That day, the weather was exceptionally good, making it a perfect day for grocery shopping. Lua and Shizuku decided to go themselves, seizing the opportunity to visit the market after a long time. Normally, it was an unwritten rule for the maidens to operate in pairs. If one maiden transformed into clothing or an object, another would wear or carry it. There was no need for a shopping basket, as plastic bags from the store were sufficient, and money was taken as needed from Lua’s or Shizuku’s pockets, so additional personnel rarely transformed to accompany them.
But that day, Akane insisted on coming along. “Wouldn’t it be more convenient if I transformed into a wallet? I wouldn’t be a burden, and I could provide money exactly when it’s needed!” At her words, Lua and Shizuku exchanged a glance. It was true she wasn’t strictly necessary, but it was hard to refuse the eager hope in Akane’s eyes. Finally, Lua relented, saying, “Alright, but I’ll only put in just enough money. It would be a problem if it gets too heavy.” Akane then transformed into a small, elegant bifold wallet—a vibrant mix of red and white—and settled into an inner pocket of Shizuku’s bag.
The market was bustling. All sorts of food and daily necessities gleamed on the stalls, and the air buzzed with the mingled sounds of chattering voices and haggling. Lua and Shizuku leisurely browsed the shops, picking out what they needed. From inside Shizuku’s bag, Akane found the noisy energy of the outside world intriguing. Occasionally, when Shizuku opened the wallet to pay, Akane would catch a momentary glimpse of the outside light, delighted by the new experience. Everything was going smoothly.
Then it happened. As they passed through a narrow aisle, someone bumped hard into Shizuku’s shoulder. “Excuse me!” The man offered a quick apology before disappearing into the crowd. Shizuku steadied herself and waved a hand to show she was fine, but a chill ran down her spine.
“Shizuku-nee! I… I’m getting farther away from you…!”
It was a sudden telepathic message from Akane. Shizuku felt the blood run cold in her veins. She frantically checked her bag. The inner zipper was slightly open, and Akane, who had transformed into the bifold wallet, was gone without a trace.
“Lua! The wallet is gone!” At Shizuku’s urgent cry, Lua, too, realized what had happened. “It was that man! A pickpocket!”
Their world went dark. They could not use their powers indiscriminately as long as they did not defy human laws and order. They desperately wanted to transform into small birds to chase the man, but they couldn’t risk revealing their identities as maidens in the middle of a crowd. Their most precious sister, Akane, was now lost somewhere in the human world.
Amid the panic, Lua managed to compose herself and led Shizuku to the nearest police station. They reported the pickpocketing, meticulously describing the culprit’s appearance, which they recalled with their maiden’s memory. At the same time, they sent an urgent telepathic message to Aki at the Shrine.
“Aki! Transform into a phone right now and stand by for a call! The police will be in touch!” Lua’s voice was fraught with anxiety. Aki didn’t know the reason, but sensing Lua’s urgency, she unhesitatingly transformed into a smartphone to await the call. Akane communicated telepathically that she was on a bus, transmitting fragmented images of the passing scenery. Since her consciousness wasn’t completely cut off from the outside world, the other maidens could at least determine her approximate location.
A few hours later, a call came from the police station. Aki relayed the news to Lua and Shizuku via telepathy.
“They caught him. The pickpocket. But… they couldn’t find the wallet.”
Lua and Shizuku stared at each other in disbelief. They were baffled that the wallet hadn’t been found, even with Akane continuously relaying her location. The police’s search was limited, and they couldn’t rule out the possibility that the pickpocket had discarded the wallet or passed it to an accomplice.
At that moment, Akane’s telepathic voice burst through, filled with a terror that bordered on a scream.
“Sisters… If I… if I can never return inside the Shrine’s boundary… does that mean I have to live for an eternity… in this world… as a wallet? sob… That’s possible, isn’t it…?”
The color drained from Lua and Shizuku’s faces. They couldn’t say a word. Akane’s question had struck upon the most primal and terrifying fear of a maiden, one they kept hidden in the deepest corners of their hearts. They whispered to themselves.
