Track 3

Wow, Izumo Grand Shrine is breathtaking… And look at that massive shimenawa! The fact that it’s mentioned in the Kojiki¹ and Nihon Shoki² is enough to beggar belief³…

B-Beggar…? So basically what you’re saying is that the shrine’s kinda… like me?

No, Renga. "Beggar belief" doesn’t mean an actual beggar. It just means something is so incredible it’s hard to believe. The Kojiki and Nihon Shoki are Japan's oldest surviving texts, so the fact that the shrine appears in it shows how prestigious and amazing it is.

That's right. Izumo Grand Shrine also enshrines a deity called Okuninushi-no-Okami, who's said to have built the nation of Japan. He's an incredibly powerful god.

Hyoeeee~ This whole thing's way too big for this pea brain to handleee... Does this mean if I pray here I'll get rich or something?

Didn’t you say it was the god of matchmaking or something?

According to the guidebook…

Okuninushi-no-Okami is a kind-hearted deity who saved the White Rabbit of Inaba, overcame various hardships with Suseri-hime, and was blessed with many connections, which is why he's beloved as the god of forming bonds.

Good for you, Liguang. Apparently this shrine has ties to rabbits too.

Yeah, that’s right.

By the way, the shrine is commonly known as Izumo Taisha, but the official name is actually “Izumo Oyashiro⁴.”

A-Anyway, let's go pray...! The proper way to do it is... uh, right—two bows, two claps, one bow!

Renga, that’s the normal etiquette, but at this shrine it’s two bows, four claps, and one bow.

What, they do it differently here!?

Izumo Grand Shrine has lots of things that are different from other shrines. There’s also plenty of other places we can offer prayers, so let’s go through all of them!

Phew... Man, I was so nervous... Felt like the gods were actually watching me.

That makes sense, since the air is so fresh, and it feels like such a mystical place.

Renga-saaan, did you make sure to say your name and address when you prayed~?

Oh crap! I-I didn't say it...! Lemme redo it!

Whaaat, me too! I'm screwed if the cash doesn't roll in! Renga-san, I'm coming with youuu!!

Hey, hey, no running on shrine grounds.

*Sigh*... These are sacred grounds. That restlessness of theirs… I can’t believe it.

Haha. You mad, Liguang-san? So you even respect Japan’s gods, huh? A traditionalist as always.

Isn’t it basic human courtesy to show respect to places and deities that have a long history?

Huh…

What. Is there something you want to say?

Nope. I just thought you were more of a realist, but it turns out you actually believe in gods and stuff.

……

(Of all people, I would be the last to deny the existence of gods…)

(But the “Liguang” from before I lost my memories…may have indeed had a different opinion.)

That's good, Renga. You were able to pray without issues. Did you make sure to say all your wishes?

Yeah! I made sure to include my address and name and everything. Thanks, Yukikaze.

If you’re happy, then your big brother’s happy too.

Ew. Yukikaze, you do know you look creepy when you act all “big-brotherly”, right?

Did you manage to pray properly too, Kafka? As your big brother, I want nothing more than for your dreams to come true.

…Ugh. I should’ve known better than to talk to you. I’m going to go find my dearest Chief.

Great. I’ll go with you.

For the love of―! Don’t you dare follow me!

Oh, right, Liguang! I found a place with a whole buncha rabbit statues earlier!

……

Apparently there's a myth about the god here saving a rabbit! So, ahem.

If you're that desperate, I guess the Great Renga can take a picture of you with the rabbits?

No need. I've already taken care of it with Kamina.

Huh, what?! What kind of refusal is that?! I'm your sub-host here! Involve me more!

…Don’t make a racket, this is a shrine.

I’m going to pray for the severance of bad ties. You, idiot, can wander around with Fuefuki.

What?!

Boss man! Are you calling for me? Should I tag along for the prayers too...!?

……

Fuefuki, no. Don’t move. You stay with that idiot. Understood?

Right, he’s telling the noise and natural disaster to stay away.

That bastard Liguang...! I was trying to be nice and everything. Does he even want to communicate?!

...How did Kiba even get along with Liguang? They were best friends and rivals, right...?

……

(Liguang-san… He nominated Renga-kun to be his sub host, so I assumed he was planning to spend more time with him… But maybe that’s not the case.)

(I find Renga-kun’s energetic personality soothing, but the people I typically see Liguang-san talking to in the dorm are people like Yuki-nii, his mahjong friends, Nagi-kun, and Raito-san…?)

