Beni (Before) - In Other Words, I Am Quite a Big Deal!!
You are in the presence of Benihime Tenno[1], also known as Beni!
About a thousand years ago, I was human[10]. A sickly young woman. A liability to Father and Mother.
My weakness has put them through a great deal of hardship.
Shortly after Father was effectively banished[11] from his original post, my human self expired. I believe it was an illness that claimed my life. To be honest, I was in so much pain at the time that I can't recall it so clearly.
Now, the important part is what followed: Uka no Mitama no Mikoto-sama[2], taking pity on my poor soul, transfigured me into a white fox and accepted me under her employment! Yes, my name means "red," but I'm a white fox! Not that I mind, though.
It has been a thousand years since then. For the first few centuries, I was so emotionally overwhelmed and required constant consolation. After that, I got better and was made a minor messenger[3]. It must have been only two hundred years ago when I began to do important work.
In other words, I am quite a big deal!!
Well? Well? Do you feel reverent now? Go on, offer your prayers! Don't be shy! For a limited time, your worship will earn you this Beni-sama blessing set! It comes with a fur charm that resembles my tail and a folding fan, and I'll even throw in a fortune slip!
And with the self-advertisement out of the way, I shall explain: I have descended to the realm of Ashihara Nakatsu[4] for a new mission in the town of Ashihara Nakatsu. Quite a confusing phrase, isn't it? I suppose that's understandable, given that they share the same name.
Still, the countryside, eh... I wanted to go on a mission in a big city instead. Ah, but then there would be too many vehicles on the streets. If I get run over by a truck, I fear that I'll be whisked away to a different world.
Ah! I see a tofu shop[5]. I must hurry and... get away from it. Not only I, but also many foxes associated with gods of harvest, actually dislike tofu shops.
It's not that the shops themselves are bad... It's the smell of fried tofu. It is a well-known favorite food of us foxes, but when it's the only thing people ever offer to us for hundreds of years... well, at least some of us are bound to start disliking it. As Uka no Mitama no Mikoto-sama's divine messengers, we're not supposed to be picky with our food, though.
There's a bookstore. A general store. Laundry service, a western clothing store... It's surprising how lively this place is.
Ah! I see a meat shop[6]!!
"I'd like one, please."
"Which one?"
Ah. It seems I've gotten too used to simply receiving offerings; I forgot I had to make a choice myself.
"T-the left-most one."
"The menchi katsu[7]? Here you go!"
I proceed to eat it, and let me tell you -- it's the best thing I have ever had! Made by humans, meant for humans, but it's truly an item fit for the gods! Ah, but if I make this information public, we might be offered so much of it that I eventually dislike it.
It sure seems hard being a popular goddess. Now that's our Uka no Mitama no Mikoto-sama!
Well then, now that I'm stuffed, what do I do next?
I do have a mission to fulfill. Yes, I know that much.
Hmm...
Right. I must defend Ashihara Nakatsu. Way to go, me!
The other gods will work to defend Takamagahara[8]. Very few will try to protect the humans of Ashihara Nakatsu. That's why I'm here.
And I must be discrete; gods are not meant to meddle too much in humanity's affairs. Now this is what I call an important mission!!
In the hundreds of years since I became a divine messenger, have I ever been assigned such an important task? No. And so I shall give it my very best!
Well... What exactly am I supposed to do, anyway? Patrol?
That doesn't sound right.
Given the nature of the Kegai's threat, patrolling will do little to keep the people safe. It's better to search for places where the Kegai appears... but the issue is that I'm not sure where to start looking. Looks like I have no choice but to poke around randomly.
One might think patrolling and searching are similar, but they're not quite so; the latter is meant to yield the discovery of something specific.
I check the stone monument in the shopping district, consult the bulletin board near the beach, and look for spots where Kegai might be found -- such as places where spiritual energies of resentment and grudges accumulate. This town has no historical execution sites or battlefields, though, which means Kegai are unlikely to appear.
In fact, no Kegai have been reported to have appeared here in the past thousand years. In other words, this place has been perfectly safe for even longer than I've been alive.
Could it be that this mission is simpler than I expected? Hmm...? But Uka no Mitama no Mikoto-sama said it was of utmost importance. She never tells a lie, and has no reason to do so either.
Could it be that this town will soon turn into a battlefield? Hmm... My fellow divine messengers do show up here and there, so it must be difficult for the Kegai to have their way as well. And if it's a minor Kegai, even we should be able to destroy it.
We should expect the Kegai to be powerful, then -- ones capable of overwhelming even a group of divine messengers such as myself. But why would they appear in this kind of countryside town?
I have no idea. Regardless, the mission must be fulfilled.
For the time being, I suppose I could draw some wisdom from Father's field of expertise[12]. I'll paste some detection tags[13] here and there, and see if I can figure out a pattern. If I can narrow the scope of my search from there, I should be able to get by.
Hmm, no. That's not it. Doing just that is not enough. I need to find an on-site collaborator... yes, a local. Someone with keen eyes and high physical capability. Even better if they're fleet of foot and strong on the mystical forces.
The issue is that I haven't found any place where Sumo rituals[9] are practiced. Is it not popular nowadays? Now this is a problem...
Are the people even strong enough to protect others of their own kind?
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Chapter 8 Character Profiles
↩[1] Beni (Benihime Tenno)
A fox girl. Usually not referred to by her full name.
Like foxes in folklore, she usually uses transformation arts to disguise herself as a human. Carrying out her current mission as a self-proclaimed high school girl.
Plays an active role in battle when she is in your team.
Somewhat of a blockhead, but possesses extremely good looks. Considered the game's most charming character.
First-person pronoun used: Warawa
↩[2] Uka no Mitama no Mikoto
A goddess associated with agriculture. As an ally to humanity, she has sent a divine messenger to assist them in this time of need.
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Chapter 8 Footnotes
↩[3] Divine Messenger
The gods don't have access to postal service, so they have to employ personal messengers.
↩[4] The Realm of Ashihara Nakatsu
The world between Takamagahara (realm of the gods) and Yomi no Kuni (realm of the dead).
Also refers to the country or the location of Japan.
↩[5] Tofu Shop
Unfortunately, it will close down during the month of July, so you won't see it in the game.
↩[6] Meat Shop
This one will appear in the game. Beni frequently buys her meals here.
↩[7] Menchi Katsu
Minced meat cutlet.
Beni's favorite; apparently she's had enough of fried tofu now.
The meat shop makes them with high-quality leftover meat, so they're delicious.
↩[8] Takamagahara
The celestial realm where the gods reside.
Also being called "Taka'amahara" in recent years.
Depicted in the game as a sphere with a diameter of 40 km, floating over the mountain.
↩[9] Sumo Rituals
Before becoming a professional sport, sumo was performed as a Shinto ritual.
The town of Ashihara Nakatsu has never had a tradition of practicing Sumo, though.
↩[10] "I was human"
Japanese mythology contains many stories of humans being transfigured into gods.
↩[11] "Effectively banished"
Demoted and relocated to serve in the Dazaifu.
The Dazaifu was a regional government from the 8th to the 12th centuries. It had jurisdiction over Kyushu, Iki, and Tsushima.
↩[12] "Father's field of expertise"
Education sciences.
↩[13] "Paste some detection tags"
Useless in most fantasy stories.
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