Kokoro was visiting the Triple Shrine of Mikusen for the first time in her life.
As a shrine maiden living on the Central Continent, it was unthinkable that she had never visited the Triple Shrine before. However, for Kokoro, such absurdity was permissible.
Regarding the knowledge required for her training, it was sufficient to obtain it from her mother, Silvia. After all, she could always meet the Avatar, and she received blessings and divine revelations from the Goddess to her heart’s content, so she had never encountered any difficulties until now.
To be precise, she had never experienced any trouble with her training as a shrine maiden, even up to the present. Despite never having entered the shrine, which she should have visited at least once for her training, she had advanced her training in the best possible environment and even achieved independence. Considering normal circumstances, Kokoro had an unusual background as a shrine maiden.
The reason Kokoro came to the Triple Shrine was that, while she was stationed at the castle as Silvia’s successor, she received an invitation from the Triple Shrine. When Silvia was there, the shrine side had only minimal interaction. However, upon Kokoro’s succession, they concocted a plan to get closer. Kokoro had heard about this from Ririka, but decided to accept the offer, thinking it was a valuable opportunity. Kokoro had also asked Silvia how to handle the Triple Shrine, but her response was simply, “Do as you please.” Of course, she didn’t mean to dismiss her; she added that she could rely on her if she encountered any trouble. Yet, Silvia had completely delegated authority (?) to Kokoro. Just like Floria, the elder generation intended to provide only backup. With Silvia’s support, Kokoro ventured into the opponent’s headquarters to decide how she would handle matters from then on.
“…It’s quite flashy.”
Kokoro, who entered the Elisamil Temple in Mikusen first, muttered this. The words slipped out unintentionally and were almost inaudible, so they didn’t spread much to those around her, but Ririka, who was right beside her, clearly heard them. Hearing Kokoro’s murmur, Ririka, as if involuntarily, let out a small chuckle. For Kokoro, who only knew the shrine on the Fifth Floor and the prayer room in the Management Layer, the Elisamil Temple appeared extremely flashy.
“This temple receives offerings from many believers. We also need to show them in a tangible way.”
“Is that so?”
Ririka’s unhelpful reassurance was clearly conveyed to Kokoro, who nodded in understanding. What Ririka said felt rather worldly, but Kokoro understood that for a temple with many believers and a large amount of donations, it was a necessary aspect. Rather, it would be a problem if they received so much and didn’t show it in a visible form. These were issues that arose precisely because they actively solicited offerings, unlike the shrine on the Fifth Floor.
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After entering the temple and speaking with the priest in charge, Kokoro was immediately led further inside. Her identification was confirmed, but since her Crown Card was sufficient, the verification process was completed with ease. This was a moment that showed the Crown Card had already gained trust at the temple. Ririka, seeing this, was surprised. Perhaps Kokoro and her companions were expected from the start, as they were led directly to the Temple Head’s office without any change in personnel. This treatment clearly indicated how seriously the shrine side was taking this matter. However, having grown up in the castle as Kousuke’s daughter, Kokoro had not been raised to be easily swayed by such treatment. Given Kokoro’s personality, she wouldn’t be proud of such treatment, nor would she be dejected by it.
Laurel was waiting for Kokoro and her party in the Temple Head’s office. Since no one else was present, it was clear that this was intended as an initial greeting.
“Welcome.”
“The pleasure is ours. Thank you for inviting us.”
“Thank you.”
After exchanging polite greetings, Kokoro and Ririka were invited by Laurel to sit on the sofa. Once they were seated, Laurel immediately began to speak.
“Thank you for accepting our invitation.”
With that, Laurel bowed her head once and looked at Kokoro with a calm expression. Laurel had met with Ririka several times before, along with Silvia, but this was her first time meeting Kokoro in person. Therefore, she also intended to assess what kind of person Kokoro was. For Laurel, simply having her invitation accepted was already a more than sufficient achievement.
Kokoro, sensing Laurel’s gaze, continued to sip her drink without changing her expression. Despite her calm demeanor, she accurately perceived that her worth was being evaluated behind her eyes. It wasn’t for nothing that she grew up in the castle, constantly subjected to such gazes from adults alongside Towa and the others. Although not of royal blood, Kokoro, as Kousuke’s daughter, was observed by some who were aware of such circumstances. Above all, she was always the focus of attention at the academy as Towa’s half-sister. While Kokoro was initially a bit slow to pick up on things when she first entered the academy, she could now discern such things properly. Especially after being designated as Silvia’s successor, she had been continuously subjected to similar gazes, so there was no way she wouldn’t notice.
“Oh, no. It’s a precious opportunity. There aren’t many chances to see the renowned Temple Head Laurel up close.”
“Is that so?”
Kokoro said this without much thought, but Laurel didn’t interpret it that way. After all, Kokoro was the daughter of Kousuke and Silvia. It was only natural for Laurel to assume that the “rumors” Kokoro mentioned referred to those two. She understood that Kokoro had also overheard conversations between the shrine and the two of them. Seeing Kokoro’s expression, Laurel couldn’t tell if it was sarcasm or a genuine feeling, so she simply nodded.
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After exchanging brief greetings, they had a light conversation, and the meeting for the day concluded. After leaving the Temple Head’s office, Kokoro returned to the chapel and showed interest in the ordinary believers offering their prayers. After obtaining permission from Ririka to “pray for a moment,” she spread out a cloth she had prepared and sat in a meditative posture. Laurel, witnessing this, recalled what Kousuke had done in the same place in the past, which was, in a way, natural. Neither Kokoro nor Kousuke had checked with each other, but they had both fully inherited the method of Zazen. Laurel, who hadn’t expected to see the exact same scene she had witnessed only once over ten years ago, muttered “Blood will tell, after all” as she watched Kokoro’s Zazen, a remark Ririka, standing nearby, clearly heard. Ririka glanced meaningfully at Laurel but said nothing, as she thought it would disturb Kokoro while she was meditating.
Ultimately, without consciously intending to, Kokoro left a strong impression on Laurel, concluding her visit to the temple.
After finishing the writing, I wondered if I should have focused more on the Zazen, but I decided against it as it might become repetitive.
To Kokoro, the temples of Mikusen appear flashy. Rather than a place for prayer, it’s more like viewing works of art.
