Himegami no Miko v1c8

Himegami no Miko (姫神の巫女) Part I, Chapter 8
Hey everybody!

Here is Chapter 8 for you all! You’ll be in for a good treat after the last chapter. I wanted to get this out to you in less than a month but things came up, as they do in this thing we call life. However, I had a day off from work today, so I was able to work on this last night in order to be able to finish it today. I’m discovering that it’s not taking me as long to translate as it used to (though that also depends on the chapter’s length), but I do spend some of that extra time to check consistently over the quality, though I know it’s not the best all the time. I will work through it mostly all at once, probably because I really get into what’s going on in the chapter, haha.

Anyway, without further ado, I present to you the third-to-last chapter of Part I! The next chapter looks to be a really good one, too, so I’m aiming to work on that one and release it by the end of next week. My goal is to finish Part I by the end of the month.

Much grat.i.tude for jrdp_18, Emma, lethe and lilly_938 for your encouraging comments! I’m glad you’re still around reading and taking a moment to leave a comment. I hope to give you the good news in the upcoming weeks as to whether I’ll be going to j.a.pan. :)

Disclaimer: Himegami no Miko belongs to Uetake Sumio-san and ill.u.s.trations belong to Kaishaku. The original text can be accessed here. This is not done for profit or for sale. I am doing it for the sake of an English-speaking audience, as well as for my own practice and enjoyment. The translation is 100% my own work, so please do credit me for it. Feel free to translate it into other languages as long as you give credit where it is due. Thank you!

The next day———
Chikane wandered aimlessly through the hustle and bustle of the city.
Three things that weighed in on her mind were disappearing.
The steely mission that had been imposed upon her———
Souma’s words———
And then, Himeko’s smile———
Although she was seen walking to school, going to cla.s.s was out of the question. So, she feigned illness to leave and had ended up there.
Chikane’s chest ached.
That “something” that had hardened in her chest throbbed.
She wanted to let out a scream: I want to see her!
She had made a rendezvous with Himeko.
For 6 p.m., at their usual meeting place.
However, with these feelings she had, how should she meet her?
As Souma had said, in order to decide on the state of her mind, Chikane needed to find out what it is———
The thing that is puzzling and troubling her.
In order to find out the true form of that “something” in her chest that sparkled and continued to ache.
But, how———?
Not understanding anything, Chikane continued to walk and suddenly stopped in front the window of a boutique.
There, a white dress that adorned it caught her eye.
The pattern decorated with j.a.panese morning glory was very lovely.
Chikane thought,
I wonder if that pattern would suit Himeko?
A bit of skin would be too exposed, though…surely, Himeko would say something to this effect.
“It’s too adult-like, so it wouldn’t suit me…it’s no use.”
The price was simply not affordable, but it was fine just if the two of them could come look at it. It would make her happy just to see her try it on.
Immersed in her thoughts, Chikane abruptly came to her senses.
No…she should not be thinking such things.
She understands that she shouldn’t.
And yet, before she knew it, she would only have these sorts of thoughts nowadays.
On the bench at the shopping mall.
On the new flavor at the ice cream shop.
On the billboard of the karaoke box where the two of them would sing until morning.
On the high school brunette who waited for the bus by herself.
In all the things that filled the city, she would end up looking for Himeko’s silhouette where it should not be.
Himegami no Miko, Chapter 8

As she bared this enigmatic confusion, Chikane roamed about.
No…I…
Unexpectedly, Chikane realized that she was at their usual meeting place———she had walked towards the station.
The idea occurred to Chikane that her mind was like a blessing from the heavens.
That’s right.
She should leave from here temporarily.
This town is full of the time she spent with Himeko.
Where should she go?
It would be good to try going back Totsuka Island once more.
To look up at the island’s sky, to bask in the sea breeze, to be enveloped by the rays of the sun…
These feelings and vestiges of Himeko surely were illusions cast by the town.
If I did that, surely…
I can go back to the way I should be, the Kouzuki Mikamiko.
Chikane pa.s.sed through the ticket gate and rushed to the platform.
While she had this unshakable determination, she would not let her legs become bound by reluctance.
Even so, Chikane’s eyes ended up searching.
For the small silhouette of the one standing alone at the usual spot.
On the in-bound line platform at the third pillar from the Tokyo side.
By the reserved seats for girls who would get lost easily.
There———
Himeko stood.
Why was Himeko here?
It was still before noon and there were more than six hours left until they were supposed to meet.
Himeko casually raised her head and noticed Chikane.
“Chikane-chan?”
“…Himeko.”
Thus, at their usual location, the two encountered one another.
“What…are you doing?”
Himeko responded to the questioning Chikane.
She had tests at school today, so she did not have afternoon cla.s.ses.
For that part of the day, she had arranged to work at her part-time job but it was cancelled due to a sudden circ.u.mstance at the store.
She ended up with free time but Chikane was probably still in the middle of cla.s.s, so there was no way she could send her a message asking her to come over because of what had happened.
So-
“So, you were waiting?”
“Yeah.”
She wanted to meet her, even if it was only a second early. As Himeko said that, she suddenly turned around and looked over.
The ribbon tied to her hair was a light purple.
“This is my lucky color today.”
“Lucky…color.”
There was more, for she wore st.i.tched socks and had a small cub strap tied to her cell phone….
“Because this morning’s horoscope said that I ‘would have an unexpected encounter.’ That’s why I came wearing a lot of purple.”
“…”
“I’m glad I believed it.”
Jokingly, she brought her hands together in grat.i.tude.
Chikane sensed it.
This was a silly good luck charm.
However, it had certainly been put in there. The powerful feeling of believing in something that had a one-in-a-thousand, one-in-a-ten-thousand chance of happening.
That she would meet Chikane…
“What’s wrong?”
Himeko c.o.c.ked her head to the side in confusion at the expression found on Chikane’s face.
“Oh! That’s right. Chikane-chan must have other plans.”
“Eh?”
“Ah, it’s fine if that comes first. Don’t worry about me. Since I already met up with you, that’s enough. I’ll be alright until about 6 o’clock,” Himeko said.
“If anything comes up that inconveniences you, let me know on my cell…”
Chikane pressed a finger gently to Himeko’s mouth.
“I don’t have any plans.”
“Really?”
Himeko smiled like a blooming flower.
She would never go against Chikane.