Lua gained a deeper understanding of her transformation ability through the experiences she had as Shizuku’s clothing and the Great Maiden’s explanations. She realized how crucial it was to perfectly understand and embody the functions and properties of the object transformed into, beyond simply changing its shape. She was greatly inspired by Aki becoming a television to gain external information and Miho transforming into a bookshelf to preserve knowledge.
One day, Lua felt a sudden sense of discomfort when she saw the maidens preparing to visit another shrine. They always had to walk, or sometimes go down to the village to use public transportation. The distance between shrines was considerable, sometimes taking more than a day for a round trip.
‘How convenient would it be if we could move ourselves?’
A sudden thought flashed through Lua’s mind. And she decided. To help the maidens with their travel, she would become an electric car. Not just a moving mass, but a perfectly functional, real car.
Lua immediately sought out the Great Maiden’s avatar and expressed her resolve. The Great Maiden nodded and smiled at Lua’s bold decision.
“That’s an excellent idea, Lua. Your ability will be a great help to the maidens.”
The very next day, Lua’s special training began. The first thing she was given was a thick electric car repair manual. It wasn’t just a simple user manual, but a professional mechanic’s manual. The hundreds of pages were filled with complex circuit diagrams, parts descriptions, and troubleshooting procedures.
Lua opened the manual within the boundary. At first, the words in front of her eyes seemed like complex symbols. However, she knew that to achieve a perfect transformation like Aki or Miho, she had to understand the internal principles, not just mimic the external appearance.
She meticulously read every page of the manual. The composition of the battery module, the role of the power control unit (PCU), the operating principles of the motor, the regenerative braking system, and even the sensor array and data processing methods for autonomous driving—she ingrained every detail in her mind. Beyond merely reading with her eyes, she felt a sense of immersion as if the information was being etched into her body. Sometimes, she would look at the illustrations in the manual and transform her own body into the corresponding parts. She would become a small gear, or a complex bundle of wires.
Lua delved into the manual day and night. She read it over and over until the pages were worn out. She completely understood all the technical requirements and operating principles of an electric car, and she was preparing to embody them in her own flesh. Imagining the maidens comfortably traveling to other shrines within the electric car that was her, Lua willingly memorized everything.[2:1]
After studying the repair manual day and night, Lua perfectly understood every detailed structure and operating principle of the electric car. Now, all that remained was the real test. The Great Maiden and the other maidens gathered in the shrine courtyard, eagerly anticipating Lua’s first transformation. Lua took a deep breath and envisioned the form of an electric car. The sleek body, the gleaming headlights, and the detail of each individual wheel. Her body began to glow and change.
In an instant, a brand-new electric car appeared where Lua had been standing. It was not a mere model. It was a real car, perfectly realized, from the deep grooves of the tires to the charging port, and even the complex dashboard inside. Lua felt her body become a massive machine composed of steel, wires, and batteries. She could feel the subtle vibrations of the battery, beating like a heart instead of an engine.
The most surprising thing was the driver’s seat. A small avatar of Lua sat in it like a driver. This avatar followed Lua’s will exactly, serving to prepare for any potential external checks or unexpected situations.
To become a perfect car, Lua had to overcome another hurdle: a driver’s license and vehicle registration. It was somewhat ironic that a maiden had to follow the laws of the human world, but the Great Maiden explained it was an essential part of external activities.
At this point, Shizuku stepped forward. Shizuku skillfully transformed into Lua’s appearance. To drive the car that Lua herself had transformed into, another Lua was needed. Shizuku perfectly reproduced Lua’s actual appearance, voice, and even her small habits.
A few days later, the Lua that Shizuku had become sat in the driver’s seat of the electric car that Lua had transformed into. On the way to the city’s driver’s license test center, Shizuku skillfully operated Lua, the car. She used the sensors embedded throughout Lua’s body to perfectly park in the parking course, and displayed agile yet stable driving skills during the road test. The examiner stamped Lua’s license with admiration.
