Gensokyo's Dimensional Black Shop

Page 68

The woman awkwardly withdrew her hand from the girl's bag, which contained areas that were even more developed than her own.

"Sanae, tell me honestly, have you, or anyone else at your shrine, offended anyone with a powerful background?"

"Huh?" Sanae tilted her head, looking puzzled. "But I'm the only one in the shrine. And from childhood to adulthood, apart from going to school and working, I've basically stayed in the shrine and never left. How could I have offended any important people? Why do you ask that, Rika-nee?"

"Hmm..." After thinking for a moment, the woman decided it would be better to tell Sanae everything she knew and let her make her own judgment. So she told her about how Byakuya had stopped her earlier and asked if she knew of a shrine nearby that enshrined Yasaka-no-Okami and Suwako-no-Okami, and even gave her the name of the shrine.

"Is that so?" After listening to the woman's account, Sanae lowered her head, seemingly lost in thought.

Seeing this, the woman didn't disturb her, letting the girl make her own judgment. As friends who had only worked together for a month or two and exchanged a few words, the woman was only saying this because of what she considered the girl's somewhat silly actions in promoting the shrine… What era is this? If you really want to believe in any god, you should definitely join a technological cult, okay? (Winking)

After a long while, Sanae raised her head and looked at the woman firmly: "Sister Rika, is that guest still there? No matter what his purpose was in going to the shrine, the fact that he could accurately call out the names of Lady Kanako and Lady Suwako shows that he should know something about the shrine. I want to see him."

"Should I change into that shrine maiden outfit that people always think I'm doing some kind of shameful play?"

"Sister Li Hua!" The girl stomped her foot in embarrassment and anger, and went into the changing room under the woman's teasing gaze.

……

After changing into a blue and white shrine maiden outfit and arriving at the shop, the seat where Byakuya had been was already empty. Having ascertained the direction Byakuya had gone, Sanae Kochiya ran after him, much to the curiosity of passersby.

It wasn't until they chased him out of the town and into a narrow mountain path that she finally saw the figure slowly moving forward in the afterglow of the setting sun. If Rika hadn't been joking, he was probably heading towards the Moriya Shrine. While the shrine maiden was touched by his persistence even as night fell, Sanae was more inclined to complain...

How did you manage to walk on the exact opposite side of the road leading to the shrine?!

They really aren't giving us any chance at all!

"Excuse me...excuse me, sir, please wait a moment." She called out breathlessly, and when she saw Bai Ye pause and turn to look in her direction, Sanae breathed a sigh of relief and quickly walked up to Bai Ye.

"This outfit...you're a shrine maiden?" Bai Ye raised an eyebrow, scanning the girl's attire from head to toe. Although it was somewhat different from Reimu's shrine maiden outfit, Bai Ye had always felt that the girl's rather erotic shrine maiden outfit was definitely not what a proper shrine maiden should look like during the Age of Gods. In comparison, although the girl's shrine maiden outfit had also undergone some modifications, it at least looked more normal.

As expected, the profession of shrine maiden is the same; it all depends on the contrast with other women.

"I heard from a senior student who works at the store that you asked her for directions to the Moriya Shrine. Is there anything you need to do at the shrine?"

"Judging from your tone... you must be the shrine maiden from that shrine, right?" Although it was phrased as a question, Bai Ye spoke with certainty, clearly having confirmed the shrine maiden's identity.

“Yes, after my mother passed away, I took over the position of Wind Priest from her, responsible for collecting faith for the two lords.” Sure enough, the priestess nodded.

Chapter 165 The Guardian Shrine, the Aggressive White Night

After exchanging names, Sanae looked curiously at the man whose demeanor and attire were quite different from others, and asked, "Mr. Shirayaku, although it may be a bit presumptuous of me to ask, may I ask what you're here at the shrine to do?"

"What, are you worried that I have designs on those two gods?" Bai Ye suddenly stroked his chin and looked the priestess up and down. "Or are you worried that I have designs on you?"

“…Mr. Byakuya, you’re quite the joker.” Sanae smiled awkwardly.

"To be honest, I actually took a request from a friend. She encountered some accidents before and can't get away on her own, so she asked me to come and check on the two gods." As he spoke, Bai Ye glanced at the beads of sweat on Sanae's face from running behind him: "In this era, most people have abandoned the faith of their ancestors and chosen technology that can bring them more convenience. If gods rely on faith for sustenance, they're probably not having an easy time now, are they?"

