Suga looked around curiously.
“This house is luxurious….”
Nellson nodded.
“Maybe this is just their side job and is their cultural obligation for generations.”
Suga nodded.
Not long after, a man in his 60s wearing the shinto priest attire walked along the open corridor facing the yard next to the house, then walked into the room where Suga was sitting. Seeing the shinto priest’s arrival, Suga stood up from his seat. The shinto priest walked closer to Suga. Nellson walked across the floor and stood near them while watching them curiously, making the shinto priest look at Nellson in surprise.
“What’s with this owl?”
Suga smiled.
“He is my pet owl who works like a police dog to help with my investigations. His appearance is unique because he is cosplaying.”
The shinto priest looked at Suga with a surprised expression.
“So, you’re the government investigator the shinto priest chief said wanted to sacrifice yourself?”
Suga nodded and smiled awkwardly.
“Right, this is also for my investigation. I have to prove the truth about Gasokami myself.”
The shinto priest’s expression turned serious.
“Then you ready for all the consequences?”
Suga swallowed hard and smiled awkwardly.
“Yes, uncle. I will try to overcome it somehow.”
The shinto priest nodded.
“Okay, I will teach you how to perform the Gasokami Sacrifice Ritual.”
Suga nodded. Suga was learn how he acted during this sacrifice ritual, Nellson stood on the ground and watched them curiously.
Sugas’s wrists were tied using long red cloths by the Shinto priest, then connected them to his monk staff; Suga watched him curiously.
“Now, we use this house as a replacement for the Gasokami shrine to practice performing the opening ceremony.”
Suga nodded. While his wrists were tied, Suga walked to the house, accompanied by the Shinto priest. The Shinto priest then asked Suga to pray to Gasokami to protect the village and said it in a normal tone. Suga looked a little awkward; he then clap his hands together in front of him.
“I hope Gasokami will protect our village this year, too.”
Suga then lowered his hands again. Shinto priest nodded.
“Good, you’ve done it right.”
Suga smiled awkwardly as he thought.
“I don’t know if I should be happy about it or not….”
Suga then practiced walking as if accompanied by other ritual participants, which was not as difficult as Suga thought. The shinto priest said.
“Because this ritual is no longer performed in Kagohara village, we are also making some adjustments. The opening ceremony previously held in front of the Gasokami shrine will be held without the shrine. The route taken by ritual participants, which previously only passed through the middle of the forest, now also passes through rivers using boats. The final destination of this ritual, which was previously an altar in the middle of the forest, was changed to the wharf in Kagohara village as the only place left of that village.”
Suga appeared to realize something.
“That altar, is it somewhere outside the village?”
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The shinto priest nodded.
“Yes, the altar is in the middle of the forest near the village. But we haven’t checked it for decades, so we don’t know its condition if the altar was still there or vanished along with the entire village.”
Suga appeared to remember something as he thought.
“When I checked the forest with Nellson, I saw no such place. It was likely that the altar had also vanished along with the entire village.”
Suga’s expression turned curious. The Shinto priest continued speaking.
“So that’s it; then you just need to follow the people accompanying you in this ritual.”
Suga nodded, his attention then focused on the red cloth tied around his wrists.
“Do all of these have to be done precisely for the ritual to be successful?”
The Shinto priest shook his head slowly.
“I don’t know either; we just follow the knowledge passed down for generations.”
Suga nodded as he thought.
“I’m curious about the history of the first generation of Kagohara village that was said they met Gasokami directly. If I manage to enter the village, maybe I can get some clues about that.”
The shinto priest continued speaking.
“Okay, I’ve finished everything I had to explain to you. You just need to wait until the time for the ritual arrives.”
Suga nodded.
“I understand, uncle.”
The shinto priest nodded.
“Then I’ll excuse myself.”
Suga answered.
“Yes, uncle. Thank you for helping me.”
