Chapter 149

“Looks like there’s already quite a lot of building done.”

“That’s right~ It looks like the shape of a ‘city’ has already been formed.

While looking around at the surrounding landscape, both Yuri and Hotaru expressed their impressions.

―――Today is the 32nd day of the summer month, and with only a week left in the summer season, Yuri and Hotaru are in the Shinto City that <Kikyou> is currently building.

(TN: I’ll use “Shinto City” rather than Divine City or Divine “others” because it’s a Japanese-style city. And also the gods are based on Shinto(-ism).)

While the three cities that <Kikyou> had built so far, Yuritania, Ulysses, and Eureka, had all been built mainly of stone and brick, the buildings of this “Shinto City” would be made almost entirely of wood.

Perhaps that’s why I find it so pleasant and enjoyable to hear the random rhythms from various directions just walking around the city under construction. When I think about it, the melody played by hammers and wooden hammers may be a common sight in wooden buildings.

“It’s nice to live in a Japanese-style town.”

“I have to agree with you completely on this one~”

Hotaru frequently nodded in agreement with Yuri’s words.

For Yuri, who is Japanese by nature, a landscape with many Japanese-style houses is much more pleasing than a Western-style elegant cityscape.

Hotaru, the captain of the <Red Plum>, probably feels the same way. In a way, it seems natural that Hotaru, who usually wears a white robe, scarlet hakama, and a set of shrine maiden costumes called Chihaya, loves Japanese cities.

As we walked along the streets, we often saw <Kikyou> and her attendants, so I waved to them from Yuri’s side. Every one of them responded with a happy wave of the hand.

It seems that Japanese-style buildings take more time to build than usual, so the children of <Kikyou> have summoned their followers to work on the construction of this Shinto city.

“Oh, by the way, there are hot springs here, aren’t there?”

“Yes, I heard that when they dug the spot where Kanayama-Hiko taught them, a hot spring sprang up immediately”

“Can we use the hot spring~?”

“They already made a simple bathhouse, if that’s all right. I’ve heard that <Kikyou> and her attendants always take a bath before returning to the palace after a day’s work.”

“Oh…! I’d like to take a bath with you today~”

“Yes, I am interested… I’ll ask the right girl where it is later.”

I want to soak in a hot spring, even if it’s just a simple bathhouse, as long as I can.

I’m sure the girls from <Kikyou> won’t say no to Yuri and Hotaru using it.

“So, let’s get today’s work done quickly~”

“Yes, let’s go.”

Speeding up a bit, Yuri and Hotaru walked down the street.

The two of them eventually arrived at a large shrine, the so-called “main shrine”.

As a general rule, the deities of『Leangard』that will be welcomed into the Shinto City will be placed inside the buildings of this shrine.

Yuri and the others stood in front of the pedestal at the center of the room where the deity was to be placed.

Today, to have the gods of the Shinto City in control, we will first place the body of『Amaterasu』, the Great Goddess of Amaterasu, here and welcome her.

“Is it correct that the object of worship is the『Yata no Kagami』, the Mirror of Yatano?”

“Of course. There is no more suitable object for Amaterasu’s divine body~”

“Well, that’s true.”

The inner shrine of the Ise Shrine in Japan, which is known for enshrining Amaterasu, also has『Yata no Kagami』mirror as its sacred object. There is nothing wrong with using the same thing.

This morning, Yuri took out one of the『Yata no Kagami』mirrors from her <Inventory>, which she had retrieved from the bags of the <Nadeshiko> children.

Yata no Kagami +10 / Quality [255].

【Divine Instrument】

If you keep this item in your <Inventory>, you will receive

[Wisdom] +1200, [Charm] +1200, [Blessing] +1200.

* A divine mirror associated with Amaterasu, the presiding deity of the High Heavens.

* It has undergone 10 rounds of “Divine Weapon Enhancement” to further enhance its divine power.

