Shin-chan stood at the entrance of the Daimyo's residence, shading his eyes with one hand.
"Is the Fire Temple far away?"
"Not far." The steward stood behind him. "About an hour by carriage."
"Are there snacks in the carriage?"
"Lord Nohara, it is considered inappropriate to eat snacks on the way to a temple to pray for blessings."
"Then I'm not going."
"Lord Nohara..."
"Just kidding." Shin-chan took a few steps forward. "But why do we have to go pray so early in the morning?"
"Because sincerity makes prayers more effective." Ai walked out through the main gate, looking even more graceful than usual. "Besides, the morning bell of the Fire Temple is famous. They say that if you make a wish while the morning bell is ringing, your wish will reach the heavens."
"Then I'm wishing for the chocolate-stick inventory to double."
"If that wish reaches heaven, they'll probably send it back," Asuma muttered from the side.
Kuroiso stood beside the carriage, wearing the same expressionless face as always.
Shin-chan walked a circle around him.
"Mr. Kuroiso, are you going there to pray or to fight?"
"Her Highness's safety must not be compromised."
"The Fire Temple is full of monks. Are you worried a monk is going to ambush the princess?"
"Her Highness's safety must not be compromised."
"..."
The carriage slowly set off beneath the morning sunlight.
Inside the carriage, Shin-chan sat across from Ai.
"What's the Fire Temple like?"
"Very large." Ai thought for a moment. "There are two statues of the Kongō Rikishi standing outside the main hall. One has its mouth open, and the other has its mouth closed. Father said they are called 'A' and 'Un,' representing the beginning and the end."
"Sounds impressive." Shin-chan rubbed his chin. "But I don't really understand why the beginning and end are represented by mouths."
"Perhaps because of speech. A person's first cry after birth marks the beginning, while their final breath marks the end."
An hour later, the carriage stopped in front of the mountain gate of the Fire Temple.
The temple was even larger than Shin-chan had imagined.
Intricate flame patterns were carved into the gate pillars, and enormous statues of the Kongō Rikishi stood on either side, glaring fiercely.
Shin-chan looked up at them and offered his evaluation.
"The expressions on these two statues look exactly like mine the first time I ate wasabi."
Ai stepped down from the carriage and adjusted the sleeves of her kimono.
Kuroiso and his ten guards had already established a defensive formation around the carriage.
"Your Highness, the temple has been cleared. It is safe to enter."
"Thank you for your efforts." Ai nodded slightly, then turned toward Shin-chan and Asuma. "Let's go inside."
The abbot of the Fire Temple was already waiting at the entrance to the main hall.
"Your Highness's presence brings great honor to our humble temple."
"You are too kind, Master Abbot."
Ai pressed her palms together and returned a proper Buddhist greeting.
Standing behind her, Shin-chan looked past the abbot and peered into the main hall.
Then he spotted a familiar figure.
Masao came stumbling out through a side door and hurried over to Ai. He pressed his palms together and bowed deeply.
"This humble monk is Masao. Welcome to the Fire Temple, Your Highness."
Ai bowed slightly.
"Thank you, young Master Masao."
Masao's face instantly turned bright red.
Shin-chan spoke from beside him.
"Your face is really red. Do you have a fever?"
"No!"
Masao suddenly straightened his back.
"This humble monk is in excellent health. I attend morning practice every day and never get sick."
"Then why is your face so red?"
"Because... because..." Masao's lips began trembling. "The sun is very strong today."
Asuma raised his head and looked at the sky.
The morning sunlight was gentle, several white clouds drifted lazily overhead, and even the cicadas had yet to begin chirping.
"The sun isn't strong."
Masao glared at him.
"Who are you?"
"Sarutobi Asuma."
"Never heard of you."
Masao's gaze lingered on him for a second.
"You're a ninja too?"
"Yeah."
"Then you're also here to protect Her Highness?"
"Something like that."
Masao's eyes immediately became wary.
He rapidly evaluated this newly arrived rival.
His hair was a little shorter than that bastard who always had a chocolate stick in his mouth.
His expression was a little more serious than that bastard's.
But no matter how Masao looked at him, he seemed like another troublesome opponent.
Just then, the abbot lightly tapped his staff against the ground.
"Masao. We have honored guests today. Do not behave improperly."
"Yes!"
Masao immediately stood straight.
The prayer ceremony was held inside the main hall.
Ai knelt on a meditation cushion, pressed her palms together, and closed her eyes in prayer.
Masao sat cross-legged in a corner, prayer beads moving through his fingers while he recited sutras.
However, his eyes kept secretly drifting toward Ai's profile.
Shin-chan sat cross-legged on another cushion.
He copied Ai and pressed his palms together, but instead of closing his eyes, he spent a long time staring at the Buddha statue.
"Make a wish," Asuma whispered.
"Your eyes aren't even closed."
"Closing your eyes is how ordinary people make wishes. I'm a ninja. Ninja make wishes differently."
"What's the difference?"
"Ninja have to keep their eyes open when making wishes so their wishes don't get ambushed."
Asuma was silent for two seconds.
"How can a wish get ambushed?"
"You don't understand. Wishes are very fragile things." Shin-chan looked completely serious. "When you close your eyes to make a wish, another wish might secretly trip yours and run ahead of it into heaven."
"..."
Meanwhile, Masao was screaming with all his might inside his heart:
Please make this humble monk stronger! Strong enough to protect Her Highness! Strong enough to defeat that guy named Nohara Shinnosuke! Strong enough to—
"Masao."
A hand landed on his shoulder.
Masao opened his eyes and saw Chiriku standing in front of him.
"You haven't finished your morning practice."
"Senpai, I..."
"You haven't finished copying the Heart Sutra."
"But Her Highness rarely visits..."
"That is even more reason not to slack off." Chiriku's voice was stern. "For a man devoted to spiritual cultivation, slacking off in front of the Buddha is even more shameful than slacking off anywhere else."
Masao's shoulders slumped.
He gave Ai one final glance before lowering his head and following Chiriku out of the main hall.
At the doorway, he turned around and shouted at Shin-chan.
"You just wait!"
Shin-chan waved at him.
"Come find me after you finish copying your sutras."
Masao gritted his teeth.
That bastard!
He said it so casually, as though Masao wasn't even worth taking seriously.
During morning practice, Chiriku frowned slightly.
"You seem distracted today."
"I am not." Masao lowered his head. "This humble monk is completely focused."
"Focused enough to copy the sutra incorrectly?" Chiriku looked at the page. "'Form is emptiness' is followed by 'emptiness is form,' not 'Princess Ai.'"
Masao froze.
"I... I..."
"And another thing," Chiriku continued. "'No eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind' is not followed by 'Her Highness has beautiful eyes.'"
Masao dropped to his knees.
"Senpai, this humble monk knows his mistake! This humble monk deserves death! I have brought shame upon the Fire Temple..."
"You haven't brought shame upon the Fire Temple."
"But Senpai... I am a monk."
"A monk is still human," Chiriku said. "Humans possess worldly desires. Having them is not frightening. What is frightening is allowing those desires to control you."
He reached out and pulled Masao back to his feet.
"Come. You still have one hundred and eight copies of the Heart Sutra waiting for you."
~~~
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