I have an infinite number of shikigami-Chapter 103 - 79. The Past of Asakusa Shrine (10,000 Words Achieved)_3

Chapter 103: 79. The Past of Asakusa Shrine (10,000 Words Achieved)_3

She struck such a delicate and fragile pose, embodying the allure of a captivating beauty that could melt even steel into soft ribbons, and dry ice would vaporize at her feet.

Fujiwara Reya simply clamped his mouth shut, opting not to speak.

His gaze shifted, one moment on her, the next on Mrs. Hoshimi, showing a clear intention of ignoring them unless they spoke first.

"Alright, alright, I’ll stop teasing you," Mrs. Kasahara said with a faint smile, "Asakusa Shrine searched for Natsuki Makawa for seven years, only to find her finally in Hokkaido. But with her was a little girl, six years old, with golden hair and eyes."

That was his mother when she was young... Fujiwara Reya’s chest tightened instantly.

"Without a doubt, that girl was the child of Natsuki Makawa and Shodokan; her name was Natsuki Rin." Mrs. Kasahara’s voice, though not loud, echoed throughout the courtyard with its elegant clarity.

In an instant, countless gazes were cast in their direction.

This was a name almost akin to a taboo, entwined with too much of the past.

Mrs. Hoshimi, too, commented with a sigh, "Natsuki Makawa was forcibly returned to Asakusa Shrine, while Natsuki Rin was left in Hokkaido with only a servant to care for her."

Hearing this, Fujiwara Reya took a deep breath, clenched his fists, and placed them on his knees.

"Not long after Natsuki Makawa returned to Asakusa Shrine, a disaster struck." Mrs. Hoshimi squinted her eyes, tilted her head slightly, recalled for a few seconds, and then, seemingly feeling despondent, shrugged her shoulders before continuing, "With Shodokan’s rallying call, all demons gathered at Asakusa Shrine, and thus erupted a war between humans and demons."

Mrs. Kasahara added, "Since World War II’s air raids, Tokyo once again faced a severe, unnatural disaster."

"And the outcome?" Fujiwara Reya asked in a hoarse voice.

"Natsuki Makawa perished, Shodokan was sealed, and the combined casualties of the military, Section Nine, and Onmyo-ryo exceeded twenty thousand." Mrs. Kasahara’s reply left a bloody truth hanging in the air.

Even though he was mentally prepared, Fujiwara Reya was still startled by the number.

"Now you understand why people have grievances against Asakusa Shrine," Mrs. Kasahara reached out and patted his shoulder as a gesture of comfort.

"Understood."

Fujiwara Reya nodded.

But he then took another deep breath and added, "I will change their impression."

"It’s very difficult," Mrs. Kasahara remarked, "You’ve always avoided interaction with your peers, so you haven’t felt their bias strongly, and they were content to treat you like the elephant in the room. Yet, when you rebuild Asakusa Shrine, those old-timers’ memories will resurface, and they won’t just ignore you anymore—they’ll actively confront you."

"You won’t be able to bear it," warned Mrs. Hoshimi, "Better to escape sooner and live as an ordinary person."

Fujiwara Reya shook his head, "Even though rationality, common sense, and instinct all tell me to withdraw early, I have always been a cautious, ordinary person who doesn’t like gambling or taking risks, some might say a coward. But this time, I can’t retreat. Natsuki Rin is extremely important to me; her long-cherished wish is to see Asakusa Shrine restored to its former glory from her mother’s time, and I can’t shrink back out of fear."

"Having courage is good," a hint of a smile appeared on Mrs. Kasahara’s lips, but her tone remained unwavering, "But you have to face reality; the path before you might be empty."

"Hey, directors," Fujiwara Reya asked, "do you know how many days someone can survive drinking only water, without eating anything else?"

Both ladies wore expressions of confusion.

"In fact, some survived 21 days, during the Russian Revolution," Fujiwara Reya answered earnestly.

"It must have been painful," Mrs. Kasahara remarked.

"Absolutely. The person was saved, but their teeth and hair were completely gone," he explained.

Mrs. Hoshimi, envisioning such a grim condition, said empathetically, "Even if saved, life would surely be devoid of flavor."

"Without teeth or hair, it doesn’t matter; with wigs and dentures, life can still be flavorful." Fujiwara Reya cleared his throat, "As long as there’s a sliver of hope, people live vigorously in this world, a lifelong creed I’ve held since birth."

"A life creed from birth? Impressive," Mrs. Kasahara laughed brightly and cheerfully.

"No wonder Rinko said you are an exceptionally interesting person," Mother Hoshimi nudged his shoulder in a brotherly manner.

A faint, light fragrance wafted to him, identical to his senior’s scent—gardenias.

"I am an exceedingly ordinary person, just with a love for reading," Fujiwara Reya leisurely picked up the juice from the table, took a small sip, then reclined slightly to ensure both madams were in his line of sight, "especially books on history. So, ladies, could you chat with me about the Spanish Civil War? Alternatively, the Russian Revolution would do."

Neither of the ladies engaged with this unromantic topic.

Mrs. Kasahara turned to Mrs. Hoshimi and asked, "Do you think this child is an optimist, confident, or simply a fool?"

"Leave it to time to decide!" Mrs. Hoshimi raised her champagne, glancing at Fujiwara Reya, "If you can restore Asakusa Shrine to its former glory, we’ll elevate you to the director’s position, as it was originally intended for Asakusa Shrine. If not, or if you die, we’ll simply consider it a failed investment."

"I bet he will succeed!" Mrs. Kasahara confidently raised her glass.

Fujiwara Reya lifted his juice glass.

"Cheers~"

The three glasses clinked together, ringing with a clear sound.

"Don’t die."

"It won’t be so easy to die."

"I was counting on you to teach Asuka well."

"...Ah, Rinko is too outstanding; I’d be embarrassed to use this reason to coerce Mr. Fujiwara."

The two ladies fell silent for a moment.

Then Mrs. Kasahara raised an eyebrow and sarcastically noted, "My Fukaeri is more outstanding."

"No matter how outstanding, she’s still the junior," Mrs. Hoshimi replied with a cheerful smile, "Rinko started a year ago, and the future Director Fujiwara is destined to be our Hachiman Shrine ally."

"Ha," Mrs. Kasahara let out a cold laugh, "If you lose two against one, I’ll start calling you elder sister!"

"Agreed!" Mrs. Hoshimi declared confidently.

The two ladies reached out simultaneously, their pale palms clapping together in front of Fujiwara Reya: "Yay~"

Fujiwara Reya felt like he ought to say something.

Otherwise, it truly felt like he was a piece of pork on the chopping board, watching them plan how to divvy him up.

But after pondering it over, he ended up just comfortably letting out a yawn.

"Ah~"

May’s bright sunshine poured down, reflecting blinding light off the white tablecloth.

In the courtyard on this holiday noon, they were engulfed in a shimmering sea of light, reminiscent of a beautiful scene in a movie.

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