“So this is a spirit? She’s way cuter than I expected.”
“Yes. Freinet’s really cute.”
I say with a smile, because I’m happy that Alice thinks Freinet is cute.
“My name is Alice, and I am Lerunda’s twin sister. Nice to meet you.”
“Yes, nice to meet you.”
Freinet is looking at Alice with interest.
It feels nice that Freinet seems to like Alice too.
People I love getting along with each other is really wonderful.
We continue talking for a while, and then we walk to the other spirit tree. The water spirit tree in the middle of the lake.
I use magic to make Alice float, and we go to the spirit tree together.
Alice looks uneasy about that. Maybe she’s never floated like this before, but I tell her it’s all right because it’s my magic, to reassure her.
“Wow… Floating is surprising too, but it really feels like the spirit tree has incredible power.”
“It’s great, isn’t it? This lake was created with magic too.”
“Magic really is incredible.”
I figured since I’m introducing Alice to the water spirit tree, I should introduce Wea too, but she’s not around here.
Can we go say hello to her tomorrow?
Still, I know part of it is because it’s my magic, but Alice really isn’t all that scared of floating in the air.
I’m a miko being influenced by the sky god, so I can make wings and make myself fly, and I’ve also flown a lot with Scifo and the gryphons. I like that, so maybe Alice and I can fly together too.
“Alice, it’s getting dark, but do you want to try traveling in the sky tomorrow?”
“Traveling in the sky?”
“Yes. I really like what I see from up there. You can ride one of the gryphons or fly with me, but I’m sure flying together will be fun! And then I want to introduce you to lots of the people here in the village.”
I really feel like just floating up there with Alice will be fun. I mean, she’s here in my village. That’s really great.
And there’s lots of people she hasn’t met yet!
There’s so much I want to do with Alice, that I don’t know where to start.
“Yes. I want to do a lot of the things you want to do too!”
“But what do you want to do? I have lots of things I want to do with you, but I get excited just thinking about where to start. What about you?”
“Fufu, I… I feel like doing a lot of things with you too. I mean… I really think it’s great that I get to spend a few days with you like this. I never thought this would happen. I feel like just being with you is fun, so whatever you want to do, I want to do it too.
But I want to find new things to do with you too. So how about we do that?”
“Yes!!”
We talk like this while still floating, and it’s fun.
Then I gently put her down on the ground, and then touch down too.
“The spirit festival is to celebrate the spirit tree recovering, right?”
“Yes! It started with that. This is the third time! It gets bigger every year too. Everyone celebrates and has fun, and it’s become a fun thing that we’re proud of in the village!”
“Walking around with you is already fun, but it’s going to be even more fun when it starts. Thinking about that makes me really look forward to it.”
“I prepared lots of things to receive you and make sure you leave with happy memories.”
“Thank you, Lerunda.”
It makes me really happy to see Alice is really enjoying her visit here in the village.
She looks cute when she smiles like that, and I want her to have even more fun.
She came all the way out here, so I want to make sure she really enjoys herself.
After that, we hold hands as we walk home, and we get ready to go to sleep as soon as we get there, because it’s already dark.
“Alice, make sure you sleep well so we can play a lot tomorrow!”
“Yes.”
“Good night Alice.”
“Good night Lerunda.”
We say goodnight after getting in the same bed, and go to sleep wearing matching sleepwear.
I’m so happy that she’s here in the village. I feel like I’m too excited to sleep, but if I don’t sleep tonight, I can’t play with her tomorrow.
I need to sleep well so we can play lots starting in the morning.
I’m sure tomorrow will be really fun too.
—Girl and the third spirit festival – Part six
(The miko falls asleep with her sister.)
Alice sure have grown well ever since she is with the Princess. It made me happy with her growth.
Thanks for the chapter. I barely see any comments on this one so I quite worried if this wn I going to be stop tl.
Regarding Alice: when your life has been suddenly in danger all because your shitty (and now thankfully dead) parents have set you up to be a fraud on behalf of a nation if not the world; and someone had the mercy of thinking you’re only ten and have no way to realize how much of a tool you are…
It all kinda makes you wonder what life even IS, and Alice came to the correct conclusion. Life is precious and worth protecting, — the core theme of the story.