When Lua returned from her drive and greeted the Great Maiden, the Great Maiden motioned for her to sit. The letter Hinata had brought lay on the table before her. As Lua sat, the Great Maiden spoke in a low but firm voice.
“Lua, the great tides of the world have begun to reach our shrine.”
Lua saw the Great Maiden’s gaze linger on the letter. She instinctively felt this was connected to her meeting with Sayuri and the period of great turmoil she had heard about at the Shrine of Time.
“This is a proposal for a large-scale apartment development in the area.”
At the Great Maiden’s words, Lua’s eyes widened in surprise. Apartment development—the words felt utterly alien to this sacred and tranquil mountain.
“According to the plan, this entire mountain will be transformed into a massive apartment complex. And our shrine… is located right in the center of the development site.”
The Great Maiden pointed to a blueprint in the letter. Lua could see for herself that the shrine’s location was squarely in the middle of the development plan.
“That’s why the construction company contacted us about land compensation.”
Lua was confused. “Great Maiden… the shrine is registered as land? But we are spiritual beings, and the shrine is just… like a part of our bodies, isn’t it?”
The Great Maiden nodded. “It is. But one must abide by the rules of the world. For the shrine to maintain its existence, it must have a tangible presence within the world’s legal framework.”
She calmly continued her explanation. “For a very long time, this shrine has been legally registered to a succession of maidens—those who were wise by the world’s standards but not yet physically old. Since my own existence as the shrine’s true form cannot be revealed, we needed a public face.”
Finally, it all made sense to Lua. It was a wise method devised by her predecessors, allowing them to exist within the world’s legal system while protecting the shrine’s secrets.
“Until now, Shizuku-san has filled that role. However, this matter is likely to escalate beyond simple compensation negotiations. And… you, Lua, are next in line.”
At the Great Maiden’s words, Lua’s heart pounded. After Shizuku, it was her turn to become the shrine’s legal owner and face the outside world. The immense responsibility of protecting the shrine from the colossal wave of development weighed heavily on her shoulders.
But at the same time, Lua instinctively knew what she had to do. To protect the shrine from this massive wave, she desperately needed the help of an expert from the outside world—someone who could read and navigate the currents of modern society.
Lua sprang to her feet. The face of one person rose clearly in her mind.
‘Hasegawa-san…’
She immediately began rummaging through her pockets, searching for the contact information they had exchanged when she last parted ways with Sayuri.[6:1]
Lua found Sayuri’s contact information, but the question now was how to reach her. Just then, Aki, who was standing nearby, seemed to read Lua’s mind and sent a telepathic message.
“Lua, I’ll help. How about I transform?”
Aki’s body glowed, and she morphed into a sleek, state-of-the-art smartphone. Marveling at the perfect transformation, Lua held the phone—Aki’s body—in her hand. Sayuri’s name appeared clearly on the touch screen. Lua pressed the call button without hesitation.
After a few rings, Sayuri’s voice came through.
“Hello?”
Lua calmly began to explain the situation: the apartment development plan, the shrine’s land compensation issue, and the fact that she was now responsible for handling it. A desperation to save the shrine was evident in her voice.
Sayuri held her breath as she listened. The events of the past flashed through her mind like a panorama: the sudden goodbye ten years ago, Lua transforming into a car, the incredible powers she had witnessed. And now, she felt in her gut that all of it had been leading to this very moment.
‘So… the Great Maiden brought Yui-chan and me together again for a reason. Perhaps… for this very moment.’
A strange thrill and an ineffable sense of mystery washed over her. She realized her presence here wasn’t mere coincidence; she was placed within a great current of destiny. Yui’s disappearance and their reunion—everything was connected, leading to now.
“Yui-chan… I get it. Why you disappeared, and why you still look the same… it all makes sense now.”
Sayuri’s voice trembled, but it held a firm resolve.
“I swear, I will keep your secret. And as for this… I will do everything in my power to help. Just tell me what you need.”
Lua felt a wave of relief at Sayuri’s sincere words. She sent a telepathic thank you to Aki. The Great Maiden’s prediction that Sayuri would become a crucial ally to the shrine was coming true.
This wasn’t a problem that could be solved by simply refusing compensation. The large construction company would surely mobilize its vast capital and legal teams to pressure the shrine. To win this fight, they had to find their opponent’s weakness—their ‘Achilles’ heel’.
Under the Great Maiden’s direction, the maidens began using their unique abilities to uncover the construction company’s corruption.
Miho scoured every ancient text and document in the shrine’s library, searching for historical precedents and legal loopholes. She became the bookshelf itself, rapidly extracting knowledge from the flow of countless pieces of information.
