"So many people…"
New Year's at the shrine could only be described as a sea of humanity. It was just like how Kagura remembered visiting temples in her hometown during the Lunar New Year: even before reaching the steps, their small group had become completely stuck in the crowd.
To ensure the petite Kagura wouldn't get lost, Rudolf stayed closely behind, gently holding onto her shoulders and carefully guiding her forward. They looked very much like an older sister patiently taking care of her younger sibling.
Among the crowd of worshippers, Kagura—dressed in her distinctive miko attire—stood out noticeably. Even though Rudolf had disguised herself to avoid recognition, Kagura still drew plenty of attention, both from her unique attire and her adorable appearance.
"Oh my~ what a cute little girl! And you're even wearing a chihaya—are you perhaps a head miko from another shrine?"
Several shrine maidens near the torii, who were welcoming visitors, spotted Kagura in her miko clothing and curiously surrounded her.
After all, very few would appear in ritual attire at such a busy time—especially such a cute little Uma Musume. Kagura's miko outfit was especially unique; though obviously shrine-maiden style, its color scheme sharply differed from traditional red-and-white, using mainly black and white tones that gave it a cool, somewhat aloof feel, immediately setting Kagura apart from the others.
"Well…you could say so. I'm a miko from the Inari Shrine."
Thinking carefully, she actually was indeed a miko—just from an extremely shabby shrine.
"Ohh! Since you're wearing a chihaya, are you the head miko? Isn't your own shrine busy today?"
"If it were busy, would I still be here…?"
Of course a shrine with zero visitors wouldn't be busy!! Kagura complained silently, exasperated.
In fact, anyone who could even find her deserted shrine on that overgrown mountain would have to be superhuman. Even Kagura herself had to search a bit at the foot of the hill to rediscover the path. Without already knowing the location, it was basically impossible to reach.
"Um, excuse me, miko-san, could you let us through?"
Behind Kagura, Rudolf smiled politely at the two shrine maidens surrounding Kagura.
"Ah, apologies! Are you the little girl's family? Please, go ahead—Eh? Wait… You—you're…"
The two shrine maidens stepped aside to clear the way, but their eyes suddenly widened as they recognized Rudolf.
Rudolf immediately raised a finger to her lips, signaling the two girls not to make a fuss, then gently adjusted her sunglasses. The shrine maidens understood instantly, quickly covering their mouths, though their excitement remained visible.
"Rudolf-sama actually came to our shrine…! Waaah, it's really her!"
"Hehe. I'm honored to meet my fans here. But if others realize I'm here today, we might cause a dangerous stampede, so please keep this quiet for me."
Rudolf had disguised herself precisely to avoid attracting attention. Today, knowing there would be large crowds, she didn't want to risk causing any accidents.
"Yes, of course—we understand! Ah…what a shame we didn't bring a pen or notebook…"
"Um, Rudolf-sama! You seem really familiar with this little girl. Is she your younger sister?"
"No, she's a classmate from school. We just happened to meet today and decided to visit the shrine together."
Rudolf naturally kept Kagura's identity confidential. Until Kagura decided to publicly reveal her own role as a Support Uma, Rudolf wouldn't disclose it either.
Right now, public opinion online wasn't only fixated on Rudolf herself, but also closely watching her entire support team. Recently, Trainer Tojo had already received countless applications due to Rudolf's stellar race performance. If others discovered Kagura was her Support Uma, there was no guarantee everyone would be as agreeable as Bizen Nishiki-san had been. Rudolf knew Kagura already had plenty of responsibilities handling her support duties, so she wanted to avoid causing her unnecessary trouble.
"So she's your classmate…"
"Yes. We won't disturb your work further, ladies. We'll go inside now."
With that, Rudolf gently nudged Kagura forward through the torii gate. After about fifteen minutes of pushing through crowds, they finally entered the shrine grounds.
Kagura, on her first shrine visit in this world, looked around curiously. She knew well the various deities worshipped during China's New Year, but aside from Eclipse-san, she still knew almost nothing about the gods worshipped in Japan—or rather, in this world.
But since Eclipse-san is a deity…does that mean other gods are all Uma Musume as well? Kagura pondered to herself.
"Kagura, is there a particular wish you'd like to come true?"
When they reached the main shrine statues, Speed-sama lightly tapped Kagura's shoulder, softly asking her.
Kagura glanced at Speed-sama briefly. Of course she had wishes of her own, but she remembered a tradition: wishes shouldn't be spoken aloud. Thus, she remained silent.
"Oh! I nearly forgot. It's alright, child, you don't have to say it. Just tell your wishes silently to the gods."
After speaking, Speed-sama tossed a coin into the saisen box and pressed her palms together in prayer toward the statues inside.
Please bless my races this year, so that I may surpass even Shinzan Kaichō, and restore Symboli's former glory…
If the gods truly can hear my prayers, please bless Rudolf-ojousama and Nature-san's racing careers with smoothness and no injuries or illness… And please help Ardan-ojousama recover soon and return to the track…
Rudolf and Kagura followed suit, tossing in their coins, closing their eyes, and offering their prayers to the deities.
