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Rika led Lily to a group of ancient trees, leaning and intertwining together to form a cave-like area in the forest of trees. Beneath those entwined ancient trees was an ancient temple.

In the front of the temple was a statue of a fat old raccoon wearing a hat, the statue was much taller than Lily.

Walking forward, Lily observed the statue. Though it was a raccoon, it was different from other raccoons, this one radiated an incredible aura.

“That is the living legend, the raccoon Mita’s statue¹.”

While Lily’s attention was captivated by the statue, an old voice that still sounded of mischief spoke out.

Turning around, Lily was met with an ancient fat raccoon wearing a hat behind her. This raccoon was both fat, big and taller than Lily.

“Hm?”
“Great grandpa!” Rika laughed as she ran over, hugging the fat raccoon’s claws.
“Uh, hello.” Lily hastily bowed to the bear-like raccoon, “I greet the senior raccoon.”
The elder raccoon looked at Lily, and was dazed for a bit, “Woah! So beautiful! Which descendant of mine are you? How did you know grandpa likes this type?”

“Eh?” Lily was bewildered.

“Great grandpa, she isn’t the transformation of a clan member, she’s a real human female samurai.”

Lily immediately saluted, “This warrior is called Kagami Lily, I’m a samurai from Heian-kyo.”

The gaze of the fat raccoon with thick eyebrows grew serious. “Kagami Lily? Is it the genius young girl Kagami Lily who won the Yoshitsune memorial and is known as the number one beauty of the young generation? That Kagami Lily²?”

“I dare not assume the title of the number one beauty.”

The fat elder raccoon assumed a serious expression and asked. “I heard, after the tournament, that Ayaka and Tamamo-no-Mae fought a serious battle for a kiss?”

“Eh? That, this…” Lily involuntarily blushed, she didn’t know what to say but wondered why a raccoon elder who lived deep in the forest would know about those events.

“Ahahaha, it’s only a little joke, the young miss does not need to be embarrassed.” The elderly raccoon straightened up, “I am the raccoon Mita, I think, the young miss has heard of me before?”

“Wha!???”

Of course I’ve heard of you, your name was just mentioned! She turned her head to look at the statue, as expected, that figure, that charm, it was exactly the same!

“Ahahaha, your observation skills aren’t bad, that is indeed my statue.”

“This…” Lily didn’t know what to say, was there someone who would build their statue in front of their own house?

But this raccoon Mita was Heian-kyo’s guardian god. Together with Izumo’s Giant Goddess statue, Genji’s Eight-Sided Bodhisattva statue, Fujiwara’s Twelve Moon Phase instrument, and Lady Kimiko’s Himemiya Sen-no-hana Painting were called the sacred relics of the world! Only, the sacred relic in front of her was a living being!

Lily had only held a sliver of hope, but she had never imagined that Rika’s great grandpa would be the raccoon Mita! If it was him, then perhaps her sakura parasol could be repaired.

Lily immediately raised her skirts and knelt on bare knees and respectfully kowtowed to this living legend who seemed somewhat childish.

“Sigh—little miss need not be so formal! Also, don’t randomly lift your skirt, I’m so old, can’t take it.” Mita actually approached to help her up³.

“Senior! I have a request, if senior is willing to help, Lily will……” She originally wanted to say she would be willing to do anything, but this old raccoon seemed to be a bit lecherous⁴, perhaps that might not be a good idea, “Lily will serve the elder like my own great grandfather!”

“Ahahaha, to think I would get the blessings to accept a granddaughter as beautiful and gifted as you are. Little miss need not be like that, tell me what the problem is, I’m old now and might not have the abilities the little miss imagines I have. Let’s go in first and talk inside.”

Mita’s steps were heavy as he led Lily and a bouncing Rika into the temple. The temple was old, ancient and simple, yet radiated a strange light feeling.

Raccoon Mita sat on the altar and suddenly stopped moving, it was as if he had become a statue.

“Senior? Senior?” Lily looked up confused.

“Pfft haha—” The elderly raccoon covered his mouth as he laughed, “When I was young, there were times I would pretend to be my own statue, and when people came to worship I would suddenly become alive. Though they were obviously praying to me and when I actually appeared, they would flee as if seeing a ghost. Only that little kid Taira no Kiyomori wasn’t frightened by me the first time.”

Lily couldn’t help but smile bitterly, Taira no Kiyomori was the real pillar of the Taira clan and a top powerhouse of Heian-kyo. Although he had retired, he was still the true spiritual leader of the Taira clan, as an ancestor his status was even higher than Minamoto no Yoritomo, but he became nothing but a kid here in front of Mita.

“Senior, please look…” Lily brought out her sakura parasol, once again looking upon the blackened and charred umbrella, a spike of pain went through her heart.

When the childish Mita’s eyes landed on the sakura parasol, his eyes underneath those white eyebrows glowed as his expression became serious.

“This…” Mita’s voice was solemn and carried the weight of age.

