Chapter 5:

Friedenshain Festival (pt 2)

Isekai Cleanup Service

After searching the town, Miho entered the town's woodworking shop. Immediately, her nose was met with the smell of fresh sawdust. In the back, a large man was hammering a half-finished chair.

“Excuse me, can I ask you a question?” Miho asked the man with a loud voice.

The man jumped back.

“I am sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Miho added.

“No prob, I get so taken up by my work that I lose track of the surroundings,” the man said with a laugh.

“So what you lookin’ for miss? At Pop’s woodworkin’ we can provide everything you’ve been dreamin’ about. As long as it’s made from wood that is…”

Miho took a piece of paper from her bag and handed it to the carpenter.

“I am afraid I can’t be readin’ those strange letters,” the man said after taking a look at it.

“My apologies”

I might need to visit a school as well….

Miho started reading the list of furniture she would need.

“Four chairs, one big table, one small table, a bed, a cupboard, a set of drawers…”

“Sounds like you’re buildin’ an entire house. It’ll take me a stretch to build that all,” he responded, writing down Miho’s requests.

Miho explained that she was new in this town and trying to set up a cleaning business.

“Do you need anyone to help you clean?” she asked while looking around the shop.

“Ain’t that a little rude to imply?” the man laughed.

“I am fine here but if you’re lookin’ for a job, can I suggest checking out the shrine? The priest is looking for an extra hand to help clean and prepare for the festival. Might be somethin’ for you?”

That doesn’t sound like a bad idea.

Aside from the pay, the festival would provide plenty of opportunities to get to know the townsfolk and find new future customers.

Miho thanked the woodworker and set on her way to the shrine, which was located on a little hill next to the town.

“Excuse me, sir,” Miho said to the priest, a bit exhausted from walking all the stairs leading up to the shrine.

The priest looked up to her, it was an elderly man wearing a weird gold-lined robe and a pointy head. He was sweeping the ground with an old-fashioned broom.

“Who may you be, miss?”, he asked her.

“My name is Miho, I am new here in this town. I heard you were looking for someone to help clean the temple and prepare for the festival.”

The elderly man nodded.

“Well, your presence is like a gift from the goddess Miho. All our shrine maidens got married last year, so there is nobody to help prepare for this year's festival.”

Shrine maiden? Don’t tell me I have to wear another cutest outfit!

“So this job, will there be any pay?” Miho asked the priest with a calm voice.

He looked a bit startled and then answered.

“You will get your compensation out of the shrine’s donations,” the priest whispered.

“Now please follow me inside”

The priest slowly walked over to the building, covered in delicate stained glass. A tall and narrow spire towers over the shrine complex. It was a weird combination of Western- and Eastern architecture.

They entered a small door on the side of the building, leading to a small storage room. The priest opened a cupboard and pointed at one of the sets of clothing hanging there. This shrine maiden outfit looked nothing like the ones from her own country. It was more like a nun outfit than anything else.

“Please put this on Miho, and I will show you the tasks at hand.”

Quickly Miho put on the shrine maiden's clothing and left the storage room.

Outside, the priest looked at her with a shocked expression.

I put on the uniform like he asked, right?

“Oh dear, don’t let the goddess see you like this,” the priest said as he signed to Miho.

“The sash should be on the left shoulder, this is not a funeral.”

“My pardon,” a slightly embarrassed Miho said as she readjusted the sash.

“Aren’t you familiar with our greatest goddess Lifhild?”, the priest said while looking at a statue.

She looks a bit like the goddess that gave me Clarice back when I first came to the world.

“Yes I am, but we’ve only met recently.”

The priest glimpsed.

“That is a beautiful way of putting it,” he said before starting to explain the tasks at hand.

“First, I need you to clear out the ashes from the altar's last offering, then I want you to clean the floors and statues, lastly I need you to spray the sacred water with every pillar.”

The priest pointed at a large vase standing on the floor, containing the water.

“Do you require any guidance?” the priest asked with a concerned voice.

Miho shook her head.

“I will figure things out," she said stubbornly.

Let’s get started and make some money so I can pay for the furniture.

She entered the church-like building and walked up to the altar which was located on the bottom of the tall tower Miho saw from the outside. There was a little shelf with a pile of ashes lying on it. She grabbed Clarice and brushed the surface, the ash disappearing in the air like magical dust.

