Volume 3
Chapter 10
Part 1
Suddenly, a
Smile Announces the End of Days 1
Translator : PolterGlast
Akira and the others
were walking leisurely by the side of the golden rice field at harvest time.
On the side path,
sparrows playfully pecked at the ground, searching for gleanings.
They were at a perfect
distance not to be caught. Feeling slighted, Akira stomped on the ground.
―Thump. Sand and pebbles rattled against each other,
and the fat little birds that thrive in the rice paddies scattered at once.
Of course, it was not
enough to relieve his chest, and he only ended up becoming aware of his pent-up
frustration.
"Don't bully the
sparrows, Junior.
You didn't come all
the way here to protect the paddy fields, remember?"
"Well, that's
true.
―Though, there's a festival going on in front of the
tenement right now."
Nakiri Jin, walking
shoulder to shoulder with Akira, admonished him with a wry smile for his
actions.
Even so, Akira's lips
twisted in smoldering frustration as he spoke of his regret at missing the
annual festival.
Perhaps Akira's
mutterings were being carried by the wind, as Kuga Ryota, who was walking
slightly behind him, joined in the conversation in a bored tone.
"Festival? The
paddy fields are in the middle of harvesting, it's too early for an autumn festival."
"Unfortunately,
this festival has no relevance to a city-raised heir.
―You see. I hear there are a lot of sparrows this year,
so the sparrow chasing will be very exciting."
Jin looked over his
shoulder to answer Ryota's question.
Even farmers won't
show any mercy toward sparrows that are after their grains of rice.
The sparrow chasing,
in which participants are invited to chase sparrows with nets, is an autumn
tradition that can be seen everywhere in the countryside of Takamagahara.
Participation itself
is voluntary and there is no reward. However, it is a highly attractive event
because the sparrows caught are shared with everyone.
This is the only
opportunity to eat bird meat throughout the year.
Even the tenement
tenants stop their work on this day to chase the sparrows.
In the evening, they
usually roasted the sparrows and had a feast at the tenement.
The meal, which is
served with miso and salt, is regarded as one of the festivals for Akira and
the other tenement dwellers.
While feeling regretful
that he could not participate in this year's festival, Akira looked at Jin.
"You know about
the sparrow chasing, Senior?
I don't think it's
something that the nobility would be familiar with."
"I don't know
about the nobility, but I guess it depends on whether you live in the
countryside or in the city.
The Nakiri territory
is surrounded by mountains, so the nobles are all involved in the sparrow
chasing.
By the way, Master is
the best of them all. He even secretly uses spirit techniques to round up a
large number of sparrows."
"Jin. Do you
think we need to be merciful toward the sparrows that increase in number every
year?
―It is indeed unfortunate, but I don't think we will be
able to return to the territory this year."
Yuge Kojou, walking in
the middle of the group, joined them in their conversation with a chuckle.
It is not a lie.
However, if one hears that Yuge Kojou's favorite food is grilled sparrows, one
can guess his true thoughts. The easy-to-understand pretense brought chuckles
out of Akira and the others.
Their footsteps were
calm as they walked along the footpath between paddy fields, and they were on
their way to Mt. Shōrō southwest of the Central Capital.
"I know it's a
little late for this, but... do I really have to participate in this?"
"We're going to
penetrate a miasma reservoir deep in the southwestern area, and it will take
two days given the distance.
It would still be fine
if it were just night duty, but I can't take Saki-ojou alone with a bunch of
men.
―Are you displeased?"
"......Well, I
understand that you need to make up the numbers for the current
situation."
Asogi Genji, who was
at the tail end of the group, responded to Ryota's question by squinting his
eyes at the tranquility and lack of any sign of the supposed miasma.
At least there was no
discontent in Ryota's tone of voice, and Genji ended the conversation with
silence, without further inquiry.
Asogi and the others,
who had been investigating the recent miasma reservoirs, received news about it
a few days ago.
―It said. On the other side of Mt. Shōrō, which is a
gateway to the Urakimon, one of the miasma reservoirs is showing a slight
movement.
