The Mystic Shrine Maiden, Kagurazaka Mai

“Noa-san, you’re late.”

One day, after school.

Kaori and Sumimaru were waiting for Noa in front of the middle school entrance, getting ready to patrol for any signs of Debipachis as usual.

“Honestly, getting held back for supplementary lessons after failing a test, how pathetic-maru. She’s a disgrace to all magical girls-maru~”

“It cannot be helped, Noa-san is not from this world, after all…”

As Kaori gave a wry smile, Noa’s scream echoed from deep within the school building.

“Waaahhh, I don’t get it~!”

“…It seems she’s struggling.”

“Looks like it’ll still be a while-maru.”

As they waited and chatted, middle school students coming out of the entrance saw Kaori, their eyes lighting up.

“Ah, it’s Houjou Kaori-san from the high school division!”

“Wow, she’s as beautiful as they say… I so admire her.”

“Kaori-san, goodbye!”

“Yes, goodbye. Please get home safely.”

When Kaori smiled and waved, the students happily waved back.

With her stunning looks and impeccable conduct, Kaori was the very model of a young lady, an object of admiration for the entire academy, regardless of grade or class.

Sumimaru, disguised as a stuffed animal, let out a sigh of admiration.

“Kaori, you’re as popular as ever-maru~”

“That’s not true. Still, I wonder if Noa-san is alright…”

Just then, Noa burst out of the entrance.

“Nwoooooooh, I’m so late~!”

“Ah, Noa-san.”

“Sheesh, you’re late-maru! As punishment, you’re sentenced to one hundred strikes on the shin-maru. Now, present your shins-maru~”

“It’s already so late, we won’t make it if we don’t hurry! I’m sorry Kaori-san, I’ll be going on ahead! Just you wait, bread crusts~!(squish!)”

“Bugeh!?”

“Sumimaru-sa────n!?”

Noa stomped right on Sumimaru and whooshed away.

“A-a-a-are you alright, Sumimaru-san!”

“Good grief, my insides almost came out-maru~. Still, that Noa, to think Kaori was waiting for her all this time, how rude of her-maru!”

“If she had a reason to be in a hurry, it cannot be helped… Still, what did she mean by ‘bread crusts’?”

“She’s as incomprehensible as ever-maru~. Can’t be helped-maru, today we’ll patrol for Debipachi mischief without Noa-maru!”

“Right! Let’s patrol carefully so we don’t miss even the smallest incident!”

“Ufufufu, a private date with Kaori, I’m so happy-maru~!”

Kaori walked through the bustling streets, chatting with Sumimaru.

“It’s peaceful again today.”

“Peace is a good thing-maru, but at this rate, we won’t meet our Debipachi collection quota-maru. It’s complicated-maru~”

“Ah, that’s right. And I’m also worried about Mira-san—”

Kaori trailed off and came to a sudden stop.

From around the corner, she heard a familiar cry.

“Woooah, let go of me~! There’s no way I’m losing to you!”

“Oh? That voice is…”

“It’s Noa’s voice-maru!”

Noa’s voice was tinged with a desperate urgency that suggested something was wrong.

“Kuh, you vile demon, I will not forgive this! I’ll protect this even if it costs me my life!”

“Something’s not right-maru! Could she be fighting the minions of evil as a magical girl-maru!?”

“We have to help her…! Let’s hurry!”

Kaori frantically broke into a run.

“Noa-san!”

She rounded the corner, calling Noa’s name.

There, she saw Noa in a tug-of-war over some kind of bag with a collared toy poodle.

“These are Noa’s bread crusts! There’s no reason for me to give them to you, so let go~!”

“Grrrrrrrrrr!”

“She’s fighting a doggy over bread crusts~!?”

Noa and the dog pulled at the bag with desperate expressions.

“Nwoooooooh~! The last free one, Noa’s precious source of nutrition! I absolutely cannot lose, no matter what~!”

“Ah, stop it, if you pull that hard…!”

Before Kaori could finish.

Riiip!

“Ah—!?”

The bag tore, and bread crusts scattered everywhere.

But Noa gathered the bread crusts with the speed of light.

“Woooah, three-second rule! I won’t give a single one of my precious bread crusts to a furry demon like you!”

“Grf grf grf grf!”

Having monopolized the bread crusts, Noa stuck her tongue out at the dog.

“Heh-heh, they’re all Noa’s, serves you right! Blehh blehh blehh!”

“Grrrrrr!”

“Sh-She’s seriously competing with a doggy…!”

“I don’t want to believe that’s the magical girl I’m in charge of-maru, I want to cut ties-maru…”

Clutching the bread crusts, Noa glared at the dog—

“Hmph… Well, for a dog to understand the deliciousness of this bread, you’ve got some potential. I’m a grown-up, so if you promise to be my subordinate from now on, I might share a little. Here.”

The moment the smug Noa offered a bread crust to the dog.

“Caw caw caw caw!”

A flock of crows flew in from nowhere and started pecking at Noa.

“Owowowowow!? What is this~!?”

“Even crows have gathered-maru!”

“What is happening!?”

Unable to bear it, Noa dropped the bread crusts, which the crows and the dog greedily devoured.

“Grrrrrrrr! (munch munch munch munch!)”

“Caw caw caw caw! (munch munch munch munch!)”

“Aah, Noa’s dinner is—!?”

After finishing off the bread crusts with the dog, the crows flew away.

“Woooooooah, you minions of evil, give Noa back her food~!”

“W-Well, they ended up eating all of it…”

“Ooh, grrrrr!”

Seeing the toy poodle still growling at a teary-eyed Noa, Sumimaru tilted his head.

“This dog has a collar, and its fur is clean-maru. Did it run away from somewhere-maru?”

“If so, the owner must be worried right about now…”

“Grrr, grrrrr!”

Noa pointed a finger at the snarling dog.

“Kuh, you fluffy demon, this is all your fault! You’re going to pay for Noa’s dinner! I won’t forgive you until you bring me a full-course Manchu Han Imperial Feast!”

“Grrrrrrrrrrr~!”

“N-Noa-san, please wait!”

Kaori hurriedly stopped Noa, who looked like she was about to start a brawl.

She crouched down and spoke gently to the dog.

“There, there, it’s okay.”

“…Whine~”

Just like that, the dog instantly calmed down.

It approached Kaori and snuggled up against her as she picked it up.

“Fufu, you’re a good boy. Let’s find your owner together, okay?”

“Whine, whine~ ♡”

“This dog’s attitude changed way too fast!”

“Nwooooah, not fair-maru! Kaori, I’m a good boy too-maru, pick me up and pat me-maru~!”

Kaori stroked the fluffy fur and looked back at Noa.

“Noa-san, look. See, he’s so cute.”

“Whine~ ♡”

Noa flinched at the sight of its round, black eyes.

“Kuh!? What’s happening, it was so infuriating a moment ago, but looking into these eyes makes my heart stir… Ha! D-Don’t tell me it’s using its cuteness to brainwash humans!? What terrifying power…! Grrrr, unforgivable… s-so cute… a fluffy demon… c-cuteness is justice…!”

“Whine ♡”

“Fufu. He’s completely calmed down now. Maybe he was just a little excited earlier.”

“…I suppose it can’t be helped, Noa was being a bit childish, too. In recognition of that terrifying brainwashing power, a handshake to make up.”

Noa sighed and held out her hand to the dog—

“Grrrrrrrrrr!”

“Ngya────! He’s super scary, he really is a demon────!”

“N-Noa-sa───n!”

Just then, an elderly woman who looked like the owner came running up, out of breath.

“I’m so sorry, he suddenly slipped his leash and ran off… Oh my. That one rarely warms up to people, you’re amazing, young lady.”

“Not at all. I’m glad you were safely reunited.”

“You’ve been a real help, thank you. Now, I’m going to bake some fluffy bread at home with lots of high-grade flour, let’s eat it fresh from the oven together.”

“Woof woof! ♡”

“Nwoooooooh, I’m so frustrated, I’ll never forgive you for the rest of my life~!”

Noa watched the dog being carried away by the old woman, and her shoulders slumped in dejection.

“Ugh, they ate all the bread crusts I was looking forward to, now my dinner tonight is officially water from the park… Ugh, ughhhhh~!”

“N-Noa-san, please cheer up…”

Noa was trembling, but finally, as if she couldn’t hold it in any longer, she burst into tears.

“Waaaaah, it’s been nothing but things like this lately~!”

“Ah-wah-wah, Noa-san, please don’t cry…!”

“This is weird, for things to go this badly, it’s absolutely weird!”

“W-What do you mean…”

“As a result of failing all my tests, I had supplementary lessons until lunch break and missed the free daily lunch at the cafeteria, and when I was crawling around the riverbed looking for edible wild plants, I got charged by a wild boar and fell into the river, and when I was secretly waiting to snatch carp food at the park pond, a kite dropped its droppings on me, and when I tried to pick up a daifuku I found on the street, the police questioned me… I’ve been shockingly unlucky!”

“That sounds tough… Also, you probably shouldn’t pick up daifuku you find on the street…”

“Anyone can tell this is your own fault-maru.”

Noa magnificently ignored Sumimaru’s retort and held her head in her hands.

“Anyway, nothing is going right! At this rate, it’ll interfere with my magical girl activities~! …Ha, could it be, am I possessed by something!?”

