Himegami no Miko v1c2

Hey! I’ve revived! Here is Himegami no Miko (姫神の巫女) Part I, Chapter 2!
h.e.l.lo everybody! I’m releasing Chapter 2. I know, I know; it’s been over a year since I did Chapter 1. It’s also been a year of many changes for me now that I’ve been thrust into the real world following undergraduate studies but I won’t bore you with any of those details. I want to continue with this project again especially since I don’t really get to practice my j.a.panese now that I’m not taking cla.s.ses anymore. However, I am trying to find a way back to j.a.pan next year. Hopefully my plans work out!

Anyway, I’ll just post the translated text here now. Also, if you’re reading this, feel free to leave a comment! I know more than three people out there are reading this but I’d like to interact more with the crowd, mmkay? Enjoy! :)

Disclaimer: Himegami no Miko belongs to Uetake Sumio-san, while the ill.u.s.trations belong to Kaishaku, and can be accessed here. I’m only translating for my own practice and enjoyment as well as that of an English-speaking audience. No profit whatsoever is being made through ads or any such methods because I’m not interested in making any.

Chikane and Himeko were born on a small, distant island off of the Sea of j.a.pan known as Totsuka Island.
It is said that there is a legend that has never left this island.
A G.o.d is enshrined at center of the island in Mt. Biwa- a colossal cursed G.o.d called the Orochi (Ookami) is sealed away there.
When this cursed G.o.d awakens, its anger is said to shake the mountain, split the sea and swallow the island whole.
In order to pacify this dreaded G.o.d, the “Ceremony to Appease the Spirit of the Dead” is carried out.
Among the inhabitants of the island, two divine girls are then born on the same day and at the same time that, during the particular juncture, have the proof of this somewhere on their bodies.
These ‘divine girls’ chosen by the Orochi have one simple mission:
To meet and risk their lives in battle following their 15th birthday.
Subsequently, the divine girl who is the winner offers the life of the one who was defeated to the Orochi on her 16th birthday in order to serve as pacification of the turbulent G.o.d.
The name of this ritual is “Houtenkon” (roughly meaning ‘Soul Offered to Heaven’).
The chosen ones by the Orochi this time are Himeko of the Hinomiya family and Chikane of the Kouzuki family.
Both households put forth all their effort and carried out top-secret, special training for the girls.
Power beyond mere human comprehension of the Orochi had been dispersed within the bodies of the ‘divine girls’ and, thus, the more they trained, the more their powers increased.
If the girl of their own household is victorious, the members of that family will be publicly recognized by the senior kin amongst the ruling family of the island and be able to obtain honor and privilege.
In the grand training hall of the Kouzuki family, Chikane prominently elevated her skills.
From the time past her 10th birthday, she demonstrated growth as a top-notch warrior as she had both speed in her swing and sharpness in her blade.
In her mind, she vowed to defeat the ‘divine girl’ with her skilled arm.
But on the day of their 15th birthday, an incident occurred.
The divine girl from the Hinomiya family, Himeko, suddenly disappeared from the island without a trace.
There are only two things prohibited that pertain to the battle.
1. Revealing the secret of the legend to those who are not native to the island.
Carelessly involving outsiders and causing a huge scandal is also tied closely with this.
2. Killing the other ‘divine girl’ anytime before the 16th birthday.
So, naturally, inadvertently executing an attack, using deceptive means, performing an ambush and carrying out other such schemes are common.
Rather, the turning point of the bout during the “Ceremony to Appease the Spirit of the Dead” can depend on how much damage is inflicted upon the other over the course of one year.
“I won’t allow it.” With those words, Chikane also rushed off the island in pursuit of her.
She transferred schools repeatedly as a high school student in her search for Himeko when, at last, she got a lead into a certain school in Tokyo where she was hiding.
In high spirits, Chikane traveled through Tokyo during the night.
This had been her target as long as she could remember.
To cut her skin, to shed her blood, to engrave pain and learned techniques onto that body,
To impel her blazing fighting spirit and icy cool-headedness into her heart and mind,
On nights the moon was visible, that figure appeared repeatedly,
Behind her eyelids, those techniques came to mind.
Like yearning for her, as if she made her blood boil and ached for her, she came to think of nothing but her.
The opponent she was fated to have thousands of encounters with and many battles yet to unfold consumed her mind.
At last….at last they’d be able to meet.
At the prospect of their long-awaited meeting, Chikane felt her chest begin to throb.
Not good-.
Chikane poured all her strength into the hand that drew her long sword.
The st.u.r.diness and coldness of the steel served to cool off Chikane’s mind.
I can’t become too agitated. Heat can become strength but it can also lead to openings for attack,
Chikane warned herself.
I am the moon that hovers in the night sky.
My radiance is serene and lacks any pa.s.sion or ardor.
That is who I am.
This is the mantra she repeated to herself tens of thousands of times.

