Chapter 78: Would a God Like This Bento?
"Trace On!"
Emiya didn't even care if there were any bystanders around, immediately projecting out Gáe Dearg and Gáe Buidhe to stand in front of Miko Yotsuya.
At this moment, he was only staring intently at the two monsters, momentarily not moving.
Unlike the Cursed Spirits he had previously encountered, these two monsters not only had a very strange way of appearing but also lacked the usual gloomy feeling of Cursed Energy.
They had fox heads, their exterior was somehow covered in a very sacred golden light, and they were also wearing miko robes... Rather than ghosts or demons, they looked more like Fox Immortals or divine attendants.
Yet, on those fox-like faces were cracks that looked like they had been peeled and pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle, which instantly made the feeling unsettling.
So what exactly were these?
Cursed Spirits, Fox Youkai, Shikigami... or truly some kind of divine attendant?
Although he only saw the two monsters open their mouths simultaneously and utter a single syllable, multiple voices entered Emiya's ears at the same time. Unfortunately, Emiya couldn't understand these strange syllables at all.
However, they clearly had no obvious hostility. They simply stretched out their hands towards the two people in an alert state and held up three fingers.
Clap
After doing all that, the two Fox Youkai scattered again, drifting down as falling leaves, and vanished completely once the leaves touched the ground.
"Miko-san, what was that?"
The crisis was temporarily averted. Emiya put away the married swords and turned to ask Miko Yotsuya behind him. He guessed that the reason she had asked him out today was very likely to resolve related trouble.
Emiya is not the type of person who is extremely annoyed when his friends seek help; he even believes that anyone who considers such a matter troublesome hasn't truly considered the other person a friend.
If they shamelessly seek help when they need it, but then adopt a high-and-mighty attitude when others need assistance, such people probably don't consider others as friends and won't have genuine friends.
Conversely, rather than being bothered when acquaintances come to him for help with trouble, Emiya is more afraid of them hiding things until the very end and having to bear the
burden themselves. Since they are familiar with each other and have formed a bond, isn't it only natural to help each other?
"Um, how should I explain it... They are actually, well, things I met at a shrine."
Since she was the one troubling him, Miko Yotsuya lowered her head somewhat embarrassed, lightly tugging at her skirt hem.
"I had just awakened my Spirit Sight then, and I thought there might be a god at the shrine who could subdue spirits, so I went to that shrine to pray for the god's protection and safety... And these two Divine Messengers and the God appeared.
Later, when I encountered dangerous Cursed Spirits, it was always them who protected me. That's when I learned that they wanted some kind of price from me in exchange for three protections.
The number of protections had already been used up twice before I first met Emiya-kun half a month ago, and then the third time was used up the day before yesterday. They probably appeared just now to remind me.
Maybe the situation isn't as scary as I imagine; perhaps the problem can be solved just by fulfilling the promise seriously.
If Emiya-kun thinks it's dangerous, you don't have to go with me..."
Thinking it over now, Miko Yotsuya indeed felt that this matter could be very dangerous.
Ijichi-sensei had told her that there are no true gods in this world, only monsters like Cursed Spirits that are born from negative emotions. Therefore, if that 'God' truly is a Cursed Spirit, it should probably be at the highest level, Special Grade.
It was precisely for this reason that she felt she shouldn't involve Emiya in such trouble; this was her own matter.
Miko Yotsuya only knew that the current Emiya was already very formidable among Sorcerers, but aren't there only three Special Grade Sorcerers in the entire Sorcery World?
How could someone who has just entered the Sorcery World for barely half a month be able to exorcise a Special Grade Cursed Spirit?
She had also been training diligently for nearly half a month, and the result was quite unsatisfactory; even now, she can only barely bully Grade 4 Cursed Spirits that are smaller than a cup.
Even if geniuses exist in this world, they wouldn't be that exaggerated, right?
She said it was dangerous, but in reality, when she went with Hana last time, even though they knew she could see them, she wasn't attacked, and they genuinely protected her. So this time, maybe...
"No, there's no way I can just let this go."
"...?"
While Miko Yotsuya was quietly trying to comfort herself, Emiya suddenly spoke.
She looked up, only to find Emiya's face full of seriousness and determination, as if he was absolutely committed to solving this matter.
"But... why?"
This was only her own business, after all.
"Isn't that obvious?"
Facing Miko Yotsuya's question, Emiya answered quite naturally: "Since I am a Sorcerer, I naturally cannot ignore these things that look so bizarre and dangerous just by looking at them."
To hold a position is to fulfill its duties. Emiya felt that this was perfectly normal and there was no room for shirking responsibility.
"Also...
Isn't protecting you what I should be doing?"
"...Eh???!!"
Miko Yotsuya, who was still mentally scolding herself for letting her hopes get too high after hearing Emiya's previous statement, was instantly shocked by Emiya's declaration the next second.
Does this guy seriously know what he's saying?!
.
.
.
After a journey of about an hour, Emiya and Miko Yotsuya successfully arrived at a shrine deep within a certain mountain forest.
Despite being located deep in this secluded mountain forest, the shrine's décor was remarkably formal and magnificent.
Although the courtyard was clean, it was covered in some moss, suggesting it had been left unattended for years. Furthermore, the place was eerily silent; not even the sounds of insects or animals could be heard, only the rustling of leaves in the breeze.
Actually, the moment he stepped onto the mountainside, Emiya felt the presence of a certain Barrier—it likely filters those who can enter the shrine, which is why it has remained undiscovered by outsiders until now.
So... besides her Spirit Sight, maybe there's something else special about Miko?
Emiya focused his gaze on Miko Yotsuya. With him supporting her from behind, Miko Yotsuya inexplicably gained a little more courage and quickly walked up to the shrine's offertory box.
"Okay, time to fulfill the promise!"
She took a box out of her backpack and placed it in front of her.
It was the bento box Emiya had just finished preparing earlier.
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