One-way traffic

"It's unbelievable that you still bring up last night's events. Don't you even think about who got my clothes so dirty...!"

They didn't even consider who started the fight without any explanation.

After each of them said this aloud and in their hearts, they went directly into the shrine.

"Anyway, since you've come here, you're essentially guests of this shrine."

The priestess's expression then became somewhat solemn.

"—Welcome to the Hakurei Shrine in Gensokyo."

The shrine maiden, dressed in red and white shrine maiden attire, clasped her hands together as if bowing and addressed the two people before her with great solemnity.

A scene that can't help but leave one in awe.

Combined with the sunlight streaming in from outside in the morning and the atmospheric interior of the shrine, the scene before you is like an unprecedentedly beautiful painting.

She's finally starting to look somewhat like a proper shrine maiden.

Alice and Accelerator exchanged a glance. Alice seemed to have a slight smile on her face, but Accelerator had no such thoughts at all.

All he wanted to do was finish his business as soon as possible.

"Please sit here. We don't have a lot of tea on hand lately, so please make do with whatever you have... I hope the regular price is acceptable?"

"Having something to drink is enough."

Neither of them had much need for tea.

Reimu took out a tea canister that hadn't been opened in a long time from a nearby drawer and brewed the remaining tea leaves into the teapot.

The three of them sat together on the wooden floor not far from the sliding door.

"Ugh…"

However, after taking a sip of tea, Reimu's expression turned somewhat distressed.

"It's rare to see anyone come here. I thought we finally had people to worship, but it turns out these people aren't ordinary humans after all..."

"Wait, what's this?"

Even Accelerator was at a loss for words after hearing this.

"Don't tell me that you, as a shrine maiden, have never received a single offering of incense money for worship all these years."

"...Oh dear? Speaking of which, it's been really cold lately. It's May, but this winter is just too biting!"

"We actually already discussed that topic yesterday."

"It's just a way of changing the subject... never mind."

Accelerator had no interest in getting to the bottom of trivial matters like offerings of incense money.

He needs to get straight to the heart of the matter.

"There's no need to look so anxious."

However, before he could even speak, Reimu, sitting opposite him, had already seen through his expression.

The girl calmly took another sip of tea.

“Sometimes, even if it’s something urgent, you still can’t be too hasty. Just relax. But before you ask what you want to ask, please explain what has happened so far.”

"Tsk."

Although it is indeed troublesome to explain, it is a topic that we have to delve into.

If we don't clearly state our intentions and the whole story, this nonsensical shrine maiden will probably still mistake us for the source of the anomaly.

Accelerator could only purse his lips in a sullen manner.

"Just like Reimu said, just tell me what happened to you before. Of course, if you miss any information, I will fill it in for you as needed."

"There's no need for that. My calculation ability is enough to help me remember everything that has happened so far. I'm not so outdated that I need someone to help me."

"It doesn't matter which way it is, stop talking to yourself with jargon that nobody understands, just explain it clearly!"

The priestess seemed to be getting restless.

Accelerator then recounted everything that had happened before.

It didn't take long, only a few minutes.

But one thing is for sure.

Accelerator couldn't possibly tell them everything.

The real reason why he came to Gensokyo, and his so-called identity in the outside world, were all cleverly summarized with nonsense.

Unless he reveals it, probably no one in the world will know his true identity.

"So, your ultimate goal is simply to leave Gensokyo using the Great Barrier...?"

"That's enough, that's why I chose to find someone like you."

Because one must pass through the Hakurei Barrier to leave Gensokyo, one has no choice but to seek out the shrine maiden of the Hakurei Shrine.

Since the other party is the guardian of the barrier, they must possess some kind of power that can influence the barrier.

According to what Shirasawa Keine said earlier, there should be many other people like him who have wandered into Gensokyo for unknown reasons.

Some of those people remained in Gensokyo, while others were successfully sent to the outside world by Reimu Hakurei.

If that's the case, then if one can choose to send oneself away directly, there's no need to consider more complicated methods.

