[Part 1/7]
Nobles, or the noble class, are a privileged class in Fusō-kuni. They correspond to a status higher than the exorcists' families or warrior households.
Their origins trace back to before the establishment of Fusō-kuni. Before the foundation of Fusō-kuni, there were hidden villages of only people scattered throughout the land. Even the large ones were groups of a thousand or two thousand people, but except for the slave dynasties, they were the largest social groups for the people of these islands at that time.
Frightened and prostrated before the gods or the malicious rulers of the slave dynasties, they were fragile beings who hid in fear, sometimes offering sacrifices, yet still vulnerable to destruction with just a change in their mood. That was the existence of the people of that time.
But a young man dared to venture into danger, traveled as if peddling goods, took the lead, deceived monsters by leading the people, and stole the bountiful land. Thus, the country of the only people in the Far East, Fusō-kuni, was founded. The village chiefs of the hidden villages were appointed as the earliest nobles.
In the advancing era, as Fusō-kuni expanded its influence and the population grew, the aristocrats who had their roots in the local region began to move to the capital. Branch families were established, and new emerging households/families were formed by either separating from existing ones or incorporating external groups. The old families, especially those with the bloodline of high-ranking officials, were highly respected.
The long-standing privileges led to corruption or sparked dissatisfaction with their rule. However, the greatest weapon for the aristocrats was their subtle political power and the scheming that exploited the nuances of human emotions.
Attempts at rebellion by exorcist families and warrior/samurai families in the past were suppressed through division, mutual distrust, and internal strife. Instead, the authority of the aristocrats expanded, to the point where even the emperor reigning at the pinnacle of the court began to be treated more like a puppet.
...However, not all aristocrats basked in glory, despite appearances. With an increase in their numbers, disparities emerged among them. People started scheming against each other, and fights for control became very common. Some people were removed from their roles for reasons that existed before these conflicts started.
For her, Princess Kudzu, the foundations of her families had already tilted when her awareness became clear. Despite the tilt, no one did anything. They simply sat back and watched.
Her family, the Miyoshi family, defeated in the court struggle of the previous generation, was a lower-ranking noble family, and their finances were never good to begin with. The estate they owned in the countryside was small, and ideally, they should have served in the imperial court to receive a stipend, or worked as a teacher of the arts to earn a reward.
The current head, who is also her father, is a libertine and a lazy person, always accompanied by his favorite mistress and often drunk. He refuses to work in the imperial court, claiming it's because of his family's pride. He also declines the option of becoming a teacher, considering it beneath him to work for ordinary warriors, exorcists, or merchants.
Despite this, he continues to live the life of a noble, steadily selling off the assets accumulated by his ancestors. The treasures in the mansion gradually diminish, and by the age of five, the storehouse is empty, while by the age of ten, all the estates have been sold.
The limit is bound to arrive. Laborers and maids discuss abandoning the house, whispering to each other about finding employment elsewhere. Due to the family's notorious behavior, they are finally stripped of their status by the Ministry of Rites, and even support from the Minister of the Left is cut off. The spendthrift mistress, who constantly whispers unnecessary things, has vanished without a trace too.
And before she knew it, she found herself sold. A situation involving an empty mansion, a father on the run, and a deserted daughter, where debt collectors forcibly took her away.
The girl knew the humiliation that awaited. She was prepared for even kill herself, but because she restrained, that fate was denied. Branded as a former noble's daughter, she was put up for sale. Assessing her value as blatantly as landlords and brothel owners, she was appraised, inspected... and purchased by the daughter of a younger wealthy merchant.
There was no sense of relief whatsoever. Their scrutiny surpassed that of any man. Comparing facial features, examining teeth alignment, stripping away attire for a thorough inspection of the body, ultimately confirming her purity. If they merely sought a maid, they wouldn't scrutinize this intensely.
Or rather, indeed, she might have been a maid. It's just that the notion of 'entertaining' guests had a broader meaning here... The mansion she was taken to was quite the luxurious estate. Far larger and more opulent than the home she was raised in. The number of working maids was equally vast.
It was evident they didn't just recruit anyone but meticulously handpicked their kind. Understanding she was considered a first-rate commodity worthy of being welcomed here, she felt a sense of superiority along with profound misery.
In the end, it was the same. Even if they decorate the surface, it was ultimately the same. She was an exploited existence, no different from the courtesans. A filthy toy played with at the whim of desire within the cage.
So, so....
"Hih...!?"
In the dim corridor, Kudzu turned at the presence from behind. A looming figure slowly approaching, making her legs trembling. The ominous aura creeping also made her skin tingle.
She hated, hated, hated the fate that awaited her. Knowing she alone could cut open her fate, she searched. For an escape. Using the visit of a supposed expert checking security as an excuse, she took action with others who also desired escape.
Now, she entered the underground labyrinth said to be closed during the mansion reconstruction because she had overheard the stories of carpenters and bodyguards. The talk was that due to the presence of lingering supernatural beings, and the vastness, cleaning was postponed. Carrying valuables, she infiltrated. Thinking it was just leftover remnants and that she would be fine if she ran.
But truly, truly, she underestimated it. Just the leftovers of the remnants... even though that was only the standard for the bodyguards. It was too much to her.
Startled by the umbrella monster, she scattered from others and continued to run away in the darkness. She hides from the monsters, desperately searching for an exit, and then, being chased. Ran away. Ran away. Kept running. Until drenched in sweat. Until her straw sandal strings snapped.