“P-Possessed?”

Noa’s eyes widened, and her hands trembled.

“On the back cover of a magazine I picked up in the park the other day, there was an ad that said, ‘The reason you’re poor, unlucky, and can never get rich is because you’re possessed by a bad aura! Get an exorcism right now!’ This unnaturally long streak of bad luck, I must have something bad like that attached to me!”

“That’s suspicious beyond belief-maru.”

“U-Uhm, it’s probably best not to take those kinds of ads at face value…”

Kaori’s warning didn’t reach her, as a fire lit up in Noa’s eyes.

“I need a charm or a pot with super-amazing blessings, and fast! …But wait, I don’t have the money to buy one in the first place! First, I need some cash! Is there a shrine around here where I can get a hyper-miracle-ultimate exorcism, or a power spot that’ll super-boost my luck!?”

Kaori tilted her head.

“If it’s a shrine, I know one place, but…”

“Really, Kaori-san!?”

“Yes. It’s a shrine near my family’s villa, called Kagurazaka Shrine… an acquaintance of mine works there as a shrine maiden. The shrine is filled with such a sacred atmosphere, you feel refreshed just by stepping inside.”

“Wait a minute, did you just casually say villa!? Whoaaa, as expected of a super-rich person, I want some of that luck~!”

“More importantly, I’m more interested in the shrine maiden-maru! Miko outfits are on par with maid outfits, they’re the dream costumes from anime and manga…! I want to see a real shrine maiden-maru~!”

“U-Uhm, the shrine maiden’s attire is a sacred thing, I think it’s a bit different from the costumes you’re talking about, Sumimaru-san…?”

Noa’s eyes sparkled as she latched on.

“Will my financial luck also get a huge boost at that shrine!?”

“I’m not sure about financial luck, but it’s said to be very effective for matchmaking. For jobs, friendships, and of course, romance…”

“Then it must be able to tie my fate with money too! Yaaay, let’s go to that shrine right now!”

“N-Noa-san! It’ll be nighttime if we go now, so let’s go on our next day off, okay!”

“Ufufufu, my first encounter with a shrine maiden, I can’t wait-maru~”

And so, the two of them and one animal decided to visit Kagurazaka Shrine on their next day off.

＊＊＊

“Wow, this shrine is huge~!”

Noa’s voice was filled with awe as she looked around the vast shrine grounds.

Kagurazaka Shrine was a mystical shrine built within a forest.

The main building, illuminated by sunlight filtering through the trees, was solemn, and in the center, a beautiful pond held clear water, emanating a sacred aura.

Kaori smiled in agreement with Noa’s words.

“It’s very divine and has a calming atmosphere, doesn’t it? The air is clean, too.”

“Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale! You’re right, the air is so clear it feels delicious! This will be my lunch for today!”

“Please eat properly!?”

“It really is a refreshing feeling-maru! It’s like my soul is being cleansed-maru~”

“Sumimaru, be careful you don’t get purified.”

“What do you think I am-maru!?”

“Some kind of evil spirit or monster.”

“With such a straight face!? I’m a bona fide Versatile High-Mobility Support Guardian Fairy, Octo-Type-maru!”

As Noa and Sumimaru bickered cheerfully, Kaori looked around.

“Still… it seems a bit crowded today. The last time I came, it was very quiet…”

The previous time Kaori had visited, there had been no one else around, but now it was bustling with a number of worshipers incomparable to then.

“Is that so?”

“I wonder if there’s some kind of event going on-maru?”

Just as Noa and Sumimaru tilted their heads in wonder, a voice called out from behind them.

“Oh? You’re… Kaori-san, I believe?”

Turning around, they saw a girl dressed in a shrine maiden’s uniform.

Her black hair was tied on both sides, and her bangs were neatly trimmed.

Her straight posture and sharp, upturned eyes hinted at a strong will, and the girl herself seemed to radiate a sacred aura, much like the shrine.

“Mai-san!”

Kaori’s face lit up.

This girl was none other than Kaori’s acquaintance and the shrine maiden of Kagurazaka Shrine, Kagurazaka Mai.

“Hello, Mai-san. It’s been a while.”

“It really has been. What brings you here?”

“Well, you see—”

Before Kaori could explain, Sumimaru shot forward.

“Woooah, a cute and cool shrine maiden-maru~!”

“Wh-What is this squid?”

Sumimaru flew in circles around the guarded Mai.

“Hmm, to be surprised yet instantly ready a charm, such composure and judgment, as expected of a shrine maiden who battles evil spirits daily-maru! The synergy between your cute, doll-like looks and your sharp, dignified atmosphere is irresistible-maru! Your perfectly worn shrine maiden outfit is also very divine-maru!”

“What is this, a stuffed animal? It talks a lot for one…”

Mai looked at the chattering Sumimaru with a mix of caution and confusion, then glanced at Kaori.

“Ah, could it be that this squid stuffed animal is possessed by something evil and you want me to exorcise it?”

“Eh!? N-No—”

“Yes, that’s right. Please exorcise it real quick.”

“Nwooooah!? I’m a good-natured squid-type fairy-maru, there’s nothing to exorcise-maru~!?”

“Somehow, you have a strange presence… An evil spirit, perhaps?”

Mai said this as she lightly touched Sumimaru.

“Hyo!? Ufufufu, oh my, Mai-chan, you’re so bold-maru~♡ Being up close and poked by a cute shrine maiden is making my voltage skyrocket-maru~. As a special treat, you can touch me more, for example, under my mantle— Nwaaaaaaaah!? Wh-What is this-maru!? My worldly desires are fading, my heart is becoming pure… I’m being purified-maru! Help me-maru~!”

“So it was an evil spirit after all.”

“M-Mai-san, that’s enough!”

“You think so? Well, it might not be a harmful entity… but should I exorcise it just in case?”

“Ah, please do☆”

“Waaaaaaaaah!? Stop-maru, I’m really going to disappear-maru~!”

“N-No, your kind thought is more than enough…!”

“Is that so? If you say so, Kaori-san…”

“Hah, hah, just being touched almost made me vanish-maru, real shrine maidens are scary-maru~!”

The group had an unexpected taste of Mai’s true power.

“Um, today we came to ask for an exorcism for Noa-san here…”

At Kaori’s introduction, Noa stepped forward.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Noa!”

“I’m Kagurazaka Mai. So, what’s the problem?”

“I’ve been really unlucky lately! I want to receive an exorcism from the super-duper skilled and beautiful shrine maiden, Mai-san, and have my luck shoot up with a big BA-BAAANG! I’m counting on you!”

“I-I’m not sure about the ‘super-duper skilled and beautiful shrine maiden’ part, but…”

Mai observed the bowing Noa with eyes that seemed to see through everything.

“…It doesn’t look like you’re possessed by anything bad… but your energy does feel a bit stagnant.”

She said, gesturing towards the main shrine building.

“I can do a simple exorcism right away, but if you want a full-scale one, you’ll have to apply at the main shrine’s reception. However, we’re a bit busy right now, so you might have to wait quite a while…”

Following Mai’s gaze to the main shrine, they saw a long line at the reception.

“Whoaaa~! It’s super popular!?”

“You seem very busy.”

When Kaori asked in surprise, Mai sighed.

“Actually, our matchmaking charms were featured in the media for having incredible benefits. Since then, we’ve been flooded with worshipers, and we don’t have enough staff…”

On the shrine grounds, priests and shrine maidens were bustling about, preparing something or guiding worshipers.

However, it was clear that they were short-staffed for the number of visitors, and as the shrine was usually quiet, they seemed unable to handle the unexpected crowd.

Then, as if struck by an idea, Sumimaru perked up.

“Mmm! A divine revelation-maru, I’ve had a flash of what must be done-maru~!”

“S-Sumimaru-san?”

“What kind of unnecessary idea have you come up with this time?”

Then Sumimaru declared with confidence.

“You two will become shrine maidens and help with the shrine’s work-maru!”

“E-Eeeeh!? B-But so suddenly…”

“Helping people in need is also a magical girl’s mission-maru!”

As Sumimaru passionately argued with flared nostrils, Noa looked at him with cold eyes.

“No, you just want to see Kaori-san in a shrine maiden outfit, don’t you.”

“That’s not true-maru, it’s to help Mai-chan-maru! Besides, people who come to buy charms are worried or troubled about something-maru. A place where many such people gather is a prime feeding ground for Debipachis-maru! We need to be on guard while working as shrine maidens-maru!”

“I-I see, so that was your reason!”

“That being said, miko outfits are the best-maru~!”

“Just when you said something that sounded plausible, your true intentions are leaking out.”

“But, helping out so suddenly, wouldn’t we just be a bother…”

Then, Mai interjected.

“What? You’ll help? That would be a great help. In that case, I can take my time with that girl’s—Noa-san’s exorcism after work. And of course, you won’t need to pay the ceremony fee.”

“Woooah, to get an exorcism from a super-duper skilled shrine maiden at a super popular shrine for free, I’ve got no choice but to do this!”

Following the motivated Noa, Kaori also bowed her head.

“W-Well, if you say so, Mai-san… We’ll be in your care!”

“We’ll be in your care, as well. Well then, first you need to change. I’ll show you inside.”

“Yay-maru! I get to see Kaori in a miko outfit-maru~ If you believe, dreams can come true-maru, wooooooooh~!”

