Toasteful: Chapter 77, Part 1

Revision:

Kizuki => Onitsuki

Kehiko => Katahiko

Hotaruya => Hotoya

Kuuban => Kubou

　As she closed the book with fingers as white and slender as a white fish, she let out a sigh of disappointment.

　"Phew, no harvest, huh? That's enough. Next, bring me the books that are piled up there."

　"Y-Yes...!!"

　The voice of a bewitching, delicate, sweet, and above all, arrogant woman echoes in the room. This is followed by the response of a lovely young girl. Unlike the aforementioned voice, her voice is pure, timid, and that of a meek child...

　"U-Um, is it okay this way...?"

　The ancient book, which was offered by the white fox half-youkai with both hands, had still decayed with time despite being under a protective curse. And seeing this, the princess in front of her accepts it with a small sneer. Still, she spreads it out on the desk and sighs, leaning against the armrest.

　"Seriously, it's just so annoying. Having to read such a boring and dirty book."

　Onitsuki Aoi, the descendant of the Onitsuki family and second princess of Onitsuki, expressed her disdain for the family records which detailed their prosperity, glory, honor, and achievements in her room surrounded by piles of books, which was carried from residence’s library. She found them boring and dirty, with no interest in their content.

　She showed no enthusiasm while reading the rows of old-fashioned characters. Nevertheless, her intelligent mind was able to fully memorize and comprehend the books' content, and she discarded the valueless ones she had read and understood.

　"Really boring thing..."

　As a matter of fact, Aoi doesn't care about the history of Onitsuki's family. She is not interested in it at all. To hell with the traditions and legends that are colored with falsehoods. Aoi hates her own family to the utmost.

　However, the authority of the name Onitsuki is useful and worth giving to her as an "asset". And above all, it is true that the pile of books in front of her may be a clue to the solution of the problem that now stands before her.

　If one looks historically, in the ancient times, the barrier between human and god youkai was lower than in this world, and the distance between them was closer.

　This is not by choice. It is also a strict fact that in those days when human was weaker and civilization was lower, it was more difficult to reject the interference of the divine youkai, and there was no choice but to use their power against them. Many of the rituals and curses that are forbidden by the court today were developed in those times, not only because they were immoral but also because they went against the national policy of Fusō-kuni, which is not only against humanity but also out of the bounds of humanity.

　....Of course, although forbidden by the Imperial Court, the exorcists' families in various places, especially the old and famous families with long histories, still informally transmit such a technique and sometimes use it.

　For example, the curse of substitution of sacrifice, which is still practiced by the Miyataka of the same three northern region families, is a typical example. The Onitsuki once practiced a forbidden ritual called "Curse of the demon child confined in a sacrificial prison room (座敷厄負贄牢童子之呪)" until only two hundred years ago. The only reason why the ritual is no longer practiced is that the specifics of the ritual were lost in an accident. Only the Ako family is a famous family that foolishly and honestly abandoned the traditional secret and forbidden rituals in accordance with the imperial order.

　Well, this is enough for a preface. Anyway, there is only one reason for Aoi to spend her time so much. And it was impossible to solve it by the usual means. In fact, the two measures to buy time are clearly unusual. It is insane to waste the heart organs of first-class exorcists, or to continue feeding the baby god who may awaken at any moment. And it was obvious that further measures were needed for a fundamental solution.

　That is why this work had to be done. Would the Onitsuki family's collection of documents offer any wisdom to save him? Despite her hopes, she was not able to find any significant results...

　"Huff... Ah, are you bored too?"

　"Huh? Oh, no, I'm... fine!"

　As Aoi noticed her own fatigue and let out a yawn, the nearby half-youkai also let out a small yawn. Shiro tried to cover it up hastily, but Aoi didn't blame her. It wasn't something worth reproaching her for.

　"It's alright. I understand how you feel. ...Yes, it's just eight o'clock. It's about time for us to take a break, isn't it?"

　Stretching her arms and cracking her shoulders, Aoi's full and perky breasts swayed noticeably even under her loose Japanese-style clothing.

　"Ah..."

　Upon seeing it, Shiro's eyes widened and her cheeks turned red with embarrassment. It was an unavoidable situation. It was something she could not help. She checks her body and and was slightly shocked. It was a self-destruction act.

　Aoi glanced at the maid but didn't scold her. She just let out a cold laugh and, asked.

　"Do you mind having Sencha instead?"

　As soon as she said this, the shoji (sliding door) open with a whoosh, and a pair of black doll with a simple design walked in. They were the temporary shikigami dolls that Aoi controlled for her daily tasks, and there were two of them. One carried a teapot and teacups on a tray, while the other held a container of sweets in a respectful manner.

　"Well, eat as you like. You're at that age where you get hungry easily, right?"

　Aoi takes a sip from the steaming teacup which she received from the doll and picked up a chestnut bun from the container that was offered to her. Aoi did not need to taste the poison because she trusted her own simple shikigami much more than those of the maid or the housemaid hired by Onitsuki.

　"Y-yes...! T-then..."

　Following her master's words, Shiro nervously took a chestnut bun from the container and nibbled on it like a squirrel. When the doll offered her the teacup, she thanked it and took a sip, swaying her white fox tail in excitement. It is a sign that she is excited by her small joy, which is a characteristic of fox youkai that couldn't be corrected, as their tails moved according to their emotions.

　After glancing at the maid, Aoi shifted her gaze to the front and sighed, flipping a page of the book she had lazily opened.

　"Disappointing, isn't it?"

　"P-Princess?"

　"Oh, it has nothing to do with you."

　For a moment, Shiro looked at her master with fear. Aoi answered with a mocking tone. Truly, that merchant's daughter and this fox were both such calculating creatures.

　"You mean the books...?"