Though this report in
itself is strange, it is not unprecedented.
Small-scale miasma
reservoirs are often formed and then disappear for a variety of reasons.
However, this one
report stood out from the many other reports of miasma reservoirs and caught
Genji's attention.
The Five Elemental
Barriers are designed to limit infiltration routes to either the
north-northeast Kimon or the south-southwest Urakimon.
Because the only way
to truly enter the Central Capital, one of the most sacred places in the world,
is to follow the proper procedure.
This is no different even
for Hyakki Yagyo.
Furthermore, Mt.
Shōrō, which is sacred ground for earth-element, is under the direct control of
Sannomiya (the Three Imperial Families).
So, attacking the
Urakimon is doubly reasonable.
"...... Are you
sure it's all right for us temporary personnel to go on patrol beyond the
Imperial Guards and the Central Capital Garrison's chain of command?"
"It seems that
our achievement of giving a prior warning against Hyakki Yagyo is well known
within Sannomiya, perhaps partly thanks to the Kihoin family's verbal support.
......It's hard to
refuse a direct order from Utanomiya, who is in charge of Mt. Shōrō
protection."
"Thanks to them,
it took us a long time to depart, though."
No matter how legitimate
the request might be, it was as if the Central Capital Garrison had been told
by their Master that they were unreliable.
Recalling the sarcasm
that the commander-in-chief of the Central Capital Garrison expressed when they
received the request, Kojou could only nod his head bitterly in agreement.
The request from
Sannomiya via the garrison came a few days ago.
At first, Ninokuruwa,
the commander-in-chief of the garrison, had tried to turn a blind eye to the
request, or perhaps he was trying to stall for time, even though the request
came from their own Master.
Of course, that did
not change the reality.
As an exchange for a
few days, Akira and the others were dispatched on a small patrol mission
through Mt. Shōrō.
"As for the
pressure from the garrison, we'll just have to give up now.
―Oh, we can see it. That's Mt. Shōrō."
Hearing Genji's voice,
Akira and the others' gazes finally turned forward.
Ahead of them is a
single torii gate. Beyond it rose a small mountain that would take less than an
hour to reach the summit.
"I had imagined
it before, but you know, how can I put it...
It is said to be the
cornerstone of the Five Elemental Barriers, but..."
"Well, indeed. Not
exactly like a sacred mountain, isn’t it?"
Feeling disappointed,
Ryota and Jin let their true feelings spill out.
As though agreeing
with them, the cry of a bird of prey passed overhead.
A serene scene. But
Akira, walking alongside them, remained tense as he tried to come up with a few
words.
"......Indeed, it
may look like a mountain, but its spirituality as a mountain is absurd.
This whole area is
already close to a sacred realm."
No. While saying so,
Akira also voiced his denial inwardly.
If anything, it had a
higher status as a sacred realm than the Central Capital. Although the
surrounding terrain seemed untouched, the clean air surrounding Akira and the
others seemed even purer and clearer.
"As Akira-kun
said, the cornerstone of the Five Elemental Barriers in this place is a
windhole on a scale comparable to a dragon den.
You shouldn't be
fooled by what you see."
"......Not to
mention, the security is also adequate.
It will be extremely
difficult to break through, both physically and spiritually."
Kojou's words of
caution were met with a nod of agreement from Genji.
A couple of farmers
could be seen in the fields as far as the eye could see. Genji noticed that
their gazes had been constantly following them since they had entered this
pathway.
They must have been
aware of the arrival of Akira and the others.
Beyond their paths,
they saw a woman already bowing her head to greet them.
"―Thank you very
much for your early arrival.
Utanomiya-sama has
already given permission for your visit."
"By the orders of
the Jinroin and Kihoin families, as well as that of the Sannomiya, we have been
dispatched to your land."
Yuge Kojou, the
highest-ranking member of Akira's group, stepped forward as the representative.
"We, Yuge Kojou
and Asogi Genji, will be visiting Utanomiya as the representatives, is that
acceptable?"
