After entering the rift, I was transported to another area
This time the interior is somewhat different from the previous one.
The furniture and lighting aren't the same from the shrine
I ignored those for now and move on in searching the rooms
Just like the previous memory, the rooms are mostly deserted
Then I found the stairs that leads to the upper floor and climb it
I continued searching and eventually I heard some noises at the end of the hall
I open the door and peek on the inside of the room.
As expected, I am seeing the same scenario from before but this time the people are not renards but rather humans. There is a man, a woman and a boy. The man has the negative oppressive energy emitting through his body. He has wine bottle on one hand and some sort of whip the other hand. The woman and the boy are crouching on the corner, pleading for the man to stop hitting them with the whip. <A/N: The whip that Miko is referring is a belt, in which Miko doesn't know>
'Okay, second times a charm' I took a deep breath and exhaled
Then I open forcibly opened the door. The three people look at my unusual appearance
"Who are you supposed to be?!" the man looked at me with confused yet angry expression
" Who am I is nothing for you to be concern about. What is important is for you to seize your oppression this instant" I pointed Gohei at him while trying to be intimidating.
"AHAHAHAH, I don't know the f*ck are you saying, brat. It's best for to scram from our house and go home" The man laughed and snorted at my proclamation in intimidating him.
'Dammit, I knew it is not enough to intimidate this idiot'
"I'm afraid I cannot do that, not until I purify that negative oppressive energy yours" I once again declared at the man
"Tsk, you talk too much, brat. COME HERE!!" This man also charges like the previous man and raised the bottle above his head. The man swings down the bottle and I dodge it.
However, he then swings the whip, that he has on the other hand, at me. I rolled to the ground to dodge and before I can get up, he kicked me at my sides. I went flying across the room and landed in front of the two people on the corner.
"Are you okay, dear?" The woman asked in concern
"I'm fine, stay behind me. I'll protect you two"
I stand up again and faced the man. We looked at each other's eyes and glared intently.
"You are quite feisty for a small brat like you" The man sneered with distain
"And you are quite pathetic for a father figure like you" I returned the insult at the man
"Why you!!" The man lashes his whip and charge forward.
I focus my senses and dodge swings of the whip
*Clang clang*
"Arrgh, the hell?!" The man was stunned by the sound of the bells
Then I swing my Gohei at him
"Arrrrgh!! F*cking shet" The man grimace from the pain of purification
I swing the Gohei again but then the man dodges it and made a step back to gain some distance
The man became more alert and watched my movements carefully
This man is much smarter than the previous one.
We again stared each other and ready our next move
However, instead of charging again, the man chose to ran away.
"Hey!! Come back here you coward" I screamed at the man and start chasing him.
I look outside of the room and I see the man running through the halls
*Clang*
"Hnngh, shet" I clang the bells to immobilize him but instead he only staggered a bit and continued running. I clicked my tongue in frustration and chased after him through the halls.
Shortly after, he went inside a room to the left. I followed him in the room but...
*BANG*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I tilted my head to the right and I barely dodge the something fast. It is a good thing that the projectile just grazed my cheek. I looked back and I saw a small hole in the wall.
Then I looked at the man, he seems to be holding a hand-held projectile weapon but I don't know what is it.
<A/N: Miko doesn't know what a pistol/gun is because it doesn't exist in the danmachi world, I think.>
"Hehehe, you were lucky, brat. You have dodged my bullet, but the next shot will not miss" The man chuckled as he holds his weapon.
"Now put down your fancy tools and kneel before me" The man ordered me to surrender
'Shet, what do I do? Should I follow his instruction or should I retaliate? If I fight back, surely, I will be shot by his weapon'
I slowly put down my Kagura Suzu and Gohei and slowly kneeled
"Hahaha, you're quite obedient for brat" I grit my teeth at his provocation
'I'll just going to pretend for now and strike him when he least expected'
The man approached me while pointing his weapon at me.
