"Huh? Jibril is being mistaken for Amaterasu?" Sū ěr voice rose in disbelief.
"Indeed. After that battle in the primordial era ended, fragments of Ashihara no Nakatsukuni scattered from Amaterasu fell into this sea, forming these various islands. And because Lady Jibril descended from the sky carrying the radiance of the Galaxy, the humans preserved in Izumo seem to have viewed her as the Great Goddess Amaterasu." Yukari nodded.
"Though I was curious, the remaining gods of the Izumo lineage and the Oni actually tacitly accepted this. As a result, countless years later, Amaterasu in the hearts of many humans is depicted with wings and a small sun floating above her head… Many newly born yōkai share this perception as well."
What else could it have been? Under those circumstances, it was likely a ploy to ensure the continuation of bloodlines and rule on this small land surrounded by demons. After all, if Jibril was established as the faith of the Izumo nation, even the boldest yōkai would hesitate before trying to harm Izumo. In later years, it probably became habit; even the new offspring with divine blood and the Oni didn't know the secrets behind it.
How could the ugly desperation of ancestors be recorded?
This was a simple scheme even Sū ěr could see through, let alone over-intellectuals like Think and Jibril. Jibril, in particular, had developed a hatred for such inexplicable worship after their trip to the Two-Souls Shrine in Nara. Even knowing a prestigious shrine was worshiping her gave her no joy.
After all, they were worshiping "Amaterasu," not Jibril… what did it have to do with her?
"Would you like to visit the Ise Grand Shrine? I can help open a gap directly there. It only takes a few breaths," Yukari snapped her fan shut and traced a line through the air with the handle.
The edge was pitch black, just like the gaps in Sū ěr memory, but this gap lacked the various eyes. Aside from two cute ribbons tied at the ends, the other side showed an ancient forest bathed in sunlight, with hints of vermillion pillars and dark grey roof tiles.
One didn't need to walk inside the gap; they only had to step through the slit to reach the other side. Sū ěr believed Yukari wasn't playing any tricks with this gap—stepping through would indeed take them to the shrine where Jibril was worshiped as Amaterasu… but why would they go?
"You seem very eager for us to leave," Think manifested and sneered. "Is it because our presence here will hinder whatever you're doing? There's no need to be so secretive; let me, a genius, help you out."
"How could that be? I simply thought you might want to see the shrine dedicated to you. If you aren't interested in such places, that's perfectly fine." Yukari's expression didn't change. She waved her hand casually, and the massive gap vanished into the air—a display of her "not caring" and merely "wanting to help."
But it was because of this that Sū ěr finally noticed something off about this yōkai… She was nervous after all. Compared to her younger self in the primordial era, the current Yukari had learned to hide her emotions well.
If not for the fact that her goal was so obvious, Sū ěr might not have noticed—bringing up the Ise Grand Shrine was a blatant attempt to lure them away. After all, how many people could completely ignore the glory of being worshiped by others with a temple?
Even going over just out of curiosity would have played into Yukari's hands. This blonde yōkai's style had become much gentler and more indirect over the years.
"I think I know where you got your inspiration," Sū ěr nodded to himself. Making up a story about "Two Souls" to guide humans into building a matchmaking shrine—perhaps Yukari had gotten the idea from the Ise Grand Shrine.
"My Lord?" Not understanding Sū ěr words, Yukari tilted her head curiously.
"Enough with the useless talk," Great King Jibril waved her hand dismissively. "Spill it. Don't force us to do things no one wants to see."
Never one to fear the consequences of unleashing her power, Jibril—at least six thousand years old—feared only that the world wasn't violent enough.
To drive home the threat, the pink-haired Flügel summoned a light spear in her hand. The rapidly spinning, compressed energy reached a limit before being hurled away, instantly leveling a small hill in their line of sight.
The implication was clear: If you don't tell the truth, I'm going to start throwing tantrums, and you'll regret what I hit.
"..."
In silence, Yukari's gaze drifted from Jibril to Think, paused for a moment, and finally settled on Sū ěr, looking at him deeply. To be honest, if Jibril really did something outrageous, Sū ěr would certainly stop her, but in this situation of "tacit understanding," Sū ěr wasn't an idiot; he wasn't going to undercut Jibril.
"May I ask why you all appeared here?" Yukari finally relented.
"It's actually nothing special. I'm researching that massive cherry tree of the Saigyouji family. For one thing, it's lived way too long. And despite that long life, forget becoming a yōkai, it doesn't even have the intelligence to respond to emotions… It's just too strange. Do you have any leads?" Sū ěr asked sharply.
He had already noticed that when he mentioned the giant cherry tree—specifically the name "Saigyouji"—Yukari's face briefly showed shock and surprise, which turned into helplessness in a split second. Even though she quickly realized this and covered her face with her fan, she couldn't erase what had already been seen.
"Then let me take you there," Yukari finally lowered her fan and let out a defeated sigh. "The cherry tree, and the Saigyouji family… perhaps I really do need your help."
Yukari Yakumo… has a weakness?