Lantern riddle
[player]I think... Ichihime's version is closer to the truth.
[Ichihime]Master, you really are the best master ever, nyaa!
[Mai Aihara]Ah... I think I remember something now. When I was little, the shrine was indeed very lively... like there were festivals. However, things have never been that lively ever since grandma passed away...
[player]This supports Ichihime's version of events. The old priest wasn't willing to organize festivals by himself after his wife passed away because he missed her.
[Kaguyahime]That sounds like it makes sense. However, human, you can't just look at the surface for some things. The Temple of Moons has lots of things for you to explore, hehe.
[Narration]When I want to ask her more, Kaguyahime waves her hand and tells me that the secrets of heaven shouldn't be revealed. The Temple of Moons... What other things are... Oh well, I'll always have the chance to find out in the future. It's more important to help Mai solve her problem first.
[Ichihime]I can't wait to organize the festival with you, Mai, nyaa!
[Mai Aihara]Organize the festival with me? Is Mahjong Soul Shrine also...?
[Ichihime]Nyaa! I thought I told you. The Mahjong Soul Shrine also received an invitation from the big boss Osamu, nyaa. Wanjirou has gone outside to negotiate! Let's organize the most magnificent festival together, nyaa!
[Mai Aihara]...If the Mahjong Soul Shrine is participating, the Temple of Moons indeed should join too.
[Narration]Mai once said that the two shrines had some shared history. Perhaps that's why she is starting to change her mind.
[Mai Aihara]What do you think, Master? I... kind of want to organize a festival now.
[player]I think that if the old priest stopped holding festivals because he was afraid of seeing things that would remind him of his deceased wife, then this is the time to start organizing them again. Your grandma would be delighted too if she could see you organizing festivals again.
[Mai Aihara]Yes... In that case, I've decided to organize a festival with the Mahjong Soul Shrine!
[Ichihime]This is great, nyaa! I'm going to have cotton candy and grilled squid at the festival! I'm going to play lots of games at the festival, nyaa!
[Narration]The Mahjong Soul Shrine is as noisy as ever, but perhaps this is the exact kind of carefree atmosphere that can help Mai overcome her worries.
[Narration] In the next few months, together with Ichihime and Wanjirou, we began to prepare for the festival with Osamu's help.
[Narration]It is soon the evening, and it is time for the official opening of the festival jointly organized by the Temple of Moons and Mahjong Soul Shrine.
[Kaavi]Here visitor, please draw a lot to divine your fate.
[Visitor A] Yay! It's a "great blessing!"
[Visitor B]*Sighs* Why did I have to draw a "misfortune!" What should I do?
[Kaavi]Unfortunately, fate isn't something that can be changed that easily.
[Visitor B]Eh? I can't change my luck?
[Kaavi]You can consider hanging it on the sacred tree if you want to put up a meaningless fight against it. Now you can pay the fee here.
[Narration]Mai and I are watching over the ema booth. We can see that Kaavi is helping the visitors draw lots.
[Mai Aihara]It's been a long time since there have been so many visitors here at the Temple of Moons.
[player]Yeah.
[Mai Aihara]I... really like this kind of lively atmosphere.
[Osamu Saitou]Please give me an ema. Thanks.
[Mai Aihara]Y-You're welcome!
[Narration]Osamu, who had been extremely busy since three days before the festival, suddenly appears in front of our booth. His assistant isn't accompanying him, so it seems that he is just walking around enjoying the festival instead of working.
[Mai Aihara]Um... Thank you for helping us with this festival! H-Here's the ema you wanted!
[Osamu Saitou]You're welcome. Miss Aihara, your popularity has played a big role in promoting the festival to make it such a grand occasion. I think it's very rewarding to organize a festival that brings smiles to people's faces.
[Narration]Osamu smiles, then he seems to remember something. He looks at us and continues talking in a serious tone.
[Osamu Saitou]It's just as lively here today as it was 15 years ago. I'm going to check out other booths now, so I'll leave you to it then.
[Narration]Osamu hangs up the ema and turns around to leave. I look at the ema hanging beside me. His hopes for the future are written with strong and powerful strokes, which are very much his style.
[Narration]Thinking back on what Osamu said, I'm a bit curious about the festival they keep mentioning.
[player]They keep mentioning that festival. It must have been very grand.
[Mai Aihara]Actually... It's not like I don't remember anything about it at all, just that I feel like I'm resisting it whenever I recall anything.
[player]Eh? Why is that?
[Mai Aihara]Because... I will think of my mother.
[Narration]The cheerful atmosphere of the festival continues to flow around her, but Mai's expression has become sorrowful.
[Narration]I know she was separated from her mother when she was very little. Maybe she is bringing up this topic because she has remembered some painful things about her past.
[Mai Aihara]Originally, my mother, should have inherited the Temple of Moons, but... due to some accidents, she left soon after I was born and has almost never come back to see me...
[Narration]Mai said that the only time she met her mother after her mother left was at her grandma's funeral.
[Narration]When Mai saw her, she thought she was just a woman wearing black business attire. She came to the mourning hall alone to pay her respects. During this time, she kept her head low, didn't speak to anyone around her, and appeared very indifferent.
[Mai Aihara]She left in a hurry after the funeral, and I only received letters from her every year for the next ten plus years.
[Narration]As Mai told me about her memories, I could feel how helpless she felt. All words of consolation seemed a little empty to me at this time.
[Kana Fujita]Hi everyone, I've finally arrived! I'm sorry I'm late, but there were just too many people at the autograph session just now!
[Narration]Just when the atmosphere became a little heavy, Kana, who is here to change shifts with us, appears in the nick of time. She is an artist under Osamu's company, and she has come to participate in idol events at the festival today.
[Narration]Kana's work requires her to meet her fans at autograph sessions, as well as to shuttle between booths and interact with visitors as a temporary staff member.
[player]Kana, you're here. Don't worry about that. Thank you for agreeing to help us with the booth even though you're already so busy.
[Kana Fujita]Hehe, although this is my work, I feel like I'm bursting with motivation after hearing you thank me, PLAYER!
[Kana Fujita]But... I can feel the heavy atmosphere here. This atmosphere is a disaster for an idol! PLAYER, did you bully Mai?
[player]We were talking about some serious topics, but we feel better now that you've arrived, Kana. Isn't that right?
[Mai Aihara]Y-Yes... Master is always gentle to me...
[Fan A]Hey, isn't that Kana? Kana has come to the festival!
[Fan B]Oh my! Kana, please give me an autograph!
[Kana Fujita]Ah... I guess that's the end of my break. Mai, you need to perform the Kagura dance later, so leave this ema booth to me!
[Narration]The Kagura dance is an important part of this festival. I've been looking forward to it since the festival started.
[Kana Fujita]Go and have some fun while you still have time. I checked out quite a few booths this afternoon and had so much fun!
[Narration]Kana then starts working. With an idol promoting the booth, people waiting in line to buy ema doubled in an instant... Such terrifying charisma... I concede defeat.
[Mai Aihara]M-Master... Where should we go?
[player]Ah, let's forget all that complex stuff and enjoy ourselves thoroughly at the festival! What do you want to play?
[Mai Aihara]I... want to play the things you want to play. Please introduce them to me.
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