Chapter 61
The flames were similar in form to those blazing on the altar, with unrealistically vivid colors. The only difference was that unlike the sacred fire that burned only red, these flames were mixed with blue and white light.
It looked as if a flame painting had been created with three colors.
"-!"
Rise screamed as Narumi burst into flames.
She was so shocked that she covered her mouth with both hands and collapsed to the ground, staring blankly at Jinseong's face with wide eyes.
Jinseong spoke to Rise, who was trembling finely from shock, as if to reassure her.
"Don't worry. This fire only burns the immaterial."
A flame that burned only the immaterial.
A flame that burned at the boundary between material and immaterial.
A flame that could burn either material or immaterial according to will.
A flame that had similar properties to the sacred fire on the altar, but originated from a person.
"This is the Samadhi True Fire."
It was a flame that could only be lit after reaching the state of Samadhi.
After long practice, when one reached deep into the mind, or reached a high place in the mind, one attained the state of Samadhi.
There, one could understand the essence of formless things like concepts and the unconscious, and see the true essence of things with substance like objects.
One of these essences always took the form of a flame, which was both a flame seated in one's unconscious and a flame-shaped blooming of the concepts and ideas that made up oneself.
If one witnessed this, one could light a flame that could affect both the material and immaterial, the visible and invisible, which was called the Samadhi True Fire.
Because it was a state that could be reached through mental training, it was a widely spread technique, but at the same time, it was a technique that could never be used no matter how strong one was if one lacked mental strength.
So it was often seen used by martial artists, sorcerers, seekers, practitioners, alchemists, and clergy who have reached a certain level, but conversely, mages, scientists, and summoners often couldn’t use the Samadhi True Fire.
Samadhi, True Fire?
But there were levels to Samadhi, and grades to the Samadhi True Fire.
The Samadhi True Fire Jinseong was using looked different on a whole other level from what could occasionally be seen.
Ordinary Samadhi True Fire was at best like a match flame, or at most a bonfire level, but what Jinseong was producing was large enough to swallow a person whole.
Moreover, it had much clearer colors than others' Samadhi True Fire, and it was burning while distorting the area around the flame as if to burn even the boundary between material and immaterial.
The blazing flames used Narumi as firewood and burned brightly, alternately shining with red, blue, and white light. And eventually, it changed to a vivid blue color like ultramarine made from lapis lazuli, and began to emit an acrid smell.
"---!"
A smell like burning protein.
A smell like burning human hair.
Along with it, a strong fishy smell also wafted, and a strong smell of urine as well.
It was a smell that couldn't be called good even as a white lie.
"That's right!"
As the smell wafted, Jinseong joyfully levitated and brought over the sacred object.
Then the unconscious Narumi began to groan as if in pain, clutching her throat with both hands while coughing. After dry heaving a few times, she began to expel something like translucent white smoke from her mouth.
"-!"
The white smoke tried to fly towards the nearby sacred object as soon as it escaped from Narumi's body, but Jinseong, as if to prevent this, wrapped the sacred object with Samadhi True Fire to block the smoke from entering. Then he grabbed the floundering smoke with an invisible hand, gathered it in one place to form a sphere, and held it out to Rise.
"Here, eat it."
Eat this? This?
Rise looked at Jinseong with an expression that hoped it was a joke, but unfortunately, his face was resolute.
Jinseong brought the sphere, which was about half the size of Rise's head and made from the white smoke Narumi had just vomited, close to her as if urging her to eat it quickly.
The smell!
What was more terrible was that the sphere smelled.
Fortunately, there was no smell of urine, but the smell of burning hair and a fishy odor were strong. No, the smoke itself was the smell.
Rise opened her mouth to try to eat it somehow because Jinseong had ordered it, but she dry heaved at the terrible smell that invaded her nose, and after retching for a while, at the moment she inhaled to catch her breath.
"-----?!"
Jinseong shoved the smoke directly into Rise's mouth.
As the smoke entered Rise's body, the smell that had been wafting until just now disappeared as if it were a lie, and the white smoke became tasteless and odorless. The smoke entered her body and spread throughout every corner of Rise's body, and after some time passed, it came out again through her mouth and circled around her body.
Seeing this, Jinseong placed a fox statuette in her arms.