"It's more than just difficult. Lady Kanako and Lady Suwako's divine power has weakened to an extreme. You might think I'm joking, Mr. Byakuya, but these past two years, I've really worried that one day when I return, I'll find them starved to death in the attic..."

Several dark lines appeared on Bai Ye's forehead.

I can understand that you are doing things that most people cannot understand in this era, and that you have accumulated resentment over time, but you don’t need to say these things to someone like me who I have just met for the first time and who is theoretically still a stranger.

The two gods you worship are weeping behind your back!

After chatting with Byakuya about a lot of useful and useless things, Sanae Kochiya remembered that Byakuya seemed to have something to do and needed to go to the Moriya Shrine. So she quickly apologized to Byakuya and then took him to the shrine.

Compared to the small town with its already sparse population, the shrine was located in an even more remote area. It took more than half an hour of walking along the mountain road before Baiye finally saw a shrine appear at the end of the road.

In an era where people worship gods for peace of mind, most people would probably give up if they had to walk for an hour or two on mountain paths just for that. After all, compared to a powerful figure like Sankiko, whose mere reputation can scare away a bunch of minor demons, the two at Moriya Shrine are still a bit lacking.

However, compared to Amaterasu and Susanoo, who have long since disappeared, these two are at least confirmed to be alive.

Upon entering the shrine, Bai Ye raised an eyebrow at Sanae, noticing the two deities, one large and one small, who seemed to believe their divine forms wouldn't be seen by mortals and were openly pointing at him from above the statue. "Are the deities here always this shameless?"

"Haha..." Sanae laughed guiltily.

As the Wind (Feeding) Master of the Two Gods, she could of course see the figures of the two gods. That's why she was speechless at Bai Ye's question... Even if the lack of faith in recent years has led to almost no one being able to see your existence, and even her own mother only became the Wind Master in accordance with ancestral teachings, you two are still letting yourselves go a little too far!

Sanae glanced regretfully at the two oblivious adults, feeling utterly exhausted. She sighed, told Byakuya, and then went to make tea.

Kanako Yasaka: "..."

Suwako Moriya: "..."

Speaking of which, wasn't Xiaozhao Miao's reaction a bit off? Why did she go straight to make tea? Shouldn't she have greeted us first and then, as is customary, started complaining about a whole bunch of things?

And the way this guy was looking at them was weird, like he was... trying to suppress a laugh?

Thinking of a possibility, Kanako Yasaka tentatively asked, "Human, can you see us?"

"Kanako, are you kidding me? How could there possibly be anyone other than Sanae right now...?"

Under the watchful eyes of the two gods, Byakuya nodded, seemingly in response to Yasaka Kanako's question.

"..." x2

You can really see it!!!

After a flurry of activity, Bai Ye finally convinced the two gods that even if they displayed their most powerful selves during their first meeting, he could not provide them with faith, thus dispelling their idea of ​​crying, making a scene, and threatening suicide.

"If you don't intend to believe in gods, then why did you come to the shrine? Are you trying to kidnap my little Sanae?" After settling down, Suwako looked at Byakuya with displeasure, her tone aggressive, which made Sanae blush.

"No, that's not it. Mr. Byakuya came to see Lady Suwako and you..."

"..." x3

Honestly, your reaction is more likely to cause misunderstandings, okay? Are you kidding me?

Feeling the gazes of the two gods, Bai Ye's lips twitched. "Don't misunderstand me, I really didn't come here for this girl. My purpose is for the two of you... Yasaka Kanako and Moriya Suwako, right?"

"For us?"

“Yes, for you both.” Bai Ye nodded. “Before I explain my purpose, I have a question for you two… Besides Sanae, the Wind Priest, do you have any other believers right now?”

"Hey bro, if we don't talk about this, we can still be friends." Yasaka Kanako's face fell. As for Suwako Moriya, this little goddess had already thought of something and, along with the eyes on her hat, she was in a teary-eyed state.

“It seems there’s nothing left.” Bai Ye shrugged. “Then the next question is, you haven’t dissipated yet, probably because of the faith you’ve preserved from the past. But how long can that faith sustain you? 1.8? A year? Ten years? A hundred years?”