Finally, we come to the rooftop of a building in nighttime Tokyo.
Chikane had caught sight of Himeko.
It was a strange spectacle.
There were three figures on the rooftop.
A girl with pigtails was looking down at the fallen Himeko and there was another with shoulder-length hair that wore gla.s.ses.
The pigtailed girl sneered as she flashed her sword.
The girl with gla.s.ses shook her head in bewilderment. She was probably admonishing the pigtailed girl for her carelessness.
Himeko’s uniform was tattered about, her underwear and white skin visible.
That material was gradually being dyed red.
That’s―the blood of Himeko, the divine girl of the Hinomiya family.
Before she could think, before she could even remember, Chikane had been after her.
Without making a sound, without giving away any sign, she drew nearer to the two like a whirlwind.
The distance remaining to certain death and victory was ten steps, five steps…
“!?”
At last, both girls turned their heads.
Kicking off the ground, she leapt back into the night sky.
At the same time, the girl wearing gla.s.ses waved her hand and silver light successively came forth.
The weapon the gla.s.ses girl was throwing are said to be similar to darts that were once used by shin.o.bi.
They are quite difficult to throw but, even if the blade is not fixed upon a target, it can inflict damage with just the weight of them.
Furthermore, she was scattering some ten or so darts upwards, to the middle, or downwards, shifting the timing as she threw them.
With this, even if one dart is avoided, she could end up being struck by others.
Worst of all, the pigtailed girl was changing her stance in order to buy more time…that was her objective.
It was as perfectly coordinated as an intake of breath. It seems like they were used to fighting beside each other as a pair.
An average wielder, no, they would give even a skilled opponent a run for their money.
However, Chikane is a “divine girl.”
Chikane further increased her speed and was closing in on the pigtailed girl.
The pigtailed girl’s hand thrummed as she struck.
It was a quick and sharp blow that burned the air.
However, Chikane easily dodged it.
There is no way that this nimble body that dances like feathers in the wind can be struck.
Now that their arrangement had crumbled, Chikane seized the pigtailed girl by the wrist and drew her closer.
She used her as a shield against the oncoming dart.
The pigtailed girl’s scream resounded throughout the night.
Chikane landed and casually let go of the pigtailed girl’s wrist.
The pigtailed girl lost consciousness and feebly tumbled to the ground.
The darts had struck her body at several places and, even if none had been fatal blows, the recipient would soon not bear to stand.
Standing several meters behind, the girl wearing gla.s.ses was getting ready to use more darts.
She experienced a candid thirst for blood as she kept breathing.
Was it shock and dread at the face of their overwhelming difference in power…or anger for her fallen comrade?
Chikane slowly turned around.
The moon illuminated her dazzling face.
The gla.s.ses girl’s facial expression stiffened in surprise.
“Gr-, Great Priestess…”
The darts fell from her hand to the ground, producing a heavy sound.
She finally seemed to understand just who exactly she was dealing with.
“I’m terribly sorry. I’d never… think you would be part of the resistance, Priestess Kouzuki.”
The gla.s.ses girl kneeled in haste.
The two were part of the ‘kudara’ that served the Kouzuki household.
Skilled in their occupation of carrying out side jobs such as investigations and surprise attacks, they had served as Chikane’s training partners.
However, Chikane had commanded them only to search for the “Hinomiya Priestress.” She strictly ordered that, by no means, were they to lay a hand on her.
It is likely it was a secret command issued by the head of the Kouzuki family in order to gain the advantage in the battle or that it was the eagerness of the two in wanting to carry out a commendable deed.
The only one allowed to lay a hand on this girl was the one that, for 15 years, had gone through many h.e.l.ls.
All of her down to a strand of hair, to a drop of blood, belonged to Priestess Chikane.
Chikane’s eyes shone brightly in anger.
The girl wearing gla.s.ses had been defeated by her might and could not even raise her head.
Shivers ran down her spine.
Chikane waved her hand, signaling for her to stand.
She uttered things like stupid comrades, among other foul things. She wanted for them disappear from her sight as soon as possible that instant.
“As you wish.”
