On reag the shrine building I knocked on the door. Si was a modest local shrine and the middle of a w day, there were no worshippers around, nor any shrine maidens on duty. They’d all still be at school, I guess? Most Tokyo schools started this week I think.

  After a moment the door opeo reveal Kana-’s mother, Nagi-san. She was in casual clothes, jeans and a light cardigan over a t-shirt, looking fashionable and surprisingly youthful. Yeah, she’s a fine looking woman. Kana-’s future seems bright. “Good m.” I said, bowing politely. “I’ve e to discuss shrine business.”

  “Oh, Oshiro-kun.” She smiled professionally at me. “You did say you would be back from your trip this week. I hope it proved fruitful?”

  “It did indeed. Is Izumi-san in, the elder, I mean? I’d like to get down to business.”

  “If you e with me I’ll fetch father-in-w and Daichi.” She led me to the back of the shrine aed me at a small table. I shifted to a more formal seiza position, perched unfortably on my knees, and waited. Okay, this is still pretty nerve-wrag. It isn’t as dangerous as fighting enemies, but real-world iations aren’t my forte…

  A few minutes passed, and then both Izumi Daichi-san and Izumi Masaji-saered, dressed formally as priests. Daichi-san took a position to the side of the table, while Masaji-san sat opposite, kneeling in perfect seiza despite his advanced age, expression stern.

  “So, alooday I see?” Izumi Masaji-san said, not b with pleasantries reetings.

  “Yeah, Shaeu is taking care of some… spiritual… matters that ’t wait. Still, I thought we should get the ball rolling over here on fulfilling my promises.”

  “I see.” Masaji-san nodded. “I expect it is nothing too… problematic?”

  “Well, to be ho it is annoying, and is setting back my pns a bit, but nothing Shaeu and the White Snake Kami, your enshrined deity, ’t handle. I’ll be my assistaoo, when I’ve ed everything up, so I’m eager to get started.”

  As I finished speaking Nagi-saurned with a tray on which sat fs of tea, as well as some snacks. Pg them gracefully down on the small table she sat at the empty side, giving us all a smile.

  “Thanks.” I said, taking a sip of the tea. It’s good.

  “In that case, I shall not beat around the bush.” Masaji-san decred. “We did as you asked, and spoke to an architect that we were introduced to by the head of Hikawa-Kawagoe shri drained our funds signifitly, so I would appreciate the payment you promised speedily.”

  “Yeah, no problem.” I nodded. “I’ll sort that today. So, is it feasible?”

  “We had an initial survey carried out on the nd we own surrounding the shrine.” Masaji-san firmed. As he was talking, his son and daughter-in-w merely watched us, taking sips of tea. I followed suit, and tried one of the sweet buns Nagi-san had id out. Damn, this is good too…

  “It would take a bit of extra expense, but they stabilise the ground enough to support your pns, and the underground area too. We owe more money for this survey, ially.” He warned me, and I shrugged.

  “No problem, I’ve got it covered, I won’t leave my allies out of pocket. So, the final verdict?”

  “We are looking at a hundred million yen minimum, likely more, and should you accelerate stru as you pnned… it seems it be fi great speed, but the cost will double or even treble. Surely this is not within our means.”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure.” I pulled out the dots I had brought with me this m, which I had received from Ms ors. With the eye-catg logos of Chase Bank and Midas Gold promily dispyed, I caught their i. I then brought out my phone, and pulled up my at bance. All three of them leaned ie themselves, and Masaji-sa out a breath, stunned.

  “Oh my… maybe Kana should be trying harder to get close to you, Oshiro-kun.” Nagi-san said with a wry grin. Opposite her Daichi-san was looking lost in thought, rubbing at his .

  “As you see, I secured the funds, and while I’m a little light for a t of Midas Gold, they reised my future potential. So, assume that we afford to get this project rolling. We’ve also had some success… well, Shaeu mostly, if I’m being ho… with starting to train others in spiritual power.”

  At those words Masaji-san looked at me sharply, so I held up a hand reassuringly. “Don’t worry, it’s just my sister, she agreed to be a test case.” I’m not going to mention Eri, that’d just muddy the waters. “Since she has no talent progress is slow, but it is measurable, so for those who already have a spiritual foundation… I think we make noticeable progress before the cve.”