He kicks away my tools and sneered at my defeat
'Why did I surrender? of course, I don't have a chance against a long-ranged weapon, dammit'
I prayed for a miracle to happen as he is inching towards me
Then suddenly
"ORA!!"
something swings above my head and I turned around and saw the boy swinging a club on his hand. <A/N: club = baseball bat>
The club hit the wrist of the man and loses his grip on his weapon.
"Arggk, why you!! You should have stayed with your mom, you little shet!"
"Leave the onee-san alone, you big meany!!"
While the two are arguing, I took this opportunity and reach for my Gohei. I grabbed the Gohei and swing it at the man.
"Ugaarrh!"
"Oraaaaaaa!!"
I frantically swing my Gohei at man and every swing made him slowly becoming weak
I used most of strength to swing rapidly and purify the negative energy
Then finally, the man is on his knee, trembling in pain
I delivered the final blow by slamming down the Gohei to his head
*BONK*
"UUgeeh" The man's head is firmly planted to the floor with a huge bump on the top of his head.
I tried to calm myself down as pant heavily. I never been worked hard this much.
This guy is way harder to deal with than the previous man.
"Phew"
I look around the room and found my Kagura suzu on the floor
I picked it up and look at the boy
The boy seems rather happy that he swings at his old man
The man then fades away and the negative oppressive energy vanished
"Woah, onee-san, that's so cool"
"What is?"
"The way you swing your stick at my evil dad is so cool"
"Eheheh... really? thank you" I laughed awkwardly while rubbing the back of my head.
The boy brightly smiled at me when I said my thanks
Then not long after, the woman peek at the door and check at the situation
"Ara, where did my husband go?" the woman asked as she looks for her husband
"Well Ma'am, your husband was been purified and disappeared from this memory"
"Eh? purified? disappeared? and also, what do you mean by memory?" The woman panicked as she was confused at my statement
"Come on mom, calm down will ya" the boy calms his mother down from her panic attack
"Well, you see, your husband is releasing a huge amount of negative oppressive energy, so I was tasked to purify the negativity and after he was purified, he disappears from this place. As for this situation, everything here is just a memory, more precisely your son's memory, which includes you, your husband and him" I explained clearly to the woman
"I see, if this is just my boy's memory. But how come you are here if this is his memory" The woman asked me after the understanding the previous statement.
"Ah you see, your son's soul is within me"
""EH?!"" The two people was shocked at my revelation
"Wait, my son's soul was inside you? But how?" The woman and the boy shake me by the shoulder and probed me for an explanation.
"Hey calm down please, I'll explain" I said and the two stopped shaking me
"You see, your son died and his soul is transmigrated to me"
"Eh? he died, since when?" "I died? since when?" The two said simultaneously
"Yes, he probably died in when he was older and his soul was transferred to my body. When his soul entered my body, his and my soul fused together. However, the memories of his soul were separated and I am here to take it back"
"I see" The mom nodded in understanding
"Then how about telling me about the situation that happened in this memory. Who was that man? How did he got drunk in the first place? Why did he tried to hurt you two?" I inquire for information about the memory of the soul.
"Ah, you see, that man was my husband, his name is Kiritsuki Suzuki. He used to work as police officer in the city, but one day he got fired from his job. He tried to drink his problems away but it made things worse. My husband became so drunk that he went crazy and attack us with his belt to vent his frustration"
I see, so that's why the two memories are so similar. Both men came across an unfortunate event that ruined their life. Then both of them drink alcohol to soothe their pain but it backfired at them. Then the two husbands got so drunk and they hurt their wives and child.
"Ah I almost forgot; my name is Yae Miko. may I ask your names?" I introduced myself and asked for their names
"My name is Iris Suzuki"
"Mine is Shirou Suzuki"
"Ah, nice to meet you, Iris-san and Shirou-kun" I bow my head at them and they did the same as well.
