Chapter 9: Not Just a Turtle
In the dining room.
Minato sat hunched over the household
ledger spread across the table, his posture limp with worry.
“Money’s… tight.”
The household budget was in crisis his
finances were on fire.
Minato had grown up in a close-knit hot
spring town nestled in the mountains of another prefecture. Neighbors wandered
freely into each other’s homes, and he’d often joined other families for
dinner. Kids were raised communally, and bonds ran deep.
Now, in a place where he knew no one,
the isolation weighed heavily.
Still, the garden brought him peace.
The mountain god usually lounged on the
veranda, solid and reassuring—like the mountain itself. Just seeing him calmed
Minato’s heart.
And then there was the turtle, basking
by the sacred pond, radiating an aura of good fortune. Watching it was
soothing.
Best of all, Minato could talk with the
mountain god and his divine companions. Their presence was a genuine comfort.
But gods… were expensive.
They devoured their favorite treats with
gusto especially the pricier ones. They never complained about cheap snacks,
but their enthusiasm clearly plummeted. Minato couldn’t help but splurge on the
good stuff just to see them smile.
His caretaker salary was meager, and his
savings were dwindling. The stress was real.
He poked the ledger with his pen and
groaned.
“Maybe I should go back home and earn
some cash… No, it’s too far. Find work nearby? I don’t have any qualifications…
What do I do…”
He tossed the pen onto the notebook and
buried his face in his hands, sighing so deeply it felt like his lungs had
emptied.
In the garden.
The mountain god’s ear twitched.
His eyes slowly opened, golden light
spilling out like a sunrise over the mountains. Sparkles danced like drifting
gold dust.
Even muffled whispers inside the house
were no match for the god’s restored power.
His gaze shifted to the pond.
On the large rock jutting into the
water, a pearlescent shell shimmered in the sunlight. A head and limbs emerged.
This was no ordinary turtle.
Its name was Reiki, the Sacred Turtle.
One of the Four Divine Beasts the Shirei Reiki
was a bringer of auspicious fortune.
It rose to its feet, planted all four
legs firmly on the rock, and stretched its neck toward the sky.
Then, it opened its mouth wide.
Meanwhile, in the shopping district…
Ding-a-ling!
A clear bell rang out over the bustling crowd.
“Congratulations! We have a winner first
prize!”
The clerk held up a lottery ticket, the
golden characters for “First Prize” gleaming brightly.
The crowd erupted in cheers.
Minato stood frozen, mouth agape, having
just handed over the ticket he’d drawn.
“Nice one, kid!”
A middle-aged man behind him clapped him
hard on the back, snapping him out of his daze.
“Uh… thanks?”
He turned, still stunned, and got
another hearty slap painful, but grounding.
He’d won first prize in the shopping
district’s lottery.
Unbelievable. He’d never won more than a
pack of tissues before.
He’d accumulated a mountain of tickets
from buying sake and sweets, and this was his first draw.
What luck.
He accepted the envelope without even
knowing what the prize was.
The clerk, dressed in a festive happi
coat and headband, smiled warmly.
“Ten thousand yen in gift certificates.”
“T-ten thousand?!”
Minato’s eyes bulged. This shopping
district was surprisingly generous.
He’d been planning to downgrade the
gods’ treats today but now, he could splurge again.
Grinning, he turned to leave.
Pop! A party
cracker exploded overhead, showering him in confetti.
Startled, Minato stopped at the entrance
of the liquor store.
“Congratulations! You’re our 333rd
customer on the 333rd anniversary of Tanba Liquor Store!”
He’d walked through the door at just the
right moment.
The tiny shop was packed with smiling
faces and applause. Minato stood awkwardly as a clerk emerged with another
party cracker.
“Thanks for your continued patronage.
Right this way!”
“Uh… okay.”
Still confused, he was guided to a round
table near the register.
On it sat a mountain of sake bottles.
“It’s a modest gift, but please accept
it.”
“This many?!”
“Yes 33 bottles.”
He recognized some rare brands his
father had longed for.
There was no way he could carry them
all, but the store offered free delivery.
Before he knew it, he’d filled out the
shipping form.
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