Chapter 6: Kyhosa

Chozu wakes up to a smiling Myrou. The hand-tall featureless clothed figure watching over her dreams. It has been her latest devotion project to Myrou. The projection of Myrou over the statue proves her skill as a master clay sculptor. Being able to make a statue in which a fragment of Myrou inhabits is the sign of a master in one’s craft, although it’s not always a statue. Devoting a song to Myrou that can invoke her presence has been done, though it’s significantly harder.

It’s blasphemous to make a likeness of Myrou unless it perfectly captures everything about her. As the goddess of beauty, it’s an insult to compare her to anything lesser, and thus one must make an abstract figure, one close enough to Myrou as to hint at her, but not so close that one is actively trying to copy her form. It’s a fine line, especially in a physical object as it’s all too easy to make a figure that falls too closely to Myrou. One thing that makes it harder over the nonphysical like songs or dances. Although a song or dance or other nonphysical that invokes Myrou’s presence is still overall harder to achieve.

Myrou is in a good mood today, Chozu thinks.

“Nyam! It’s time for morning bath!” Chozu calls out. Her child groggily walks out of her room, rubbing one eye. Chozu’s husband, Eztol, is already at the door.

After the baths. They briefly stop by her house to pick up Alysara’s Kyholo gift. A black ribbon with icy blue embroidery of snowflakes would look lovely with the girl’s blue hair.

Eztol has his gift in hand: a Fytomr Shell, a radiant ruby gem of a shell. This one has been an old Fytomr; the fire mana has fully saturated the shell, an extravagant gift for sure.

Chozu gives Eztol a dirty look.

“It’s not gonna be better than her Kyhosa. Kanato said that this wouldn’t even compare.”

Although it breaks tradition, it’s best to get permission from a parent for such a risky gift. One must be careful not to give a gift better than the Kyhosa—doing so would be equivalent to declaring that you care more about the child than their own parents.

“Is this your way of apologizing for Nyam’s behavior? Why does it have to be at her Kyholo?!” Chozu interrogates, crossing her arms. Even if it’s approved, it’ll still cause a scandal—people will accuse them of trying to outdo Alysara’s parents.

“Literally any other day, and it would have been fine—but at her Kyholo?! What were you thinking!”

Eztol looks ashamed. “Well, it’s my sister-in-law’s child—we’re not that far removed, and we‘re encouraged to find a gift that fits.”

“In law! That’s still far removed. Maybe if it was my gift, it could be passable!” Every word Eztol says only makes Chozu angrier. Nyam, sensing the growing storm, runs off to her room.

“We could trade if it’s that bad,” Eztol continues to put her foot in her mouth.

“It’s a Fytomr shell! Everyone will know it’s from you!” Chozu grits her teeth, fire in her eyes.

“We could say it’s from both of us—look.” Eztol points at a spot where a ribbon could be looped through to make a hair ornament.

“You looked at my gift?! How many traditions do you plan on breaking?!” Chozu, now grinding her teeth, stomps her foot, making Eztol cringe.

“I know you’re worried about what people will say, bu—” Chozu cuts him off.

“You’re damn right I’m worried! I didn’t marry an idiot, but that’s what everyone will say!”

“But—”

“No buts! You don’t even have time to change your gift—the Kyholo will start soon!”

“Kanato and Feyan are planning something worse! People won’t talk about us!” Eztol defends herself.

“That’s not the point! We’ll continue this later—we’re going to be late, and I don’t want to make this any worse.”

Chozu opens the door in a huff.

“Nyam! We’re going to Alysara’s Kyholo.”

“But I don’t wanna!” Nyam timidly peeks out from around the corner.

“You are coming, and you will behave yourself!” Chozu shoots Nyam a death glare. Nyam wisely walks to the door wordlessly.

The Kyholo is held at Chozu and Feyan’s parents’ house. Due to the argument, most people are already there, but some people from other islands have yet to arrive. It’s close, but they aren’t technically late.

