My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 81: Chapter 63: Encountered a Wild Beautiful Girl

There’s not much to see inside the shrine, mostly just the architecture and the shrine maidens.

The so-called shrine maidens are one of the divine positions within the shrine, responsible for managing the shrine and serving the divine beings. They often wear white robes, crimson hakama, with white socks and red-tied straw sandals.

In the courtyard from the bird house to the main hall, you can see several women dressed as shrine maidens holding brooms, sweeping the grounds, or holding something unidentified, performing actions Aoto couldn’t comprehend toward the air in front of them.

Shrines generally only become lively and enjoyable during certain special festivals, such as New Year’s Day or the Obon Festival.

During these special festivals, there are many programs to watch, such as shrine maidens holding Shenle bells and taiko drums to perform dances for exorcism and blessings.

On regular days, visiting the shrine means just looking at the architecture, watching the shrine maidens sweep, wipe the floors, throwing incense money at the divine hall, praying for blessings, and making wishes.

Aoto had no interest in the so-called ”wishing before the divine.”

After having seen almost all the buildings and scenery within the shrine, Aoto turned his gaze behind him—

”Saito, do you want to wander around the shrine a bit more?”

Saito’s response was just as Aoto expected: he shook his head without hesitation.

Seeing Saito shaking his head and having gotten tired of wandering the place himself, Aoto planned to leave the shrine and explore other places in Fujisawa Inn.

There was still a little time before nightfall, allowing Aoto to do some sightseeing in Fujisawa Inn.

Just as Aoto was about to turn and leave Ejima Shrine—

Bang!

”Ah!”

A dull thump of bodies colliding and a sharp scream exploded simultaneously in front of Aoto.

Drawn by the strange sound, Aoto instinctively looked forward—only to see at the source of those two strange sounds, a young shrine maiden, about 20 years old, holding a broom, sitting sprawled on the ground. In front of her stood a figure cloaked in brown.

The person cloaked in brown wore a cloak with a very large hood.

This person pulled the hood down, covering her entire face, and the equally large cloak hid her figure.

With both face and body covered, it was impossible to discern appearance, gender, or age.

The only thing discernible was the height—according to Aoto’s estimation, this person was around 1.65 meters tall.

It was midwinter, and wearing a cloak with a hood was not unusual in this season.

”Ah... it hurts, it hurts...!” The shrine maiden sitting on the ground, clutching her right shoulder, had her mouth twisted in pain.

”...Sorry, I was in a hurry and bumped into you, please forgive me.”

The cloaked person, with a raspy voice as if something was stuck in the throat, apologized to the shrine maiden and extended a hand to help her up.

After helping the shrine maiden up and apologizing again, the cloaked figure turned and ran, sprinting in a hurry out of the shrine.

Watching the cloaked figure disappear into the distance, the shrine maiden continued to rub her right shoulder, cursing under her breath:

”Really, rushing to the Sanzu River or something... What’s with running so fast... Tsk...”

Recalling the scene just witnessed and listening to the shrine maiden’s curses, Aoto roughly guessed what had happened.

It was most likely that the cloaked person, in too much of a hurry, accidentally knocked the shrine maiden over.

It was a common daily occurrence, not worth too much attention, so Aoto didn’t pay it much heed, merely entertained by the commotion before he left.

Leaving the shrine directly, and arriving at the bustling vendor area beyond the bird house, Aoto looked up at the sky.

—— A little less than an hour until nightfall... not too long, not too short... might as well wander the market in Fujisawa Inn...

Besides Fujisawa Inn’s market, Aoto couldn’t think of any other place to pass the time either.

Though knowing asking Saito’s opinion would likely be pointless, out of respect for Saito, Aoto asked if there was anywhere Saito wanted to go.

As usual, Saito gave a very ”conversation-stopping” reply: he didn’t care where.

—— Then let’s go wander Fujisawa Inn’s market...

