Afterward, she and the masked girl named Hanachirusato had asked nearly everyone in the village. Whether it was the little girl Futaba, her nephew Takeru, or the elderly couple living by the entrance, the relationships in this family were so tangled that even she, with her clear mind, found herself somewhat confused.
Still, their efforts were not in vain. They had gathered several promising clues from their inquiries.
The first was from Futaba's account: a suspicious bag floating in the drainage ditch during a heavy rain, said to have been carried downstream by the current.
The second came from the boy Takeru. He had been playing on the eaves when he slipped and nearly fell—she caught him just in time. The mischievous child mentioned occasionally seeing a "ghost," which might have been Hanachirusato, but more importantly, he spoke of a half-broken handcart abandoned at the village entrance.
The third clue came from the elderly woman's words—she said something was strange about the well behind the village chief's house.
"Though the water used to flow freely, the Konda family's well has long been dry. Someone locked the wellhead one night—don't you think that's suspicious?"
"And I heard that a while back, several Mora bags were found scattered around the dried well. Then some ronin came through and picked them all up."
That was what the old woman had told them.
So, their three clues were: the bag in the ditch, the half-broken cart, and the chief's well.
Szzzt!
"Eeeek~!!" ×N
She lifted her hand, summoning a cluster of pearl-like Electro particles. They floated silently from her palm into a group of Hilichurls. With a sharp crack, lightning burst like a tempest, wiping out the creatures in an instant. She barely spared them a glance—better to deal with them quickly. Then she stepped closer to the handcart to inspect its contents.
Hmm?
Her gaze shifted to a worn sheet of paper tucked in the corner—it looked like an inventory list, the handwriting still faintly legible despite the wear.
She reached out and unfolded it.
"An inventory of goods and… funds belonging to the Shogunate."
She murmured softly, almost to herself.
Tap, tap…
Light footsteps sounded behind her.
"You found something too?"
Turning at the voice, she saw Hanachirusato approaching, holding a soaked goods pouch in both hands.
It seemed the girl had gone downstream to look on her own while she was occupied here. The white socks wrapping her feet were soaked through, her fair skin faintly visible beneath—further proof of her effort.
Such quiet diligence… it stirred in her a subtle fondness.
Hanachirusato felt the Shogun's gaze but didn't seem self-conscious. She walked up and offered the pouch respectfully with both hands.
"I happened to pass by on the way, so… I brought this for you."
"…Not 'on the way.' You simply wanted to bring it, didn't you?"
Her tone was teasing, exposing the small lie with a hint of amusement.
"...Ah… I can't hide anything from you, my lady."
Though the mask concealed her expression, the Shogun could hear the faint embarrassment in her voice.
"Enough of that… let's go. Only one place remains."
"Understood."
Their last destination was beside the well. Just as the old woman had said, it was sealed with a sturdy wooden cover, secured by a heavy lock—one that required a special key to open.
"…"
The Shogun gazed at the locked cover, resting her delicate fingers lightly beneath her chin as she thought.
Hanachirusato glanced at the beauty beside her, then lowered her head and began quietly circling the well.
What's this?
She crouched and retrieved an old Mora pouch from a wooden bucket nearby—the same kind mentioned in the old woman's story.
"My lady… please look at this."
The Shogun turned her eyes toward the pouch in her hand.
"…You'd make a fine assistant, not merely a shrine maiden."
"Hehe… you flatter me, my lady. It's my honor to be of help."
The girl's soft laugh and gentle voice carried a clear, lively warmth—one the Shogun found strangely endearing.
With the three pieces of evidence in hand, it was time to confront the old man. She could tell that things were not as simple as they appeared—he was hiding something. From the start, his nervousness had been obvious.
Tap, tap…
"Hm? You again!"
Konda Densuke turned at the sound of multiple footsteps, frowning irritably when he saw the same two women approaching.
"I told you already, there's nothing suspicious in this village, no secrets—"
"What if we have proof~?"
The Shogun cut him off deliberately, her tone carrying a teasing edge.
"Wh—what?! P-proof? What proof?! I don't know anything!"
Ah, so he'd chosen to play dumb.
Clack…
The Shogun tossed the Mora pouch, the Shogunate's goods inventory, and the old tattered bag onto the table before him.
"Explain."
Her voice, once gentle, now carried a faint chill—suddenly she was every bit the Raiden Shogun once more. The old man flinched so hard he nearly dropped his pipe.
"!!"
Konda Densuke trembled, staring at the evidence laid out before him, unable to utter a word.
"W-who… who are you?!"
"Who I am is irrelevant. What matters is your answer. Please. Explain."
Her words were soft, but each syllable carried authority like the weight of thunder. Though she'd included the polite please, it was clearly not a request—it was a command.
"Th-these things… they don't prove anything! I—I've done nothing wrong!"