Aki reverted from her smartphone form to her native electronic form and connected to the world’s complex networks. She began investigating the company’s financials, past projects, and illegal activities. From financial statements and contracts to unofficial information on key personnel, her abilities combed through every byte of data in the digital world.
Izumi, being the smallest, prepared to infiltrate secure locations by transforming into a data storage device or memory card, completely unseen. She could slip through the tiniest cracks to acquire the data they needed.
Lua, in turn, gathered external information through her contact with Sayuri and began to coordinate the findings of the maidens, assembling the complete picture. The corporeal maidens had mobilized their full power, beginning an invisible war. The prelude to a colossal battle for the shrine’s very existence had begun.[6:2]
As the maidens’ investigation progressed, the ugly truths hidden behind the glamorous facade of ‘XX Construction Company’ came to light. Thanks to Aki’s all-encompassing digital search and Izumi’s stealthy information retrieval, the company’s internal affairs were laid bare.
The financial statements Aki uncovered were shocking. XX Construction appeared to have grown remarkably over the past few years, but it was a dangerous gamble built on reckless project bids and excessive borrowing. They had expanded by winning large-scale national and international projects, but their profitability was in a nosedive due to unexpected rises in raw material costs and construction delays.
It was a cycle of debt. The company’s cash flow had long since dried up, and it was barely staying afloat on bank loans and private bonds. Its financial health was beyond critical; it was teetering on the verge of bankruptcy.
“Their books are cooked to look good, but in reality, their equity has been almost entirely wiped out. One bad quarter and they could go under,” Aki’s telepathic report was clinical.
This forest apartment development was their desperate, last-ditch effort to hit the jackpot. It was an attempt to erase their massive debts and revive the company. The shrine was their last lifeline.
Financial desperation had led them to resort to dirty tactics. The information the maidens uncovered went beyond financial mismanagement; the company was mired in various illegal activities.
First were the unfair practices against their subcontractors. They would win bids with absurdly low prices, then pass the costs onto subcontractors and delay payments to secure a profit. Countless smaller firms had been pushed to the brink of bankruptcy as a result.
Furthermore, their violation of environmental laws was severe. The maidens found evidence of illegal waste dumping, pollutant discharge, and even attempts to manipulate environmental impact assessments—all desperate measures to cut costs.
The internal documents Izumi secretly acquired revealed something even more shocking: records of large bribes paid to public officials for permits and illegal donations to politicians. There were also traces of collusion to monopolize certain projects. They cast a dark shadow, shamelessly trampling law and ethics for their own gain.
A grim determination settled on the faces of the maidens as they reviewed the information. Their opponent was a reputable corporation on the surface, but it was rotten to the core. As long as they held this colossal secret, there was definitely a way to protect the shrine.[6:3]
Holding the information from the shrine, Sayuri’s heart pounded in her chest. This was more than a scoop. This was a righteous battle that fueled her mission as a journalist—to expose the corruption of a corporate giant and help the oppressed. She cut back on sleep, analyzing the data and writing her story. She dug into the hidden meaning of the financial statements from Aki, traced the money in the bribery ledger from Izumi, and used the legal precedents from Miho as the core of her article.
Finally, Sayuri’s story was published.
[Exclusive] XX Construction’s ‘Golden Goose’ Forest Development Hides
Mountains of Debt, Allegations of Corruption
- Exposé on Reckless ‘All-or-Nothing’ Gamble Amidst Bankruptcy
Crisis
- Squeezing Subcontractors, Environmental Violations, Evidence of
High-Level Bribery… ‘Dark Connection’ Allegations Explode
The article had an explosive impact. Sayuri hadn’t just reported on a single plot of land; she had exposed a massive knot of corruption involving XX Construction’s reckless projects, financial decline, unfair labor practices, environmental crimes, and political lobbying. Her story shook the media, sparked public outrage, and led to a chorus of demands for a thorough investigation.
The article’s real-world repercussions were swift. Facing public fury, government authorities turned their blades on XX Construction. The apartment project was halted indefinitely, accompanied by a public apology. The massive, now-frozen investment choked the company’s last breath. Under the subsequent prosecutorial investigation and pressure from financial regulators, the company’s hidden debts and crimes were revealed one by one. Officials and politicians implicated in the lobbying scandal were arrested, and the company’s credibility hit rock bottom.
In just one month, XX Construction, once a titan of the industry, collapsed completely. Unable to manage its debts, the company declared bankruptcy. Countless employees lost their jobs, and its stock became worthless paper. Their gamble for a massive payout had consumed them.