Aoto put his hands on his hips, looked left and right, searching for any idle-looking passersby who might point him in the right direction.

But at this moment—

”Ah, Miss Wu! I want to eat that!”

”Mochi dumplings, huh... Sure! Which skewers do you want?”

”I want the three skewers that are all red!”

”You want three skewers? Can you finish them?”

A conversation consisting of two pleasant female voices suddenly reached Aoto’s ears from his rear side.

Upon hearing this conversation, Aoto was suddenly stunned.

It’s not because the content of this conversation is particularly attention-grabbing.

Rather, it’s because one person’s voice in this conversation sounds very familiar to Aoto...

Aoto followed the voice and slowly turned his gaze...

A familiar silhouette he had seen recently appeared before Aoto.

——Miss Kinoshita...?

The familiar silhouette that came into Aoto’s sight was none other than the Mukiwa he hadn’t seen for several days.

Mukiwa was still wearing that bright red kimono that suited her well, with white socks and sandals with red cords on her feet.

Compared to several days ago, the only difference in Mukiwa was her hairstyle.

Days ago, when Aoto encountered Mukiwa on the street, her hairstyle was the very fashionable Shimada Bun.

But now, she had casually tied her waist-length black hair into a high ponytail.

The change in hairstyle also slightly altered Mukiwa’s aura.

The Shimada Bun had lent Mukiwa a quiet air.

Now with the high ponytail, Mukiwa seemed more energetic.

Encountering Mukiwa in the vendor area of Ejima Shrine in Fujisawa Inn—while surprising to Aoto, it didn’t cause him much shock.

For Aoto knew very well—days ago, Mukiwa had told him: she was coming to Fujisawa Inn to meet a friend.

At this moment, Mukiwa was standing in front of a snack stall.

Her right hand clasped the hand of a petite little girl.

The girl was about 1.4 meters tall, dressed in clothing of colors starkly contrasting Mukiwa’s.

Mukiwa’s kimono was mainly red.

While the kimono of this young girl was mainly sky blue.

Not only the color of the clothes was contrary, even their sandal colors were opposing, Mukiwa’s sandals with red cords, the girl’s with blue cords.

The girl’s head was wrapped in a cold-weather woman’s kerchief that entirely hid her hair, her face masked with a dark red Tengu mask that concealed her entire face.

On this girl, the only exposed skin was on her neck and two palms.

Her skin was very fair, but not a sickly, unnatural white.

The sunlight bathed her skin, making it smoother, finer, adding a slightly transparent texture.

Besides holding the hand of this girl in a blue kimono, a tall woman approximately 1.6 meters was following Mukiwa.

The woman wore a light yellow kimono, also had her hair fully covered by a kerchief, and wore the same dark red Tengu mask over her face.

Aoto noted—the woman’s skin was equally naturally beautiful and snow-white like the girl’s.

While conversing with the girl she was holding hands with, Mukiwa displayed a happy smile and bright expression Aoto had never seen before.

Utterly devoid of the ”shy girl” stance Aoto was familiar with.

After discussing which rice dumpling stick to buy, Mukiwa raised her head, looking toward the stall vendor—a middle-aged uncle with a hairline so high that shaving it bald might look better.

”Boss...”

Maintaining a cheerful smile, Mukiwa began negotiating with the vendor.

But... she barely uttered the first syllable of ”Boss” when her expression started to transform suddenly...

Aoto saw the smile vanish from Mukiwa’s face at a visible speed, as she slightly lowered her head, angling the crown toward the vendor.

Replacing her previous smile was nervousness and apprehension...

”￥#@&（*￥%...”

Aoto couldn’t hear what Mukiwa was saying...

”Huh? Miss, what are you saying?”

Not only Aoto didn’t hear, even the vendor just a step away from Mukiwa didn’t catch her words, leaning an ear toward Mukiwa with a puzzled look.

The overly shy Mukiwa, whom Aoto recognized, ”returned”...

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