Chapter 348
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Chapter 348: Planting a Tree at Kamiji Village
The mayor of Kamiji Village was still relatively young, only in her early forties. Over two decades ago, she had studied in Hokkaido and had been a prominent figure among the notorious delinquent groups of her time. Known for smoking, drinking, wild haircuts, and racing motorcycles, she had earned a reputation that surpassed even the legendary leader of a famous motorcycle gang, Hokusinn Xuanma.
Yet, the passage of time had left its marks. Her rebellious youth had cost her an eye and three fingers. Despite these losses, she had taken on the responsibility of managing Kamiji Village. Although fully aware that the era of witches would eventually fade into history, she held onto the hope that its inevitable end could be delayed.
“Mimi, you’ve come back, haven’t you?”
Kokonohana Nori gave a soft nod. “Yes,” she replied gently.
She stepped out of the car, followed closely by Kurosawa Yaka. As Kokonohana emerged, the village chief’s expression darkened.
“Why have you come back?”
“Can’t I come back?” Kokonohana Nori responded with quiet defiance.
“This home no longer has a place for you,” Kokonohana Reiko sneered. “Now that you’re ill and beyond cure, you think you can return here to seek treatment? Hoping to live a little longer?”
The village chief, Kokonohana Reiko, shared the same surname as Nori. She was Nori’s elder cousin. Years ago, a schism had divided the shrine, sending their paths in separate directions. Born into the witch village, Nori had championed the division of beliefs—a stance that had fractured their family and community.
The shrine, under Nori’s vision, became a tool of transformation. Sword witches, free from the burden of outdated traditions, could wield their power solely for the peace of Yingzhou. Yet, this progress came at a cost. The casualty rate among witches soared, and the specter of the Blood Moon Disease loomed large.
Reiko’s bitterness ran deep, but Nori stood firm, her voice calm. “I didn’t return to seek treatment. The past is the past. Why cling to resentment?”
Reiko’s laughter was cold, laced with a decade’s worth of grievances.
“For over twenty years, I’ve toiled to keep this shrine alive,” Reiko spat. “And you think your vision was better? Your so-called progress left us with fewer people, fewer resources. You speak of freedom, but all I see is destruction.”
Nori remained composed, though her heart ached. “I understand your pain,” she said softly. “But holding onto the past won’t heal our wounds. Can’t we find a way to move forward?”
Reiko’s fury was unrelenting. “Move forward? Look around you, Nori! Our family is reduced to a handful, the village full of the elderly and infirm. Do you know how many people I’ve buried? How many children I’ve held as they cried out in pain?”
Her voice cracked, but her anger burned on. “Where were you, Nori? Off building shrines and chasing dreams, while we stayed here, holding this village together with nothing but sheer will!”
Reiko’s outburst was a torrent of grief, guilt, and anger. Nori could say nothing, her words swallowed by the weight of her cousin’s anguish.
As silence fell between them, Nori noticed something. “Your hand…”
Reiko flinched but didn’t pull away fast enough. Nori gently took her arm, revealing a blood-soaked bandage.
“It’s nothing,” Reiko said dismissively. “The Blood Moon Disease… It’s my third relapse. There’s no point wasting medicine on me anymore.”
Her voice was steady, but her eyes betrayed a deep weariness. “My time’s almost up, and I’m tired. I’ve cleaned up enough of this mess. Let someone else take over for a change.”
Nori’s heart broke for her cousin, but before she could speak, a voice interrupted them.
“Planting trees.”
The voice was warm yet commanding, startling Reiko. She turned toward the sound, ready to lash out. But as the figure emerged from the shadows, her breath caught in her throat.
Dressed in resplendent white robes adorned with golden patterns, his golden eyes and hair seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly light. Tiny golden particles floated around him, dispersing the crimson hue of the Blood Moon.
“Your Majesty…” Nori said, bowing her head in reverence.
For Reiko, the sight was almost too much to bear. She had spent her life devoted to the shrine, never daring to dream that she would see this figure in the flesh.
Before she could compose herself, the divine being extended a hand. Reiko braced herself for judgment but instead felt a warmth that swept through her body. The bandages on her arm fell away, revealing smooth, unblemished skin. Her vision cleared, and for the first time in years, she could see out of both eyes.
“My hand… my eyes…” she
whispered, disbelief etched on
her face.
Kurosawa Yaka gasped.
“Reiko, you look… younger.”
Indeed, Reiko’s once-
weathered face now radiated
the vitality of her youth. Her
scars were gone, and her
strength restored.
“Thank you for your blessings,
Your Majesty,” Nori said,
attempting to kneel.
But the figure stopped her.
“There is no need for gratitude,
nor for kneeling,” he said
gently. “No one is worthy of
your submission.”
Despite his words, the three
women couldn’t help but feel
the overwhelming urge to bow
before him.
In that moment, Reiko’s
resentment began to fade,
replaced by a glimmer of hope.
Perhaps, even amidst the
ruins of their lives, a new
beginning was possible.
