Cazanette

Cazanette - The Shrine and The Library

CHAPTER SIX - The Shrine and The Library-

The blacksmith can finish the product within three days so I was told by the dowager to stay in the town until the sword is done. She introduced the people to me and they were really hospitable.

"Your highness, you can stay in our inn. We also improved our menu so try them later" offered the apron wearing girl.

"Alright, later. I'll take her somewhere first. See you later"

"Where are we going your majesty?" I asked

"We are going to the place where a clan of priests, priestesses and shrine maidens reside. I never visited it once since I don't want to visit the place alone. It is the Cazanette shrine."

"Shrine? They have religion, haven't they? Are they monotheist or polytheist?"

"I have no idea. They may also be aetheist so the priests and the priestesses will be responsible for their prayer ceremony. Honestly, I don't know what I'm saying. I have no idea how the religion here goes."

"Prayer ceremony?"

"I'm also curious about it even though I reigned for years. The shrine is their holy place for its ability to give any material needs if you send them your prayer in a scroll of paper."

"You can wish whatever, really?"

"I heard, only material things can be wished." The dowager crossed her arms and sighed – maybe tired of walking or she was just unsatisfied with how the things go in Cazanette.

The shrine was across the bridge opposite the Town of Knowledge located at a small plateau in the mountain range that envelops the whole Cazanette land. Maybe the reason why they have plenty of foods and raw materials was they have worshiped a creator who provides them material needs. After a few walks, we arrived in front of the shrine's tall ladder – the only way to its gate. Gaila was left in the inn and a village girl took care of her while we were away.

We reached the gate and hesitated to enter. "Are we going to knock? Is there a doorbell?"

"I don't know either" said the dowager while peeping between the shrine's gates. "There is a shrine maiden inside. We should ask her. I wonder how we get her attention." The shrine maidens didn't wear Shinto styled outfit – I'm referring to the color. They wear black top and violet bottom with chains of silver wrapped around their waist.

I suddenly whistled aloud as an impulse. "Sorry, I can't control it."

The shrine maiden looked for the sound's source. She peeped between the gate and asked, "Is someone there?"

"Would you let us in?" asked the dowager

"Yes. Welcome to the Cazanette's shrine." The shrine maiden welcomed while she opened the gate. "Is this your first visit?"

"Yes. This is our first visit. Please take care of us" answered the dowager who really sounded like an aristocrat of a Western country.

"Before you go to the shrine to ask for blessings, write your names in these wooden tiles and hang it on that tree. The brush and ink are on that booth. Come back to me once you're done."

I wrote my name in Roman alphabet and while letting the ink dry, I watched the dowager write her name. I haven't heard her name yet. I tried to read her name. it has seven characters which; the first letter is spelled as capital letter A, followed by a smooth lower case letter p, a zero which is cut in half by a horizontal line, a sign of euro, a letter U which has tails on each side, a small "shi" hiragana and a small letter a. I have no idea how to read it, maybe the dowager really planned to write it that way so that she can hide her name. I also do not have the right to ask it directly from her. After she's done, we hanged the tiles on the tree and approached the shrine maiden.