Then the smoke went back and forth between the fox statuette and her, then moved to settle around Rise's head and bottom, forming a shape.
Eventually–
"It's successful."
The smoke shimmered and took on color, creating a shape like a hologram.
A tail?
The shape created by the smoke was fox ears and a fox tail.
Fox ears were perked up on top of Rise's head, and three fluffy fox tails were swaying at her bottom.
Rise touched the tail that had appeared on her body, curious, and felt a softness smoother than any fabric. Moreover, the tail itself seemed to have sensation, as she could feel the stroking of her hand directly. The feeling was similar to stroking hair, so it was a bit ticklish.
"Now that this has fulfilled its role as a sacrifice, it's no longer needed."
Once Rise had gained ears and a tail, Jinseong withdrew the Samadhi True Fire and threw Narumi to the ground.
Rise looked at Narumi being thrown to the ground with a start, then felt something strange.
I can't feel any divine power.
The trace of divine power that she could feel even a little before was no longer perceptible.
Rise looked at Narumi with doubt, and Jinseong opened his mouth as if reading her thoughts.
"Your thoughts are correct. This is no longer a shrine maiden, and has lost all divine power."
Not a shrine maiden?
"Instead, all the qualifications and divine power she had have gone to you, so now you are both a shrine maiden of Mukurikokuri no Inugami and a shrine maiden of Inari, and at the same time, not a shrine maiden of either."
Jinseong answered Rise's question like this.
Mukurikokuri no Inugami and Inari. A shrine maiden serving both, and a shrine maiden serving neither.
Rise felt like she somehow understood the meaning of those words.
She used divine power originating from Mukurikokuri no Inugami, but what gave it to her was not Mukurikokuri no Inugami but the slime created by Jinseong.
She became able to use divine power originating from Inari, but what would give it to her was not Inari but the slime.
So she was both a shrine maiden of both and not a shrine maiden of either.
However, she didn’t serve the slime either, and she worshiped the sphere of light created by manifesting what she saw with spirit eyes, so it could be said to be truly strange. The god given by Jinseong was the god she served but didn’t give divine power, and what gave divine power was Jinseong's creation but not a god.
If this wasn't called bizarre, what else could it be called?
If one had to say, Rise could be described as a shrine maiden of a non-existent virtual god and a heretical shrine maiden worshiping an idol.
Moreover, she could be called a truly bizarre shrine maiden who devours other gods and grows in power.
"I predicted it would work well because dogs and foxes have similar essences, but the result was even better than expected. Very good, very good."
It could be said that she matched very well with Jinseong, whose very existence was heterogeneous.
Jinseong walked towards Rise, who was sitting down looking up at him, and touched her head.
Her hair, full of divine power, was soft like touching silk, and the ears perked up between were soft yet fluffy to the touch. Moreover, the ears were soft yet elastic, and they twitched slightly with each touch as if feeling the sensation.
And the fur of the fox tails swaying above was the epitome of supreme texture.
Moreover, as it directly contained Inari's divine power, it seemed like it would make the best sorcery material.
Material and immaterial.
Furthermore, the ears and tail made of divine power were in a form of matter that could be touched or have fur plucked - in other words, a form that could be 'interfered with' - but at the same time, it seemed that they could be changed into an immaterial form according to will.
If desired, they could probably be changed into an immaterial form and made invisible.
However, given that Inari's divine power is contained in the ears and tail, it seems that if converted to an immaterial form, there would be restrictions on using divine power.
To use an analogy, the existing divine power of Mukurikokuri no Inugami could be called an internal hard drive, while Inari's divine power could be called an external hard drive.
Jinseong quietly looked at Rise, who was entrusting her body to his touch with her eyes closed.
"Excellent."
* * *
The night festival had ended.
"A fire broke out at the shrine last night, and Shinto priest Kishimoto Yoshiaki and shrine maiden Kishimoto Narumi were injured. Fortunately, it's not a serious injury, but as they need to rest, I have inevitably become the person responsible for managing the festival as their proxy."
There were flames, and there was a ritual.
"For the sake of the two who cannot attend due to this unexpected accident, let's successfully conclude this festival!"
Sacrifices were offered, and it was successfully concluded.
Everything was perfect.