“Miss Lily, this umbrella…when it was in a good condition, was it a bright red with sakura blossoms painted on it?”

“Eh? Senior knows of my parasol?”

With the sakura parasol charred black, the original color or design could not be seen.

“This is that lady goddess’ parasol, it was called…what was it called…”
“Senior, this is the sakura parasol.”

“That’s right, I remember now, it was the sakura parasol. Good lord…” Mita let out a deep breath, “The world famous sakura parasol ended up in this condition, miss Lily, what have you gone through…”

“Senior, can this parasol be repaired?”

Mita stroked his beard and solemnly replied, “In this era, there should not be that many people capable of repairing this umbrella, but your luck is not bad. My ancient raccoon tribe has passed down the skills from generation to generation, as the last craftsman of the ancient raccoon tribe, I can attempt⁵ to repair the parasol.”

“Really?” Lily felt surprised and overjoyed, she had not expected that Mita could really repair her sakura parasol.

“Only, this sakura parasol is not an ordinary umbrella. All those years ago, when I Mita was just a regular raccoon on the mountainside, that goddess, Suzuhiko-hime, strode between the heavens and earth in a simple celestial unlined garment holding a red paper umbrella, she left such a deep imprint on my heart. To tell the truth, though I Mita claim to have tens of thousands of descendants all around the world, but they were all rescued and adopted. And I… have always been alone all this time, just because I have never been able to forget that goddess…”

“Senior……”

“Just, how could it be possible? Back then, I was just a regular small raccoon, and she was a celestial from Takamagahara, just occasionally seeing her fly past was already a great blessings…but who would have thought of that ancient war… and now, I am called a living legend, and she, has long since fallen…”

Mita’s sorrow could be felt from his words.

Looking at the sakura parasol in Lily’s hands, “To think that this umbrella has once again returned here, in your hands. Miss, even if I have to gamble this old life, I will repair her umbrella! This should be the last keepsake she has left in this world.”

“Senior!” Lily knelt down again, “Lily really doesn’t know how to thank you.”

“Ahh, don’t call me senior, call me grandpa.”

“Grandpa Mita…”

Frowning, Mita said, “Though I may be able to repair the parasol, the wood needed is very difficult to get.”

“Great grandpa, what wood is necessary to help sister repair this parasol?” Rika asked.

“This sakura parasol was originally made of materials originating from Takamagahara. If I use wood from the mortal planes, though I can forcibly repair it, the parasol will no longer have the spiritual power of the past, it will have become an ordinary parasol.

“Eh? Then what should be done?”

“Deep in this Izumo forest, there is an incredible tree. This tree is called the Izumo vine. It is said that ancient mortals climbed the Izumo vine to reach Takamagahara, only later it was cut off by the immortals leaving behind the root of the tree. As you can imagine, the root contains incredible vitality, it’s extremely tough and it contains unimaginable energy. If you can get a bit of this tree core, then I have confidence that I will be able to repair the parasol frame!”

“Really? That’s wonderful! I will definitely find the tree core of the Izumo vine!”

“The location of the Izumo vine is a hidden secret, but to the raccoons of this forest it’s not hard to locate. Only, Lily, though it will be easy to locate the vine, it will be extremely difficult to obtain!” Mita warned.

“Don’t worry Grandpa Mita. To protect me, the sakura parasol became like this. I will definitely get the tree core!”

“Though the chance for success is slim, since you’re determined, go and try, but you must be careful.”

“Nn! I will.” Right now, Lily did not feel depressed or lost, for the possibility of repairing her sakura parasol, she was filled with fighting spirit.

Thinking of an issue, she asked, “Grandpa Mita, you only spoke about repairing the parasol frame, what about the canopy?”

Mita’s voice gained a mysterious quality, “That in itself is another long story, you should first get the tree core and then we’ll talk about it…”

“Yes.” Lily nodded.

“Rika, come here.”

“Great grandpa.” Rika walked in front of Mita.

Mita stretched out a big paw, tapping lightly on Rika’s forehead, “Rika, I’ve imprinted the vine’s location in your mind, you should be able to locate it now.”

Rika’s eyes swirled, “So it’s there…great grandpa, Rika knows where it is, I can find it!”

“Mm, then you shall lead little Lily there.”

“Really? Great!” Rika jumped up.

“Rika, locating the Izumo vine is not a game. If you don’t promise to be careful, great grandpa won’t let you go!”

“Mm, don’t worry, great grandpa! Rika plays in the forest a lot⁶, it will be no problem!”

1. Silva: Wanna bet Raccoon Mita will ask Lily to become his wife or concubine in exchange for granting her request?
2. Robinxen: So the legend has spread.
3. Silva: Surprise, shock, world crumbling down. Raccoon Mita is actually an upright gentleraccoon?
4. Silva: You bet that right, he’s a raccoon after all! (Sorry no offense to all the raccoons out there)
5. Robinxen: Only attempt hm.
6. Robinxen: That doesn’t inspire confidence if she PLAYS in the forest.