Happy Life
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In the incalculable amount of suddenly available "free" time, Ayano accomplished a great many things.
Her first deed was signing a meticulously drafted agreement with a modeling agency, the key section of which carefully stipulated the wholesomeness of the image permissible for work.
- After all, you already have a huge number of models flashing their pr...pri... in the frame; in short, there's no harm in diversifying your portfolio, is there? People need to realize that beauty and aesthetics have no such mundane boundaries! - she said, shaking her index finger didactically to emphasize her words. - I didn't come into this world with tears and pain just to be ashamed to look my ancestors in the eye after my death!
These conditions were:
1. The inadmissibility of underwear or similar fabrics directly adjacent to certain body parts being present in the frame.
2. The minimum possible length of a dress or skirt - slightly above the knee; the Minjin dress was taken as the extreme benchmark here; sleeves have no restrictions.
3. Openness of shoulders and décolletage - no more than what is presented in the long Imperial dress; maximum back openness - just below the shoulder blades.
4. An excessively low camera angle with a borderline skirt length and an excessively high angle with borderline open shoulders are inadmissible.
5. An open stomach is permissible only if the exposed area does not exceed 33% of the total stomach area, and if the shot was obtained randomly due to an act of divine force, in other words, as a result of Sylphide's influence - within reasonable limits (for example, deliberate shooting in windy weather is considered an unfair and inadmissible working condition under this clause); openness of legs above the threshold value due to this factor is considered unacceptable.
6. "Pretty" or "cute" poses/gestures, accessories, and clothing items are allowed, but "unworthy/fetishizing" ones are not (excessively flashy makeup, garters, fishnet stockings, etc.).
7. The focus of most works must correspond to Yanagist (within reasonable limits, other "professional" themes are acceptable), or "high," or casual themes; exceptions to these are discussed individually with the right of refusal without penalties.
8. If the presence of other people in the frame is necessary, only girls who are not of a completely unworthy appearance are allowed (- You don't want your employee to later catch a knife between the eyes from some hypothetical zealous fan in a dark alley, do you? - Ayano explains. - No negativity.).
9. The scenes themselves must maintain a family-friendly format and not imply unworthy subtext.
10. The final shots, before being used in work, undergo preliminary selection by the Performer (Yamagami Ayano) and may be rejected and destroyed without explanation.
- I know, I know, it's a lot. But you must understand what moral and status sacrifices I have to make. This way, we'll work well together.
***
From the second point, she nearly threw her back out, almost ruined her knees, and gave herself a hernia - and this at only twenty-two years old! After all, she had to carry on her back:
- A pack of coffee and ten packs of Lukum from the "Tentacle";
- A wedding veil (hoping no one thought anything of it) and one gift stone of each type from "Souvenirs," and in autumn - nail polish of all colors;
- A full set of long-decayed pulp from "Rumor," trying not to pay attention to the saleswoman's language - to have something to read while gathering wildflowers, and because it would be the least she could do in her "family situation";
- Three (if that many are there) women's watches from "Chronos," and cigars and harmony watches from the same place;
- A pack of tea, cookies, three cats, and paintings 2, 3, 5 from the catgirl-themed "Cherry";
- A bottle for injuries, x10 bottles of life, x30 medical supplies, and x10 of each small (except Sonatin) medication from "Leaf" - hoping none of it would ever be needed;
- A katana forged by a blacksmith for Sonata, costing as much as 5 (4.5) thousand Reims!
- In addition, on the last day of each month, she decided to treat the workers at the villa with various desserts from "Beauty" - x20 per order, corresponding to the number of servants.
Scattering the money earned through hard work ended with enchanting a gohei, a stack of ofuda, a kagura (dance/wear?), a red hannya mask, a heart, a glider, and a cloak with indestructibility, and a crossbow with destructiveness. During all the time spent in the workshop, she never once raised the question about Aiko - but from the gloomy faces of both the seller and the buyer, everything was clear.
In addition, for the period of peaceful life, she decorated the room with a masterpiece photograph, as well as flags of Minjin and Margel - for aesthetic and "patriotic" feelings, respectively. And she purchased the last possible blessing for the safe, within the timeframe.
***
Her third extremely important task was to try all the one-time summer and autumn dishes in all the establishments of the capital, which she successfully brought to life - but not in the shortest possible time, but at a natural pace, so that Alice wouldn't have to alter the Minjin dress for pregnant proportions.
Tea ice cream, dorayaki, pumpkin pie, and pumpkin casserole went well with some tea, but whale with tea turned out to be a bad idea, but what's done is done.
