We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
Pledge of the Full Moon
“Ah, ah, you helpless girl. How can you possibly defeat such a Yōma?”
The existence of the Wind Spirit King was invisible to the Beast race. However, it was clearly visible to Istericia. The Wind Spirit King pointed at the Mud Yōma.
The Mud Yōma slowly slithered across the ground, searching for its next prey.
“Run, everyone! Its movements are slow. Don’t barricade yourselves inside, run!”
The Beastman who was Istericia’s bodyguard shouted instructions to the Deer breed villagers to evacuate. The Deer breed Beastmen screamed as they fled from the Yōma. However, there were many in this village who could not escape, even though the instructions reached their ears.
These were people lying sick in bed. And those who were nursing them could not abandon their sick parents, brothers, children, or lovers, and remained indoors.
As soon as the Yōma sensed the presence of the Beastmen confined indoors, it rose high like a great wave, attempting to swallow the building whole.
“Not happening!”
A Beastman warrior charged at the Mud Yōma. He swung his battle axe towards its glowing red eyes that were exposed as it rose. The battle axe struck the Yōma’s eyes with great force.
However, it was the Beastman warrior who screamed.
The Yōma swallowed the warrior’s arm and battle axe into the mud, melting both iron and flesh. The warrior, having lost his arm from the elbow down, screamed and rolled on the ground, writhing in pain. His companions quickly intervened between the Yōma and the injured Beastman to rescue him.
“Close combat is no good!”
Swords and axes were useless against the Mud Yōma, which dissolved everything it touched. Nor was there any point in shooting arrows from a distance. Nevertheless, the Beastman warrior bravely tried to fight. A warrior from a distance swung a heavy two-handed sword. A shockwave was released from the sword’s tip, directly hitting the Yōma. However, the Yōma showed no sign of concern for the shockwave and, with no approaching prey, began to move to swallow houses again.
“Stop it!”
The Beastmen shouted. But they were powerless. Physical attacks were ineffective, and even arts imbued with beast power were useless. In front of the Beastmen, who could not even distract the Yōma, houses were about to be swallowed.
Istericia moved on impulse.
Activating Spatial Jump, she leaped into the house without hesitation. Istericia instantly teleported inside.
“Where are the residents!?” she shouted.
There was no time. It was a small house. She had jumped into a simple living room. Then, a faint voice was heard from what seemed to be a room at the back.
“We’re here. But Mother…”
It was a familiar voice. Istericia hurried into the bedroom.
“Older Sister!”
A Deer breed girl, who looked at Istericia with an innocent smile, was crying by the bedside. And on the bed was a thin, pale female from the Deer breed.
“I’ll lend you a hand, so let’s escape quickly.”
As she said that, the house creaked.
“Older Sister, I’m scared!”
Crying, the girl clung to Istericia. Along with the sounds of the house being crushed from above, a pungent odor filled the room. The Yōma was now enveloping this building, crushing and dissolving everything.
Hurry, I must escape! There was no longer time to carry the sick and run. It had to be done roughly, but Spatial Jump was the only way.
“I’ll take the sick mother out first. I’m inexperienced, so I can only jump with one person at a time. Please wait just a little bit, okay?”
The girl, not understanding Istericia’s words, cried and tilted her head. Istericia gave her an awkward smile and touched the woman lying on the floor. Leaving the girl behind, Istericia activated Spatial Jump with the woman.
The next moment, Istericia and the woman were safely transported outside.
“Whoa!?”
The Beastmen stared in surprise at Istericia’s sudden reappearance with the sick person. But Istericia had no time to leisurely explain the situation, nor to worry about the woman who was writhing in pain from her first Spatial Jump. Looking around, the Yōma had already enveloped the entire building and begun to dissolve it.
Istericia set coordinates for the interior of the house swallowed by the Yōma and activated Spatial Jump. In an instant, she returned to the bedroom. Inside, the girl, frightened by the sudden disappearance of her mother and Istericia, was crying loudly and painfully.
“It’s alright now. Now, it’s your turn.”