Next was vehicle registration. The Lua that Shizuku had become drove the electric car that Lua had transformed into to the vehicle registration office and completed all the paperwork. Lua felt the cold sensation of the license plate being attached to her body, realizing that she had officially become a registered car in the world.
On the day of her first long-distance debut, Lua set off with the maidens visiting another shrine. Before starting, Lua indulged in all sorts of delicious foods in the shrine’s kitchen to ‘refuel’. Greasy meat, sweet fruits, and warm soup—she stuffed her mouth with food like a mukbang YouTuber. Her ‘fuel’ was food, and although she was a maiden who didn’t need any food to survive, if the transformed car’s energy ran out, her body was at risk of returning to its original form.
While driving on the highway, Lua felt a strange thrill speeding at over 100 kilometers per hour. The scenery rushing by outside the window, the sound of the wind, and the subtle vibrations of the road surface—everything was new. The maidens sat comfortably, chatting.
After a few hours, Lua felt the ‘fuel level’ displayed on the dashboard decreasing. At the same time, she felt a subtle trembling in her body and a sense of performance degradation.
“Shizuku-san, I’m low on fuel… I need to eat something.”
Lua’s urgent telepathy reached Shizuku. Shizuku nodded and drove the car to the next rest stop. As soon as they arrived at the rest stop, the maidens quickly bought snacks and brought them to Lua.
“Here, Lua. How about some corn dogs and onion rings? We have more!”
The maidens pushed the food through the window into the mouth of Lua’s avatar, who was sitting in the driver’s seat. Lua absorbed the savory flavor of the corn dogs and the crispy onion rings in an instant. As the food entered her body, the trembling miraculously stopped, and she felt her energy recharge.
“Mmm, it’s delicious! I feel energized again!”
Lua sent a satisfied telepathic message, and the maidens laughed and got back into the car. In this way, Lua successfully completed her first long-distance drive and performed the important role of being the maidens’ transportation. She had now proven herself to be not just a simple maiden, but a being with infinite possibilities, capable of transforming into any form as needed.[2:2]
It had been a year. Lua stood in front of the gate of her old house, wearing a neat dress and cardigan that Shizuku had transformed into. Life at the shrine was peaceful for an immortal being, but the longing for her family was inevitable. Lua’s heart ached more and more as she thought about how much her parents must have searched for her after her sudden disappearance. Suddenly, Shizuku’s warm telepathy soothed Lua’s heart.
“Don’t worry, I’m by your side.”
Ding-dong. The doorbell rang, and her mother’s surprised face appeared.
“Yui! Is that really our Yui? It’s been so long!”
Her mother called Lua by her real name, Yui, and hugged Lua tightly. A mix of joy and relief washed over her face at the sight of her daughter, who seemed a little more mature after a year. Her father silently stroked Lua’s head, his eyes welling up.
They sat facing each other with warm tea. Her parents’ worries proved to be greater than expected.
“Where have you been all this time, and how have you been? Without any contact… Do you know how worried we were?”
Lua was speechless at her mother’s question. She couldn’t reveal the shrine’s secret. She could only offer a vague excuse, saying she had been “recuperating in a deep mountain for a while due to illness.” Her parents’ faces were still filled with questions and worry.
It was then. Shizuku’s voice resonated in Lua’s mind. “Lua, ask your mother about the neighborhood where I lived as a child. The one with a small stream and many cherry blossom trees. And ask her about my friend Hozue Mika.”
Lua was puzzled by Shizuku’s request but immediately sensed that Shizuku was trying something important. Lua cautiously asked her mother,
“Mom, did you happen to have a best friend named Hozue Mika when you were little? In a neighborhood near a stream with lots of cherry blossoms…”
Her mother’s eyes widened. Surprise mixed with faint memories flickered across her face.
“Mika! How do you know that name? I haven’t heard that name in ages. Yes, that’s right. Hozue Mika was my very close friend when I was little. We were always together… but then she suddenly moved, and we lost touch. I always wondered how she was doing.”
Her mother smiled, nostalgic at the name of her old friend. Then Shizuku’s telepathy reached Lua again. “Ask your mother about Mika’s most cherished old doll. And that one of the doll’s eyes was a button.”