***
She spent long hours, days, and weeks getting whacked on the butt with a wooden katana by Sonata, but "fortunately," after returning from Mitten, Sonata was already accustomed to much rougher treatment. In the end, these moments full of discomfort and shame did bear fruit when she managed, with great difficulty, to defeat the ex-empress using all her abilities at once.
Incredibly proud of herself, she raised her hands to the sky and announced to her ancestors the wonderful news that Nihon had finally regained its former glory by defeating the loathsome Reim, while Sonata - obviously having thrown the match - stood aside, only smiling awkwardly at the scene.
In the evenings, listening to the bodily pain from the endless beatings, she stared intently at a figurine that looked exactly like her former headmistress, and this pain brought her back to distant and ancient times when she would similarly receive beatings from her with a stick for not sitting up straight enough, or falling asleep during a long, tedious ritual, or, having been thrown off a cliff, failing to soar into the air.
The culmination of these spiritual explorations came when she thought she had stopped feeling her legs and did rise a few centimeters into the air - but that could have been just a false sensation from limbs that had gone numb and deadened by that time.
Otherwise, she spent her days filled with routine in very different ways.
She greatly disliked the flags hung up by the "mother," so she spent as much as 160 hours in her company, during which she told funny and not-so-funny stories from her life and the lives of Nihonese people, as well as the dog-like Reimites and other non-Nihonese lands and peoples, listening in return to cool (detached?) tales about Welfern and personal Denkov life events. From time to time, she would draw from her and the mother's stories a subtle moral about how there are a great many things in life worth living for, without wasting oneself on suicidal ultra-ideals, which could be quite ironic in the context of how Bruno had gaslit her.
Just as many hours were spent on temple concerns, during which she coordinated what, how, and where should be built, carried food and drink to the workers, and provided whatever help her twig-like hands could offer in sawing and chiseling.
About 120 hours were spent jumping on garage roofs with Edge-Lord-kun under the moon, during which he did most of the jumping - just to show off, because for her, in geta, it was too uncomfortable, noisy, and could even damage the roofing and cause trouble for the owners. Besides these childish things, she taught him how to strike a kayak (target?) with a primitive spear and contemplate the beauty of nature, while he told her how to spot a pervert in a crowd in time and correctly and how to avoid his greasy hold.
No less than a hundred hours over these months were spent on household chores at the Three X's during particularly busy days - at such moments, she recalled in vivid detail the day she decided to add such a large and laudatory paragraph about this establishment to the guidebook, hoping its owner would earn a hundred thousand rem in a week and thus make up for the lost phantom treasure. But it wasn't a burden to her, so in matters that didn't involve buttering up lonely, overweight clients with the famous "services," she willingly helped the girls.
In 80 hours, Edge-Lord-kun was taught the basics of Nihonese - its fifty-odd alphabets, numerous speech forms and addresses, as well as the impeccable aesthetic traditions of this greatest nation in the multiverse. He wasn't a stupid student, and would probably have managed in much less time if he had spent more time on the material rather than meditating on her appearance and voice.
60 hours spent in Sonata's company made Ayano pull out her notebook more than once and record a huge number of details of her charming behavior - purely for research purposes, to study all the secrets of the cursed Reimites, and not at all for her own use. During these cute, lighthearted communications, she often returned to that very thought - about how the throne of this empire should have remained with her, and not passed to some degenerates.
She devoted all her remaining time to communicating with old Phantom and sometimes Kayasa, if she was in the store - listening with interest to tales of his travels and life in general, similarly telling her own numerous stories, and sternly cutting him off from time to time when Azarina came out of the shower or bedroom not fully dressed. In addition, in one-on-one conversations, she sometimes subtly - so as not to embarrass him or seem like nagging - hinted that Bors was still full of strength, and since he was well-off and planning to wind down his business, he would have a whole lot of time that could be dedicated to family and to flesh and blood of his own, which it would be good to acquire if he didn't have any yet.
***
Finally, on the day of the temple's grand opening, she procured a considerable amount of high-quality dishes from the villa, which were subsequently served as a festive table (outside the temple grounds) to the construction workers and everyone who had helped them, and in addition, they were paid a nice bonus for the successfully completed project.