“Ah, Mai-san, before that, please just exorcise this thing real quick.”

“Stop it-maru! I’ll really disappear this time-maru!”

“Ah-wah-wah, you two, please be quiet on the shrine grounds…!”

Exchanging such conversation, they followed Mai into the main shrine from the back.

They walked down a long corridor and were shown into a room deep inside.

“It’s a bit small, but you can change here.”

It seemed the spare room was being used for storage.

Cleaning supplies, including a vacuum cleaner, a stepladder, and cardboard boxes were neatly arranged.

“Heeh~, so shrines need to be cleaned too. I kind of thought they were kept clean on their own by some sacred power.”

“Just like magic, shrine power isn’t all-powerful-maru~”

“Fufu, you’re right. …Wait, why are you coming in too, Sumimaru-san!?”

Sumimaru puffed out his chest at the surprised Kaori.

“To help you change, of course-maru! A miko outfit is a very sacred thing-maru, not even the slightest disarray is allowed-maru! I, who knows everything about miko outfits, will supervise you properly-maru!”

“Mai-san is here, so there’s no need to worry, you get out! Hyaa! (THUD!)”

“Waaaah~~!!”

Noa kicked Sumimaru out and closed the door.

“Alright, you’ll be changing into this. I’ll help you get dressed.”

“We’ll be in your care!”

With Mai’s help, Kaori and Noa changed into their shrine maiden outfits.

“Wow, the fabric is sturdy and smooth, it’s so comfortable!”

“It makes you feel so composed.”

Seeing Kaori dressed in the shrine maiden attire, Noa’s eyes sparkled.

“Wow, Kaori-san, you look so cute! And so divine, it makes me want to worship you!”

“Fufu, thank you. You look very cute too, Noa-san.”

Seeing the two in their shrine maiden outfits, Mai nodded in satisfaction.

“Yeah, it suits you both really well. I wish you could come work here for real.”

“I’m happy to hear you say that.”

“Ehehe, I’m blushing~”

Chatting like this, they left the room.

“Ah, you finally changed-maru? Sheesh, I was tired of waiting-maru~”

The moment Sumimaru saw Kaori, he jumped.

“Hooooooooly!? Good-maru, too good-maru! I knew it from anime-maru, but I never thought a miko outfit could be this precious…! Oh gods, oh buddhas, oh Lady Kaori~~~!”

“S-Sumimaru-san, please get a hold of yourself…”

Kaori hurriedly helped up Sumimaru, who had fallen to the ground in prostration, overcome with emotion.

“Hah, I’m glad to be alive-maru~. The whole world looks so bright-maru.”

“He’s so fulfilled he looks like a buddha.”

“So, Mai-san, what should we help with?”

“Right, right. The shrine office—the place where they sell charms—has a huge line, so I need your help there.”

“Yes, understood!”

“Leave it to us!”

“You’re so reliable. Well then, I’ll take you to the shrine office.”

Mai led the miko-clad Kaori and Noa outside the main shrine building.

On the way, they passed by the hall of worship, where many people were lined up to pray.

“This is an incredible line too. It seems to have gotten longer than before.”

“So many people have things they want to ask the gods for-maru.”

“Wow, look! That person is really going for it!”

Noa pointed.

There was a person prostrating in front of the offertory box.

“Th-They’re prostrating…!?”

“There are many devout people, but I’ve never seen anyone go that far…”

“Hm? I can hear their wish from here!”

The woman, with numerous charms hanging from her, was kneeling with her hands together, fervently repeating her wish.

“May Kaori become mine, may I see more of Kaori’s embarrassed expressions, may Kaori’s cute smile be directed only at me…!”

“…Wait, Mira-san!?”

The one praying with single-minded devotion was Mira.

“Ah, eh!? That voice… It really is you, Kaori!?”

Mira shot her head up—and seeing Kaori in a miko outfit, she let out a squeal.

“Wait just a minute~!? What’s with that pure, sacred, and precious outfit!? Isn’t that a miko outfit!? Oh my, how lovely, it suits you! So cute~! My prayers to the gods were answered right away, shrines are amazing!”

“What do you think you’re doing, causing trouble for everyone else!? Get over here!”

“Hey, what are you doing!? Let go of me—!?”

“Ah, please wait, Noa-san!”

“Huh, where are you two going?”

Leaving a stunned Mai behind, Noa grabbed Mira by the scruff of her neck and dragged her out of the line, with Kaori and Sumimaru following.

After dragging Mira to a deserted spot behind the main shrine, Noa crossed her arms indignantly.

“So, what are you doing here?”

When Noa asked with a sidelong glance, Mira swept her hair back and gave a fearless smile.

“Isn’t it obvious? I came to pray for Kaori to become mine!”

“Eeh!?”

Mira took out a fashion magazine from somewhere and opened it proudly.

“This magazine that I love to read introduced this Kagurazaka Shrine as a place with super benefits for matchmaking! Of course, Kaori and I are destined to be drawn to each other eventually… but if we’re going to be together, the sooner the better. So I came to ask the gods, ‘Could you hurry it up a little, please ♡’!”

“W-With such a casual feeling…!?”

“And another thing, don’t you go elegantly reading fashion magazines.”

“Hmph. As an executive of an evil organization, gathering information is basic. Speaking of which, according to this magazine, a spa resort just opened in the next town. Also, there’s a super delicious and famous long-standing dorayaki shop near here. It’s so popular it’s hard to get, a phantom high-class dorayaki, they say. I’ll stop by on my way home ♪”

“Amazing, you’re enjoying this world to the fullest…!”

“She’s completely strayed from world domination-maru.”

“Seriously, get fired from the evil organization already.”

“Ah, that’s right, perfect timing!”

Mira took one of the many charms hanging from her waist and offered it to Kaori.

“I’ll give you this charm, Kaori.”

“Eh? Thank you ver—”

“As a charm to make our love mutual, I’ve put a lock of my hair inside it ♡”

“Eh.”

“To enhance the charm’s effect, carry it with you at all times. Now we can be connected wherever we are ♡”

“Hieee…”

“S-Scary-maru~! That’s less a charm and more a curse-maru~!”

As Mira went wild, Noa cut in as if she couldn’t take it anymore.

“That’s enough, Kaori-san is getting creeped out!”

“Hah!? What, don’t interrupt my and Kaori’s lovey-dovey time!”

“What lovey-dovey, you mean shiver-shiver goosebumps-goosebumps! In the first place, all of your approaches are just plain creepy! Kaori-san is already my partner, so stop messing with her!”

“What did you say!? It’s obvious she’d look much better with the gorgeous, elegant, and brilliant me than with a klutz like you!”

“U-Um, you two, could you please lower your voices a bit…”

“Heh-heh, it’s too late to say anything now! Kaori-san is mine, there’s no way she’d team up with someone like you!”

“Kieeeeh! In that case, let’s have a match for Kao—!”

Just as their argument heated up, Mai arrived.

“Ah, there you are. I was worried when you suddenly disappeared. …Wait, huh? Was that person Kaori-san’s friend?”

“Eh? Uhm, friend, or something like that…”

“Hmph, friend, you say? Don’t make me laugh. I am an executive of a terrifying organization that rules this world with fear and desire, and Kaori’s one and only destined partner—”

Sumimaru cut off Mira’s speech.

“That’s right-maru, Mira-chan is Kaori’s friend-maru! Mira-chan also says she wants to help with the shrine work-maru~!”

“Wait a minute!? I never said a word ab—”

“Yes, that would be helpful. In that case, come this way and get changed.”

“Eh? Eh?”

Before Mira could resist, she was led away by Mai.

Noa bared her fangs at Sumimaru.

“Sumimaru, why did you say that!? Working with her, I wouldn’t do it even if you paid me— no, I’d take the money and then ditch her!”

“Could it be that you have some idea in mind?”

“Fufufu, as expected of Kaori-maru. Just you watch-maru!”

Before long, Mira, changed into a shrine maiden outfit, came out.

“Hey, why do I have to play shrine maiden dress-up too!?”

“Phew, her chest size was borderline, but I’m glad it fit somehow.”

Mai, who had helped her dress, nodded with a look of accomplishment, and Sumimaru flew around in excitement.

“Whooooa~! The miko outfit looks good on Mira-chan too-maru~! A nice-bodied shrine maiden, the mix of mature allure and mystical atmosphere is irresistible-maru! My judgment was correct after all-maru~!”

“…In the end, you just wanted to see Mira in a miko outfit, didn’t you?”

“N-n-n-no, that’s not it-maru! This is, yes, a strategy where by working with Mira-chan, we can conveniently keep an eye on her-maru!”

Noa glared at Sumimaru with cold eyes but snorted.

“Hmph. But well, there’s some truth to what Sumimaru says. If we let you run wild, there’s no telling what you’ll do, so you’ll just have to work with us.”

“Hah!? What are you deciding on your own, as if an executive of an evil organization like myself would do such a—”

Mira fumed, but Kaori’s eyes sparkled at her.

“My… Mira-san, in your shrine maiden outfit, you have such a mature and wonderful presence! Your usual clothes suit you well, but this has a different charm.”

“Eh! K-Kaori complimented me…!”

Mira turned bright red and covered her mouth, then started striking various poses.