"So you came here today just to mock us?" Kanako Yasaka's face showed an expression that seemed to be breaking down.

"I apologize, perhaps my words were a bit harsh, but I can swear on my integrity that I absolutely had no intention of provoking trouble and starting a fight with you." With a completely insincere apology that made the two gods and a witch twitch at the corners of their mouths, Bai Ye grinned and revealed his purpose: "I'm just here on behalf of some old woman to convey an invitation to you."

"invite?"

"Yes, a paradise where gods, priestesses, aliens, monsters, and humans coexist." Byakuya described his understanding of Gensokyo.

"We need to think about it again."

Chapter 166 No gifts this holiday season, except for high-end gifts.

After Bai Ye left under the pretext of taking a stroll around, only two deities and a wind priest remained in the shrine. However, unlike their usual jovial demeanor, all three wore serious expressions this time.

They looked at each other for a while before Kanako spoke first: "Suwako, what do you think of his invitation...?"

“Gensokyo?” Suwako tilted her head. “I remember someone mentioning a similar plan a thousand years ago. But back then, we both had many followers, so after mocking her, we drove her away. I heard she was fighting with the Dragon God and we laughed at her for a while.”

"So why do you have to make yourself uncomfortable?" Kanako's lips twitched.

Although she hadn't taken it to heart at the time, after Byakuya talked about the situation in Gensokyo, she actually thought of Yukari Yakumo, who had approached the shrine and sought cooperation with them back then. Originally, she thought that if neither of them mentioned it, and neither did the other, they could just pretend that these dark histories didn't exist, but Suwako just blurted it out.

“I don’t think it’s possible for two beings in Japan to have the same idea and be able to put it into practice. So the one that human mentioned asking him to invite us must be the Sage of Yokai,” Suwako said slowly. “As for saying he was too busy to come himself and asked this guy to come, it was probably to avoid embarrassing us because of the situation back then. From that perspective, the Sage of Yokai has shown a lot of sincerity.”

Put yourself in their shoes. If it were you, and someone who had mocked you at a crucial moment was about to die, you would have done more than enough by visiting them before they passed away.

But then again, has the personality of the Youkai Sage changed that much over the years? If it were the Yukari Yakumo they remembered, it would be quite kind of her not to kick someone when they're down in a situation like this.

"So...you want to accept his invitation?" Kanako sensed a clear hint of interest in Suwako's words.

"Ah—woo—, after all, the outside world is really unfriendly to us right now. Perhaps, as that human said, only Gensokyo is the most suitable place for us extraordinary beings. And you know our situation, right? In our current state, if we continue to stay in the outside world, we might even have to go before Sanae."

"..."

"Hey, Kanako-sama, Suwako-sama, why are you both staring at me like that?" Sanae, who was listening intently to some gossip about gods and yokai from a long, long time ago, was startled when she felt the shrine suddenly quiet down. She suddenly realized that Kanako and Suwako's eyes were now fixed on her.

"Sanae, what do you think about this?" Kanako asked.

"Is it about going to Gensokyo?" Sanae looked at her suspiciously. "Kanako-sama, you two can discuss this, why are you asking me?"

“After all, Sanae is our last remaining family now.” Suwako hugged Sanae without her noticing and buried her head in her chest, nuzzling against her.

"..." The shrine maiden's face turned red at a visible speed.

"Stop messing around, no matter how much you rub against her, it won't change the fact that you're flat-chested." Seeing that Sanae was about to faint from excessive shame, Kanako reached out and lifted Suwako up, walking towards the backyard.

“Sanae, think about this matter carefully. We both experienced the most glorious era of the gods, and we also witnessed the fall of our colleagues one by one… For us, many things don’t really matter anymore; family is the most important thing.”

Watching Yasaka Kanako's figure disappear around the corner of the corridor, Sanae rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought.

I feel like both Kanako-sama and Suwako-sama are acting a bit strange today. Is it because of what Mr. Byakuya said?

After thinking for a moment, the girl got up and walked out of the shrine.

……

Not far from the Moriya Shrine, there was a cliff. After leaving the shrine, Byakuya found the place without much trouble. After cleaning the dust off the rocks, he lay down with his head on his arm and admired the starry night sky.

Suddenly, he heard light footsteps beside him.

"Mr. Baiye, are you asleep?"