Leading all her close friends, people she liked, and others who had come to see the event, she showed and explained what was what:
- Here we have the path to the temple, marked by torii gates. Please note that you should pass under them not through the center, but under one half or the other. Climbing the steps, we approach the entrance. As you can see, there is a chozuya here. In it, you are supposed to wash your hands and mouth - don't worry, the water is crystal clear. See the toro? Lanterns. Cute, aren't they? Next... On the left hand side, you can observe the maidono. There, kagura is performed - a ritual dance presented as an aesthetic offering to Anuzish - through the Kami, for they are an integral part of her, just as your heart is part of your own body. For the most part, this happens rarely - on special occasions, but don't miss the opportunity to culturally enrich yourself by contemplating this process if you happen upon it. Here, you can also hang an ema - a wooden tablet with your long-term good wish for yourself or your family, and for those with especially generous spirits, for humanity as a whole. Left with a pure heart, it will surely come true! On the right, you see the shamusho - the entrance is closed to visitors, as it's an administrative building for the staff. However, at the entrance, you can purchase an omamori - a talisman for protection and blessing, or receive a fortune. Not bad, is it? Further along the path, in the center, you see the haiden, with komainu statues installed near it. In this hall, all the main action takes place - rituals, prayers, and other ceremonies, such as weddings or funerals for relatives and loved ones, but you absolutely must remove your shoes at the entrance. Here, you can also confess to a pretty miko, receiving understanding and sympathy from her, and some kind of good advice for your problem - who knows, perhaps your soul is missing exactly this nudge to come into the light? And also, here you can throw a symbolic offering into the box to receive a more targeted blessing or protection from the Kami. First, ring the bell to greet the Kami, then throw in a coin. This is followed by two bows and two claps. Then you pray and finish with one more bow. Congratulations! Your prayer has been heard! Sooo... Well, next we have the honden, but the entrance there is closed to the general public - not only with a key, but also sealed by divine forces, and besides, there's nothing interesting for visitors there. And need I mention that any unkind deed in this holy place will be punished by a curse from Anuzish herself? I think there's no particular need to spell that out. ...Ah, by the way! In addition to all the above, you can always seek help with exorcism if you are troubled by evil spirits or other otherworldly forces, or even cursed objects. However, "exorcism" is just a general term; in reality, a fully understanding individual approach is guaranteed here - an unfortunate soul, if it became such through an unjust path, will not be erased from Anuzish's memory, but will be sent back into the general cycle of rebirth.
Finishing the tour, she adds:
- Don't worry, even though the rules may seem unfamiliar, you'll get used to them very quickly; and besides, the friendly staff and printed instructions will always help you remember what you need. Yes, and one more thing! We will always be glad to welcome decent and kind-hearted young women into our ranks to work at the sanctuary, so if you know of any - don't hesitate to tell them about it.
Her first deed was signing a meticulously drafted agreement with a modeling agency, the key section of which carefully stipulated the wholesomeness of the image permissible for work.
- After all, you already have a huge number of models flashing their pr...pri... in the frame; in short, there's no harm in diversifying your portfolio, is there? People need to realize that beauty and aesthetics have no such mundane boundaries! - she said, shaking her index finger didactically to emphasize her words. - I didn't come into this world with tears and pain just to be ashamed to look my ancestors in the eye after my death!
These conditions were:
1. The inadmissibility of underwear or similar fabrics directly adjacent to certain body parts being present in the frame.
2. The minimum possible length of a dress or skirt - slightly above the knee; the Minjin dress was taken as the extreme benchmark here; sleeves have no restrictions.
3. Openness of shoulders and décolletage - no more than what is presented in the long Imperial dress; maximum back openness - just below the shoulder blades.
4. An excessively low camera angle with a borderline skirt length and an excessively high angle with borderline open shoulders are inadmissible.
5. An open stomach is permissible only if the exposed area does not exceed 33% of the total stomach area, and if the shot was obtained randomly due to an act of divine force, in other words, as a result of Sylphide's influence - within reasonable limits (for example, deliberate shooting in windy weather is considered an unfair and inadmissible working condition under this clause); openness of legs above the threshold value due to this factor is considered unacceptable.
6. "Pretty" or "cute" poses/gestures, accessories, and clothing items are allowed, but "unworthy/fetishizing" ones are not (excessively flashy makeup, garters, fishnet stockings, etc.).
7. The focus of most works must correspond to Yanagist (within reasonable limits, other "professional" themes are acceptable), or "high," or casual themes; exceptions to these are discussed individually with the right of refusal without penalties.
8. If the presence of other people in the frame is necessary, only girls who are not of a completely unworthy appearance are allowed (- You don't want your employee to later catch a knife between the eyes from some hypothetical zealous fan in a dark alley, do you? - Ayano explains. - No negativity.).
9. The scenes themselves must maintain a family-friendly format and not imply unworthy subtext.
10. The final shots, before being used in work, undergo preliminary selection by the Performer (Yamagami Ayano) and may be rejected and destroyed without explanation.
- I know, I know, it's a lot. But you must understand what moral and status sacrifices I have to make. This way, we'll work well together.
