–Toyohime no Mikoto.

At this time, she was the Protector of her people, the 《kegai》, who were being pursued by Yamato.

Later, she would become the master of the heavens where the 8 million G.o.ds gather, wielder of the divine power of the sun and responsible for her country’s defense as the founding G.o.d of divine j.a.pan, gathering deep faith from far and wide.

Yet that great G.o.ddess is, at this time, nothing more than a degenerate, powerless deity.

Her wors.h.i.+pers amount to nothing more than a small tribe of less than a thousand.

But, a short while before she meets a certain young man and her fate begins to change…

Cradled in Imari’s arms, Toyo headed towards the camp’s center, to the side of a blazing bonfire.

“Good morning, Toyohime-sama.”

A young guard, Molbe, turns away from the flames, bowing deeply. He is a youth with a large frame and muscular physique. He was dressed in armour made of red elk’s hide and wore a precious iron sword at his hip. His chest was thick, as were his wrists and ankles.

Anyone looking could see he was blessed with a powerful frame. He was tall enough to stand alongside Imari, but seemed to have twice the ma.s.s. Toyo, sliding out of Imari’s arms, gave a weak smile.

“–? Toyohime-sama…is something the matter?”

Looking at Molbe’s dubious expression, head tilted to the side, Toyo fought down her amus.e.m.e.nt.

“I was just thinking about how big you’ve grown. Just a little while ago, you were nothing more than a child.”

“–I believe it’s just the natural way of things. After all, ten years have pa.s.sed already since inheriting this sword from my father.”

At Molbe’s formal reply, Imari’s response seemed somewhat sad.

“I can’t believe it’s been that long already. That long, since I came to serve Toyo-sama…”

“I can’t believe how big the two of you have grown since then. I never would have imagined it. At first, it seemed like I was looking after two infants.”

“I don’t recall us having been that young…”

“Oh believe me, when you and Imari first came, I was really out of my element.”

Yes, just like little children.

A Shrine Maiden – a female who defends their G.o.d through service; A Guardian – a male who fights to defend their G.o.d. Imari’s mother and Molbe’s father died while fulfilling their duty. They died fighting against the troops of Yamato in order to protect their G.o.ddess and her people.

They left behind Imari and Molbe, two young children who didn’t know their right from their left. A fast ten years pa.s.sed since then, and they both became outstanding youths, taking over the work of their parents. Thinking of times long past, Toyo’s chest grew hot.

“Please spare me the rest…”

Molbe said, distraught, to which Toyo responded with a bitter smile, before sitting down on a carpet spread out beside the bonfire. Imari poured the contents of the pot simmering over the fire into a cup, before handing it to Toyo.

It was milk from the red elk, and warm enough for steam to drift up. She tried sipping it, but the cup’s edge was hot and nearly burned her lips. After blowing on it to cool it down, she finally took a drink. The milk was sweet, and smelled faintly of gra.s.ses.

The warmth spread from her mouth throughout her body, and she felt strength well up. After draining the cup of milk, Toyo took a deep breath before speaking.

“I feel that battle will come today.”

At those words, Imari and Molbe’s faces grew taught.

“I have already told you the reason I had for coming to this land, to Hakone, yes?”

“Yeah…that we’re seeking a place for you.”

“Uhh, it was to start a village, I think.” Imari searched for the right words before continuing. “To build houses, cultivate the fields and live here forever…either way it’ll become a country.”

“Yes, that is part of it.” The G.o.ddess said gently. “If we keep on living in a nomadic fas.h.i.+on, we won’t be able to support the population when it grows. There is a limit to how much food can be produced in a hunter-gatherer society. To tell you the truth, the population is already overcrowded, and while we’re using red elk’s milk to supplement things, it’s approaching the limit, right? So before we fall dest.i.tute, we need to secure land and water sources for cultivation. And it needs to be soon. –…Are you following so far?”

“I…I’m sorry.”

“Uh, Uhm, in other words, we’re running out of food, right?”

Imari and Molbe responded, their expressions a bit restless. The G.o.ddess looked far away. …Even these two, who were the closest to her among the people, and who sometimes acted on her behalf, were responding this way, so there was no mistaking what the others would say.