With XX Construction bankrupt, all of its assets went to auction, including the vast forest surrounding the shrine. Under the Great Maiden’s instruction, Lua participated. Just as Shizuku had before her, Lua now acted as the shrine’s legal owner and its liaison with the outside world.
With Aki’s precise intelligence and Sayuri’s advice, Lua acquired the forest land at the perfect moment for the lowest possible price. As it was a fire sale from bankruptcy, she was able to purchase the vast lands surrounding the shrine for an astonishingly low sum. Not only was the shrine now completely free from material threats, but it had also expanded its domain.
And so, the incident came to a close. As the Great Maiden had foreseen, Sayuri had been a great help, and through the combined efforts of the maidens’ powers and Sayuri’s courage, the shrine had turned a crisis into an opportunity. Lua felt a deep pride in having protected the shrine’s future with her own hands, along with an even heavier sense of responsibility. The shrine’s secret remained safe, its quiet existence continuing deep within the mountains.[6:4]
With the fall of XX Construction and the successful acquisition of the forest, Lua was now the official legal representative of the shrine. A few days later, a simple land transfer ceremony was held deep within the shrine’s main hall. As the Great Maiden and the other maidens watched, Shizuku formally transferred the land ownership from her name to Lua’s.
Taking Lua’s hands, Shizuku said, “Your time has come, Lua. As the new guardian of this land and this shrine, may you use your wisdom to its fullest.”
Lua nodded. The legal documents in her hand felt heavier than paper. They were the weight of the shrine’s long history, its future, and the lives of all its maidens. She realized her role now extended beyond transforming and following the Divine’s will; she had to communicate directly with the outside world to protect her home.
That afternoon, a familiar car pulled up to the shrine’s boundary. It was Sayuri. She stepped out, dressed in a sharp, formal suit. Since her article’s publication, Sayuri had become a sensation in the press, and her work had sent shockwaves through society. But more than any joy of victory, she felt a profound need to thank the people of the shrine who had trusted her with their incredible secret.
The shrine gate, a transformation of Akari, opened silently. Sayuri’s gaze immediately found the Great Maiden and Lua standing just inside. The Great Maiden greeted her with a serene smile, while Lua looked upon her ‘former girlfriend’ and ‘invaluable ally’ with warmth in her eyes.
Sayuri walked right up to the boundary line. She bowed respectfully to the Great Maiden.
“Great Maiden, it is I, Sayuri Hasegawa. Thank you… thank you so much for everything. Because of you, I was able to bring the truth to light and help a great many people.”
The Great Maiden smiled calmly in return. “It was thanks to your courage and wisdom, Reporter Sayuri. Without you, the shrine would have been in grave danger.”
Sayuri then turned her gaze to Lua. The sight of Lua, eternally unchanging, still filled her with a mix of wonder and a quiet sorrow. After a moment’s hesitation, she looked back to the Great Maiden and spoke cautiously.
“Great Maiden… Yui-chan… unlike me, she will live forever, just as she is now. Please… please take good care of her.”
Her voice was filled with a deep understanding of Yui’s unique destiny, and the desperate plea of someone entrusting a precious friend to another’s care. The Great Maiden, seemingly touched by Sayuri’s sincerity, smiled warmly.
“Do not worry. Yui will receive all the protection and love she deserves here. In fact, it is we who owe you a great debt. Please… continue to visit us from time to time. We will need someone to bring us news of the world, and at times, to lend us aid. We look forward to working with you.”
The Great Maiden’s words were an acknowledgment of Sayuri not as a mere helper, but as a vital link to the shrine. Lua looked back and forth between the Great Maiden and Sayuri, her heart swelling with an inexplicable pride and a sense of anticipation for the future. A new bridge between the shrine and the outside world had just been formed.[6:5]
Before she became a maiden, Yui’s relationship with Sayuri was a sweet yet poignant first love. They were classmates in the same high school. Yui was a curious, quirky chatterbox, and Sayuri was the calm one who would listen quietly to her endless stories, a fond smile on her face. Different yet similar, they had quickly become the most important person in the world to each other.
In the summer of their first year, Sayuri worked up the courage to confess. Despite the scorching heat, her palms were slick with sweat. “Yui-chan, I… I like you. More than a friend… I like you more.” At her trembling voice, Yui’s eyes widened in surprise. She felt something special for Sayuri, too, but the idea of liking another girl was confusing, and she had no idea where such a relationship could possibly lead.
