Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 3, Part 5

[DracoOmega]

>"And when she arrived, did she claim that the heads had changed their mind about this?"

[Oldmansour]

>"And when she arrived, did she claim that the heads had changed their mind about this?"

>Kiku nods. "I remember now, we found this odd at the time, of course. There had been no word about it from the alphas. But she told us, 'don't worry about it.', those were her exact words. And... we didn't."

[Hello Purvis]

>"And nothing came of it from higher up? No visits or inquiries?"

[DracoOmega]

>"I presume that means no one ever checked to verify at any point, as far as you know?"
>"Had any of you, or her, had contact with the heads after that point? Surely they had to at least be aware of her position here eventually, whether they send the original dispatch or not."

[Oldmansour]

>"And nothing came of it from higher up? No visits or inquiries?"

>Kiku shakes her head.

>"I presume that means no one ever checked to verify at any point, as far as you know?"
>"Had any of you, or her, had contact with the heads after that point? Surely they had to at least be aware of her position here eventually, whether they send the original dispatch or not."

>"You presume correctly."
>"Both of us have. To my knowledge, they never mentioned anything out of place about Satori holding the position she does."

[DracoOmega]

>"I wonder how high this goes...."

>"Can you recall any other behavior of hers now that seems suspicious? Anything else that was conspicuously covered up?"

[Oldmansour]

>"I wonder how high this goes...."

>"Can you recall any other behavior of hers now that seems suspicious? Anything else that was conspicuously covered up?"

>"I must as you something first, Lotus. What did you mean, you wonder."

[DracoOmega]

>"I mean, did the decision for Satori to head your shrine indeed come from them, or might they have been affected much as you have? What need would there be for her to conceal a change of plans if it had been sanctioned through the usual channels, I wonder?"

[Oldmansour]

>"I mean, did the decision for Satori to head your shrine indeed come from them, or might they have been affected much as you have? What need would there be for her to conceal a change of plans if it had been sanctioned through the usual channels, I wonder?"

>"That would be my assumption. That whatever Satori did to us, she did to them as well. Some of them, at least. The alternative implies a conspiracy, and I've never liked speculating on those in the face of more logical alternatives."

[DracoOmega]

>"Do you have any idea what her motive might have been at all? If she was capable of this kind of prolonged deception, there is presumably a lot of other places she could have insinuated herself. Why here?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Do you have any idea what her motive might have been at all? If she was capable of this kind of prolonged deception, there is presumably a lot of other places she could have insinuated herself. Why here?"

>"She's been a part of the temple for decades. Thirty years, at least. It's only the last five that she's spent here."
>"But as for why THIS temple, specifically, that I don't know. It could be because of our status. As I mentioned, this temple was once the headquarters, for want of a better term for our faith in Yamato. Or perhaps she has...." She trails off, glancing down in thought. "A personal connection. She might have moved here to be closer to her sister. I believe Koishi lived in Mayoiga for some years before Satori came."

[DracoOmega]

>"That seems an awfully benign motive for such an act of mass deception. Surely there would be some other means to be closer to one's family? Even the Metal Tiger Himself seemed to consider her as something that was wrong with His shrine."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Has she been, well, good at the job? The obvious things aside. Has she benefited besides becoming popular?"

[Oldmansour]

>"That seems an awfully benign motive for such an act of mass deception. Surely there would be some other means to be closer to one's family? Even the Metal Tiger Himself seemed to consider her as something that was wrong with His shrine."

>"I'm merely speculating, Lotus."

>"Has she been, well, good at the job? The obvious things aside. Has she benefited besides becoming popular?"

>"Do you mean in terms of money, possessions?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"Yes and less tangible things. But, the first part of the question is also important, too. Has she been actually leading the shrine and making sure things run smoothly, performing the appropriate rituals satisfactorily, and keeping things under control? Has she seemed...sincere, I suppose?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Yes and less tangible things. But, the first part of the question is also important, too. Has she been actually leading the shrine and making sure things run smoothly, performing the appropriate rituals satisfactorily, and keeping things under control? Has she seemed...sincere, I suppose?"

