Clatter.
The broom was kicked to the ground.
It had been done unintentionally.
Shion was too preoccupied to notice or care.
"Wheeze... wheeze..."
Breathing heavily, she quickly closed off the mountain gate and put up a sign stating that the shrine was closed for the day and religious services were suspended.
Afterward...
Shion hurried toward the rear of the main hall...
Seeing the two hurriedly departing Karins and Chino,
Uchiha Izumi thought for a moment before following them.
Shion walked swiftly.
The scene she had witnessed earlier replayed in her mind.
She felt... incredibly moved.
Because she was so deeply moved, tears began to fall.
They quickly soaked her clothes.
There was nothing she could do.
She couldn't remain unmoved after seeing the White Devil examine her mother's health to check whether any residual snake venom remained.
The White Devil—no, her master's master... was her mother's benefactor.
To better remember her master's master's kindness,
Shion decided to go to the rear hall and take a quiet, secret look... without being discovered by anyone...
When she reached the rear hall, she happened to hear her master's master and her mother conversing...
"Shrine maiden, these three Snake Demons have plagued the mortal world for a thousand years, and humanity has suffered greatly from their poison. Shrine maiden, sealing away these demons must have been hard on you..."
The White Devil's voice echoed through the main hall.
Her mother was dressed elegantly today, no different from usual.
When receiving the people of Konoha and performing various exorcism rituals for them, she always adopted this appearance.
"Shrine maiden, please perform the exorcism ritual."
Hyuga Sho said.
"On the one hand, it will dispel the evil aura the Snake Demons left outside the barrier. On the other hand..."
Hyuga Sho stared intently at the