[Part 2/4]
"Y-y-yes..."
The failed laborer remained prostrate under the princess's foot and deeply bowed, swearing complete submission to Aoi. The sight of a young man being stepped on by a little girl while lowering his head was comical and pitiable to no end.
"Do be more careful. Think of it as your last chance."
She ground her heel into his head, taunting him. Finally, the scolding ended. She once again rested her chin on Uribou.
"Come on, bring me some fruit."
"Yes, happily!"
With dirt smeared on his face, the laborer, despite everything, smiled with a twisted grin, and then quickly headed back into the cart. Glancing at this scene, Aoi wore a contemptuous, mocking smile as she sipped her tea. The surrounding laborers continued to smile obsequiously, not daring to utter a single word of caution.
"Hey, refills. How about 'Biluochun (翆蓮梅?)' this time?"
Extending her teacup, the princess gave her order, even specifying the type of tea leaves she wanted. It was a remarkably carefree and casual behavior.
...Certainly not the attitude one should take in the heart of the forbidden territory.
"...Really, such a carefree young lady."
One of the hidden group member muttered as they continued to observe the princess's tyrannical behavior. Their words echoed through the dark, dense forest and melted away into nothingness...
...
...
...
After a brief rest, the group resumed their march.
They continued to slaughter, slaughter, and slaughter, killing off wave after wave of monsters that attacked as soon as the boundary was dismantled. This continued for more than three hours. Finally, they arrived at their destination, the innermost part of the third-class forbidden area.
"Look, the boundary ropes."
"So, is this the place... Any unnatural signs?"
"Not that I can see."
The servant sent ahead to confirm safety reported to the main group once they had finished their inspection. After a dozen or so youkai that had attacked during the check were swiftly disposed of, the group resumed their march.
Navigating beneath the ancient, rugged ropes that bound the boundary, the Onitsuki family's group stepped into the place where their goal would bear fruit.
"Has the scenery changed?"
Someone murmured. The surroundings had undergone a complete transformation.
From the gloomy darkness of the deep forest just moments ago, they now found themselves in an open space bathed in a faint, comforting light. There was a small spring, a flower field, and in the distance, what they had come for...
"So, this is what they talked about..."
"It truly is a powerful spiritual aura."
Servants and several members of the Hidden Group whispered among themselves. The hired soldiers and laborers were in even worse shape. Some were swaying as if they were drunk.
"What a bunch of wretches!"
The princess fanned herself while glancing at her companions and muttered in a tone laced with disdain and mockery. She thought there was no point in having them accompany her.
In reality, if she had been alone, she would have arrived much sooner. Her companions were nothing more than a hindrance to her.
"Someone, bring the Furoshiki (wrapping cloth)."
When Onitsuki Aoi ordered imperiously, she leaped from the ox cart and headed toward her destination.
One reason the 'Forbidden Curse Deep Forest' existed as a forbidden territory was precisely because of "it."
Once, the imperial court had sent exorcists to this place to purify the spirits accumulating here and stabilize the spiritual veins. Those dispatched, whether he or she, had faithfully followed the orders of the imperial court and had even reached the point of completely cleansing the deep forest. Then... they interrupted their mission at the behest of none other than the imperial court.
The reason for the interruption was by no means fear of battling entities beyond human comprehension. It was for far more pragmatic and economic reasons.
The imperial court had decided to utilize the 'Forbidden Curse Deep Forest' as a valuable national resource. Many of the trees growing here were low-grade but undoubtedly sacred trees, and many of the native plants were spiritual herbs. The minerals that could be mined were likewise valuable. Moreover, the remains of the youkai that inhabited the area had considerable value as well.
Burning down this forest would undoubtedly yield fertile land. However, that alone wasn't enough. The production of exclusive spiritual medicine and curse tools was vital to the nation both in terms of tax revenue and military strategy. The stable supply of raw materials was essential for this.
...Not only low-grade raw materials, but also higher-grade materials had been confirmed. That was precisely what Aoi had her eyes on now.
"I found it."
The mischievous voice of the young girl echoed.
The focal point was a towering tree. And there, a single fruit dangled.
Its appearance was similar to a small, ordinary peach, but it was, in reality, a manifestation of a miraculous substance imbued with a rich spiritual aura.
This was one of the native habitats of several high-grade spiritual herbs and sacred trees in the 'Forbidden Curse Deep Forest.' They had been protected by boundaries cast by exorcists sent by the imperial court, and this was one of them.
"Hmm. Certainly good quality spiritual aura. A bit too sweet, though."
Approaching the massive tree, Aoi casually commented as if nothing was amiss. She had been informed of the characteristics and appearance of the target at this native habitat of 'Ifukamuta' before the mission. Her father, whom she admired greatly, had meticulously educated her about everything, including the features and dangers of this forbidden territory. Everything was just as recorded. She silently expressed her gratitude to her father for teaching her so thoroughly.
And the purpose of her visit to this place was this tree. Its fruit. The miraculous fruit. It was the result of a massive tree absorbing an excess of spiritual aura from the veins and expelling it in the form of fruit. Tales spoke of its formidable effectiveness against various ailments and curses, and it was not just legend but proven fact.
This was why the imperial court had ordered its retrieval at all costs.
"It's a bit shallow, isn't it? It's not even harvest season yet. To be so desperate for one."
The second princess sneered as she reached out and stroked the fruit. She taunted it, and rightfully so. It was harvested only once every ten years, producing at most one or two fruits. Moreover, once harvested, the tree quickly withered. Although it was said to last a while if processed, its efficacy greatly diminished.
"Heave-ho."
With the hand that had been caressing it, she gently grabbed the fruit. A slight twist, and the spirit fruit, resembling a peach, easily separated from the massive tree. She gazed intently at the miraculous treasure in her hand.
If she recalls correctly, the last harvest was about eight years ago... It's not the right time for harvesting. It's not just that they look small; the fruit is also hard. The legends about them being able to revive even the dead, while exaggerated, are not entirely false. Under extremely strict and specific conditions, it is indeed possible to revive the dead.
"Oh my, this is..."
Suddenly, the princess shifted her gaze and noticed its presence. In a moment of hesitation, she reached out to touch it, and then... she gave up.
"It's still raw."
"Huh?"
"Just hand the cloth over already."
In response to her seemingly pointless muttering, a laborer who had just approached nearby tilted his head in confusion. With a cold voice, Aoi snatched the cloth from the laborer.
This cloth was a Furoshiki. It was a plain, dark-colored Furoshiki, devoid of any brightness or extravagance. Aoi used it to wrap the fruit. After wrapping it two or three times, the dense spiritual aura from before had disappeared.
Of course, it wasn't just an ordinary Furoshiki. It was imbued with a powerful curse that prevented anything inside from being sensed from the outside. If they were to take the peach fruit out of the barrier without proper precautions, youkai would swarm it in no time. This was a precautionary measure.
"Just in case..."
And the princess affixed a talisman. With this, the Furoshiki couldn't be opened without permission.
That was it. They would safely carry this peach fruit outside the checkpoint. After that, the follow-up team would take care of delivering it to the imperial court. It was truly all for this.
"It's so boring."
"Huh?"
The laborer, who had been holding back in response to the princess's endlessly boring muttering, couldn't help but make a silly noise.
"Hidden Group, over here."
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