Toasteful: Chapter 144, Part 1

[Part 1/4]

In the culture of the eastern region, not only in Fusō-kuni but also in other areas, the family is considered the most important. This applies not only to noble families and warrior (samurai) families but also to exorcist families.

In warrior families, the system of eldest son inheritance became highly valued as a means to protect the family. Instead of dividing the inheritance equally among siblings, the majority of the inheritance is monopolized by the successor. This prevents the fragmentation of assets and helps avoid the decline of the "family."

Exorcist families, influenced by the culture of Fusō-kuni, have also formed their own unique values. The most important thing for them is spiritual power, regardless of gender. While special abilities are considered, they are not stable enough to be inherited by the next generation. They have learned from long experience that the total amount of spiritual power is the most stable thing to pass on to the next generation, and this increases with each successive generation by carefully choosing a spouse.

After all, they are risking the prosperity and survival of their own clan. The spiritual power of the children born is the most important thing to consider. In some families, those who cannot inherit spiritual power or those with weak inherited spiritual power are either culled, treated as slaves, or even abandoned.

Especially before the founding of Fusō-kuni, those with spiritual power were a wandering mercenary group. Among them, superior beings were present, but due to the scarcity of land, even the bare minimum of resources was not readily available. Therefore, they desired power and considered those who wasted grain as hindrances or disposable pawns. The lower class of this clan is also the origin of the so-called "servant group" established by many exorcist families in later years.

During the peaceful era, while the traditional warrior families sharpened themselves by eliminating the useless branches to maintain their "quality" and "reputation," the influential families, led by the Onitsuki family, adapted flexibly to the changing times. They used the number of their branched clan as a weapon.

Even the weak ones who would have been eliminated in the past were reused by them. If they had talent, even those who were not suitable for exorcists were given positions in the clan's administration, behind-the-scenes work, or provided with funds to become landlords or merchants. As can be seen from the downfall of slave dynasties, exorcists originally could not focus on secular politics or economic activities due to the nature of their duties. So, they established an absolute hierarchical relationship through curses with these branch families, utilized them, and used their connections to obtain funds, leading to further prosperity. Occasionally, individuals with sudden mutations born into non-spiritual families were also highly valued.

...It would have been fine if they were recognized by the main family or major branch families. Not everyone can be lucky.

It's still acceptable to be born into a branch family. It's still acceptable to be born from a concubine, a mistress, or even lower. It's still salvageable if one is not recognized, and it would be fortunate if one had a large amount of spiritual power or none at all. The tragic situation is when one has a moderate amount of spiritual power...

Rarely, members of the Onitsuki clan are assigned to the Hidden Group, and even more rarely, they are assigned to the servant group. Many of them are the offspring of the clan born from disreputable backgrounds. The purpose is simply to make effective use of their spiritual power instead of simply eliminating them. Even the individuals themselves do not know their own origins, and only a few members of the clan are fully aware of the situation.

...And very rarely, even talents are assigned there. To the semi-independent group of the Hidden Group.

The role of the Hidden Group's Owl Inspectors, directly under the head of the Onitsuki family, is surveillance and purification of the Onitsuki family and its subordinate organizations. They are assigned tasks that cannot be publicly disclosed, one of the dark sides of the Onitsuki family.

And Onitsuki Hisame, born outside of a certain branch family, for her, that is her true affiliation, and she has already fulfilled numerous missions as a young member.

The mission given to her this time is...

* * *

"What...!? No way...!?"

I spat out those words along with a spray of blood. I spat them out and crawled on the ground, retreating. In front of my eyes was a junior, a girl, holding a blood-stained dagger.

(What's happening!? What's happening!? What does this mean...!?)

Coughing repeatedly, my mind was filled with doubts and confusion. I couldn't understand the meaning, reason, or cause of her actions.

"Does it hurt...? What's wrong? Did you eat something bad? Are you angry because I ate before you? Haha, food grudges are scary, right...?"

"..."

I tried jokingly calling out to buy time and gather information. Unfortunately, Hisame didn't respond. Step by step, she approached me with a dagger in her hand. I responded by taking steps back, trying to maintain distance.

"Why... like this?"

The girl's face, as she stared at me, remained the same as before we parted, but her expression was completely devoid of emotion, yet chillingly cold... There was no trace of that friendly, puppy-like atmosphere.

It was as if she had completely changed...

"!!?"

Silently and naturally, she closed in on me without me noticing. It seemed to be a skill of stealth. I intercepted the dagger, stained red, with the kunai I had for self-defense. I deflected the blade. The sound of metal clashing and sparks flying filled the air.

(I reacted!? Then, what was that earlier...!!?)