But looking into Sayuri’s sincere eyes, Yui’s heart was moved. From that day on, they were secretly a couple. Their precious, daily routine consisted of walking hand-in-hand across the empty school grounds after class, or sitting in a quiet corner of the library, leaning on each other’s shoulders as they read. The mere presence of the other seemed to make the whole world shine. They had a vague anxiety about the future, but they believed their feelings for each other were stronger than anything.
Their secret romance lasted until the very end of that summer vacation. A few days before the second semester was to begin, Yui and Sayuri were sitting on a bench in a small neighborhood park, just as they always did. Yui was chattering away, and Sayuri was gently toying with a strand of her hair, listening. It was an ordinary, happy moment.
Then, an unreadable shadow fell across Yui’s face. She stopped talking and stared at a distant mountain. “Sayuri… I… I think I have to go. Suddenly.” Her voice was a mixture of confusion and a strange, hidden fear. Sayuri, completely bewildered, took her hand. “Go where? What is it? What’s wrong, Yui-chan?”
But Yui couldn’t say another word. Her gaze grew distant, as if she were possessed, and her body trembled slightly. “I’m sorry… I’m so, so sorry, Sayuri.” With those final words, she let go of Sayuri’s hand, shot up from the bench, and started to run. A stunned Sayuri chased after her, but Yui vanished from sight in an instant, like smoke.
That was their last meeting. It was a sudden, inexplicable farewell. Yui disappeared from the world without a trace, leaving Sayuri to begin a long wait, lost in the confusion and heartbreak of her first love. She could never forget Yui’s final expression or the sight of the empty sky. Until she met Yui again ten years later as Lua, Sayuri could neither understand nor accept what had happened that day.[6:6]
Some time after the shrine’s troubles were resolved, Lua suggested a drive to Sayuri. This was not a mission, but time meant entirely for the two of them. Lua transformed her body back into the familiar black electric car, and Sayuri settled into the passenger seat. The car glided smoothly along a quiet road on the city’s outskirts.
Like the scenery drifting past the windows, their conversation flowed naturally. They spoke of memories from their school days, of their dreams, and of everything they had experienced during the ten-year gap. Sayuri cautiously asked about the changes in Yui’s life since becoming a maiden, and Yui calmly described her daily life, careful not to betray the shrine’s secrets. She was still the same chatterbox from all those years ago, and Sayuri was still her devoted listener.
“You must have been shocked when I suddenly vanished back then, right?” Yui’s avatar asked with an embarrassed smile.
Sayuri nodded. “Don’t even get me started. You just disappeared without a trace. Do you have any idea how much I looked for you? I was sick with worry, thinking you might have left because of me.”
“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry, Sayuri. I couldn’t help it back then. It was all so sudden… being called to the shrine….” The pain of that time was still evident in Yui’s voice. “Honestly, when we met again, I was surprised you recognized me… but I was also so happy. I never thought I’d see you again.”
Sayuri took Yui’s hand. “Me too. You have no idea how bewildered I was when you showed up looking exactly the same… but I’m so incredibly glad we can be here and talk like this again.”
As their conversation deepened, Yui felt Sayuri’s presence inside her ‘body’ more vividly than ever. Through the car that was her body, she sensed Sayuri’s every subtle movement.
“Sayuri, when you’re riding inside me like this…”
Yui’s avatar looked at Sayuri and continued,
“It feels like every single nerve cell in my body is aware of your presence. The pressure of your back against the passenger seat, the subtle vibration of the seatbelt on your shoulder, the way your breath fills the air inside me, the warmth of your hand as it brushes against my dashboard… I feel all of it.”
She described her sensations in poetic terms.
“When you sit comfortably, my suspension feels like it’s gently absorbing the road’s impact just to cradle you. When you smile at the view outside, my whole body feels like it’s sharing that pleasant rush of air with you. It’s like your very being is a current of energy flowing through me. So when you’re relaxed and happy, my whole body feels relaxed and happy, too.”
Yui gave a soft smile.
“Sometimes, it feels like I’m not just a car, but a living space connected to your senses. When you’re in a good mood, I find myself wanting to press the accelerator. If you seem bored, I want to guide you down more interesting roads. Feeling you inside me with my entire body like this… it’s a truly special experience.”
Sayuri was deeply moved by Yui’s words. The fact that this car was not just a machine but Yui’s living, feeling body was still a source of wonder. A strange warmth spread through her, along with a sense of responsibility, at the thought that her every movement and emotion was being transmitted to Yui. Feeling each other’s presence in the most intimate way possible, they continued their drive, healing the wounds of the past and heading toward a new future.[6:7]