He stammered, sweat beading on his forehead.
"Your forehead is sweating, your pores tightening, pupils shrinking, fingers trembling, and your voice quivering… You're lying."
"!"
Each word struck him like a thunderbolt. By the time she finished, he exhaled in defeat, shoulders slumping. The sharp glint in her eyes made him feel as though he couldn't breathe—he was certain this woman wasn't human.
—Shogun-sama, I think he's just terrified of you, Hanachirusato muttered inwardly with a helpless sigh. Anyone would crumble under that gaze!
"Ahh… fine, fine. Since you've gone this far, I'll come clean."
Densuke sighed heavily, his eyes drifting toward the distant horizon.
"The truth is…"
And so, the village chief of Konda told them everything.
Long ago, a group of young men from the village had gotten drunk and, in their foolishness, robbed a Shogunate supply cart. The bags and documents before them were the remnants of that crime.
Densuke, devoted to protecting his village, had discovered what they'd done. Believing that scandal would bring ruin upon Konda, he chose to conceal their mistake—bearing the guilt himself if necessary. For all his bluster, the old man had the heart of a true leader, willing to shoulder the village's sins to protect its youth.
And so, the matter had been buried… until now.
"Please, I beg you! Don't report this to the Shogunate! This isn't about saving face—I just don't want the whole village dragged down because of this!"
The old man nearly fell to his knees in desperation.
"...Very well. This matter ends here. Are the stolen goods still here? I will have the Tenryou Commission retrieve them later. You needn't worry—only the contraband will be taken. None of you will be implicated."
The Shogun sighed softly. She wasn't one to make things difficult for an old man burdened by guilt.
"Yes, yes! Oh, thank you, my lady!"
Grateful beyond measure, the village chief now spoke with new respect. Such a young, noble-looking woman, connected to the Tenryou Commission—perhaps she was a high-born lady of the Shogunate?
"And the key to the well—do you have it?"
"Yes! Here you are!"
He hurriedly presented it with both hands, his manner now completely deferential.
"Please be careful, my lady. There's an ancient barrier sealed at the bottom of that well. It's… dangerous."
Finally, the words she'd been waiting for.
"I see. Thank you for your cooperation."
She exchanged a glance with Hanachirusato, and together, the two women turned toward the well—ready to uncover the final secret hidden beneath Konda Village.
The well in Konda Village was not truly a water well at all—it was the entrance to an underground passage. No wonder the old woman had said that, despite heavy rain, it remained completely dry. It had no connection to the groundwater; rather, it served as a concealed cover built to hide the subterranean space below.
It made sense now why Konda Densuke had locked it with a key—anyone entering would immediately sense the thick concentration of Electro particles, along with something else… a foul, corrupted presence.
This dim underground space was divided into two levels. They had descended to the lowest chamber, a vast open area enclosed by dark stone walls. Broken debris and withered plants littered the ground, giving the place an eerie, lifeless feel.
"...May I ask you something?"
Walking side by side through the narrow tunnel, the Shogun turned her head slightly toward the masked woman and spoke in a calm voice.
"Hmm? Please, my lady."
Hanachirusato's gentle nasal tone made her reply sound almost cute.
"Why do you remain in this village? Are you merely waiting for someone to aid you?"
"..."
The woman fell silent, but the Shogun noticed her hands tightening slightly at her sides.
"You seem to know quite a bit about this village's secrets. Are you one of its people?"
"My lady… my loyalty belongs to the land of Narukami Island itself," she said quietly—then added in her heart: and to you, Shogun-sama.
At that, her masked gaze lifted subtly toward the Shogun, carrying an unspoken meaning.
"I am not of this village. However, she—I mean, I—share a long bond with Konda Village. If the bloodline tied to it were to perish… I could not bear the shame."
Her tone faltered midway, as though weighed by uncertainty or hesitation.
Seeing this, the Shogun decided not to press further. Whatever bound this shrine maiden to the village clearly touched upon something deeply personal.
"I see…" she murmured, withdrawing her gaze and continuing forward. The only sounds in the cavern were the soft echo of their footsteps.
"My lady… I know my actions must seem strange, but please—believe me."
Hanachirusato quickened her pace to walk beside her, voice filled with quiet sincerity.
"Ha… When did I ever say I didn't believe you? Don't overthink it. We're nearly there. Let's go."
Reassured by her words, the maiden nodded and followed silently.
Before them shimmered a barrier of pure Electro energy. Around its edge grew a Thunder Sakura tree, its blossoms radiating with faint purple light. Ordinary people would require an Electrograna to pass through—but not her.
Crackle…
The Shogun raised her hand, forming an Electro shield around Hanachirusato, then guided her through the barrier. As they passed, she brushed her fingers lightly against a nearby stone tablet, dissolving the barrier entirely.
