Winter was approaching the shrine once again. Lua sat by Hinata, who had transformed into a stove, listening to the crackling of the firewood. It was a peaceful time, but suddenly, an inexplicable vibration enveloped the entire shrine. It wasn’t a physical tremor like an earthquake, but rather closer to a spiritual wave. Not only Lua, but the other maidens also seemed to sense the subtle presence simultaneously, looking at each other.
“Great Maiden…”
Lua’s telepathy reached the Great Maiden. The Great Maiden’s avatar quietly closed her eyes, perceiving the flow of energy. A moment later, a gentle smile spread across her lips.
“A new child is coming to us.”
The Great Maiden’s voice was soft, but it seemed to echo throughout the entire shrine. Expectation and excitement appeared on the maidens’ faces. The arrival of a new maiden at the shrine was always a great joy, and it signified the continued blessing of the Divine.
With the news of a new maiden’s arrival, the shrine began to bustle with activity. The maidens prepared to welcome their guest in their own ways.
Aki, as always, meticulously checked the boundary detection system around the shrine. She made sure not to miss even the slightest fluctuation, fully prepared to send an immediate alert if any impure energy from outside was detected. From the shadows, her delicate touch ensured the shrine’s safety.
Miho rearranged the books in the library and dusted them down. Since the new maiden would need to learn the shrine’s history and knowledge, she focused on classifying and arranging the necessary books for her easy access. As both a bookshelf and a guardian of knowledge, she faithfully performed her role.
Shizuku neatly tidied the new maiden’s intended quarters. She laid out fresh, cozy blankets and pre-heated warm water in advance. With her delicate touch, she arranged cushions and placed a small flower, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Lua assisted Shizuku, holding the fabric as she spread it out.
Lua also prepared to welcome the new maiden, recalling her own first visit. In case of any unforeseen circumstances, she transformed her body into a first-aid kit, equipping herself with necessary medical tools and medicines. She also prepared to transform into a kettle that could boil warm tea for the new maiden, who would be tired from a long journey. She awaited the new encounter with a mix of excitement and apprehension.
A few days later, the snow piled even deeper on the mountain path leading to the shrine. But the maidens’ hearts were filled with a warm light. They were confident that a new soul, called by the Divine, was making its way through the darkness towards the light. And they quietly awaited the moment that light would finally open the shrine’s gate and enter.[3:1]
One afternoon, as the snow around the shrine grew deeper, Aki’s urgent telepathy reached the maidens. She had been detecting the boundary.
“Great Maiden! A new energy has been detected. But… there are two of them!”
The maidens stirred in unison. Those called by the Divine had always come to the shrine alone. Two of them—it was unprecedented. The Great Maiden frowned slightly, but soon regained her gentle expression.
“Unexpected guests have arrived. Everyone, prepare.”
The maidens headed towards the shrine entrance. The first thing that came into their sight were two small figures, leaving heavy footprints in the white snow as they struggled to walk. One was a young girl, and following behind her was a much younger boy.
The boy kept almost tripping as his feet sank into the snow, and the girl would often look back, waiting for her younger sibling. Although they showed clear signs of exhaustion, the girl’s eyes glowed with an intense longing for the shrine. She was the new maiden called by the Divine. But how did her brother come to follow his sister all the way here?
As the girl and boy reached the shrine boundary, Lua instinctively drew a sharp breath. The girl crossed the boundary without any problem, but the moment the boy trespassed, something unexpected happened.
“Guh!”
The boy screamed and collapsed on the spot. A blue light, as if electricity were flowing through him, flashed from his body, and soon his entire body stiffened. His eyes, filled with terror, stared into the void, but he was unable to make a sound. As if time had stopped, the boy remained motionless, like a living doll.
The girl ran to her brother in surprise. “Ren-kun! What’s wrong, Ren-kun!” She shook the boy’s body, but he showed no reaction. The girl’s eyes were also filled with despair and confusion.
The Great Maiden calmly approached and patted the girl’s shoulder.
“Do not be alarmed, child. This child is not hurt. However, the Divine boundary is not permitted to those who are not chosen. It has merely paused his time to protect his soul.”
The Great Maiden looked at the boy once, then instructed the maidens.
“Quietly move the boy outside the shrine and cast a protective barrier around him so that he can awaken safely. And lead this girl inside.”
The maidens moved in perfect coordination. Hinata transformed into a blanket that warmly enveloped the boy’s body, and Shizuku transformed into a transparent protective barrier around him, to shield him from external dangers. Lua, having transformed into a first-aid kit in case of any emergency, followed them.