As she spoke and Istericia embraced the girl, the roof collapsed, and a rain of mud fell into the room. It was an instinctive reaction. There was no time to activate Spatial Jump. Instead, Istericia’s defensive instincts kicked in. Unconsciously, Istericia erected a barrier with powerful Spirit Power. It was a close call. The mud rain was blocked by the barrier of Spirit Arts. However, the interior not covered by the barrier turned into hell. The bed where the woman had been lying was miserably dissolved by the mud rain. Not only the roof and walls, but also the floor and furniture were all dissolved by the mud. The Deer breed girl screamed painfully as she witnessed her home being swallowed by mud. Istericia hugged the girl tightly and whispered as gently as possible.
“It’s alright. I will save you.”
Istericia shielded herself over the girl, embracing her so that the terrifying scenes outside would not enter the girl’s vision.
“Ah, ah, you helpless girl. Even if you hide in your shell like that, the situation will not be resolved.”
Again, it was the Wind Spirit King who spoke the harsh truth. Istericia herself had realized it. Her mistake and her powerlessness. At the time the mud rain fell, she should have suppressed her defensive instincts to protect herself and forced herself to activate Spatial Jump. Fate was sealed in that one moment. The situational judgment of “escape” lost to the self-preservation of “protect.” Perhaps it was more accurate to say that she froze in fear of death that approached her. But it was too late. Istericia, who failed to escape and instinctively erected a barrier with all her might, could be said to have protected herself and the girl from the mud rain that dissolved everything, looking at the immediate result. However, at the cost of being unable to use Spatial Jump or other Spirit Arts. The unpleasant sound of the house being dissolved, being engulfed by the Yōma, reached her ears. Furthermore, the Yōma began to erode the barrier. It increased the density of the mud and applied pressure to the barrier, intending to dissolve and devour Istericia and the girl. Now, she had to maintain the barrier with all her might, or she could not withstand the erosion of the mud. If she divided her Spirit Power to activate Spatial Jump, the barrier would be dissolved at that moment, and they would be devoured.
“Older Sister, I’m scared…”
“It’s alright. I will surely save you. The Goddess will not abandon us.”
As she spoke, a small hole opened at the top of the barrier. Mud dripped down like raindrops. The mud drops fell on Istericia’s back, who had shielded the girl.
“！！”
A searing pain that melted her skin and burned her flesh! Istericia was about to scream. But if she screamed in agony now, not only would she make the girl anxious, but in the worst case, they would be devoured by the Yōma. Enduring the intense pain, Istericia repaired the breach in the barrier. With the Spirit Power she managed to squeeze out, the hole at the top was sealed.
“Goddess…?”
The girl trembled, shrinking in Istericia’s embrace. It seemed the girl had not realized the current danger. Istericia, gasping for breath from the pain attacking her back, breathed a sigh of relief. In Istericia’s arms was a tiny, tiny life. If Istericia let go, this fragile life would vanish in an instant. But she was determined to protect this small, fragile life at all costs. Istericia made a firm resolution. And to give the trembling girl’s heart a little peace, Istericia began to tell a fairy tale she had just learned. A story of the moon and stars. A story of stars reflected in the sea falling in love with the full moon in the night sky. The great adventure of an energetic young miko. Within the barrier covered in mud, Istericia told various stories. The girl, trembling in Istericia’s arms, listened to the stories. How many fairy tales did she tell? How much time passed? But the situation had not changed. Rather, it was deteriorating moment by moment. Although Istericia and the girl were protected by the barrier, their surroundings remained engulfed in mud. The Yōma, as if toying with the two trapped inside, eroded the barrier over time. Occasionally, a small hole would open in the ceiling of the barrier. The Yōma would drop a few drops of mud from there. The drops of mud that fell into the barrier, drop by drop, fell on Istericia. Each drop burned Istericia’s skin and dissolved her flesh. Each time, Istericia, stifling a scream, squeezed out Spirit Power to plug the holes in the barrier. But the limit was approaching. No, she had already surpassed it. Istericia herself understood the depletion of Spirit Power more deeply than anyone else. True Spirit Arts refer to the technique of having spirits perform arts that one cannot achieve oneself by providing them with Spirit Power. However, there were no spirits to lend their power to Istericia now. Unable to borrow the power of spirits, Istericia had to activate Spirit Arts using only her own Spirit Power as a substitute. What would happen then? The answer was clear