Beyond it lay the immense roots of a colossal tree. The roots glowed faintly with violet light, yet parts of them were shrouded in a black, festering corruption. As they approached, they could see the contamination pulsing like a living tumor, faint purple radiance seeping from it and illuminating the entire space.
"So these are the roots of the Thunder Sakura beneath Konda Village… No wonder this place holds such ancient history," the Shogun said softly, awe in her voice.
The Thunder Sakura had existed in Inazuma since ancient times—its roots were like the recorded veins of the land's memory.
Yet now, those roots had been tainted. The massive tendrils wrapped around the vermilion torii before them, the corruption spreading over the bark in dark, pulsating patterns.
"How terrible… the corruption has spread this far," Hanachirusato murmured with concern.
The Shogun's gaze lingered on the writhing black mass.
"The Thunder Sakura's roots have been thoroughly corrupted. If this filth is not purified soon, Narukami Island's ley lines may suffer grave damage."
She spoke under her breath, more to herself than anyone else, before turning toward her companion.
"When was the last Great Cleansing performed here?"
In her seriousness, she seemed to forget that she was supposed to be incognito—her tone carried the unmistakable authority of the Raiden Shogun.
"The last one… was about two hundred years ago. Not even three centuries have passed yet," Hanachirusato answered promptly.
"Strange… less than three hundred years, and already the corruption has grown this dense?"
She rested a slender finger beneath her chin, lowering her gaze in thought.
The Thunder Sakura symbolized the eternal vigilance of the Electro Archon, possessing the divine power to repel evil and purify the ley lines. Yet, over centuries of constant cleansing, even its roots eventually succumbed to corruption, festering into tumors of filth. Thus arose the need for shrine maidens to perform the periodic purification ritual—the Sacred Sakura Cleansing Ritual.
This "cleansing" was divided into two kinds: the Small Cleansing and the Great Cleansing.
A Small Cleansing occurred every sixty years; a Great Cleansing, every three hundred. Given the tree's growth and function, only the latter was typically necessary. But now, a mere two hundred years since the last one, the corruption had already spread to such an extent—clearly, even the Grand Narukami Shrine remained unaware.
"It seems the ley lines are far more unstable than before…" she murmured.
What could be the cause?
"My lady… please, I beg you. For the sake of this land—lend us your strength!"
Hanachirusato bowed deeply before her, voice trembling with sincerity. The Shogun looked upon her quietly.
"There are several barriers like this one. In my current… state, I can no longer perform such rituals."
So that was her true purpose—to seek the Shogun's aid.
"The roots of the Thunder Sakura exist to purify the ley lines. Now that they have been defiled, all of Inazuma stands at risk. Those who threaten Eternity… must be purged. However, this vessel is no shrine maiden—my technique may lack refinement. If you do not mind…"
She folded her oil-paper parasol and looked calmly at the woman before her.
"How could I possibly mind? To witness you—ah, my lady—purify the Thunder Sakura with your own hands… it is an honor beyond words," Hanachirusato said with heartfelt reverence.
"In that case, stand back."
After ensuring the shrine maiden was safely behind her, the Shogun stepped toward the ancient mechanism before her—a set of five pedestal-like structures, each adorned with floating violet Magatama.
At the center of the barrier surrounding the Thunder Sakura's roots, the Magatama's number and arrangement formed the key to unlocking it. A simple puzzle. She was familiar with the basic steps of the Great Cleansing Ritual.
Placing the Sacred Object upon the pedestal, she raised her hand and brushed her fingers across the nearest Magatama.
Beep—! ×N
The Magatama began to shift and align—one, two, three… all responding perfectly to her command.
She did not even need to move. With a mere flicker of Electro energy, she manipulated them from afar—like a machine executing precise calculations.
Hum~!
The Magatama linked, and the seal broke!
Flash!
A blinding surge of violet light filled the chamber, and from the ritual circle materialized a towering armored warrior—several times taller than either of the women. His blade gleamed crimson, as if steeped in blood.
"Allow me to test my blade—"
Shnk!!
Before he could finish his line, the Shogun flicked her parasol forward. In an instant, it transformed into Engulfing Lightning and pierced straight through his chest, pinning him to the wall.
"—Guh! Aaaaargh!!"
His final scream echoed as his form dissolved into violet light, purified utterly by the Shogun's lightning.
She extended a hand, recalling Engulfing Lightning as it shifted seamlessly back into her parasol. With a deft flick, she twirled it between her fingers, then opened it gracefully, resting it once more upon her shoulder—as though nothing had happened at all.
"Let's go… to the next one."
Her voice was soft, almost casual, as she passed by the wide-eyed Hanachirusato.
"Y-yes, my lady!"
Such a simple, efficient exorcism—could it really be called purification? Still, Hanachirusato couldn't help but smile quietly to herself.
So reliable… as expected of the Shogun.
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