『Yata no Kagami』is an item that is classified as a “divine artifact” in the game『Atros Online』, and is very useful for increasing the value of your status just by keeping it in your inventory.

Although the effects do not overlap with other sacred artifacts of the same type, it’s great that it raises the value of your abilities separately from your equipment.

『Yata no Kagami』was available in the game as a gacha prize.

As the rarity of the item was not so high at “C”, as usual, Yuri has a large number of this item.

Originally, it was an item that increased the holder’s three mental abilities by 300. The『Yata no Kagami』that Yuri brought with her this time is a special one, and it has been enhanced ten times through the process of “strengthening the sacred artifacts” to make it even more powerful.

This is a kind of enhancement gamble, where there is a 50% chance of increasing the performance of the sacred object, but a 50% chance of destroying it.

The『Yata no Kagami +10』that Yuri brought with her was the result of 10 consecutive successful gambles, so its performance was brought to the limit. To make this『Yata no Kagami +10』, Yuri lost about 1,000『Yata no Kagami』because Yuri failed to strengthen it.

“… I think it’s fine to use the ordinary『Yata no Kagami』as the sacred object, don’t you~?”

“But since it’s a good opportunity, don’t you want to see what will happen if you use a sacred object that has been strengthened to the limit as the sacred object?”

“Well, I am interested in it~”

The Yuri Empire possesses a total of seven『Yata no Kagami +10』.

Therefore, it would not be too much of a problem to offer one or so of them as a sacred object.

“And since Amaterasu is the divine spirit that Hotaru has carried in her body for so many years, it is only natural that she should be treated with the utmost respect.”

“My Lord… Thank you~”

Yuri wants to treat the God who has protected Yuri’s『wife』for so many years in a certain way.

Yuri placed the『Yata no Kagami +10』on the pedestal where God’s body was enshrined and stepped back a little.

All of the children of the <Red Plum>, including Hotaru, have the spirits of the three pillars of『Amaterasu』,『Kamimusuhi』, and『 Shitateruhime』in their bodies.

This time, I’m just going to let Amaterasu’s spirit, Awamitama, which resides in Hotaru’s body, reside in the sacred object of this『Yata no Kagami +10』. So there is no need for Yuri to use her divine power to establish a connection with the world of『Leangard』and make a cross-world request, as she did when she welcomed Kanayama-Hiko and Kanayama-Hime.

In other words, there is no work for Yuri to do today, she just has to stand back and watch.

“It’s done~”

“Oh, you’re done already?”

“Yes~. It’s just a matter of separating and transferring the gods that reside in the body.”

I was expecting her to chant at least one of the congratulatory words, as she had done in the previous ceremony. It seems that the process of putting Amaterasu into the『Yata no Kagami +10』was completed almost in an instant.

It was a bit of a dull moment for me. When I used my <Appraisal> skill to look at the『Yata no Kagami +10』, I was able to determine that the spirit of Amaterasu was indeed inside the『Yata no Kagami +10』.

It seems that she can’t form a shape right now, though. If it was the same as the case with Kanayama Hiko and Kanayama Hime, she would be able to manifest freely the next day.

“Let’s go to the hot spring! Onsen!”

Hotaru demanded immediately as if she had just finished her work.

Yuri’s face broke into a smile when she saw how innocent Hotaru was.

“But before we go to the hot springs, can we go back to the palace in Yuritaia?”

“…? What would that be for?”

“I have some liquor in my <Inventory> that I’d like to bring to the hot springs. Wouldn’t you like to have the luxury of a glass of chilled sake while soaking in hot water?”

“Oh, that’s very nice~”

Yuri and Hotaru left the building of the main palace together, exchanging lively conversation with the thought of hot springs.

After Yuri and the others left, at the resting place of the sacred body in the main shrine. The『Yata no Kagami +10』on the pedestal in the center of the room was shaking slightly, emitting a blue-white light.