Another Side
“Welcome back! Kirie! How was it, how was it?”
A slight fatigue. Carrying stress that felt much lighter compared to the long, useless, and rambling complaints from the old fools I usually dealt with, I was welcomed back from the matchmaking venue, which had many issues, not by an attendant or subordinate, but by the god I was supposed to serve.
“Mimamori-sama, it worries your subordinates when you manifest in the lower world so casually. Please be a little more restrained.”
“Muu, but I was curious! Interacting with another world, you know? An experience that a humble god like me could never have! It’s the kind of matter that would pique anyone’s interest, no matter how long they’ve lived!”
The girl approached with undiminished excitement. With an appearance that could be called childish, she jumped with all her might, as if she had been waiting at the entrance, and pleaded with me, my god.
The people managing this house, standing behind her, watched Mimamori-sama with troubled expressions.
She is supposed to be the one who watches over this village, yet so many admire her because she shows such innocent behavior to those she trusts.
“So, how was it, how was it?”
“While it’s fine to report here, shall we move somewhere else?”
“Understood! Please prepare some tea!!”
“Yes, but it’s already past midnight, so only tea.”
“Okay!”
I had a lot of cleanup to do, so I returned later than planned. Interrogations, report writing, and deciding the disciplinary measures for those who caused trouble. It took me two full days to finish all of that. And after finishing, I returned to find that not much time was left before midnight. This would be the perfect time for Mimamori-sama to play with the Moon Fox.
As the miko meant to be guided by a god, I, who am usually honored by such guidance, followed her with light steps to our destination. In the garden we passed by, I saw the Moon Fox, a giant creature, lying on its side yawning widely. The one who also served as Mimamori-sama’s bodyguard glanced at me, then quickly averted its eyes and resumed its sleeping pose.
Should I call it an acquaintance? From his perspective, my entire life is merely a fleeting encounter. Yet, I am a memorable existence. A being who can be remembered across the immeasurable time of a god. It is precisely because of such people, their positions, and our relationships, with various conditions aligning, that I have found myself in a position to be remembered even by a divine messenger.
“Come on, come on! Tell me, tell me quickly!!”
“Please calm down. I will explain it to you step by step.”
It is because I am in such a position that I am able to take on the significant responsibility of being the negotiator for interdimensional interactions. We sat in the reception room, not facing each other, but side by side. Mimamori-sama, like a child clinging to its mother, leaned her body against my knees as I knelt, looking up at me.
My own children are long grown and are no longer of an age to do such things. But ever since we met, she has always enjoyed this kind of physical affection. At first, I was concerned about her dignity, manners, and reputation, and frequently offered gentle admonishments. However, gods, while they may hear human words, are not obligated to obey them. There is a significant distance between those who are worshipped and those who worship, a distance that humans often fail to grasp. Mimamori-sama, who approves of such physical contact, is an extreme exception. Moreover, I am the only one who attempts such affectionate behavior with her. While I feel proud and happy about it, many are filled with jealousy and resentment because of it.
“Well then. First of all…”
Considering that, I could also choose not to reveal everything. However, a god cannot be deceived by human lies. If I were to mix any falsehoods into my words, she would sense it. Therefore, I will report everything that happened at the party without any concealment.
“Hee hee, I see.”
As expected, Mimamori-sama’s mood soured considerably after my report. She lay face down on my knees, her posture far from demure, yet she made no effort to correct it. She slowly swung her legs, resting her cheek against my thigh, and the words she let out were simply displeased. After all, she was the one who conceived this project. The content that she thought was good, planned, and executed, was met with numerous criticisms upon its unveiling. If it had been a complete failure, her displeasure would not have ended at this level.
“I am truly sorry. It is because my abilities were insufficient.”
“Mmm, Kirie is not at fault. Not at all.”
This time, she hid her face, lying completely on her stomach, and accepted my apology in a muffled but clear voice. And I know what she wants when she makes this gesture. I gently reached out my right hand and began to softly stroke her smooth, lustrous hair, the kind that humans would envy with jealousy. Gently, as a parent would to a child. For a human to touch a god would be an act of extreme disrespect, but according to Mimamori-sama, by covering her vision with her face down, she is not looking. She claims it is merely the wind stroking her hair, a reason that clearly defies logic, yet she allows a human to touch her.
“What should I do? What should I do?”
And it is not just because she enjoys the sensation that these unsettling words are escaping the god’s mouth, making me uneasy.
“I have already decided on the disciplinary action. You will not need to trouble yourself, Mimamori-sama.”
“Ohh, is that so? But I think there are too many people getting carried away lately. Perhaps it would be alright to divert the spiritual flow of the family that caused this incident?”
“…Please don’t.”
“Ah, for a moment, I thought that was a good idea.”
For a god to intend to do something is, in itself, a major event for ordinary people. Divine punishment. For commoners, it might be something they doubt the existence of, but for us who are involved in divine affairs, it is a serious problem, no joke. While it would not cause casualties, the thought that it might be acceptable to inflict a penalty that would cause property damage, even for a moment, was completely transparent to Mimamori-sama.