“How’s this pose!? Or do you prefer this one? I can even add some accessories and arrange it like this!”

“My, that’s amazing, you look like a model!”

“That one’s way too easy.”

“Even as an enemy, I’m starting to worry about her-maru.”

Watching this exchange, Mai suddenly remembered something and clapped her hands.

“Ah, right. I was going to show you to the shrine office, but another task just came up… Sorry, but could you go to the shrine office on your own?”

“Yes, understood!”

“Roger that!”

“It’s finally our first job as shrine maidens-maru!”

“When you get to the shrine office, just follow the instructions of the person there and you’ll be fine. Well then, I’m counting on you.”

With that, Mai hurried away.

“Mai-chan seems busy-maru. As expected of a skilled shrine maiden-maru.”

“Well then, shall we head to the shrine office?”

“Come on, let’s go, Mira!”

“Fine. I’ll show you the full extent of my charm as a shrine maiden! …So, what are we doing?”

“We’re going to the shrine office to find that out.”

Kaori and the others headed to the shrine office.

The shrine office was bustling with many people, and several lines had formed.

“Wow, there’s a line like at an amusement park!”

“It’s so popular!”

A woman in the shrine office noticed Kaori and the others in their miko outfits.

“Oh, so you’re the ones who came to help? That’s a relief. I need you to handle the customers buying charms, please and thank you.”

“Yes, we’ll do our best.”

“Alright, let’s do our best~!”

After being taught the ropes by the woman, they got to work right away.

Amidst the noisy clamor, Noa called out cheerfully.

“Heey, welcome, welcome! These matchmaking charms have outstanding benefits~! Hmm, one charm for a happy marriage! Thank you for your patronage!”

Kaori also smiled as she attended to the customers in line.

“A charm for finding a good match, I see, please wait a moment. …Here you are, may you find a wonderful connection.”

At the sight of the lovely shrine maidens, even people who were just passing by stopped in their tracks.

“Wow, that shrine maiden is cute!”

“Is she a celebrity?”

“It looks like it’d have amazing benefits! I’m gonna buy that charm!”

In no time, people flocked to them, and the shrine office became even busier.

“Ah, ah-wah-wah, more and more customers are coming…!”

“Everyone’s captivated by Kaori in her miko outfit-maru!”

“Whoopeee~, we’re making a killing!”

Noa snorted with a huff.

“Noa’s line is just a tiny bit longer than Mira’s line. Good grief, the difference in charm shows in everything, doesn’t it~”

“Hah? It’s just because your voice is unnecessarily loud.”

“Heh-heh, sour grapes, are we~? Unfortunately for you, the customers are crazy about Noa’s charm! You’re not even in the same league!”

“What did you say? For a klutz like you to try and compete with me on charm, you’re about a hundred billion light-years too early! I’ll show you what I can really do!”

With that, Mira started rustling around and making something.

“Hm? What’s Mira-chan doing-maru?”

“Fufu, just a little something. I thought I’d use my mature charm to skyrocket the sales of this shrine office.”

Hearing that, Noa burst out laughing.

“Pffft, don’t get ahead of yourself. Only a real weirdo would buy a charm from a shady shrine maiden like you.”

“Hah!? Don’t mess with me, if I get serious, you’ll be blown away!? I could probably sell this whole shrine office!”

“Um, we’d be in trouble if the whole shrine office were sold…”

“Whaat!? In that case, Noa will sell the whole shrine!”

“Uhm, that would also be very troublesome…”

Ignoring the troubled Kaori, Mira pointed a finger at Noa.

“Then, let’s have a match to see which of us is more fitting as a shrine maiden! Whoever gathers the most people wins! Naturally, the winner gets the right to have Kaori as their partner!”

“Eh!? Me!?”

“I accept your challenge! I’ll make you cry uncle! Ah, Kaori-san is on Noa’s team, of course!”

“W-I’m participating too!?”

“That’s not fair, Noa, you hog! Let me team up with her for once!”

“No way! We’re active partners, so it’s only natural for Kaori-san and Noa to team up! Right, Kaori-san!”

“Eh, eh.”

“Kieeeeh! Fine, I’ll win this miko battle and make Kaori mine for sure…!”

“H-Have I been dragged into something without my knowledge again…!?”

“Looks like it’s going to be another lively day-maru~”

And so, with the shrine as their stage, the miko battle began.

＊＊＊

“Excuse me, a charm for finding a good match, please.”

There were several lines of people seeking charms at the shrine office, and in one of them, it was a shy-looking girl’s turn at Mira’s counter.

“Yes, finding a good match. I understand.”

Mira handed over the charm and smiled at the girl.

“Fufu, what a cute young lady. Is there someone you’re interested in?”

“Eh? Y-Yes, a boy in my class…”

Mira carefully observed the girl, whose cheeks were blushing in embarrassment.

“I see. You and he have known each other for a long time… no, you’re childhood friends, aren’t you? You’ve had feelings for him since you were kids, but he’s dense and it just doesn’t get through to him, does it?”

“Eeh!? Amazing, how do you know!?”

“I can tell just by looking at your face. If you’d like, I can tell you the future of that love with a sexy omikuji?”

“A s-sexy omikuji…!?”

“Yes. It’s free of charge, so don’t worry. Just draw one from here, and I’ll read it for you.”

Mira offered a box she had made earlier.

The girl timidly drew a fortune from the box and handed it to Mira.

Mira read the fortune aloud.

“This is… ‘Seductive Luck’.”

“‘Seductive Luck’!?”

“Yes. He seems a bit dense, so why not be a little more bold in your approach? Physical touch is also effective. Like this…”

Mira leaned in close to the girl and ran a hand along her shoulder.

With an exquisite, caressing touch, the girl turned bright red.

“Hyaa…!”

“See, it makes your heart pound, doesn’t it? Want to feel my heartbeat too?”

With that, Mira took the girl’s hand and guided it to her own ample chest.

“Wah-wah-wah…!”

“Fufu, you’re all red. So innocent and cute.”

Mira leaned in and whispered in the blushing girl’s ear with a sultry voice.

“Your modest self is nice, but sometimes you have to be bold like this. If you do, even a dense guy like him will get his heart pounding and notice your charm.”

“Fuaah…!”

Mira kissed the fortune slip and handed the lipstick-marked paper to the girl.

“Use this as a charm, and do your best ♡”

“Yes, thank you!”

Mira’s sexy omikuji became a huge hit among girls in love.

“If you buy a charm from that lady, you get super mature advice!”

“She was so sultry, it made my heart pound…!”

“They say the charm you buy smells nice!”

“If I carry this around, maybe I’ll become as beautiful as her!”

Seeing the immediate success of her line, Noa’s eyes widened.

“Wh-!? No way, she doubled her line in such a short time…!?”

“Fufu, this is what happens when I get serious. You could never hope to match this mature charm, could you?”

“More like, what are you doing making weird fortunes without permission!? Mai-san is going to be mad at you!”

“No matter how much you whine, the results are everything. With this, Kaori is as good as mine! Ah-hahahaha!”

Noa ground her teeth in frustration.

“Kuh, that Mira, she’s unexpectedly good…!”

“To think she’d add value to the charms-maru… Mira-chan, you’re a fearsome child-maru…!”

“We need to come up with a secret plan too…!”

Noa was biting her nails in frustration when her face suddenly lit up.

“That’s it! Now’s the time to use the maid skills I cultivated at the maid cafe! With ‘miko miko, kyun ♡’ I’ll imbue the charms with shrine maiden power and sell them with double the benefits!”

“What does that even mean-maru!?”

“Fufufu, you’ll see if you watch. Alright everyone, gather ’round! I’m about to imbue these charms with special power! A huge boost in benefits is guaranteed~!”

“What’s going on?”

As the worshipers’ attention gathered, Noa smirked.

“Hmph, just as planned! And now, for the main event… Kaori-san!”

“Y-Yes!?”

Surprised at being called on while attending to customers, Kaori was presented with a charm for sale by Noa.

“Please do a ‘miko miko, kyun ♡’ on this charm!”

“Eeh!? Wh-What do you mean!?”

“We’re going to imbue the charms with shrine maiden power and sell them with double the benefits!”

“B-But, I don’t have the power to double any benefits…”

“It’s the thought that counts in these things! Come on, you did it at the maid cafe, right!? You make a heart shape like this and go, ‘miko miko~ kyun ♡’!”

Seeing Noa make a heart and wink, Kaori nodded.

“I-I understand, I’ll try!”

Remembering the maid cafe, Kaori made a heart shape and infused the charm with miko miko power.

“Ugh, this is a little embarrassing, but… m-miko miko~… kyun! ♡ … L-Like this…?”

Instantly, a roar that could shatter the heavens erupted.

“Ooooooh, what was that super cute beam!?”

“It shot right through my heart!”

“I feel like it’s imbued with some incredible power! I want that charm!”

Noa immediately raised her voice.

“As expected of Kaori-san! Come and get it, a special miko miko charm filled with a cute shrine maiden’s power! Your luck is sure to skyrocket with miko miko power, get ’em while they’re hot!”

“I’ll take one!”

“Me too!”

“I want to get some of that cute shrine maiden’s luck!”

“Ah-wah-wah, this has turned into a huge ordeal…!”

“As expected of Kaori-maru!”

“This is our chance! We’ll go full throttle and press our advantage!”