Kojou glanced at Akira
as he continued.
The fact that Akira is
Kanna-no-Mikura should be a trump card that Kihoin wants to keep hidden until
the very last minute.
Even though only
Divine Pillars can identify Kanna-no-Mikura, it would be a bad idea to meet Utanomiya
face to face.
―I might as well do a favor here.
Kojou quickly decided
on a course of action and smiled tactfully.
The woman's reply was
not stagnant, as if she did not doubt Kojou's words.
"Yes. We have
prepared eaves at the foot of the mountain for your companions.
―The guide will be here shortly, so please wait
here."
♢
It was fortunate for
Hariin Homare that there were telephone lines connected between the northern
part of the Central Province and the Talisman Association in the Central
Capital.
―...... No. It's hardly lucky, considering the fact
that Hariin Midori can boss her around so easily.
The phone was
connected to Hariin through Central Capital. While waiting for the operator to
call the head of the family, she was lost in a wasteful thought.
The waiting time was
probably not more than a few minutes. After a few more minutes, Homare heard
someone pick up the phone.
[―Have you finished
your investigation?]
"I'm currently at
the eighth branch on the mountain. There are a lot of branches in the northern
region, so it won't be done overnight.
I've heard the call
from the Central Capital. ―It's about that, isn't it?"
Even though she didn't
have enough detailed information, leaving only a half-hearted explanation of
her destination was a disaster.
After being probed for
Homare's destination to the point of flooding the telegram and telephone lines,
she was dragged back and forth over the same matter.
It was ironic that the
last call was from Hariin Midori, who was supposed to know the details of her
destination.
[It can't be helped. I
tried to call you, but I only heard two things: either you've already departed
or you haven't arrived yet.
I've had a hard time
tracking you down, you know.]
"Well, I don't
suppose you can make a phone call to someone who is on the move, can you? Well,
I hope there will be technological innovation in that area.
If that's, I'm going
to take the evening train. It's an overnight train, so I'll be arriving in the
Central Capital by noon tomorrow."
[Please do. This is
the first time I've ever heard of Hyakki Yagyo attacking Central Capital.
I heard that an evil
god is plotting something, but is it possible for him to cross the Five
Elemental Barriers?]
Midori's
question-filled mutterings were quite understandable to Homare.
Four thousand years
have passed since its establishment. For 4,000 years, the Five Elemental Barriers
have reigned as a symbol of protection for the Dragon Dens of Takamagahara.
It should be
impossible for Kegare to approach it, but no one could take Kihoin's
information lightly.
"Well, I suppose
there is no point in even thinking about it. We have no other choice but to
follow the official decree that came from the imperial families.
If that's all you want
to talk about, I'll just give you the progress report and prepare to
return."
[......I'll listen.]
Perhaps sensing from
Homare's tone that there was little hope, Midori urged Homare with a half-beat
delay in her breathing.
It's true that she
doesn't have much information, ......but that doesn't mean she doesn't have
anything to share. Homare moved his mouth toward the speaker, which was
directly connected to the phone, as if having a secret conversation.
"As it turns out,
a boy with the pseudonym Gensei never existed."
[I see...] "But I
did find an old man named Gensei."
[―Huh?]
"Well, that's
just a rumor, to be precise.
I got acquainted with
a petty bureaucrat who fled to the northern part of the Central Province after
his corruption was exposed in the Shumon Province."
[......What the heck!?
I've always wondered about your incomprehensible connections. I can't even imagine
how you get acquainted with them.]
Her sister was holding
her head over the receiver's phone. Homare could not help but laugh at this
easily imaginable scene.
There is no doubt that
Homare is an excellent student.
But more than her
grades, it was her uniquely eccentric personality that made Midori feel that
she couldn't understand her.
"It's no big
deal. He was desperate, or perhaps he got carried away, after selling his hoard
of talismans, and visited the inn where I was staying.
The inn was about to
refuse to accept him since he was a first-time visitor, but I put in a good
word for him."