That’s right… That could happen… couldn’t it?
While nothing in the world was immutable, a maiden’s transformation was the sole exception. Unless they returned within the Shrine’s boundary, they were forced to exist forever in their transformed state. It was a truth like an immortal curse, one they had long forgotten. The lively noise of the market now faded into a meaningless hum. Akane’s fear had become their own, a chilling and undeniable reality.[8:1]
A heavy gloom seemed to press down on the tranquil air of the Shrine. Lua and Shizuku crossed the courtyard toward the main hall, their shoulders slumped. Their usual energetic gait was gone, each step weighing a ton. A shadow of exhaustion and indelible sorrow lay upon their faces.
Deep within the Shrine, bathed in sunlight filtering through massive wooden pillars, the Great Maiden sat in quiet contemplation. Her avatar was, as always, benevolent and gentle, but a flicker of deep concern crossed her eyes the moment she saw them.
“Are you all right, my dears? It seems something has happened.” The Great Maiden’s voice was soft, yet it held an insight that seemed to see through everything.
Lua raised her head and managed to explain. “Great Maiden… Akane… she transformed into a wallet and was pickpocketed. The police caught the culprit, but they said they couldn’t find the wallet. We are still connected by telepathy, but… Akane is in utter despair. What will happen if she… if she can’t return within the boundary…?” Her voice trembled toward the end. Shizuku, too, bowed her head, biting her lip.
The Great Maiden was silent for a moment, her gaze meeting the two maidens’ anxious eyes.
“Do you remember… the story from long ago, of those who abused the power of the maidens?”
Lua and Shizuku nodded in unison. It was the darkest, most forbidden chapter of the Shrine’s history, one they remembered all too clearly.
“Then, what do you suppose happened to the maidens who wielded their power with such arrogance?” The Great Maiden’s question was no simple inquiry. It was a probe that delved into their memories, as if stirring the waters of a deep spring.
The two maidens’ eyes widened. A realization flashed through their minds like lightning. The maidens who had abused their power, who had harmed people and used their transformation solely for personal gain. In the end… they were cursed to be trapped in the world, forever in their transformed states. Permanently fixed as inanimate objects, unable to return to the Shrine’s boundary or revert to their true forms.
They understood that their own question had led them to that very horrific possibility. The image of Akane, a wallet lost somewhere in the world, seemed to merge with the image of those ancient maidens suffering their punishment. It was a suffocating realization.
The Great Maiden quietly observed their pained expressions. After a moment, her voice regained its benevolent resonance.
“That is an ancient warning you must not forget. It was a punishment for those who, long ago, wielded their power with arrogance and shattered the world’s balance. They were cursed to be trapped for eternity in their transformed bodies. But you are different. You protect the world with good will. Are you not diligently carrying out your duties?”
The Great Maiden sighed. “The Divine… will never abandon you to such despair, so long as you do not lose that path. Your sincerity and faith shall be your salvation.”
Her words, like a faint ember on a cold winter’s night, breathed warmth into the two maidens’ frozen hearts. Their anxiety did not vanish completely. Akane had not yet returned, and the path to retrieving the wallet themselves remained unclear. But the Great Maiden’s words planted a seed of faith—a belief that they would not be truly abandoned.
Lua was the first to squeeze Shizuku’s hand. Shizuku squeezed back. The warmth passing between their hands eased their fears, if only a little. In all their time, they had experienced countless miracles. They remembered that the Divine’s blessing, which transcended human logic, had always been with them.
“Yes… you’re right,” Lua said softly. “We have to… we just have to find a way,” Shizuku’s voice replied, a faint resolve now present in it.
