A little over ten minutes later, the bus arrived at the parking lot near Shuzenji Onsen Street.
Everyone got off and continued on foot, soon reaching the banks of the Katsura River.
There weren't many tourists on the hot spring street in winter. The river flowed beneath the bridge, with hot spring inns and shops lining its banks.
Even from a distance, they could see Tokko-no-Yu in the middle of the river.
Tominaga Misa stopped beside the information sign and explained, "Legend has it that Master Kūkai once came here and saw a boy washing his father's body with the cold river water. He struck a rock in the river with his Vajra, bringing forth a hot spring."
"That's why Tokko-no-Yu is considered the origin of the Shuzenji hot springs."
Morishita Ai stared at the stone bathing pool in the river, her eyes gradually lighting up.
An ancient spiritual spring opened up by a great monk himself...
The power of the earth's veins, accumulated over more than a thousand years, might well be sealed beneath the water!
If she could soak her feet in it, she would have a chance to inherit the supreme power Kōbō Daishi had left behind and take control of the entire Izu Peninsula in one fell swoop!
Then, if she offered it as her dowry, it would surely be the only one of its kind in the world...
While everyone else continued reading the sign, Morishita Ai quietly slipped away from the group and walked over to Tokko-no-Yu.
She looked around, quickly sat down, and began undoing her shoelaces.
But the sharp-eyed Himeno Yuki immediately noticed her unusual behavior and followed her over, puzzled.
"Ai, what are you doing?"
"Shh!"
Morishita Ai swiftly raised a finger to her lips, her pretty face solemn. "The earth