Then a distorted rift appeared, signifying that I am done with my task
"I guess this is my next stop, I will be off then"
"Hai, good luck Miko-chan"
I nodded and start walking forward to the rift
"Wait!"
I stopped my movements and look behind me
I saw the boy ran off from the room, but he then came back few minutes later
He came back holding some sort of books
"Here, take these" He then gave me the books. Each of them has colorful images and some texts on the front of the books.
"What's this?" I asked the boy on what he gave me
"Those are light novels and each have beautiful stories. One of those books has a character that looks like you" the boy explained
"I see, thank you for the gift" I then insert the books under my arms.
"Goodbye then" I said my farewell at them
The two also said farewell and I stepped in the rift.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
After exiting the rift, I returned to the empty flat world.
I looked at my surrounding and saw two floating glowing orbs hovering from the ground. One of the orbs is purple with sparks coming out of it, while the other one is red and somewhat fiery.
"Ara, what do we have here?"
I approached the two orbs and tried reaching out to one.
As I did, some memories flowed in my mind.
"These must be the souls of Miko and Shirou"
I remembered what Takemikazuchi-sama said to me on what to do with these souls.
I could either absorb all of the memories or I could store them inside objects.
My first thought is absorbing all of the memories and be done with it.
However, I dismissed because I might get a headache from absorbing both of their memories in my head.
So, the other choice is to bond it with something.
I could try using the books Shrou gave me, but I rather not use it for that.
So, my choice is using the Kagura Suzu and Gohei as vessels for the souls.
I shoved the two objects to the orbs and try focusing on fusing the souls with the tools.
The Kagura Suzu for the purple soul and the Gohei for the red soul.
The souls then get suck in their respective vessels and it begins to glow
The room lit up and everything was engulfed by the light
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I slowly opened my eyes and I looking at the blue sky
"Miko-san, are you okay?" I look at the direction of the voice
I saw Yamato-san and the others looking at me
I am currently laying down the ground, so I lift myself up and sit down
"What happened?"
"You successfully vanquished the negative oppressive energy from the memories of those two souls and you seem to successfully bound them to a vessel" Takemikazuchi-sama pointed at a certain direction.
I look down and was shocked on what I saw.
The Kagura Suzu and the Gohei that I am holding had changed their appearance. The Kagura suzu's bells that was gold before, now are all purple and the handle also becomes purple with gold highlights. The Gohei on the other hand, its stick is colored in red and becomes longer. The tip of the stick has small figure that looks like gold shrine gate and a purple flower on the center. The two zigzag papers also changed, gradient of red and pink appear on the tip of each end.
<image>
"Ara, it seems that you bonded the souls to the sacred tools" Tsukuyomi-sama looked at the bells and wands changed appearance
"Is it bad, Tsukuyomi-sama?"
"Fufufu, no dear, it's fine. More importantly, what are those books you have there?" She pointed at the books that got from Shirou that I am currently tucking in my arms.
"Ah, the boy in one of the memories of the soul gave these to me as farewell gift"
"I see, now tell me all what you saw and learned inside the memories of the two souls" She inquire me and I nodded
I started narrating the event that had unfolded in the memories. I told them that both fathers got severely sadden from their failures and both drown themselves with alcohol to forget their mistakes. However, they became too drunk that they started mistreated their family and hurt them.
Tsukuyomi-sama and the others listened to my narration and nodded in understanding
"I see, is that all?"
"Well, I also learned about the names of the people in the memories, as well as my true name"
"Ara? then what is your true name then"
"Yae Miko"
"I see, now that everything is over, let's end this ceremony here"
"Yes, understood Tsukuyomi-sama"
I stood up and walked towards Yamato-san and others
I chat with them and talked about the things I saw in memories
While I we were busying ourselves in our conversations, one of the orphan from the shrine came running towards us
"Kami-sama!! We have visitors!"
"Ara, who are they might be?"
"They said they are group of families of the Royal Court"
"!!"
We all rush towards the entrance of the shrine and saw a huge group of people standing at the entrance gate.
