I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit

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Under the veil of the soft moonlight and the murmur of the evening breeze, Kiichi Hougen reflected on her disciples' futures.

After Sara and Itto, it was naturally Gorou's turn.

"Your plans for the future, Gorou?"

Gorou looked up at the night sky, his expression pensive. Kiichi Hougen waited patiently, not interrupting his thoughts.

"I think… I want to go back to Watatsumi Island. That's my homeland."

"And after that, well…"

He scratched his cheek awkwardly, looking a little embarrassed.

"I haven't figured that part out yet. I guess I'll decide when I get there."

How wonderful, she thought. Each of her three disciples had their own aspirations.

True, only Sara had a clear and structured plan for the future, while Gorou and Itto were more inclined to take life as it came. But there was nothing wrong with that. It was simply another way to live.

Kiichi Hougen had never hoped for her disciples to become grand heroes or extraordinary figures. After all, few heroes met a kind fate.

For some reason, the concept of heroism seemed to have become entangled with tragedy over time.

Perhaps even heroes couldn't triumph over reality—or the malice of humanity.

Thus, living an unremarkable but content life was perfectly fine. The skills she had imparted should allow them to lead better lives, no matter their paths.

After all, her teachings extended far beyond martial arts and military strategy.

She ensured her disciples had practical knowledge for everyday life, from solving equations to reciting poetry, to understanding foreign languages. Yet, she also taught them how to navigate mundane challenges: how to shop at markets, line up at hospitals, or book train tickets.

Having experienced the pitfalls of impractical brilliance firsthand, she didn't want her disciples to face the same struggles.

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My name is Kirina Kitō, and I'm a shrine maiden at the Grand Narukami Shrine.

Many of my peers envy me. After all, the Grand Narukami Shrine is the largest in Inazuma. Countless people visit daily to pray and make offerings, and we never have to worry about our wages.

But cleaning the shrine is another story.

I don't know who started the rumor that if you draw a bad fortune slip at the Grand Narukami Shrine, you can discard it under the Sacred Sakura Tree to rid yourself of bad luck.

As if that's how it works!

Yet, so many people believe it that we shrine maidens spend ages cleaning up discarded fortune slips. Some even end up on the roof! They're a nightmare to remove.

Honestly, it cuts into my free time. I haven't been able to relax and read my light novels lately.

Of course, shrine maidens don't just sweep and tidy. Occasionally, we take on exorcism or yokai-cleansing requests.

Not that there are many yokai left in Inazuma. Under the Raiden Shogun's watchful rule, sightings have become exceedingly rare.

Oh, right—our Guuji, Lady Yae Miko, is a yokai herself. A five-hundred-year-old one, at that.

Most of the so-called yokai we investigate turn out to be ordinary animals with a touch of spiritual awareness. Hardly the real deal.

So we usually treat these assignments as paid outings, opportunities to leave the mountaintop where the shrine is perched.

This time, we received a report of a yokai in a distant forest, and I, Kirina Kitō, was sent to investigate.

Though, truth be told, I wasn't exactly concerned.

"Probably just another spiritually aware tanuki or fox…" I muttered to myself.

We've had so many false alarms. Once, someone accused a yokai of theft, only for us to discover it was just a man stealing.

Upon reaching the forest, I couldn't help but feel irritated.

"This place is so remote. Are there even any villages nearby?"

With a snap, I accidentally stepped on a fallen branch.

"How exactly am I supposed to investigate yokai sightings here? Maybe I should just head back and report it as a baseless rumor."

But I didn't.

Lady Yae Miko was far too perceptive. There was no way I could lie to her without getting caught.

At the very least, I needed to give this investigation a genuine effort. Results could come later.

Lady Yae might be mischievous, but she was kind and understanding. Even if I failed, she wouldn't chastise me harshly.

That's one reason I love working at the shrine. Who wouldn't want a smart, easygoing boss with a close connection to Inazuma's highest authority?

"Ugh… It's getting dark. Am I going to have to camp out here? No way…"

Walking through the dense forest, unease crept into my heart.

I should've stayed at that village overnight and come here tomorrow. But no—I was so eager to finish quickly and slack off later that I rushed in… What if there really are yokai here?

A rustling sound behind me made me spin around.

"Who's there? Show yourself!"

The bushes trembled, and out darted a small squirrel.

We stared at each other for a moment before it turned, flicked its tail, and climbed a tree, vanishing into the leaves.

"Hah… Just a squirrel."

See? There's no way a yokai would actually show up.

"Still, how embarrassing. I used to laugh at those people who blamed everything on yokai, and now I'm not much better…"

"That's quite amusing," came a voice, startling me.

"Are all the shrine maidens under that little fox as lively as you?"

"Wha—? Did someone see my embarrassing reaction just now? Ahem!"

I composed myself quickly, shifting to a calm and dignified demeanor befitting a shrine maiden.

"Excuse me, are you a local resident? I'm a shrine maiden from the Grand Narukami Shrine, here to conduct an investigation."

My tone was gentle, almost soothing, as I scanned my surroundings.

But there was no one in sight.

"Look up," the voice called again.

Following the sound, I raised my head—and the first thing I saw was hair as silver as moonlight, cascading like a luminous waterfall.

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