I Became a Spirit in Date A Live, but I Refuse to Date

Hearing Shiori's question, the girl paused in surprise, then quickly explained.

"Oh... you mean Granny Tamako? She has lung cancer, so her daughter, who lives in the United Kingdom, took her there for treatment.

And I'm not her granddaughter. Granny Tamako helped me, so I asked her to let me run this Shrine for her."

Wow! She's quiet, beautiful, grateful, and a shrine maiden? What an amazing girl! (≧▽≦)

Lingmeng was utterly won over. A girl this wonderful had wife potential through the roof!

If Lingmeng were still a boy, she would have wanted to marry her on the spot. Assuming the girl would have her, of course.

"I see. What should we call you, then?"

Shiori nodded in understanding and asked another question.

"Let's see..." After thinking for a moment, the girl smiled. "My name is Yakumo Mikoto. You can call me Mikoto."

"Got it, Mikoto! No problem, Mikoto!"

Lingmeng called out excitedly. Now this girl had the added charm of being an older schoolmate. What more could she ask for?

"Haha, you two really are adorable girls."

Mikoto narrowed her eyes slightly and smiled with a sense of relief.

"Uh... thanks..." Shiori's mouth twitched at the compliment. She did not look particularly pleased.

That was understandable. Being called cute felt strange when one of them was a boy dressed as a girl and the other had been forcibly turned into one.

"By the way, since you're already here, why not pray to the deity enshrined here and make a wish?"

Mikoto gently clapped her hands as she spoke.

"Make a wish? Sure."

Lingmeng murmured her agreement.

She did not really believe some deity would grant her wish, though she was not ready to rule it out, either. But since Mikoto had suggested it, she might as well give it a try for fun.

"Um... which deity does this Shrine worship?" Shiori asked, curious.

"Tsukuyomi," Mikoto answered simply.

"Tsukuyomi? Shiori, if I remember right, isn't that one of Japan's three major deities?"

Lingmeng turned to Shiori with a puzzled look. Shiori nodded.

"That's right. If it's Lord Tsukuyomi, our wishes might actually come true."

"Yes, prayers at this Shrine are very effective. If you make a wish, Tsukuyomi will definitely grant it."

A faint smile appeared on Mikoto's face.

Jingle, jingle...

Shiori and Lingmeng had reached the shrine building. After tossing in a few coins as offerings, they closed their eyes and pressed their palms together in prayer.

Lord Tsukuyomi, if you really exist, could you please protect the people close to me? Let them live good lives instead of dying because I bring bad luck?

And though this might be too much to hope for, if it's possible, I'd still like to live an ordinary life.

Lingmeng silently made her wish.

Beside her, Shiori was praying too.

Lord Tsukuyomi, please make sure today's date goes smoothly. I don't want Lingmeng to keep thinking she brings bad luck. I want her to live just like anyone else.

After praying for a while, they both opened their eyes.

"Well? Have you both made your wishes?"

The moment Lingmeng and Shiori opened their eyes, they saw Mikoto beside them, watching with a kindly expression.

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Mm! I'm looking forward to my wish coming true."

Lingmeng and Shiori answered.

"Haha, I'm sure both your wishes will come true."

Mikoto smiled warmly once more, as though she had already seen how things would turn out...

Drawing Fortunes

Come to think of it, Xier Ya is a god too, isn't she? I wonder if she has a Shrine somewhere.

If she does, should I go set it on fire? Then no one would worship her. Don't gods disappear if nobody worships them?

Lingmeng entertained the thought with a wicked look on her face.

It was only a thought, though. What if Xier Ya struck her dead with Lightning before she could burn the Shrine down? That would be the end of her.

Meanwhile, up in the heavens, Xier Ya suddenly felt a chill.

"Oh, right! Would you two like to have your fortunes read? It's free!"

Mikoto lightly clapped her hands, then produced a small fortune-drawing box from somewhere.

"Our fortunes? Can you really trust something like that?"

Lingmeng eyed the little box in Mikoto's hands skeptically.

"Our fortune slips really are accurate. I remember a lady drew a good one last time, and her husband got promoted that very day."

Mikoto merely smiled kindly at Lingmeng's doubts.

"Let's give it a try, Lingmeng. Mikoto's even letting us draw for free."

