Miruko Hōseki

**Miruko Hōseki** (Japanese: **ほう関ミルコ**, *Hō Seki Miruko*) is one of Kushinada's Sacred Treasure.

## Appearance

Miruko has extremely long black hair and one eye green, the other greenish blue. She usually wears a white kimono with red hakama.

## Personality

Miruko is a very pure, kind-hearted, and brave girl who will go out of her way to help someone in danger, even strangers, regardless of the severe consequences, including suffering from Blight. She has a strong moral compass and is not above calling people out if she feels their actions are wrong.

She is also extremely perceptive of those around her. Despite this, Miruko can be a bit air-headed, opting for strange priorities, and being naively concerned over being "wireless". She also has a strong liking to Amaterasu's smell and even called it her favorite smell on one occasion. On the other hand, she becomes rather embarrassed by how much she likes it and dodges the subject whenever it is brought up.

Miruko is deeply loyal to those she trusts and does not deflate her emotions. While she initially didn't like Bishamon for her lazy and selfish actions. She gradually warms up to her after seeing her better qualities during the events involving Tsubaki's punishment. Miruko has no desire to sever her ties with Amaterasu or Bishamon.

## History

### The White Snake Lore Alternative

The white snake was simply known as the "White Lady" or "White Maiden" (白娘子) in the original tale in Feng Menglong's *Stories to Caution the World*. The name "Bai Suzhen" was created in a later era.

The original story was a story of good and evil, with the Buddhist monk Fahai setting out to save Xu Xian's soul from the white snake spirit, who was depicted as an evil demon. Over the centuries, however, the legend has evolved from a horror tale to a romance story, with Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian being genuinely in love with each other even though their relationship is forbidden by the laws of nature.

### The Benzaiten Lore

The origin story of this sea dragon is that she is married to a sea dragon from the Island of Enoshima. This dragon used to be wicked but she has used her purification forces to change her husband. Because of this, the sacred snakes have become her messengers and companions.

## Abilities

* **Astral Projection:** Miruko gained the ability to effectively "drop her body." Though she attempted to control this ability, she often leaves her body behind without realizing it. Her tail is actually a lifeline that connects her physical and ethereal forms, so she will die if it's cut off, though it can also disappear if she passes a long time outside her body.
* **Physical Combat:** In her ethereal form, acquires enhanced strength, speed, and agility. Along with the martial arts she learned, she is able to hold her own in the fight against. However, her extent of fighting is limited so her tail won't be damaged.
* **Clairalience:** In her ethereal form, Miruko possesses a very strong sense of smell, able to pick up a god's or a familiar's scent and difference it from others. She can sense them from long distances away and even remember her experiences with the owner in the case she forgets them.
* **Memory Reading:** Miruko seems to have the ability to look into the memories of others. She once managed to look into Amaterasu's memory of her childhood and her first ever familiar, Miyuki. Miruko found out she was actually named 'Miruko' in memory of Miyuki.
* **Supernatural Senses:** Miruko can sense, hear and see the creatures from the Far Shore.

## Etymology

* Miruko **meaning**: "美" is beauty.
* Hōseki **meaning**: "宝石" is jewel, gem and precious stone.

## Trivia

* The main reason Miruko is Amaterasu's familiar, is because she looked like Miyuki. Amaterasu's first Sacred Treasure, until something happened.
* Miruko and Tsubaki are extremely close, to the point where they would call each other like siblings.