Suga bowed politely to the shinto priest, who then did the same. The shinto priest then untied the red cloths around Suga’s wrist, making him slightly awkward. The shinto priest bowed politely to Suga, who then did the same; the shinto priest then walked away from here. Suga stood silent in his place while watching the shinto priest leave while looking slightly lost in thought. Nellson watched Suga curiously, walked toward him, and stood near Suga while looking up at him.
“You did the sacrifice ritual practice very well, Suga.”
Suga came to his senses and then smiled awkwardly.
“I don’t know if I should be happy to hear that.”
Nellson looked up at Suga curiously.
The appointed time arrived; Suga was on the concrete road that connected the house buildings, with Nellson standing not far from him. Not long after, Mrs. Unjyo came with a dozen townspeople who used to live in Kagohara village before, as well as Ishikari’s father and mother, walking into the house area from the same entrance gate that Suga had previously passed through. Ishikari’s father and mother looked very worried and walked over to Suga. Ishikari’s mother said.
“Thank you for doing this, Suga. I know the police will try their best to look for Ishikari, but we still can’t rule out Gasokami.”
Suga smiled and nodded.
“Of course, aunt. I will do my best.”
Ishikari’s father said.
“If you need anything, you can just say it.”
Suga appeared to realize something.
“The shinto priest chief will prepare everything; uncle doesn’t need to worry.”
Ishikari’s father nodded with a worried expression.
Not long after, the shinto priest chief and ten other shinto priests arrived. The eleven of them wore shinto priest attire while carrying monk staff (shakujo). Except for the shinto priest chief, the ten other Shinto priests also carried a rolled, long red cloth. The eleven shinto priests came to Suga and the villagers. The shinto priest chief looked at Suga with a serious expression.
“Since Suga Hisoka wants to sacrifice himself, action must be planned if you don’t return. Do you have anyone you need to tell, like friends or family member?”
Suga was surprised to hear the question; he then smiled.
“Uncle don’t need to worry; I have already prepared everything.”
The shinto priest chief nodded, his expression then turned serious.
“Okay, let’s do this ritual.”
Suga’s expression turned serious.
Suga walked to the designated position. In front of him, the ten Shinto priests stood in their designated places and covered their faces with white cloths connected to their hats. The villagers who were present paid attention by standing regularly behind Suga. The shinto priest chief stomped his monk’s staff (shakujo) on the ground in a rhythmical manner while reciting mantras, then continued one by one with other shinto priests, who also carried a monk’s staff in their right hand and a rolled long red cloth.
The ten shinto priests walked towards Suga, stood around him, and rhythmically stomped their monk staffs while reciting mantras. One of the shinto priests stopped reciting the mantras and stopped stomping his monk’s staff, walked towards Suga, and tied a long red cloth around Suga’s wrist, which was then connected to his monk’s staff; the shinto priest then returned to his original place. This continues to be done continuously until all ten shinto priests have done it, and ten long red cloths have been connected between Suga’s right wrist of five cloths, and Suga’s left wrist of five cloths, to the ten monks’ staffs. The shinto priest chief turned toward Suga and then nodded. Suga nodded; he then clap his hands together in front of him.
“I hope Gasokami will protect our town.”
Suga then lowered his hands again. The shinto priests then resumed stomping their monk’s staff (shakujo) on the ground in a rhythmical manner while reciting mantras,
The shinto priest chief walked away from here, followed by the ten shinto priests; Suga also immediately walked along with them. Nellson watched Suga momentarily, then flew after him, occasionally landing on the ground. The ritual participants paying attention also began to follow them. The ritual group arrived at the back of the Japanese classic wall with the tiled roof of this housing area, which has an entrance similar to the front gate. A tall double-door wooden gate and two similar, smaller doors on its right and left. Above these gates is a classic Japanese tiled roof supported by four sturdy wooden pillars.
The ritual group walked together through the gates onto the road that cut through the forest behind this house area. They walked past the tall and large trees on their right and left; Suga walked with a curious expression and didn’t look the least bit bothered.