"Replace… replace that shrine maiden? But the Grand Narukami Shrine has someone like Yae Miko in charge!"
"It's Gendou Ringo. From this moment onward, you are Gendou Ringo. You look just like her—your voice is nearly identical. With a little makeup, even that Guuji might not notice the difference."
"…Can that really work? And that shrine maiden, she… where did the real Gendou Ringo go?"
"Where did she go? Lyudochka, stop asking such childish questions."
Lyudochka inhaled shakily, her heart and blood turning cold. Her unsteady steps bumped into the table where the red-and-white shrine maiden outfit lay.
She couldn't make sense of it. She and Gendou Ringo had only met once—barely a day ago. So why had her teacher set his sights on her so quickly? She had rejected every possible development between them, yet Ringo still got dragged into this mess.
Seeing her hesitation, Efim Snezhevich shook his head in disappointment. "It seems life in Inazuma has dulled your senses. Tell me, do you still remember everything you learned at the House of the Hearth about Inazuma? The duties of shrine maidens, the knowledge of omikuji—have you forgotten them all?"
"I…"
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You two look so alike that no one would ever suspect Gendou Ringo has been replaced. You are the perfect candidate for this mission!"
"I remember… I still remember. I know what a shrine maiden is supposed to do…"
Efim still wasn't satisfied. His tone hardened. "Pull yourself together! What are you hesitating for? I've spent years training you for moments like this! Not just me—the Servant, Her Majesty the Tsaritsa, all of Snezhnaya are watching to see how you perform!"
"Y-yes, teacher. I'll complete the mission and live up to your expectations…"
"Hmph! Once you've changed into that outfit, head straight to the Grand Narukami Shrine. Here's a photo of the place where you're supposed to work. The current fortune-drawing maiden is just a temporary substitute, so don't slip up. If you encounter Yae Miko or anyone difficult to deal with, keep your mouth shut as much as possible. Your evaluation scores at the House of the Hearth were excellent, so I shouldn't have to remind you of the basics."
"Understood."
"And fix that expression. I know you've met her, but remember—you're an orphan. This is just a coincidence. The people at the House of the Hearth are your true family. Don't let your thoughts wander."
Efim slammed the door as he left.
"How did it come to this…"
Lyudochka gripped the shrine maiden outfit tightly. Her arms stiffened and trembled from the force.
The Fatui were divided into factions, and those who served different Harbingers rarely interacted. Their assignments differed according to their masters' whims—the kind of work done by the Regrator's subordinates was completely unlike that of the Doctor's.
But those under the Servant were special. In Snezhnaya, she managed a welfare institution called the House of the Hearth, where she took in orphans and trained them. Once grown, those children were distributed among the Eleven Fatui Harbingers.
One of Lyudochka's closest friends from the House of the Hearth, Katarina, had been assigned to the Rooster's faction. A long time ago, she'd sent a message saying her unit had been abandoned in The Chasm for being "without value," only to be rescued by The Knave, and later reassigned under The Harbinger Tartaglia.
Tartaglia was combative but easygoing with his subordinates—that had been good news.
As for herself… she had been lucky enough to remain under the Servant's care, continuing to follow her old teacher from the House of the Hearth. Her very first mission had brought her to Inazuma for long-term infiltration. Three years had passed, and she still hadn't seen real combat.
No combat meant no death.
And no death meant no new orphans.
She had once been grateful for that.
But now, she had caused the death of someone who shared her face.
"How did it come to this…"
Her vision blurred. Tears splattered onto the red fabric of the shrine maiden's skirt, leaving dark stains.
A sharp voice called from beyond the door, impatient: "Hurry up!"
Even if she was only a tool, the House of the Hearth had truly raised her. The Servant and her teacher had saved her from an orphan's miserable fate. No matter how tangled her feelings, her body moved on instinct, slipping into the shrine maiden outfit she had been given.
It fit perfectly—as if tailored for her.
How ironic… if she hadn't resembled Gendou Ringo so much, she might have felt only passing guilt, not the tears that now wet her cheeks.
"You look just like her!" Efim exclaimed with delight when Lyudochka emerged. "Remember—your goal is to quickly familiarize yourself with life at the Grand Narukami Shrine. Pay close attention to any objects, symbols, or secrets that represent the shrine. They'll be useful later."
And so, she set off for the shrine.
…
"Ringo, you've seemed gloomy lately. If there's something bothering you, you can tell me," said Hanachirusato gently.
"There's nothing of the sort, Lady Hanachirusato."
"I can tell. You only smile when someone's around, but when you're alone, you look sad. That's not healthy. Maybe you should ask Lady Yae for a few days off?"
"You must be mistaken! I've been smiling all along!"
"…Everyone says you've become more approachable lately. I don't know what happened to you, but don't force yourself. If it ever becomes too much, come talk to me."
…
"Ringo! Lady Yae's in a good mood today and actually made sakura mochi herself! I remember you've never tried it before—come, have a taste!"
At the Grand Narukami Shrine, even the cherry trees had pink leaves, so the sakura mochi made from them was entirely pink. Lyudochka had never seen anything like it. She took a small bite—the gentle fragrance of cherry blossoms mingled perfectly with the subtle sweetness of red bean paste.
"Delicious…"
…
"Ringo, how are you finding your work lately?"
"It feels wonderful, Lady Yae!"
"Good to hear." Yae Miko gave the omikuji box a shake and pulled out a bamboo slip, handing it to Lyudochka. "Then interpret this fortune for me."
"Lady Yae herself drawing an omikuji?!"
"Just for fun~"
"Let's see… 'Though parted, reunion shall come.' It's a minor fortune… It suggests you may be separated from someone important, but there's no need to worry—you'll surely meet again."
"My, it seems our shrine's fortunes are rather accurate."
…
"It's wonderful… To come to Inazuma, and even serve as a shrine maiden—it feels like a dream."
Lying on the bed that once belonged to Gendou Ringo, Lyudochka took off her shrine maiden garb and changed into an Electro Cicin Mage outfit before slipping quietly toward Yae Miko's residence.
To her surprise, Yae Miko wasn't there.
Her mission target—the special omamori made by Yae Miko herself—hung quietly on the wall near the entrance. She didn't want to touch it. Instead, she sat near the doorway for half an hour, waiting.
"Lady Yae… where could you have gone this late at night?"
Finally, she took the omamori down, then slammed the door shut in frustration. The noise didn't draw anyone's attention.
So, she began walking openly around the shrine, inspecting the omikuji boxes and fortune plaques. She truly liked this place, liked this work. Eventually, she wandered toward the front gate of the shrine—only to find the night-shift shrine maiden missing as well.
Helpless, she raised her voice and shouted, "There's a thief! Someone's broken into Lady Yae's quarters!"
At last, there was movement behind her—footsteps approaching fast. She turned around in resignation… only to see an unexpected face.