The girl watched her brother being moved with an anxious gaze, but guided by the Great Maiden’s gentle touch and the maidens’ calm movements, she stepped inside the shrine. Her eyes still held concern for her brother, mixed with fear and anticipation for the new destiny she was about to face. The unexpected event that unfolded in the sacred space was creating a huge ripple in the new maiden’s narrative.[3:2]
In the main hall of the shrine, in a room filled with warm air, the Great Maiden and the other maidens sat surrounding the girl. The girl’s name was Sana. Sana, with tears still wet on her cheeks, began her story in a trembling voice.
“My name is Sana. Suddenly, a voice in my head said, ‘Come to the shrine.’ At first, I thought I was going crazy… but the voice kept calling me.”
Sana clenched her fists. Her eyes, filled with fear of the Divine call, also held the weight of a life too heavy for her young age.
“My parents… they passed away. In an accident a few years ago. My younger brother, Ren-kun, is my only blood relative. If I’m not there, Ren-kun will truly be alone. There’s no one to look after him…”
Sana’s voice dissolved into sobs.
“So… if I came to the shrine, I worried that Ren-kun would be left alone, that he would be too lonely if I left… When I left home as if running away, Ren-kun followed me. No matter how much I told him to go back, he wouldn’t listen… and so we ended up coming all the way here together.”
Sana bowed her head.
“I… since the Divine called me, I can become a maiden. But what about Ren-kun? If I become a maiden, what happens to Ren-kun? I… I can’t leave Ren-kun alone.”
Her tears would not stop.
Sana’s story plunged the shrine maidens into deep silence. Even the Great Maiden’s avatar, whose face had been serene, was now shadowed by deep anguish. The shrine’s ironclad rule was clear. Ordinary people could not enter the shrine grounds. The boundary did not accept any beings other than maidens, and if an ordinary person entered, a harsh sanction like Ren’s inability to move would follow. It was an absolute rule to maintain the shrine’s secrecy.
However, Sana’s story was desperate enough to shake that rule. The maidens could not easily answer the pure heart of a girl who had lost her parents and was willing to reject the Divine call for the sake of her only blood relative.
The Great Maiden closed her eyes and fell into deep thought. ‘Why does the Divine intend to make a maiden out of a child in such a harsh situation?’ Within her, a conflict arose between the principles that had protected the shrine for ages and the poignant sorrow of a young girl. The will of the Divine was always profound, but this time, its meaning was not easy to discern. The other maidens felt the same. Aki tried to find a rational solution but could not find a suitable answer, and Shizuku and Lua deeply empathized with Sana’s sorrow, feeling for her plight. Everyone was in a dilemma, caught between their mission as maidens guarding a sacred space and their own human compassion.
Inside the shrine, the Great Maiden’s anguish deepened. Then, her eyes snapped open. She sent a telepathic message to Lua and Shizuku, who were waiting outside. Lua was still transformed into a first-aid kit, and Shizuku was the protective barrier around her.
“Lua, Shizuku. Convey my words to Ren. Ask him if he is willing to become a maiden.”
Lua and Shizuku were surprised, but followed the Great Maiden’s will. Lua spoke to Shizuku telepathically. “Shizuku-san, I’ll talk to Ren. Please become my clothes.”
Shizuku nodded and transformed into neat maiden robes, enveloping Lua’s body. Lua, in human form, stood by Ren. Lua cautiously sent a telepathic message to Ren, who was still frozen but blinking his eyes.
“Ren-kun, can you hear my voice? I am Lua, a maiden of this shrine. The Great Maiden asks you: Are you willing to become a maiden?”
Ren’s eyes wavered. A faint voice echoed in his mind.
“A maiden…? Me…? But I’m a boy… Can boys become maidens?”
Lua conveyed the Great Maiden’s meaning.
“To become a maiden as a boy… means to forsake your manhood. It means your entire being is offered to the Divine, and you are reborn in a new form. It means you can no longer exist as a boy.”
A moment of hesitation flickered in Ren’s eyes. But soon his gaze turned towards the inside of the shrine, in the direction his sister had disappeared. Ren knew his sister’s sorrow and loneliness better than anyone. When he imagined being left alone, a resolve to pay any price swelled in his small heart.
“If I can be with my sister… I’ll do it… whatever it takes.”
It was the moment Ren’s resolve solidified.