Shiori urged her on. Mikoto had kindly offered them a free draw; it would be rude to refuse outright.

Lingmeng sighed helplessly. "Fine, fine. I'll treat it as a bit of fun and give it a try."

"Here, draw one!"

As soon as Lingmeng agreed, Mikoto held the box out to her.

Lingmeng reached into the box and pulled out a folded slip of paper.

"You draw one too, Shiori-chan."

Once Lingmeng was done, Mikoto smiled and held the box out to Shiori.

"Mm... thanks."

Shiori nodded, thanked her, and drew a slip.

When Shiori unfolded it, she found the words "Great Blessing" written on it.

Her lips curved upward. It seemed she had drawn a good fortune. She wondered what lucky thing might happen.

With that thought, Shiori turned to Lingmeng.

"Lingmeng, I got Great Blessing! What about you?"

She looked at Lingmeng, who was staring down at the words on her slip.

"Wow, Shiori, you're seriously lucky... I'm jealous..." Lingmeng sounded dejected. "Mine's a different story. Look..."

Lingmeng raised her slip and showed it to Mikoto and Shiori.

On it, written in twisted red characters, were the words "Great Misfortune."

"Um... Mikoto, didn't you just say your fortune slips were really accurate? Nothing's going to happen to me now, is it?"

Lingmeng glanced at the slip in her hand, then at Mikoto.

"Uh..." Mikoto looked awkward. She had indeed said that.

"It... it's okay! I only said they were really accurate, not that they were always right. Yours must be a coincidence, Lingmeng."

Mikoto hurriedly waved her hands as she explained.

"Why don't you draw a few more? I'm sure it won't happen again."

With that, Mikoto held out the box again.

"Well, if you say so, I'll try again."

Lingmeng drew another slip—

"Great Misfortune."

Unwilling to accept it, Lingmeng drew once more—

It was still "Great Misfortune."

Caw, caw, caw...

An awkward silence fell. After three crows flew past overhead, Mikoto finally snapped out of it.

"Haha... looks like your luck might not be great lately, Lingmeng..." Mikoto gave a strained laugh.

"But don't worry, Lingmeng. I'm a shrine maiden! I'm sure I can find a way to drive away your bad luck!"

Mikoto did her best to reassure her.

"And what brilliant method do you have in mind, Mikoto?"

Lingmeng's question stopped Mikoto dead.

She was a shrine maiden, true, but she had only taken up the role a few days ago and barely knew what she was doing. When it came to matters like this, she had no idea at all.

But now that she had made the claim, she had to come up with something.

"Ugh..." Mikoto puffed out her cheeks in frustration. A moment later, her eyes lit up as if she had thought of a great idea.

"Shiori, could you lend me your fortune slip?"

Mikoto hurried over to Shiori and asked her.

"Huh? Sure, but what are you going to do with it?"

"Oh, nothing much."

Mikoto brushed off the question, took Shiori's slip, and went back to Lingmeng.

"Let me have that for a second."

"Huh?"

Before Lingmeng could say anything, Mikoto took her "Great Misfortune" slip and tied it together with Shiori's "Great Blessing" slip using a thin cord. Then she put the tied slips back into Lingmeng's hand.

"Shiori's fortune can hold yours in check. That way, it's like Shiori is protecting you."

Mikoto smiled, her eyes half-closed.

"Seriously...?" Lingmeng was speechless. Was that really all it took to drive away bad luck?

She had expected Mikoto to use some sophisticated method, not just tie two slips together with a piece of string.

"Well, all right. Thanks, Mikoto." Lingmeng held a hand to her head. "I hope these things aren't real."

"It's okay, Lingmeng. I swear, if anything happens to you, I'll protect you even if it costs me my life."

Shiori patted her padded chest, speaking in a tone that did not suit her current appearance at all.

"Oh, if you're by my side when it happens, Shiori-chan, I won't be afraid of anything~"

Lingmeng answered teasingly, leaving Shiori at a loss for words.

"By the way, would you two like to come inside the Shrine for some tea? I haven't had anyone to talk to lately, and I'm bored out of my mind."

"Sure! I'd love to."

"Then we'll take you up on that."

Lingmeng accepted Mikoto's invitation without a second thought. After all, chatting with a gorgeous girl would be a treat.

And since Lingmeng had agreed, Shiori decided to go along too.