The two girls remained beneath the covered walkway long after their conversation had reached its natural end.
The mountain night had grown colder, and the breeze drifting through the temple grounds carried the familiar scent of cedar and incense. Somewhere beyond the buildings, insects chirped quietly beneath the trees, while the occasional rustle of leaves reminded Serena that the forest surrounding the White Fox Temple was still alive despite the darkness.
Lanterns lined the wooden walkway, their warm light spilling across the polished floor and creating long shadows beneath the roof.
Serena stood beside Himari, her attention still fixed on the large painting hanging on the wall before them.
Tamayo.
The portrait captured Serena's older sister in a calm and dignified pose. Her expression was composed, almost serene, but there was something about the way the artist had captured her that made Tamayo appear far more imposing than Serena remembered.
Serena had always known that her sister was strong.
That had never exactly been a secret.
She had seen Tamayo demonstrate her abilities countless times. Tamayo could move faster than Serena could follow, control Spiritual Energy with seemingly effortless precision, and possess enough skill to frighten even someone like Stud without actually intending to.
But Serena had never really stopped to consider what other people thought about her sister.
To Serena, Tamayo was simply her older sister.
She was the woman who teased her whenever she became too serious, the person who woke her up at four in the morning for training, and the older sister who could criticize Serena's stubbornness without hesitation.
She was also the person who had caught Serena when her body nearly gave out after completing her first successful Spiritual Energy exercise.
But to everyone else...
Tamayo was something different.
Serena finally turned her attention toward Himari.
"You said you want to become a Geist like Tamayo."
Himari nodded.
"Yeah."
Serena crossed her arms and leaned slightly against one of the wooden pillars.
"Then how strong is she, really?"
Himari blinked.
"Lady Tamayo?"
"Obviously."
Serena glanced back toward the painting.
"I know she's strong. I've seen enough to know that. But I've never really heard anyone explain just how strong she actually is."
Himari gave her an awkward smile.
"Well..."
She hesitated.
Serena immediately noticed.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You made that face."
"What face?"
"That face where you're thinking about whether you should say something."
Himari let out a nervous laugh.
"You've always been good at noticing that."
"So?"
Himari sighed and folded her hands together.
"I guess I should warn you first."
Serena raised an eyebrow.
"Warn me?"
Himari nodded.
"I'm nowhere near as strong as Lady Tamayo."
Serena stared at her.
"That's what you're worried about?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want you to think I'm exaggerating."
Himari looked toward the painting.
"I've been training under her, but I'm still at the beginning. There are things she can do that I can't even understand yet."
Serena's curiosity immediately grew.
"Like what?"
Himari thought about it for a moment.
"Almost everything."
Serena's eyes widened.
"Everything?"
Himari nodded.
"Lady Tamayo is... different."
Her gaze returned to the painting.
"She's incredibly respected here."
Serena's expression became more attentive.
"Even among the shrine maidens?"
"Especially among them."
Himari smiled faintly.
"I've heard them talk about her before."
Serena tilted her head.
"What do they say?"
Himari looked slightly embarrassed.
"That she's a genius."
Serena shrugged.
"I already knew that."
"No."
Himari shook her head.
"They don't just call her talented."
Serena waited.
Himari lowered her voice slightly.
"They say she's the kind of genius who appears once every three hundred years."
Serena's expression changed.
"...Three hundred years?"
Himari nodded.
"That's what I've heard."
She glanced around the quiet temple grounds before continuing.
"According to some of the shrine maidens, Lady Tamayo was considered a prodigy even among the Protosaints."
Serena's eyes widened.
The word alone carried weight.
The Protosaints were legends.
Her father, Reige, had once been one.
Alumna had been one as well.
And Decode Alpha, Yuma's father, had also belonged to that legendary generation.
Serena had grown up hearing stories about them. They were the Geists who had reached the highest levels of ability and had left their names behind in the history of their world.
Yet Himari was telling her that Tamayo had been exceptional even among them.
"Even among the Protosaints?" Serena asked.
"Yes."
Himari nodded.
"Apparently, her ability was obvious from a very young age."
Serena stared at the painting.
She tried to imagine Tamayo as a child.
It was difficult.
She could picture her sister being calm. She could picture her being serious. She could even imagine Tamayo already possessing that quiet confidence she carried now.
But imagining her possessing enough talent to stand among legendary Geists from such a young age was another matter entirely.
"That's..."
Serena paused.
"That's actually pretty impressive."
Himari smiled.
"You sound surprised."
"I am."
Serena folded her arms again.
"I knew she was strong, but I didn't realize she was that strong."
Himari hesitated.
"There is something else."
Serena turned toward her.
"What?"
"Mr. Reige said something similar."
