因为英文版第十八章剧情的不同，所以英文版的正文结局在中文版完全没有的第十九章
Chapter One
The Awe-Inspiring Girl (RinRin no Ko凛々の子)
(“Ah, hard to imagine I would ever find someone even close to Rin...”) thought Hitomi as she wrote in her journal. Hitomi is nineteen, just starting her studies in becoming a high school physics teacher. Kind of a shopaholic, she buys way too many books for her own good, considering her tiny apartment. But buying books cannot be that bad, right? Especially since she met Rin for the first time in a bookstore.
Almost two years ago, Hitomi wanted a special gift for herself on her eighteenth birthday, and was browsing the odd section of the bookstore where titles such as Latin Grammar could be spotted, and heavily discounted, too! She was just debating whether to buy Cicero’s Speeches in Original Latin, or 150 Gregorian Chants in Medieval Notation when another girl passed by, who, upon glancing at the titles in Hitomi’s hands, smiled and continued on.
By the time Hitomi snapped herself out of that enchanting smile that has been engraved into her mind, the girl’s long gone. Ugh... A perfect first encounter well wasted...
Hitomi had been debating whether she should visit the bookstore the same day of the week, every week, to maybe run into that girl again, but that proved unnecessary. She was beyond joy when she met the same girl again at the end of the month, at a volunteering orientation. Naturally, Hitomi went to the same table as that girl did, and participated in the “Ice Breaker” activities.
Rin, 23, medical student. Loves history books on “peculiar topics”.
Turned out Hitomi would be volunteering at a different location from Rin. Hitomi would visit In-patients at a Rehabilitation Hospital, mostly seniors who fell tripping on carpet, and Rin would assist physiotherapists for family group activities promoting improved coordination for children with autism. Using this as a good excuse to express her lament that she wouldn’t be seeing much of Rin, Hitomi asked Rin for her contact to, uh... possibly share some books to read, since Hitomi surely had a sizable collection of peculiar books herself. (Latin, Greek, Finnish Grammar, Gregorian Chants, Byzantine Rites, et cetera.)
After a few meet-ups in libraries and coffee shops, Hitomi thought it was time to pursue Rin, and invited Rin to her apartment to see her collection of books. At the end, though, when Hitomi wondered if she could see Rin’s collection at Rin’s place, there was a very slight silence before Rin replied “I will tidy up my place first”.
As Rin didn’t give a precise date for seeing her books at her place, Hitomi met Rin again a few more times, and last of which was at the lake side of a very quiet park at Rin’s request.
“I was reading a very engaging book yesterday, want to hear?” Rin looked gently at Hitomi’s eyes. Thinking this as a perfect chance to bring them closer together, Hitomi eagerly nodded.
“During medieval times, some prisoners who behave too full-of-themselves would need to be ‘brushed clean’ before appearing in court again.” Rin drew closer. “Boiling water would be poured onto the skin, not too much, though, and a fine metal brush would be employed for the scouring,” Rin’s eyes became fiery and powerful. “Until the glistening white of the bone pleased the eye...”
“Hitomi, that’s the kind of peculiar history books in which I indulge. So?”
Was that disturbing? Of course it was! (thought Hitomi) ... however, when the burning eyes of Rin was mere centimeters away from her own, Hitomi’s mental debate was not whether she should fight or flight before a possibly dangerous pervert, but, hearing her own heart pounding and racing, Hitomi’s inner battle was (“could this, by chance, be indeed the reaction of meeting my first true love?!?!”)
Swallowing a couple of times before answering, Hitomi was almost paralyzed with, not fear, but nervousness, “I... I... think... I’m pretty... sure, that I... um... love you, but if that’s too soon, ... maybe it’s best to just say, I really like you. I think you are stunningly beautiful, and have a personality that makes me want to be drawn closer, while your intellect is awe-inspiring. May I please, have the permission to, um... like you a lot...” Hitomi’s voice trailed off as she stared at her shoes and wrung her fingers together.
