The High Priest didn't know how he made it back to his residence; he only felt the whole world spinning.
Seeing Rin still lying in bed, a pain shot through the High Priest's heart. The thought of taking Rin and Sakura and leaving Yae Village suddenly jumped into his mind. But he immediately cast it aside. Setting aside his feelings for the village, the offerings the villagers had made to the Yae clan for generations were not a debt that could be easily repaid.
Rin saw her father enter and quickly knelt up, calling out softly, "Father."
The High Priest numbly walked to Rin's side and held the small girl in his arms, feeling the softness and fragility of his daughter's body. His eyes couldn't help but grow moist. He opened his mouth, wanting to tell her about today's meeting, but didn't know where to begin.
After a long while, he finally said, "Where is your sister?"
Rin looked at her somewhat strange father but answered obediently, "Big Sis went to brew medicine."
"I see," the High Priest murmured, followed by another long silence.
"It hasn't rained in the village for several months. Even the Shiomi River is about to run dry," the High Priest's low voice suddenly sounded.
"Is the village holding another ritual?" Rin said softly. As a member of the Yae clan, she had begun learning all sorts of knowledge related to shrine maidens from a young age and naturally knew what a drought meant for the village.
The High Priest didn't answer. Or rather, his silence was his answer.
"This drought is one unseen in a century. We must... offer a maiden from the shrine maiden's lineage." A long time passed before the High Priest's voice was heard again.
Rin understood her father's meaning. Her sister had always been excellent in her shrine maiden lessons and was certain to inherit the position of shrine maiden in the future, becoming an outstanding one at that. Other than her, Rin herself was the only maiden left in the lineage. The sacrifice this time was obvious.
The High Priest could clearly feel the small body in his arms tremble, but in the next moment, a faint voice came from his embrace: "Rin understands."
The High Priest knew his daughter had agreed. Agreed to be offered to the gods as a sacrifice. Although his daughter didn't resist or cry, the High Priest's heart ached as if it were bleeding.
He knew this daughter of his had always been sensible. Even though she was bedridden year-round, she still did her best to do what she could, unwilling to be a burden to her family. Since she had agreed to the ritual, she would quietly wait for that day to arrive.
He silently held his daughter tighter, not speaking of the arguments at the meeting, nor of the villagers' pressure. Only the unstoppable tears on his face and his ceaseless sobs continued to speak of the sorrow in his heart.
Rin's gentle voice sounded again: "Father, Rin knows. Rin knows everything."
As she spoke, the girl's small hands gently patted the High Priest's broad back.
The High Priest moved his daughter to face him and gently wiped away the two streams of clear tears from the girl's face. He spoke slowly and firmly, "The villagers make offerings to our Yae clan, and we have a duty to provide them with shelter. This... is the responsibility of the Yae clan."
The High Priest's fingers brushed across the girl's fair face. His rough thumb scraped her cheek, causing a slight pain, but the girl felt very warm. A current of warmth flowed from her father's fingers straight into her heart.
Rin used her sleeve to wipe the tear stains from her father's face and said softly, "Mhm~"
…
The day of the ritual drew nearer and nearer, and a festive air grew in the village. Everyone was busy with preparations, determined to hold a grand ritual to pray for the gods to send rain.
As the shrine maiden who would offer the sacrifice to the gods, Sakura also learned of the ritual from her father.
"Why! Why must it be Rin!" Looking at her father, who had informed her of the news with such indifference, Sakura shouted in anger.
"Rin is sick. She won't get better. Besides, the ritual is necessary!" Seeing his angry daughter, the High Priest's face showed no emotion, as if he were merely stating a simple, commonly known fact.
"That's not true! Rin will get better!" Sakura screamed, tears welling in her eyes. Deep down, she knew that what her father decided could not be changed; she could only obey. But how could she possibly obey something like this?
"She won't," the High Priest said firmly. His voice was not loud, but it held an unquestionable authority.
"She will! Rin's illness can definitely be cured!" Sakura yelled, suddenly bolting out of the room as if, by leaving her father, there was hope for Rin's recovery.
*It can't be. Rin will definitely get better. We promised to go see the cherry blossoms. Once Rin is well, once spring comes next year, once the cherry blossoms on the back mountain bloom, we said we'd go together...*
Sakura ran through the shrine's corridors, leaving two dark lines of teardrops on the wooden floor.
Watching Sakura leave, the High Priest's forcedly tall figure immediately slumped, and two lines of tears streamed down his face. The High Priest clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his flesh, yet the pain was not even a fraction of what he felt in his heart.
…
As the day of the ritual drew ever closer, even though she knew Rin had already been chosen as the sacrifice, Sakura persisted in brewing medicine every day.
The daily dose of medicinal soup had become Sakura's hope. With each additional day of medicine, there was a little more hope for Rin's condition. As long as Rin could get better, she wouldn't be used as a sacrifice, right? And she could take her to see the cherry blossoms. The young girl firmly believed this in her heart.
But watching Rin drink the soup every day with no signs of improvement, a frantic idea began to take root in Sakura's heart: to escape with Rin.
Anywhere would be fine. As long as she could be with Rin, as long as they could escape this village, as long as they were still together. Then, they could surely live happily ever after.
The young girl thought she had found the path to happiness, and in her joy, she told her sister the plan.
"Rin, let's run away. Let's leave this village. It doesn't matter where we go. Once we leave, I'll take you to get treated. When you're better, we'll go see the cherry blossoms, see more cherry blossoms than on the back mountain," Sakura said joyfully, her eyes filled with longing and hope for the future.
Looking at her sister's happy eyes, Rin couldn't bear to tell her that she had already promised their father she would complete the ritual.
Rin understood that her sister actually knew more than she did. Her sister had long understood that the ritual was unavoidable. She just… loved her too much.
Under her sister's gaze, Rin nodded happily, agreeing to her sister's escape plan. But she knew in her heart that the plan could not succeed. They had never left Yae Village. Once they left the village, they would have nowhere to go. What's more, their father had already prepared for everything.
Having gotten her sister's approval, Sakura began to pack in her room. She understood that she might never return, so she might as well take everything she could.
Her sister's medicine, the pot and bowl for brewing it, the small shrine maiden outfit, and Rin's favorite toy…
*Take all of these things. As long as we can leave this village, as long as we can cure Rin's illness, as long as we can live happily with Rin.*
*That will be enough.* As Sakura packed, her heart couldn't help but leap with joy.