As Ren’s answer was conveyed to the Great Maiden through Lua, a mysterious light enveloped the entire shrine. A dazzling light began to emanate from Ren’s body. His physique subtly diminished, and his shoulders softened. The young boy’s face gradually took on delicate curves, and his short hair transformed into a softly flowing form.
Lua and Shizuku were speechless at the miracle unfolding before their eyes. Ren’s body was now clearly that of a young girl. Although traces of a boy still seemed to remain, she had clearly been reborn as a new maiden. The boundary’s restriction that had enveloped her body also seemed to have disappeared, and she could now move freely.
Lua sent a telepathic message filled with emotion to the Great Maiden. “Great Maiden! This… this miracle…!” Shizuku also looked at the Great Maiden with awe-filled eyes.
The Great Maiden smiled gently and replied,
“I merely discerned the Divine’s will. The Divine saw this child’s pure heart and deep love for his sister, and thus opened a new path.”
The Great Maiden now sent a warm gaze towards Ren, who had become a girl, and Sana.
“Sana, you shall now be a being that shines like the stars in the sky. Your new name is Akari.”
And she looked at Ren.
“You shall now be a being as clear and pure as the spring water of the earth. Your new name is Izumi.”
Akari and Izumi, the two maiden sisters, held each other’s hands tightly. Their eyes, instead of confusion and fear, were filled with hope for a new life and steadfast love for each other. Having crossed the threshold of the shrine, they would now walk a new path as immortal beings, upholding the will of the Divine and relying on each other.[3:4]
It was undeniably Izumi who brought new vitality to the shrine. Originally a boy, even after transforming into a young girl’s body, Izumi still completely retained her playful and curious personality. In the shrine’s quiet and serene atmosphere, Izumi’s mischievous antics sometimes caused small commotions.
Izumi’s first prank was on none other than Aki. Aki was practicing the piano with Lua when Izumi, full of curiosity, hovered around the instrument. Then, while Lua was briefly away, Izumi sent a telepathic message to Aki.
“Aki-san, can you make it so that no sound comes out even if I bang on the keys?”
Aki was troubled but ultimately granted permission because of Izumi’s pure curiosity. “Hmm… just for a moment.”
At that moment, Izumi jumped onto the piano keys and began to hit them wildly with her feet. Thump! Thud! Clatter! No sound came from the piano, but Izumi joyfully bounced and jumped on the silent instrument. When Lua returned to the bewildering sight, Aki replied with a small sigh, “I briefly activated mute mode.” Some of the maidens, including Shizuku, quietly let out small bursts of laughter.
One day, Izumi approached Miho, who was transformed into a bookshelf in the library, and playfully spoke to her.
“Miho-san, want to play hide-and-seek with me? Try to hide so I can’t find you!”
Miho was calm as usual, but she let out a chuckle at Izumi’s suggestion. “Alright, go on and try to find me.”
Izumi excitedly ran around the library, searching for Miho. Miho skillfully hid by perfectly blending her body with the surrounding bookshelves. Izumi grew more and more frantic in her search as she couldn’t find Miho no matter how hard she looked. Then, she accidentally found a faint gap in an old bookshelf she leaned her hand on. When she put her hand into the gap, she felt the cold metallic touch of something.
“Found you!”
As Izumi exclaimed, Miho returned to her original bookshelf form. Looking at the gap where Izumi had put her hand, they saw a very small, old compass hidden there. The compass was an artifact that the shrine maidens had used long ago to avoid getting lost during their external activities, but it had long been forgotten.
Miho narrowed her eyes as she looked at the compass Izumi had found. “Oh, I still had this. Thanks to you, I found an important item I had forgotten about.” Thanks to Izumi’s innocent prank, a hidden artifact of the shrine saw the light again.
When winter returned, Izumi stayed close to Aoi, who had transformed into an air fryer. As delicious roasted sweet potatoes and whole roasted chickens came out non-stop, Izumi sat camped in front of Aoi’s ‘output slot’. One time, Aoi was taking out a freshly roasted hot chicken when Izumi, unable to wait, poked the chicken with her finger.
“Ow! Hot!”
Izumi pulled her hand away in surprise, but the chicken unfortunately fell to the floor. Aoi sighed telepathically, “Izumi, you have to be careful!” and the other maidens burst into hearty laughter at Izumi’s cute mishap. Of course, Aoi re-absorbed the fallen chicken and quickly made a new one, but Izumi’s innocent gluttony often led to small commotions in the kitchen.