“I am quite sure that I like you very much as well”, Rin sat relaxed, her eyes looking across the lake into the distance, “If you are not repelled by the books I read, maybe we can get along just fine. But a word of warning, though, I just broke up with my boyfriend half a year ago; we’ve been together since high school. And the reason? He said he’s not good enough for me. What’s that supposed to mean! I think I’m over him now, but if I sound bitterly harsh or feel insecure, that’s probably the reason, trying to drive people away from me before I am abandoned. Sounds like a lunatic, don’t I? But I’m quite certain I’m over it now. Don’t want to hurt you when I’m not yet ready to move forward. Wouldn’t be fair to you.”
Rin’s voice was more like a murmur by that time, and Hitomi didn’t know the right way to respond, so she leaned closer to Rin.
“Hitomi, want to come to my place and look at some books on peculiar subjects?”
“Uhn.” Hitomi nodded, and that was their first real date.
The next week, Hitomi didn’t know exactly what would be the right expression when beholding titles such as Forensics, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Psychology of Domination, The Medieval Dungeon and Equipment, Suggestive Language and the Science in Hypnosis, and being unable to maintain a smile, Hitomi wondered if she would have nightmares that night.
“Hitomi?”
“Ah, ... yes?” She quickly brought herself out of the rampaging random thoughts.
“You have a very sweet voice, like glimmering sunlight on a mountain stream that flows over shiny pebbles. I would like to make you sing for me someday.” Whispered Rin as she drew close and gently held Hitomi by her shoulders.
“I... do like singing... and I guess I can see whether you like my Gregorian chant?” Hitomi thought it was a rather unpredictable change of topic.
“That’s not what I meant, though. But not for a few years, not until we’ve both finished our studies, and have made life-long commitment to be officially together.” Rin chuckled lightly.
And Hitomi blushed and was rather embarrassed, thinking of the day that Rin would make her sing for Rin’s own enjoyment.
And that day never came. Fast forward two years, Hitomi and Rin both knew that something was missing in their relationship. They had fun traveling, going to Anime conventions together, cooking, drawing and painting, but something was missing. Rin indulged herself very frequently in whispering into Hitomi’s ear, describing in graphic detail, the sensations that she would one day inflict on, and engrave into, Hitomi’s body, and watched the fear that would pour out of Hitomi’s almost hollow eyes, but something was missing.
Tomorrow will be THE day. Tomorrow Hitomi will meet Rin by the lakeside in that quiet park again, and they will end it. They can still go to Anime conventions together, share books and try each other’s cooking, but there will never be a day when Rin makes Hitomi sing and takes Hitomi as her own forever.
Maybe Rin can still coax Hitomi to visit a Haunted House at an amusement park and see Hitomi cry out of fear, but no more than that.
Tomorrow will be the day. Hitomi retires herself into bed, and thinks of Rin’s fingertips on her arm, and Rin’s lips on her neck, and Rin’s whispers in her ear, and when their foreheads touched...
Hitomi, after quite a while of tossing and turning, finally drifts asleep, and has a dream that feels disorganized and illogical and... has a background of crying babies???
“Ugh, that didn’t feel like I’ve rested at all!” Hitomi muttered to herself as she opened her eyes.
“Am I still dreaming? A cavern? Why? My, I feel tired...” Hitomi looked around and saw tiny rooms dug out of the stone walls of a huge cave, with children, children everywhere (!), being cared for by those seeming to be daycare staff, but in cosplay clothing(!?!?)
Hitomi tried to get out of bed, and seeing children’s shoes in front of her, she tried to push those aside with her feet so she could look for more appropriate ones for herself under the bed, and saw a child’s legs and feet move as part of her own body.
“Heh????!!!!”
“Ah, dear Kagami, you’re awake! Here’s your clean clothes for today, see you at breakfast time~” A cheerful daycare staff smiled at Hitomi as she passed by the open room.