[You are about to
commit a fraud, you know? Please stop it, you're causing trouble for both the
inn and the person in question.]
"It was the inn's
decision to let him stay, and he was the one who decided to stay. It was not my
responsibility.
Besides, they were
grateful to me. Both the inn and the other party, I mean."
[Do you even know what
'grateful' means? You should learn what it means first.]
The inn in which
Homare stayed was so high-class and expensive.
No doubt a bundle of
bills would fly out of one's hand, and it would be a nightmare for even a
small-time crook to go bankrupt over a fleeting dream.
"What? I paid for
the meal, you see.
I even served him
plenty of sake. Of course, I chose the finest, so there was no way he could
have lied about it."
I didn't
squeeze it all out of him until I went bankrupt. With that line as an
excuse, Homare laughed at the end of a small-time crook whose only memory of him
was his little mustache.
He did not invoke the
language of servitude. It was more of a minimum courtesy because he wasn't good
enough to find it worth using.
"Gensei is the
name I heard from him. I heard that in Shumon Province, a stray talisman user called
Gensei came to sell regeneration talismans.
―From what I've heard, he's an old man, and I'm sure
somebody must have mistaken him for someone else."
[An old man, huh?
Could a young boy disguise himself as an old man?]
"That's all there
is to it. But there is one thing that bothers me about the pseudonym."
[......Are you
referring to overlapping pseudonyms?]
"The same
pseudonym can not be officially registered at the same time, but only if it is
officially registered with the Onmyou Ministry.
This is mainly to
prevent counterfeits due to name stamping and other reasons."
[What about having
them registered at different times?]
"If the
information provided by the officials is correct, the child was seen at the
Karen branch office until early September. If it is accurate that the child
died in July, it should be impossible for the pseudonym to be active under the
same pseudonym in Karen."
As Midori pointed out,
a pseudonym is nothing more than a nickname.
The name can be forged
if one wants to, and a stray talisman user can have any number of reasons to
justify his or her motives. But if the location is the same, one would avoid it
because it would limit one's activities.
"Well, I think I
got enough good information thanks to the sake.
―I don't know what will happen to him, but I wish him
all the best."
He was shocked at the
price of the expensive accommodation he was charged, so his life expectancy
itself would be uncertain tomorrow.
Homare, who had no
intention of taking on that much responsibility, was left with the impression
that he was an unexpected source of information.
[Well, just knowing
that Shumon Province is different is already one step forward.
You should hurry back
to the capital.
―Hariin, too, has decided to dispatch Eight Families to
support you.]
Hearing these words,
Homare thought briefly of the geography of the area.
―Speaking of a territory close to the Central Capital,
"So the Fuwa
family, who have been reluctant to leave the house, are finally getting serious
now? Sister, you sure pushed them too hard."
Ever since the civil
war that broke out over Kanna-no-Mikura 400 years ago, the Fuwa family has been
famous for its reluctance to leave their Tamakura territory due to their weak
standing.
The family is tightly
knit, and their true nature is rarely revealed.
[The Fuwa family
cannot be moved at the moment.
―I have sent the head of Hōjō, who was staying in the
Capital, to take their place.]
"Auntie-, the
head of Hōjō!?
A troublesome person
to deal with. There are plenty of people you can appoint such as the next head
of Hōjō, aren't there?"
The head of Hōjō is
one of the people who Homare admits that she doesn't really get along with.
She has a history of
personality incompatibility and has long avoided this person.
Although Homare had
complied with the imperial decree, she felt compelled to express some
bitterness toward the head of Hariin, who had made the decision.
[It can't be helped,
he's the one who decided to go ahead with it.
―I heard that the head of Yuge is currently staying in
the capital, so you are probably secondary to him.]
"That's exactly
why I don't like it.
--I don't expect him
to be respectful or anything, but I don't want to deal with an out-of-control
simpleton."
[Just do something
about it.
You can just put the
blame on Yuge Kojou, or whatever.
......Especially, when
it comes to combat, I have full confidence in you.]
