☀️ Arselia and Akonia

- N-no, I didn't touch anything without your permission," Minako quickly explained, "so don't think anything of it.

- I know, Minako-chan. I meant, maybe you've already explored the area. But anyway, never mind, it doesn't matter now," Sonata said with a smile. "I asked Minako-chan to fill in for me while we're away, and even with her studies, she agreed because she has a heart of gold. Here, let me show you what it's all about.

- It's like being back in Nihon," Sonata replied to the priestess's question, "very authentic. Well, shall we go? A tour sounds like a wonderful way to get to know this place better. By the way, Ayano, did you get to meet some of my students today? What do you think of them?

- Should I tell you the truth or sugarcoat it?... As you can see, the area is quite spacious, although not excessively so – I was very lucky to find such a grove. You'll be surprised, but during the construction of the shrine, not a single surrounding tree was damaged or cut down; this was a very important point. I was a little skeptical of the builders – even setting aside the factor of stupidity or unprofessionalism, human error is possible, and I checked the area every day, but they did a flawless job. Well done, everyone," she announced, leading them to the washing basin. "Chōzuya! Every visitor must draw water from it and rinse their hands and mouth. Here are the ladles," she demonstrates how to do it. "Artesian water flows directly from the well, so there's no need to carry it; the only thing required is to wash the ladles. In most shrines, this is done in the morning before opening, but personally, I proceed based on the situation – for example, if people are visiting more often today or it's a particular season like late autumn, I do it several times. In general, "a person must" use the chōzuya not in the sense that they should be chased away with a broom if they don't, but simply because otherwise, their further communication with the Kami-sama will almost certainly be fruitless. So, in my – and yours, Minako-chan – hands lies the opportunity to guide visitors on the right path, but if they don't want to, there's no point in forcing it.