Lua carefully continued,
“Mom, did Mika-san really cherish an old doll that had one button eye?”
Her mother looked at Lua, startled.
“My goodness! How do you know that? That was our secret, no one else knew! Mika-chan really loved that doll…. Where did you hear that?”
Her mother’s eyes contained certainty mixed with an unknown light. Lua was using Shizuku’s knowledge to erase her parents’ doubts. Shizuku continued to send Lua telepathic messages of childhood memories that only her mother would know, and Lua recounted them in detail as if she had experienced them herself. Through the stories Lua told, her mother seemed to glimpse Shizuku’s presence—a mysterious power—and began to vaguely accept that her daughter had become a special being, different from ordinary people. Lua’s face now held an unknown power and wisdom.
When it was time to say goodbye, her mother hugged Lua tightly and said,
“Yui, anyway, I’m really glad you’re healthy and doing well. And… if you happen to meet Mika-chan later, please be sure to tell her I said hello. Thanks to you, I thought of my old friend after a long time, and I was so happy to hear about her.”
Lua felt awkward through Shizuku’s telepathy at her mother’s request. Shizuku’s perplexed reaction, “What should I do about this?” was directly conveyed to Lua’s mind. She was facing Lua’s mother as Lua’s clothing, and yet her mother was asking her to convey regards to herself. Shizuku inwardly sighed deeply in embarrassment. Lua forced a smile and nodded as if nothing was wrong.
“Yes, Mom. I’ll be sure to tell her.”
Lua’s appearance as she left the house was different from before. Although she hadn’t completely dispelled her parents’ worries, she seemed to have gained at least a minimum understanding thanks to Shizuku’s wisdom. Lua once again felt the weight of the secret that she, Shizuku, and the other maidens protected, and she headed back towards the shrine.[2:3]
On the way back to the shrine after the short family reunion, Lua, dressed in the clothes Shizuku had transformed into, suddenly fell into thought while walking. When she had transformed into an electric car, her avatar in the driver’s seat was fully clothed. But when she became Shizuku’s clothes, Lua herself directly became the clothing, enveloping Shizuku’s body. Why could she exist as a complete avatar in some transformations, but only choose to be a part of the body as clothing in others?
“Shizuku-san,” Lua asked telepathically. “I was suddenly curious, when I turned into a car, my avatar was fully clothed and sitting in the driver’s seat, right? But when I become Shizuku-san’s clothes like now, why do I have to become the clothes directly? Why can’t I choose to be clothing as part of my body?”
Shizuku also pondered for a moment. “Hmm, now that you mention it, that’s true. I hadn’t thought of that part. I just took it for granted because it’s always been that way.” A hint of curiosity was in her voice. “Inside the boundary, the maiden’s robes exist as part of our bodies, but they disappear when we go outside, so maybe that’s why we have to become the clothes directly… The avatar in the driver’s seat had seemed so lifelike.”
As soon as they returned to the shrine, Lua and Shizuku went to find the Great Maiden’s avatar. The Great Maiden, who was drinking tea, smiled gently at the two maidens’ curious faces.
“Your questions haven’t been resolved, have they? You’re asking why Lua’s avatar, when she transformed into a car, could be fully clothed, and why you both have to exist as part of the body when you become each other’s clothes, right?”
Lua and Shizuku nodded.
“To answer that question, I need to tell you a very old story.”
The Great Maiden began to speak in a calm voice.
“In the beginning, the Divine blessed the maidens with the ability to ‘freely transform into any form whatsoever.’ At first, all maidens could create perfect avatars as they wished, and even dress those avatars. Just like Lua’s avatar when you transformed into a car now.”
Lua and Shizuku held their breath, waiting for the next part of the story.
“But problems soon arose. The maidens did not use their transformations responsibly like you do. Some maidens would create dozens of avatars and go down to the village, confusing people, while others would make their avatars play all sorts of pranks, or even do bad things. Since their true bodies were hidden in the shrine, they faced no repercussions. The world fell into chaos, and distrust towards the shrine grew.”
