It was a perfect spring.
, with sakura adorning his long white hair, greeted the woman across from him.
Her name was , a shrine maiden of the Nanzan Shrine... well, a former shrine maiden. Just moments ago, had fled from the Nanzan Shrine. Her family had forced her to become a shrine maiden to avoid the war, and it was there that she met by chance. She wanted to thank him for helping her escape. But as the sakura fell, only the wind remained. Neither knew where they were headed.
was a kitsune, a fox spirit, from the Nishi-Tsuki Shrine, and he was not bound by mortality. He had wandered the world for hundreds of years since leaving the Nishi-tsuki Shrine, yet he never found a place where he belonged.
—", you are the next Guardian of the Nishi-tsuki Shrine. The duty of protecting this shrine and the world lies on your shoulders."
The old priests would repeat, day in and day out.
was born in the Nishi-tsuki region, and his birth was hailed as the last hope for the declining Nishi-tsuki Shrine. The priests pointed to an ancient demon-slaying sword, now dull and covered in dust, and proclaimed that was chosen by the gods and must protect... "Must," that word was too heavy and suffocating for the young kitsune.
He did not understand why this burden was his, so he ran away. Just like , he refused to follow the so-called will of the divine. He obtained the freedom he desired, traveling from Nishi-tsuki to Hokkai, exploring the vast plains of Nakatsuchi, and enjoying the tranquility of the mountains of Nanzan. On his travels, he watched humans fight their petty wars from afar, observing how turbulent and fleeting their lives were.
Hundreds of years passed, and although he spent most of his days around humans, he always kept his distance.
He met many people like , who threw themselves into the chaos, hoping to restore order. Perhaps he should have done the same, but he could not find a reason to, so he did nothing.
Until—
Autumn gave way to winter, and soon spring approached. stumbled to a shrine and barely managed to knock on the door before he collapsed, ripping off a branch of a nearby sakura tree on his way down.
had suffered a serious wound while foolishly traveling through an active battlefield. Luckily, a kind shrine maiden opened the door to find a wounded fox with a sakura branch in its mouth. She slowly nursed the fox back to health, and during this time he learned that her name was . When he had fully recovered, he decided to reveal his true identity to her. was born with an unknown illness and could not leave her shrine. Their lives were like night and day, but did everything he could to let her experience the outside world. She was especially fond of spring because it brought flowers and visitors to the shrine, and she enjoyed listening in on their stories of the world.
was happy, and that made him happy. He would bring a sakura branch every year and knock on the courtyard door.
Later, he learned that it wasn't just spring that loved. She cherished the tranquility and peace it represented; a world untouched by war, where flowers could bloom in every corner. A table with carefully picked flowers and the smell of steamed rice to welcome them home.
But he couldn't comprehend it. Why would someone who had never seen the outside world care so much about it? Even with such a weak constitution, she spent what little energy she had helping others. He also couldn't comprehend why he, who was accustomed to walking the world alone, always longed to return to that courtyard. Only after had passed away did he realize it. That tiny courtyard where they spent those spring days was what one might call home. had become his family.
, who always saw himself as an outsider in the human world, realized that he had long been part of it.
Fortunately, didn't truly die. Through the Guardian's power, she was reincarnated as a doll and inherited her family's lineage—she became a protector of the mortal realm.
As the new Shinonome Shrine Guardian, was finally able to leave the shrine. She no longer needed to bring her news of spring; what she needed now was a sword to protect this world.
Perhaps he could be that sword, or rather, find the will to become the sword that he was always meant to be. If protecting the world was her wish, he would see it fulfilled.
Spring arrived, and all was right. The Nishi-tsuki Shrine would find its Shrine Guardian, the blade of the righteous would find its master, and would find her champion.
There was a knock on the Shinonome Shrine door. , with a sakura branch in hand, had found his way back.
For the first time, his path was as clear as the spring day.
