「 Tsukiko-san, do you think you can become a prostitute? 」
Nei asks Tsukiko.
「 I can’t 」
「 Why? 」
Tsukiko looks at me.
「 To think that I’ll see something so sad every time I have sex, I won’t be able to endure it 」
Peeking through people’s mind.
They’ll find the wounds at the bottom of it.
「 Tsukiko won’t become a prostitute as well then? 」
「 I think I can’t. If becoming a prostitute is what everyone says it is then I’ll need to have sex with anyone. I don’t think my heart can stand that 」
Tsukiko’s reply surprised me.
Is Jii-chan okay with the three of them not becoming a prostitute?
If they can’t become a prostitute then they can’t train to become a shrine maiden, or did I get this wrong?
「 But, what should I do? I must become a shrine maiden, whatever it takes 」
Tsukiko?
「 Yo-chan, don’t worry about anything unnecessary 」
Nei said.
「 Yes, this happening is part of Grandfather’s plan 」
Misuzu?
「 Hey, Tsukiko-san, have you ever met the shrine maiden before your mother? 」
Nei asks.
「 No, I haven’t 」
「 But do you know her name? 」
「 Yes 」
They never met the shrine maiden two generations ago?
「 I mean, what is Tsukiko’san’s grandmother doing now? Not the shrine maiden grandmother tho 」
「 My paternal grandmother died three years ago, she didn’t seem to be a shrine maiden 」
Her grandmother from the Father’s side wasn’t a shrine maiden.
「 Grandmother from Mother’s side was a shrine maiden, but she died before I was born. Uhm 」
「 The Takakura shrine maidens are short-lived 」
Yomiko speaks for her sister.
「 I hear that your lifespan’s reduced in exchange for the “Miko power” 」
「 Well, that’s not unreasonable. You see through the other party’s heart when you have sex 」
Nei mutters.
「 Much more if that other party is a big boss in Yakuza 」
「 Why, Ya-chan? 」
I asked. Nei;
「 A man who rises to become a Yakuza big boss would be an old man with too many desires. On top of that, he pushed down a lot of people to misfortune to rise up to that position. Both men and women 」
Even if his hands don’t get dirty, he’s done something that would kill the lives of many people.
If one has strong desires, he’ll have sex with a lot of women.
「 I don’t know who first started the Takakura shrine maiden’s arbitration with the Yakuza’s conflict but, that’s just an ugly trap 」
Nei said.
「 They make some sort of dispute and then the big boss of both organizations can rape the shrine maiden. If it’s a pervy old man with so much lust, then he’d easily join the ride. “I can make the shrine maiden feel better than that other boss,” and they have some weird conflict already 」
Is it that easy?
「 Takakura shrine isn’t revered that much I think. I’m sure that the elders from the Yakuza world would say that “this is a ritual from the old days” and force the shrine maidens to proceed with the arbitration. Then, well, they’ll have sex with the same woman and have the bosses join in. There’s the idea of having sex with the same woman makes them “hole brothers” It’s a convincing method in the Yakuza world 」
Nei looks at Tsukiko.
「 Furthermore, the shrine maiden used for the arbitration ceremony has to be young and beautiful. That would please the bosses 」
「 Indeed, mother was still young when I was born 」
Tsukiko replied.
「 But, Nei-chan, Tsukiko-san’s mother has done the arbitration twice 」
The arbitration that gave birth to Tsukiko and,
The mediation that gave birth to Luna.
「 Well, there’s only five years gap in there, it might just be that there wasn’t any other suitable shrine maiden candidate in the family. Or maybe, the boss who participated in the arbitration ceremony when Tsukiko-san was a famous one that the following one asked: “I want the same shrine maiden ‘that’ boss had sex with.”
Nei explains.
That is why Tsukiko’s mother had done a second arbitration.
「 Either way, someone’s in charge of the conflicts and then both the big bosses perform the sex ritual with the shrine maiden. Then, both big bosses can see each other’s minds together with the shrine maiden 」
All of the secrets they’re hiding in their heart is exposed.
「 That shock will make the big bosses lose their will to continue the conflict. You see, they might be pretending to strike a deal, but there are some who prepare to continue the fight behind the scenes 」
Yeah, to outwit the other, there would be a boss who’d try to pretend to settle the dispute, but,
If that person experiences the “Miko power” and have his heart seen through, he’d be scared.
I’ve experienced it myself, so I know that everything was seen through.
If one had their heart seen through then, it would be impossible for them to have the conflict further.