(“Great, I’m a tiny child named Kagami now. Just. Great. Yup.” her thought went.)
Hitomi has had her fair shares of boring dreams. From Grade 7 to second year university, she has had dreams where she would go to school, work on assignments, write exams, walk home, do chores, only to wake up and redo all the aforementioned tasks in real life. Booooorrrriiing...
However, Hitomi has found one aspect for certain: she never gets to enjoy food in a dream. Her dream would end as soon as she is about to enjoy gourmet entrees. If she dreams of eating a stale dry sandwich, she would continue dreaming, but if appetizing food is about to be consumed, she wakes up without exception.
Hitomi had mixed feelings when she saw fried mushrooms, gourmet Italian sausages, fried Irish soda bread, spinach quiche, prosciutto and fine melons at breakfast time. (“Those are some of my favorites when I was traveling in Europe. Well, here comes waking up.”)
Hitomi placed some prosciutto into her mouth with a piece of melon.
“MmmHmmm! Delicious! I wonder if they also have three-year aged Gouda...”
“Kagami, you say that every time you have dry cured ham.” Said the daycare staff as she served crepe to another child. “Why do you call cheese How-dah anyway?”
“Ick”, Hitomi realized that she was eating good food and not waking up, “I wonder what’s going on.”
Chapter Two
Not a Dream (Yume ja nai夢じゃない)
“Well”, Hitomi sighed lightly as she finished her quiche, (“this is either a new way of having dreams, or maybe there’s something more to it.”) Despite having had a large variety of boring and extremely realistic dreams in the past, Hitomi thought this situation was intriguingly different, as she has never dreamed herself at a different age from the age she is in the waking world. She might have a boring dream where she’s somehow back in her elementary school classroom with her elementary school classmates, and she might as well wonder why, looking like a second year university student in terms of appearance, would she be sitting at a Grade 3 desk with Grade 3 students.
Remembering a movie she once saw where one of the characters had a spinning top to test whether it's a dream, Hitomi decided to go outside, out of the cave. She was a physics teacher in training, and if the refraction index of water was any different from the ordinary, she would know, provided that she wouldn't forget her goal and get carried away by being in a crazy dream.
“Hi, ugh...” Hitomi didn't know anybody’s name, and not wanting to appear rude, she tried to talk to one of the staff with her soft, gentle voice (not the one for quieting a Grade 8 science classroom), “sorry if I’m interrupting your work, but may I go outside to relax for a while, please?”
“Kagami, others want to go outside at age three, and you finally want to go when you are almost six...” smiled the staff.
(“Okay, apparently I am five at the present moment”, thought Hitomi) “So, may I?”
“No, not yet. Soon, though. The test is in less than a month.”
(“There’s a test for going outside?!” Hitomi shouted in disbelief inside herself.) “Could you please be so kind as to refresh my memory on the whole issue?”
“Kagami, ...you usually don’t talk much, but what you just said... No one ever talks like that here... How did you...” The daycare staff looked both concerned and deeply suspicious.
(“Gagh! I forgot to talk like a child!”) Hitomi was almost certain by this point that it was not an ordinary dream. She has never gotten in trouble for talking professionally in a dream before, and honestly, she had no inkling on how to get out of the present awkwardness. “Well, I... well, ... I don’t know... I don’t know at all what’s going on” Hitomi stuttered. Thankfully the daycare staff didn’t have the luxury of leisure time on her hand, and had to help in the kitchen. Hitomi breathed a sigh of relief, (“until the next faux pas... I get to live for a little while longer. Who knows what they would do with me if they found out... I don't even know what they could find out, since I don't know what's going on, but they could realize I am not the real Kagami.”)
