Part 16: Shrine Visit 6: Kazuaki

Shrine Visit 6: Kazuaki



I’m glad it didn’t pile up, though…
It seems like I have a near-death experience or two every winter. Maybe I should do something about that.
The White Dove Shrine, where everybirdie comes for their New Year’s visit, is in a hilly area a little ways away from the center of town, but it doesn’t look like the snow piled up much here, either.
There are little drifts here and there, but the sun’s out now so it’ll all melt pretty soon.

Here for the new year and gone within the day. Very wabi-sabi!


Plum blossoms in snow
Soon they shall wither and fall
Even if it melts.
Oh, Mr. Nanaki! Happy New Year! But what’s with the weird incantation?
It’s not an incantation, it’s from the Manyoushuu! Didn’t we do that poem in class just a month or two ago?

Umm, did we…? I forgot everything I learned in the entire semester as soon as I turned in my last final!

I-I do not recall, sir…

He seems incredibly disheartened. You need more emotional brawn, sir!

Please don’t look so down, Mr. Nanaki! I feel like I’m bullying you or something!
I’m just not diligent enough. Please don’t be sad! You do just fine!
You’re so nice, Lourde… But don’t forget to review. You might have proficiency tests coming up soon.

If you make me start thinking about proficiency tests first thing in the new year then I’ll be the one who’s sad!

Anyway, are you here to visit the shrine too, sir? Want to go together?
Would that be okay? Are you sure you’d like to go with me?
I’m alone today, too!

Thank you, Lourde!


We made our way to the shrine together and made our New Year's wishes.

May I become a little, even just a tiny little bit would be okay, less emotionally delicate…
Geez… You can’t go making a puny little wish like that, sir! That’s why you’re emotionally delicate!
Wish for something tougher! Like “I wish to attain the spirit of a mighty conquering emperor!” or something!
R-really…? I’m not a hunter-gatherer like you, Lourde, I wouldn’t want that… I’d be happy just to be a little more average…
Mr. Uzune said so, too! He complains about how you get offended easily and always start crying at it’s way too hard to pick his words that carefully so he wishes you’d shape up a little!

And Dr. Iwamine said he’s never seen someone as delicate as you before, and wants to use you for some experiments!
What…!? Th-that’s scary! Did Iwamine really say that…!?
He did his creepy laugh, so I don’t think he was too much more than half serious.
Waaahhh…

There are tears in his eyes already. We pick on you because you cry this easily, sir!


And I’ll do my best on the proficiency tests! So you can try hard with your mental training, right? Maybe you’ll at least harden your tear ducts a little!
-sniff- Thank you, Lourde. I’ll do my best…
No, come on, don’t cry! I hope your reputation for total uselessness recovers fully!
That’s not right, Lourde! If I did that I’d be useless again!

And so concludes Kazuaki’s shrine visit event.