　"Yes, that's right. The contents are really useless... Can you read it? It's a record from around the time of the Great War. The Onmyou Dormitory requested that the family dispatch a force to the western lands. It was a huge battle that lasted for a long time."

　It was the third volume of the "Onitsuki People and Youkai War Chronicle", the record of a month during the reign of Emperor Buretsu (武叡帝) when ten years passed like a single month.

　According to the author, the Onitsuki family sent seven exorcists and 94 servants, miscellaneous people, and other personnel to fight against the increasingly fierce youkais. They followed orders from the imperial court and headed towards Ayana Nagi province in the western region, but lost almost half of their personnel. They clashed with a army led by a calamity youkai named Kubou and his hundred followers.

　"There are pictures here, too."

　Shiro glances at the next page of the record. What is depicted there is a scene of countless monsters devouring people. The drawing is so detailed and well-written that it looks as if it could be moving at any moment.

　"Huh...? Hyaa!"

　The next moment, all the painted "youkai" stared at Shiro at once. The half-youkai was taken aback by the unexpected event and let out a small scream before falling backward. To be precise, she almost fell down, but she was supported by a simple shikigami that was used for tea-serving and avoided injury. Seeing this scene, Aoi's mouth twisted in amusement.

　"Oh my, what are you doing?"

　"I-I'm sorry. I never thought the pictures would move... T-thank you very much."

　Shiro explains to her master and then thanks the shikigami for helping her out. The shikigami, however, is silent and does not react at all.

　"If it's not the Hondou style, there's no need to do something like that. Just like the mechanical puppet (Karakuri). The simple style just follows the predetermined settings and has no ability to think or even feel emotions."

　Aoi declares, then turns her eyes to the pictures in the book and starts to explain them carefully.

　"Hehehe, take a look at this. When a specialized illustrator draws like this, they can make the pictures move like this. ...Well, this is also a type of simple style. To put it simply, works like these are records of memories."

　"Records of memories?"

　The half-youkai tilts her head, not quite grasping the meaning.

　"Yes. There are things that cannot be conveyed in oral tradition or written records. As they say, seeing is believing."

　And this is where this type of book comes in.

　"The illustrator's memory is transcribed in the painting, so that when you touch the moving pictures, you can literally experience what the author saw. It even reproduces all five senses."

　However, this is only a replay of the author's memories, and may not necessarily reflect reality. Fabricating memories is possible, and biases such as misunderstandings or degradation must be taken into account. Therefore, memories and senses sealed in books cannot be completely trusted.

　However, taking advantage of such shortcomings, there existed an interrogation method in the imperial court a long time ago, in which the subjects were made to repeatedly relive "torture memories" that amplified the pain and fear more than they actually experienced, without even being allowed to sleep. It was so inhumane that it was officially abolished in the reign of the famous Emperor Gyokuro...

　"Hehehe, if you're interested, why not take a peek?"

　"Eh? N-no!! I'm fine! I'll pass!!"

　Aoi suggests as if she had a sudden idea, and Shiro panicked and desperately refused. It was natural, considering the grotesque monsters in the book before them were devouring people one after another. The coloring was disgustingly vivid, even for a painting, and the expression on their faces was ghastly.

　Even ink paintings were enough to send chills down one's spine, let alone peeking into real memories...it was something the white fox girl could not bring herself to do.

　"Oh, is that so? That's too bad."

　Aoi turns her eyes back to the book in a tone that she does not seem to be as disappointed as she says. In the picture, the youkai who had just been committing all kinds of atrocities were being hunted for a change. The exorcists from Onitsuki who appeared at the edge of the page were tearing them apart, cutting them down, and tearing them to pieces. They were being exterminated one by one.

　And at the center of the horde of youkai, the largest and most fearsome one glared at the exorcists and the readers, who were nothing more than a presence on the page, with a resentful gaze...the princess of Onitsuki. It was a stare filled with murderous intent. It was enough to make one feel as if the youkai's soul was sealed within the picture.

　After a moment, the monster on the paper roared angrily and fiercely. However, it had no meaning to Aoi, who was looking down at it.

　"Heh-heh, it's truly a clown."

　Aoi huckled softly at the pitiful "memory" that was destined to repeat its miserable defeat. Then, she shifted her eyes to the speech bubble written beside it.

　On the speech bubble, the true name of the dreadful monster was written in a very good handwriting.

　[Ayanagi Province youkai's General, Calamity youkai, Magajuu (禍獣)"...

* * *

　The "Magajuu (禍獣)" or "Magahaha (禍母)" is a monster that originates from a collection of Buddhist scriptures.

　According to the legend, it is a creature of calamity that was sent by heavenly gods to admonish a proud king who ruled the country of paradise. It resembles a boar that eats needles as food, or a wolf, or a tiger-headed bull-bodied beast.

　In "Firefly of the Dark Night (Yamiyo no Hotaru)," the "Magajuu (禍獣)" is a creature based on these original descriptions but is even more sinister in a sense.

　The divine boar wrapped in an iron skin, created and sent to destroy those who are arrogant and overbearing, but when its divine status is reduced to zero and it is left to decay and become fertilizer for the land, it transforms itself into a youkai beast, just as many other sacred beasts have done.

　However, its original purpose did not change. If anything, the transformation into a youkai increased its hatred and animosity towards humans. When Kubou, who had been raised to the status of a god infinitely more powerful than ever, declared war on the human world, the 100 calamity youkai generals under its banner led their armies as one, and the people of the Fusō-kuni lands were destroyed by the war.

　After years of warfare, Fusō-kuni emerged victorious, and many of the calamity youkai under Kubou were defeated. But the youkai boar that had suffered serious injuries at the hands of the Onitsuki clan's extermination team managed to escape the pursuing army and survived.

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