Thank you to all Patrons!
Special thanks to Abdullah A., Aiji S., Alex, Alexander P., Allan P., Allen W., Assasinart, Bakadeathly, Bazsi, Beepboop, BigZak, Bradford H., Brben, Brili3n, Chocolat, Chowok11, Christian S., Code_Vio, Corey, Daniel B., Deguaro, Deso, DKLA, DM, Dragoncamper, Emblyon, Emmanuel R., Evan A., F. Google, Ham M., Jakers, Jared E., Jason, Jaycob T., Jaycobt, Jazer A. S., Jealyn L., Jerrockz, Jonas K., Joseph A., Kaichu, Kenneth P., Kevin P., Lou M. P., Luis D., Luther S., Malinkat, Matteo S., Maverun, Max, Miguel A. G., Mosealong, Myla, Neilvon A., operaa, Otto E., Pao Y., P. Andres, Rj Gun, Sakuya, Scott M., Shadowbec, Shaun, SK, Sniktaw, Soomin B., Tanner E., Tenkkun, Tim N., TsuTsu, Tuan N., Urko M. M., Uy T., Will B., William H., XxChemical_fire, YMK, Z, and Zachary D.!
SS Object of Worship
Haru's POV
「I’ve arrived!」
I exclaimed full of spirit as the first person to arrive at the shrine. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「Haru-sama! It is dangerous to climb so quickly like that!」
A little later than me, the bodyguard - Kaede - also arrives.
「What’s dangerous, it’s just stairs, right……」
「No, the stairs here are really steep. Please think about what might happen and take care of yourself」
The stairs of this shrine are certainly long and steep, but I’m not so clumsy as to fall from such a place.
Kaede is a strong and kind bodyguard, but the only fault is her excessive worry.
I head to the usual practice spot at the edge of the shrine while casually brushing off Kaede’s nagging.
There was a large rock enshrined over there, being wrapped in shimenawa. (shrine's rope)
「Yosh, I will practice Psychic again today!」
This rock is the rock Al used to play with me back then. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「Something like a pedestal has appeared before we know it and offerings have also been made here, haven’t they? Did people mistook this as an object of worship?」
「Even if you make offerings, it will just become the caretaker’s snack anyway……」
The reason the shimenawa was wrapped around the rock was so that it looked like an object of worship enshrined in the shrine, preventing it from being tampered with by the naughty kids from the neighborhood. There’s not the slightest amount of sacredness in it whatsoever.
However, I think it was too effective as people even started making offerings to it.
Is it really possible to make it look sacred just by wrapping a mere large rock with shimenawa?
It seems like Water God-sama is being worshipped, but I’m really a deep believer so I don’t really understand.
「Well, as long as people don’t play a prank on it then it’s fine. It’s for my magic practice rather than offering for me」
Al used Psychic on this rock and we were able to float in midair by riding on it.
I was also allowed to ride on the back and we flew in the air together. That was really fun.
I clearly remember the extremely beautiful scenery of the forest, fields, and Kagura’s townscape when I looked down from above.
Al was using a strange reason like it was troublesome to walk - unlike me - but I was really attracted by the scenery.
「Another Psychic practice……Haru-sama, it is dangerous so why don’t we stop?」
「Don’t wanna. I also want to move freely in the sky like Al!」
I still can’t fly freely alone just like Al right now, but my goal is to be able to fly by myself eventually. So I have to practice even more so I become better. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
And today too, I am coming to the shrine to practice Psychic.
「Haru-sama, please wait!」
「Mou! What is it this time?」
I couldn’t help making a frustrated tone when I was interrupted as I was about to use Psychic.
But, Kaede didn’t care about my attitude as her eyes opened wide and pointed at something.
「There is a small Water God-sama next to the large rock!」
「A small Water God-sama, you say!?」
Surprised by Kaede’s absurd remark, I followed the direction her finger pointed to and found a dragon completely depicting the form of the Water God-sama sitting there.
「What is this!? I don’t really understand it but this is amazing!」
「You can feel the powerful presence of the Water God-sama and its mane resembles raging waves. And at the same time, it has a kind of solemn, divine feeling to it――I’m sure a famous craftsman made it」
「Umm, there are no excellent sculptures like this even in the castle」
It’s unclear when it arrived here and who made it, but as Kaede said it must have been the work of a famous craftsman. No wonder there are such an amount of offerings in front of a mere large rock.