However, what crossed my mind was not joy, but doubt. I couldn't react at all to the blow that pierced my chest. I couldn't even recognize her approaching figure. The second strike... it was clearly an abnormal situation. It was an incongruous event.

"D*mn...!?"

Expressing my frustration, I immediately launched a counterattack. While using the kunai to divert her gaze, I swept Hisame's leg. As I tried to sweep her leg, she evaded at the last moment. She leaped over my sweeping leg.

"A young girl shouldn't be in a posture like that, right...!?"

With her buttocks raised and her back lowered, she approached me almost crawling, resembling a cat hunting its prey, or rather, a female leopard. I shouted at Hisame.

"...!!"

There was no response. She simply changed the grip on the dagger and leaped, launching an attack.

"Tch...!?"

Closing in rapidly, she approached from the side and aimed for my neck with a feinting thrust. However, I avoided it by lowering my head at the last moment. I avoided it and entered Hisame's range, pressing down on her wrist.

From the previous battles and her reverse grip action, I knew. Hisame's body enhancement was incomplete. More precisely, her agility was enhanced, but her simple physical strength was not. The reverse grip was suitable for close combat and allowed even those with weaker strength to exert force.

"In other words, it's to compensate for the lack of strength... ouch!?"

Just as I was about to catch her right wrist, which held the dagger, and declare victory, her other arm thrust a needle towards my neck. More accurately, I noticed it and dodged, but it grazed my arm. It was incredibly painful, to the point where tears were about to come out.

"What are you doing to your senpai...!?"

I couldn't afford to keep showing pain. It was also an opportunity that both my arms were occupied. I swung my leg up and kicked her in the abdomen. As I tried to kick, Hisame twisted her body. She let go of the needle and twisted her body to avoid the kick. With her free hand, she struck my arm, which was holding her right hand.

It was a full-force blow enhanced by spiritual power.

"Ggh...!?"

A dull pain resonated not only in my flesh but also in my bones. Maybe my bone was fractured and the impact reached my abdomen... but if I simply let go, I would be met with a thrust from the dagger. That's why I raised the kunai.

"...!!"

Wary of a counterattack, Hisame, who had withdrawn her dominant arm from the loosened grip, didn't make a move. Instead, she leaped backward to create distance. She kept her back low and continued to hold the dagger. Her eyes were still as cold as ever.

"Hahaha. A dagger doesn't suit you, does it? What about the bow...? Did you lose it? You clumsy girl..."

"..."

"Ignoring me, huh. Well, it's getting really tough now."

I pulled out the needle that was stuck in my left arm and pressed a handkerchief against the wound in my chest to stop the bleeding. Fortunately, even though my flesh was torn, my organs and blood vessels seemed to be intact. If the bleeding stopped, I would be fine somehow... I hoped.

"Tomobe!? Tomo...be!!"

"!? Princess, it's dangerous! Please stay away!! ...Tch!!?"

From behind the bushes, I suddenly remembered and hurriedly warned the Loli Gorilla-sama who appeared crawling. In that momentary gap, Hisame retreated cautiously.

And disappeared. Without a trace. Like the first thrust of the dagger.

"Where is she...!?"

My thoughts turned to where Hisame was, but immediately I judged what should take priority and started running towards the Loli Gorilla-sama coming towards me. And I embraced her.

"Kyaa!?"

"Princess, we're moving. Be careful not to bite your tongue...!!"

With that, I quickly started evacuating from this place with the enhanced leg strength from my spiritual power. Ensuring the safety of Onitsuki Aoi was the most important thing in this situation as the head of the Onitsuki family, so that the hands of evil could not reach her...

"D*mn, d*mn, d*mn...!! Why, why is this happening...!!"

While running, avoiding thrown objects and arrows by utilizing rocks and trees, I continue to look around repeatedly, spitting blood along with literal words that cannot be called curses, anger, or insults, just relentlessly...

"..."

The peach-colored princess being embraced by me doesn't say anything to me, she just clings to me now, making sure not to be dropped.

With weak arms that haven't fully recovered from the medicine, she clings desperately...

...

"..."

From a vantage point on a small hill, the culprit observes the fleeing target. Silently, she continue to observe. But suddenly, she turned around to the presence behind her. The frog-faced person was there.

"Oh my, you let them escape? I thought you were doing quite well... Is this also the instruction of the master?"

"..."

The girl only nodded at the words of the medic. It was easy to capture the prey here. She could even shoot them with a bow from here if she wanted to. But she didn't because it was just an instruction. That's all.

Of course, the pain she should inflict for resisting has slightly fallen below expectations, but it's within the margin of error. The outcome and the majority will not change in the end.

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