Noa took out an instant camera from somewhere.

“And what’s more, for a limited time, we’ll even throw in a photo! Anyone who wants to take a picture with the cute shrine maiden, gather ’round~!”

“We can take a picture with that cute shrine maiden!?”

“A picture, please!”

“Over here too!”

“Waaaaaah, I want to take a picture with shrine maiden Kaori too-maru! I want to make a heart shape with you-maru~!”

“Ah-wah, ah-wah-wah-wah~!?”

People hoping for a picture rushed to Kaori, and the shrine office became a huge commotion.

“Yaay, the charms are selling like hotcakes! My business sense scares me~!”

“Noa-san, help me~!”

Ignoring Kaori’s pleas for help, Noa gloated at Mira.

“Heh-heh, how about that! Now do you see what Noa is capable of!”

“Kuh, not bad… wait, this is thanks to Kaori’s charm, isn’t it!? It’s not your power at all!”

“It doesn’t matter which it is! Noa and Kaori-san are one and the same! Kaori-san’s victory is Noa’s victory!”

“One and the same, you say!? Don’t get so arrogant, the one who will become one with Kaori is me!”

“Ohhhn!? What kind of nonsense is this upstart with no sense spouting!? Kaori-san’s best partner is obviously Noa!”

“N-Noa-san, please help me~!”

“Hah hah, Kaori, it’s my turn-maru, take a picture-maru~! A kiss on the cheek, please-maru!”

Just as the shrine office reached the peak of chaos, Mai returned.

“Phew, the main shrine has finally settled down— wait, what is all this?”

“Ah, Mai-san! Look, the miko miko charms that Noa came up with to double the benefits are a huge hit!”

“That’s not true, it’s thanks to my sexy omikuji, isn’t it!?”

“I-I’m sorry, for doing this on our own…”

“I’ll hear the details later, for now, let’s just handle the customers.”

Mai also helped with sales, and the huge crowd quickly dispersed.

“Phew, it’s finally calmed down.”

“That was amazing, Mai-san! To handle that many customers so quickly and politely…!”

“As expected of a super skilled shrine maiden!”

“So, what’s this about ‘miko miko charms’ and ‘sexy omikuji’?”

“Well, you see…”

After hearing the story from Kaori, Mai nodded as if it were nothing.

“So that’s what happened. It’s fine. In fact, the act of believing can sometimes strengthen a charm’s effect.”

“I-Is that how it works?”

“For matchmaking, for example, buying a charm might make you more aware of small encounters, and you become more positive about meeting people. Charms and prayers can have that kind of effect. In fact, look, everyone is smiling.”

Just as Mai said, the shrine grounds were now filled with smiles.

“I bought a miko miko charm that doubles the benefits! I feel like something good will happen!”

“I got advice from the beautiful shrine maiden’s omikuji, so I feel a little prettier! I’ll work hard on my skincare!”

“Watching the shrine maidens work so hard gave me energy! I’m going to do my best too!”

Sumimaru did a happy somersault in the air.

“It’s true-maru! Everyone has such nice smiles-maru~!”

“Thanks to everyone’s hard work, the charms’ effects will probably be stronger too.”

Kaori felt relieved by Mai’s words and pressed a hand to her warm chest.

“I’m glad if we were able to help even a little.”

“Hmph. Well, this is nothing when I’m on the case.”

“Alright, let’s keep earning more and more at this rate!”

“Instead of relying on Kaori’s power, you should do something yourself.”

“Aah? That’s none of your business~?”

As Noa and Mira glared at each other, Mai clapped her hands.

“Ah, before that, I’ve prepared tea and sweets in the break room in the main shrine, so why don’t you take a short break?”

“Oh, thank you very much.”

“Yaay! Precious calories, I’ll have some~!”

“Hmph. The miko battle is on hold for now.”

Just then.

Suddenly, a purple fog began to envelop the area.

“Eh!? Wh-What is this fog…?”

“Somehow, the air feels heavy and gloomy.”

The people on the shrine grounds were also confused by the sudden event.

“Wh-What’s this fog?”

“It’s getting thicker and thicker…?”

As the fog deepened, the worshipers’ behavior turned strange.

“Huh? That’s weird… I’m starting to feel down for some reason…”

“Ugh, my body feels heavy… I feel like nothing will go right…”

Kaori’s eyes widened at the bizarre scene.

“Th-The people who were smiling just a moment ago are getting more and more depressed!”

“C-Could this be…!”

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Suddenly, a deafening alarm sound that seemed to tear through the sky echoed.

Sumimaru’s mantle flashed red.

“This is— the presence of Debipachis-maru!”

“Gyagyagya~~~~!”

At the same time Sumimaru shouted, a swarm of Debipachis burst out from the forest surrounding the shrine grounds.

“I-It’s the Debipachis!”

“Whoa~~~!? It’s a huge swarm!”

“Wh-What are those, octopuses flying in the sky…!?”

Like Mai, the people around them also screamed.

“Eh!? A swarm of black octopuses…!?”

“Wh-Why are there octopuses here!?”

“What in the world is happening!?”

“Gyagya!”

The swarm of Debipachis sprayed a purple fog towards the surprised worshipers.

“Th-This fog was released by the Debipachis-maru…!”

The people enveloped in the fog immediately hung their heads gloomily.

“Ah, I’m no good at anything…”

“It’s useless to have a charm like this…”

Kaori turned pale at the sight.

“Th-This is terrible! Everyone has lost their energy in an instant… Is that fog the cause!?”

“It seems so-maru! That fog the Debipachis are releasing is probably a type of poison gas that affects the mind-maru!”

“There are Debipachis of that type too!?”

“Kuh, certainly, for Debipachis who love negative emotions, it’s an incredibly efficient ability…!”

“Gyagya—!”

Just then, one of the Debipachis lunged at a girl.

“Kya…!?”

“Ah, look out!”

Faster than Kaori could move, Mai took out a charm.

“Get back!”

“Mai-san!?”

Mai quickly chanted something and threw it at the Debipachi about to attack the girl.

“Ha!”

“Gyagya~~~~!?”

As soon as the charm hit, the Debipachi froze and fell to the ground with a splat.

At the same time, the air in a one-meter radius around that Debipachi instantly cleared.

“Gyagya…!”

The other Debipachis were surprised by the sudden event and kept their distance from Mai cautiously.

“Hurry and run!”

“Y-Yes! Thank you!”

The girl thanked her and ran off.

“Whoa────!? Th-The Debipachi stopped moving like it was tied up! And the air cleared up!”

“Hmph, it seems to be the effect of that charm. It doesn’t seem to be able to purify them completely, but not bad.”

“To be able to use such a technique without being from Prism Wonderland… as expected of a sacred shrine maiden-maru!”

“Th-That’s amazing, Mai-san!”

Mai readied another charm and scanned her surroundings.

“I wasn’t sure if it would work, but it seems to have gone well. Still, what are those weird octopuses!?”

The Debipachis scattered throughout the shrine grounds were spewing fog one after another, draining people’s energy and driving them to despair.

“Gyagya~!”

“Kuh, there are so many of them…! But, I have no choice! Ha!”

Mai threw charms one after another, but there were too many Debipachis for her to keep up.

“Just how many of these octopuses are there!? There’s a limit to the number of charms I have, at this rate…!”

“Mai-san is in trouble! Noa-san, let’s transform too!”

“Yes! Mira, you’re joining the fight too!”

However, Mira was absorbed in the task of leaving lipstick marks on her homemade fortunes.

“I’m not interested in what those octopuses are doing! More importantly, I’m busy making sexy omikuji, so don’t bother me!”

“Don’t think you can use this opportunity to get ahead!”

“How petty-maru!”

“U-Um, more importantly, we need to transform…!”

While Kaori grew anxious, Noa snorted at Mira.

“Hah-haan. So, you’re admitting you’re no match for PapiPri, is that it, Mira?”

“…Huh? What do you mean?”

“Good grief, you’re useless when it matters most. Well, it can’t be helped. Before Noa and Kaori-san’s super-duper good friends tag team, you’re no better than a worm. Useless baggage that’s no help in a fight can just suck its thumb and watch Noa and Kaori-san’s perfectly synchronized and brilliant performance~”

At Noa’s taunt, Mira’s eyes blazed with fury.

“…I suppose it can’t be helped… If you want to see me get serious that badly, then I’ll let you experience it with your own body…”

“Oh!? Those eyes are bad news! I know from our partner days, that’s when she’s seriously pissed! We need to run—”

“Eh, eh?”

“You’ll regret making me angry!”

Mira held her hand over the bell rope of a small, nearby shrine.

“‘O thou, answer my wish, and awaken the true power that sleeps in the abyss’!”

The bell rope then writhed like a living creature, detaching from the shrine and flying towards them.

“《Holy Bind》”

Swish! Cinch!

The bell rope wrapped around Kaori, Noa, and Mai, binding them all together.

“Kyaah!?”

The three of them cried out as they were tied up in a hugging position.

“Eh!? The bell rope moved on its own… hey, what is this…!?”

“Whoa—!? It’s tight—!”

“M-Mira-san!? Why would you do this…!”

To the panicking Kaori, Mira’s lips curled into a smirk.