A faint sadness crossed the Great Maiden’s expression.
“The Divine let out a deep sigh. The blessing she had given the maidens had instead become a tool to disturb the world. So, the Divine decided to place ‘restrictions’ on the maidens’ transformation ability. The restriction was this: ‘Only when transforming into an inanimate object can a complete avatar be created, and that avatar can be clothed.’ This was because when transforming into an inanimate object, the true body completely assimilates with that object, so just as a car’s driver is part of the car, the avatar also comes under the complete control of the true body. This prevented the avatar during an inanimate transformation from acting on its own. However, she placed the restriction that ‘when becoming the clothing of another living creature, the maiden herself must become the clothing and exist as part of the body.’ This was to ensure that the maidens would bear responsibility for each other, move as one body, and not abuse their abilities carelessly.”
The Great Maiden took another sip of tea.
“Therefore, the reason Lua’s avatar was fully clothed when you transformed into a car is because a car is an inanimate object, and the reason Lua herself became the clothing when she became Shizuku’s clothes is because becoming clothing is a union with another living creature. All of this was a wise choice made by the Divine to prevent the maidens’ abilities from harming the harmony of the world.”
Lua and Shizuku nodded as they listened to the Great Maiden’s story. Their curiosity was resolved, and they once again realized the deeper meaning hidden within the transformation ability. The Divine’s blessing always came with deep meaning and responsibility.[2:4]
In celebration of memorizing the repair manual, Lua went to thank the Great Maiden. The Great Maiden’s abode was as quiet and orderly as ever, but today, a subtle, familiar scent of paper was subtly mixed with the usual faint aroma. The Great Maiden was not sitting in her usual spot, but instead was engrossed in something on a soft cushion by the window.
As Lua cautiously approached, she noticed what the Great Maiden held in her hands. It was none other than a thick comic book. The cover depicted a boy swordsman in a dynamic pose, and the title was boldly written: Flame Swordsman Kaen. Lua rubbed her eyes. The Great Maiden, who always appeared dignified and wise, was reading a shonen manga. Unbelievable!
The Great Maiden, sensing Lua’s gaze, was startled and hid the comic book behind her lap. Lua didn’t miss the faint blush that crept onto her cheeks.
“Ah, Lua, you’ve come? That… well… this is what I was looking at.”
The Great Maiden spoke in a slightly embarrassed, and hushed voice. It was a touch of human embarrassment rarely seen in an immortal being. Lua tried to suppress her laughter.
“Yes, Great Maiden. But… you were reading a comic book.”
At Lua’s words, the Great Maiden cleared her throat and carefully brought the comic book back out.
“Hmm… actually, I sometimes read shonen manga like this. You might find it a bit surprising.”
The Great Maiden gently stroked the comic book cover with her finger.
“Look at the protagonist in this manga. He doesn’t give in to adversity, but constantly strives and grows. He works with his friends to achieve what seems impossible. That kind of pure and fervent passion… is sometimes necessary.”
She gazed at the mountains far outside the window.
“When you live for a long time, everything becomes familiar, and sometimes even the will to live fades. Understanding the ways of the world and truth is important, but sometimes, such primordial and pure passion can breathe life into a withered heart.”
The Great Maiden smiled, looking at the comic book again.
“As a maiden, I teach you wisdom and tranquility, but I too need a small driving force to keep moving forward and not get exhausted. Like the boys in this manga, it’s to not forget the simple, passionate mindset of striving towards a goal. Although this shrine will exist forever, we who live within it must also continue to grow.”
Lua nodded as she listened to the Great Maiden’s explanation. In her words, Lua felt the deep contemplation of a being who had lived for ages, and yet still strived not to lose the vitality of life. Lua understood that the shonen manga was not merely entertainment, but a small yet precious source of vitality for the Great Maiden herself. In Lua’s eyes, the Great Maiden seemed even more human and venerable.[2:5]
In a spacious courtyard at a corner of the shrine, Aki—always neatly dressed in maiden robes with her hair braided—was holding a small sketchbook and meticulously drawing bundles of wires or unknown machine parts. Her gaze was as clear and rational as ever, as if logically analyzing every phenomenon. Lua cautiously approached Aki as she worked and spoke.
