.
"...It’s incredible. I can’t believe how many people are here," Luna whispered softly.
Oliver narrowed his eyes, nodding in agreement. "It just shows how much this event means to the people of this nation."
It was then that a familiar voice drifted over from the other side of the crowd.
"Hey, Orun and the others!"
I turned to see Haruto-san waving as he made his way toward us. Katina-san and Huey-san followed close behind. All three were still dressed in their light, functional gear, but their expressions were bright.
"I didn't expect to see you three here. I figured you'd be backstage as officials."
"Our current position is a bit... delicate," Haruto admitted. "So, we decided to just watch quietly from the sidelines today."
"I see. Oh, that’s right. Want a candied apple? Katina-san and Huey-san, you too."
"Oh, thanks! Man, this brings back memories..." Haruto-san’s face softened as he took the treat.
"Fuuka recommended them, so I thought I'd give them a try. They’re actually really good."
"They were always her favorite. I can’t tell you how many times she made me go out and buy them for her back in the day." Haruto looked genuinely nostalgic, a gentle warmth in his eyes.
Before long, the attention of the crowd began to shift toward the yagura. Bonfires were lit in unison, bathing the platform in a pale, ethereal light. The rhythmic chime of Kagura Bells rang out, and the sea of people gradually fell into a respectful silence.
Two girls dressed in priestess uniforms emerged from the back of the platform. One was the current princess of this nation—Nagisa Asagiri.
The other, her face hidden behind a fox mask, was Fuuka Shinonome.
A ripple of confusion ran through the crowd. Based on the whispers, people were baffled to see someone they didn't recognize standing beside Nagisa, who usually performed the ritual alone.
Nagisa took a step forward. Straightening her back, she addressed the assembly in a clear, resonant voice.
"Everyone—thank you for gathering here today. We shall now offer a dance to purify this land and mark the moment we begin to walk forward once more."
The buzzing of the crowd died down at her words.
"However, before we begin the offering, I have something to say. This year’s Reibu Festival has been unlike any other. As you all know, on the first day of the festivities, monsters appeared here in the city of Hanemiya."
The air in the precincts grew taut. Everyone present was surely reliving those nightmarish moments.
"The Genma that assaulted our streets, and the Great Snake of myth—the Yata no Hebi. These creatures were born from miasma that could not be fully contained. And... the reason for that failure lies in our past."
Nagisa lowered her eyes for a heartbeat before looking up again.
"Several years ago, this nation reached a major turning point. My father led a rebellion against the tyranny of the then-ruling family—the Shinonome House."
The expressions of the onlookers hardened. This was the history everyone knew—or rather, the history they had been told.
"In the wake of that conflict, the Shinonome House was struck down, and my father lost his life. Since then, I have carried the weight of this nation as its princess, striving to uphold his will."
Nagisa’s voice didn't waver. She spoke with a quiet, factual resolve.
"...However, the rituals I have performed since becoming princess have been incomplete. I am not the true princess. I am merely a priestess who offers the dance."
At that, every eye in the crowd turned toward the girl in the fox mask.
"And here stands the rightful princess," Nagisa declared firmly. "Fuuka Shinonome."
A heavy silence followed, then the air practically vibrated with the sudden uproar.
"A Shinonome!?" "The princess...?" "Is it really her?"
Waves of agitation, bewilderment, and doubt crashed against the platform. Nagisa and Fuuka stood their ground, absorbing the weight of every gaze.
"Even though she was driven from this land by that rebellion, she returned. She fought the monsters and saved this city—this nation. I remember it vividly. While everyone else trembled in fear, she did not retreat. She brandished a katana like falling sakura and struck down the Yata no Hebi! You all saw it that day as well!"
I remembered that scene, too. I remembered the back of the girl who had stood at the very front, fighting more earnestly than anyone else to protect this country.
"...I have no intention of dismissing how you may feel about the Shinonome family. However, the person standing before you now is, as far as I have seen, someone who fought for this nation more than anyone!"
Nagisa’s voice rang out, powerful and clear.
"As for what the Shinonome House did in the past—" Nagisa paused, meeting the crowd’s eyes head-on. "—I do not know whether it was right or wrong."
She was lying.
I was likely one of the few who realized it. Yet, Nagisa’s voice was filled with a desperate, total sincerity.