They were the members of Sanjouno family together with the other families of the Royal Court.
Then I saw a familiar figure in the midst of the group. A figure that is similar to the one I saw in the memories of Miko. An old male renard with scruffy beard and messy hair. He wields a sword at his hip and he has a serious look at his face.
Ah, how could I forget who is this person. The one and only person the hurt me and my mother.
"Father..."
[Miko's POV]
Me and my group are now standing in front of the mob of visitors at the entrance gate of the shrine.
There's the Sanjouno family that I really hate, it seems that they didn't bring Haruhime-san with them. They really do lock her up room, so frustrating.
Then there are also other families that I don't know. There are humans with black hairs and they wear fancy and colorful robes and others that look like midgets.
And finally, we have the man that haunted my childhood because of his failure and drunkness. The man that beaten me and my mother because of the humiliation he got from the royal court. The man has brown hair, large fox ears and one fluffy tail. He has slanted purple eyes that looks always serious. He wears a dark brown robe that is opened on the chest area, revealing a muscular build. He also has long and worn-out sword strapped to his waist.
He approaches me and we look each other in the eye.
"Why are you here... father?"
"I am taking you back home"
"Hoh? What if I don't want to?"
"Then I'll forced you to come"
"Like how you used force to beat me and mother up?!"
My father froze after I said but returned to his stoic and stubborn expression
He then grabbed me arm and dragged away from the group
"HEY! Let me go! I said I don't want to go!"
I tried to break free from his oppressive grasp but he firmly gripped my arm
But then, Takemikazuchi-sama grabbed my father's arm
He was surprised by the strength of a god, he looked at Takemikazuchi-sama in the eye
"Hakuro-san, is that the proper way to convince your own daughter to come with you?" He said with a smile in his face, however, he looks somewhat annoyed by my father's behavior.
My father was frightened by Takemikazuchi-sama and he let go of his grip from my arm. Takemikazuchi-sama also let go of my father and he stand in front of me, facing at my father.
"You, why didn't you return my daughter to me?" Father asked in a stern tone
"We don't trust you"
"What?"
"After Miko told us how you abused her in the past, we didn't take it lightly and we want her to stay us from now on"
"Is that so, Takemikazuchi-san? What do you think the Royal Court will do if we told them that the Takemikazuchi family stole the daughter of a Royal Court executive swordsman, hmm?" says the leader of the Sanjouno Family, Haruhime's father.
He looked the scene with great interest, planned to report Takemikazuchi-sama and the others if they didn't return me to my father. Shet, I hate this man so much.
"Tsk, do you nobles have any idea how this girl had suffered from her father, don't you?" Takemikazuchi-sama is getting pissed by the renard's threats.
"Her circumstance about her father is none of our concern, we are just returning this girl to her home, that's all"
"You bastards" veins popped out of Takemikazuchi-sama's head and he is about to walk towards, but Tsuyukomi-sama grabbed his hand and stopped him
"Sanjouno-san, can you at least respect Miko's decision to stay here?" Tsuyukomi-sama pleads to the Sanjouno leader.
"Oh, do you think Amaterasu-sama will take you kindly if she found out that you kidnapped the Yae's daughter?"
"We didn't kidnap her! We just nursed her back to health after we saved her from drowning"
"Then why didn't you return her to her family after you save her, hmm?" The renard leader shrewdly asked. Tsukuyomi-sama was taken aback and had nothing to say to refute that.
The children on the back were both angry and afraid, Takemikazuchi-sama is visibly angry right now and Tsukuyomi-sama is conflicted to what should she do.
I closed my eyes and think for a bit. Then I opened it and I take a stand.