(“Well, it’s decided. A dream or not, I would like to not get in trouble like I did just now.”) Hitomi made a resolution to herself, (“Even though this Kagami seems to be just waiting for me to come and assume her identity, with all the Gouda that nobody here understands, I am not going to gamble with my luck. I will stay low, listen carefully, keep quiet, and source information from others’ conversations. Until I wake up again, I am Kagami, age five presently, who doesn’t talk much. At least that's a blessing, I don't have to try to imitate how someone I've never met would talk, because she doesn't talk much. I can do that.”)
It took a while, but after the meal rotation had come full circle twice for breakfast, and she had arrived naturally at just calling it “hard yellow cheese” instead of “three year Gouda”, (not that educating people who live in a cave on the distance between the towns of Gouda and Edam had ever been a high priority anyway,) Kagami -- she was comfortable with that name now -- had come to terms with the fact that she would NOT just one day wake up and be in her apartment again. This was the new norm. She was in a different world now.
A world where children have to live in a cave until the age six. Kagami heard some daycare staff explain the situation to some three-year-olds.
“It’s dangerous out there for you. You know what earth is, this dirt thing, and wind, like from this fan, and water you know that we drink and wash with, and fire, for light and heat, and these are called the elements. Yes that’s a big word, but don’t worry. Well, you see, sometimes you see dust in the air, and other times you see a little bug fly by. The outside has tiny earth, wind, water, and fire flying in the air like dust or little bugs, and your body is too young. The elements will go crazy in your body and you will get hurt very very badly, and there will be lots of blood... ”
(“That’s a good daycare staff”,) thought Kagami, (“explaining magical elements to three year old children.”) Kagami kept listening, staying quiet and still in the background so as not to be noticed.
“When big people, adults, give birth to babies, the mother’s love, the essence, keeps the baby safe from the elements for three days. During those three days, babies are quickly brought to these special caves where the shiny rocks in the wall, we call them crystals, help to keep you safe.”
(“I don’t think the children are listening any more”,) thought Kagami, seeing the children’s eyes wander.
“So can I go outside now?”
(yup.)
By listening to conversations here and there, Kagami more or less figured out the larger picture eventually. When children turn six, they are given the first instruction on how to survive outside. There is a magic matrix at the mouth of the cave, and instructors from some academies will give demonstrations on how to utilize the matrix, with proper footwork and body movements, to bring the elements into one’s body in a controlled manner.
If a success is achieved, then the child can become a student in one of the academies. Once graduated, sufficient preparation has been made for this person to live in the outside world. On the other hand, if a child is not successful in utilizing the matrix to be able to breathe outside air, another year has to be waited before one can attempt again.
If by age eighteen one is still unable to rein in the elements, such a person has to become a daycare staff in the cave. This has been the way the world operated since time immemorial, and people are quite content even if they are spending the rest of their years in caves.
(“No wonder that I was told that in a short while there would be a test for going outside. The batch of, well who knows what’s the year in this world, are taking their first grade entrance exam.”) Kagami smiled and thought of her “formative assessments” that she had compiled for students entering physics in Grade 11. (“That feels like a lifetime away already...”)
A few days later all the children who had turned six since last year were lining up. After going through winding tunnels and a few doors engraved with magic spells, Kagami, one of the youngest whose birthday was just last week, saw the sky at the end of a long walk.
It's not blue. But Kagami couldn't decide with firmness whether it was best to call it turquoise, cyan, or aquamarine. It's a calming world, albeit with raving magic elements. Toward the horizon, the sky turns just the most delicate hue of lavender. ("I am fortunate, regardless of how slight the luck might be,") thought Kagami, ("to be in a world filled with my favorite colours.")
The opening of the cave looked like an amphitheatre, with multiple magic matrices on the ground, glowing faintly with purple light. Across from the children, standing on the outside half of the space, were the representatives from the various academies.
After listening to some superficial introductions on the academies from the daycare staff, Kagami believed that she would join Aohiyama should she succeed. It was the uniform that attracted her. Classic navy blue suits seem pleasing to the eye, whereas the others were a little too “lively”. Yes, Kagami was once a more nerdy type of physics teacher in training, not an art teacher or dance teacher or drama teacher.
