I, Ilma, am still imprisoned in the basement.
This happened after I tried to explain that miss Alice may not be the miko, but I have no idea what their intentions are.
I thought that maybe they were trying to get rid of me, but that does not seem to be the case, and I am being well fed. I have no idea what is going on outside, or what my situation is, but the one thing that I think about the most, is the miko.
If miss Alice is a false miko, where is the real one? How did such a mistake happen in the first place? Are the other priests that received the divine message not awake yet?
All I do here is eat and sleep, and eventually I lose track of time. How long have I been here?
Miss Gint has not come to see me even once. I admired her, and thought she was someone I could respect. I thought the situation would move in a favorable direction if I confided in her, but I ended up here instead.
Did I misjudge miss Gint or choose the wrong person to confide in? Would things have turned out differently if I spoke to someone else?
“…What should I do?”
I mumble.
The only people that come down here do so to bring me what I need to stay alive. They do not listen, or talk to me.
I thought about escaping, but even if I manage to do so, the temple will certainly find me. Escaping would be very difficult anyway, and there is no way I would not be hurt if I tried.
A priest like myself cannot use offensive magic. I have no aptitude for such things.
Staying in this windowless room is taking its toll on me, and all I can do here is think.
Miko. I think about the being known as miko. A special being we had to secure. It would be a problem if such a being was not brought to the big temple.
It is said that the special powers the miko has are the reason why she has to be brought here. If not, there is a big possibility that the miko will encounter problems.
Historically speaking, the miko has always been a special being loved by god, but that does not make them perfect, and there have been miko that faced terrible trouble.
If the miko is in the temple, she can be protected, and we can walk together.
Having that said, I do not think agreeing with everything miss Alice says without any attempt to guide her or walk alongside her is not what the temple should be doing.
The temple should strive to guide and protect her.
That is why I gladly participated in the ritual to hear the divine message and find the miko. I thought it was the best thing that could be done for her… But maybe I was wrong. If that is the case, maybe it really is a good thing that someone who is not the miko was brought into the temple.
Still, someone who is probably not the miko being treated as such is definitely a problem.
Is there nothing I can do for the miko?
We, the priests who received the divine message, were granted information on the miko’s age and location before we fainted, so how is it possible that the miko we found could be false? Was there another child of the same age in that house? Miss Alice’s parents were brought here with her, but could it be that they intentionally misled us into believing miss Alice is an only child? Would parents really keep quiet, knowing that one of their children could be the miko?
I keep thinking about things I have no control over, especially about the miko.
Ahh, god, you who showed me what the miko looks like. Is there something I can do for her?
I pray and pray, but receive no answer.
It took a great number of priests to ask for the miko’s location, so my prayers alone will certainly not reach.
I have to think for myself, and do something by my own hand.
—A priest is frustrated
(The imprisoned priest keeps thinking.)
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I wonder if the fake miko’s parents are being questioned about it