"Fine, I will go"
Takemikazuchi-sama was shocked, no, everyone from group was shocked from my decision
"See, was it that har-"
"BUT! I have a condition, no, three condition" I cut Sanjouno-san mid-sentence and he was irritated by my sudden remarks
"What are those conditions then"
"First condition, I am allowed to come and go to the shrine whenever I want. Second condition, I can take a visit to Haruhime-san's room whenever I want. Finally, third condition, I can go anywhere in the Royal Court whenever I want"
Everyone was taken aback from the conditions I had just said. Well, everyone except the Sanjouno leader who is red to the face and visible veins popping on his head.
"YOU! KNOW YOUR PLACE, BRAT! YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS TO SAY SUCH OUTRAGEOUS CONDITIONS!!" He yelled at me as he frantically points his finger at me
"Oho? Outrageous you say? I think these three conditions are quite simple and reasonable to me" I smugly said as I waved three fingers at him. Because of that he becomes more furious at me.
"Everyone?! Do you think you will accept this brat's unacceptable crude conditions?!" He then turned around and asked his companions to back him up. The people look conflicted if they want to accept or deny those conditions
"I think it is fairly reasonable if you ask me" A voice can be heard within the crowd that agreed to my conditions. The crowd splits and revealed a small but elegant girl. She is a human with black hair, red robe and a yellow overcoat. She has a calm and gentle expression that can warm anyone's heart when looked at her appearance.
"Kaguya-sama?! How could you accept her conditions?!" the renard leader blurted out to the little girl
"I mean, there is nothing wrong to move around in the Royal Court if you wish to, I mean you are not his father. So, you have no rights to decide on what to do with her" the girl explained herself to him. The other people understood her reasoning and decided to agree with my conditions.
Then renard leader look at my father and ask for his backing.
"Hakuro-sama, please tell your daughter to stop her nonsense!!" He pleaded to my father for him to deny these conditions.
"My daughter's decision is none of your concern, Sanjouno-san. I only want to bring my daughter back to me" My father denied his plead, making the renard to explode in fury.
"So~ What do you think, Sanjouni-san~? Everyone seems to agree with those conditions~ Will you finally accept my conditions?" I mockingly said to the furious renard
His whole face is painted in red due to overwhelming anger. However, he finally gives in.
"Fine! Don't you think you can outsmart me next time, brat" the renard leader turned his back from me and angrily walks back to his crowd
"Oh, I think I will~" I cheekily replied to his threat
He angrily looks back but decided to ignore my provocation and leave.
The crowd followed him but the girl looks at me and takes a bow at me, I bowed as well as thanks for convincing the crowd to accept the conditions.
My father is also about to leave but turns around to look at me not following him
"What are you waiting for, Miko?" He asked me because I'm still standing within my group.
"Father, can I at least say goodbye to my companions?" I asked my father a favor
"Sure, I will wait" He accepted my favor and stands by the entrance gate to wait for me.
I turned around and faced my companions. They looked at me with concern and sad expression
"Don't look at me like that, guys. I can visit you guys anytime to play" I reassured them
"But Miko, are you sure you can handle yourself in there?" Tsukuyomi-sama worriedly asks
"It's okay Tsukuyomi-sama, at least I have my memories back before I leave"
"I see, I respect your decision" She nodded and backs away
Takemikazuchi-sama approaches me and he brings out the upgraded Kagura Suzu and Gohei I had
"Here, take these with you"
"But Takemikazuchi-sama, these are the sacred tools of the shrine. I can't bring this with me" I panic as I tried to refuse the offer. However, he grabbed my hands and made me hold the two sacred tools.
"It's okay Miko, these tools are now bound to the two souls that was once in your body. Plus, you can look to the memories of the soul without the risk of colliding with your soul" He explained the necessity of these tools. I was reluctant but I nodded in understanding and stored the tools inside my tails.
"Here, Miko-san. You almost forget to bring these books with you" Yamto-san said as she hands out the novel gifted to me.
"Thank you Yamato-san. Everyone, I will be off now"
"Yeah, come back to play with us, okay?"
"Umu" I nodded in confirmation
I turned around and walk to where my father is and walk to the direction of the Royal Court
Creation is hard, cheer me up!
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