“Chozu! I take it something happened?” Feyan says, greeting them

“Laeso. Yes, my husband was being an idiot” Chozu replies.

“Kanato warned me about that, but don’t worry. It’ll work out,” Feyan reassures.

It’s Kanato’s turn to hold Alysara who appears to be sleeping. Kanato is talking with her friends and family; a lot of them are from other islands and cooing over the cute baby and taking turns holding Alysara.

“Did you ever find out what’s ailing Alysara? You haven’t been showing up at the tea parties lately.”

“I’m sorry about that,” Feyan answers. “I’ve been so busy with Aly’s Kyhosa. As for her condition, we have an announcement for that.”

“I’m glad you found something for the Kyhosa. You were really stressing out about that.”

“Well, it was Kanato’s idea, but it really works.”

Just then, the last person arrives, and everyone is called to the lounge. Unlike the last family gathering, there’s a full wooden statue of a smiling Myrou. It’s often desired to have the goddess watch over a child’s Kyholo so no one thinks this strange. Once everyone gets seated, Kanato and Feyan stand up to address the party.

“We have some news regarding Little Aly’s condition,” Kanato starts.

It’s known that something happened, and Alysara refuses to open her eyes—many think it a benign childish behavior.

“After asking for the Guardian’s wisdom and insight, we have confirmed the presence of cursed skills.”

Cursed skills? Plural? At her age? It would have been considered a lie, had it not been the word of the Guardian—no one would dare invoke the Guardian’s name for some made-up story. Murmurs resound among the group. Kanto waits for everyone to quiet down.

“But at the same time, the Guardian told us that Alysara has a blessing from the goddess herself.”

More murmurs erupt, louder this time. A blessing from Myrou is perhaps rarer than someone gaining a cursed skill, yet no one doubts this as Myrou watches over this testimony. To lie in her presence is blasphemous, but to lie about a blessing in her presence is unthinkable.

“One more thing,” Kanato adds. After all the mutterings died down. “Our Kyhosa may be seen as controversial, but know that we got permission from Myrou herself, directly from her Likeness with the priestesses and local Elders as witnesses.” With that, the couple sits down as more muttering echoes throughout the room.

Once everyone is finally done with the already unconventional Kyholo, the celebration officially starts. Music is played, and one by one, people walk up to the center to show off their gift and, if they really want to, talk about it. Some people have interesting or funny stories to tell, but most just show off theirs and add it to the growing pile.

A candle holder—to “light her way.” A pair of silver agate earrings, one of the more ideal gifts as it shows thought for a meaningful gift but clearly shows respect for the parents. An expertly carved and dyed wooden bangle. Someone even made a dress for when Alysara would be older. Often clothes are regarded as a poor choice but could be passed down from generation to generation, so it’s not the worst gift, and coming from an appropriately distant relative, it wouldn’t cause a fuss.

“As soon as I saw my little niece, I knew this would be a great gift.” Alysara’s uncle from her father’s side finishes up her story. Her gift is a mundane sapphire fitted in a gold ring, a good gift from one so closely related. Chozu gives her husband a stare as if saying, “That’s a real Kyholo gift!”

Next up is Chozu, who stands up and presents her ribbon—at first, a few people mutter about a “cheap gift,” but when Chozu ties it to Alysara’s hair, the colors shift, revealing the ice silk that was used in its craft. Illusions of snow falling from the ribbon drift down before disappearing. Flashy? Yes. A bit over the top? It’s very hard to make a good cloth-type gift, and it’s her blood-related niece, after all. Also, it’s not like she made an entire dress—just a simple ribbon. The simplicity of its form counters the flashiness.

Next is her dreaded husband’s gift. He walks up and loops Chozu’s ribbon into the shell. Honestly, Chozu has to give her credit. With the shell, it looks like the snow is falling from the ruby. Perfect balance between the ice element-filled ice silk and fire element saturated shell.

The next thing that happens takes everyone by surprise. Raw mana starts condensing around the hair ornament. Chozu quickly identifies the result.

