Passing through the long path lined with crimson torii gates, they finally reached the Grand Narukami Shrine.
The sacred sakura's petals drifted endlessly as though they would never run out. Nolan, Yoimiya, and Kuki Shinobu stepped into the shrine, and beneath the eaves they spotted Yae Miko.
"My, my, what rare guests." Yae Miko looked at Kuki Shinobu with a sly smile.
"It's been a long time, Lady Guuji."
Kuki Shinobu removed her black face guard and offered a polite greeting.
That mask was usually just for avoiding awkward situations—like when she went out for business and children happened to recognize her past identity.
But since they were here to ask something of Yae Miko, keeping it on would only seem discourteous.
"Eh? Shinobu, you know Lady Guuji?" Yoimiya asked in surprise.
"Well, that's… a very complicated story." Shinobu shook her head, indicating she'd explain later, before turning back to Yae Miko.
"I came to apologize for the Arataki Gang's reckless posting of flyers."
Without the mask to cover her features, Shinobu's beauty was laid bare. Perhaps because she normally kept her face hidden, there was always an air of mystery about her—but now, without it, she looked entirely fresh and striking.
"Oh?" Yae Miko frowned theatrically. "That's troublesome indeed. Posting flyers in the Grand Narukami Shrine is not only disrupting official duties but could even be considered disrespect toward the Shogun herself.
"If I just brush it off, then wouldn't I be failing in my responsibility as Guuji?"
Nolan looked at her sly expression and was momentarily speechless. Somehow, she seemed even more mischievous than Hu Tao.
"Then, Lady Guuji, what do you suggest?"
Shinobu knew very well the kind of difficult personality Yae Miko had. If she could avoid it, she'd rather not deal with her at all.
"Hmm… let me think." Yae Miko folded her arms, pondering for a moment. "I've already sent one shrine maiden to handle those messy little flyers your gang left behind.
"That leaves us short-staffed here. Why don't you wear a shrine maiden's outfit for the day and take her place?
"You could greet the visitors who come to pray."
"Just filling in for someone? That doesn't sound too hard. Lady Guuji, you're actually being quite reasonable!" Yoimiya said, thinking the request sounded fair.
But Shinobu's reaction was the opposite—her expression twisted with clear displeasure.
"I absolutely won't be a shrine maiden."
She glanced at Nolan and Yoimiya, then sighed. "Forget it. Getting locked in the Tenryou Commission is their own fault. Let them learn their lesson."
"Uh…"
Nolan scratched his cheek. He hadn't expected Shinobu would rather let the Arataki Gang sit longer in a cell than play the role of a shrine maiden, even just for a day.
Yoimiya too was surprised. From an outsider's perspective, the Guuji's demand was quite reasonable. Was there some deeper reason Shinobu disliked the idea so much?
"My, my. I never thought our 'shrine maiden sister who never smiles' would turn out so heartless after leaving the shrine. Did I perhaps teach you the wrong values back then?" Yae Miko teased, twirling a strand of her pink hair.
"That's not it!" Shinobu snapped back, the anger already welling up in her. She had half a mind to argue with Yae Miko—
—but knowing she could never outmatch her in verbal sparring, she gave up and sighed.
"…Say whatever you want."
With that, she turned and headed for the exit.
Seeing this, Yoimiya jabbed Nolan in the side, widening her eyes at him. If he didn't step in, the whole request was going to fall apart.
Nolan understood. He caught Shinobu gently by the wrist to stop her, then looked back at Yae Miko.
"Um… Lady Miko, since Miss Shinobu isn't comfortable with that arrangement, would it be possible to change it?"
"Fine, fine, you've left me no choice." Yae Miko chuckled lightly. "Since you've asked so nicely, I'll take a step back.
"If you don't want to take her place, then go help her clean up the flyers. Once it's done, she can return to her duties sooner.
"That way nothing's really delayed."
Shinobu thought for a moment. Helping clean up flyers wasn't a big deal—after all, it was her gang's mess in the first place.
She nodded. "No problem. I'll go help right away."
"So it's decided. No backing out now\~" Yae Miko said with a mischievous smile, as though plotting something.
Shinobu frowned but couldn't imagine what could possibly go wrong with simply cleaning up.
"Don't worry. I gave my word, so I'll do it properly," she said firmly.
"Good. You'll find her along the mountain path outside—she should be easy to spot, busy cleaning those flyers."
Without delay, Shinobu turned and left with Nolan and Yoimiya. The sooner she finished, the sooner she could leave.
"Phew… thank you just now. Otherwise, Lady Guuji would never have relented," Shinobu said, relief in her tone as they walked along the shrine's wooden corridors.
[Kuki Shinobu Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 380 Affection Points, Current Affection Level: Lv.7 (0/700).]
Seeing the system prompt on his character panel, Nolan smiled and waved it off.
"We're officially the Yashiro Commission's dream-making specialists now. If we didn't have some skills, how could we live up to the title?"
Kamisato Ayaka had been right to assign him to these commissions involving Kujou Sara and Yae Miko. If anyone else had come, they would never have gotten through so smoothly.
"Mhm!" Yoimiya patted her bandaged chest and nodded in agreement. Then, with some curiosity, she asked, "By the way… Lady Guuji called you 'the shrine maiden sister who doesn't smile.' Shinobu, were you really a shrine maiden once?"
"Don't bring up that weird title!" Shinobu's face flushed unexpectedly.
After a pause, she reluctantly explained:
"Back then, I did serve as a shrine maiden for a while. The children who came with their parents to pray noticed I hardly ever smiled, so they gave me that strange nickname.
"But that was all in the past. Later, I studied abroad in Liyue. After I returned, I joined the Arataki Gang. I don't ever want to be a shrine maiden again!"
