CHAPTER 30
After the Uproar
The garden of the Kusunoki estate was, as always, bathed in the gentle warmth of spring.
The great camphor tree standing at its center swayed the sacred rope Minato had handcrafted, playing with the breeze as its leaves rustled and danced.
Out on the large rock jutting over the sacred pond, the spirit tortoise was leisurely soaking up the sun. Nearby, a horned dragon cut silently through the divine waters.
Draped across the arched bridge spanning the rippling pond, the kirin bobbed its head in a lazy, drowsy nod.
A slow, peaceful time flowed through this garden of the gods.
The best spot to take it all in every corner of this divine garden was the center of the veranda. And right there, sprawled on a floor cushion as usual, the mountain god let out a big yawn.
Beside him, Minato sat up straight, diligently working on his protective charms. Three fox spirits watched from across the table and from both sides. And then there was one more a phoenix, perched right on the low table.
A chubby little chick with pearlescent feathers touched with the softest pink small enough to sit in your palm.
That little chick had planted itself directly in front of Minato and was watching his hands with intense, laser-focused eyes. It may have looked like a baby bird, but inside, it was just like the spirit tortoise and the others an ancient being that had lived through the ages.
Bursting with curiosity, it took an interest in just about everything but had a particular soft spot for things humans created.
Having been trapped inside an evil spirit for so long, it was always eager to catch up on everything it had missed.
It was especially fascinated by Minato's abilities, and whenever he worked on his charms, it would park itself right next to him and watch without blinking.
Those sharp, piercing eyes so out of place on such an adorable little face made Minato squirm a little in discomfort as he worked.
Half a month had passed since the day they'd traveled to another prefecture at Harima's request to exorcise a vengeful spirit.
That evil spirit slashed apart by the wind god and half-scorched by the thunder god's divine flames had created its own warped realm. A path back to the real world was forced open without so much as a word exchanged, and they managed to escape in one piece.
The moment they stepped out of that realm, they were surrounded by a massive flock of birds.
They'd barely had a chance to feel relieved before being completely encircled, every last gap filled with birds shocking them all over again.
What the birds had been waiting for was the pale cherry-blossom pearl. Minato pulled it from his bag, and every single bird burst into joyful, trilling song.
As if answering that chorus of jubilant noise, the pearl pulsed brightening and dimming in rhythm.
Then, like it was dissolving, the pearl disappeared and, in its place, a little pink chick appeared.
It flapped its wings with full enthusiasm right there in Minato's hand, let out a bold little "pip!", and the whole crowd erupted.
Afterward, utterly worn out, they had no choice but to spend the night there, returning to the Kusunoki estate the next day.
The mountain god filled in the details later.
The chick was a phoenix one of the Four Sacred Beasts, the auspicious spirits said to bring good fortune.
The Four Sacred Beasts each ruled over one of the four great categories of living creatures.
The Spirit Tortoise lord of the shell-bearing creatures, the crustaceans and armored animals. The Horned Dragon lord of the scaled ones, fish and serpents alike. The Kirin lord of the furred beasts. The Phoenix lord of the feathered, the birds.
That enormous flock of birds had simply been worried about their lord.
As a side note when the spirit tortoise had first come to the Kusunoki estate, Minato had noticed crabs and other shelled creatures along the road looking at him like they had something to say. Apparently, that was "please take care of our lord." It seemed the tortoise had found its way there partly thanks to their help.
But why had the Four Sacred Beasts ended up trapped inside an evil spirit in the first place?
Because they were lords of their kind.
Animal spirits who adored them naturally gathered around them and that made them perfect bait.
Evil spirits grow stronger by consuming one another. By using the Sacred Beasts as lures, the spirit drew in hordes of animal spirits, devoured them, and grew into a full-on vengeful wraith.
The Sacred Beasts have no power to fight on their own. Unable to resist, they were captured without a struggle, enduring only to protect themselves.
The phoenix, trapped the longest, had weakened so much it had retreated into the pearl.
The spirit tortoise, horned dragon, and kirin still hadn't fully recovered their strength either.
Though lately, the spirit tortoise had been growing noticeably larger a sign it was slowly getting back to its old self.
That was, of course, thanks to being here, in this garden.
The new nameplate Minato had crafted kept the estate fully protected. And with the mountain god having reclaimed his true divine power, the grounds had become a sacred domain nothing wicked could get within a mile of it. The Four Sacred Beasts could take all the time they needed to rest and recover here.
Minato glanced over at the arched bridge spanning the sacred pond.
There lay the kirin, completely at ease the same nosy creature that had been peeking over the back gate and garden wall so often before.
I want to go in. But I can't. I just can't take that last step.
That hesitation had been written all over it, plain as day.
The bundle of nerves that used to always be hovering just behind you ready the moment you turned around had now reached the point of napping lazily without a care in the world.
Minato was pretty sure the turning point had been the sake.