They vowed they would find Akane, drawing comfort and courage from one another. In the stillness of the Shrine, the two maidens’ hands remained tightly clasped.[8:2]
The night deepened, but the Shrine’s tranquility failed to soothe Lua and Shizuku’s anxiety. Though their bodies no longer required sleep, they often sought it out of old human habit. That night, however, they remained sleepless, staying in the main hall, deep in silence, as they thought of the absent Akane. After a long while, Lua took a quiet, deep breath. She knew she had to relay the Great Maiden’s words to Akane.
Lua and Shizuku focused their minds, sending a telepathic message to the distant Akane. Though they were physically far apart, the connection between maidens transcended space. Lua gently channeled the Great Maiden’s soft words into Akane’s consciousness.
“…So long as you do not lose that path, the Divine will never abandon you to such despair. Your sincerity and faith shall be your salvation.”
Akane’s telepathic response returned, faint at first, then a weak sob mixed with relief. She was still trembling with fear, but the powerful faith in the Great Maiden’s words began to steady her spirit. After they spent a long time comforting each other, simply affirming their connection, Akane’s consciousness grew clearer.
“Sisters… I think… I’m in a place that’s damp and… smelly. Maybe… a trash can… or something like it.”
Within those words, Lua and Shizuku found a sliver of hope amid their despair. At least she wasn’t on the street or in a more dangerous place. As dawn broke, the Shrine was busy from early morning. Lua and Shizuku hurried down to the village, accompanied by several other maidens accustomed to operating in the human world.
Their mission was to meticulously search every single trash can in the village. The collection was scheduled for the next day; if they didn’t find Akane by then, she risked being taken to an incinerator, a landfill, or somewhere even more distant. Time was short, and they were short-handed. In her desperation, Lua contacted Sayuri. Sayuri didn’t understand what was happening, but she sensed the urgency in Lua’s voice and came at once. Though she lacked the maidens’ powers, she possessed sharp intuition and exceptional problem-solving skills.
There were far more trash cans in the village than they had expected. The maidens took turns keeping watch while they and Sayuri emptied bag after bag, sifting through the contents. Foul smells and sticky grime soiled their clothes and hands, but they paid it no mind. Their only thought was of finding Akane.
It happened during the long search. Akane’s telepathy came through, much clearer than before. “Sisters! I can hear your voices! You’re very close!”
Her words spurred them into action. They narrowed their search toward the direction of the sound. There, in an old, rusty metal trash can, stuffed deep within a pile of plastic bags, they saw a faint mix of red and white. Lua carefully reached in and pulled it out.
It was caked in dirt and stained with unknown liquids, but it was unmistakably the bifold wallet Akane had become. Its once-small and elegant form was now dented, stained, and unsightly. Yet a collective sigh of relief escaped everyone’s lips. They had finally found her.
They took the wallet to a nearby public restroom. Lua and Shizuku carefully washed it with soap and water. As the sticky grime and dirt washed away, its original red and white colors began to emerge.
“Heehee, that tickles… but… it feels strangely good.” Akane’s telepathy was a mix of a ticklish sensation and undeniable relief. She had bathed countless times, but this—being cleaned so thoroughly after being so filthy—was a first. This sense of purity, discovered at the very edge of terror and despair, brought a relief more profound than any pleasure.
The moment she crossed the Shrine’s boundary, Akane’s body shimmered with a soft light and returned to its original form. She looked down at her own human hands, felt the wooden floor of the shrine beneath her feet, and wept with the overwhelming relief of being alive again.
She ran immediately to the main hall, where the Great Maiden was waiting. The Great Maiden smiled serenely, as if she had known all along that Akane would return.
“Great Maiden… I was so, so scared. I thought I might be trapped like that… forever. But… hearing your words, and watching my sisters come to find me… I’ve had a great realization.”
Akane bowed deeply, her gratitude genuine and profound. She understood now. True despair wasn’t being physically trapped; it was losing the good will within one’s heart. And she knew that as long as they were together, they would never abandon one another, no matter what despair they faced.
The night of terror, the morning’s search, and the dramatic reunion had shown the maidens another side to the blessing of their transformation. They emerged with a stronger trust and a deeper bond, their spirits forged anew.[8:3]