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It was just that the clock on her wall was messed up again. Half a day had passed in a time that didn't exist.
Maria knocked on the door and came in, then casually adjusted the time on the wall clock.
I remember that at first, she thought there was something wrong with the clock, but after checking, she found that she had not forgotten to wind up the clock. She wanted to change the clock, but was stopped by the eldest lady.
The clock is normal.
After a few times, she had become accustomed to this strange phenomenon.
If it were another child, they would probably be naughty and like to mess up the clock. But the eldest daughter would not do that, so it was probably another magical side of the eldest daughter that she did not understand.
"Good morning, Miss. Here is the ironed school uniform. Your hair is really messy, do you want me to help you comb it?"
"Good morning, Maria."
She slept for too long and her hair was messy. But Ling rejected Maria's kindness and said she could do her own thing. She was not like Kuze, who made her hair into a work of art. She just simply combed her hair and didn't need help from others.
It's a new day, peaceful and tranquil. I carry my schoolbag and go to school happily.
Only those who have experienced the pain of high school know that going to elementary school is really a happy thing. Boring courses and playful teaching materials are all luxuries.
For Lingye, it was quite interesting to be able to repeat elementary school. I really don't know why the Kudo washer was so complaining. Didn't he do a lot of exercises in high school? Didn't he have to stay up late every day?
Primary school is great. The curriculum is simple and the activities are rich.
"Have you heard? The amulet of Tsukimine Shrine is very effective."
Such rumors spread throughout the class.
It's not just in the class. To be more precise, it's spreading outside and the class has also heard the news.
"Tsukimine Shrine? Isn't that the shrine where we filmed the TV show?"
Tomoyo was familiar with the name. It turned out that the shrine was not just a filming location, but was it really used as a shrine for praying?
"Reiya, they say that the amulet of Tsukimine Shrine is really effective?"
Tomoyo thought that Ling, who was also a shrine maiden, should know more.
"probably."
perhaps?
"If Chise wants, I have quite a few here."
Lingye said this and took out a number of amulets from her pocket.
"So many? You asked for all of them... No, did you make these amulets?"
"Ah."
Although it’s a little late to say this, she is the shrine maiden of Tsukimine Shrine.
Chapter 230 Cold Moon Ceremony
Being a shrine maiden requires practicing in a shrine. It is not an identity, but a clear job to undertake.
Ling was also registered at Izumo Taisha Shrine, but it was not convenient for her to stay in Izumo permanently, so Hisayo arranged for her to stay at Tsukimine Shrine in Tokyo.
It was just that she had never taken this matter to heart before, and it was only when Kuze reminded her of this responsibility during her first visit that she remembered that she had this responsibility. She felt a little guilty, as she had skipped classes for so long and had not even reported in once.
Fortunately, Yuefeng Shrine did not require her to stay there permanently.
The Tsukumine Shrine is also from the Izumo lineage, and the main shrine is dedicated to Okuninushi, and also to the Three Nobles. However, the Izumo shrine is dedicated to Amaterasu, one of the Three Nobles, while the one here is dedicated to Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto, the moon god in mythology.
This shrine has not been popular in Tokyo for many years, and has even fallen to the point where it needs to be used as a filming location to earn rent to cover daily expenses. This is not surprising, as there are too many famous shrines in Tokyo.
There is the Kanda Shrine, which prays for prosperous business and a successful start; there is the Atago Shrine, which also prays for a successful career and abundant wealth; there is the Koami Shrine, which prays for good exam results and good health; and there is the Yoyogi Hachimangu Shrine, which prays for the elimination of recent bad luck and wards off disasters.
What is there at Gekmine Shrine?
Tsukuyomi is the god of agriculture, blessing the year with good weather and good harvests. This is really remarkable, and in the past it was closely related to everyone. It determined whether there would be a good year or a famine.
One hundred years before the end, incense was constantly burning in front of the throne of Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto.
But are there still farmlands in Tokyo today?
Tsukimine Shrine hasn't had a single authorized shrine maiden for many years.
The shrine only has an apprentice (assistant) shrine maiden who sweeps the grounds diligently, and in the past even ordinary festivals could not be held.
After learning that Izumo Taisha had arranged for a priestess to be ordained, the chief priest of the shrine was overjoyed. However, after waiting for several months, there was no news.
Fortunately, after the first ceremony of the Spring Festival, the girl finally came to the shrine. The priest did not dare to ask for more, and just worshipped the girl like a god on the altar.
In fact, the shrine has become more popular in recent months, precisely because it was used as a filming location.
In the last few episodes of the last season of "Cardcaptor", Teacher Mizuki was set as the shrine maiden of Tsukimine Shrine, which led to the subsequent "Final Judgment". This shrine has appeared in many scenes on TV.
Touring the holy land is something that many viewers love to do, which has brought a lot of exposure to this real shrine, making this nearly abandoned shrine more popular.
This was before Lingye went to the shrine. After she went there, Tsukimine Shrine finally had its own shrine maiden.
This means that Tsukimine Shrine, like Kanda Shrine and Atago Shrine, has amulets and ema and is qualified to hold festivals.
