"I..." Riki's expression became somewhat complicated. She looked down at the cat in her arms and asked her, "Haruko, do you believe in gods and monsters?"
Su Deng walked to the edge of the cliff and sat down, watching the gradually fading sunset on the horizon. She smiled and said, "The gods are our faith. Is Miss Cigong doubting her own faith?"
“Faith…” Riki Jinomiya’s gaze was fixed on the distant mountain as she gracefully knelt beside her. “I can feel it. Everyone dislikes me, but I don’t care. I believe in God, I worship God, I make offerings to God, but I really don’t want to be a priestess…”
“But…” her voice became low and bitter, “I had no choice.”
Su Deng turned her head to look at her.
Since arriving here, Riki Tsunomiya has been ostracized, but she doesn't care. She just comes to the back mountain to practice dancing alone, remaining silent and withdrawn, which makes her seem out of place among everyone else.
But no one has spoken to her for a long time, and she wants to talk to someone.
Once I started talking tonight, I couldn't stop.
“From birth, I was raised by my family to be a shrine maiden, because the Ibaraki and Jinomiya families, who have fallen on hard times in recent years, need a shrine maiden to change their situation so that they can survive…”
Riki Tsunomiya's voice was so soft it was almost blown away by the wind as she spoke, "I've been learning Kagura dance since I was three years old, learning various ritual dances and other dances performed by shrine maidens, all so that one day I can dance for the gods."
Chosen by the gods to dance for them, everyone tells her that she must become the shrine maiden of Wushan Shrine, the wife of the gods, and their spokesperson.
Only in this way can Ibaraki escape its current state of destruction, and the Jinomiya family can enjoy eternal glory.
Becoming a shrine maiden seemed to be her innate responsibility.
But do gods really exist?
Riki Tsunomiya asked herself this question more than once.
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