  “That is indeed wele news. Hikawa-sama has been waiting eagerly fress, and has been ying groundwork with some other shrines as well, to garner further support.”

  “Great. On another note…” I finished up my tea and snacks. “That was really hanks Nagi-san.” As she grinned and waved away my praise I turned baasaji-san. “I was hoping to move into one of the spare outbuildings you have on your nd, and vert the other into a temporary office. I’ll pay to have them fixed up, so would that be an issue?”

  “I would have no s with that. Having you on hand would make our alliance more secure. However, with that money you are holding, I see little need for you to stay in such a pce.”

  “Don’t worry about it. pared to the dingy hole I’m living in now, those outbuildings are massive! I’m not greedy, and I want to dedicate time to making this project a success.” I reassured them.

  “Plus of course there are lots of lovely shrine maidens like Kana, and Keomi-, right?” Nagi-san winked. “I’d say that’s a be, isn’t it?”

  “The thought hadn’t crossed my mind.” I answered, embarrassed. “It’s mainly ve for spiritual matters. And speaking of…” Okay, now here es the hard sell, this is going to sound scummy and wrong, but…

  “I would like to take ownership of Shirohebizumi shrio better…” Before I could finish Daichi-sa to his feet, knog over his half-finished mug of tea. As it spilled towards my dots I snatched them away with blinding speed, keeping them dry.

  “… Our shrine has a long history, you ’t simply buy it, even with your money! We are allied, not your minions! Our nd is sacred to the White Snake, ever sihe Kofun era! That history and faith is not for sale at any price! Do you think you are the first to…” He trailed off as Nagi-san interrupted him.

  “Daichi! Hear him out first! We owe him that much at least, don’t we?” She turo me and bowed deeply, head almost parallel with the table. “Sorry about my husband. He has a quick temper. Kana and I are always telling him off for it.”

  “Indeed, my son is hotblooded. Though I see why his ire is raised.” Masaji-san said, his expression cold. “He is right though, the shrine is not for sale. Nor our nd. Specutors and developers have tried to tempt our family many times over the modern era, yet we hold, as we always have. We ot sell, not even to you.”

  “Yeah, I wouldn’t expect you too. Sorry, you didn’t give me ge to fully expin. All I want is ownership, but I’ll not make any ges at all other thahat serve the shrine and our alliance. In fact I’ll get a tract doo that effect. The nd will not be sold, only buildings that be the pn will be built, with permission of the keepers of the shrine, and the priests and maidens of the White Snake Kami will tio live and worship here ued. Essentially I o own it purely for spiritual be. I’ll still put in all the money for our training grounds and alliance headquarters. The shrine, and you, will all lose nothing. It’ll be a full, legally binding tract. I get in touch with a good solicitor through my at ma Midas Gold, I’m sure.”

  “I see. But how we trust you?” Masaji-san probed, and Daichi-san echoed him. Nagi-san was eyeioo, but she seemed more ined to believe me than the men.

  “Simple. You find your own solicitor too, and I’ll then give you the moo pay them to vet the tract, making sure your protes are utterly air-tight. And if you have any other demands, I meet those too.”

  “That sounds fair.” Nagi-san said, having mopped up the spilled tea. She gave her husband an exasperated look. “He’s going to spend hundreds of millions of yen on our shrine. If he just wanted nd, he could buy some for that, couldn't he? Besides, our Kami seems to trust him.”

  “Of that we still have only circumstantial proof.” Daichi-san pined, but he had calmed down a little.

  “Well, if needed I o doubt get them to send another oracle, though it’s heavy on spiritual resources so would be a waste. But if that is what it takes I budget for it.” I offered a promise.

  “It is quite a lot to sider.” Masaji-san thought, pensively. “I ake a decision so lightly. Not with the very future of our shri stake should we err. If we lost the shrine, how could we face our honoured aors?”

  “I get it, I do. In any case take some time to think about it and sult experts. I’ll get a preliminary tract drawn up in the near future, and will provide any funds you o assuage your fears. It’ll be…” How many days is it until my Anchrades? Too many... “… at least a month until I , anyway, before then there’ll be no be, so I’ll let my deeds start talking for me. We’ll put the building pn into motion, and soon we start the first stages of spiritual training. Oh yeah, that reminds me…”

  Damn, if I’m stuck here to defend the Territory I ’t go and pick up Marika- from Nishimorioka. I’ll have to put it off, or sort something else… but I should check just in case…

  “The shrine maiden from my local shrine, Marika-. You’ve made arras for her to stay here, right?”