In other words, they didn’t understand things very well. The population of a thousand or so was not currently experiencing the crisis they were in. The issue was, they were being taken care of by Toyo’s divine protection–and because of this, the burden of the population on Toyo was not declining, but increasing.

Things had developed into a vicious cycle. And n.o.body among the people was aware of it. …It wasn’t like they were foolish though. Understanding how to move the population, and secure a labour force. Calculating the food consumption of the total population, recognizing how to predict food shortages and seeking a means to solve it –Basically, this was politics. It was natural that they not think of it, as it was a G.o.d’s duty.

“…It’s fine.” Sighing, the G.o.ddess shook her head. “Anyway, I need this land. But…within Hakone live things that were here before us.”

“Um…you’re talking about the 《demons》, right?”

At Imari’s words, Toyo nodded her head.

──《Demons》.

They were a race of humanoid beings that were said to prefer living in the fire-spewing mountains. Horns grew on their heads, their skin was dark, they had claws like beasts and were said to drink flame and eat iron. It seems that in the past they used to live in the west, but even for someone as long-lived as Toyo, she had never seen them before.

Ages ago there were tales of them having migrated east, but it wasn’t definite.

Even so, stories relating the strength and terror of their higher-beings were still pa.s.sed down.

They were incomparable with those beasts that developed over time or spirits who could do no more than make sounds. To a certain degree, they were a kind of Mononoke on par with a deity.

“There’s no avoiding contact with them if we’re going to be living in this land.”

“In other words, by battle you mean subjugating those creatures? To show this land should be Toyohime-sama’s; a display of your majesty?”

“Not exactly.” With a bitter smile, the G.o.ddess denied Molbe’s guess. “It’s nothing as barbaric as annihilating or chasing them away. I don’t like doing things that way anyway, and besides, they live in the mountains, and we want the plains.”

…Well, even if we tried to challenge them with all our might, it would be us who were annihilated. The G.o.ddess swallowed those thoughts without speaking them, before continuing.

“I’m planning on working together with them.”

“Working together…with those 《demons》!?”

“Yes. That’s exactly right. This higher cla.s.s of Mononoke are far more intelligent, and stronger, than humans. 《Demons》 especially have the capability of speech, live in groups and have a humanoid form. I think it’s possible to communicate.”

“B, but, to what end!?”

“To resist Yamato.” Clenching her fists, the G.o.ddess responded. “–Yamato is still working on conquering the east. In order to force them back, we need to be building our strength.

This is the same for the 《demons》. It’s not the time to be fighting amongst ourselves.”

I don’t want to lose anything ever again.

–I’m weak.

Toyo was aware of her helplessness.

Though they were of the same kind, Toyo had come to know how she was nothing more than a leaf that could be blown away by the G.o.ds of Yamato. Right now, her people raised red elks, hunted beasts and gathered fruits from the trees. But in the past, they had built and settled in houses, cultivated farmland and lived as an agricultural society.

Theirs had been a population of 300 thousand, and shrine maidens like Imari had numbered a thousand. They had been a great country, influential among their neighbours. …But all those who knew of these times were gone now. All of her people now lived wandering the wilderness as though it were natural.

Even so, Toyo remembered. There was no forgetting it, the past glory, the lost splendour, the stolen lands–. Thinking of them…she saw herself now as wretched. That’s why she didn’t want to lose anything else. In order to protect what she has now, she’d do anything. No matter what.

《Demons》 weren’t the only ones. She would plant roots here in Hakone, grow her people, and eventually a.s.similate the surrounding settlements and Mononoke under her care…!

“In short, this is a step to take before battle–a battle of words.”

It goes without saying that they wouldn’t be taken seriously if they weren’t prepared to fight from the outset. In order to talk, in order to negotiate as equals, they needed to show their strength. To that end, she needed Imari and Molbe to fight for her. …But, even so.

“Allying with the 《demons》, founding a country in this land, and preparing for Yamato’s invasion of the east.”

The young G.o.ddess clenched her small fists as she spoke.

This was the plan she had devised–It was the only way to protect her people.

“This battle will be the first step.”