"Sanae." Night vision was already a basic ability for Byakuya now. After seeing who it was, Byakuya asked with a puzzled look, "You don't seem like the one who informed me that the two of them have made a decision. So, is there something else?"

"Um..." The girl sat down next to Bai Ye, bit her lip, and asked, "I heard from Kanako-sama that you, Mr. Bai Ye, are also human. May I ask what life is like for humans in Gensokyo?"

"You're going in too?" Bai Ye looked at her in surprise.

It may be a bit harsh to say this, but in Gensokyo, humans really are at the bottom of the food chain. However, if it were Sanae, as a shrine maiden of Moriya Shrine, she probably wouldn't be in such a miserable state.

"From what I just heard about Kanako-sama and Suwako-sama's conversation, entering Gensokyo should be more beneficial than harmful for them. However, if I insist on staying outside, given their stubbornness, they might actually stay outside forever..." Sanae suddenly sighed, "Am I being a bit narcissistic by saying this?"

"Not necessarily. For immortal beings, it's not an exaggeration to say that they might make any choice on a whim or for some other reason."

“So that’s the problem.” Sanae looked at Byakuya with a bitter face: “Although I’ve always felt that I’m doing pretty badly, at least I’ve gotten used to life outside. Even though I’ve only heard snippets of information, since that place can be the last paradise for very normal people, it must not be easy to get in and out, right?”

"If you have a good relationship with the administrator of the Great Barrier, it shouldn't be too difficult."

"..."

"Ugh, this is so annoying. Logically, as the Wind Guardian, I should be choosing to enter Gensokyo at this time, but I still can't bear to part with my Transformers, my Gundam, my..."

"If you mean those giant robots, I can give you one if you agree to enter Gensokyo." After a moment's thought, Byakuya said to Sanae, considering that his mission was to bring Moriya Shrine into Gensokyo.

"A limited edition model?"

Meeting the girl's bright eyes, Bai Ye first shook his head, then said something that instantly cheered the girl up: "How could I possibly give her a model? Of course, it's the kind of Gundam that you can sit in the cockpit and fly!"

Ever since witnessing the research capabilities of a wolf king in the Green Green Grassland who seemed to know everything except catching sheep, Bai Ye had no doubt that as long as he was given a basic concept, Grey Wolf could handcraft a Gundam for him using a broken copper and iron welding torch.

Chapter 167 External Affairs Concluded

Gundam models from the outside world or Gundams from Gensokyo...

Without much hesitation, Sanae Kochiya quickly made her decision. After all, being all alone, her only real attachment was this ancestral shrine and the two ancestral deities within it.

Everything else is nothing compared to Gundam.

Once she was sure Byakuya wasn't joking, the shrine maiden left excitedly, clearly eager to head to Gensokyo.

I don't know if her happiness right now stems from the fact that the two gods she serves are no longer in danger of disappearing at any moment, or from the fact that she can get a Gundam as long as she agrees to enter Gensokyo... Seriously, shouldn't girls prefer dolls or flowers and plants? Why would someone like a tall robot?

Even someone with a personality like Yuuka Kazami likes flowers.

……

The next morning, Byakuya returned to Moriya Shrine once again.

When he went in this time, Sanae was busy with something inside and out, while the two lazy gods were sitting on the top of the shrine watching the sunrise in the distance—Byakuya felt that this scene really made him want to complain.

"Yo~ human, good morning." Yasaka Kanako greeted Bai Ye when she saw him.

"Good morning." Bai Ye nodded, then came to the rooftop as well, looking down at Sanae who was still busy: "Have you made up your mind?"

“Yeah, I don’t know what method you used, but I have to admit it worked. After we got back last night, Sanae told us that she agreed to go to Gensokyo with us, but you might have to wait another day or two.” Kanako stretched and enjoyed the feeling of the morning sun on her body. “Sanae said that even though she might not be able to come out again, she still wanted to say goodbye to her friends here before leaving.”

"Saying goodbye...?"

"We're not that stupid, are we?" Noticing the suspicion in Bai Ye's eyes, Kanako muttered unhappily, "She just said that an elder of hers returned from abroad and found that Sanae was struggling to make ends meet at the shrine, so she planned to take her abroad to live. How could she possibly tell anyone about the Great Barrier?"

"I see..." After thinking it over carefully, although there were still some bugs, it was still an acceptable explanation, so Bai Ye didn't say anything more.