[Part 2/4]
They have standard spears and matchlock guns that the government gives them. They have daggers (tantō) as backup equipment. They hide charms under their armor that are also from the government. The charms cleanse the youkai energy and curses of small youkai, and they have resistance to low-level illusions. But, that's all.
They don't have enough of anything to face the youkai that is destroying the village in front of their eyes. The guns that use gunpowder have enough killing power to deal with small youkai, even with the loss of power from the youkai energy. But they are not enough for that monster. They need more than two guns.
"If it's too hard to fight back, we should observe its abilities and habits from far away, huh...!!"
"Then what will happen to the village!!?"
Nobuyasu yells at Yusuke's muttering as if to blame him. Juugorou makes a quiet gesture with his finger on his mouth.
"Keep calm, I said. You'll attract attention...huh, was that gunfire from the guys before?"
Clear gunfire sounds twice in a row. After a while, once more, twice. It's not a hunting rifle. It was definitely the sound of an official matchlock gun.
"Is it Igasuke's guys? They're doing something crazy...!!"
What Yusuke said was the name of his colleagues who had been patrolling ahead of them. It seemed that they had chosen to exterminate youkai instead of surveillance. Was it because they got along well with the village girls? They're doing something stupid.
"We can't abandon our friends. Right?"
"...Shit. I haven't gotten my share of the bet yet."
Reluctantly, Juugorou convinced himself by Yusuke's remark. Yesterday, he had made a lot of money from Igasuke and his friends by paying them after salary in a dice game at the barracks. He would be in trouble if they died. He had no choice but to move.
"Nobuyasu, let's go. To help Igasuke's guys..."
Yusuke fired before he finished speaking. The one at the end of the gun was a youkai monkey that had bitten the helmet of a new soldier. It opened its bloody mouth and burped, then got a bullet in its skull. It fell back, but It got up quickly and threatened.
"Damn you!! Ugh!?"
He loaded the next bullet, but on the way he was attacked by a dog youkai monster and wrestled with it. He lost his matchlock gun. Instead, he pulled out a dagger (tantō), and stabbed it.
He stabbed. He was bitten. He stabbed. He was bitten. He stabbed. He was bitten. He was bitten. He was bitten. He was bitten. He was bitten... Sadly, Juugorou had no way to help him. He had no time.
From the bushes around him, many strange monsters appeared...
"I'm done. ...Did I get punished for eating too much free food?"
The soldier pointed his spear at the youkai that surrounded him. He clicked his tongue. But he smiled fearlessly, and made up his mind.
'GRRRRRR!!'
"I'll kill you all!!"
The beast roared, and a shout of response echoed. Then....
"...Therefore, at the recent meeting, we reached the conclusion that there is a need for an apology, an investigation, and a negotiation on the use of the land regarding this incident."
The old official who claimed to be a messenger from the imperial court announced calmly at the gate of Oumi's residence, spreading a scroll. He declared the conclusion of the court, which was secretly made, in a grand and exaggerated way. It was the third day of Minazuki (June) in the fourteenth year of Emperor Seiri's reign.
This incident was the collapse of a settlement village in the forbidden area of the center region, which occurred seven days ago. The number of deaths among the commoners and the army soldiers in a day or two was about a hundred. Only a few experts and politicians knew the details, which were immediately sealed off. And...
"As for the escort of the delegation, we request the dispatch of personnel from the Joraku (visiting capital) exorcists' house. Therefore, we desire three people who make exorcism their business from the Onitsuki family of the northern region."
The long, long introduction was over, and finally the main topic was ordered. Send three people, who are at least exorcists, as the order said....
"...Cough. If it is my duty to the court, I will work hard with my heart. Do you have anything?"
The official who called for confirmation was a very thin man with sharp eyes. He was the current head of the Onitsuki family, Onitsuki Yuusei. His rank was "Upper Fifth Rank, Junior Grade." He was attached to the Omnyouji Bureau....
"..."
The official of the upper sixth rank did not make a sound and held his breath. He was nervous because of the other side's position.
It was not worth paying attention to the fact that he was attached to the Omnyouji Bureau, because all the regular exorcists were treated like that, even formally. The real thing to pay attention to was his rank.
The heads of the exorcist families were all people who could go up to the palace, because they had to do so when necessary, even if only in name.
Because it was formal and did not come with privileges, most of the heads were fixed at the lower fifth rank and stayed there. In the case of some old families with a little bit of style, they inherited the position of the upper fifth rank. It was only in name and the reality did not change.
The upper fifth rank is different. That rank is given to a house or a person who has special status or merit. It is the highest rank that exorcists can hope for in reality. It also has benefits in practical terms. They get paid like many other officials and nobles of that rank. It is a carrot and stick for the exorcist families. It is also a kind of divide and conquer strategy that uses their house rank against them. But it also shows how much the court values them.
That means that the Onitsuki house is a famous one. It is one of the three houses of the northern region. They call the head of that house to the gate of the guest house and give him a high-pressure order. And that is from a lower-ranking official. It is a way of checking the position of the exorcist houses of the court. But it is not a pleasant feeling for the one who is ordered.
Especially when he sees the wife who follows the head of the house. She is a famous and infamous "sword maniac". She is quiet and watchful, but also scary and strong.
"..."
How long was he silent? He opened his closed eyes and spoke with a hoarse voice. He was very serious.
"Very well, I understand. ...I'll tell the court that you will serve with sincerity and dedication."
"...Certainly, you will convey that."
The upper sixth official responds with a sigh of relief at the gentle words of the head of the family. He bowed. And he left the mansion gate with his subordinates.
"...Sumire. Be careful. You are going too far."
Yuusei uttered a bitter word after the messengers were completely out of sight.
"What do you mean?"
"Don't you know? His hakama will fall off when he returns to the palace."
The lady tilted her head with a smile on her face to her husband's question. A terribly fast cut by a burdock. The official did not notice that his cloth was cut. The official would expose his lower body at work, but he could not connect the event and the culprit.
"Well. What do you think? ...What do you think?"
And the lady asked the attendant who knelt beside her. That is, to me....
"I cannot judge the truth or falsehood of the words with my eyes..."
I answered the question calmly for a moment, and it felt like the outline of this thick-skinned lady wavered, if only for an instant. It might have moved; that was the limit of my current perception. It's indeed the blood of Ako. I don't understand why she's hiding in the original work. I can't imagine losing her life to youkai or assassins...
"That's right, Dear? Please apologize for your baseless rudeness."
"Casually saying that, huh?"
In response to the lady's slightly mocking request, the head of the family mutters quietly, seemingly amazed. He crosses his arms, closes his eyelids, and then turns on his heel.
"Where do you want to go?"
"Take a nap. ...I pushed myself a bit too much. My condition hasn't fully recovered from the long journey."
As he declares a nap, the lord returns to the main hall of the mansion. His body, which had been bedridden for years, is still not fully recovered, and rather, it seems he's consuming the strength he recovered through the long journey.
Whether it's true or not, it's hard to know.
"How should we choose the person?"
"I'll leave it to you. Make a judgment you deem appropriate."
The lord answered Sumire's question briefly, and then he left quietly.
"I understand."
The lady bowed her head gracefully and watched him go. And when his back was hidden by the main hall, she opened her mouth.
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