Kagami recalled online videos of taichi as she watched the demonstration on how to take advantage of the matrix, (“some of these poses look like yoga, while others have footwork resembling tai chi...”)
(“There was even a parody video online, on how to make beginner tai chi movements: gently hold one air watermelon, cut it in half, to the left falls one half, to the right falls another half, left foot goes over the watermelon, trace the curve, lift your right leg to avoid stepping on the melon and slipping, now move the right foot to go over the other half of the watermelon, close the fridge door with both hands.”)
“Who would like to try first?” some voice called Kagami back from her thoughts.
(“It wouldn’t hurt to try. I can always try again next year if I fail. Being a daycare worker isn’t too far away from being a teacher anyway if worse comes to worst.”) Kagami took a step forward. “Me!”
Kagami stepped into the matrix, and immediately gasped for air. The magic elements were vicious, even if their effects were dampened by the magic spells. Kagami’s feet were swept off the ground as she was being caught in a whirlpool of elements, and her neck felt like it was being seized in a chokehold.
Kagami sincerely thought she would pass out soon if she didn’t do something immediately. (“Foot ... step over a watermelon... left hand, let a melon fall... right... hand... the other half falls”) and then suddenly she could breathe! Kagami was no longer fighting for her very breath, but was going with the current in the rapid whirlpool; it was still difficult, however, to be in control. Her body spun too fast and was no longer in sync with the rotation, like a piece of clothing in a washing machine that got tangled when momentum carried it forward when the machine was shifting its direction of turning.
(“So this is how it feels to be a bed sheet in the wash...”) Kagami pondered if she was able to “ride the current” when she’s barely six...
(“Yoga? Palate? Zumba? Can anything help me right now?”) Kagami got tired of trying quick remedies, and decided to call it quits. She slashed the torrent of magic elements open with her forearm and stepped out.
“Well done.” came the judgement.
“Heh?????” Kagami was more than confused. “But I gave up trying to control the elements.”
“You were able to breathe, and you knew when to stop. We cannot possibly ask more from a six year old. Where would you like to go?”
“Aohiyama. I like the uniform, it’s...”
“You wouldn’t want to waste your talent at Aohiyama, would you?” A young voice cut Kagami off half way through her sentence. “Come with me, to Kageyama.”
Kagami’s eyes widened as she turned to look at the girl from Kageyama.
“...Rin...” a whisper escaped between her lips.
Chapter Three
Nostalgia (Natsukashii koto) 懐かしいこと
“The genius of Kageyama?” “Arashi the prodigy is offering a personal invitation to Kagami...” Kagami heard the crowd whisper.
(“Clearly, Rin has made a name for herself here, though under the name Arashi.”) Kagami pondered. (“But I cannot be a hundred percent certain that this is Rin. She looks like Rin in her childhood photos, and yet on the other hand, I didn’t feel like she knew me. Her voice was rather cold. So either Rin didn’t recognize me, or maybe that’s actually another person entirely. I will probe with some harmless questions later on.”)
“Thank you for inviting me to Kageyama. I will gladly accept the offer. I’m Kagami, please take care of me.” Kagami said with a slight bow.
“I’m Arashi. Glad to meet you.” She gave a short reply, and turned to resume watching the rest of the children take their test.
Kagami saw that Arashi was a little bit aloof. Not wanting to make a poor impression, she walked to the side and asked the other representative from Kageyama for some information first, before deciding on how to interact with Arashi.
“Excuse me, I’m Kagami. I heard that Arashi is quite famous, being called a genius. Could you please tell me some stories of hers, if that’s acceptable?”
“With pleasure. Even though Arashi is the youngest by age, we all call her older sister in our grade, for she was the first one in many ways.”
