We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
One Wish, A Thousand Days.
The Lady Shooting Stars start their day early.
Everyone wakes up around the same time as Ruiseine and Madrine.
Then, they perform purification by water in the large communal bath for women.
Moreover, the water in this communal bath is drawn from a well by the Lady Shooting Stars themselves. This means they wake up long before their purification ritual to begin their day’s activities.
After purifying themselves, it’s time for meditation.
The sight of the Lady Shooting Stars meditating together on the lawn in the courtyard is a divine spectacle to behold.
Among the Mimicho Race in the Forbidden Territory, those who became interested in the Temple Religion and chose the path of clergy are currently undergoing training at the “Dragon’s Paradise” in the eastern part of the Yorttenitos Kingdom.
Many of those who remain in the Forbidden Territory are believers who are interested in the Temple Religion but have not become clergy. Nevertheless, perhaps influenced by the actions of the Lady Shooting Stars, a few individuals have begun studying the Temple Religion, relying on Lady Shooting Star and Ruiseine and Madrine.
And so, several days after their arrival in the Forbidden Territory, the Lady Shooting Stars, who lead pure and righteous lives, set a significant goal.
One Wish, A Thousand Days.
It is a form of training where they will pray continuously as a group until their single wish is fulfilled.
What do the Lady Shooting Stars wish for with all their might?
It is the safe return of Ada.
We haven’t heard the details.
However, we have a vague understanding.
Where the Lady Shooting Stars flowed from.
And Ada’s true identity.
Before parting with us, Ada had made some strong resolve.
After that, the Lady Shooting Stars, who were brought to the Forbidden Territory by a young girl in a crimson outfit, carried deep within them their own immaturity, worries, and anxieties.
What happened to Ada? With what feelings were the Lady Shooting Stars brought to the Forbidden Territory?
Just as there are things we cannot say, there are things the Lady Shooting Stars cannot say.
Therefore, we will not ask at this time.
But someday, when our hearts are closer and a true trusting relationship is born, we believe they will consult with us, and we are confident they will.
Those Lady Shooting Stars have begun training called “One Wish, A Thousand Days.”
When we heard the specifics of this training, we were astonished.
Ruiseine explains.
“One Wish, A Thousand Days is a training where one prays to the Goddess day and night, throughout the year. Of course, it’s impossible to do so without eating or sleeping, so it’s not a training that one undertakes alone. The trainees take turns praying continuously. However, once individuals begin this training, they cannot stop until their wish is granted. If even one person gives up, all of them lose their qualification as clergy. It is a harsh form of training.”
Madrine adds.
“It is free to decide how many people will participate in the training. Hearing this, you might think that more people would make the burden lighter? However, the more people there are, the more likely it is that some will give up midway. Do you understand? One Wish, A Thousand Days. In other words, this is not a prayer that can be answered in just a few days or after a few seasons. It can take years. If the wish is not granted, it could indeed be a lifelong, endless training. If you consider whether everyone can wholeheartedly dedicate their lives to prayer without losing their spirit, you can understand how demanding this training is.”
Listening to their explanation, we realized the profound sincerity of the Lady Shooting Stars’ wishes.
They will devote their bodies and souls to prayer.
Thinking of Ada.
However, there are over thirty Lady Shooting Stars in their entourage. When they divide the prayer duties, some will have free time. Of course, when their turn comes, they will retreat to a small shrine to pray.
But their day doesn’t end with just prayers.
Therefore, while the Lady Shooting Stars are not praying, they have begun various activities in the Forbidden Territory.
One of these is training.
“Hmm, today Priscilla will be ‘it’!”
The morning routine has become a game of tag combined with hide-and-seek.
Those who are running away must first hide. The person who is “it” must find them, but merely finding them isn’t enough.
Once found, they must be caught. If those who are running away can escape even after being found, they are safe.
Once all the runners are caught, the role of “it” is switched.
This game requires stealth and evasion skills.
Although Priscilla-chan is playing, those who are caught up in it undergo rigorous training.
