115 I Have Come to Summon the Sinner (2)
The yabusame. The martial art dedicated to the gods.
The course length is two ken (120 kan), and the width is two and a half shaku.
Divide the course by shooting arrows one ken wide, with the left side set at 2 shaku 3 sun and the right side at 2 shaku.
Place the targets as rectangular shapes of 1 shaku 8 sun, three in total: one at 48 shaku from the starting point, the next 38 shaku from there, and the last at a distance of 37 shaku. The distance between the horse's running path and the target should be 3 shaku.
Riding the horse at a gallop, twist the body to the left, and shoot three arrows in succession to hit the targets.
Since this is a ritual performed annually at various shrines, Ninomae Hitomi had seen it only once as a child.
Including fleeting glimpses from photos or videos... the memories are hazy, but there were probably more.
But even in those vague memories, she could be certain of one thing.
──Taang!
"Three!"
"Uh, uum..."
No one in Japan would be holding an assault rifle while performing yabusame, except at this location.
A horse with gray fur flying in the wind galloped past the final target and continued a bit further, then gradually slowed its pace.
And soon, with a clattering sound, it approached Ninomae Hitomi's front.
"...Is this okay even with a gun for the ritual?"
"Well, the important thing is the heart rather than the form. And since it's a ritual dedicated to the war god, you'll probably prefer the overwhelming firepower of modern weaponry. Probably."
Han Seoyeon dismounted from the horse with a light step and gave a faint smile. From her clothes wafted the scent of beast and a faint smell of gunpowder.
Kyungsi Palbeon. Hachiman Daibosatsu. Among the gods of Japan, the one that comes to mind when asked to name the most famous is the war god.
Han Seoyeon was also the one who had come to collect the 'debt' or 'tax' this time.
"Speaking of which, why Fukuoka?"
"Well, among the three great Hachiman shrines, it's this place."
Usa Hachiman Shrine in Oita Prefecture. Iwashimizu Hachiman Shrine in Kyoto Yawata, and Hachozaki Hachiman Shrine in Fukuoka. Names that Ninomae Hitomi knew somewhat.
If it's Hachiman Daibosatsu, it's one of the gods said to protect the Japanese imperial family alongside Amaterasu Omikami. Though perhaps a bit inferior to Amaterasu, from the perspective of a student studying Japanese folklore, it was an unavoidable god.
"But Hachiman shrines are usually Usa, right? Actually, that one is the head shrine..."
Being one of the three great shrines, it can't be called minor, but among the three, the one that loses the most is Hachozaki Shrine. It occasionally swaps places with Tsurugaoka Shrine.
"It was because there was no suitable horse racing field in Oita Prefecture."
If it were decades ago, the prefecture would have had a racecourse, but... that Nakatsu racecourse has been closed for a long time due to management difficulties. It was controversial because they had to euthanize 100 horses due to treatment issues.
Of course, if she wanted, she could bring horses from Oita Prefecture...
"Considering connections, I concluded that this side is relatively better."
The name of an Apostle carries great weight. An existence that even very reliable subordinates can't easily impersonate is an Apostle.
But since the Secrecy Protocol exists, no matter how great a person is behind the scenes, they can't wield their prestige on the surface.
Of course, one can use the Church organization or delegate to an agent, but if there's another way, there's no reason to go through such troublesome processes.
"Anyway, is this settled?"
"Yes, if the calculations are correct, the previous year's quota should be settled. Since I came all this way, why not tour a bit and come back..."
Since they started relatively early in the morning, there was still time. So, since I've come this far, it wouldn't be bad to wander around a little.
Han Seoyeon was about to say that.
"...Ninomae-san!"
"Hyek?!"
At that moment, Han Seoyeon suddenly hugged Ninomae Hitomi.
Ninomae Hitomi was initially bewildered and felt a flutter in her heart, thinking what this was, but before long, she realized that the situation wasn't one to say such things while looking up at Han Seoye's face.
Han Seoyeon was looking into the distance with a bewildered expression. They were conducting the ritual on land owned by the shrine, and her gaze was directed towards the row of trees in the distance.
And soon, Ninomae Hitomi saw a single arrow in Han Seoye's hand. Yabusame was performed with arrows and gunpowder.
When she turned her eyes back to the same place as Han Seoyeon, the source of the arrow came into her view. An old-fashioned dressed woman was standing aiming the bow this way.
However, since her hair was dyed blonde, it seemed like an unbalanced outfit.
