The snow hadn't melted, but it wasn't as cold as winter.
During today's etiquette lesson, Riki Tsunomiya was clearly distracted, yet she didn't make a single mistake in her dance steps.
When get out of class ended, we didn't go dancing on the back hill anymore.
Her cat went out by itself once, and when it came back, it lay down next to her, covered in snow as if it had rolled around in the snow.
Su Deng spent all her time thinking about how to sneak out with Taozi without being discovered, circumventing the person in charge of the courtyard.
After thinking it over, I realized that there was no other way but to bypass the Great Firewall.
There are guards at the entrance.
After lunch, she walked around the wall in the yard to scout out which part of the wall would be easier to climb over.
Finally, we determined that the northwest corner facing the back mountain was the best spot. There was a camphor tree there that we could step on, and once we climbed over it, we would reach the back mountain. We could then go around it by going around the low cliff on the other side of the cliff.
After she had made up her mind, she shared her plan with Taozi.
Peach couldn't hide her joy, "We'll sneak away after class."
Then!
Around five or six in the afternoon, the other shrine maidens who were in charge of teaching them dance and music said that was it for today. Then, Kōji walked in from outside and said...
"In preparation for the upcoming Shrine Maiden Festival, Sakurajima has been holding a fireworks display these past few days. You can go out and watch tonight, but you must wear masks and be back before 10 p.m. You can't let anyone know that you are Shrine Maiden candidates."
All the priestess candidates jumped up excitedly.
Su Deng: "..."
So, what was the purpose of her racking her brains at noon to scout out a spot and climb over the wall?
Peach, without any hesitation, grabbed her and ran outside.
"Wait!" Su Deng turned her head and looked at Tsunomiya Riki.
Peach frowned. "You're not going to ask her to come along, are you?"
Su Deng's lips curled slightly as she leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Didn't you say you hated Tsunomiya Riki's aloof and perfect demeanor? Don't you want to bring her down to earth?"
Peach's eyes lit up, and she immediately stopped objecting. "That's a great idea!"
She refused to believe that Riki Ninomiya could remain so perfect forever!
Su Deng walked towards Riki Tsunomiya, "Want to go to the fireworks festival together?"
The snow hadn't melted, and the Snow Child might still be there. Riki Tsunomiya hadn't originally planned to go, but seeing Sudō's invitation, she hesitated.
She had already agreed, so why was Riki Tsunomiya still hesitating?
Peach gritted her teeth, grabbed her hand, and ran outside, saying, "Let's go!"
"Eh..." Riki Tsunomiya stumbled, unable to overcome Momoko's strength, and softly called out, "Slow down."
Su Deng raised an eyebrow, looked at Acha who had been left at her feet, bent down to pick it up, and followed at a leisurely pace.
"Meow~" Acha found a comfortable position in her arms.
Su Deng looked down at it, "Are you really that Acha...?"
"Meow~?" Acha opened her eyes and looked at her, her bright blue eyes seeming to ask her something.
"It's alright." Su Deng rubbed its head, picked it up, and chased after it.
Wushui Garden is also located on a small island, and you need to take a boat to get to Sakurajima.
A group of girls from the garden all came down the mountain. Some changed their clothes, while others wore the uniforms that the shrine maidens wore when they went to class.
During the witch god festival, the rules are relatively relaxed, and many ordinary girls will also wear witch clothes to pray for blessings and join in the fun. There was nothing wrong with them being inside.
However, due to their special identities, they could not reveal their true appearances.
They didn't wear masks either.
“They’ll be having them at the fireworks festival, we can buy some then,” Peach said. “I have some money on me.”
The three of them were in a small boat. The route from here to Sakurajima was a straight line, passing by the foot of the mountain where Wushan Shrine was located.
The three people on the boat looked up at the majestic mountaintop at the same time.
At the foot of the mountain, the shrine on the summit is no longer visible. The eerie snow cannot conceal the lush green forest in summer, where the fiery red torii gate stands out even more against the verdant backdrop, and the occasional sound of wind chimes can be heard.
The scattered lights and stone paths that have already lit up deep in the forest, along with the snow-covered landscape, stretch out in a sacred and dreamlike atmosphere, exuding an ethereal charm untouched by worldly concerns.
“Actually, there have always been candidates for the position of High Priestess of Wushan Shrine,” Riki Jimiya sighed softly. “It’s just that the candidate for High Priestess ran away, and the other junior priestesses couldn’t fill the position. This year’s Shrine God Festival is also special, which is why so many candidates have been recruited…”
The family of the witch candidate all died after she fled.
The soul was imprisoned, and people said it was a punishment from the gods.
Peach was taken aback. "How come I didn't know about this?"
Riki Tsugami: "Because it's a secret."
The high priestess of Wushan Shrine is the closest being to the gods, someone countless people dream of. For someone to run away is to betray the shrine and the gods!!
How could a shrine possibly allow such a thing to get out?
So, practically no one knows.
Peach looked at her suspiciously, "A high priestess of Wushan Shrine would actually run away? Who would be so ungrateful? How could such a thing happen? You didn't make this up, did you..."
Riki Tsunomiya smiled, stood on the boat looking up at the top of the forest mountain with a deep gaze, and said nothing more.
"Awooooo—"
The calls of foxes could be heard from the forest from time to time.
Su Deng sat beside her, while A Cha slept lazily in her arms, occasionally turning over and kicking her legs, all fluffy.
Peach still didn't believe it, so she moved closer to Su Deng and whispered, "Do you believe me?"
Su Deng smiled and said, "Whether you believe it or not, it doesn't matter."
Peach pouted, "I think you've been corrupted by Riki Tsunomiya, acting all mysterious and unfathomable all the time."
Su Deng didn't speak. Although she had no reverence for the gods of these shrines, she respected Momo's beliefs.
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