「 And so, the Yakuza world does that to prevent recklessness from both bosses. After all, even all of the memories in the past the bosses have hidden from their peers are all seen through by the shrine maiden 」
I see.
「 Wait, if those bosses who experienced the arbitration once, had sex with the shrine maiden and had their heart read told someone about it, won’t there be no one to receive the shrine maiden’s arbitration even if the elders recommend it? 」
Ruriko asks.
「 No, those who experienced the Miko power won’t talk to anyone about it 」
I said.
「 They don’t want anyone to know. Yakuza bosses are people with high pride after all. Besides 」
「 What is it? 」
「 If there were anyone else who gets caught in the trap the elders set up, they’ll feel “serves’ you right” That’s their personality. Therefore, they’re all silent. They might mention that the Takakura shrine maiden has some strange power, but they won’t speak specific such as “reading one’s heart” Rather, they’ll say that it would be beneficial for them if they participate int he arbitration ceremony as you’ll have sex with the shrine maiden 」
They’ll do it with fellow bosses. They have a competing relationship after all.
「 Then, the part where the shrine maidens are short-lived was because they read through the heart of the bosses? 」
Mana asks.
「 No, they can’t. After all, the elders who intermediated the reconciliation knows the dispute between bosses. That the shrine maidens read through their heart. If they make a move on the shrine maiden, it will affect the name of that boss, I mean that he’ll become a laughingstock 」
I think.
In fact, the other party of the conflict experienced the same thing, stops them to protect the shrine maiden.
「 In that case, why does the shrine maidens die soon? 」
「 Mana-chan, you see 」
Nei looks at Tsukiko and the two.
「 It’s because they can’t endure it mentally. A young girl suddenly is raped by two bosses of Yakuza, and they show off everything to her. Furthermore, it’s two people 」
Indeed, they won’t be able to endure that.
It’s everything from the memories of the past and even the plans for the next crimes.
The Yakuza old men are showing off all their malice and grudge.
「 They’re not ordinary people. Naturally, the shrine maiden’s heart will feel ill 」
That’s why they die young.
Maybe, some shrine maidens committed suicide.
「 What kind of person is Tsukiko’s mother? 」
I asked.
「 She’s kind, but 」
「 Mother lived in the front shrine most of the time 」
「 We hardly talked to her 」
Tsukiko, Yomiko, Luna.
「 Who’s looking after your training then? 」
「 It was my Grandmother until she died. Then after her, it was Father 」
「 Kiyomi-sama who’s currently in the shrine comes over sometimes to guide us 」
「 We met mother only about once a week if I recall correctly 」
Maybe, Tsukiko’s mother is having psychological problems.
Thus, she’s confined in the front shine.
「 Danna-sama, let’s summarize what we understood so far 」
Misuzu changed the topic.
「 We know that there are two types of Takakura shrine maiden, the “Tsuki” which can read people’s minds, and “Yomi” which causes people to follow her will, but 」
「 That would mean that only the “Tsuki” shrine maiden can mediate the Yakuza 」
「 Yes. It seems that I’m mistaken to assume that the Tsuki and Yomi shrine maiden take work alternately in the shrine 」
Reading minds while having sex is what’s necessary for the arbitration.
「 Hmmm. The “Yomi” power is the original power of the shrine maidens in Takakura shrine. As for the “Tsuki,” it’s the power of the wandering shrine maiden who came to the shrine after the Meiji era. If I recall 」
Nei thinks while saying those.
「 I mean, it was also since Meiji era when Takakura shrine started to associate themselves with the Yakuza and started the arbitration ceremony 」
Yeah, that’s right.
「 This is just my guess, but you see 」
Nei speaks.
「 The Takakura shrine is a historic one that’s been present since ancient times, but they’ve started to decline during the Meiji era. The power of the original shrine maidens are fading out 」
「 Indeed, in Meiji era, the new government tries to control the old shrines and temples that the flow from the Edo period is interrupted, it’s conceivable that the Takakura shrine is also in a difficult situation 」
Ruriko says.
「 That’s why the Takakura shrine accepted the wandering shrine maidens who lost their place due to the suppression of the Meiji government, then they tried to restore the Takakura shrine maiden’s power with the help of the wandering shrine maidens 」
Nei said.
「 But, the fact that they had the wandering shrine maidens means that those who had a close relationship with the Yakuza called them to the Takakura shrine 」
Misuzu said.
The wandering shrine maidens have traveled around the country, praying and singing at various places, earning money for living.