“It’s because of what Noa said. How do you like that, this is what happens when I get serious. Fufufu, even the great PapiPri is helpless like this, aren’t they? Now you know what a powerless and insignificant being you are!”

“This is all because of what Noa said-maru!”

“Nwooooh~ I don’t know anything about that, you blasphemer~! Don’t you use a shrine’s sacred tools for something like this~!”

“N-Noa-san, please don’t struggle… the bell rope is digging in…! Nn…!”

“Kuh… it’s getting tighter…!”

As the three of them struggled, Sumimaru shouted.

“It’s okay-maru! This is the second time we’ve been caught in Mira-chan’s restraints, so I know how to solve it-maru! If you transform, you can break free no questions asked-maru!”

“Ha, that’s right! Kaori-san, let’s go!”

“Yes!”

““‘Sparkling, Shining, in this Seven-Colored World! Perfect Pure Princess, Dress Up’!””

Together, Kaori and Noa shouted the transformation spell.

However, nothing happened.

“Wh-!?”

“W-We can’t transform…!?”

As the two stood in stunned silence, Mira jeered at them.

“Fufu, too bad. As an executive of a terrifying evil organization, did you really think I’d make the same mistake twice? I’ve applied magic resistance to that rope. Prostrate yourselves before my gorgeous brain and talent, ah-hahaha!”

“Wha…!?”

“U-Um, Kaori-san and Noa-san, what have you been saying about transforming and princesses just now…!?”

Mai looked puzzled, and the people around them, while still listless, looked at Kaori and the others strangely.

“…Wh-What’s with those kids… they suddenly shouted some kind of spell…?”

“Hahaha… playing heroes, maybe…?”

“It’s nice to be energetic… haah…”

“Nuguuuh, what a disaster, we just wasted a perfectly good spell incantation~~~!”

“Hawahwahwah, th-this is so embarrassing~~~!”

“What do we do-maru, we can’t even transform, we’re in a pinch-maru~~~!”

“Gyagyagya~!”

In the meantime, the Debipachis were freely spewing fog, spreading the damage.

“Ugh, we have to defeat the Debipachis quickly…!”

“It’s useless to struggle. That rope gets tighter as time passes. With even your transformation sealed, there’s no way for you to escape!”

Just as Mira said, the bell rope gradually tangled more intricately, and the three of them were soon pressed tightly together.

“Kya!? Kaori-san, where are you touching…!”

“I-I’m sorry! Wait, Mai-san’s thigh is… nn, in a place like that…!”

“Ah-hahahaha! The sight of cute girls tangled up together is great for fatigue~~~!”

“Whoaaaa, I completely agree-maru! Mira-chan has great taste as always-maru~~~!”

“Sumimaru~! This is no time to be drooling, do something!”

“Nn… Sumimaru-san, please, help us…”

“Hooooooooly!? A cute shrine maiden just pleaded with me with teary eyes-maru! Hah, hah, hah, hah, wh-what is this feeling… maru? Something inside me is about to awaken-maru!”

“You still had room to awaken something else!?”

Watching the two of them panic but unable to do anything, Mira soaked in her delight.

“How about it, Noa? Have you realized your own powerlessness? Even if you’re praised as PapiPri, in the end, you can’t beat me… Just give up and hand over Kaori to me, who is more capable, brilliant, strong, elegant, gorgeous, and beautiful than you!”

“Nwooooh, you insufferable, ridiculously deluded, fiendish woman~!”

“Nn… We have to defeat the Debipachis quickly and save everyone…!”

“K-Kaori-san, if you move, the bell rope…!”

Every time they shifted, trying to escape, the bell rope dug in, and their miko outfits became disheveled.

“Ah, ah… my clothes…!”

“Mmm, if I do this, I think I can get out! Hyaaaaah!”

“Kyaa!? N-Noa-san, stop, if it digs in any more, the miko outfit will come undone… Ah…!”

“Nnn…! K-It’s tight…!”

“Woooooooooh, what is this-maru!? What genre of moe is this-maru!? No, it’s something beyond moe… Right now, I am witnessing the historic moment of the birth of a new fetish-maru…!”

Sumimaru stared at Kaori tangled in the bell rope with bloodshot eyes, as if devouring her with his gaze.

As if to escape his stare, Kaori twisted her body.

“Ah, no, please… Sumimaru-san… don’t look, plea, se…”

The moment she pleaded with tear-filled eyes in a fading voice.

A jolt of electricity ran through Sumimaru.

“Buh… buh… buhiii~~~~~~!”

“Sumimaru-san!? Wh-What on earth is wrong!?”

“Amazing-maru, a great discovery of the century-maru! I… I think my favorite thing in the world might be the situation where a cute shrine maiden, bound by a sacred item called a bell rope, pleads with teary eyes while her miko outfit is in disarray-maru~~~!”

“Aaaahn!? In the middle of this crisis, what kind of incomprehensible fetish are you awakening to!?”

Ignoring Noa’s shouts, Sumimaru’s eyes remained bloodshot.

“Sacred Garments (Miko) and Immorality (Restraint)! That beautiful collaboration! It’s the best-maru! My overflowing libido is going berserk-maru~!”

His mantle began to shine intensely with a rainbow-colored light.

“Wh-!? Sumimaru’s mantle is glowing with rainbow colors…! This is—!”

At the same time, Kaori’s and Noa’s clothes began to glow in resonance.

At the tremendous light, Mira’s face twitched.

“Wh-!? What is this!? What in the world is happening!?”

“Ah… a-amazing…!”

Kaori’s eyes widened as she felt a change happening to her body.

“M-My body is getting warm… and power is overflowing!”

“N-Noa too! Ha, could it be… that the libido from his first encounter with a new fetish is increasing Sumimaru’s abilities!?”

“By the libido from his first encounter with a new fetish!?”

“This is bad, for his abilities to change based on his level of excitement, that’s the pinnacle of perversion! And to power up with that perverted power, that’s the worst of the worst!”

“B-But, thanks to this, I think we can transform now!”

“Yes! Kaori-san, let’s go!”

“Y-Yes!”

““‘Sparkling, Shining, in this Seven-Colored World! Perfect Pure Princess, Dress Up’!””

The moment the two shouted, a dazzling light burst forth.

“Wh-!? Th-This is—!”

“Y-You guys are…”

Mira was at a loss for words, and Mai’s eyes widened.

The restraints from the bell rope were gone, and in their place stood the two, transformed into magical girls.

“Magical Girl PapiPri, at your service!”

Their costumes had a Japanese-style design, transformed into an atmosphere somehow reminiscent of miko outfits.

Mira was ecstatic.

“Eeeeeh, what is that!? So cute, so cute! A retro-chic design incorporating Japanese taste! It suits the Yamato Nadeshiko Kaori so well!”

“Magical Girl, miko-miko version!”

“We did it, we transformed!”

As Kaori’s face lit up, Sumimaru’s nostrils flared.

“Wooooh, we did it-maru! As a result of my libido going berserk, the magical girl costumes merged with the miko outfits-maru! No, my creator’s spirit, wanting to incorporate miko outfits into the costumes, improved the transformation ability and pushed the magical girl costumes to the pinnacle of perfection-maru!”

“What creator’s spirit, you mean pervert power.”

“That’s amazing, Sumimaru-san! …Wait, for some reason I’m holding a purification rod!?”

As Kaori stated in astonishment, both she and Noa were holding rods with long, white tassels.

“Speaking of shrine maidens, it’s purification rods-maru! A perfect match for the miko-type costumes-maru!”

“Kyaa, Kaori! So cute! Purify me~!”

Mira waved her hands excitedly.

However, Kaori puffed out her cheeks.

Pouting shyly, she looked up at Mira.

“…To do something like that… was very embarrassing. Honestly, I hate you, Mira-san! (turns away)”

“………………..Gahak………………..!!!!!!!!!!”

Behind Kaori as she turned and ran off, Mira collapsed without a sound.

“M-Mira-san, she’s unconscious…”

“Well, she’ll wake up eventually-maru, let’s not tell Kaori-maru.”

“Heh-heh, she got what she deserved! Nah-nah-nah-nah-nah, serves you right, I’m gonna spank your bottom! Ah, Kaori-sa~n, wait for me~♪”

Kaori and Noa faced the swarm of Debipachis, purification rods at the ready.

“Debipachis, your mischief ends here!”

“That’s right! Noa is in a great mood right now, I feel like I could beat up any kind of evil opponent! Now, Debipachis, it’s time to pay for your rampage! Deryaaaaaaah!”

With a war cry, Noa bravely charged into the fog— and collapsed with a thud.

“…I can’t go on.”

“Noa-san!?”

Noa’s previous vigor was gone as if it were a lie, and she lay on the ground with a vacant expression.

“In the end, Noa is just a klutz no matter what I do… I can’t do my job right, I only make mistakes, I’ll never get rich, and my debt just keeps growing infinitely… Just by being alive, I’m a burden on society, I can’t do this anymore…”

“Th-This is…!”

“She’s been affected by the Debipachis’ poison fog-maru!”

“It’s no use, whatever Noa does is useless, I give up on everything…”

“I can’t let that happen! Ugh, cough, cough…!”

“K-Kaori! Are you okay-maru!?”

“Y-Yes…! To protect everyone’s smiles, and for Noa-san’s sake, I have to do my best…!”

“Gyagyagya~~~~!”

