Story:

The main chamber was every bit as bright as Violet had described.

Peach knelt between the Butterfly Sisters, her school bag placed beside her. Shiki stood near the entrance. When Seira glanced toward her, the guard made a small, strained expression that plainly conveyed a warning.

Seira chose to ignore it. “Shiranui Momoka-san?”

“Yes.” Peach’s reply came out rather less graciously than she had intended.

The white-haired Grand Miko studied her for several seconds. Then she extended a hand toward Peach’s left wrist.

Peach hesitated. Are we shaking hands?

Courtesy overcame suspicion. She lifted her hand. Seira’s fingers settled lightly beneath it, but her attention went immediately to the space around Peach’s wrist.

“How intriguing.”

Violet straightened.

Peach’s breath caught.

The gold beads rested against her skin, familiar and warm. An artifact from Alpha—older in her story than either Beta or Gamma—and invisible to almost everyone she had met.

Euphy could see it because she carried the World Orb, its close relative.

But Seira—

“You can see my bracelet, Shrine Master-sama?”

“Seira is fine.” The Grand Miko tilted Peach’s wrist slightly, careful not to tighten her grip.

“And no. I cannot see anything there with my eyes.”

Peach looked toward Violet.

Seira continued. “But I can certainly sense it. A powerful artifact, and quite foreign to this world.”

Her earlier languor had disappeared. She studied the seemingly empty space with an attention that made Peach instinctively curl her fingers.

“Would you tell me how you acquired it?”

Peach withdrew her hand. “After you answer my questions.”

Shiki became very still.

Violet said nothing.

Seira looked up.

Peach’s heart was beating hard, but she held the woman’s gaze.

“If your shrine has been altering Ai and Mai without their knowledge, I am not discussing anything else until you explain.”

Seira leaned back and put out her limited patience. “Oh, very well. Ask your questions, Momoka-san.”