“Aki-san, could you perhaps transform into a piano for me? I learned to play the piano when I was little, and I’d like to play it again.”
Aki looked up from her sketchbook and gazed at Lua. A hint of bewilderment flickered across her expression.
“A piano? Hmm… I’m confident in electronics and communication protocols, but a piano… I understand its mechanical structure, but the acoustic principles or the subtle mechanisms of each key are not areas I’m familiar with.”
Lua was inwardly surprised to discover an unexpected weakness in Aki, who always perfectly understood and transformed into everything. But at the same time, an inexplicable sense of pride swelled within her at the thought of being able to teach Aki.
“It’s okay, Aki-san! I’ll explain it to you!”
Lua cheerfully exclaimed and led Aki to the old library that the Great Maiden had shown them. Among the dusty bookshelves, she found an old book explaining piano structures and opened it.
“Alright, Aki-san. A piano is basically composed of keys, hammers, strings, and a soundboard.”
Lua pointed to the illustrations in the book with her finger as she explained. Aki, with an unusually serious face, listened to Lua’s explanation and began sketching the internal structure of the piano in her sketchbook. Her eyes were still sharp, but this time, they seemed to be delving into the complex arrangement of wood and strings, not electronic circuits.
“When you press a key, the hammer moves and strikes the string. When the string vibrates, it makes a sound. And this sound is amplified through the soundboard. The important thing is that the depth and speed of each key press change the force with which the hammer strikes the string, subtly altering the volume and resonance of the sound.”
Lua tapped the air with her fingers, mimicking pressing keys.
“Especially this damper part is important; when you press a key, the damper lifts off the string to make a sound, and when you release it, it reattaches to the string to stop the sound. Also, when you press the pedal, the damper lifts off the strings, causing the sound to resonate longer, or even producing a different sound.”
Aki nodded as she listened to Lua’s explanation. Her sketchbook already contained intricate hammer mechanisms and string tension adjustment devices, precisely drawn. “Ultimately, all these mechanical parts work in harmony to create acoustic beauty. It’s an analog precision, different from the electronic signals I’m used to.” Aki rarely expressed such admiration.
At the library entrance, several maidens were observing the interesting sight. It was quite a novel sight for them: Aki, who always created things with such sharp precision, was now the student, while Lua, who was usually the one learning, had become the teacher. They quietly smiled and watched the two maidens’ passionate lesson.
A few days later, Lua and Aki finally stood in the shrine courtyard. Aki took a deep breath and recalled all the structures and principles of the piano that Lua had explained. And her body began to glow and transform.
A harmonious form of steel and wood appeared, and black and white keys were meticulously arranged. Finally, Aki transformed into a massive yet beautiful upright piano. Its glossy black exterior and neatly aligned keys stood majestically.
Lua, with a heart full of emotion, sat in front of Aki, who had transformed into a piano. She carefully reached out and placed her hands on the keys. The piano was Aki herself, but at the same time, it was the instrument Lua had longed for for a long time.
As Lua pressed the first key, a clear and resonant sound echoed through the courtyard. As her fingers moved, Aki’s internal mechanisms responded precisely, expressing various timbres and dynamics. Lua soon recalled the melodies she used to play as a child and began to perform. A beautiful melody filled the shrine courtyard, and the other maidens held their breath, appreciating the music. Aki also seemed to feel deep satisfaction from the beautiful sounds flowing from her body.[2:6]
When winter arrived at the shrine, the mountains were covered in pristine white snow. Snowflakes bloomed on every branch, and thick blankets of snow piled up on the roofs. Although they were immortal beings within the boundary, the maidens also felt the cold when they were in human form. With the chilling cold seemingly seeping into their bones, the maidens naturally gathered together.
However, winter at the shrine was not painful. The maidens’ special abilities transformed even the harsh cold into joy.
