Chapter 125: Sannō Temple
Night fell, and two cars drove along a forest path.
"Aren't we there yet, Papa?" Anya stared anxiously at the dark, deep forest path ahead, a chill creeping down her spine.
The child's fear was evident, which relieved Natsukawa—his Anya was still a normal kid after all.
"We should be there soon. The road is pretty winding, and it's nighttime. It's safer to drive slowly when you're not familiar with mountain roads."
If it were just Natsukawa, he would've floored the accelerator, but he couldn't risk it. There was an unconscious drunkard in the car, and he was afraid driving too fast would trigger another vomiting episode.
Don't ask why—Kogoro Mori had already thrown up once before getting in the car, and he still seemed on the verge of doing it again.
Natsukawa didn't want his car covered in that mess. Even if he had it professionally cleaned, he'd still feel uneasy about it.
"It's all Uncle Mori's fault! Throwing up like that! If this were a tourist spot, we'd definitely get fined!"
Anya was equally displeased.
Uncle Mori reeked of alcohol. If her father hadn't turned on the air conditioning for ventilation, she would've passed out by now.
She should've ridden with Aunt Yor instead. At least she could've opened the window—but Anya was too nervous about the cold wind outside, so she held her breath instead.
Another ten minutes passed before Natsukawa finally slowed down and stopped by the roadside.
"Are we there, Papa?" Anya was overjoyed, yawning as she tried to get out of the car, but she shrank back as soon as she cracked the door open.
A bone-chilling wind greeted her.
Only after Natsukawa stepped out did Anya follow, immediately hugging his leg tightly and becoming a hanging ornament on his thigh.
The Mercedes following closely behind also came to a gentle stop, and the three passengers got out one after another.
"Are we here, Uncle Natsukawa?" Conan peered around for a long time. There were only forests and bushes on both sides—no sign of a temple at all.
Wait a minute...
Conan turned to look at the car and noticed some condensation on the windows.
He took a few deep breaths, then crushed some soil between his fingers before walking to the bushes and touching the leaves.
The air was humid, the mist thick, the soil very moist, and there were droplets of water on the bush leaves—conditions only found near waterfalls.
Conan's eyes lit up with understanding.
So that's how Uncle Natsukawa knew the waterfall was nearby!
Uncle Natsukawa's observational skills are incredible. I only noticed these details after getting out of the car, but Natsukawa figured it out while driving!
So perceptive!
Natsukawa didn't know what Conan was analyzing, but he didn't disturb him. He waited until Conan finished his investigation and looked at him with an impressed expression before speaking.
"There's a sign here. The temple is behind these bushes."
Natsukawa stepped aside, revealing a wooden sign behind him.
[Continue straight for 200 meters to reach Sannō Temple]
The sign was somewhat weathered and hard to spot in this environment. The characters were clearly written with a brush, and the calligraphy was rather poor, resulting in a somewhat comical and awkward style.
Some might call this crooked, distorted handwriting a "personal artistic style."
But Natsukawa could only think that some calligraphy was truly masterful, while others were genuinely terrible. Some so-called calligraphers only became famous through the Emperor's New Clothes effect.
Besides, artists' minds operated on a different wavelength—a commoner like him couldn't appreciate this kind of "beauty."
Dragging the now mud-covered Uncle Mori along, the group of six abandoned the cars by the roadside and walked straight into the bushes.
This place was completely isolated, the path extremely narrow, making it impossible for other vehicles to pass through.
"Yor-san, is there really a temple here?" Ran swallowed hard, cold sweat already beading on her forehead, her arms gripping Yor tightly, as if letting go would result in being dragged into the bushes by a monster.
"Don't worry. Listen—isn't that the sound of a waterfall? We should be almost there."
Yor held Ran in one arm and Anya in the other, completely sandwiched between them.
Conan, walking behind them, rested his hands on the back of his head, looking relaxed but also somewhat exasperated.