Kaori coughed, covering her mouth.

The poison fog had already filled the shrine grounds, and although Kaori was holding on thanks to her innate purity of heart and strength of will, it was only a matter of time.

“Kuh, there’s no end to this…!”

Mai was also dealing with them with her charms, but sweat beaded on her forehead.

“Cough, cough…! Anyway, I have to do something about this poison fog…!”

“B-But, it’s impossible to do anything about a fog that has spread over such a wide area-maru…!”

In the heavy air that enveloped the area, Kaori desperately wracked her brain—

“! Yes, that might…!”

An idea flashed in her mind from the sights she had seen today, and she looked back at Mai.

“Mai-san! There’s something I need you to get!”

“Eh!?”

“I need you to go to the main shrine and bring me that!”

“That…!?”

When Kaori told her what it was, Mai’s eyes went wide.

“Wh-Why would you need something like that…”

“I have an idea!”

“I-I understand!”

Mai covered her mouth with her sleeve to avoid inhaling the poison fog and ran off.

“Kaori, will it really work-maru!?”

“Yes! I’ll buy time until Mai-san gets back!”

With purification rod in hand, Kaori faced the swarm of Debipachis alone.

The Debipachis, recognizing the threat from Kaori’s immense prism power, surrounded her.

“Gyagyagyagya~~~~!”

“Ugh, it’s hard to breathe… But I can’t lose!”

Kaori readied her purification rod.

However, the long tassels didn’t move as she expected.

“Oh? These tassels are very long, it’s difficult to use… I wonder if I can hit them properly…? Uhm, like this— Hyaah!”

Kaori bravely swung the purification rod at the Debipachi in front of her—

SWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!

The beautifully arcing tassels blew away dozens of Debipachis behind her.

“Gyagyagya~~~~!?”

“E-Eh!? Why the Debipachis behind me…!?”

“A-Amazing-maru! A high-level technique of feinting an attack on the enemy in front to wipe out the enemies behind… as expected of Kaori-maru!”

“Ah-wah-wah-wah, I can’t seem to swing it where I want to~…!”

As Kaori struggled with the long tassels, Sumimaru shouted.

“Hah! Kaori, a Debipachi is coming from the right-maru!”

“! Yes! Hah!”

Kaori swung the rod to the right.

However.

Swish-swish-swish-swish-swish-swish!

“Gyagyagya!?”

The dancing tassels wiped out the Debipachis on the left.

“Oh!? Th-That’s strange, I was aiming for the other side…!”

“N-Now they’re coming from behind-maru!”

“Yes! This time for sure… Hyaah!”

The swung-up tassels violently struck down the Debipachis that were about to attack from above.

“Gyagya~~~~!?”

“Hyaaaaah!? I-I didn’t mean to do that…!”

“What amazing tassel-work-maru!? To think she was hiding such a special skill behind that innocent face… the gap is irresistible-maru! A splendid yet merciless attack, I want to be hit by it too-maru~~~!”

“Ah-wah-wah-wah, it won’t listen to me at all~~~!”

Every time Kaori swung the rod, Debipachis in unrelated places were attacked.

The out-of-control tassels also rained down on Noa, who was lying on the ground.

Whap-whap-whap-whap-whap-whap!

“Bubebubebubebe!”

“Kyaaaaaah!? Noa-san, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

“Hmph, it’s fine… a useless person like Noa deserves to be beaten with a purification rod…”

“Wh-What is this-maru, to motivate her ally (Noa) while attacking the enemy… how full of compassion-maru!? That’s what a magical girl is-maru! Wonderful-maru!”

“I can’t seem to hit where I’m aiming~~~~! (whap-whap-swoooosh!)”

“Gyagya~~~~!”

Fearing the onslaught of the purification rod, the Debipachis that had taken some distance all sprayed poison fog at Kaori at once.

“Ugh!? Cough, cough…!”

In the thick, enveloping fog, Kaori couldn’t help but drop the purification rod and cough.

“I-It’s no use… I have to do something about this fog…!”

Just as Kaori’s knees were about to buckle.

“Ha!”

A charm was thrown, and the air around Kaori was purified.

“This is…!”

As Kaori’s eyes widened, Mai ran up to her.

“Mai-san!”

“I brought what you asked for!”

Seeing what Mai was holding, Sumimaru’s eyes widened.

“I-Is that… a vacuum cleaner-maru!?”

What Mai had brought from the main shrine was the vacuum cleaner from the storage room.

“Thank you very much, Mai-san!”

“K-Kaori, what are you going to do with a vacuum cleaner-maru!?”

Without time to answer the flustered Sumimaru, Kaori ran up to the listlessly collapsed Noa.

“Noa-san, please wake up! I need you to turn this vacuum cleaner into a magical tool!”

“There’s no way someone like Noa could do that… Noa is a worthless maggot, just leave me alone…”

To the completely empty shell of Noa, Kaori continued to persuade her desperately.

“Don’t say that! It’s okay, you can do it, Noa-san!”

“Please stop with the empty reassurances… everything is such a pain now, it’s fitting for someone like Noa to accomplish nothing and become fertilizer for the dandelions in the field…”

“Noa-san, let’s defeat the Debipachis together and receive Mai-san’s exorcism! Your luck will rise, good fortune will come, the path to riches might open up!”

“…The path to riches…?”

Noa reacted with a twitch and lifted her face.

“…Is it enough to tie my mean seniors to giant rockets funded with a national-level budget and turn them into stars, creating a new constellation called the Gold Ingot Constellation? Is it enough to dangle bundles of cash in front of my sarcastic boss’s face, adding more bundles every time he’s about to stop, and make him run on a treadmill until he’s dried up?”

“I-I’m not sure, but it might be possible with enough effort!”

“…Hmph…”

“Her heart is starting to waver a bit-maru!”

“B-But it’s still not enough! Ugh, what should I do…!”

“That’s it-maru, Kaori! Now is the time for mikko mikko power-maru! Inject Noa with super ultimate shrine maiden power with a hyper ultra ultimate miko miko kyun-maru!”

“Eh!? I-Is that relevant right now!?”

“What are you saying-maru, Kaori’s miko miko kyun contains immense power-maru!? Anyone who receives it is sure to feel better-maru!”

“I-I feel like I’m being tricked, but… I-I understand, I’ll try!”

Kaori made a heart in front of her chest and winked at Noa.

“Noa-san, cheer up! ‘Hyper Ultra Ultimate Miko Miko~… Kyun ♡’!”

Sparkle sparkle sparkle sparkle~~~~!

From the heart mark, a dazzling prism power was released and poured down on Noa—

Noa shot up with great force.

“Wooooooooooooh, I’m suddenly bursting with motivation! Debipachis, you’ll regret ever defying Magical Girl PapiPri~~~~!”

“Noa-san! I’m so glad!”

“Whooooa! As expected, Kaori’s miko miko kyun is the best in the world-maru! It’s super effective on me too-maru~~~!”

Her energy restored, Noa bravely held her hand over the vacuum cleaner.

“Leave the magical tool transformation to the fully recovered Noa! Hyaaaaaah, ’O thou’uuuuuuuuu!”

“Don’t tell me you forgot the spell again!?”

“I didn’t forget! Uhm, this is, yes, a chantless cast!”

“O-Oh, I see! You’re so cool, Noa-san!”

“Kaori, don’t be fooled-maru.”

“Anyway, hyaaaaaaaaah! It is so~!”

As if in response to Noa’s roar, the vacuum cleaner shone and grew to a huge size.

“Yay-maru, the magical tool transformation was a success-maru!”

“Kaori-san, please!”

“Understood!”

Kaori aimed the rainbow-colored vacuum cleaner at the surrounding space.

“I’ll suck up all the mischievous fog! 《Magical Cleaner》!”

Kaori switched on the vacuum cleaner.

The vacuum cleaner let out a roar and began to suck in the poison fog.

“S-Such incredible power────!”

ZGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!

A fierce wind swirled, and in the blink of an eye, it sucked up all the fog within the shrine grounds.

“I-It sucked up all the fog in this vast space! What incredible prism power is this!?”

“Is Kaori good at cleaning too-maru!? As expected of a magical girl-maru!”

“What does being a magical girl have to do with cleaning!?”

Having sucked up all the fog, the vacuum cleaner next began to pull in even the Debipachis.

GOGOGOGOGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

“Gyagyagyagyagya~~~~!?”

“Whoa~~!? Kaori-san’s prism power is so strong, it’s sucking in the Debipachis too~~!?”

“Hyaaaaaah!? I-I didn’t mean to… What should I do, it won’t stop~~~~!”

With its tremendous power, the swarm of Debipachis was sucked in one after another.

“Gyagya~~~~!?”

“Amazing, the Debipachis are like tapioca pearls…!”

“As expected of Kaori-maru, this solves everything in one go-maru!”

“U-Um, how do I stop this~~~~!?”

In the midst of this, the unconscious Mira stirred and got up.

“…Huh? Why was I sleeping here…? I feel like I had a very bad dream, but… fufu, I’m glad it was a dream… I’m really glad…”

“No, Kaori-san totally told you she ‘hates’ you.”

“Noooooooooooooo!? It was real-aaaaaaaaa!? That’s right, Kaori, she told me she hates me… she said she hates m-ooeoeh!”

Kaori noticed Mira, who was sobbing.