"...Are you saying that I'll try to send you out of Gensokyo using only my power?"

"ah…?"

"If that's really what you're thinking when you come to see me, then I might only have one option left: to crush your expectations."

The shrine maiden sitting in front of him sighed softly.

The expression she showed wasn't one of reluctance to help.

Instead, he seemed to be in a very difficult situation.

"From my personal point of view, of course I really want to help you."

"However, it seems that this is not possible with barriers."

"It can't be done... does that mean the barrier's power is insufficient?"

The girl couldn't help but interject with a comment from the doll beside her.

"It's not that simple. To be honest, if it were just an ordinary youkai or a human with special powers, or even some of the gods, I could get them to leave Gensokyo successfully, but..."

Alice was slightly taken aback when she saw Reimu's gaze turn directly towards Accelerator.

"What you possess is not just a simple aura."

Their eyes met.

"Although I don't know exactly what it is, I can definitely sense... an unidentifiable, strange power on you, a very complex and chaotic mysterious force field."

"And, though only a little, it was very clear, that was the aura of God."

It was because of this complex and intertwined aura that Accelerator's own aura also changed completely.

“If it were just a single system, that would be fine, but… you are surrounded by all sorts of powers, most of which are beyond my comprehension.”

That's probably why Reimu said she couldn't send him away either.

The breath of God.

Reimu Hakurei had already mentioned this when they first met.

Accelerator had no idea which part of his body was connected to the so-called god, so he had no way of knowing where the divine aura the priestess spoke of came from.

In other words, even he himself was powerless to change this strange phenomenon.

Reimu Hakurei took another sip of tea.

This time, however, she quietly observed the changes in the other person's expression.

Accelerator lowered his head slightly, and even Alice, who was sitting next to him, couldn't bear to watch the somewhat gloomy scene.

"Well, if you can't find a way, you can always try something else in Gensokyo..."

"That's not necessary."

He thought the other party would be plunged into a slump because of this, but Accelerator quickly waved his hand.

His expression remained unchanged from the very beginning.

"I had already anticipated a response like yours."

"...Does this mean you had other plans all along?"

Even if the Hakurei Shrine Maiden can't solve her problem, she will still choose other means to achieve her goal.

Anyway, it all concerns the content of that great barrier. As long as you study it repeatedly, you'll get some answers.

The problem isn't how complicated the process is, but whether there's a clear "answer" in hand.

He is the first in Academy City and is known as the "Accelerator".

Once this point is clear, one can inevitably forcefully obtain the final result of the problem in one's own way, and even if what is obtained is not the truth, it will inevitably be a result that is infinitely close to the truth.

No matter how much travel it takes, he must go back.

Go back to those people.

"Wait...please wait a moment."

suddenly.

It was as if he had thought of something.

Alice quickly slammed her hands on the table, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Reimu! How much do you really understand about the Great Barrier on your own?"

"Huh? To be honest, I'm not too sure about this either."

She was somewhat surprised to be asked this question so suddenly.

"Well... up until now, I haven't been primarily in charge of matters related to barriers; I've mostly relied on my knowledge as a shrine maiden to consider things..."

"Then, who is the person truly in charge of managing the great barrier?"

"That's for sure."

The same situation.

When this point was mentioned, Reimu immediately had a look of sudden realization.

That's right.

If relying solely on the power of the priestess is not enough...

Then let's add another person responsible for establishing the Great Barrier of Gensokyo.

That is.

"Yes! If we add purple to that...!"

The youkai who existed even before the Hakurei Barrier was created when Gensokyo was born.

The Sage of Youkai in Gensokyo.

If we could get help from her, maybe—

Then, in a certain instant.

The one in first place suddenly raised its head.

It's as if you're looking in a certain direction.

Chapter 418 The Realm of Gods

In any case, this time they finally managed to have a peaceful conversation with the Hakurei Shrine Maiden.

However, despite having gone through such a conversation, the final result was not one that brought peace of mind.

This has ironically created more problems for Accelerator.

for example.