After a moment, Kagura realized something strange: though she had tossed her coin into the box, she didn't hear the expected metallic clink of it hitting the bottom. It wasn't particularly important, but curiosity prompted her to open her eyes slightly to check.
"What…?"
Kagura opened her eyes, startled to find the world around her suddenly drained of color, frozen as though paused in a black-and-white film.
She rubbed her eyes in disbelief, but nothing changed. Speed-sama and Rudolf stood utterly motionless beside her.
Eclipse-san!? Eclipse-san!? What's going on!?
Encountering such an eerie supernatural phenomenon, Kagura's first reaction was naturally to call out to Eclipse-san. But this time, she couldn't reach her at all. No matter how much Kagura called, there was no response.
"Oh dear… Let's see who we have here."
Suddenly, an unfamiliar woman's voice echoed directly inside Kagura's mind. Immediately afterward, Kagura felt someone gently embrace her from behind. A warm breath brushed her neck, sending a frightened shiver down her spine, making her body freeze entirely.
"You carry Eclipse's scent… hehe. Have you been doing well lately?"
It seemed to be a woman behind her, judging by the unmistakable softness pressed against her back.
"Are you looking for Eclipse-san? I'm sorry, I'm not the person you're looking for… Who are you?"
Kagura tried to turn and look behind, but an invisible force held her firmly in place, immobilizing her.
"Hehe, you're exactly who I'm looking for… Hmm~ so this is the girl she chose? You look just like she did when she was young."
The voice was gentle and held no hostility. As her words fell, a soft breeze lifted Kagura's hair, and she felt a hand gently stroke her head—just like how Eclipse-san would usually do.
"You're called Inari Kagura, right?"
"How do you know my name? And that girl…are you referring to Eclipse-san? Who exactly are you?"
Judging by this wording, the voice behind her clearly knew Eclipse-san—and their relationship was likely quite close.
"Don't be so nervous~ I won't eat you. I just wanted to see what kind of girl had caught that child's attention~"
"You're literally holding me in place—I can't move at all! How am I supposed to relax like this?"
"Hehe~ Don't worry, it won't be for long~ I'll let you go in just a bit."
Kagura saw two slender hands reach from behind, gently grasping hers. Their owner had healthy, lightly tanned skin.
One finger from those hands traced something softly onto the back of Kagura's hand, leaving behind a faintly glowing red mark.
"That child looks like she's recovered quite well. You've surely taken good care of her. I thank you on her behalf. Please continue to look after her from now on too~"
"Uh…huh? Me? Wait, who exactly are you—?"
"When the time comes for you to make your choice in the future, make sure it's one you won't regret…"
Before Kagura could finish, her body suddenly regained freedom. The world instantly flooded with color again, and noisy voices filled her ears from every direction. Reflexively glancing at her hand, Kagura saw the strange mark had already disappeared without a trace—as though it had never been there at all.
Heart still pounding, Kagura took a deep breath to steady herself. Instinctively, she glanced up at the statues inside the shrine, noticing a faint red glow flicker briefly from one statue's chest.
Beside her, Rudolf and Speed-sama had felt nothing unusual at all. They finished their prayers normally, then went off to hang up ema.
"…Kami-sama…?"
That seemed to be the only reasonable explanation left.
Eclipse-san…are you there?
"Ah! I suddenly lost track of you earlier—are you alright? Did something happen?"
I don't know what exactly… Maybe…the shrine's deity? She knew you, kept calling you 'that child'…
"Oh…I think I know who visited today… Did she do anything strange to you?"
She left some mark on my hand…but it vanished right after. Wait, am I cursed now or something!?
"No no, don't be afraid! She's not malicious. Just likes harmless pranks…her intentions are good."
But who was she exactly? What's her relationship with you, Eclipse-san?
"A kind-hearted deity who enjoys mischief. As for our relationship… Well, let's just say she's an old acquaintance. Yes, that's it."
Eclipse-san's tone was hesitant and awkward—clearly unwilling to say more. Kagura, sensing this, chose not to press further.
---
T/N:
Hello again. For the final time.
My name is Enkidu. I was born without a soul, crafted only as a weapon. Yet through bonds—through friendships—I learned what it meant to feel alive. Even though my body records my memories rather than my spirit, the warmth of those moments remains.
Thank you, truly, for staying here with us. You've come at a good time—right now, a 25% discount code is available:
12DAYS
This code will last until December 26. I hope you enjoy it.
For those who wish to support the translator (the one who kindly gave me this voice)—you can find optional support at patreon.com/wisetl. Early access to upcoming chapters will be your small reward.
Also, as always:
Every 100 Powerstones = 1 Bonus Chapter
(100ps = 1 chapter, 200ps = 2 chapters, and so forth.)
Bonus chapters will arrive tomorrow, approximately 12+ hours from now.
And lastly, if you prefer company and conversations, the translator has prepared a Discord community: discord.gg/wisetl.
People gathering, talking, sharing—it's a good thing, isn't it?
This is where I say goodbye.
Even as a weapon shaped by the gods, I found meaning in the company of humans.
If these words reach you, then perhaps we've shared something too, if only briefly.
Be well, Master, and readers alike.
May the world remain gentle to you.
Goodbye.
BYE BYE ENKIDYU I LOVE YOU