[Part 1/4]
There's a game called 'Firefly of the Dark Night (Yamiyo no Hotaru).' It was a famous game title from my previous life, in other words, from the 21st century in Japan.
During an era when the entire eroge industry was past its prime and on the decline, a certain game company, known for its crazy ideas, had been producing games and gaining cult popularity. They continued this trend with their latest title, creating a game with even crazier ideas and systems, using their budget to the fullest. Despite being called reckless in advance, the game boasted luxurious voice actors, abundant still images and videos, a lengthy story with multiple branching routes, and clever marketing strategies from the publisher. All of these factors contributed to its skyrocketing popularity.
If I were to explain things in the usual format up until now, you'd probably have a pretty good idea. By some twist of fate or for some unknown reason, it seemed that I had been reborn into the world of thiss game.
While this might be understandable if it were a slice-of-life or a galge (gal game), of all things, I seemed to have been reborn into the world of an eroguro (erotic grotesque) game... well, at this point, I should probably just accept it. Depending on the game genre, it might have been possible to experience a nuclear war or fight against alien invasions, or even witness the world's destruction. Compared to those possibilities, this was probably better.
...There was a time when I had accepted this with resignation.
The Onitsuki family... the main house of the Fusō-kuni exorcists reigning in the northern region. It was one of the so-called Three Houses of the Northern Region and an old family. Owning numerous mountains and estates, and employing over a hundred people, it was a prestigious household. It also played a deep role in the story of the game 'Firefly of the Dark Night.'
Onitsuki Valley, the main stream of the spiritual veins that gave rise to the name of the Onitsuki family, was located just above it. The main house was situated there. It was once a place overrun by wicked and treacherous monsters, but it was cleared, purified, and developed into a resting place for those who eradicated and purified the land. Even before the great war, the family received the duty of protection from the imperial court. Behind its prosperity, however, there was a long history of conspiracies within the family, like a hidden nest of demons.
...The extensive grounds of the Onitsuki family main house, which even in appearance was vast, had actually turned into a 'Mayoiga', making it even more expansive in reality. And in a corner of these grounds lay the territory of the servant group.
While it might be relatively larger compared to other groups, considering the number of members, the training grounds, and the self-sufficient fields, it wasn't as well-treated as one might think. In fact, their living conditions were quite poor. Well, they were just expendable commodities (relatively speaking), so there was no helping it. Speaking in a darker tone, there were even suspicions that they were being used up at a good pace for future livelihood. It's not funny.
...You probably understand by now. The biggest problem of all was that I, of all people, had ended up in the position of a disposable mob within the Onitsuki family in this game's world, particularly in the Onitsuki clan's aspect related to the main story of its era.
"Disposable mob... yeah, that's right..."
And so, in a corner of the Onitsuki family main house servant district, I brooded over this reality.
"Sigh..."
Aware of my own position, I sighed deeply while looking up at the sky. Although I had been reminded of this countless times before, it was still a gloomy setup, a social construct. I get it... Of course, from the perspective of the exorcist family, becoming a business rival after a few generations would make sense. There's also the dynamic with the imperial court. It would be reasonable to use them moderately and wear them out. Though, for the ones being used and worn out, it's not a laughing matter.
"Haha, it's unbearable..."
I find myself questioning and reflecting on why I've ended up in this situation. What's least funny about it is that this treatment in Fusō-kuni and within the Onitsuki family, as per the standards of this world, could be considered "relatively better." Truly, truly not amusing.
"What's wrong? Sighing like that? Happiness will escape, you know?"
"...Kashiwagi."
As I was absentmindedly reminiscing about the events leading up to this point, I was interrupted by a light voice calling out from beside me.
Turning my head to the side, I found a teenage boy in his mid-teens with a slightly frivolous smile on his face. If this were my past life, he might have ended up working at a host club sooner or later, aiming to become a mid-tier member if not the top one...?
"Hey, you. Are you perhaps rudely thinking inappropriate things while looking at people's faces?"
"Well, well, have you learned the skill of mind-reading? I'd love to be taught that skill by you sometime."
"Don't change the subject. ...No, I wonder if you're affirming it?"
"I don't know."
I shrugged my shoulders and played dumb, facing Kashiwagi who was tilting his head in puzzlement. I can't stand sharp kids. They act smart without having any real knowledge. It gives me a headache.
"Instead of that, don't you need to be teaching and taking care of the kids? Isn't that your job?"
"I don't recall becoming a parent. But look, aren't they running over there right now?"
Saying that, he pointed in the direction he mentioned. I shifted my gaze to where he was indicating, and what I could see were the young ones running tirelessly around the training grounds, shouting curses and insults as they went. They were the younger group, full of energy and around the age of ten. Behind them, a few pigeons seemed to be chasing them forward. They appeared to be simple shikigami provided by someone.
"Running five laps around the training grounds? Are they planning an escape or something?"
"Correct answer."
"Are they going to be okay? Those mischievous kids won't understand until they experience real pain."
Long ago, there were actually some troublemakers like that, which is why we, the servant group, have a few safeguards in place to prevent rebellions. The most prominent among them is a curse.
The 'Danawa Onnen Kaeshi no Doku-jutsu (Curse of Snake Rope, Return of Vengeance),' it's the name of the Curse Art that all the servants belonging to the Onitsuki family have to ensure obedience. Using a snake killed as a sacrifice and turning it into a vengeful spirit, the curse is implanted into the servant's body. It has three stages of effects depending on the situation, but honestly, the first stage alone is merciless. It can lead to whole-body muscle pain and fractured bones, leaving you bedridden for a while.
People generally won't understand the pain until they've experienced it themselves. However, the problem lies in how the opportunity to use it again will come about. If you try to be clever and trigger the second or third stage, things can become irreparable.