They have a relationship with the Yakuza in each region.
「 And as for the Yakuza, they didn’t have that great power in the Edo period. It’s a feudal system after all. There can’t be a big boss with such great power that extends on many people. At most, they can lead a local town. Well, there’s a network or a group between post towns of the highway so even if the boss of each area knows each other’s face and have a degree of friendship, they can’t put together a massive organization with one big boss 」
Nei said.
「 The story of Kunisada Chuji’s activities at the end of the Edo period is known around the world that he became a hero of the masses after the Meiji era. The Kabuki Panzui director palace guard is different from the “town guy” in Edo town. What I mean is that in Edo, there were residents who are gamblers were residents of the underground world but, in Meiji era, it’s become a foundation of a Yakuza hero 」
「 Why? 」
「 They’ve used so much power that they’ve increased the change to come to the surface with it 」
「 Danna-sama, most of the luxury homes in the region in Japan are still from the Meiji era. In the Meiji period, the feudal system has disappeared, and the distribution system became free, especially the control of Confucian warriors are gone, and the merchants were able to do business freely. Also, the national isolation is lifted, and the ability to trade with foreign countries resulted in the birth of a lot of wealthy people everywhere 」
「 And the Yakuza who are linked to such commerce grows larger as well 」
Yakuza increased its scale in the Meiji era.
「 Once their scale grows big enough, there will be conflicts. If those working only in their local town grows stronger, the surrounding Yakuza will become affiliated and grow. Then, they’ll have an interest in some town, and it’ll become a war 」
「 Thus, they need an arbitrator 」
Misuzu nods on Nei’s explanation.
「 I don’t know who but some people thought that the wandering shrine maidens’ power to read someone’s mind can be used for the arbitration. Then, the shrine-maidens mentioned above are now residing in Takakura shrine 」
Thus, the Takakura shrine maidens were used by the Yakuza.
「 The Yakuza only wants the “Tsuki” power, which means only the wandering shrine maidens. I mean, they didn’t notice the “Yomi” power that could make others obey them. At that time, the original shrine maidens of the Takakura shrine had a decline in their power 」
Nei said.
「 The shrine’s priest marries the wandering maiden and the “Yomi” power gradually reappears, that’s the Takakura shrine’s wish 」
Then that means.
「 They only made contact with the Yakuza to revive Takakura shrine economically. 」 Not with donations but a long term relationship, the Yakuza has come to revere them as well 」
For Yakuza like Andou who doesn’t know the truth about the shrine maidens, they’ll protect the Takakura shrine.
「 Therefore, the “Tsuki” shrine maiden’s training continued. In a way, it’s so bad. The “Tsuki” shrine maiden is a throwaway every time the Yakuza conflict happens which forces them to perform an arbitration ceremony. Therefore, there are a lot of Tsuki shrine maiden candidates. 」
There’s two out of the three sisters here.
Tsukiko and Luna are both “Tsuki” shrine maiden candidates.
「 It’s unknown when there will be another conflict between Yakuza happening after all 」
Once there’s another conflict, the virgin girl will perform the arbitration most of the time.
However, that shrine maiden will see the hearts of the two big bosses of Yakuza.
They’ll suffer mentally and tend to die early.
「 Then, the child born from the arbitration will most likely be the Tsuki shrine maiden. The child of the priest would be the Yomi shrine maiden. After all, Takakura shrine desires to get back the “Yomi” power 」
The priest and his daughter don’t care about the Yakuza.
Takakura shrine who had their “Mko power” decline once wants to take back the unique “Yomi” power.
「 Thus, there are two kinds of shrine maidens, is it? 」
Ruriko asks.
「 I think so. Perhaps, Kiyomi-san is the current “Yomi shrine maiden” Tsukiko’s mother was the only “Tsuki shrine maiden” 」
Kiyomi is Yomi.
Kyomi-san is the sister of Tsukiko’s mother.
「 Then the next Tsuki shrine maiden has Tsukiko and Luna, then Yomiko’s the Yomi shrine maiden 」
I mutter.
「 I don’t know Yo-chan. Tsukiko-san, does Kiyomi-san have a child? 」
「 Yes, a girl 」
「 And her name? 」
Right, which is it?
「 Koyomi-san 」
Koyomi.
So it’s a Yomi.
「 And who’s the father of that girl? 」
「 Uhm, I heard that it’s someone with the Takakura shrine’s blood, but I’ve never met him 」
Then, Edie speaks up.