Ran, seriously! There are no monsters or demons in this world! Magic and supernatural powers don't exist!
Natsukawa carried Kogoro Mori at the front.
The winding path led to a secluded spot, and after walking several dozen meters, it suddenly opened up into a bright clearing.
The rushing water grew louder, revealing a small stream at their feet. An old, rustic bridge connected the two banks. Following the path beyond, a temple loomed high above the surrounding landscape.
A solitary lamp illuminated the temple gate, giving it an eerie atmosphere.
"Bang!"
A sudden sound startled them all.
Ran's teeth chattered, her face going pale.
"A m-monster?"
"No, it sounded like something colliding." Conan frowned, glancing back in the direction they'd come from.
The sound seemed to have originated from behind them.
"Let's hurry into the temple!" Ran urged, pushing Yor forward.
Conan didn't want to stray from the group, and besides, there was clearly no one else in the forest at this time. The sound was probably from a minor landslide causing rocks to tumble—a common occurrence during the humid rainy season.
The group traversed the winding path and arrived at the temple entrance.
The temple was ancient and rustic, with three characters reading "Sannō Temple" inscribed on a plaque in a style reminiscent of old Buddhist temples. It would have been even more atmospheric if the lone lamp overhead had been a traditional candlelight instead.
Natsukawa clicked his tongue. Sannō Temple, hidden so deep in the mountains, and they're using electric light bulbs.
Looking at the doorbell and the guest registry poster on the wall, the temple's century-old charm was completely ruined.
Natsukawa pressed the doorbell, and a monk quickly emerged.
"Welcome, sir. Are you here for evening prayers or to stay the night?"
The young monk, somewhat short in stature, spoke in a manner that reminded Natsukawa of a waiter from a period drama inn.
"We'd like to stay the night. And is there any chance we could get some proper food? I'm starving, especially after carrying this big guy." Natsukawa gestured to the unconscious Mori.
"I apologize, sir, but we enshrine the great monk Ganjin here at Sannō Temple. Unlike some other temples, we maintain strict vegetarian practices and cannot serve meat." The young monk pressed his palms together in a Buddhist gesture of apology. "Please forgive us."
Can't eat meat?
Natsukawa frowned, then nodded. "I see. Well, I was originally planning to donate quite generously for incense money, but if we can't even get a proper meal here, then never mind. Let's head back down the mountain, everyone."
He spoke loudly, remembering that the head monk here was supposed to be quite... financially motivated.
As soon as he finished speaking, heavy footsteps came from behind the young monk, and then an elderly monk in his sixties or seventies appeared at the gate.
Judging by his speed, he could easily pass for someone thirty years younger.
"Shūnen! How can you be so inflexible? 'Wine and meat pass through the intestines, but Buddha remains in the heart!' Don't you understand the temple needs repairs?
"If Master Ganjin knew we bent the precepts because of necessary temple maintenance, he would surely forgive us!"
The old monk's voice boomed as he pointed at the young monk Shūnen's nose, scolding him thoroughly before turning to face the group of six.
His angry expression transformed into a beaming smile as he turned away from his disciple. "My deepest apologies, honored guests. Shūnen has only been at the temple for a year, and his thinking is still rather rigid and inflexible. Please don't take offense."
Natsukawa nodded. "It's fine, but about dinner..."
"Don't worry, esteemed guests—dinner will be plentiful! We also have Sannō Temple's specialty cherry blossom sake!" The old monk waved his hand enthusiastically. "Shūnen! Kannen! Mokunen! Tonnen! Come out and greet our guests!"
Goodness, he's practically running this place like an inn, just missing the enthusiastic hand-waving with a towel.
Despite the teasing thought, this money-minded old monk was still quite accommodating!
"Yeah~ I want more sake!" Kogoro Mori suddenly shouted, looking up with bleary eyes.
Everyone: "..."
[End of Chapter 125]
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