>Kiku nods. "She has indeed. Apart from what I mentioned before, about being more reclusive than normal on inner-shrine matters, she's performed every duty expected of her, and more besides. Matters pertaining to magic within the Tiger shrine go through her, as they should. If anything, she's made the Tiger shrine here more prosperous and more public an institution than it had been before. She's even gone out of her way to invite more dubious individuals to be part of the temple, even in limited form. The Eagle is just the latest to come through us that way."

[Hello Purvis]

>Nod.
>"And, to your knowledge, she's not dipping her hand into the coffer too deeply or quietly auctioning off shrine property?"

[Oldmansour]

>Nod.
>"And, to your knowledge, she's not dipping her hand into the coffer too deeply or quietly auctioning off shrine property?"

>The hair on Kiku's ears and tail stand on end slightly as she answers, "No." Then she breaths out a sigh. "I still had to stop myself from taking offense at the idea."

[Hello Purvis]

>"That's alright. It'll probably take a bit for you to work all of the little idiosyncrasies out."

[DracoOmega]

>"I wonder if her tendency to avoid face-to-face meetings with the other heads is connected with how she insinuated herself into this shrine, rather than just a personal idiosyncrasy."
>"But she has not always avoided such meetings, yes?"

[Oldmansour]

>"That's alright. It'll probably take a bit for you to work all of the little idiosyncrasies out."

>"I wonder if her tendency to avoid face-to-face meetings with the other heads is connected with how she insinuated herself into this shrine, rather than just a personal idiosyncrasy."
>"But she has not always avoided such meetings, yes?"

>"Not always, no. There are some duties that can only be handled by the head of a temple, idiosyncrasies or no."

[DracoOmega]

>"Then do you mean to say that, as a rule, unless it was impossible for her to avoid such things, she would?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Then do you mean to say that, as a rule, unless it was impossible for her to avoid such things, she would?"

>"That might be too strong a statement." Kiku says thoughtfully. "I think that would have aroused suspicion from the other temples by now, which I don't believe is the case."

[DracoOmega]

>"Well, it seems there are more than a few things around Satori that ought to have aroused suspicion, yet did not."
>"You don't have any recollection of her doing anything more 'active' to change your memories, do you? Beyond simply that first suggestion upon her arrival?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Well, it seems there are more than a few things around Satori that ought to have aroused suspicion, yet did not."
>"You don't have any recollection of her doing anything more 'active' to change your memories, do you? Beyond simply that first suggestion upon her arrival?"

>"Not as yet. Though this may change with time."
>"And speaking of which, Lotus, I really can't linger much longer. I must return to the shrine and try to contact the Tiger."

[DracoOmega]

>"Very well. I am not certain where I stand now on attempting this infiltration tonight after all, in light of this. I feel there may be more that can be learned now through other channels, and perhaps should be. Though I still have no idea how the black flame might be connected with any of this, if indeed it is. I had thought some influence it exerted might be responsible for recent actions, but if some of this stretches back so many years now.... I am not sure what to think."

[Oldmansour]

>"Very well. I am not certain where I stand now on attempting this infiltration tonight after all, in light of this. I feel there may be more that can be learned now through other channels, and perhaps should be. Though I still have no idea how the black flame might be connected with any of this, if indeed it is. I had thought some influence it exerted might be responsible for recent actions, but if some of this stretches back so many years now.... I am not sure what to think."

>Kiku presses her two index fingers together. "... There might be someone you can speak to about this, if she is there at the meeting tonight. The one you mentioned, I mean."

[DracoOmega]

>"Oh?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Oh?"

>"Carefully, I mean. I don't mean to imply she is somehow aware of what Satori has done or how, but she might be able to tell you more information about her. You mentioned other channels, after all."
>"Her name is Haruka Sawashiro. She's the second at the Red Bird shrine. Next to Suika-sama, I believe she's served in this city longer than any other shrine maiden."

[Hello Purvis]

>"And why do you recommend her in particular?"