Even though she
understood Homare's frustration, Midori's decision was unwavering.
Understanding the
futility of disagreeing with her, Homare also retracted her words.
"Well, I'll
figure something out.
But if I do, you'll
lend me that, right?"
[I knew you would say
that. It is now in the custody of the head of Hōjō.
Moreover, I have
temporarily transferred all authority over Hariin in the Central Capital to
you.
―Make good use of it.]
"As expected of
you, Nee-san. Since you understand what I'm trying to say, then I shall take
action as well."
This is the way the
two sisters, who know each other so well, interacted. They ended their
conversation and hung up the phone.
Sigh. A slight sigh
tinged with dejection, but she still did not show it on her face.
Homare simply returned
the receiver back to the phone, ready to proceed with her preparations.
♢
Following the woman
who stood in the lead.
The long corridor was
dimly lit by the faint light from outside.
The creaking of the
floor made Akira realize that he was alone before he knew it.
―He came to his senses.
"Huh?"
"Ara~, you came
to your senses already?
I had heard that you
have a high resistance to Onmyojutsu, but I didn't expect it to be this
high."
Chuckles. The smiling
girl turned to look back over her shoulder.
Her face is that of a
different person from the woman Akira remembers until just moments ago.
She is about the same
age as Akira, though she is of similar height. Her black hair is trimmed at her
shoulders and the white eye patch covering her eyes makes her look very
strange.
The pattern dyed in
the center of her eye patch stood out conspicuously and drew his attention.
―A bell within the Yin-Yang.
Is it a family crest?
The unfamiliarity of this symbol aroused his caution.
"You are?"
"My name is
Utanomiya Aya. I was asked to accompany you because we are close in age.
―Ah, don't worry. You are not separated from them.
I am simply using the
dreamwalking method to shift your consciousness into this ethereal space.
To them, you appear to
be walking normally down the hallway."
Slightly reassured by
the cheerful tone of voice that belies her appearance, Akira resumed his steps
to follow her back.
Creak, creak. Every
time the floorboards creaked, he felt the end of the corridor slipping away
from him.
Twinge. With each
step, Akira's consciousness wavered.
"―You can't see with your eyes?"
"This is the
first time someone has asked me that.
Most people seem to be
intimidated by my title and treat my eye as a tumor."
"I'm sorry, I
didn't mean to be rude.
After all, I don't
even know who you are."
I don't mind. The girl
shook her head and muttered to herself, smiling seductively.
"I was born this
way, so I don't feel any discomfort.
―This is just a measure for being able to see too well,
so there is no inconvenience in my daily life."
"I see."
Even if one can see
too well, if one doesn't use it, it will still be inconvenient.
Akira used the
questions that arose in his mind as wedges, desperately holding on to the
consciousness that was drifting away from him.
"I understand
that I was separated in a very tricky way,
But why did you call
only me here?"
"That's
because..."
"―I summoned you here."
Just as Akira was
about to inquire further, the sunlight brightly filled his vision.
The dark corridor
ended before he knew it, and he stood in the pathway facing a courtyard.
"Please don't
blame Aya too much. She's just trying to do my bidding, that's all.
―Who?
Akira tried to ask
this question, but he couldn't even raise his voice.
He had no memory of
that seductive whisper, but the tone of the voice was somehow nostalgic.
Trying to remain calm,
Akira turned around.
Gently. A sweet scent
of fragrant osmanthus filled Akira's nostrils.
Ahead of his vision,
he spotted a blonde-haired girl tiptoeing down the pathway to the courtyard.
She was about 16 years
old and was smiling at Akira with an inappropriately calm smile.
She looked a lot like
Shuka. She also reminded him of a young girl from a distant memory.
Her eyes, with a
golden radiance that is impossible for any other person to have, penetrated
Akira.
"Nice to meet
you, Kanna-no-Mikura.
―Let's see... Just follow the example of others and
call me Takamikura."
The exalted girl
seated in the high heaven smiled in front of Akira.
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