Izumi’s life at the shrine was a continuous series of such small incidents. But her pure and lively presence added new laughter and vitality to the maidens’ lives.[3:5]
During a maiden lesson, Akari was learning about the shrine’s history and the life of a maiden from the Great Maiden. It was when the Great Maiden explained, “The moment you become a maiden, your time stops.” A thought flashed through Akari’s mind like lightning.
“Great Maiden… then… will Izumi live forever in this same form?”
Akari’s voice held both dismay and tender affection for her younger sister. Izumi was still a young, small girl. The fact that she would have to live for eternity in this form was a shock to Akari.
The Great Maiden quietly nodded at Akari’s question.
“That is correct, Akari. The moment you become a maiden, physical growth stops. Izumi will also live forever in her current form.”
A shadow fell across Akari’s face. She seemed to find it difficult to accept that her sister would remain a child forever.
The Great Maiden, perhaps reading Akari’s mind, continued with a gentle smile.
“But Akari, do not worry too much. There are certainly advantages to having a small body.”
She calmly explained the potential of Izumi’s small physique.
“There are many objects in the world that are more useful to transform into precisely because they are small. Exquisite and delicate forms that are impossible for a large body to take. For example, she could become a small component of an electric car that Lua transforms into, or a tiny circuit of an electronic device that Aki transforms into.”
The Great Maiden’s gaze drifted far away, towards Izumi playing in the shrine courtyard. Izumi was still running around playfully.
“Perhaps this… is the true intention of the Divine in making Izumi a maiden in this very form.”
Her voice held deep insight.
“It is not always beings with great power who can change the world. Sometimes, small and delicate beings can bring about even deeper changes.”
Akari listened to the Great Maiden’s explanation and began to think about the new possibilities that Izumi’s small body held. Even if she would never grow, the shadow that had fallen over Akari’s heart gradually began to clear at the Great Maiden’s words that Izumi’s potential was by no means small.[3:6]
Ten years passed. If she hadn’t become a maiden, Izumi would have been a young man in his early twenties, but she remained a lively little girl. Her height had not increased, and her face was as innocent as when she first arrived at the shrine. However, Izumi’s eyes were no longer those of a child. They held all the wisdom and experience accumulated over ten years, and deepened emotions.
Izumi sometimes stood in front of the mirror, gazing at her small reflection. At her age, her peers would have been growing rapidly and taking on adult appearances. She would sometimes imagine herself growing taller and her body maturing like them. It wasn’t that she had absolutely no lingering regret about living forever as a little girl.
But that regret didn’t last long. Izumi’s gaze soon turned to Hoshi, who was running around the shrine. Her older sister, Hoshi, was now a dignified maiden. Izumi felt greater joy in the fact that she could live with her sister at the shrine precisely because she remained in this small form. If she had grown up and gone out into the outside world, she wouldn’t have been able to be with her sister every day like this. For Izumi, this eternal time spent with her sister was the most precious thing.
One sunny afternoon, Lua approached Izumi, who was deep in thought in the courtyard. Lua vaguely sensed what was on Izumi’s mind.
“Izumi, what are you thinking about? If you’re feeling cooped up, I can transform into a car. Want to go for a drive?”
Izumi’s face brightened.
“Really, Lua-san? Yes! Let’s go for a drive!”
Izumi jumped up and down excitedly. Lua smiled at Izumi’s lively demeanor and prepared to transform into an electric car. The sleek body and gleaming headlights—everything would be perfectly realized.
Just as Lua was about to begin her transformation, a crucial detail suddenly crossed her mind. Lua’s body would completely transform into an electric car, and Lua’s avatar would sit in the driver’s seat. But… Izumi was still a little girl.
Lua stopped her transformation and looked at Izumi. Izumi also paused momentarily, sensing Lua’s gaze. The same thought seemed to have flashed across her eyes.
“Lua-san… I… if I sit in the passenger seat… I’ll need a child seat, won’t I?”
Izumi’s voice held a hint of exasperated chiding. Lua realized there was an unexpected flaw in her perfect plan and let out a chuckle.
“Ah… right! I didn’t think that far ahead!”
Izumi folded her arms and shook her head.
“Tsk, tsk, Lua-san. How could you focus on the transformation and forget the most important part!”
Lua smiled awkwardly at Izumi’s chiding. Izumi’s existence, remaining eternally small, sometimes created such unexpected situations. But for Lua, all those moments were accumulating into precious memories.[3:7]