Hair Ornament of Duality (Minor): Given at a Kyholo, this gift is the combination of two gifts into one, the minor illusion enchantment turning into an innate magical effect.

Magical Effect: Produces heatless, coldless flaming snowflakes.

The burning snowflakes drift down for a lot longer, slowly dissipating, no longer a mere illusion.

It isn’t unheard of for gifts of a special occasion to turn into a magical item. In fact, there’s at least one Kyhosa every year that turns into a minor magical item. Some people even try to force such an event, although it rarely ever works. Part of what makes a magical item is sincerity; it’s like whatever force that’s responsible for such transformation is aware of the intent to make a magical item and purposely prevents it from happening.

This new development worries Chozu. It’s never her intention to make a magical item, and the fact that it isn’t even the Kyhosa makes it even worse—now Kanato and Feyan have to top this. Chozu turns to Feyan to apologize but sees Feyan smiling.

Is their Kyhosa that good? Chozu wonders. Others look in her direction and mutter something to their partners or friends.

Going against everyone’s expectations, both Kanato and Feyan go to the center with their hands, and presumably the Kyhosas behind their back. Chozu frowns. Usually, one parent shows their gift first.

“I know it’s unconventional,” Feyan says. “But our gifts are a product of both of us. We made them together, but that doesn’t mean there’s only one Kyhosa.”

“We both had extreme troubles figuring out what fits our special little girl,” Kanato says. “As did most of you. The duality of her eyes surely made you think of fire or ice, like how my sister and brother-in-law thought. We struggled every day to find the perfect gift, something that would satisfy our [Perfectionist’s Eye]. A few months ago, I found a large nexus gem and sought to devote it to Myrou. But the more I went down that path, the more Myrou seemed unhappy. It wasn’t until I started cutting the gems with my child in mind that she finally smiled.”

Kanato looks at her wife and smiles.

“I agonized every day, and I was even beginning to think I was a terrible mother. But one day, Kanato said, ‘Who says that a Kyhosa has to be made by an individual parent? Why not by both,’ and that’s how we got here. Kanato spent weeks making the perfect cut to make the most beautiful and flawless gem of all while I spent the rest of the time making the best jewelry for it to be set in.”

Feyan reveals her Kyhosa gift. It’s possibly the most beautiful amulet Chozu has ever set her eyes on. An unworldly beauty and aura of creativity radiate from the nexus gem, a gem of swirling elemental mana like an ethereal dance. The metalwork doesn’t disappoint with its intricate patterns and twistings of Myrou gold.

“How had Feyan gotten a hold of so much Myrou gold?” is probably the first thought of everybody, and the next would probably be: “Why is a gift even made of Myrou gold in the first place?”

Myrou gold is gold infused with beauty or creativity essence, perhaps even both. While most people don’t have essence sight, it can be felt, much like how people can feel a place of high mana density like that around the Guardian or the temple.

As for why Myrou gold is even used, it’s exclusively reserved for projects dedicated to Myrou just like how nexus gems are.

The nexus gem embedded within the amulet is shaped like a teardrop and large enough to fit in one’s palm.

Kanato then reveals her Kyhosa, a pair of bracelets made with the same gold. On one bracelet, the gold covers the gems in such a way as to make it look like a large snowflake. The other is made to look like flames.

It’s clear that Kanato and Feyan put their soul into making these Kyhosas. Feyan slips the golden chains of the amulet around Alysara’s head, and although the bracelets are too large, being sized for an adult, she lays them into her lap.

With such a special gift, it comes as a surprise to no one that mana starts to condense into the gifts.

Alysara’s Kyhosa (Major) (Unique): This artifact, made from Nexus gems and Myrou gold blessed by Myrou herself and filled to the brim with beauty and creativity essence, was given as a Kyhosa to Alysara during her Kyholo.

When worn, it enhances Beauty and Creativity, and Elemental Magic by 220%, and boosts Intelligence and Wisdom by 25%.

Tethered, Battery (10,000).