Serena's eyes widened.
"My dad?"
Himari nodded.
"He's talked about Lady Tamayo before."
"What did he say?"
Himari gave her a slightly nervous smile.
"He said that Tamayo surpassed both him and Alumna-san when she was around their age."
Serena froze.
For a moment, neither girl spoke.
The mountain breeze passed between them, gently stirring the sleeves of their clothes.
"...What?"
Himari nodded.
"That's what I heard."
Serena slowly looked back toward the painting.
"My dad actually said that?"
"Yes."
Serena's thoughts raced.
She had expected Tamayo to be strong.
She had expected her sister to be talented.
But hearing that her own father believed Tamayo had surpassed him and Alumna when they were young was something else entirely.
Reige wasn't someone who casually praised people, especially when it came to Geists.
Serena knew how seriously her father took strength, discipline, and responsibility.
For him to acknowledge Tamayo like that...
It meant something.
"So Tamayo was stronger than Dad and Alumna when they were her age?"
Himari nodded.
"That's what he said."
Serena scratched her cheek.
"I really didn't know that."
"You never asked?"
"No."
Serena looked slightly embarrassed.
"I always just thought of her as my sister."
Himari laughed softly.
"I guess it's different when you're related to someone."
"Exactly."
Serena glanced toward the painting again.
There was something strangely amusing about the whole situation.
The person everyone at the temple seemed to regard as a legendary genius was the same woman who had spent the morning telling Serena that she was too impatient to properly control Spiritual Energy.
Serena sighed.
"Now I understand why she acts so confident."
Himari smiled.
"She's earned it."
Serena glanced at her.
"Don't tell her I said that."
Himari laughed.
"I won't."
The two girls continued walking through the temple grounds, and gradually, the conversation became lighter again.
They talked about their childhood and remembered the games they used to play around the temple. Serena laughed when Himari reminded her about the countless times she had gotten lost despite insisting that she knew the temple grounds perfectly.
There were also memories of Tamayo finding them wandering into places where they weren't supposed to be and promptly scolding both of them.
Serena found herself laughing more than she had expected.
It felt strange.
In a good way.
For the first time in a long while, she wasn't thinking about training. She wasn't thinking about Poltergeists or wondering whether she was strong enough to protect herself and the people around her.
She was simply walking through the temple with an old friend.
For a little while, she could just be Serena.
Then—
"SERENAAAAAA!"
A high-pitched scream echoed through the temple grounds.
Both girls stopped.
Serena blinked.
"...What?"
Another voice immediately followed.
"SERENA! HELP ME!"
Something small and dark came flying around the corner at an absurd speed.
Serena's eyes widened.
"Stud?"
The tiny Poltergeist shot toward them as though his very existence depended on reaching Serena.
He didn't slow down.
He didn't stop.
He didn't even bother checking where he was going.
He simply flew directly toward Serena and ducked behind her.
Serena nearly stumbled from the impact.
"What the heck?!"
Stud hid behind her shoulder, trembling violently.
"She's a demon!"
Serena stared at him.
"...Who?"
"Your sister!"
Stud pointed one trembling tentacle toward the corridor behind him.
"Your sister is a demon!"
Himari covered her mouth, desperately trying not to laugh.
Serena stared at Stud in disbelief.
"What happened?"
Stud's entire body shook.
"She is terrifying!"
"Tamayo?"
"YES!"
Stud clung tightly to the back of Serena's clothes.
"I've faced Poltergeists bigger than houses!"
Serena raised an eyebrow.
"And?"
"They didn't scare me!"
"You screamed when Tamayo cut the wall."
"That was different!"
"You screamed before she even touched you."
"I value my life!"
Serena sighed.
Stud cautiously poked his head out from behind her shoulder.
"I have reconsidered my living arrangements."
Serena blinked.
"What?"
"I want Alumna."
She stared at him.
"What?"
"I want the strict man."
Stud pointed one tiny tentacle toward the direction where he imagined Alumna might be.
"I want him. Or Yuma. Anyone but her."
Serena stared at him in disbelief.
"You're serious?"
"I have never been more serious in my entire existence."
Stud dramatically floated out from behind Serena for a moment, clutching both sides of his tiny head.
"That woman looked at me!"
Serena blinked.
"...She looked at you?"
"YES!"
"And?"
"That's it!"
Himari finally lost her battle with her laughter.
Stud looked offended.
"This isn't funny!"
Himari quickly covered her mouth.
"Sorry."
Stud pointed accusingly toward her.
"You don't understand what I went through!"
Serena crossed her arms.
"What exactly did she do?"
Stud froze.
His tiny tentacles slowly lowered.
"...She asked me questions."
Serena stared at him.
"That's it?"