...And then, she cornered in a dead end.
"Ah, no...!?"
A figure appeared in the darkness, revealing a bulky body with a greasy, oversized head. The monster's face seemed like a separate entity, featuring drooping cheeks and eyelids, along with unnaturally long limbs. What made it even more frightening was the constant, unsettling grin. The abnormal mass of flesh in its groin area, wriggling, was particularly fear-inducing.
'Gotaimen'... a youkai with a huge head as its body and limbs. As a middle-class youkai, it had considerable physical strength but lacked significant abilities. It didn't possess intelligence compared to its head size. For a seasoned exorcist, even a few servants could easily handle this small fry.
But for a young girl, it was a creature with no chance of winning.
"No, no way...!?"
In that moment, she collapsed. She was shaken. After all, she only know such a grotesque monster through books. Seeing it directly, fear overwhelmed her. It was a natural reaction to encountering an otherworldly being.
'Hehehehe! Hehe! Hehehehe!'
A vulgar, sinister laughter echoed. While drooling, it approached running. The bizarre way it moved seemed like the approach of death to the girl. She even forgot to cry in anticipation of the despair that would follow shortly. Tears fell in the silence.
'Hehehehehe! Hehehe!'
Death approaches. In an instant, her life flashed before her eyes, questioning the meaning of her existence. Acknowledging a life in the eternal realm that was neither cherished nor loved by anyone. Thinking of her short, meaningless, and worthless life, she sighed involuntarily. It was a breath of resignation.
The monster was closing in, just a step away. The conclusion of her ordinary life was right in front of her. There was a mix of laughter and tears of despair. And then... the flesh exploded dramatically.
"Huh...?"
The monster bounced, bounced like a rubber ball, crashed into the wall. Dumbfounded, she quickly acknowledged its presence, braced herself, and stared up in astonishment.
"The fifth person... Is this everyone!? Seriously, not the time for hospitality! How dare you make me go through all this trouble, you brats!!"
Shouldering a spear, a figure in a fitted black outfit turns towards her, disdain evident in his expression. He shouts with a tone that brooks no resistance.
"Ah, ugh..."
At the same time, in her voice, there is undoubtedly the ragged breathing of impatience, the unmistakable relief, and genuine concern for her own well-being.
"Ugh, ugh, ughhhh..."
"Hey, hey, don't cry! Damn it, did you get injured somewhere...!?"
Without knowing the background, the circumstances, or who he is, right now, the fact that someone came risking his life for her is just so overwhelming that the former noble girl cries embarrassingly.
"Ugh, ugh, ugh, ughhhh...!!"
Someone had come risking their life for her sake, and she simply cried uncontrollably...
It was truly a bolt from the blue.
Fuso-kuni Center Region, surrounded by mountain ranges, with Mt. Tatara at its center. At its summit stood the former Yakushiji family estate. Though abandoned for years, the mansion, now reduced to mere decoration, held its true function as the central hub of the Yakushiji family's exorcists' residence, located underground. A place for the family's secret lost elixirs, secretaries, experimental grounds, and storage of research results...
In the original game, it served as a dungeon for sub-missions, but in this timeline, it was largely cleaned up by the exorcists hired by the Tachibana family during the reconstruction.
After resolving the incident in the Seki city, I made a Joraku (visiting capital). The day after arriving in the capital, I visited the mansion. It was a visit requested by the Tachibana's young lady, confirming the security system. Under the pretext of this visit, I was guided through the mansion and treated... I thought the approval would take a bit longer, but it was smoothly granted. I entered the estate, attracting the curious glances of the security guards, and climbed up the mountain path relentlessly.
On the way, I confirmed several security devices, documented the situation and improvement points, and finally reached the main hall of the mansion. Upon arrival, I was suddenly caught up in a commotion.
First, I quickly defeated the umbrella youkai (a lower-level small youkai) that had startled the mansion's residents by rising from underground to the surface. After that, I listened to the story from a maid who had escaped to the surface, being chased by the umbrella youkai, and then went down underground. Once there, I sealed the entrance.
Blocking the retreat was to prevent other monsters from coming up, and not waiting for the mansion's security guards or male staff to arrive was because I needed to quickly rescue those who had wandered into the underground for at least two hours.
Of course, I had a plan to return. It's a common promise in such mazes - the thread of Ariadne. I prepared a bundle of strings, hung them down to use as guideposts. There were five unknown individuals I had to find and rescue. Fortunately, I found all of them alive and well. And as we tried to return the way I came...
"As expected, huh."
Whispering as I traced back the path I had taken along the thread, what lay before me was a severed string—or more precisely, the smoldering remains of a thread. Presumably, a Curse Art defensive measure against intruders...
"Such sloppy work. Just undo it already."
Amidst the youkai-infested traps, alterations, and ritualized beings within, I sighed in a complaining manner to the exorcists who were cleaning this mountain. Well, considering I was originally supposed to be dealing with sealing processes...
The seal at the entrance of the underground was undoubtedly tight. It would likely withstand even a great youkai charging from the inside. The mess in handling the internal procedures, unfortunately, seems to have allowed the unexpected entry of from the outside. Well, it's apparent since it's blatantly sealed, isn't it?
"Underestimated the youkai, didn't I?"
"..."
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Donate me
Support Me with USDC
(ERC20)
Support Me with XLM
(Stellar Lumens)