Next was the floor, Miho transformed Clarice into its delicate brush form and started sweeping the building's marble tiles. Soon enough they shone bright, reflecting the colorful sunlight entering from the tall stained windows.

Looks like I forgot something, Miho thought while looking at a raised area to the side. There were some candle stands which she moved in order to clean the area more easily.

Last on the list was the sacred water, she walked up to the vase, next to which lay a small sprayer. She filled it with water from the vase and started spraying.

When spraying the second to last pillar, she heard the door creak… and soon after the sound of someone hitting the ground.

“Mister priest!” Miho exclaimed as she hurried toward his collapsed body. She reached out her arm and felt his pulse. His heartbeat seemed elevated.

Soon after, he folded his hands and started praying in some unintelligible language.

The priest opened his eyes.

“Do I need to call a doctor?” Miho asked with concern.

“Promise you’d never… never defile the goddess like that again.”

Miho helped lift the priest from the ground.

“Can I ask you what I have done wrong? I swear I had no bad intentions.”

“Our holiest water should only be sprayed in a clockwise manner.”

“My sincerest apologies… I had no idea,” Miho responded by bowing.

I might have underestimated all the complexities this job would entail.

The priest looked around.

“And those candle holders… they should always face the altar.”

He walked up to them and adjusted them, continuing his way to the altar.

“And the ashes… where did you leave them? The ceremonial ash bin is empty!”

The priest sat down on one of the benches and started praying again.

“Please might your grace be with us, our forgiving goddess,” he finished after looking at Miho.

“Is there anything else I can do to make it up to you… and the goddess?”

The man shook his head.

“You’ve done enough. I will dismiss you for today.”

Just for today? So I am not getting fired.

“Please come back tomorrow morning, and make sure to make an offer to the goddess. I am certain she will forgive your digressions.”

On her way home from the debacle at the shrine, Miho passed by her neighbor's home. There she saw the friendly neighbor girl, Hanna washing her windows. Or at least she attempted to, because as soon as she started waving at Miho she lost her balance and almost fell from the stairs.

Miho jumped, reached out her hands, and caught the girl.

“Thank you for saving me Miss Neighbour!”, the girl said, her eyes still shocked from the almost accident.

“Miho”

The girl looked at Miho with questioning eyes.

She isn’t the brightest, isn’t she?

“That is my name, Miho,” Miho responded with a smile.

“Mi-ho?... Your name?...” Hanna had a confused expression on her face, it took a few seconds to sink in, after which she cheerfully responded.

“How beautiful! I have never heard of someone called that,” she added while clapping her hands.

“Thank you for saving me today Miss Miho,” she said with the biggest smile on her face.

“No problem… it’s my duty to help those in need.”

Miho took a closer look at the already-cleaned window.

“May I suggest applying a small amount of vinegar to the windows next time? It will make the windows sparkle like freshly cut crystals.”

Hanna moved her hand over her mouth and started laughing mischievously, her eyes narrowing playfully as she did so.

“Looks like I am becoming your apprentice after all,” she exclaimed.

“No, absolutely…” Miho halted mid-sentence, coming up with an idea.

“Can I ask you what you know about the goddess..”

What was she called again?

“...Lovehilde”

“You mean our beloved goddess Lifhild? I pray for her every day!” Hanna passionately exclaimed.

So she is one of these religious fanatics as well… just what I need.

“Yes, that one,” Miho responded.

“She saved my life when I was little, so I am forever grateful to her.”

Hanna pointed her finger in the air.

“Let me explain!”

"When I was little, I saw a shooting star and made a wish to Lifhild. But instead of a wish, the star almost fell on me! I was so scared, but then a gust of wind blew me out of the way. It was definitely Lifhild saving me!"

I guess anything could happen in this strange world…

“Listen, I got a job today helping as a shrine maiden preparing the festival, but I am having a bit of trouble getting to know all your religion's customs”

Miho looked at Hanna’s face whose mouth had dropped open.

“a shrine maiden…,” she mumbled.

“Would you mind coming along and helping me tomorrow?” Miho continued.

Hanna’s eyes started glowing.

“You really think… I could be one?”

Miho nodded.

“If I can you can as well, that priest looks like he can use some more help.”

“Impossible… that would be like a dream coming true…”

She frantically shook her head.

“No… it would be a double dream… not only do I get to be a shrine maiden but I also get to work with my greatest idol, neighbor Miho!”

Didn’t we just meet today?

“Okay Hanna, so I will see you tomorrow morning here in front of your house?”