[Part 2/4]
Shinobu Miyataka, originally a mistress of the family, had transferred to the main family just to increase her value as a sacrificial offering. Due to being subjected to forbidden spells and curses, her body constantly consumed a large amount of spiritual power.
In normal circumstances, her power should have depleted rapidly, even to the point of her life's end. However, she was still alive because she replenished it. Through physical unions with others, she partially replenished her spiritual power from her partners... The Miyataka family didn't criticize the curse she had cast upon herself. If it meant she could utilize her abilities for a longer time, and if she could use her beauty and body to advance the family's political status, even young exorcists, wealthy merchants, and officials could be introduced. Regardless of whom she had relations with... Anyway, that kept her alive.
"You must have a hard time finding partners too, right? As fellow exorcists, let's help each other out. I've heard in the book that night demon (succubus) is incredible. It's going to be popular, you know?"
'Well, unfortunately, I already have those kinds of arrangements.'
Botan immediately dismissed the seemingly well-intentioned invitation.
"Don't be so bitter. Using sealing restraints to endure has its limits, you know?"
'As long as I have access to the bodily fluids needed for replenishment, I don't need any unnecessary interference.'
Thanks to her grandfather's distasteful preparations, Botan had more than enough bodily fluids, primarily blood, available to her. Her connection with that certain "servant" had involved spilling plenty of blood. When considering sweat and other bodily fluids, she had more than enough to last for a while.
...Though it was embarrassing to have to sleep with sweat and blood-soaked clothing, but it couldn't be helped.
"Hmm. You seem quite fixated on that. Is that why you watches over 'his' little sister?"
'...Did you know that much? I suppose you were connected as well?'
"Unlike you, I wasn't discarded, after all."
It seemed that 'ghost' had quite an extensive reach. And she wasn't yet discarded... which meant that her former mentor was clearly involved in this whole series of events.
"Let me make this clear—I'm just a collaborator. Unlike you, I'm not dependent. You could say it's like 'win-win' in Nanban terms?"
'It's hard to believe you're sane. If you were involved more deeply than I was, you should be well aware of the implications.'
To act as if your life won't be forfeited upon discovery... it was truly audacious.
"In any case, it would be the same in the end, right? Do you think this body can live for much longer?"
With that, Shinobu twirled gracefully, showing her body. A tarnished body. A lifespan extended by courting men. But there were limits to that as well. She probably wouldn't live for more than another ten years.
'Is it in exchange for methods of prolonging life?'
"Well, I wonder?"
Botan's question was evaded. An attitude that couldn't be taken as serious or a joke. Botan fell silent for a moment... then spoke in exasperation.
'It would be wise to change your ways sooner rather than later. At least for the sake of our former friendship.'
"And likewise, if you ever want, you can call on me anytime. I'll connect you with our mentor."
It seemed she was willing to accept her into their circle anytime. Finally, Botan began to sense something amiss in the conversation's flow and understand its implications.
(I see... so this conversation was all preordained, wasn't it?)
Botan was aware that Miyataka Shinobu possessed the ability of prophecy. Moreover, this ability seemed to be more flexible and accurate than the reports she made to the Omnyouji Bureau or even the ones she might have given to her clan. When met with a wary gaze, Shinobu only smiled.
"Oh, right."
And then, as if remembering suddenly, she placed it on the floor. She gently placed the puppy that had been in her hands onto the floor. The puppy crawled on the cold floor, whimpering sadly.
'...What's your intention?'
"As a souvenir in exchange for a favor. Isn't it enough for me to offer just this?"
With a nonchalant response and a playful attitude, she displayed the blood-stained prayer beads wound around her arm, a curse tool. Botan furrowed her brows on the other side of the boundary, conscious of the fact that this conversation itself might have been foretold.... and she retroactively calculated and deduced from that awareness.
'For "him," you say?'
"There was a request to form a bond of friendship. Well, it was a win-win for me too, in a way."
'What do you mean?'
"Well, what do you think it means? Maybe "he" will understand when "he" meets me?"
With Shinobu's teasing remark as the final statement, silence returned once again...
'...Did you move because you knew he was involved?'
"I'm his little sister's benefactor, you know? Hey, everyone?"
Before they knew it, the geisha had surrounded Shinobu.
"That's right, Lady Shinobu!!"
"Seriously, you're so kind even to commoners. It's so touching."
"It hurt when I got a big cut. Paaainful~!"
Looking at the geisha who were talking one after another, it would become clear that they were the very people who had been killed in the attack by the youkai.
'It was the shikigami after all, huh.'