“At Kageyama, students can specialize in swordsmanship, alchemy, or magic matrix and spells. I’ll just call that ‘magic’ for short. Students enter the academy without specialization, and take general instruction. Everyone gets to learn some introductory basics in the three subjects.” The girl continued.
“How you designate a specialization is by ‘resonating with it’. Some years after you start studying, usually two or three, you will feel your heart being drawn by one the arts. So you will know by then where to direct your efforts. Upon watching demonstrations from instructors, your spirit will be moved and you will every now and then fall into a brief trance. Really brief, like two or three seconds. That’s when you ask your instructor for more lessons on the subject.”
“Eventually, your heart and spirit calls to the art, and it responds. A sword, a crystal, or a matrix, will resonate as your whole being longs for it. That’s when you are ready to take on a specialization, usually around the age fifteen.”
“Arashi made a sword ring for joy the moment she got one in her hand, at age six. So she’s the first one in this generation to have a specialization, and she entered advanced studies after speeding past general courses. She’s now eleven. She has already had more advanced courses than anyone else attending the academy, and that’s why we students all call her ‘older sister’. Without a doubt, she will be in the history books in the future.”
“I’m Akishi, by the way, ” the girl smiled warmly, “I just got my specialization in magic last year, at age fourteen.”
“Congratulations. Akishi.” Kagami smiled back, “You must also be quite talented. I am only six, so I’ll need your help a lot when I arrive in Kageyama.”
(“Hmm...”) thought Kagami, (“being eleven years old, she’s still five years older than me, so it is possible that she is Rin. I will get closer to her when the selection test has concluded, and ask her some questions.”)
Kagami saw that the “grade one entrance exam” of this world was just about half way through. All the six year old children had completed their turns, with four of them succeeding, out of a total of ten. Leftovers from previous years had been trying their luck, and then older teens lined up to give their last best shot at living outside.
Most children avoided choosing Kageyama. Swordsmanship, alchemy and magic, though magnificent in name, were difficult subjects. Academies that taught metal work, carpentry, pottery, glass work, agriculture, construction, nursing, bookkeeping, business management, machinery repair... were infinitely more popular than Kageyama.
In the end, Kagami was the only one who joined.
(“I guess there won’t be a crowd around Arashi when I try to talk to her”) Kagami made her way toward Arashi as the tests drew to their conclusion, “Older sister Arashi, may I hold your hand, please?”
Arashi looked down at Kagami, and didn’t say a word.
“Sorry if I...” Kagami was about to apologize when Arashi took her hand and led her to start their trip back to Kageyama.
(“*Giggles* it’s just like in a manga, maybe Arashi is a tsundere! Seems cold, but in fact is full of kindness.”) Kagami rejoiced inside herself.
“By the way, Older sister Arashi, what do you like, please?”
“My sword.”
“Do you like stories and plays and songs? My favorite story is Kannazuki no Miko, and my favorite actress is Shindou-Naomi, while my favorite singer is Nakashima-Mika.”
“Sorry but I am not familiar with any,” came the cold short reply.
(“Okay then. This is not Rin, at least not the Rin that I have met before. Even if for some reason she didn’t recognize me, she would have known these names had she come from the other world like I did. No point telling her I’m Hitomi, then.”)
“Ah, no worries. My apologies for the small talk. I aspire to become talented with swords, just like you. I want to learn a lot from you, Older sister Arashi, please take care of me.”
The group climbed into a vehicle, which had the driver’s half looking like a Model T’s front half, with the passenger compartment resembling that of a horse drawn carriage.
(“It’s very comfortable”) Kagami was pleased with the vehicle’s design. (“it is nice that I don’t have to bend down to get in, and I can stand straight when moving around.”)
The carriage drove into a nearby town, which resembled a lovely small town in Europe that had been mainly built in the 1800’s.
“Ah.” Kagami sighed with nostalgia, remembering her summer vacations with Rin. (“This world is filled with familiar things. From food to architecture, it’s like a parallel universe.”)
