Sakura, a Story.

This is my second day in Yae Village.

Su Qing'an, Theresa, and Yae Rin were not in the village at the moment, but in a cherry blossom grove.

This was Yae Sakura's request, but Su Qing'an didn't know where the Miko was at the time. He had no right to restrict her freedom, and upon making this judgment, Su Qing'an took on this task that was of special significance to the Miko.

That is, to bring Yae Rin to see the cherry blossoms.

They sat on a large tablecloth, with a basket containing lunch prepared by Yae Sakura.

Inside were enormous rice balls, four or five times larger than normal ones. Rin, unfazed, picked up a rice ball with her small hands and began to eat. Her eyes reflected the falling Abyss Flower, making the light within them even brighter.

The little girl was clearly very happy.

Su Qing'an couldn't help but ask:

"Does Rin really like cherry blossoms?"

Rin quickly swallowed the rice ball in her mouth, nodded her little head, and said:

"Yes, the cherry blossoms are beautiful."

"It's a bit of a shame that my sister didn't have time to watch it together, but she has her responsibilities as Miko, so there's nothing we can do about it."

"If it weren't for my older brother and sister Theresa being willing to stay with me, I probably wouldn't have seen it for a very, very long time."

"So I'm very grateful to you."

It was just a small favor.

Su Qing'an swallowed back the words that were about to come out. For him, this might be a simple matter, but for this little girl, it was far from easy. In a village that lacked the ability to fight against Demonic Beast, going out was a luxury.

This was especially true for Yae Rin's physical condition. Su Qing'an had been carrying the little girl all the way, so when they encountered Demonic Beast, he would just use his [power] to intimidate them and then leave without finishing them off.

So Su Qing'an said this:

"Yes, I accept Rin's thanks."

"In return, Rin, could you tell me why you like cherry blossoms so much? Is it simply because they're beautiful?"

Yae Rin glanced shyly at the boy's face and said:

"Hmm. Is this how you repay me? But it's a little embarrassing to say it out loud."

"But actually, it's not a big deal. It's just that my older sister's name is Sakura, and after learning that Sakura means cherry blossom, I really like cherry blossoms."

Is it because your older sister's name is Sakura that you like cherry blossoms?

Su Qing'an suddenly felt like laughing. He thought it was the same with Kambara Yuu; that girl had said something similar to him earnestly.

Because my dad likes Oda Nobunaga, I like Oda Nobunaga too.

The reasons were impeccable, and the words were so naive yet straightforward; perhaps only people like them could utter such words.

Su Qing'an said seriously:

"Oh, that's a great reason."

Upon hearing this, Yae Rin smiled happily, and Theresa couldn't help but pat her head with her adorable expression.

Yae Rin and Yae Sakura actually look very similar, and they would look even more alike if they were closer in age. So Theresa feels like she's petting a young Yae Sakura, and she has a strange feeling about it.

That might be what pleasure is.

Su Qing'an suddenly said:

"Rin, let me tell you a story, do you want to hear it?"

Yae Rin nodded in agreement. She leaned against Theresa's chest, squinting her eyes as if she were a little sleepy, but her face still showed an expectant look.

So the boy said:

"That's a story from five hundred years ago. It took place in a remote mountain village where the villagers had a long-standing custom of worshipping the gods. They regarded a lifelike, exquisitely crafted doll as the embodiment of the deity."

"They believed that sacrificing Living Doll could bring good fortune and peace to the village, and every ten years, the Kambara Family, who were in charge of the sacrifice, would send a descendant to perform the sacrifice."

"Many years have passed, and the village has indeed remained peaceful, as if the prayers to the gods have been answered. However, the Kambara Family, which has been responsible for the ritual of the dolls for generations, has been reduced from hundreds of members to just a handful."

"Why is that?" the little girl asked, puzzled.

Su Qing'an smiled gently. He didn't blame Lin for interrupting the story and replied:

"Because the sacrifice is not without cost. The descendants of the Kanbara Clan sacrifice their own lives. Those who participate in the sacrifice will quickly die within a few months."

The little girl was a little sad and her mood dropped. She said:

"... How cruel! Is that really a god? My sister said that gods are all loving and gentle, like... like my big brother's gentleness. Gods wouldn't be like that."

"That kind of thing isn't a god."

Theresa stroked Rin's hair comfortingly, then glanced at the boy's face as if reproaching him.

Gods?

If only such a god truly existed in this world, but the god I encountered was by no means a benevolent or gentle being.

Even now, perhaps every word and action of mine is being watched by that deity.

"Yes, but the villagers firmly believe that it is a god."

"The sacrifices made by the Kambara Family for this are only to be expected. Perhaps previous members of the Kambara Family held similar thoughts, but the current head of the Kambara Family is different."

Su Qing'an recounted his experiences in Kambara Village to Yae Rin in the form of a story. He spoke very seriously, and the little girl listened very attentively.

That drowsiness seemed to be swept away by the other world revealed in the boy's words.

The power and mystery of the Living Doll, Kitahara Shin's determination and actions, and Kambara Yuu's story and personality.

Also, regarding Kambara Shuichi's choice.

In the story told by Su Qing'an, the ending is that Kambara Shuichi defeats the Living Doll and the villagers, and he starts a new life with Kambara Yuu in a city in Kanagawa.

The old housekeeper and Kitahara Shin would take turns picking up and dropping off Kambara Yuu to and from school, Kambara Shuichi would also accompany Kambara Yuu to many, many places during holidays.

"They went to aquariums, zoos, and famous tourist attractions all over the world. Kambara Yuu's life was just beginning. As her father, Kambara Shuichi initially tried to make up for the freedom his daughter had lost over the years with his remaining lifespan."

"The story ends here."

This story, which existed only in dreams, has thus come to an end.

Rin was a little sad. She thought the story had a happy ending, but there was still a lingering sense of regret. She said:

"Why can't Uncle Kanbara stay with Xiao Xi forever?"

Su Qing'an was stunned. He thought that perhaps people are not easily satisfied. In Su Qing'an's eyes, who had experienced even worse endings, this was already the best possible outcome.

But in Rin's eyes, it is still a flawed and imperfect story.

Or perhaps, at the moment of his death, Kambara Shuichi truly felt that this ending was beautiful enough.

Even though it brought sadness and suffering to others, a spark of hope was ultimately passed on.

Su Qing'an smiled, and as he watched the cherry blossoms fluttering in the air, it felt as if he had returned to the moment when he was talking with Kambara Yuu.

The gloom that had been weighing on his heart suddenly dissipated a little, and he said:

"Yes, why? I'd like to know too."

"But this ending isn't too bad, is it?"

The little girl widened her eyes in protest and said:

"Sigh! It was clearly my older brother who told the story! How can you say you don't know it! How cunning!"

Theresa and Su Qing'an exchanged a glance and laughed simultaneously.

The time spent in this peaceful and tranquil cherry blossom grove will be the last moment of tranquility in the Stigmata Space.

The storm was bound to come eventually.