“Please stop.”
“Eeeh~? Kirie was also quite angry, wasn’t she? Come on, let’s do it~, divine punishment!”
“I do not wish for you to expend your energy just for that. Diverting the spiritual flow requires an immense amount of power.”
Spiritual flow is extremely important to those in our profession. The strength of the spiritual flow is directly related to the family’s status. Families that build their homes on strong spiritual veins and secure their land produce powerful spiritual practitioners. Naturally, beneath the Sagami family’s land lies one of Japan’s most potent spiritual veins, strong enough for a god to traverse. Thanks to this, powerful spiritual practitioners like myself and my sister are born. There is no one other than a god who can manipulate the special power flowing through such land. Even for a god, moving that power requires immense effort. To give a simple analogy, it’s like river construction. A large-scale project, like rerouting a river. Even for a god, doing so requires considerable effort.
“Eeeh, it’s fine. If I just shift it slightly, it won’t take that much power.”
“That would be a perfectly unpleasant nuisance for us. If you were to do that, we would have to rebuild the entire house from scratch.”
The homes of those in our profession have structures that function as ritual arrays. They incorporate spell formations that draw in the spiritual flow according to its direction, and the house’s layout is designed to utilize that flow. Everything is meticulously calculated, and the house is built to be used in the optimal state according to the spiritual vein. If the spiritual vein shifts even slightly due to some influence, the entire system will cease to function. How much money and time would it take to rebuild a functional and aesthetically pleasing home? From what I recall, considering the scale of the spiritual vein and the assets of the family that caused this incident, it would be a significant blow. At the very least, if that were to happen, rebuilding the house would require the equivalent of watching two or three Olympic Games.
“Haa. First, I will send a written notice to your home conveying your words. Following that, a formal summons for an audience. During the meeting, if you show genuine remorse, I will grant you a suspended sentence and order you to perform community service. If you do not truly repent, then the execution will proceed. How about that?”
It would indeed cause problems if this were done without prior notice. Even with divine punishment, if it were carried out abruptly, it would incite resentment. Especially now, with interdimensional exchanges on the horizon, I do not wish to stir up unnecessary trouble. In reality, the disciplinary measures have already been deliberated and communicated from our end. The family must feel that since they have accepted their punishment, it should be sufficient. However, that is human judgment, not divine judgment.
“Mmm, if Kirie says so. Fine, I’ll accept that.”
Gods are not bound by human common sense. From a human perspective, they may seem capricious. However, if approached properly, their logic can be understood by humans as well. I can find a compromise that they will reluctantly accept.
“Thank you.”
“Okay, then, next is the connection with the other side. It’s about time other countries’ gods will start getting noisy.”
“Have you not received any contact yet?”
“They’re observing. The higher-ups in Takamagahara have been informed and are aware, so it’s possible they are making a feint.”
“Then, is it possible that those gods might descend?”
“Mmm, it’s a possibility that might occur during Kirie’s lifetime. Unless it’s something on the scale of the other gods coming in person, they tend to leave all the troublesome matters to me.”
Mimamori-sama suddenly lifted her head and looked at me, so I stopped stroking her hair. Now that the policy for judging humans has been decided, the next topic is interdimensional interaction. As Mimamori-sama said, the purpose of this event was to gain an advantage by initiating an exchange before other countries. We have taken a step forward organizationally. Now, the question is how to maintain that advantage. How much can we reduce the number of people dragging us down and advance? And at what point will beings like Mimamori-sama intervene?
“We beings like ourselves are tied to the land. It’s unlikely a god will visit directly, but they might send someone to act as a host for a divine descent. Honestly, if we could establish a base on land, that wouldn’t be a concern, but why did they choose to build a base in the sea, which is difficult even for me to reach?”
“That’s human nature. They fear the unknown, and to protect themselves and their vested interests, they distance themselves.”
“I believe it would be safer for both sides if I protected them with my power.”
Is it because she is a god that I can feel at ease knowing I am serving her, despite this concern? Or is it because of the nature of her spirit? Mimamori-sama has watched over humans for a very long time. She has seen both their good and bad qualities, and yet she has continued to watch over them. She has used her powers behind the scenes to reach out and help in various ways. It is precisely because she is such a god that I wish to serve her, even if it means causing her hardship.
“Yes, that is so.”
“Well, once the interdimensional exchange begins, all of that will likely change. Perhaps the nostalgic era will return.”
“The era when the distance between humans and gods was closer?”
“Yes, the era when humans and gods sat together and shared drinks. I feel like such an era might be returning.”
Even if it means changing the future world.
Today’s Word:
Believing that a good future will come.
End of Another Side.
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This chapter is scheduled to conclude the current arc. The next installment will mark the start of a new chapter.
I am currently serializing another work: Pandora Pandemic Panic. The box of Pandora has been opened again, but we are fighting back with various efforts from our secret base!!
Please check out that series as well!