"I'll teach them about that later... Well, it should work to show them the difference in strength and make those troublemakers behave."
Kashiwagi's words meant that he would defeat them barehanded in a real fight, using his actual abilities. Demonstrating the vast difference in strength and making them fear him. In addition, sharing stories of his failures would probably hit home. Kashiwagi had suffered the curse twice due to escape attempts. I hope they takes his senior's mistakes as lessons.
"Make sure to teach them how to behave properly as well. It could be troublesome if they cause problems with outsiders, even if they're family members."
I added to his words. By "behaving properly," I meant acting without showing too much emotion, behaving like a servant. Yes, acting like a "good servant."
Among the servant group, those who can survive for a long time tend to be those with unique characteristics like Kashiwagi. Training to suppress self-awareness, ego, and rebellion among the servants is partly to prevent uprisings, but it also affects how long the servants stay in the group. Rigid servants can't adapt to the unpredictable tactics of different types of youkai. Without the ability to think, adapt, and prepare on their own, they'll be killed quickly. In the first place, fully subjugating human emotions isn't an easy task.
Where there are policies at the top, there are countermeasures at the bottom. Against harsh correction, wise ones pretend. They behave obediently, but inwardly they hold their tongues. Many of the senior members of the servant group, especially those above squad leaders, are like that. They favor their family, but their skills are good, they have experience, and at the very least, their thought processes aren't bad.
Unfortunately, not everyone can be like this. Some can be broken by training, while others have their spirits eroded by the unending battle of life and death. Newcomers who were once spirited might be worn down by relentless discipline and real combat to the point of becoming like puppets. Others might accumulate emotions until they burst, going insane one day and choosing to die by suicide, or they might attempt to escape and die in the process. Even skilled individuals who have avoided these pitfalls will die with a high probability if they encounter a strong enemy. Oh, perhaps it's a top-class black company?
"Half of those who entered the field three years ago... Staying would be considered a success."
Kashiwagi's words were based on experience. Among those who were assigned as servants along with him, only about half remain in full health. The number would be a bit higher if we include those who are no longer able to fight...but at any rate, it is not a pleasant number. And the majority of those killed are those who, as I said earlier, have had their self-consciousness snapped until they can no longer think.
"Wooden dolls are the first to get picked off. Even those who are a bit clever don't last long. If you're around for five years, even the smart ones are sifted out... I think that's what the Tokusa Squad Leader said?"
What I'm saying is hearsay. It's something the leader of the squad I belonged to just three months ago casually mentioned during a mission. He had a sharp tongue and a cynical outlook. His personality wasn't great either. But he was undeniably experienced and cunning, which was no surprise considering he was a Yun-shoku candidate. It's regrettable that I have to talk about him in the past tense.
"Sounds like something the Tokusa Squad Leader would say. ...So, are you saying we still have the potential to be innocent kids?"
"That's not a very good joke, is it?"
Well, it's true that we haven't been working as servants in the field for over five years, but... at least Kashiwagi being a well-behaved kid is out of the question. He's sly and resourceful, sure, but being a good boy? Not him.
Ironically, the survival rate of servants who make it past five years drops significantly compared to before. This is more of my impression than something directly from the Tokusa Squad Leader. Unfortunately, I don't have enough data to conduct proper statistics. Besides, how many leaders in the upper echelons of the organization have taken the trouble to keep such records... The current state of the group is a mess, and even Yun-shoku had questionable education.
The current Yun-shoku, who is also my mentor, is undoubtedly excellent as a 'soldier' and 'warrior.' In the role of a servant, she possesses a rare variety of skills. While she may as good as a household member, she's capable of teaching and demonstrating them. She also has ample experience in commanding squads. ...But that's about it.
I want to apologize in advance if my words sound condescending. However, it seems to me that Yun-shoku lacks a bit in leadership skills when it comes to overseeing hundreds of servants. She's not very good at reading or arithmetic. While she can lead a team in battle while wielding a spear, her ability to manage an organization through administrative tasks... unfortunately, that's not something to praise.
Of course, it's not entirely her responsibility. The top of the group is pretty messed up, and the history of the organization's management hasn't been great either. It's always been a bad cycle... to be honest, given the terrible state of the management, she's doing a pretty good job. Originally, she had intentions of improving the internal situation of the group. And me, with my relatively good reading and arithmetic skills—even though I'm not that impressive—discarded my pride and sought assistance from her. It's because of her sense of responsibility and duty that I was moved, and she helped improve my subtle standing within the servant group. It's hard to overlook the effects she had on me.
...Nowadays, I might be a bit disillusioned in a different sense, though.
"Is this what they call the marriage slump? You're lucky, you're living together just because you have some education. You can even peek at each other in the bath or help each other change, right? Huh? Aren't you being a bit mean as a holder of knowledge?"
Kashiwagi poked at me, his tone half-envious and half-critical, in response to my unintentional complaint. It was a mix of reproach and jealousy.
"Stop making baseless accusations. It's nonsense."
Admittedly, when I first fell into the role of a servant, and even during the times when I didn't have a squad to belong to, I intermittently stayed in Yun-shoku's hut. But I don't really feel guilty about it. ...Well, sure, in the beginning, we shared the bath, and even now when she's drunk, I might help her change, but it's not a big deal.
Of course, I'm not naive enough to feel flustered now that I'm used to it, especially after learning about her private life. ...Well, come on, could you please stop shrugging off the documents just because I'm not good at it? Is it just me, or do I feel like I'm doing about sixty percent of the help? No, it's not just me.
"Don't use sarcasm. You think you're becoming a literary figure? Trying to act cool. ...But anyway, tell me."
"What about?"
As Kashiwagi pushes further with a challenging tone, I give him a sharp look and ask for clarification.
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