"They were difficult questions!"
"What kind of questions?"
"I don't remember."
Serena sighed.
"Of course you don't."
Stud suddenly grabbed Serena's arm.
"Take me away."
"No."
"Bring me to Yuma."
"No."
"I demand to switch custody!"
Serena's expression became completely flat.
"First of all, I didn't bring you here with me."
Stud froze.
"You sneaked into my luggage."
"...Technicality."
"It's not a technicality."
"You allowed me to remain."
"You were already here."
"Exactly."
Serena pinched the bridge of her nose.
She could already feel a headache beginning to form.
"Second, if you want to go to Yuma, then feel free."
Stud's eyes immediately brightened.
"Really?"
Serena smiled.
"Sure."
Stud visibly relaxed.
"Excellent!"
Serena pointed toward the mountain.
"You just have to fly there yourself."
Stud's smile disappeared.
"...What?"
"Osaka is thousands of kilometers away."
Stud slowly turned his head toward the distant mountains.
Then he looked back at Serena.
Then toward the mountains again.
His expression gradually became horrified.
"Thousands?"
"Yes."
"How many thousands?"
"Enough."
Stud's entire body began trembling again.
"I don't have the stamina for that."
Serena smirked.
"Then I guess you'll have to stay with Tamayo."
Stud stared at her.
"You are cruel."
"You started it."
"I was emotionally traumatized!"
"You were asked questions."
"Questions can be weapons!"
Himari couldn't hold herself back anymore.
She burst into laughter.
Serena shook her head.
"You're unbelievable."
Stud crossed his tiny tentacles over his body.
"I am filing a formal complaint."
"With who?"
"The nearest authority."
"That's Tamayo."
Stud immediately stopped moving.
"...I'll be quiet."
Serena laughed.
Himari watched the exchange with a mixture of amusement and confusion.
There was something about the relationship between Serena and Stud that she couldn't quite understand yet.
They argued constantly. They insulted each other, threatened each other, and seemed to find endless ways to annoy one another.
Yet somehow, it was obvious that neither of them actually disliked the other.
Himari looked at Serena.
"Who's Yuma?"
Serena froze.
Her smile disappeared.
Stud slowly turned toward her.
A mischievous look appeared on his face.
Serena noticed it immediately.
"Don't."
Stud said nothing.
Serena slowly looked away.
"He's..."
She paused.
Himari waited.
"Someone I know."
Stud's eyes narrowed playfully.
Serena could already feel her face becoming warm.
Himari tilted her head.
"Someone you know?"
"Yes."
"From school?"
"Yes."
Stud's tiny tentacles slowly rose.
Serena immediately pointed at him.
"Don't say anything."
Stud grinned.
Himari looked between the two of them.
"Why are you acting so strange?"
"I'm not acting strange."
"You are."
"I'm tired."
Stud floated slightly higher.
"She's embarrassed."
Serena's eyes widened.
"STUD!"
He immediately darted behind Himari.
"What?! I only said you're embarrassed!"
"You didn't have to say it!"
Himari blinked.
Then a small smile appeared on her face.
"I see."
Serena's expression became suspicious.
"What do you see?"
"Nothing."
"That wasn't a convincing 'nothing.'"
Himari laughed.
Serena sighed and looked toward the dark mountain sky.
Somehow, her peaceful conversation with Himari had once again been hijacked by one of Stud's disasters.
Yet despite herself, Serena couldn't help smiling.
It had been a long time since she had walked these temple grounds with someone from her childhood.
And now, after years apart, Himari was here again.
Stud was here too, unfortunately.
And somewhere far away in Osaka, Yuma was undergoing his own training.
Serena's thoughts briefly drifted toward him.
She wondered what he was doing right now.
The thought lasted only a moment before she quickly shook it away.
"Anyway," Serena said, turning back toward Himari, "we still have a lot to talk about."
Himari smiled.
"Yeah."
Stud peeked out from behind her.
"And I would like to talk about transferring to Osaka."
Serena immediately grabbed him.
"No."
"Let me go!"
"You're staying here."
"SERENA!"
His protest echoed across the temple grounds.
Himari laughed as Serena carried the struggling Poltergeist away, his tiny tentacles waving helplessly in the air.
The lanterns continued to glow softly along the wooden walkway, illuminating the quiet temple beneath the mountain night.
For Serena, the evening had begun as a simple conversation with an old childhood friend.
Somehow, it had ended with a discussion about Tamayo's legendary strength, memories of the past, and Stud desperately attempting to escape the woman who had done nothing more than ask him a few questions.
Serena couldn't help but smile.
Maybe the White Fox Temple hadn't changed as much as she thought.
Perhaps it was simply that she had finally returned to it with new eyes.