***
From the second point, she nearly threw her back out, almost ruined her knees, and gave herself a hernia - and this at only twenty-two years old! After all, she had to carry on her back:
- A pack of coffee and ten packs of Lukum from the "Tentacle";
- A wedding veil (hoping no one thought anything of it) and one gift stone of each type from "Souvenirs," and in autumn - nail polish of all colors;
- A full set of long-decayed pulp from "Rumor," trying not to pay attention to the saleswoman's language - to have something to read while gathering wildflowers, and because it would be the least she could do in her "family situation";
- Three (if that many are there) women's watches from "Chronos," and cigars and harmony watches from the same place;
- A pack of tea, cookies, three cats, and paintings 2, 3, 5 from the catgirl-themed "Cherry";
- A bottle for injuries, x10 bottles of life, x30 medical supplies, and x10 of each small (except Sonatin) medication from "Leaf" - hoping none of it would ever be needed;
- A katana forged by a blacksmith for Sonata, costing as much as 5 (4.5) thousand Reims!
- In addition, on the last day of each month, she decided to treat the workers at the villa with various desserts from "Beauty" - x20 per order, corresponding to the number of servants.
Scattering the money earned through hard work ended with enchanting a gohei, a stack of ofuda, a kagura (dance/wear?), a red hannya mask, a heart, a glider, and a cloak with indestructibility, and a crossbow with destructiveness. During all the time spent in the workshop, she never once raised the question about Aiko - but from the gloomy faces of both the seller and the buyer, everything was clear.
In addition, for the period of peaceful life, she decorated the room with a masterpiece photograph, as well as flags of Minjin and Margel - for aesthetic and "patriotic" feelings, respectively. And she purchased the last possible blessing for the safe, within the timeframe.
***
Her third extremely important task was to try all the one-time summer and autumn dishes in all the establishments of the capital, which she successfully brought to life - but not in the shortest possible time, but at a natural pace, so that Alice wouldn't have to alter the Minjin dress for pregnant proportions.
Tea ice cream, dorayaki, pumpkin pie, and pumpkin casserole went well with some tea, but whale with tea turned out to be a bad idea, but what's done is done.
***
She spent long hours, days, and weeks getting whacked on the butt with a wooden katana by Sonata, but "fortunately," after returning from Mitten, Sonata was already accustomed to much rougher treatment. In the end, these moments full of discomfort and shame did bear fruit when she managed, with great difficulty, to defeat the ex-empress using all her abilities at once.
Incredibly proud of herself, she raised her hands to the sky and announced to her ancestors the wonderful news that Nihon had finally regained its former glory by defeating the loathsome Reim, while Sonata - obviously having thrown the match - stood aside, only smiling awkwardly at the scene.
In the evenings, listening to the bodily pain from the endless beatings, she stared intently at a figurine that looked exactly like her former headmistress, and this pain brought her back to distant and ancient times when she would similarly receive beatings from her with a stick for not sitting up straight enough, or falling asleep during a long, tedious ritual, or, having been thrown off a cliff, failing to soar into the air.
The culmination of these spiritual explorations came when she thought she had stopped feeling her legs and did rise a few centimeters into the air - but that could have been just a false sensation from limbs that had gone numb and deadened by that time.
Otherwise, she spent her days filled with routine in very different ways.
She greatly disliked the flags hung up by the "mother," so she spent as much as 160 hours in her company, during which she told funny and not-so-funny stories from her life and the lives of Nihonese people, as well as the dog-like Reimites and other non-Nihonese lands and peoples, listening in return to cool (detached?) tales about Welfern and personal Denkov life events. From time to time, she would draw from her and the mother's stories a subtle moral about how there are a great many things in life worth living for, without wasting oneself on suicidal ultra-ideals, which could be quite ironic in the context of how Bruno had gaslit her.
Just as many hours were spent on temple concerns, during which she coordinated what, how, and where should be built, carried food and drink to the workers, and provided whatever help her twig-like hands could offer in sawing and chiseling.
About 120 hours were spent jumping on garage roofs with Edge-Lord-kun under the moon, during which he did most of the jumping - just to show off, because for her, in geta, it was too uncomfortable, noisy, and could even damage the roofing and cause trouble for the owners. Besides these childish things, she taught him how to strike a kayak (target?) with a primitive spear and contemplate the beauty of nature, while he told her how to spot a pervert in a crowd in time and correctly and how to avoid his greasy hold.