The spirit tortoise had mentioned in passing that the kirin liked sake, and something clicked.
That's it. That's the one.
He went out and bought a bottle of sake, poured it into a cup, and set it on the edge of the veranda. The moment he put it down, the kirin shot over from the back gate at full speed same ridiculous pace as always.
It looked up at Minato nervously, silently asking permission. Minato nodded, and the kirin buried its face in the cup with pure delight not sparing Minato a single glance, even though he was right there trying not to laugh. Honestly, an impressive drinker.
Since then, all four of them had their nightly drinks together.
The phoenix preferred shochu. It also had a thing for sweets turns out chunky red bean paste was right up its alley. It frequently got into heated debates with the mountain god over the eternal question: smooth bean paste or chunky which reigns supreme? Extremely peaceful debates.
Minato let his brush glide smoothly across the washi paper.
"Pip."
"Oh.. sorry."
His pressure had gotten a little sloppy.
The phoenix, fully in drill sergeant mode, hopped neatly across the table as if to say: pull yourself together.
Seri, who had been about to stab a fork into her slice of butter cake, glanced over at the little chick.
"Tough crowd, huh."
"It was only a tiny bit off."
"Isn't that way too picky?"
"Pip pip!!"
"Okay, okay, no need to yell. Quit being so grumpy — want some cake?"
"Piiiii~"
The phoenix immediately perked up and fluttered over to Utsugi, who was holding out a piece of her half-eaten butter cake. An extremely easy-to-manage lord of the birds.
The thunder god came flying in from the open-air bath, landing on the veranda. Her feet even redder than usual touched down on the floor.
"So hot but oh man, that hot spring is amazing. I always end up staying in way too long."
Right behind her, the wind god floated in, landing soundlessly on the polished floor.
"I'm so thirsty."
"Would you like some cold sake?"
Minato began clearing off the table to take care of their delighted guests.
Just then" pop! " The enormous sleep bubble that had been hanging from the mountain god's nose burst dramatically. His eyes snapped open wide. His ears swiveled sideways, and his tail started wagging like mad.
He then radiated wave after wave of intensely excited divine energy.
Everyone understood immediately.
Harima had arrived.
It had been a while since Harima last visited not since the job was done and he'd brought an enormous offering of traditional sweets as thanks. All of which, naturally, had been completely devoured long ago.
The wind god pointed upward.
"Well then, we'll head up top."
"Why though? We're not exactly a secret he knows we're here."
The thunder god tilted her head, genuinely puzzled.
She wasn't wrong but honestly, Minato would rather they gave him a little space. The gods said whatever they pleased, and it made him act weird.
Still, there was no way he could flat-out refuse the two who had literally saved his life.
As he fumbled for an answer, the four animals on the table hit him with synchronized puppy-dog eyes over their butter cake. And then the spirit tortoise and horned dragon climbed out of the sacred pond too, making their way over past the stone lantern where the phoenix lived. The kirin followed after them with light, easy steps.
A party, apparently. He'd lost without a fight.
"…Please try to keep the noise down."
A chorus of gleeful cheers erupted behind him as he turned away and quickly started getting the cold sake and everything else ready.
Minato sat across from Harima at the low table, his cheek twitching slightly.
On the other side of the table: an endless parade of sake and sweets disappearing at alarming speed.
And then the traditional sweets Harima had brought as a ritual offering to the gods.
"Can we have that too~?"
Utsugi leaned over and asked, right next to his ear. Minato glanced at the mountain god, who was drooling in a continuous stream.
"…Sure."
He said it quietly, and the wrapping paper was torn open before he'd even finished the word. At this point, there was really nothing to be said.
They were, technically, neighbors.
You could argue without much exaggeration that the mountain god and his household had taken over the Kusunoki estate's garden like they owned the place. But they were still, officially, the neighbor god and family.
They didn't just help themselves to things in the house.
That was the one line they always held, always asking permission first even if the answer was never no.
Watching all this playing out in front of him, Harima sat at the edge of the group, as composed as ever, keeping up his usual business-like conversation without missing a beat.
Does this man have a heart of steel? Minato thought, genuinely impressed though he supposed he wasn't that different himself at this point.
The divine neighbors laughed, teased, drank, and ate in noisy, cheerful chaos. Minato watched them from the corner of his eye and smiled soft and easy.
Whatever was going on, every day was fun, full, and happy. That was enough.
Out in the world, it was the dead of winter the kind that chills you right down to your bones.
Thick grey clouds blanketed the sky, and snow had begun to fall but not a single flake reached the sacred garden. Nothing piled up here.
Against the backdrop of dull, bare winter mountains, the divine garden blazed in vivid, unbroken green a pocket of spring amid the cold.
No seasons came and went here, but the Kusunoki estate was cozy and beloved all the same.
The camphor tree, brushed by a gentle wind, shook its full, round canopy happily, joyfully in one great, sweeping shiver.
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