The gla.s.ses girl jumped back as if she had been forced back and left in a flash while carrying the pigtailed girl.
The Kouzuki ‘kudara’ would straighten out the aftermath of the battle by morning.
The battle was over and silence came.
The only ones remaining were the night and moon as well as the two confronting priestesses.
This was fine. This precisely was the appropriate stage for them.
Chikane turned to face the fallen Himeko.
Then, she thrust her sword at Himeko and confirmed the symbol on her chest, p.r.o.nouncing her sentence to a cruel death.
“I will not let anyone harm you. I will be the one who kills you,” she said.
Himegami no Miko
Yet, Himeko did not appear frightened, nor did she show any resistance.
On the contrary, she completely surrendered to Chikane.
Himeko spoke.
It’s okay if you kill me. But I only have one wish…
“Until our 16th birthday, I want you to become my friend…”
Chikane’s eyes opened wide in surprise.
She had conceived of every possible type of battling pattern― even including argumentative, by the same token―and all approaches to deal with them.
No matter what happened, her manner was perfect.
For Chikane who had come to believe this, that single word was completely unantic.i.p.ated and took her by surprise.
What is this girl saying?
The “Ceremony to Appease the Spirit of the Dead” is no laughing matter; it spans across the generations of people born on the island and is their ultimate fate.
It is futile to be scared of and run away from the battle.
The families and elders cannot permit that.
No, the law in place on the island since ancient times does not permit it.
No matter how she looked at it, it was a trap to entice Chikane’s negligence.
What obvious deception―!
The ripples of shock that had rendered Chikane’s heart immobile began to settle.
“You… What is your intention?”
Chikane progressively put more of her strength into the sword that she had thrust at Himeko’s chest.
She pressed the tip of the polished blade into her white, soft skin and a drop of red blood came to the surface.
“Surely, you don’t believe that you can deceive me with such a lie?”
She wouldn’t kill her. By no means would she kill her. For now.
But if she said anything else to further mess with her…
Chikane would not hesitate to show her proper punishment by causing her unbearable pain and disgrace.
For example, by slashing her with a life-ending wound.
Or crushing her heart into many small pieces.
Chikane would instill into her the feeling of wanting to toss her will and arrogance aside, even the callousness of such methods.
There was a glint in Chikane’s eyes who stared into Himeko’s own with her soul ablaze and a thirst for blood.
No brave soldier, no beast living in the darkness or other such being existed that could withstand her might or the sharpness of her blade.
If it was true that the other girl was good at secrets, she only needed to try hiding her intent.
Nevertheless, Himeko slowly shook her head.
“It’s the truth.”
Her eyes held the same radiance as ever of longing and desire.
It was as if she were the one ripple that stood on the surface of water in the middle of a storm where the winds of death blew violently.
Even Chikane could not help but be at a loss for words.
Despite witnessing the inevitable despair that was closing in on her, how could this girl smile so innocently this way?
Transporting the reticent Chikane to a different place, Himeko’s lips continued to spin cheerful words.
“Then, what about this?”
“…..?”
“Whenever you believe that wouldn’t want to do it anymore, you can stop. At that time, you can do whatever you want to me.”
“!!”
“I beg the people from your family… If that’s the case, then it’s okay, right? So..”
Himeko raised her eyes to look at Chikane’s face.
“Please become my most important person.”
Only Chikane and the moon of the night sky were reflected in Himeko’s eyes.
And thus, Chikane―

“Well then, Chikane-chan.”
Himeko’s words brought Chikane back to reality.
Her voice resonated contentedly in her ears like chirp of a small bird in the morning.
Chikane suddenly thought,
I probably would not mind and find it enjoyable listening to this forever…
Still, she wouldn’t be able to say that aloud.
“Himeko.”
“Eh?”
“Let’s continue our conversation after we get off.”
“Ah!!”
Coming to her senses, Himeko hurriedly confirmed the name of the station.
There have been times when they rode past the station they needed to get off at because Himeko became too absorbed in conversation.
If their tickets are rendered useless, Himeko will end up feeling dejected again.
For that reason, the two of them began to run in haste.