Without her fox ears, Yae Sakura looked slightly unfamiliar.
As a fellow Herrscher, Nagami could sense that there was no trace of Higokumaru's power around.
In other words, everything happening here was just a replay of memories within Sakura's own mind.
"Um... young lady, are you alright?"
With a graceful motion, she sheathed her blade.
Sakura's gentle voice carried a hint of concern.
...Young lady?
Nagami's mouth twitched slightly.
Well, considering what he currently looked like, being mistaken for a girl wasn't exactly surprising.
He also caught the hesitation in Sakura's brief pause—she clearly wasn't sure what to make of him.
"Thank you for saving me, shrine maiden. My name is Nagami, a traveler from a distant land."
He gave a small, polite bow.
His voice was androgynous, carrying both the warmth of a young man and the softness of a maiden.
His expression turned serious and respectful.
"For such a great kindness, I have nothing to offer in return—except myself! Should the shrine maiden not mind, I would gladly offer my life in service to you!"
Yes, today too, Nagami was earnestly striving toward the noble scummy heights of Lumine.
"Uh..."
Sakura blinked, staring directly at him.
Her head tilted slowly to the left... then to the right, as if processing what he had just said.
When she finally realized the meaning behind his words, she hurriedly waved her hands in a flustered panic.
"N-Nagami-san, there's really no need for that! It... it was nothing more than a small matter for me..."
Normally, this sort of line only came after a beautiful woman was rescued by a dashing hero.
And if the hero wasn't particularly attractive, the offer might change to 'I'll be your ox or horse in the next life.'
But what was this?
The person standing before her was, frankly, more beautiful than most women Sakura had ever met... yet he was clearly a man.
"I insist!" Nagami declared with utmost sincerity, pressing a hand to his chest and locking eyes with her soft blue gaze. "Please, allow me to serve you as repayment!"
"R-really, you don't have to..."
"I must insist!"
Back and forth they went.
But this innocent, pure-hearted shrine maiden was clearly no match for Nagami's persistence—or his shamelessness.
After several rounds, she finally gave in, unable to refuse his earnest plea.
"Well then... I suppose... please take care of me... for now," she murmured softly.
A gentle breeze lifted her flowing pink hair, and with a faint blush on her delicate face, Sakura shyly turned her head, glancing back over her shoulder.
"I am Yae Sakura, shrine maiden of Yae Village."
For a miko, hunting youkai was part of the job, and most villagers she saved offered little more than hurried thanks.
This was the first time anyone had ever shown her such... enthusiastic gratitude.
It left her feeling rather awkward inside.
The two of them walked side by side along the mountain path, surrounded by cherry trees that had stood for decades.
In the gentle sunlight, pale petals drifted softly on the breeze, falling at that poetic rate of five centimeters per second.
Nagami held out his palm, catching two petals. Turning to Sakura, he extended his hand toward her, watching her delicate beauty through the fluttering blossoms.
"'Elegance, patience, and gentleness'—is that what your name means? It sounds like a name as beautiful as its owner."
"You flatter me too much, sir," Sakura murmured, her long lashes blinking in surprise.
A faint blush colored her cheeks as she turned away, avoiding his steady gaze.
Compliments like that were a bit too much to handle all at once.
Trying to calm her fluttering heart, she quickly searched for a new topic.
"... you must have come from far away, right? Did you come to Yae Village for some important purpose?"
As they climbed the stone steps, the faint outline of the Yae Shrine came into view. Nagami glanced sideways at the shrine maiden beside him.
Her delicate hands were clasped behind her back, and her long, silky pink hair swayed gently with every graceful step, rippling like a stream in the spring breeze—perfectly matching the fluttering sakura blossoms that filled the air.
For just a brief moment, Nagami felt a jolt, like a spark of electricity; his heart beat faster.
"Yes... I did come to Yae Village for something very important indeed," he replied.
He gently tossed the cherry blossoms into his mouth, savoring the light, floral taste on his tongue.
His eyes remained fixed on the maiden who seemed to melt into the sea of petals.