(When I think about it that way, they’re all the calm and composed type, aren’t they? Raito-san is relatively energetic, but he’s pretty calm too as long as the occult isn’t involved…? I think?)

Something on your mind?

Kafka. Yeah, do you remember when Renga-kun said the real “Renga Nishizono” and Liguang-san were best friends?

I do, but why are you bringing it up? Did something happen?

No, I was just thinking that if that’s true, I wonder if the original Renga Nishizono was a quiet person like Liguang-san.

Ah, I see. Is it because the people Liguang are close to tend to be composed themselves?

I want these two to use this opportunity to get along, but I’m not sure what’ll need to happen for that to work.

……

Regardless of how I feel about Liguang, I can definitely say I don’t like this original “Renga Nishizono” character.

Huh? Did you say something?

Nope. More importantly, let’s explore together some more, Chief!

……

(The Shrine of the Lord of Life⁵…where the Deity of Divine Creation⁶ is enshrined. And…the overgrown ancient tree that embraces it…)

(The history of disgraceful, blood-soaked conflicts… Have you seen that as well?)

……

Wow, this is amazing…

(Chief and…Oguro? When did they arrive?)

Oh, Liguang. I didn’t even notice you standing in the tree’s shadow.

Ah. Did you both come to see the tree too?

Yes. It’s huge, isn’t it? I’m sure it’s sheltered travelers for many generations…

……Compared to an existence that’s lived for a thousand years, a human’s life is short.

The baby that once visited has now grown into an adult, given life to a child, had grandchildren, and died. Yet the tree remains, still alive. Longevity is just a repeat of this cycle.

…It feels lonely if you think about it like that.

Yet for some reason, people still wish for immortality.

You’ve been a guidepost all this time, connecting people and sending them on their way. Thank you.

……

By the way, did you bring back the sand?

……?

…Didn’t you say you were going to take some home as a keepsake? Because there wasn’t a sea where you lived…

Uh, um… Did I say that?

Don’t you have some sand from Inasa Beach? You said it was a souvenir when we were kids, right?

…Never mind, what I said just now was a mistake. I most likely… confused it with a dream I had.

Hold on. Who did you imagine the chief in place of~? Depending on your answer, there might be consequences.

So you misremember things sometimes too, Liguang-san! You always remember the exact details of meetings and such so accurately, so I’m shocked.

…Maybe I’m getting old.

You’re only 20, what are you talking about?

Just forget it…

*Exhale*...

(Tamatsukuri Hot Spring… One of the three famous hot springs written about in The Pillow Book⁷. Izumo really has many places of historical significance.)

(A plaza where you can take home hot spring water in a spray bottle… This must be what Linxing wanted.)

(Found it! The place where they let you take hot spring water home! Linxing asked me to get some, so I gotta make sure I grab it. I bet Xingbing-san would be thrilled to get some too!)

……!

Liguang!?

…Tch. What are you doing?

Excuse me!? All I'm doing is putting together spray bottles as gifts for Linxing and Xingbing-san!

Why are you doing it? Forget it. I’ll be the one to get something for them.

I promised them when we met at that Ward 3 social party! So I'm getting them souvenirs!

Then we’ll just get them separately. Do what you want.

Fine, I will!

……

What're you waiting for? Hurry up and buy your spray bottle. I need to get mine too...

…They only accept cash.

...Says it's 200 yen. I only have 100. Liguang, what about you?

……

Ha! You've only got 100 yen yourself!

(It was my mistake coming here without any change. I only expected to be taking a short walk.)

Can't be helped. Let's combine our cash, buy one, and make it a joint gift.

……

Come on! What else can we do?!

…*Sigh*. Give me your coins.

Hey, apparently the hot spring water here is like a natural toner. Pretty cool, huh.

…This bottle is good enough.

Hey, don't just decide on your own! We gotta pick the colors they like too!

Hah? Anything will do, won’t it?

No way, no way. Packaging matters for skincare stuff, y’know.

There’s no point in taking their preference into consideration. Those two are polar opposites, so no matter which color you choose, it won’t be the right answer.

That’s your problem right there. You’re not seeing the trees for the forest at all!

If you’re talking about “not seeing the forest for the trees,” then you have both the meaning and words reversed, idiot.

What’dya say!?

—me.

…Wait. Whose voice is that?

Help me…!

……!!