「I liked it! This is mine!」
「Wa, eeehhh!? You can not do that, Haru-sama. This was left here by a kind craftsman and that person must have left it here out of concern for the object of worship that was a mere rock――」
「Meaning, there is no doubt that this rock belongs to me since I was the one who placed it here! Anyway, this is a tribute to the rock I placed here」
「Huh? If you say it like that then it is certainly so……no no, it was placed in the shrine so we have to get the caretaker’s permission first!」
「 Then I’ll get the permission!」
「Ah, please wait, Haru-sama!」
After hearing what Kaede said, I started running while bringing the craftsman-made small Water God-sama. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
Kaede also chased after me despite being flustered.
There is a small house right behind the shrine and the caretaker ojisan lives there. Getting permission shouldn’t take long too.
「Oーi, caretaker!」
「Oya, isn’t this the tomboy princess from the castle?」
A short while after I knocked on the door of the small house, the caretaker came out.
「Haru-sama! What an impertinent way of speaking! Know who you are addressing here! This is the eldest daughter of the Shogun family, Kagura Haruka-sama!」
「Ooh, is this the Mito Koumon play you were playing the other day?」
「Kaede, now is not the time to play Mito Koumon. I will play it with you next time so please be quiet now」
「No! It’s not! ……uuhh, I’ve been hearing something like this every time I warned others not to be disrespectful....」
Kaede’s imposing manner of speaking makes me feel a little restless, but rather than playing Mito Koumon the priority is the Water God-sama’s offering now.
I left the depressed and crumbling away alone, for now, I turned to the caretaker.
「Caretaker, look at this! There was such a wonderful thing in front of the rock I placed there!」
「Aah, that. I don’t know who or when they put it there but thanks to that my snacks have increased and it’s a great thing. The festivals that happen several times a year are a hassle, but other than that just cleaning the shrine will give you money from the offertory box, a priest’s life is so simple, isn’t it?」
This caretaker is in the prime of his working years and he also has a house. I sometimes see him cleaning the shrine looking like the job was a hassle, but it’s surprising that he can make a living from just that. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
He says it’s fine for him to not work as he has a passive income or something, but I don’t really understand it.
「So caretaker. I have something to discuss with you」
「What is it?」
「I want this!」
「You can’t. That thing is a tool that can easily increase the money for the offertory――wrong, I mean that is an object of worship. If you think about it, you can get a lot of money from the believers」
Mumu, I thought he would surely allow it with an immediate reply.
This caretaker is basically a lazy person, but he becomes stubborn when it comes to money.
Since it’s come to this, I will use the usual negotiating technique.
I gently wrapped the caretaker’s hands with mine and looked at him with upturned eyes.
「……is it really impossible?」
「Unfortunately for you, I’m not as soft as Gouki or Ryujiro on you. Just because you grabbed my hands like this and asked me won’t make me waver」
Unfortunately, it seems like the usual trick won’t work for the caretaker.
Even though they would easily give in if I were to use it on Kaede, father, or Ryujiro-ojisan.
Then, let’s change the method. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「Then, what about these?」
「Hm? I told you, that kind of trick won’t work on――Oooh!?」
I grab the caretaker's hand once more and make him hold several kobans that I had kept in my sleeve. (small oval gold coins)
「Haru-sama!? You’re bribing him just like those evil magistrates often do, you know!? Can the princess-sama do something like that!?」
Maybe it’s because the kobans were shining that Kaede was startled and said those lines.
「Now, what were you talking about?」
「Kuuh, the tomboy princess has grown up without me realizing it. Sure, I will give you that object of worship to celebrate the young lady’s growth」
「Ooh, as expected of you, caretake! You understand it! Let’s continue to rely on each other in the future!」
The caretaker and I laughed at each other *hihi* and shook hands.
This feels like what those evil magistrates in Al’s Mito Koumon story do.
My favorite character is of course the main character - Mito Koumon -, but I want to try playing the evil magistrates once.
「Awawawa, Haru-sama remembered something strange again. Both aniue and anyone associated with him seems to be increasingly affected by that guy’s negative influence…!」
Kaede was muttering something under her breath but I couldn’t clearly hear it.
「Yosh, today’s practice is canceled. I will take this object of worship home and show it off to Father and the others!」
It is such an excellent object of worship. I’m sure even Father and the others will be envious.
I decided to cancel today’s practice and rush back to the castle. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
Previous Chapter - TOC - Next Chapter
You can support the author by buying the LN here.
No comments:
Post a Comment