The first thing that stood out was the warm air emanating from various parts of the shrine. In the central hall of the shrine, Hinata, transformed into a stove, was lighting red charcoal. The heat radiating from her body instantly dispelled the cold air, providing warmth. The maidens gathered around the stove, warming their cold hands and chatting. In one room, Kana, transformed into a boiler, was warming the heated floor. The maidens would lie down and rest their tired bodies in the cozy warmth rising from the floor. Lua sat by the stove, enjoying the winter atmosphere while listening to the crackling of the flames.
Winter delicacies were also not to be missed. A savory aroma wafted from the kitchen. There, an unexpected transformed being awaited: Aoi, transformed into an air fryer. With her sleek silver body and perfectly realized digital panel, Aoi was diligently making winter snacks.
“Alright, the roasted chestnuts are coming out now!”
Perfectly roasted chestnuts poured out from inside Aoi. Soon after, steaming roasted sweet potatoes and whole roasted chickens, crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, came out one after another. The maidens laughed as they tasted the warm and delicious food that Aoi had roasted. Lua blew on a freshly roasted chestnut and tasted it. While a normal air fryer would have limitations in temperature control or cooking time, Aoi perfectly controlled all the functions of the air fryer she had transformed into, achieving the best taste.
Some maidens drank warm tea and talked about Aoi’s air fryer transformation. “At first, everyone was puzzled why Aoi wanted to be an air fryer. But since she can warm so much food at once, there’s no better transformation for winter, is there?” One maiden said with a laugh.
Winter at the shrine was not a harsh cold, but a warm and vibrant season with the maidens’ warm transformation abilities. Thanks to the warmth provided by the stove and boiler, and the delicious food offered by the air fryer, the maidens were able to share their warmth with each other and spend a cozy winter even in the cold.[2:7]
The shrine seemed isolated from the world, but sometimes it interacted with the outside, revealing its presence. One such occasion was the village festival. Since outsiders could not enter the shrine grounds, the festival site was set in a wide flat area near the shrine entrance. The villagers eagerly awaited the annual festival held in front of the mysterious shrine.
The highlight of the festival was undoubtedly the kagura performances by the maidens. Kagura, a sacred dance ritual offered to the gods, was majestic and beautiful in itself. In this festival, three maidens danced the kagura.
Akane transformed into a splendid costume of red and white, forming the centerpiece of the dance. Her body fluttered like soft silk, shimmering with light with every movement. Akane’s movements were elegant and disciplined, and her costume transformation further enhanced the beauty of the dance.
And the clear sound of bells accompanying the dance was handled by Aki. Aki transformed into small bells that were attached to Akane’s wrists and ankles. She perfectly controlled the volume and rhythm of the sound, leading the flow of the dance. The bell sounds, sometimes cheerful, sometimes mysterious, seemed to show that Aki understood not only physical forms but also sound waves.
Shizuku transformed into a thin veil that moved as smoothly as the wind, matching the dance movements of the maidens performing the kagura. She cut through the air, following the maidens’ movements, adding a mysterious atmosphere. Sometimes she would lightly cover a maiden’s face and then reveal it, intensifying the mystique. Shizuku’s veil became part of the dance, revealing an invisible presence.
Lua played an important role from the festival preparation stage. She transformed into a transport cart to carry the necessary items for the festival. With sturdy wheels and a spacious loading area, Lua was a great help in carrying handmade crafts, food ingredients, and decorations from the shrine to the festival grounds.
When the festival began, Lua transformed into another form. She became a large digital display for festival guidance. She displayed festival programs and locations in colorful letters, and sometimes showed beautiful pictures to heighten the festive mood. Of course, Lua’s display did not reveal any secrets of the shrine. It simply focused on helping the villagers conveniently enjoy the festival.
As the sun set and darkness fell, Lua transformed into a bright streetlamp, illuminating the festival grounds. Her light shone on people’s faces until the end of the festival, making them smile warmly. The maidens helped the festival in their own ways, and their transformation abilities, while meticulously concealing the shrine’s secrets, enriched the festival even further. The villagers once again confirmed the existence of the mysterious maidens and looked forward to the festival next year.[2:8]