I have an infinite number of shikigami

For today's wedding, the stone steps are covered with brand new red carpets. Ahead is the worship hall with red lacquered pillars, flanked on both sides by priests and musicians performing Gagaku. Just as Kitagawa Ryoko squeezed in, she saw the priest preparing a maidservant for the wedding ceremony.

Green branches of the Japanese sweet gum tree moved back and forth above the maidservant's bowed head, and the three little bells hanging from the branches chimed crisply. After reciting the prayer, the shrine's Palace Master held a golden key tied with a red ribbon, walked forward, and knelt on the wooden steps in front of the worship hall. Dressed in a white priest's robe, he shouted, "Oh—" loudly. Then he inserted the key into the door's keyhole and respectfully pushed it open to the sides.

Inside the worship hall, the Divine Mirror glowed brightly.

At the same time, the musicians began to pluck their strings, and waves of beautiful celestial music flowed forth.

After the hall opened, the divine ceremony reached its most exciting part. The mikos laid new mats in the courtyard as priests carried in ebony tables and arranged offerings on them. The containers of white and black wine were lavishly decorated; the ochoko was made of white wood, and the jar was an unadorned pottery vessel. Both containers were wrapped in lily flowers, standing like a pair of lily bouquets.

"These lily flowers were at least carefully selected from three thousand stems."

A voice came from the side, and Kitagawa Ryoko turned her head to look.

An unfamiliar woman, tall and elegantly featured. Rather than beautiful, it might be more precise to describe her as charmingly alluring. She wore a blue short-sleeved dress with a lightweight cream-colored sun jacket over it, creating a very stylish appearance.

"Three thousand stems...," Kitagawa Ryoko exclaimed, looking back at the two containers in the distance.

The green lily stems wrapped the exterior without leaving a single gap. The flowers and leaves blended together, with some blossoms open, their petals laced with delicate green patterns and a shy blush of pink.

"Little girl, what's your name?" Yayako asked with a friendly demeanor.

"My name is Ryoko; and you are...?"

"Yayako."

"Yayako..." Kitagawa Ryoko repeated, "An unusual name, but easy to remember."

Saying that, her eyes continued to stare unblinkingly at the interior of the shrine.

Priests personally lifted the wine ochoko and jars.

Against the backdrop of white robes, black hats, and black gauze tassels, the lilies on the containers appeared like nervous young girls, looking shy and pure.

The flute's sound was bright, and the taiko drums pounded continuously.

The Palace Master crouched down, used a long-handled tool to part the floral stems, and ladled out the wine. The priest beside him held a white wood cup, receiving the wine and presenting it before the shrine statues.

Amid the roaring instrument sounds, Kitagawa Ryoko couldn't help but imagine the gods feasting, even sensing a faint intoxication from the distant smell of wine.

As this part of the ritual concluded, four mikos began to perform the sacred Kagura dance on the worship hall.

They were vibrant and adorable young girls, wearing cedar leaf crowns on their heads. Their long black hair was tied with golden paper cords and decorated with red and white paper ornaments. Over their red miko skirts, they wore silver rice leaf patterned coats. The inner hems trailed on the ground, with six layers of garments alternating in red and white at the collar.

The bouquets of lilies in their hands stood elegantly along with the dance. At times, they were held horizontally and merged together, then separated again. The flowers traced delicate white lines in the air, appearing so sacred, as if untouched by impurity.

"So beautiful..." Kitagawa Ryoko murmured.

She had never seen such a marvelous divine ceremony before.

...Watching all of this, she gradually became enchanted.

Even though she knew of the existence of demons and gods, Kitagawa Ryoko couldn't truly be counted as a devout worshipper. Yet now, with the dancing maidens and the cedar trees on the mountain gleaming brightly in the morning sky, she felt the undeniable presence of divinity.

In the late summer daylight, such brilliant mystery, what a bizarre and ancient world.

"Ryoko."

"Hmm?"

"Where's Miss Yukino?"

Watching the mikos dance, Kitagawa Ryoko instinctively replied, "She was whisked away by Fujiwara Reya." As soon as the words came out, she was taken aback and turned to Yayako, "You know Sister Yukino?"

So he came too... Yayako chuckled lightly, glancing around the surroundings.

Not seeing anyone, she turned back and patted the girl's shoulder, "Silly girl, I not only know your Sister Yukino, but I also know Fujiwara Reya."

"So you're friends with that scoundrel!" Kitagawa Ryoko immediately put on a disdainful expression.

"Haha..." Yayako laughed amusedly, "Maybe your Sister Yukino was with him last night too..."

"Not listening, not listening!"

Kitagawa Ryoko immediately covered her ears.

At this moment, someone unknowingly shouted, "The Mountain God is coming," causing the gathered guests to stir with excitement.

Amid the flickering of interwoven light and shadow cast by shaking leaves, accompanied by applause as loud as a sudden downpour, a young boy in the highest-grade formal attire with a five-crested haori and hakama, stepped into the shrine courtyard brimming with a solemn atmosphere.

From a distance, coupled with the enchantment blocking the view, the boy's facial features were indistinct.

The black ceremonial garment, embroidered with family crests, had clear, bright lines. With fluent, elegant sleeves cascading effortlessly from the well-proportioned shoulders, one could glimpse a slight outline of chest muscles. The shoulders dazzled under the direct sunlight, while the sunlight on his broad chest appeared clear and bright.

"Sir, please wait over here," the Palace Master in priest robes greeted him.