After all, it doesn’t end until Priscilla-chan is satisfied!
Priscilla-chan will not be appeased by mere casual play. Thus, it becomes harsh and demanding training that makes even the warriors of the Dragon Race cry out in pain.
Today, Priscilla-chan seems to want to be “it.” In addition, Yufilia, Nina, and Madrine are also among the “it” in their family group. A few of the Lady Shooting Stars and some of the Mimicho Race are also chosen to be “it.”
Are there many “it” roles?
That’s how it is.
After all, the area of play includes the mansion and its surroundings, and they must find and catch everyone who is hiding within it.
If there aren’t enough “it” roles, it won’t be over even after sunset!
Ruiseine and Sefina, along with others, who are now runners, scatter simultaneously.
From now on, they must disappear and hide, and if found, they must escape.
Is it just my imagination? The Mimicho Race is already screaming!
“Go, go!”
I wave goodbye to everyone who has started the game with a smile.
Me, Mistral, and Laira?
Today is a day for my training, you see?
From now on, I will meditate in the courtyard and track the presence of everyone who has started the hide-and-seek tag game.
Sleigsta (Old Man) can sense the presences and movements of those who are far away through the Dragon Veins. If I can also acquire such abilities, I will be able to notice when danger approaches, even if my family members are far apart.
Meanwhile, Mistral has gone to the Moss Garden to take care of Sleigsta (Old Man).
We recently had a transfer point like the Dragon Shrine in Mistral’s village created within the mansion in the Forbidden Territory.
Mistral uses that transfer point and Sleigsta (Old Man)’s transfer dragon arts to commute to the Moss Garden every day.
And today, Laira is in charge of taking care of Spirit Tree (child).
Ideally, I should take care of everything, but my family members also wanted to help care for Spirit Tree (child), so it has become a rotation system!
Thus, the day in the Forbidden Territory begins.
I immediately sit on the grass and immerse myself in meditation.
Ares-chan soon climbs onto my lap.
“Aren’t you participating in the tag game?”
“I’m meditating.”
“You wicked child!”
Today, Ares-chan seems to intend to monopolize me, not playing with Priscilla-chan or going with Laira to Spirit Tree (child).
I give Ares-chan power drawn from the Dragon Veins, while searching for the presence of everyone scattered throughout the mansion.
Hmm, hmm. The Mimicho Race seems to have hidden in various rooms.
The mansion is very large and has many rooms. Therefore, rooms that are not our living quarters or the guest rooms provided as the Dragon King’s Inn are accessible freely.
In order to facilitate the hide-and-seek game!
Ruiseine is hiding in the shade of the trees in the outer garden, and Sefina… that person has no intention of hiding!
Sefina is standing alone by the lake in the courtyard with a cool composure!
In other words, she’s daring us to catch her with our skills, since she won’t run or hide!
This is also a recognized strategy in a way.
In Hide-and-Seek Tag, it’s okay as long as you’re not caught in the end.
In other words, you hide and run to avoid being caught, so if you’re confident you won’t be caught, you can just be open about it from the start!
As expected of Sefina, the martial artist.
The “it” roles are also fully motivated by Sefina’s provocation.
Not only a few Mimicho Race members, but the Lady Shooting Stars also seemed to target Sefina at first.
After the runners scattered, the “it” roles began to move.
And then, they made their move on Sefina, who stood elegantly by the lake!
First, the Lady Shooting Stars act.
They close the distance instantly with the movement magic “Star Crossing” and begin to chant binding magic.
They’re going all out from the start!
In Hide-and-Seek Tag, anything goes as long as the opponent is not harmed.
Demons can use magic, and priestesses can use sorcery. As for us, we also utilize Dragon Arts and Spirit Arts.
Shadows of the moon appear at Sefina’s feet. However, such simple attacks are not effective against Sefina.
Sefina easily dodges out of the shadows.
Then, more shadows appear at her feet!
But Sefina easily evades even those.