  Nagi-san nodded. “It isn’t luxurious, but we have a small room we’ve been using for ste at the back of the shrine. She use it as a bedroom, and it is close to our bathroom, so… I’m sorry we ’t do better.”

  “Don’t worry about it, she’s an ear girl, she’ll be fine. If you need moo make it as nice as possible for her, let me know and I’ll cover it. Speaking of, I check out the outbuildings so I see what is o make them liveable?”

  “Daichi, Nagi-san, take him to ihem. I have much to think about.” Masaji-san answered. “I have misgivings, but Nagi-san is right, you have o extort us, and would lose the ce of Hikawa-sama’s es should you prove untrustworthy. I shall meditate on it, but for now… you may proceed with the agreed pn.”

  With a bow I thanked him for his support. “Thanks. Time is not on our side, so I’d like to get results fast. Anylease show me the way.”

  Nagi-san was quite talkative as we crossed the grounds to the pair of dipidated buildings that dotted the hill behind the shrine. Daichi had cooled his temper and now looked somewhat sheepish, realising he had let his anger loose on a potentially very important ally. Don’t worry about it. I know it doesn’t sound good…

  “We are here.” Daichi said ciliatorily. “One of these buildings used to be a dwelling, many years ago, so while there is no gas, electricity or plumbing ected, it should be reasoo do so. If you could show him around, Nagi?”

  “Yes, husband dear.” She smiled, leading me in. The first building was detly rge, with ample space to live, should the rooms be partitioned better. It needed painting, plus work done on the walls, floor and roof though, as the bare boards were worn and cracked in pces. In the back there was a room with a very rge old-style bathtub and a traditional washiki toilet. Yeah, the rge tub is great, though we could use a new ohat toilet has to be Westerhough. Yeah, no way I’m using that…

  Seeing everything I o, I followed Nagi-san and Daichi-san into the sed, slightly smaller building. It was an old storehouse, and was full of a junk, the walls and roof in a poor state of disrepair, but again it had plenty of room. Yeah, it’ll make a det office spad take care of our needs while we are w on the new building…

  “All right, it’ll work for me. I’ll make arras now. Do you have any preferred tractors who work on shrines? If so I might as well use them.”

  Daichi-san gave me some names and numbers, and I called up several services, Daichi-san taking the phone when necessary. We arranged builders, plumbers, electris and also an expedited fibre engineer for the i to e out, all as rush jobs. The cost… was by no means small. Ugh, good job I won way more than I was expeg in Vegas. Otherwise I might have e up a little light. Maybe I’ll do a little online roulette ter, top up a bit, lesseing…

  Daichi also called the architect that did the survey, and after I transferred over a down payment of a shog fifty millioheir firm would start work tomorrow, ohey had secured materials. By the time all this was done most of the afternoon was gone, and as we walked back to the main shrio report to Masaji-san that work would be beginning, we ran into a familiar faow in her school uniform, which I hadn’t seen before. Yeah, she looks good in it. It’s quite a modern one, isn’t it?

  “Oh, if it isn’t big bro!” Kana- gushed, twirling around to show off her uniform, which was a tidy crimson bzer and waistcoat over a white shirt, paired with a red ribbon and a red and white chequered skirt. She was also wearing bee-socks. “Like what you see, eh? I’ve always liked this uniform.” She giggled. “By the way, I got some of the pictures Shaeu sent me from Las Vegas. I’m so jealous, big bro. Where was my invite?” She tilted her head cutely, eyeshes fluttering, and once more I couldn’t work out whether she was ing, or just airheaded. In any case, she’s definitely cute. Still, I’m an engaged man now, so that doesn’t matter to me…

  Spoiler

  [colpse]“You are being rude, Kana dear.” Nagi-san said with a smile. “Noologise to Oshiro-kun, okay?”

  “Sorry, big bro! I was just so jealous. You’ll five me, right?”

  I could only shrug in response, a grin on my face. Yep, definitely cute!