The moment of tranquility that Fujiko Hoshino enjoyed was very short, and it was only a flash of effort for them to reach their destination.

Hachiman Shrine.

Small, standing in the mountains and forests.

As usual, there is a stone staircase and a faded red torii gate.

Sawaki Otomo parked the car on the side of the road and asked if he needed to take them up, and Keisuke Aoi waved his hand to indicate that he didn't need to.

The stairs are not long, and if you look up, you can see the roof tiles of the shrine, so there is no accident of getting lost.

"Let's go, President."

"Hmm."

Hoshino got off the car as usual, and the ease and comfort quietly disappeared, making people fall deeper and deeper into the world.

She walked on the thick earth, but she was like a lone tree walking on the abyss.

"Quack!"

On the branches, there seemed to be a row of pitch-black crows, with their crimson eyes, screaming at her.

With another flick of his head, Hoshino stepped into the sunlight and bathed in it, and all he saw was Keisuke Ao, who had begun to climb the stairs.

His movements are gentle and graceful, reminiscent of a leisurely mountain crane, but only if you don't look at his disgusting face.

After walking through more than a hundred stone steps, the two of them arrived at Hachiman Shrine.

Because the stairs are relatively narrow, even Hoshino can step two or three steps at a time, so he actually walked dozens of steps.

The shrine is surrounded by a fence-like jade wall that separates the divine realm from the mundane realm, though Aokeisuke did not notice any difference between the two realms.

On both sides of the stone path, a pair of canine gods are placed, and there are ropes on both sides to create an atmosphere.

Shinto leads straight to the main hall, where an old priest dressed plainly is sweeping the courtyard alone with a broom.

The "believers" who arrived early in the morning seemed to surprise him.

He hurriedly put down the work at hand and guided the two of them to the side to clean their hands and mouths.

Keisuke Aoi and Hoshino looked at each other, but neither of them thought about visiting the shrine.

"What do you call the Divine Master?"

"Ah, it's rude, it's Hiranuma Key, and it's the god Hachiman that is enshrined here."

Temizusha, that is, the pool next to the shrine, is something that is often seen in anime, and you scoop water with a spoon with a wooden handle.

The water from the spring was so clear that it seemed to be drinkable directly, but of course neither of them drank it.

Because of the excessive enthusiasm of the old god of Hiranuma Key, the two symbolically visited the main hall.

Qing Keisuke was especially perfunctory, just clapped his hands, and the old god lord didn't care.

While chatting, the old priest told them that his granddaughter had gone to school, and that he had only come to the shrine to help on weekends, and that he was a shrine maiden apprentice he was very proud of.

Aokeisuke was already interested in inquiring about the news, so he chatted, and Hiranuma Ken warmly invited them to make tea in the back house.

"It's just some coarse tea, please don't mind."

"It's not flavorful!"

Keisuke Aoi felt that he and Arisugawa often chatted, and it was indeed not without gain.

The three of them sat in a tea house facing the corridor aisle, and they could see the scenery of Mt. Osawa from the outside.

Although it is located in the middle of nowhere, it is clear that it was built with great care.

Fujiko Hoshino basically didn't interject, although she was the one who was eager to investigate the truth, but with Keisuke Aoi playing a role, she was happy to sit back and enjoy it.

"Hiranuma Kamijo, we're curious about Yuzawa's theological culture, but apart from Hachimanga, are there any other gods enshrined in this area?" Keisuke Aoi asked.

"Oh!"

The old god lord shouted happily and strangely when he heard this, such a young man is rare.

He carefully looked at the two of them for a while with cloudy eyes, marveled at their appearance, and sighed that his granddaughter would be excited if she could see the two.

"It's hard to say the words of the gods...... However, there are many shrines, such as the mountain on the south side of Mt. Osawa and there are two smaller ones called Odazawa and Miyata Shrine.

There is an Atago Shrine on the other side of Mt. Atago......"

Although they are different shrines, the old god still tells the answers that Aoi Keisuke wants to know one by one.

Aokeisuke glanced at Hoshino without a trace, and Hoshino shook his head at him, his shoulder-length short hair swaying slightly with her movements, like a weeping willow in a spring day.

