Flower Children 🌸 [Fukigen Na Mononokean]

Chapter 4

MUNDANE WORLD

"There are no flowers that bloom in these weather anymore" Yuri - the youngest shrine maiden heaved a sigh, brushing my hair with great care. It was tender and done with proper care the way a girl in her younger days would treat their newly bought dolls.

"Then let's take a break and go on a vacation" I paused waiting for Kana who was sitting near the door, supervising us to scolded me for saying nonsense like she sometimes does but she didn't so I continue on "We all can go somewhere nice like take a dip in hot spring!" I turned to Kana with a huge grin at the very idea of going out, eyes sparkling in excitement.

"O-or maybe not...." I cleared my throat and turn back around to face the mirror when she's frowning at me.

"Well, it's not such a bad idea considering it's getting colder each day but you're not allowed to go, yet. Please be patient" Yuri coaxed me in a mellow voice, a chunk of my hair in her hand in mid-air, not moving.

"Not a word about this in front of the high priest," Kana sternly replied and stood up to take her leave with Yuri.

"I-I understand..." my eyes downcast to my hands, fiddling with it.

"M-Madam, what brings you here?" Yuri's nervous voice perked my ears.

"Mother-" the moment I saw her harden face as I stand to greet her, silenced me mid-sentence. I have never seen her so outrage; the last time was when I tried to sneak out to watch our town winter firework in high school year.

I speculate thousands of reasons for her anger towards me. Is it my behaviour to her friends? Taking longer on my evening walk? Or people complain about my remedies, when it supposed to heal them but accidentally send them to their death instead?

"Your father and I need to speak to you, come with me to the main room" she commands as she turned away to lead the way but I stopped her.

"I didn't do anything wrong... I did everything you told me to-" I paused taking a shaky breath, eyes searching for a hint of fondness or compassion of parents would to their children, hence will forgive them eventually when they made mistakes.

"I didn't..."

"There have been rats running about in our properties" she started "Wonder which cheese they're looking for?" she eyed me and glances at the two shrines maiden that had their heads lower. They met her eyes, the look she had sent them away with fear without words.

A small smile appears on my lips without me realizing it. The happiness I feel were brief, the fact that they actually try to find a way to free me made me ecstatic but fear overcomes it when my mother glares at me with fiery eyes.

She reaches to grab my hand "Come" with firm grasps around my wrist she pulls me using force to make me walk.

"Mother... please-" I unconsciously take wobbly steps backward feeling weak in the knees "-l-listen listen to me first. They-y"

"You disobey me, your parents and I will not permit excuses"

As I grew up I have come to understands that resisting it would make my punishments much worst. Only this time wills I bear through it for them, it was entirely my fault. This will be the last time I will ever try to be free...

UNDERWORLD

"That thing is no ordinary shackles and everything seems wrong, I didn't sense any presence of demons so there might be none but there's something off about the priest. He doesn't look ordinary" Abeno explains arms crossing across his chest in deep thought.