Before the fox statue.
Ei and Hanasato gazed at each other for a long, long time.
Hanasato seemed not to have expected to see Ei here.
And Ei seemed equally surprised that she could meet her again in this way.
They gazed at each other for a long, long time.
In the end, Hanasato was the first to break the silence.
She let out a long sigh. "I never imagined I'd see you again like this."
"Yes, neither did I. Five hundred years have passed, and yet here we are, meeting again like this."
Ei let out a long sigh as well. "Why didn't you come to me?"
At those words, Hanasato fell silent for a moment. "You should be able to tell that I... am no longer who I once was."
She lowered her head, hesitating for a long time before saying, "I... didn't want you to see me like this."
"You fool!"
Ei smiled helplessly as she chided her. "You're still just the same as before."
Ei looked at the masked shrine maiden beside her.
She could sense the tainted aura around her, and she could also tell that Hanasato would not remain in this world for much longer.
"I can feel the Sacred Sakura's pain."
"The Sacred Sakura Cleansing Ritual is about to begin. Ei, would you walk with me a little farther?"
Ei smiled gently and gave a small nod.
And so, Ei, Ailin, and Hanasato began their adventure.
The Sacred Sakura Cleansing Ritual involved helping the Sacred Sakura clear away the impurities it [could not digest].
The Sacred Sakura's main roots spread through several underground spaces on Narukami Island, and the impurities were largely concentrated in those locations.
These places were difficult for ordinary people to find, but for Hanasato and Ei, who knew