Rise mumbled for a while before turning her tail transparent and spinning around. Narumi, who had been grooming her tail with an elegant comb, suddenly remained unfazed even as the tail vanished, carefully gathering the hairs stuck in the comb and wrapping them in a clean cloth, which she then placed in a luxurious-looking small box.
As she stared blankly at this scene, Rise felt a slight vibration and took out her smartphone to check a message.
『The situation in Russia will soon be resolved. Is there any issue?』
Rise replied with a bright smile that seemed to convey her happiness at receiving a message.
『There are no issues. The politicians are so entranced by the doll given by the deity that they’ve avoided any scandals related to women in the newspapers. Thanks to the elder’s influence, many Yakuza have also been eliminated. While both shrines are functioning to some extent, my father and Shinto Priest Yoshiaki seem to be focused on other places, so we’re barely maintaining the status quo.』
『What about the spiritual spots?』
『We have secured a total of five locations. We have collaborated with a construction company to purchase land and buildings and established security to control access. No one can enter without the deity’s permission. Additionally, as you instructed, we’ve set up a gold thread barrier ensuring that the entities inside cannot escape.』
『What about opening a branch shrine?』
Rise glanced briefly at Narumi.
“Narumi.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Dressed in attire befitting a maid, Narumi answered Rise’s words with utmost politeness. Her demeanor was respectful, and her tone reeked of reverence; however, her expression was completely devoid of emotion, appearing as if nothing affected her at all.
“Are you happy?”
At that question, Narumi trembled slightly. But she quickly spoke resolutely.
“I am happy.”
Hearing that response, Rise called out to Seitani, who obscured her appearance and flitted around her. Seitani, resembling an insect crawling up a tree, twisted and turned around Narumi, even managing to stand on her head while climbing her limbs.
As she continued her bizarre antics, Seitani suddenly grinned and shook her head.
And then she spoke, clearly enunciating each syllable.
“Ah.”
“Ni.”
“Ya.”
Seeing this, Rise stiffened her expression and approached her. She then lifted Narumi’s chin with a finger and gazed directly into Narumi’s emotionless face as she asked again.
“Really?”
“Yes. I am happy.”
“What brings you happiness?”
“I am so happy to serve the deity.”
Listening to her, it seemed as if the loyalty emanating from her heart or the reverence stemming from instinct would be apparent in her tone. But outside of Rise’s gaze, Narumi’s clenched fist trembled slightly, revealing a hint of her emotions.
“Happy?”
“Yes. Simply having the privilege of serving a magnificent individual is happiness in itself.”
At her words, Rise tilted her head and looked up as if lost in thought. Seitani continued shaking her head, and contrary to her earlier slow and deliberate speech, she now whispered just loud enough for Rise to hear.
“Lie.”
“Lie.”
“It’s a lie.”
“You don’t actually think you’re happy.”
“You resent me.”
“You resent the deity.”
“You resent the calamity that suddenly descended upon you.”
“You think to yourself why this happened to you, and you desire revenge.”
“You envy me.”
“You envy me, a mere wretch who has managed to charm a powerful person and gained undeserved strength, you’re angry that I, insignificant as I am, stand above you now.”
“This woman.”
“This woman is full of discontent.”
Rise nodded quietly in response to Seitani’s voice.
“Well, I suppose that kind of happiness may exist.”
“Yes.”
“To serve a great individual, indeed. I swore to serve the deity and promised to dedicate everything to them. While I may not know much about them… they certainly were remarkable.”
Rise glanced at Narumi.
“Though perhaps a little extreme. At least, that person said they would make me happy, so they must indeed be a wonderful individual.”
“Of course.”
Narumi continued to respond to Rise without any emotion. In response to that blankness, Rise managed a faint smile.
“Yet it seems the deity cannot be a wonderful being for you.”
That faint smile vanished in an instant.
Like snow on a cold winter day melting away in unfrozen water, or like a chilling breeze brushing past a stark tree.
Yet while the snow that fell upon unfrozen water turns it to ice, and the chill of the wind freezes the tree solid, that unease remained, freezing Narumi.
“Liars.”
“Yes?”
Rise’s eyes were hollow.
