Inheritance

Yae God Master brought Yae Sakura and Yae Rin before the statue and said to them, "Sakura, Rin, in a moment, you will both drip your blood into the statue's chest. Then you will be able to see the Divine Lord's true form... Remember, no matter what you see, you must tell me after it's all over."

"Understood, Father."

Yae Sakura and Yae Rin answered in unison. They both extended their hands, allowing their father to make a small cut on each of their fingers with the 'Kite Bird'.

Thin streams of crimson appeared from the cuts on the two girls' fingers, quickly flowing down their fair skin.

"Quick, drip your blood now."

With a shout from Yae God Master, Yae Sakura and Yae Rin hastily brought their blood-dripping fingers to the statue's heart.

As the blood dripped into the statue's chest, the previously rigid figure seemed to come alive in an instant, completely absorbing the blood within the hollow in its chest.

And in the next moment, Yae Sakura and Yae Rin lost all sense of their surroundings.

—Yae Rin—

Yae Rin felt a momentary dizziness, and then she was clear-headed again.

However, the environment she found herself in left her bewildered.

"Isn't this the hillside I always visit? How did I get here? Wasn't I in the shrine undergoing the Divine Lord's trial?"

"And my illness..."

Feeling a lightness she had never experienced before, Yae Rin walked towards the hillside in a daze, as if to confirm if this was indeed the same hillside she frequented.

But after passing through a small patch of woods and arriving at her usual spot, she saw someone else sitting there.

Although Yae Rin didn't know why, she hid behind a small tree, peeking out with only half her head visible, watching the person from a distance.

It was a man dressed in ancient white robes, with long hair streaked with touches of gray. He sat cross-legged on the large rock where Yae Rin often sat, gazing towards the setting sun.

Though the man's expression was neutral, Yae Rin felt an inexplicable sense of... sadness emanating from him.

It was as if he were blaming himself.

"Could it be... is this the Divine Lord?"

Yae Rin wondered with some confusion.

"...Who?"

The man sensed something and looked towards the small tree where Yae Rin was hiding.

"Ah... it's you..."

"Kya!"

Yae Rin was startled by the man's movement and sat up abruptly.

"Rin, you're awake."

Yae God Master asked Yae Rin with a hint of concern, "How was it? Did you see the Divine Lord?"

"Just now..."

Yae Rin was confused. She had been on the hillside outside just a moment ago, so why was she back in the shrine in the blink of an eye?

Yae Rin also saw Yae Sakura lying beside her. Yae Sakura's brow was furrowed, and sweat beaded on her forehead, as if she were enduring immense pressure.

"Sister!"

Yae Sakura's state made Yae Rin panic.

"Rin, don't touch Sakura."

Yae God Master stopped Yae Rin. "Your sister is currently receiving the Divine Lord's inheritance."

"The Divine Lord?"

Yae Rin calmed down slightly and asked her father, "The Divine Lord... is he an uncle wearing white clothes?"

"Rin! You saw him!?"

Yae God Master grabbed Yae Rin's shoulders excitedly. "Quick, tell me, how did you see him fight?"

"It hurts..."

Yae Rin was a little scared; her father's current demeanor was somewhat frightening to her. "That uncle wasn't fighting..."

"He wasn't!?"

Yae God Master's voice rose by two octaves. "Impossible.

Throughout history, any Miko who saw the Divine Lord witnessed the Divine Lord battling beasts clad in white bone armor. So, what did you see?"

"I... that uncle was just sitting on the hillside outside Yae Village, doing nothing... just watching the sun set..."

Upon hearing Yae Rin's answer, Yae God Master fell silent, seemingly disbelieving the response, and perhaps a little disappointed.

"Rin!"

Just then, Yae Sakura on the side also called out Rin's name, waking from her daze.

The newly conscious Yae Sakura looked at Rin beside her and rushed to embrace her. "Rin, I'm so glad you're alright!"

"Sister?" Although Yae Rin didn't understand what had happened, she still comforted her sister. "It's okay, Sister. We're both fine."

"Sakura, what did you see there? Tell me!"

Yae God Master anxiously asked his other daughter, seeming to desperately need an answer.

"Huh?"

Yae Sakura and Yae Rin had almost the same reaction, but Yae Sakura still honestly let go of Yae Rin's embrace and answered her father.

"I saw someone holding a sword, and they destroyed a huge, huge monster with a single strike!"

Yae Sakura gestured with her hands, as if trying to illustrate the monstrous creature that was far larger than herself.

"Swordsmanship?"

Yae God Master's face lit up with joy, and he pulled Yae Sakura into his arms.

"Just like your mother... truly... that's wonderful..."

Yae Rin tilted her head, watching her father hug her sister, tears of joy streaming down his face.

Father... seems very disappointed in me...

As night fell.

In her sleep, Yae Rin slowly felt her body becoming lighter and lighter, until finally it felt as if there was no weight at all, and she was slowly floating upwards.

When Yae Rin opened her eyes again, she was faced with an endless expanse of stars...

And the ground, far below her.

"Ah!"

Startled by her current predicament, Yae Rin flailed in the air, "Wh-what am I doing here!"

"Waaah... Sister, where are you..."

Yae Rin, on the verge of tears from distress, looked very helpless and pitiful high in the sky, but it was no use...

Until the next moment, a chillingly calm young male voice echoed in her ears.

"Learned soul departure so quickly, yet drifted to this place unconsciously. Should I say you have extraordinary talent or that you're frighteningly stupid? Truly the daughter of that crazy girl."

From below Yae Rin, a large hand appeared out of thin air and grasped the floating Yae Rin, but the movement was very gentle.

The large hand brought Yae Rin down at extreme speed, all the way to the ground, to the very hillside Yae Rin had been heading towards.

Yae Rin saw the man again.

"Second time meeting, little girl."