The carriage drove into a public square, and onto a transporting magic platform with spells chiseled into the stonework.
Akishi got off the carriage to activate the spells, and after some brilliant display of illuminated magical elements, the carriage was transported to Kageyama.
Everyone got out of the carriage. “Kagami, how are you doing with your first day being outside?” inquired Akishi. Akishi is the stereotypical warm older sister indeed.
“Aww, thank you for taking care of me, Akishi Oneesama. I can feel the magic elements breathe with me as I inhale and exhale. The air still feels thick and dense, but I am breathing more or less effortlessly.”
“Don’t be that formal with me” Akishi chuckled, a light cheerful laughter, “Oneechan is good enough. I’m happy to see you join Kageyama. Don’t be afraid to ask me for help. I volunteered to bring in the new student because it’s my pleasure to give a helping hand, however small the task might be. Feel free to ask me anything!”
“Thank you, thank you, Akishi Oneechan” Kagami then turned her head,
“Arashi Oneesama, if I may inquire, could you please enlighten me on the reason for inviting me to Kageyama? Thank you for believing that I may possess some degree of talent, yet I am unable to understand how my performance could, in any way, differ from others’.”
“You were not watching intently, then. Kagami, others copied the exact movements from the demonstration, and were satisfied as long as they could start breathing outside air.” Arashi’s examining eyes were piercing through Kagami with severity, such that Kagami felt uneasy standing there.
“You, on the other hand, were trying to gather the principle behind the movements, and worked to produce your own. On top of that, you were striving aimlessly to subdue the swirling elements without any instruction; I am uncertain whether I should commend you on your effort or your blind faith in your luck. You are very fortunate that you didn’t end up as a tangled bloody mess.” With those words, Arashi turned her back and started walking toward the academy.
“Don’t be discouraged. Arashi is actually a very kind person.”
“I am not troubled, Akishi Oneechan. She’s rightfully concerned about my safety when I try things while being unprepared for the possible outcome. Thank you, Akishi Oneechan.”
“Um, let’s go.”
(“Telling me about some tangled bloody mess, just like Rin. How nostalgic... Though without any amorous intention this time, and I don’t know if she’s enjoying herself...”)
After passing through a pleasant wood with mostly pine and cypress, Kagami was able to see the main building of the academy.
(“Why do I have a feeling that I’m staring at a ten Yen coin...”) Kagami wondered.
Standing beside Kagami, Akishi offered some brief introduction, “This is the Phoenix Hall.”
(“The ten yen coin, Phoenix Hall at Byodo Temple! [Byōdō-In Hō'?-Dō平等院鳳凰堂] Though this is a greatly enlarged version built with masonry.)
“The central tower is the library. Even magic books considered forbidden elsewhere are open to all students here at Kageyama. Forbidden books on magic may cause some extensive damage, but they all require a greater price to be paid which backfires on the responsible magician, so we don’t worry very much about it.”
Akishi then pointed to the sides of the building, “the left wing is for alchemy, while magic is taught on the right. Behind the library tower is the Inner Hall for swordsmanship.”
“Long ago the academy had villas on the mountain for instructors to teach and to conduct research, but then it was deemed to have caused students to become idle, so now all teaching is delivered at the Phoenix Hall to uphold the learning atmosphere.”
“What are those little houses on tall stilts behind the building, please? Akishi Oneechan?”
“Those are the treasure storage for the three departments. We should all aspire to reach the uttermost limit in our studies, like those treasure houses that look like they are as high as the clouds!”
(“Izumo Taisha shrine! In original design!”) [出雲大社]
Kagami was very certain by this time that she was in a parallel universe. (“Next thing you know, they will serve hanpen for lunch...”)
“By the way, the square fluffy fish cake from our cafeteria is very famous, you can try it later, Kagami.”
(“Hanpen...”) はんぺん
**********
Chapter Three is done ~
I do enjoy letting Kagami see things that she’s familiar with in the parallel universe. I imagine her speechless expression would be perfect for Discord emotions.