Deeper than Narumi’s, who had lost everything and felt emptiness, her gaze was filled with an abyss, one that seemed ready to swallow you whole. Yet, in the depths of those eyes, a murky light shone, fixated solely on one thing, resembling a blind fanatic.
Rise faced Narumi with that empty gaze and reached back with her hand.
At that moment, the Slime trembled and plucked a thorn from its body, handing it to her.
Kiiigigigigg!
The thorn in Rise’s hand was concentrated with an immense amount of divine power.
“You’ve made me unhappy. You’ve spread ill words about me and threatened others to not converse with me. Whenever I barely manage to get close to someone, you pressure them, driving us apart. Hence, I have no friendships with other shamans. No, I couldn’t have any.”
“F-Forgive me. But I am reflecting upon this now.”
“That certainly must have been painful for you. However, I haven’t considered shamans seriously. I had no thoughts on serving anyone, and the divine power granted by Mukuri Kokuri no Inugami was as common to me as air, so I never truly valued it. Yes. My attitude toward this may have irked you. Anyone can feel discontent towards someone who doesn’t regard their own duties seriously, and everyone has the freedom to express their grievances. Yes, I think so.”
Narumi stared at Rise as if entranced, thinking something had gone awry, yet she could only freeze, unable to collect herself from the sheer magnitude of divine power gathering in Rise’s hand.
“However, you see, I too wish to exercise my freedom to express discontent right now. Yes, at this moment, I have grievances against you.”
“Yes, yes?”
“You’ve lost the deity you are to serve. Because of that, you’ve become unhappy. Yet I told you this: While you’ve made my past unhappy, you still have the right to seek happiness. I offered you an opportunity to find your happiness again. I wished for you to earnestly accept that chance and seek out happiness. Now that we serve alongside the deity, I said I’d bury the ill feelings. Do you remember?”
“Yes, yes.”
“Then why does the deity’s kindness, why does my consideration, seem one-sided?”
As she asked Narumi with a blank face, a peculiar madness radiated from Rise.
“You said that if you serve the deity and the new god, you can become happy. Yet even though you devoted yourself to serving the new god and promised to aid the deity… it was all a lie.”
“W-Wait a moment!”
“I told the deity I’d manage everything well until they returned. I would give my all to prevent any issues, committing myself to care for everything without fail. Yet here I am, failing even to manage the successor of the deity’s shaman.”
“Wait, Rise! Listen to me!”
Narumi cried out in urgency.
She knew from watching how Rise dealt with those who stirred up problems that she was onto something distressing.
“Rise, no, my lady! I am not lying! I—”
“Is that so?”
With a face devoid of a smile, Rise spoke to her.
“Then it must be due to your lack of devotion.”
Pooook!
Rise plunged the thorn she held directly into Narumi’s chest.
And then, as if waiting for this moment, Seitani revealed herself and began to laugh hysterically, dancing about. She then abruptly stopped, looking at Rise and chuckling.
“Gone.”
“All.”
“Gone.”
Seitani laughed grotesquely and pried Narumi’s mouth wide open, then began stuffing her head into Narumi’s mouth, as if forcing a deflated balloon into a shape that would fit.
Despite Seitani’s head being child-sized, it seemed far from the size to fit inside, yet it began to squeeze itself in like air being pushed into a shriveled balloon.
Narumi’s throat bobbed up and down, as if a snake had slithered inside, her skin bulging grotesquely, until finally, Seitani slipped completely into Narumi.
Watching the scene unfold, Rise sent a message to Jinseong.
『I apologize, but it’s not over yet. But I’ll take responsibility for the training.』
『I trust you.』
Rise smiled faintly at the reply that returned.
“Yes. Please trust me. I will believe too.”
—
The wind in Russia was cold, but the hotel ambiance was warm.
As she basked in the warmth of the fireplace, Ella found herself growing drowsy within the vast and cozy suite, filled with a welcoming atmosphere.
Ella discovered she had a sister she had never known about, and Anastasia was flitting about, causing mischief. Iarin was thrilled, saying she now had someone to dote on, pressing herself against the two.
That lively scene truly resembled a manifestation of happiness.
However, being happy does not mean all is well.
“Now it’s your turn. Since there will be a ritual, refrain from eating today and cleanse your body with a bath.”
Jinseong had not forgotten the reason for his visit to Russia.