“Ah, Mira-san! A-Are you perhaps crying…?”

Still holding the vacuum cleaner, Kaori timidly approached Mira.

“Um, Mira-san. I’m sorry about earlier… I was embarrassed and I went too far…”

“Kaori…?”

As Mira looked up with a tear-streaked face, Kaori gave her a gentle smile.

“I am truly sorry. I would be troubled if you were to do something like that again, but… it makes me sad to see you crying, Mira-san. Please, let’s be friends again.”

“…………!”

Then, Mira’s face lit up with a PAAAAH.

“I never thought you’d say that to me, Kaori…! Does that mean we can go back to how we were, feeding each other cake at that cafe for couples, telling each other ten things we like about each other before bed every night, and on Christmas, our presents for each other happen to be the same lipstick, and we laugh and say, ‘We think alike’! I’m so happy!”

“Stop fabricating memories that don’t exist.”

“I love you, Kaoriiiii~, accept meeee~♡”

Mira charged forward to hug Kaori— and in that instant, the suction power of the vacuum cleaner in Kaori’s hand began to catch Mira’s clothes as well.

“Eh, what!? M-My clothes are being sucked in…!”

“Eh, eh?”

“Kya, kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?”

SHWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!

In the blink of an eye, Mira’s miko outfit was stripped off and sucked into the vacuum cleaner.

“Wh-Why────!?”

The now completely naked Mira screamed.

“Ah-wah-wah-wah, I’m so sorry~~! Wh-wh-wh-what should I do, this vacuum cleaner’s suction is so strong… at this rate, it’s going to suck up the Earth~~!?”

“Why don’t you press this button?”

“Eh? (click) Ah, it stopped!”

“You could have stopped it that easily!?”

At Mai’s simple advice, Mira couldn’t help but retort at the easily stopped vacuum cleaner.

Mira cried out as she covered her exposed body with her hands.

“All I want is to see Kaori’s cute expressions, so why do I always end up like this!?”

“Shut up, you reap what you sow.”

“The vacuum cleaner’s power was too strong-maru.”

“Kuh, to subject me to such humiliation… You’ll pay for this~~~!”

Mira ran off, naked and crying.

“Ah, Mira-san! Oh, I’ve done something terrible…”

“It’s because she was meddling where she shouldn’t, she got what she deserved.”

“Anyway, purification complete-maru! Time to collect the Debipachis-maru~!”

“Gyagyagya, gyagya…”

Sumimaru summoned the Shiny Octo-Pot and collected all the Debipachis, who were packed tightly inside the vacuum cleaner and unable to move.

“Ah, the miko outfit Mira-chan was wearing is safe-maru!”

“Th-That’s good, we can return it to Mai-san.”

Kaori breathed a sigh of relief.

With the Debipachis and the poison fog gone, the area returned to its clean air, and the worshipers regained their energy.

“H-Huh? For some reason, my heart feels lighter.”

“Why was I so depressed again?”

“That’s right, I bought a charm from a cute shrine maiden! I’ll do my best again starting tomorrow~!”

The shrine grounds were once again filled with many smiles and hope.

“I’m glad everyone is back to normal!”

“Good grief, all’s well that ends well!”

As Kaori and Noa rejoiced, Mai approached them.

“I don’t really understand what happened, but you saved us. Thank you, um, Magical Girl PapiPri-san?”

“Not at all! We’re the ones who should be thanking you for lending us the vacuum cleaner…”

“That was an amazing performance. To think you’d use a vacuum cleaner as a weapon…”

Then, Mai tilted her head, looking puzzled.

“Come to think of it, back then… you called my name, didn’t you? Are we acquainted, perhaps?”

“Hya!? N-n-n-no, not at all!?”

“Oh? Now that I look closely, you resemble Kaori-san. And that other girl looks just like Noa-san. Could it be…?”

“Ah, ah—! It’s already so late, we have to go home! Well then, thank you for having us! Noa-san, let’s go!”

“I don’t want to, I’m not leaving until I get my exorcism from Mai-san!”

“That was just a figure of speech~…!”

Kaori pulled Noa’s hand and hurriedly left the scene to undo their transformation.

＊＊＊

Afterwards, Kaori and the others, having untransformed and changed back into their miko outfits, continued to help at the shrine office.

By the time the sun began to set, the number of worshipers had calmed down, and their miko duties had come to a close.

“Phew, that was busy-maru~”

“Thank you for today. You were a great help.”

“We’re glad we could be of assistance.”

Beside the relieved Kaori, Noa cheerfully raised her hand.

“By the way, Mai-san! I’d like to receive that exorcism for increased luck and a huge boost in financial fortune!”

“Ah, the exorcism. Our work is done for the day, so it’s a good time. Follow me.”

Kaori and the others were led to the main shrine hall and told to sit.

“Yaay, I finally get to receive an exorcism from the super skilled shrine maiden! I’m so excited ♪”

“I-Is it alright for me to receive one too…?”

“It’s a thank you for helping with the work. Now, close your eyes.”

Mai took out a charm.

They closed their eyes as told.

“…《With this sacred energy, I shall banish this one’s impurities, purify them, tie good fortune, and protect them so that they may have much happiness》…”

As Mai chanted softly, a sacred aura was released from her direction.

There was a feeling of the depths of their bodies becoming light—

“Alright, that should do it. You can open your eyes.”

Noa’s face shone with excitement.

“Woooooooooh~! I feel all fluffy and sharp and ziiing!”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about-maru.”

Kaori pressed a hand to her chest in surprise.

“That was a strange sensation. It felt like a clear presence seeped into me, a pleasant feeling, like being purified from deep within my body.”

“I see. That’s good then.”

“My luck must have skyrocketed with this! From now on, whatever I do will be lucky, yaaay~~!”

“I’ve banished the bad energy, but the effects differ from person to person, so don’t get your hopes up too much.”

Mai said with a laugh, then clapped her hands as if she remembered something.

“That’s right, I’ve prepared some sweets, so if you’d like, you can rest on the veranda.”

“Yaay, let’s do it~~~~!”

Seeing the tea and sweets offered, Kaori’s eyes sparkled.

“Oh my, this is…!”

“It’s the high-class dorayaki that was in Mira’s magazine!”

“It looks delicious-maru~!”

It was the dorayaki that had been introduced in the magazine as a phantom delicacy.

“Yes, yes, after it was featured in the magazine, it became even more popular and hard to buy, but we’ve been on good terms with that shop for a long time, so they give us some from time to time. They brought some over today when they came to pray.”

“Fwooooooooh, the artistic browned color, the plump curve, the scent of calories tickling my nostrils… it’s irresistible!”

“Well then, I still have a few things to do, so please relax and take your time.”

“Yes, thank you very much.”

With that, Mai left the room.

Kaori and Noa sat side by side on the veranda.

“Still, I’m glad we were able to receive the exorcism safely.”

“Yes! To receive an exorcism from a super skilled shrine maiden, and on top of that, to be treated to such high-class dorayaki, my luck is already off the charts!”

“Waaah, there’s none for me-maru! I want to eat high-class dorayaki too-maru—!”

“Sumimaru-san, you can have mine if you’d like.”

“Ah, Kaori-san, if you spoil Sumimaru too much, he’ll get carried away!”

“I-Is Kaori an angel-maru!? I’ll humbly accept your offer-maru~! Munch munch, chomp chomp… d-delicious-maru~! I’ve never had dorayaki like this before-maru, I’m moved-maru~!”

“Fufu, I’m glad.”

“I-It looks so incredibly delicious…!”

Seeing Sumimaru devour the dorayaki in an instant, as if it were that delicious, Noa swallowed hard.

“Woooah, just looking at it makes my mouth water, Noa will eat too! Time to diiig in—”

Noa joyfully brought the dorayaki to her mouth—

“Coo-coo!”

“Bearghhhhhhhhhhhhh!?”

“N-Noa-sa────n!”

A pigeon that flew in at the speed of light snatched Noa’s dorayaki.

“Pee-hyoro—!”

“Caw caw caw caw!”

“Myaaaaaaaah!”

Furthermore, a kite, crows, and even cats joined the fray, devouring the dorayaki.

“D-Deja vu────! I mean, why is this happening!?”

“Stop it~~! Wooooooon, my high-class dorayaki~!”

“Ah, ah-wah-wah-wah, it’s gone in an instant…!”

Noa, collapsed on the tatami mat, whimpered.

“Waaaaah, why does this always happen!? Even though I got an exorcism~!”

“Coo-coo, coo-coo”

“Pee-hyoro—”

“Caw caw, caw caw”

“Meeeow, meeeow”

Watching Noa being pecked by birds and used as a cushion by a cat, Kaori’s eyes widened.

“My, Noa-san is so popular. Could it be that her fate has been tied with the animals…?”

“For the effect to appear so soon, that’s some amazing benefit-maru.”

“I don’t want a connection like this! I was supposed to have my luck super boosted and become a billionaire— bueh, the cat is licking me a lot~! Ow-ow-ow, pigeon, stop pulling on my lips! Ueeeeeeh, I worked so hard, this is just too much~~~~!”

“Ah-wah-wah-wah, Noa-san, please cheer up~!”

The lively voices of Noa and the animals echoed on the veranda.

In any case, the peace of Kagurazaka Shrine was thus protected.