Her tone at the end was firm, showing just how little fondness she held for that path.
"But being a shrine maiden doesn't sound so bad," Yoimiya said enviously. "It's a government post, with great benefits. Isn't that way better than working yourself to the bone?"
"Maybe. But compared to blindly following my parents' arrangement—doing the same dull work at the shrine every day—I'd much rather live freely." Shinobu replied.
Kuki Shinobu shook her head and said:
She came from a family of shrine maidens—her mother, her grandmother… there had always been someone serving at the shrine.
Because of that family background, joining the Grand Narukami Shrine had never been difficult for her.
The benefits of being a shrine maiden were indeed good; if she kept at it, she would never have to worry for the rest of her life. But such a life was far too dull and monotonous.
It simply wasn't what she wanted.
"I see, no wonder you were reluctant to come here earlier. It must feel awkward for an ex-employee to return to their former workplace," Nolan said with a smile.
"Mm." Shinobu nodded, acknowledging that was exactly it.
"But actually, there's another reason I don't like coming here. My older sister, Miyuki, is also a shrine maiden here. If she saw me, she'd nag me endlessly."
She glanced around. Not seeing her sister, she quietly let out a breath of relief.
"No wonder." Yoimiya now understood better.
Before long, they reached the mountain path lined with torii gates. The flyers were plastered on the rock walls near the shrine and easy to spot.
"Ah, there's a shrine maiden ahead cleaning them up. That must be the one Lady Guuji mentioned. Let's hurry and help her," Yoimiya said, pointing at a young woman in shrine maiden robes.
"Mm." Nolan nodded softly.
"She looks… kind of familiar?" Shinobu muttered, staring at the maiden's back.
As they approached, the shrine maiden heard them and turned around.
"B–Big Sister!"
Seeing the woman's face, Shinobu stumbled back half a step in shock.
I knew it! That fox woman wouldn't let things end so easily. Damn it, I walked right into her trap!
Shinobu looked utterly helpless.
"Ah Shinobu, it really is you! Have you finally decided to return to the shrine?" the young maiden—her sister—asked with visible joy.
"No, Sis, I…" Shinobu scratched her head, not knowing what to say at first. At last she managed, "I'm just here to handle this little… publicity accident on behalf of my gang."
She pointed at the flyers on the wall.
"Oh, so the 'Arataki Gang' mentioned here is where you're staying now? I've heard some bad rumors about that group… Shinobu, you didn't get tricked into joining, did you?"
Her sister's voice carried genuine worry.
The Arataki Gang had a reputation for being oddballs, always stirring up trouble. Few people thought well of them.
"Wh–what? Of course not." Shinobu forced a steady voice. "Our gang is a global organization! Even legendary adventurers of renown are part of it.
"I'm sure the things you've heard are just rumors spread by jealous rivals."
She patted Nolan on the shoulder, keeping her expression calm as she looked at her sister. At the same time, she squeezed his shoulder hard, clearly signaling him to play along.
"Ah, yes, that's right. I am indeed Shinobu's colleague. I work for the Arataki Gang as a… 'security consultant,'" Nolan said quickly, catching on at once.
[Kuki Shinobu Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 360 Affection Points, Current Affection Level: Lv.7 (360/700).]
Seeing him play along, Shinobu felt reassured and pressed on.
"Anyway, Sis, leave the cleanup to us. After all, it's our responsibility. You should go back and rest."
She had to get her sister out of here. If her sister found out the Arataki Gang really did have the reputation of a bunch of street punks, she'd definitely tell the family—
—and then they'd drag her back to be a shrine maiden again. That absolutely could not happen!
"Mr. Nolan also works for your gang? If even he approves, then maybe it really is a good group," Miyuki said with some relief. She had seen him at the shrine before and of course heard of his exploits.
"But the Guuji herself ordered me to clean these flyers, so I can't just leave. Besides, I'd like to learn a little more about your gang," she added.
Damn it. That fox woman even planned this far ahead? Her original suggestion about me wearing a shrine maiden outfit must've been deliberate too!
Shinobu sighed. "Then let's just help you together."
So the three of them began assisting with peeling down the flyers. They were only stuck with ordinary paste, easy enough to remove with a bit of wind or water.
As one fresh flyer came off, Miyuki looked at it curiously.
"'Hot-blooded Arataki Gang—Chase your dreams and join us!' Uh… your flyers' style is really…" she trailed off awkwardly.
"That's the trendy 'abstract art style.' Our members are multi-talented. It's natural for us to try creative approaches to promotion," Shinobu coughed lightly, bluffing her way through.
Nolan quickly added, "Exactly. The final design may look a little… avant-garde, but it's eye-catching. From that standpoint, the flyer is doing its job."
[Kuki Shinobu Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 300 Affection Points, Current Affection Level: Lv.7 (660/700).]
"That… does make sense," Miyuki admitted. Indeed, when she looked at it, she felt the urge to read more. So it was all intentional? As expected of a big organization—their ideas were impressive.
They descended the stone steps, moving down the path. After five or six meters, they found another set of flyers.
These too came off easily.
"Uh… 'Arataki, the Mightiest Fighter! Unmatched across the world!'" Miyuki read aloud, looking slightly bewildered.
This slogan seemed a little childish…
"This Arataki Itto must be your leader, right? I think I've heard some stories about him…" she said thoughtfully.
"Yes, that's our Boss Itto. He's simply too brilliant, so of course he has many rivals slandering him," Nolan said with a smile.
"Exactly," Shinobu chimed in.
"I see. So if I want to know the truth, I'll have to meet him myself. Rumors from others can't always be trusted," Miyuki said brightly.
And with that, she happily continued helping them peel away the flyers.
(End of Chapter)
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