Thanks for reading, and please take care of me!
Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu~~ よろしくお願いします。
Hitomi 一見 より
Chapter Four
Mountain of Shadows (Kageyama) 影山
Arashi looked on by the entrance to the Phoenix Hall, while Akishi and Kagami made their way over as well.
“My apologies for taking too much time, immensely sorry to have caused you to wait.” Kagami didn’t want to risk irritating Arashi.
Arashi glanced at Kagami’s face, and proceeded to lead the group inside without saying a word.
Kagami couldn’t help it but had to admire all the woodwork and stonework she saw along the way while they were walking to the chancellor’s office. (Hitomi had spent four years in the school woodshop back then, taking woodwork courses from Grade 9 to Grade 12.)
“Kageyama is but a shadow of her former glory.” Arashi’s voice was soft and light, with a hint of sorrow and longing. “Centuries ago, Kageyama was filled with gallant souls, and left the rest of the world in her shadow. And now, it’s mostly scholars shut in their studies, content with research. I want to reignite Kageyama with my zeal, and have the world look up to Kageyama in awe again.”
With such words, Arashi now stood at the door of the chancellor. After three knocks, the door was opened by the chancellor herself.
An old lady with silver hair, the chancellor welcomed the three. “Thank you for taking the trip to bring in a new student, dear Arashi and Akishi. You have done well. Welcome to Kageyama, dear, may you fulfill your ambition.”
“Thank you, chancellor. I am called Kagami; I will work hard. Please take care of me.”
“Glad to see you here, Kagami. Now, who would like to help Kagami get acquainted with the academy please?” The chancellor looked at Akishi, knowing she’s the more probable candidate for the task.
“Please allow me the opportunity, chancellor.” To everyone’s surprise, Arashi came forward.
Kagami was delighted. (“Maybe she likes me already. Possibly some years later, when I’m 14 or 15, I can explicitly tell Arashi that I like her. I’m certain there’s a good chance that Arashi will stay on faculty when she’s eighteen, so I don’t need to put a hard deadline on myself that I must tell her that I like her before she graduates the academy. When I’m over eighteen, we can be in a relationship! Certainly I can put in my best effort to have my happy ending in this world ~~ ”)
“Thank you Arashi. I’ll entrust her to your care, then.”
“The pleasure’s mine, Chancellor. If you may excuse us.”
The chancellor nodded, and the two left the office.
“Akishi, isn’t it pleasant to see a gentle Arashi, though it’s much to one’s surprise?”
“Chancellor, Arashi has always had kindness in her, but it is refreshing, indeed.”
**********
“Is there anything that you would like to see first? We will have lunch soon, and the tour of the academy afterward.”
“I want to see where students practice swords, please, Oneesama.”
“This way, then.”
At the end of a serpentine trail, what came into view was a rocky area. Kagami saw boulders and rocks and pebbles and gravel and sand. Some rocks have moss growing on it.
“One cannot dictate the situation in which a blade is drawn. We must be ready to combat in different terrains. Starchy water is poured onto some of the rocks every evening, so slippery moss can grow on them.”
“May I see you use your sword, please? Arashi Oneesama?”
“When I give demonstrations with the practice swords, yes. But my personal sword here, no.”
“You must treasure it with all your heart, then, Oneesama.”
“To lay down rules of life is part of swordsmanship. To not use the blade casually, is one of the rules I laid down for myself.”
“I want to dedicate my life to swordsmanship as well, Oneesama. What advice would you please kindly offer me on the rules of life?”
“Rules are to remind ourselves that there are things we will not do. They are to help us stay focused. To help us reorient when we might at times feel lost.”
“I gratefully receive the advice. Oneesama.”
“When you are a sword, everything is waiting for you to cut them in half. You decide which, where, and when.” Arashi started to walk back, and let these words drift into Kagami’s ears, as a light breeze carried them to Kagami.