"Hiranuma Divine Lord, I wonder if there is anything more unknown, or even something that has disappeared naturally?

To be honest, this is the subject of our summer research, so we want to study something more hidden. ”

"This ......"

Hearing this, the old god lord subconsciously wrinkled his white eyebrows, and then said without hesitation: "There should be no ......"

Even the lies are so vague, it seems that this old god is indeed a good person.

Keisuke Aoi and Hoshino looked at each other tacitly, and she also asked Keisuke Aoi this question, and she learned some new clues.

Skipping the topic, Hiranuma recommended many spots and long-established restaurants in Yuzawa that were worth visiting in the summer, and based on the content of the second half, Keisuke Aoi simply wrote down everything.

"Thank you so much for your hospitality."

"Where, I hope you have a good time in Yuzawa."

The old god lord smiled, and took out two handmade guards and gave them them.

As he walked down the approach and stairs, Hoshino asked Keisuke Aoi if the god of Hachiman Shrine had the power of the mysterious side, and Keisuke Aoi shook his head in denial.

"It's a very ordinary shrine, and it doesn't have that kind of power."

"That's it."

"But you, the president, seem to have discovered something?"

"Do you mean that blunt turn of events?" Hoshino said with a slight move in his eyes.

"Hmm...... Is it just this? Keisuke Aoi was noncommittal.

"If you have something to say, you can say it directly." The eldest lady was still composed.

"No, it's okay, where are you going next?"

It would be too strange to go straight back to the inn, so Hoshino said to go to the town.

On the side of the highway, Sawaki Otomo waited for a while, and there was an ashtray on the front cover of the car, and a bunch of cigarette butts had been inserted.

When he saw two people walking down, he immediately pinched the cigarette in his hand.

"Oh, I didn't expect you to be able to hang out for so long."

"I'm sorry, I chatted with the old god lord here for a while, and the next time I want to travel, I will tell you how long it will take."

"Hey, it's okay if you don't!"

Sawaki Otomo waved his hand very heartily and competently, sat in the driver's seat and asked where to go next.

Keisuke Aoi casually said a place, which is located in the town and recommended by the old god.

Yuzawa is a place that is especially worth visiting in the summer, but it is not much more famous than Tokyo, and it is best known as a ski resort in winter.

On this hot summer day, it's better to go to Karuizawa, which is just over an hour's drive from Yuzawa, than Yuzawa.

But it's always here, and there's definitely something to be said about the summer scenery, so there's no harm in getting around.

The car started again, the on-board air conditioner rumbling and trying to blow a cool breeze, Keisuke Aoi took out the book Hoshino had lent him and flipped through it from the first page.

Unexpectedly, the Demon King quickly immersed himself in it.

The story of "Snow Country" can be summarized as the story of a married man who comes to Yuzawa and has a relationship with a geisha here.

The seemingly simple events have become extremely poignant and hazy in Yasunari Kawabata's pen, and people can't help but be fascinated by the place they are in.

Even if it's just a distant world in a book.

Snow Country's article is not long, but the words are worth remembering, so Keisuke Aoi doesn't read it quickly.

When Sawaki Otomo saw Keisuke Aoi reading a book in the car, he wanted to persuade him to say that it was not good for his eyes, but after reading the title of the book, he closed his mouth again.

"Mr. Sawaki."

Halfway through the line, Fujiko Hoshino, who had been sitting silently in the back row, suddenly spoke, and the cold voice scared Sawaki Otomo a shudder, but fortunately, his hand still held the steering wheel very steadily.

Even Keisuke Aoi was withdrawn from the snowy world because of this, and subconsciously sighed.

"Uh...... What's wrong? The...... Miss? Sawaki asked cautiously.

"Just call her Hoshino." Keisuke Aoi added.

"Excuse me, what's the name of the shrine in the old days in Mt. Osawa?"

"Uh...... Yes! What? ”

"Yes...... Is there such a shrine? ”

If it weren't for Keisuke Ao's hurry to help hold the steering wheel, Sawaki would have really driven into the ravine when he heard Hoshino ask.

Some people died, but not completely......