No less than a hundred hours over these months were spent on household chores at the Three X's during particularly busy days - at such moments, she recalled in vivid detail the day she decided to add such a large and laudatory paragraph about this establishment to the guidebook, hoping its owner would earn a hundred thousand rem in a week and thus make up for the lost phantom treasure. But it wasn't a burden to her, so in matters that didn't involve buttering up lonely, overweight clients with the famous "services," she willingly helped the girls.
In 80 hours, Edge-Lord-kun was taught the basics of Nihonese - its fifty-odd alphabets, numerous speech forms and addresses, as well as the impeccable aesthetic traditions of this greatest nation in the multiverse. He wasn't a stupid student, and would probably have managed in much less time if he had spent more time on the material rather than meditating on her appearance and voice.
60 hours spent in Sonata's company made Ayano pull out her notebook more than once and record a huge number of details of her charming behavior - purely for research purposes, to study all the secrets of the cursed Reimites, and not at all for her own use. During these cute, lighthearted communications, she often returned to that very thought - about how the throne of this empire should have remained with her, and not passed to some degenerates.
She devoted all her remaining time to communicating with old Phantom and sometimes Kayasa, if she was in the store - listening with interest to tales of his travels and life in general, similarly telling her own numerous stories, and sternly cutting him off from time to time when Azarina came out of the shower or bedroom not fully dressed. In addition, in one-on-one conversations, she sometimes subtly - so as not to embarrass him or seem like nagging - hinted that Bors was still full of strength, and since he was well-off and planning to wind down his business, he would have a whole lot of time that could be dedicated to family and to flesh and blood of his own, which it would be good to acquire if he didn't have any yet.
***
Finally, on the day of the temple's grand opening, she procured a considerable amount of high-quality dishes from the villa, which were subsequently served as a festive table (outside the temple grounds) to the construction workers and everyone who had helped them, and in addition, they were paid a nice bonus for the successfully completed project.
Leading all her close friends, people she liked, and others who had come to see the event, she showed and explained what was what:
- Here we have the path to the temple, marked by torii gates. Please note that you should pass under them not through the center, but under one half or the other. Climbing the steps, we approach the entrance. As you can see, there is a chozuya here. In it, you are supposed to wash your hands and mouth - don't worry, the water is crystal clear. See the toro? Lanterns. Cute, aren't they? Next... On the left hand side, you can observe the maidono. There, kagura is performed - a ritual dance presented as an aesthetic offering to Anuzish - through the Kami, for they are an integral part of her, just as your heart is part of your own body. For the most part, this happens rarely - on special occasions, but don't miss the opportunity to culturally enrich yourself by contemplating this process if you happen upon it. Here, you can also hang an ema - a wooden tablet with your long-term good wish for yourself or your family, and for those with especially generous spirits, for humanity as a whole. Left with a pure heart, it will surely come true! On the right, you see the shamusho - the entrance is closed to visitors, as it's an administrative building for the staff. However, at the entrance, you can purchase an omamori - a talisman for protection and blessing, or receive a fortune. Not bad, is it? Further along the path, in the center, you see the haiden, with komainu statues installed near it. In this hall, all the main action takes place - rituals, prayers, and other ceremonies, such as weddings or funerals for relatives and loved ones, but you absolutely must remove your shoes at the entrance. Here, you can also confess to a pretty miko, receiving understanding and sympathy from her, and some kind of good advice for your problem - who knows, perhaps your soul is missing exactly this nudge to come into the light? And also, here you can throw a symbolic offering into the box to receive a more targeted blessing or protection from the Kami. First, ring the bell to greet the Kami, then throw in a coin. This is followed by two bows and two claps. Then you pray and finish with one more bow. Congratulations! Your prayer has been heard! Sooo... Well, next we have the honden, but the entrance there is closed to the general public - not only with a key, but also sealed by divine forces, and besides, there's nothing interesting for visitors there. And need I mention that any unkind deed in this holy place will be punished by a curse from Anuzish herself? I think there's no particular need to spell that out. ...Ah, by the way! In addition to all the above, you can always seek help with exorcism if you are troubled by evil spirits or other otherworldly forces, or even cursed objects. However, "exorcism" is just a general term; in reality, a fully understanding individual approach is guaranteed here - an unfortunate soul, if it became such through an unjust path, will not be erased from Anuzish's memory, but will be sent back into the general cycle of rebirth.
Finishing the tour, she adds:
- Don't worry, even though the rules may seem unfamiliar, you'll get used to them very quickly; and besides, the friendly staff and printed instructions will always help you remember what you need. Yes, and one more thing! We will always be glad to welcome decent and kind-hearted young women into our ranks to work at the sanctuary, so if you know of any - don't hesitate to tell them about it.
My sword, my trusted ally, unphased by my aspect.