from the beginning. Early depletion of Spirit Power. Without the benefit of Spirit amplification, Spirit Power had to be constantly streamed out to maintain the barrier. Istericia’s Spirit Power was already depleted. She was somehow managing to maintain the barrier by turning an empty vessel upside down and squeezing out even more. “Ah, ah, pathetic girl. Futile actions are useless, and hypocrisy is merely self-satisfaction.” Nevertheless, Istericia smiled cheerfully, trying to reassure the girl. And while Istericia continued to protect the girl, the Wind Spirit King continued to speak the harsh truth. “Reality is not sweet. The world is cruel. You know this well, don’t you? Even so, do you believe you will be saved and forgiven?” Even in the world closed off by mud, Istericia could see the Wind Spirit King. Then, a scene that Istericia found inexplicable appeared before her eyes. “Hey, hey, Father Spirit. Leave this woman alone and play with us.” “Oh, Mother Spirit. Don’t bother with this woman, let’s have fun.” As she was telling fairy tales, spirits that had not even made their presence known until now, appeared before the Spirit King and Istericia several times. “Surely, they are jealous because the Spirit King has been paying attention to me for a long time, not to them.” To spirits, the Spirit King is father, mother, and a sublime being. It seems they disliked the fact that the Spirit King was paying attention to Istericia, whom they despised, instead of them. That’s why they reluctantly appeared before Istericia, trying to take the Wind Spirit King away. From Istericia’s perspective, it would be mentally grateful if the Spirit King, who spoke the truth and pierced her heart, would leave. However, the Wind Spirit King did not try to leave Istericia’s side even after hearing the words of the child spirits. “Ah, ah, you helpless girl. Will you scatter that small life at the end of your self-satisfaction?” Fufufu, Istericia smiled unintentionally. Looking at the Deer breed girl trembling in her chest, she felt what a small life she was. But from the Wind Spirit King’s perspective, she too was a “small life.” “Daughter, you smile?” The Wind Spirit King asked, seeing Istericia’s smile. Fearing she had offended him by her disrespect, Istericia was relieved by the Wind Spirit King’s unexpected reaction and smiled again. “I see,” Istericia realized. “Wind Spirit King. Your words, Wind Spirit King, are painfully true to me. However, I will no longer be swayed.” Small lives have their own radiance. From the Wind Spirit King’s perspective, how small must she and the Deer breed girl be. However, no matter how small, they are “lives” that surely exist in this world. And those who have life must continue to walk in this world as long as they live, no matter how harsh it may be. Istericia did not lie when she said she wanted to escape. It was true that she wanted to look away. She wanted to be forgiven. She wanted to be saved. All of this was true, and that was Istericia, an Elf. “However…” Enduring the searing pain in her back, enduring the pain that pierced her heart, Istericia tightly hugged the girl, a “small life,” trembling in her arms. And she firmly looked at the Wind Spirit King. “I am a Miko. As a Miko, I serve the Goddess and devote myself to the world. And now, I pledge my heart to protect the radiance of this girl’s life, who seeks salvation in my arms!” No matter how harsh it may be, she would not run away from her sin. She would not look away. She would desperately search for a way to be forgiven and continue to atone. Nevertheless, the spirits would likely not forgive her. However, even if she is not forgiven or saved, she absolutely cannot stop walking. Because. This was the path she chose for herself for the first time in her life. And, above all, she could not overlook those who were seeking salvation right in front of her. As an Elf. As a human. As a Miko. “Therefore, I will absolutely save this child!” Istericia said firmly to the Wind Spirit King standing before her. However, the Wind Spirit King again spoke the harsh truth to the small Elf’s unwavering, great pledge. “Ah, ah, daughter Miko. However, your power is exhausted. In such a situation, how will you protect the girl from the Yōma?” “That is,” Istericia embraced the girl in her arms, using all her remaining strength. “I know that I am at my limit. However, I am a Miko. Therefore, I believe in miracles!” In a world covered in mud. Even looking up, she could not see the full moon or the stars. Nevertheless, Istericia believed in miracles and looked up at the sky. It was at that very moment. “Istericia!!” The mud shattered overhead, and light streamed in. And then, scattering the mud, a boy descended. “Elnea!” “Sorry to keep you waiting, but it’s alright now!” Elnea turned a smile, like the full moon, towards Istericia and swung the white Kagura sword in his right hand. You can easily convey your support by clicking the heart. Support Log in if you have an account Learn more about the reading experience on Kakuyomu