「 I think that child has the same Papa as Tsukiko 」
Tsukiko’s father.
That would be the priest who was killed together with their mother.
「 Maybe the priest impregnates both the Tsuki and Yomi shrine maidens? 」
Well.
「 It’s better to have more candidates for the next shrine maiden 」
Edie said.
「 However, if that’s the case, why is Kiyomi-san not living in the Takakura shrine? 」
Ruriko asks.
「 That’s because the Takakura shrine doesn’t want the Yakuza to know about the Yomi power. If they find that out, they’d want to use it 」
「 No, the Yakuza knew it long ago. Yomiko-san’s using her “Yomi” power daily 」
Nei said. Misuzu disagrees.
「 Err, Ah, I see! 」
Nei thinks.
I understand it for now.
The reason why Kiyomi-san didn’t stay in Takakura shrine because;
Tsukiko’s mother is ill.
Usually, once the heart of the shrine maiden breaks from the arbitration ritual, the next one is switched in.
Kiyomi-san is the Yomi shrine maiden, so the Yakuza didn’t do anything with her, however.
However, that little sister had sex with the priest and gave birth to a child to connect the shrine maiden blood.
She can’t bear that.
She can’t live together with the elder sister.
「 That’s good, Ya-chan. Let’s keep listing up the mysteries as we find them. Either way, what we have now is just guesswork, and we have no choice but to check on them one by one 」
I said.
「 Anyway, Tsukiko wants to become a shrine maiden by all means because she thinks she has to do the “arbitration ritual” 」
「 Yes, Yomiko-sama, a “Yomi shrine maiden” cannot perform the arbitration ritual 」
Yomiko can’t read people’s mind through sex.
「 Luna-sama is still too young 」
?!
「 Could it be that Tsukiko thinks that an arbitration ritual will happen soon? 」
I asked. Tsukiko;
「 Kuromori-sama, what do you think is happening now? 」
Now?
「 Unryu Kaizan Mori family’s 7th Generation Patriarch, Satake Nobuo’s faction wants to kill us and Kansai Raijin Oodori family’s patriarch, Oodori Hiroyoshi intends to take us, the two are in conflict 」
Satake is the boss of the group that took over Takakura shrine.
Oodori is the boss of Andou’s group who’s trying to kills the Takakura sisters by taking advantage of the opportunity.
Oodori himself has experienced the arbitration ritual and once had his heart read by a shrine maiden. He wants to eliminate the shrine maidens who hold such great power.
The two Yakuza groups are chasing after the Takakura sisters while fighting.
To be exact, Kouzuki SS joins into a three-way battle.
「 Don’t you think that it’s necessary to end this conflict via arbitration ritual with the Takakura shrine maiden? 」
Tsukiko?
「 No, but if I recall, Oodori is 」
He’s possibly Tsukiko’s father.
「 That’s the mission imposed on the Takakura shrine maidens so it must be fulfilled 」
Tsukiko said.
「 All of this means that I must work as the shrine maiden 」
Tsukiko and Luna are the two remaining candidates for the Tsuki shrine maiden.
Luna’s too young that she can’t possibly accompany two Yakuza bosses.
In that case.
「 I think that if I become a prostitute and mingle with men in a short time, I can fully awaken my “Miko power” 」
Training to read other people’s mind through sex.
「 However, the result of the first one is this 」
Tsukiko read my heart, and she received a significant amount of shock.
「 Grandfather thought that Tsukiko-san felt that way, so he chose Danna-sama as her first partner 」
Misuzu?
「 Danna-sama’s suffered a lot more than ordinary people. He’s much more earnest than anyone 」
Me, earnest?
「 Even in sex, Danna-sama’s earnest 」
「 Yeah. If her first time were with some horny high-school boy or salaryman, then Tsukiko-san’s impression in it would be different 」
Nei said.
「 Ordinary people don’t have such heavy emotions in their heart, and they only have the desire to have sex with a cute girl. That’s what she’ll feel 」
「 Indeed. If she had sex with those people, then Tsukiko-san might ask “are all men like this?” “Is sex just a way to release libido?” and such 」
Misuzu said.
「 Even if she repeats it multiple times and face the big bosses for the Yakuza in the arbitration ritual, I think that she’ll find hearts that are too sticky and back like coal tar. She won’t be able to endure that 」
Nei’s right.
Yakuza bosses are different from ordinary people.
「 That’s why Kouzuk-ojiichan thought of letting Yo-chan who’s a frank and earnest person be her first