Botan confirmed that Suzune had also been questioning this. After the youkai's sweep was over, Suzune had noticed that the geisha's corpses were missing. But this was...
'Quite a precise and sophisticated simple shikigami.'
That thing that imitated that servant was the same... it was truly putting a lot of effort into something that seemed wasteful. What kind of seed had they sown into it?
"The essence of Miyataka's art. Would you like to know?"
'No, thank you.'
"That's a shame. So, what's your response to my proposal?"
"..."
In an instant, the Hummingbird hesitated, then hopped onto the back of the puppy before capturing it with her feet and fluttering her wings. The Hummingbird took off with the puppy in tow.
'I'll just speak as instructed. The conclusion rests with that servant himself. Is that okay?'
The reply was a smile across her face. After speaking, Botan realized that her question had been in vain. Regardless of what it was, she could already see the answer.
'...Very well.'
With a sense of discomfort, the Hummingbird flew away, suspending the puppy in the air with a flap-flap of its wings.
'...She's still just as unpleasant.'
The girl who controlled the Hummingbird murmured softly. It was meaningless—a mere complaint to vent her inner emotions.
Her complex feelings swirling within her heart might have been driven by jealousy...
"Ugh...!!?"
His arm had pierced his chest. The young man from Ezo realized he lost.
"Not enough... power, huh?"
He plans to tire out the inhuman with youkai horde, giving him two friends a chance... and just as the inhuman tore them apart, Tomono Kumogumo will take a shot. Using a potion that separated his body to two, one became a meat shield, while the other emerged from the shadow of the corpse to cut off the inhuman's head. But his plan fell apart cruelly. He also collapsed from the scene.
"..."
Tomono, who briefly looked up at the inhuman that killed him, slowly closed his eyes, and that was it. The inhuman just looked down at the lifeless body.
Silently, it kept looking down...
'Shyaahhh!!'
Right after, an evil god attacked from behind, mocking. But its head got cut off.
'Shyaah...?'
The evil god looked surprised, not getting what just happened. But it was the inhuman tail that attacked it. A sharp tail swing decapitated the bat god's head. Then, the earth goddess's dependent turned and leaped up.
'Aaaaaaa!!!!'
The inhuman roars while swinging a final blow aimed at the cut head from the sky...
Fierce rain started pouring down. In front of me lay the torn remains of a fake god, completely destroyed. It was a mess, unnecessary destruction all around.
"He... hhe... heeh... hahaha. Damn, I went too far...!!?"
I stood there getting soaked in the rain, not caring much, taking rough breaths. I had gotten quite worked up. Thanks to it, I wasted a lot of energy on this and I lost track of time. My metabolism was running high too and it made the raindrops that hitting my body turned into steam from the heat, showing how my body had changed. It was a miracle that I regained my sanity.
"Huh...!? It came!!?"
It oozed out from the body in front of me. A black mist. Maybe a curse or punishment. Resentment. Probably because I had messed around with it for so long. The thick mist took a clear form and moved straight toward me.
It was coming to curse me to death. Just as I planned.
"Sorry, but I'll pass on wearing that cursed stuff."
The bad energy didn't engulf me. Well, it tried to but got redirected. I pointed the black dagger (tantō) I had taken out from my belt. The bad energy was drawn towards it. Sucked into the blade.
This dagger was a weapon and a talisman. A tool to "delay" the disaster that was bound to come.
This Dagger (tantō) protected its owner from curses. But it wasn't unlimited, definitely not forever. Once it went over its limit, the curse protecting the owner would break. The destiny of doom would then unfold as it was meant to... more intense, more horrifying. It's inescapable. Just a temporary way to dodge reality. The name itself was pretty ironic.
"The darkness... got stronger."
The dagger turned even blacker than before. Its cutting edge seemed sharper too, but that's not a good thing. The strength not changing implies bad intentions, right?
And what's really annoying is that crazy lady never told me the most important part when she gave this to me - the limit and what happens when I cross it. My understanding of this rare cursed tool comes from knowing the original work.
This thing, owned by the psycho heroine's father, causes trouble in bad endings, leading to the protagonist's downfall. It's funny that more often than not, the naive daughter who gets this ends up in ruin routes. I got it from Sumire, so maybe it belonged to her originally. Who knows?
"Hahaha. By the way, how many times can I fool fate with this?"
I look at the color of the dagger, but it's not clear. I think it can do it a few times, but... well, ten times is probably out of the question.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Donate me
Support Me with USDC
(ERC20)
Support Me with XLM
(Stellar Lumens)