"And that important thing... is to view the cherry blossoms."
Sakura blinked, startled.
"Hanami (Flower Viewing)?"
She lifted her gaze, her eyes widening slightly as she looked at the sky filled with dancing pink petals.
Her graceful silhouette stood perfectly still, soft pink hair glowing in the sunlight.
Then, as if realizing something, she tilted her head and looked at the young man who had been staring at her so openly.
Her long lashes trembled faintly, and she quickly lowered her gaze, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear with a flustered motion.
Her small, rounded ear peeked out—and Nagami's smile deepened.
Strange... they had only just met, and yet there was this odd feeling of familiarity.
Their conversation flowed naturally, each casual word falling into perfect harmony—as if they'd known each other for far longer than they should.
Nagami could naturally sense that this slightly unusual situation was the result of the Stigmata.
As its current owner, he was able to partially connect with the consciousness of the spirit dwelling within it.
However, as their conversation continued, a peculiar expression slowly crept across Nagami's face.
Looking up, he saw a vivid red torii gate.
Led by Yae Sakura, he stepped into the ancient and well-kept shrine grounds.
The courtyard was paved with smooth blue stones, and the old cherry trees there looked even older than the ones on the mountain path—now in full and brilliant bloom.
"Please wait here for a moment, Shirakimi-kun. I'll prepare some tea," Sakura said with a graceful smile, guiding him to the guest room.
With that, she turned and headed toward the open corridor.
"Hold on a moment, shrine maiden—I have a question for you."
Nagami stepped onto the wooden veranda, the smile on his face fading into a more subtle, thoughtful look.
"Have you ever heard the name... Kallen?"
"K-Kallen?" Sakura repeated softly.
Raising a delicate finger to her chin, she appeared to be deep in thought.
For a brief instant, her pale blue eyes clouded with distraction—as if distant, forgotten memories flickered in the corners of her mind.
A great fox wreathed in strange flames... a white-haired nun wielding a golden cross... and—
But just as quickly as they surfaced, the visions faded like a receding tide under the influence of some unseen force.
No matter how she strained to remember, the images slipped away without a trace.
"It feels... familiar somehow," Sakura murmured.
For some reason, the urge to recall further simply vanished.
Without noticing the oddity of this, she gently tilted her head and looked at Nagami, shaking her head softly.
"It sounds vaguely familiar... but I don't think I've ever heard that name before."
"I see." Nagami smiled slightly, nodding as if satisfied. "Then I must have been mistaken. My apologies."
He returned calmly to the seat by the tea table, seemingly unconcerned.
Sakura stared for a moment, then chuckled softly and left to prepare the tea.
So... Sakura's memories of Kallen had been sealed after all.
And that brief flicker of recognition just now... it must've been the work of Higokumaru.
Realizing they couldn't affect him directly, they were now trying to manipulate Sakura instead.
Nagami tapped his finger rhythmically against the table.
He'd sensed something strange during their walk here—something about her perception being deliberately blocked.
But what was the purpose of such a move?
"Who are you?"
A heavy voice broke the silence.
Its stern, inflexible tone instantly gave off the impression of someone rigid and old-fashioned.
A middle-aged man, dressed in richly adorned robes, appeared suddenly.
"Ah, greetings. My name is Nagami. I'm just a passing traveler... though thanks to the shrine maiden's timely rescue, I owe her my life. I thought I might remain here for a while to properly repay that debt."
There was no trace of Higokumaru's energy on him... but still, something about the man felt strangely off.
Raising an eyebrow slightly, Nagami put on his usual polite, businesslike smile and gave a small bow, like a noble son paying respect. "And you are, sir?"
"Repay her?" the man repeated, his voice rising slightly as he gave Nagami a searching look from head to toe.
His furrowed brow eased just a little.
"I am the master of this shrine... and Yae Sakura's father." As if remembering something, the shrine master's expression curved into a strange, faintly unsettling smile.
"In that case... I won't disturb your rest any further."
"But... there may be something my daughter will need your help with in the days to come."