"But Big Sis Fuuka is different!" Her voice rose, her raw emotions bleeding into her words. "She was no one's enemy. She brandished her blade... for the sake of this country."
Nagisa turned a tender gaze toward the fox mask beside her. "That is an unchangeable fact."
I heard someone in the crowd catch their breath. The night wind whipped the flames of the bonfires. In the ensuing silence, Nagisa spoke again.
"Please, everyone... I beg of you. Accept her."
There was no hesitation left in her voice. Her plea, filled with absolute conviction, seemed to drift up and dissolve into the night sky.
Nagisa was not telling the truth.
There had never been any tyranny from the Shinonome House. The rebellion had been justified only through distorted information and Perception Alteration. Her father had likely taken up his sword without ever knowing the truth.
But Nagisa chose not to overturn that. She chose to stand upon a lie, prioritizing the now over the past. She believed this was the only way to ensure Fuuka would be accepted without plunging the nation back into chaos.
"B-but, the Shinonome House, back then..." "Are we going to be oppressed again...?"
The murmurs started up again, ripples of anxiety and suspicion spreading through the throng.
That was when the girl on the yagura took a step forward and reached up to slowly remove her white fox mask.
It was Fuuka Shinonome.
Her black eyes, catching the lantern light, swept over the crowd from the stage. Her expression was calm, yet it possessed a quiet, undeniable strength.
"...I have no intention of reclaiming the throne."
Her voice wasn't loud, yet it carried with an odd clarity that silenced the crowd.
"You all fought under the banner of justice to defeat the Shinonome House and build the nation you have today. I believe those actions had meaning."
Fuuka looked down for a fleeting moment. When she raised her head again, her gaze was unwavering.
"...I know that if I were to return to this country as its ruler, it would only breed chaos and division. I have no desire to force my way back in."
Her words were backed by a clear, settled resolve.
"I have only one wish: that this nation remains at peace."
The faces in the crowd began to change, the harsh lines of suspicion softening.
"And, if I may..." Fuuka’s eyes shone with an even deeper, more intense light. "If you could all find it in your hearts to recognize this place as my home... I would be happy."
As she finished, a gentle breeze swept through the precincts. Her hair swayed like sakura petals dancing in the night sky.
Everyone stood mesmerized. It wasn't a rehearsed speech. There was no artifice. It was simply a girl speaking her heart, raw and direct.
For a long moment, no one could find their voice.
The silence was finally broken by an old man.
"...I was part of that war. I lost my friends, my home—everything. To this day, I can't forgive what happened that night. But..." He looked up at Fuuka slowly. "I have no intention of blaming you for it. Because you were the one who saved my grandson from that monster."
As if his words had broken a dam, voices began to sprout up here and there. They overlapped and grew, and the atmosphere of the crowd shifted. The sense of rejection began to unravel.
A child tugged on their parent’s hand, pointing at Fuuka and waving.
Then, from somewhere in the back—applause broke out.
One person, then another. Palms that had been hesitant a moment ago began to beat a steady rhythm. The sound gained strength, spreading until it filled the entire shrine.
It wasn't quite a welcome, nor was it simple praise. It was a quiet, profound applause that signaled their acceptance of her presence among them.
Fuuka stood motionless on the platform, but I saw her eyes waver. Then, her lips curled into a very faint, very soft smile.
I heard someone sniffing beside me, but I tactfully looked the other way.
Nagisa stepped forward once more.
"We shall now... offer the dance."
Silence returned to the precincts. The bonfires illuminated the stage, and a holy atmosphere settled over the crowd.
"The truth is... on the day of the rebellion, I lacked confidence in my own skills..." Nagisa glanced briefly toward Fuuka. She spoke with great care, as if weighing every word. "I had made a promise to offer this dance together with Big Sis Fuuka."
It was a quiet confession. The audience listened with bated breath.
"But that promise went unfulfilled, and I was left behind, alone." Nagisa placed a hand over her heart, where the regrets of her childhood still resided. "That has always been... my greatest lingering sorrow."
She closed her eyes for a moment, then turned back to the crowd.
"So, this is merely my own selfishness."
Fuuka lowered her eyes.
"Please, just for today..." Nagisa declared, her voice ringing with finality. "Grant me the kindness of allowing Big Sis Fuuka and me to perform this offering together."
A night breeze brushed between them. The promise that had been broken so many years ago was finally about to be mended.