[Part 2/5]
"..."
Yuka stomped on the arm, which continued to twitch even after being torn apart, and finally followed after them...
...
...
How far have they climbed? How far have they progressed? Despite the end of winter and the arrival of spring, the remaining snow still scattered on the surrounding rocky surface began to come into view. The wind blowing made it feel chilly. Feeling slightly annoyed, they finally found it in their path.
They arrived at a shabbily built mountain hut, standing as if piercing the mountain path.
"Hey there, thanks for the welcome. ...Mine can be small, right? The blessings of spring should prioritize the beautiful ladies, after all."
"In the first place, I wasn't cooking to act, you know?"
In front of his master's words, the disciple who was grilling cherry trout over the bonfire set up in front of the mountain hut responded with a sullen expression.
From Kamui's perspective, who had arrived at the mountain hut earlier as a preliminary task, this request was nothing but a cold and dreary deprivation of the rare enjoyment obtained in such a desolate place. It couldn't be more unreasonable.
"But, I never expected you to eat all these by yourself. I'm surprised to learn that you have such a big appetite..."
There were four pitiful cherry trouts being grilled on skewers around the bonfire. None of them seemed to fit in Kamui's belly alone, considering his size.
"Oh no, it's not like I'm going to eat them all by myself... I have two companions with me... Oh, wait? Where are they... Ah!"
Kamui tried to argue, but then started looking around, searching behind and scanning the surroundings until finally finding them.
Yuka's tall figure, with a stoic expression and half of her face wrapped in bandages, had animal ears protruding from her head and a tail extending from her buttocks. Contrary to her unchanging expression, her tail wagged vigorously.
"Hey, Rouya (the werewolf). Long time no see. How have you been while I was away?"
"...Yeah."
Two figures with contrasting heights, like siblings or parent and child. However, despite Yuka looking much younger, they spoke in a condescending tone. On the other hand, Rouya didn't resist and responded briefly, as if seeking comfort from Yuka's embrace. It almost seemed like a shy younger brother or son relying on a protector.
"Oh, you cute one. Here, it's a souvenir."
"A souvenir..."
And as if remembering, Yuka handed a small bag from under their sleeve to Rouya, the junior wolf who clung to their back. If Rouya were to take it, he would feel a hard lump inside.
"What is this?"
"Dried heart."
"Dried heart?"
"Yeah, dried heart."
Yuka calmly answers Kamui's question from the side. It will be a help for this former half-youkai wolf to "regain new power" by extracting and drying the still-living liver of the wolf youkai they found on their mission in the Northern region. Knowing this, Rouya also picks and nibbles at it like dried sweet potatoes.
"...Rouya, where is the young lady?"
"Napping in the hut."
"I see. By the way, how does it taste?"
"Not good."
"I see..."
Okuri-okami calmly and succinctly answered Kamui's question. The minimal response showed that he had no intention of continuing the conversation. Ezo, the non-human person, awkwardly chuckled at his indifferent attitude.
"I wonder if you're getting along well with her?"
Reacting to the conversation between the shadow and the wolf, Nue asks. Kamui's bitter expression becomes even more solemn as they continue to answer.
"To be honest, young lady is more attached to Rouya than she is to me. I'm just a mere servant."
"It's only natural, isn't it? If I were to treat a suspicious monkey like you on the same level as the adorable Rouya, that would be a problem. I thought you were just a beast, but you surprisingly have a discerning eye, don't you?"
Yuka declared with a deep sense of conviction. While gently stroking the junior who rested their chin on their own head, they nodded in agreement. The expressionless wolf wagged its tail even more vigorously. Kamui's face showed a weary expression in response.
"Hehe... Nyahaha, this is quite something. It's rich and the saltiness is just right, isn't it? Delicious, delicious!"
The fox had somehow managed to feast on cherry salmon. Of all things, she had chosen the biggest catch. She was acting on her own accord, without permission. This fox certainly had a thick skin in another sense.
"Hey, what are you eating first, small fry?... Rouya, shall we eat too? Let's feed each other."
Following Kouka's sneak attack, Yuka and Rouya followed suit. They tasted the food together, offering each other skewers.
"Kamui, how about the preparations?"
"...If you mean the boundary, it's already in place. As for the spiritual medicine, it's right here."
Nue, glancing at the three beasts enjoying the salt-grilled trout, inquired. Kamui, from within his coat, revealed three small bottles. They contained a fast-acting and short-lasting sleeping potion made from the extracted juice of spiritual herbs.
It serves as the key to inviting dreams.
"Very well. Then, I ask for your vigilance, Rouya-kun. ...Yes. This trout is well-seasoned with salt, isn't it?"
"..."
Starting to eat the last grilled trout as a matter of course, Kamui silently directed a reproachful gaze towards his master who had burdened him with work.
...Naturally, it should be noted here that such a gaze was easily brushed off.
Fusō-kuni, an island nation, is separated by steep mountains, bottomless ravines, and complex sea currents... The land in all directions is divided by a rich yet harsh nature that even monsters with far surpassing physical abilities and supernatural powers struggle to deal with.
Therefore, along with the end of the great war, the scattered youkai lost their leaders, making it impossible for them to cooperate with each other as they normally would. The upper echelons of Fusō-kuni also shared the same view.
And that view was not wrong. If Fusō-kuni had not been aware of the existence of those youkai, it would have been a correct judgment.
"Hmm? Ah... I see. That's how it is. I'm still not used to this."
Yuka stood in the midst of a dream-like mist, where even the immediate surroundings were unclear. As she became aware of her consciousness, she momentarily felt confused but quickly recalled her recent memories and understood. She then looked around. Several shadows, with various outlines, were already visible beyond the mist. It seemed that they had already arrived here. However...
"Hey, hey, the Nishi Tsuchi team has a poor attendance rate, huh? What about Hakki? And Koren? They better not be slacking off, right?"
From within the mist, the faint shadow emerged, and the weasel inquired. It was immediately apparent from the distinctive horns that the figure was a demon (oni) who had gathered the fellow kin from western region. The problem was that the two veteran executives who should usually be standing on either side were nowhere to be seen... Remembering that it was originally an unpopular and incompatible combination, the weasel pointed it out teasingly.
"They've been exorcised. Both of them."
"..."
The 'Red Demon' who had been appointed as the person in charge of the attack on the checkpoint in the Western Region answered indifferently from the other side of the mist. Hearing that, the weasel fell silent, their mood turning sour. The straightforward response implied something, and the weasel sensed it.
...At the very least, it was certain that this was no joke.
"If you add it up, the newly appointed one was also killed. He foolishly challenged the head of Akō and was easily slain. The soldiers, mere cannon fodder, were also partially destroyed... or rather, the deployed troops were completely wiped out."
"...Does that mean Hong's big sister failed? You must be joking, right?"
The loss of various small youkai and medium youkai was something that could be expected given the nature of the opponents. However, Hakki the Shirobozu, Koren the Mokugyo Daruma, both calamity youkai who fought and survived in the era of great war. Moreover, they were intelligent beings who could name themselves... And to top it off, even the promising newcomer, the bone warrior, was exterminated?
'No problem. The losses of the West Team have already been factored in.'
Before the impatient weasel could speak, a raspy voice echoed through the space. Yuka quickly glanced around, but they immediately realized that it was a futile action. The acting leader was cautious. Even if it was within the 'fantasy' they had constructed, they were not an entity that would casually reveal themselves.
But the real problem was...
"Even if the newcomer is one thing, is it acceptable for two veterans to be defeated?"
'Of course. The mission objective and the losses for that purpose are non-existent.'
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