The chief priest of the shrine has been feeling quite proud these days.
The amulets around Lingye were all blessed by her. It was just a dance ritual that Kuze taught her. She did not use any supernatural power, so there was no mysterious element.
At least that's what she thought. But judging from the response from the pilgrims, it was surprisingly good.
“Does this really work?”
Tomoyo took an amulet. The amulet should be addressed with "please", but the maker was right in front of her and was her friend. It was a bit strange to use such a respectful word as "please".
"I don't know, it might be a psychological effect."
Even though the person involved said so, Tomoyo didn't believe it. This amulet must be really effective.
Ling was not a qualified shrine maiden, and she never practiced as a shrine maiden. In fact, she didn't even know how to practice as a shrine maiden, what taboos and rules there were, and Jiuze didn't teach her.
The practice of a shrine maiden is to empty the mind, purify the body and mind, and always be careful in words and deeds to serve the gods. You should be grateful for food, clothing, shelter and transportation, and these are not taken for granted. The sun and rain are gifts from the gods.
The most important job of a witch is to please the gods.
This is also the reason why Kuze did not teach Reiya how to practice. Because Kuze did not think that he knew more than Reiya about how to please the gods.
To please the gods. To please whom? Gaia?
But Gaia never needs Lingye to please her.
Gaia had never made any demands on her. After giving herself the Light of Gaia, she, or He, had never ordered herself to do anything. Instead, she often took care of herself.
Even Ling herself sometimes felt that Gai Yatai was accommodating her.
Even in another world, her parents never cared about her so much.
If this is what worship is, she is willing to worship Gaia, not to a god, but like her elders. But even so, Lingye's battle is not for Gaia, every time he fights against the super beast, it is out of his own heart.
"Speaking of Tsukimine Shrine, Tomoyo, are you free on the 25th?"
"The 25th is next Sunday?"
"Yes, there is a Kangetsu Festival at Tsukimine Shrine. Do you want to go with us?"
“Is it a temple fair?”
"Correct."
There is the Summer Festival in summer, and the Cold Moon Festival in late winter and early spring. These are not grand festivals, but just temple fairs.
"Is Ling going to perform as a miko too?"
“There is no such arrangement.”
Moreover, the priestess's ritual is not called a 'performance'. Although Ling Ye herself does not mind, it would be bad if others heard it, after all, the religious atmosphere in this country is still quite strong.
The Cold Moon Festival was prepared by the chief priest of Tsukimine Shrine himself. Lingye was not asked to do anything, and it was not an official festival, but just an ordinary temple fair in the literal sense.
The amulets that need to be sold at the temple fair have been prepared in advance, and there will be assistant shrine maidens in charge of selling them.
Lingye just needs to be a tourist.
The shrine has been getting more and more lively recently, so the chief priest has the idea of holding a temple fair. For Tsukimine Shrine, this is also a grand event that has not been held for many years.
In fact, as far as the residents around here can remember, Tsukimine Shrine has probably never held a temple fair.
Before that, it can be traced back to the Taisho era, or maybe the Meiji era, when Tokyo was still a farmland. I heard that the Tsukimine Shrine was very popular in the surrounding area, and there may have been an ancient temple fair at that time.
Decades, hundreds of years, that’s a few generations that have passed and the memory has long been forgotten.
But memories are something that can be recreated.
A week passed quickly. Sunday, the 25th, was a good day. In the evening, a waning moon hung in the sky early.
Ling also checked. According to the lunar calendar of the ancient country across the sea, today should be the 23rd day of the first lunar month, a week after the Lantern Festival. I forgot to eat glutinous rice balls, but it doesn't matter. I'll make up for it today.
The torii gate in front of the mountain gate of Gekmine Shrine is painted white. With hundreds of years of history, it is older than many famous shrines. It existed when Tokyo was still called Edo.
Reiya, Tomoyo and Sakura meet at the foot of the mountain.
"You're here really early, Tomoyo."
When Tomoyo heard Reiya's voice and turned around, she saw a face wearing a fox mask.
"Wow, what a surprise."
Although she said this, Tomoyo was not frightened. No one would be frightened when seeing a mask. This is not a story with a cliché plot.
"I have two more here, Chise, choose one."
It’s said that you can choose randomly, but in fact they are all the same fox masks.
Chiyo asked, "Why do you want to wear this?" and took one away.
"Because I don't want to be disturbed."
Anyone who comes to the temple fair for the "holy pilgrimage" to Gassamine Shrine will definitely recognize these three girls.
Sakura, Tomoyo, and Reiya, the three of them together are definitely eye-catching. So they are not here to see the scenery, but to be seen as the scenery.
Becoming a star satisfied my vanity, but I lost my freedom. It's hard to say whether it's a gain or a loss.
"That makes sense." Chishi understood immediately, because this place was not far from her home. She came here by bus and someone asked for her autograph on the way.
She put the mask on and it was so cute.
If it is summer, girls attending the temple fair will generally wear yukata, but forget about it in winter, as it would be freezing to death.