"Eh...?"
The voice that came out of Ninomae Hitomi's mouth as she observed the scene was that. It was because the attacker's face was still remembered.
"Mika... Eru-san...?"
The woman who had changed her name to Mikami Eru following her baptismal name. Currently a high school student and a Catholic.
Most importantly, according to Han Seoye's testimony, she was someone she had known well... and when Bartholomew's seat became vacant, she was mentioned as a candidate Apostle alongside Han Seoyeon.
"M, did Mika-san shoot? Why...?"
Last time they met, she had protected Ninomae Hitomi who was bewitched by a fox. At least at that time, it seemed like a good relationship with Han Seoyeon.
That's why Ninomae Hitomi couldn't help but be surprised by the sudden attack.
"It's not Mika Eru."
But Han Seoyeon glanced at her and said calmly.
"──Kirishitan, draw your weapon."
"The body has been taken over. Possession... or descent?"
Mika Eru approached with a sluggish movement, like she was dancing.
The bow fell with a thud from her hand, and she drew the sword she had at her waist.
"T, then what do I do...?"
"I can't fight to protect Ninomae-san. First, step aside."
Han Seoyeon said that and pulled the horse's reins to make it bow, then pushed Ninomae Hitomi onto it.
"It was just a test run, but it's an extremely intelligent horse. As long as you hold on tight, it will run well on its own."
"What about Sion-san?"
"I don't know the full situation, but it's clear that the opponent is spitting hostility this way. I'll worry about her, but don't worry about me. In the worst case, I'll come back even if I revive."
"..."
After hearing those words, Ninomae Hitomi nodded slightly. She was worried about leaving Han Seoyeon behind, but she also thought that if she stayed, it would only get in the way.
"Be careful, Sion-san."
"Yes. I'll win and come back."
"That's not what I meant."
"...I'll come back without getting hurt."
Then Han Seoyeon patted the horse's butt, and the beast neighed once and started running. It was a considerable speed, as it was a carefully selected fine horse.
After watching it for a while with satisfaction, Han Seoyeon turned her head again to look at Mika Eru, or rather the deity who had descended.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. The candidates have been narrowed down to a few, but who is it?"
"Okinaga Tarashihime no Mikoto."
"...So you intend to come out as Hachiman-sama?"
Han Seoyeon pressed her forehead in difficulty, but raised the rifle with one hand to aim at the opponent.
"Insufficient calculation."
"I thought the debt settlement was clean... Do you need to take at least one limb?"
"Still insufficient, Kirishitan."
"...No choice."
She sighed, then immediately changed her expression, pulled the rifle and fired from the hip.
"Tsk."
But she stopped just before. A hand with snow-white skin extended from the air and grabbed the barrel of the rifle, crumpling it.
If shot now, it would definitely explode internally. Han Seoyeon clicked her tongue and threw the rifle away without hesitation.
It was right after Han Seoyeon threw the gun and created distance that another hand appeared in the air and pulled the trigger arbitrarily.
Boom! The explosion rang out, ripping the metal apart.
The two hands that broke Han Seoye's rifle wriggled a few times in the air and then dissolved into the background.
The orchestrator, Michael. The alias comes from the miracles she wields, just like 'Arbiter'.
"At that time, human fingers appeared and wrote letters on the limestone wall opposite the palace candle, and the king saw the finger writing the letters..."
Han Seoyeon murmured the verse from Daniel, slightly furrowing her brows.
Han Seoyeon is, if you think about it, closer to the type that fights with tricks from a heavenly perspective that has long left the human world.
And the opponent was a person who specialized in thoroughly sealing those tricks. Moreover, this side was not fully prepared for weapons.
But.
"Still, I intend to win."
If she got hurt, she'd get scolded by Ninomae. If that's the end, it would be good, and she could blame herself for not protecting her from the side.
So she could take the beating and come back...
'...No. Is this an excuse?'
The truth was something simpler than that.
"If I come back defeated, it's embarrassing. I can never show that to Ninomae-san."
"Interesting. I never thought I'd hear that from Bartholomew even after falling into the afterlife. Surely it's a parable?"
"...She is precious to me. Even if not in that sense."
"If not in that sense, it's even more serious. As the great Bodhisattva, I swear that your head is full of stains, Kirishitan. ──Well, it doesn't matter. My body is itching, I can't hold on anymore, so let's dance once."
In the park set up on the artificial island, the gazes of the two miko who had drawn their weapons crossed.