If you want to bind Sefina, you have to outsmart her.
In an instant, a Mimicho Race member leaped through space into Sefina’s guard, while she was deftly evading consecutive binding magic shadows!
“Too bad. That was a glaringly obvious move.”
But in the next moment, that Mimicho Race member is sent flying through the air.
Sefina excels at reading and manipulating the flow of her opponent’s techniques.
Even the spatial jump of the Mimicho Race is detected the moment they begin to gather spirit power, and she uses their movements against them to easily throw even an adult man.
However, it seems she has difficulty reading magical arts for some reason.
She once mused, “I can read the flow of magic arts when filtered through Ruiseine or Mist, but it’s difficult normally. I wonder why?”
Sefina, after brilliantly evading the binding magic and throwing back the Mimicho Race members who attempted to close the distance with spatial jumps, is approached by the Lady Shooting Stars!
The Lady Shooting Stars are armed with naginatas.
It seems that more than half of the Lady Shooting Stars entourage are Battle Priestesses.
These Battle Priestesses grip their naginatas and launch an attack on Sefina.
This is also permissible.
Since the opponent must not be injured, the use of weapons is also allowed.
Because anything goes, it becomes training for those other than Priscilla-chan.
Sefina gracefully dodges the coordinated attacks of the Lady Shooting Stars, throws back the Mimicho Race members, and evades spells cast from a distance.
Everyone struggles against Sefina alone.
“Hahaha. That looks fun. Perhaps I should join in.”
Then, Ruilala, who overslept, appears in the courtyard and draws her sword with a graceful flourish.
Sefina quickly reacts to Ruilala’s killing intent and turns her gaze towards me.
“Good morning. Keep up the good work!”
I won’t stop her.
This is also a form of training.
When Ruilala draws her sword, killing intent is released. One must maintain such tension to even stand a chance against Sefina.
Ruilala charges at Sefina with a smile.
And, as expected, she swings her sword towards the Lady Shooting Stars, the Mimicho Race, and Sefina.
The Lady Shooting Stars are astonished. Sefina gives a wry smile and says,
“Be careful. Ruilala attacks indiscriminately with her sword! The Divine Race apparently used to have a lot of trouble with her.”
We’ve had our share of trouble too!
Upon Sefina’s explanation, the Lady Shooting Stars re-focus their attention.
Although this is a “game,” if they don’t take it seriously, they will be the ones to suffer.
The target of the “it” is Sefina, but Ruilala’s interference creates a chaotic situation as Sefina also counters.
Moreover, Ruilala is releasing killing intent. The killing intent of a High-ranking Demon is so terrifying it makes one’s soul shrink just by receiving it. For the Lady Shooting Stars, who have to fight against that pressure, it is a tough battle.
The Mimicho Race?
They fled the moment Ruilala joined the fray!
After all, the Mimicho Race cannot yet match Ruilala.
They changed their target to the runners other than Sefina and quickly disappeared from the lakeside.
“What a lively morning.”
Then, appearing in the courtyard after Ruilala were the Demon Lord and Charlotte.
Unlike the early-rising Lady Shooting Stars and us, the Demon Lord and his entourage have a leisurely start to their mornings.
“Good morning. Don’t you have to return to the Demon Lord’s Castle yet?”
“Elnea-kun, it’s alright. If you wish, there’s no problem with staying here for several years.”
“No, you must be concerned about your retainers and your country, so please don’t stay too long!”
They are frightening people.
The fact that they would deliberately choose to do something we dislike is indeed characteristic of demons.
“What, you want me to go back so soon?”
“No, it’s just a joke. The Demon Lord and his entourage are also guests at the Dragon King’s Inn, so please take your time.”
“In that case, perhaps for several years…”
“Kyaa!”
“Meditation, meditation.”
Oh, right.
With the constant stream of visitors, my meditation training has been interrupted.
Ares-chan points it out, and I return to my meditation.
Now then. How are things with the people scattered throughout the mansion?
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