Dream...

Deep...dark dream.

Path.

A path that endlessly stretches forward, disappearing into darkness.

Lights.

Mystical bluish flames flicker.

Priests and villagers in linen kimonos walk silently on the path.

The accompanying Kagura Ceremony Team chants words that are obscure and hard to understand.

Are these people from the shrine?

Shen Gu Mirai doesn't really know.

Because her body and perspective are not under her control.

Her field of view is also very narrow.

Shen Gu Mirai can clearly feel that something like a mask is attached to her face.

No...rather than wearing a mask, it's like the mask is stuck tightly to her face.

She can't take it off, nor can she break free.

Step after step.

Fine rain drifts in the night sky.

The crisp sound of the shamisen and Shinra Bell, along with the ancient prayer sounds, ripple through the dark forest.

Forward, keep moving forward.

They arrive beneath a Divine Tree.

The tree is filled with effigies of various colors and ages.

Rather than performing a ritual for the Divine Tree, these rows of effigies seem to be warding off something.

The bizarre stitched smiling faces appear to adjust their direction with the movement of the people.

Pat, pat, pat.

The procession continues forward.

Until the forest splits to both sides, the view broadens—

It's a lake.

A pitch-black... utterly dull lake.

At night, the surface of the lake glows with an eerie scarlet color.

Vast lake surface...

An endless lake surface.

It seems to have the power to swallow someone whole.

Someone turns around ahead.

He is wearing black priest's hunting clothes, holding a scroll.

Perhaps because of unclear memories, the person's grayish face is completely covered with miasma, distorting his features.

Simultaneously, a vague, hoarse voice emerges:

"Heavenly Bird Shrine, communicating with the void..."

Bam!

Like a TV glitch, Shen Gu Mirai suddenly finds herself engulfed in darkness.

Then, flames jump before her... along with a pair of bare arms.

On those twisted, gray-white arms, there's a totem—

"An entity that is human yet not human..."

Arms...?

Shen Gu Mirai wonders to herself, eyes wide open.

In her view—

An arm twists!

Gripping her neck tightly!

"Ugh... ah!"

Shen Gu Mirai flips over and wakes fiercely from her dream.

Her eyes are filled with doubt and uncertainty, her body sticky, covered in cold sweat.

Before her is the familiar setting of the Beichuan Family.

White ceiling, brown wardrobe.

She lets out a breath and reaches for the warm water bottle prepared at her bedside.

But she cannot seem to find the cup, so she turns her head, puzzled.

It's a pair of hands.

Gray-white, twisted hands—

Firmly holding her wrist!

"Ah!!!"

Shen Gu Mirai screams and opens her eyes once again.

Her eyes are filled with doubt and uncertainty, her body sticky, covered in cold sweat.

Before her is the familiar setting of the Beichuan Family.

White ceiling, brown wardrobe.

She lets out a breath and reaches for the warm water bottle prepared at her bedside.

Then she touches a pair of hands.

Uh!

Shen Gu Mirai's heart skips a beat.

Then she turns her head nervously.

And then cries out—

"Mr. Temple?!"

Yes, the hand she's holding belongs to Beichuan Si.

He's in white pajamas, looking at her calmly.

"I just laid down when I heard a noise from your side, so I came to check it out."

Beichuan Si explains.

"Ah... hehehe..." Shen Gu Mirai blinks awkwardly, then stirs her fingers a bit, uneasily: "Um... Mr. Temple... you didn't see my not-so-pretty sleeping face just now, did you?"

Yes... having had such a nightmare, her sleeping face couldn't be pretty.

Being seen by someone she likes... it's indeed embarrassing.

Faced with Shen Gu Mirai's question, Beichuan Si just shakes his head expressionlessly: "I didn't see."

"That's good."

Shen Gu Mirai lets out a relieved breath.

"I took a picture of it. Haven't had the chance to look yet."

"Ah?!"

Shen Gu Mirai's mouth falls open.

Then, feeling embarrassed and angry, she reaches for Beichuan Si's phone: "Mr. Temple! Give me your phone! Hurry!"

Seeing Shen Gu Mirai's expression, Beichuan Si just shrugs and calmly says:

"I'm joking. I didn't actually photograph your sleeping face."

"...Is...really?" Shen Gu Mirai finally lets out a breath.

True, taking a photo requires focus, meaning Beichuan Si wouldn't have checked if the photo was blurry.

And that contradicts Beichuan Si's earlier statement 'I took a picture, haven't looked yet.'

Thinking this, Shen Gu Mirai finally relaxes.

Then, Beichuan Si's voice rings out again:

"Actually I saw it, but didn't manage to photograph."

Poof—

Shen Gu Mirai almost spits out.

What is this?!

Her mouth twitches, wanting to say something, but ultimately keeping it to herself.

Forget it. Talking with Mr. Temple more is useless.

Besides, Mr. Temple immediately came over when he heard a disturbance...

To be honest, Shen Gu Mirai feels touched.

"Tissue. You're covered in cold sweat, wipe it off."

Beichuan Si hands over a tissue.

"Ah... Thank you, Mr. Temple."

Shen Gu Mirai nods, wiping her face with the tissue.

"Warm water bottle, you must be thirsty."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.