Chapter 346: People Who Are Lost in Their Heart, Can Not Save Others. (Senboukyou Arc, Finished.)
"... Thinking like this, he became more and more afraid. Everyone must have known my weakness before. That's right, you knew it from the moment you saw me."
As she said this, the proprietress smiled a little self-deprecatingly, "Stand user? Stop joking! Save souls that have nowhere to go? You value yourself too much! I should be the one saved!"
Drops of tears fell from the proprietress' face, dripping down her cheeks onto the ground.
"Everyone has been supporting me since a long time ago. They were worried about me, who was alone... Even when I became like that, they always... always stayed by my side. I'm sorry! I'm really sorry, everyone!" The proprietress' tears never stopped, "And... all this time. Thank you very much!"
"No... don't cry," Tagosaku actually slowly reached out his hand and gently stroked the proprietress' cheek, mixed with countless voices of spirits, "Oiwa, don't cry. We... have always been by your side..."
As soon as he finished speaking, Tagosaku started to emit a dazzling green light. At the same time, the surface of his body began to crack. The spirit who had been sucked in earlier ran out of the cracks and stopped in the air one by one.
"That is..." Shinpachi looked at the spirits still faintly glowing in the air in disbelief, "The Stands that were sucked in earlier all ascended..."
"Oiwa, you're not alone...all of us...we will always be...in your heart.
These spirits that were about to ascend stopped in mid-air and looked at Oiwa with gentle expressions.
Oiwa raised her head and looked at the spirits that turned into beams of light that flew into the sky and disappeared. She was silent for a long time.
Gintoki and the others just stood behind Oiwa and watched this scene quietly, which was like a sale in a supermarket.
Tagosaku's body which had lost the spirit gradually shrank and finally became the size of a normal person. It no longer looked as ferocious as before. Instead, it turned into a middle-aged man with a soft expression and looked a little thin.
"Oiwa, I'm sorry." Tagosaku, who was also slightly glowing, had an apologetic smile on his face.
"No." Oiwa looked at her husband and shook her head gently.
Feeling that his body was getting lighter and lighter, Tagosaku, who might fly into the sky in the next moment, looked at Oiwa with tenderness, "Oiwa, it seems that I have reached the end of the day, but don't be sad, don't feel lonely. Because... I promise."
After that, Tagosaku turned into a green light and slowly rose into the air.
However, at this touching moment, someone who was sleeping under the eaves wrapped in a quilt sneezed because of the cold.
Achoo!
The frightened boss who had just risen into the air disappeared from where he stood.
Everyone: "..."
"Great! They finally ascended. My husband and everyone else." Oiwa looked at the sky that had returned to normal with a face full of emotions.
"Wait! I won't say anything about the other, but your husband clearly didn't ascend just now, right?!" Gintoki quickly refuted, "He clearly disappeared in fright just now, right?! Was he scared away by that idiot's sneeze?!"
"No, he ascended." Oiwa shook her head.
"No, it should have completely disappeared!"
"No, he ascended."
"No, it should have completely disappeared from this world!"
...
Just as the two of them were arguing, Kawaki rubbed his eyes and sat up. After a yawn, he looked at Oiwa and asked, "Is the supper still not ready? Auntie."
Oiwa, who was arguing with Gintoki, suddenly stopped and burst out laughing. She covered her stomach and couldn't stop laughing. Her tears were coming out.
"Is there anything funny?" Kawaki asked doubtfully.
"No, no," Oiwa stopped laughing and waved her hand, "It's nothing. The supper will be ready soon. If you think it's cold, you can wait in the room."
"Alright." Kawaki sighed, then stood up, grabbed the quilt, pulled open the door, and walked in.
However, just as Kawaki entered the room and closed the door, the corners of his mouth slightly raised...
...
The next day, early in the morning.
At the entrance of Senboukyou Hot Spring Inn, the proprietress stood outside the door and was sending Gintoki and the others off.
"This is all I know how to do," Oiwa stood before Gintoki and the others with her arms crossed, "I'll just start scrubbing down the backs of skeletons again."
"Are you going to manage the inn all by yourself?" Shinpachi's expression showed a trace of worry.
"I'm not alone anymore. I have everyone in here now." Oiwa smiled and pointed to her chest. Then she crossed her hands again and said, "This time, I have to seriously save others. I'm repaying a favor. If you can't go to heaven, come back here again. I'll send you to heaven right away!"
Without waiting for Oiwa to finish speaking, Gintoki took the lead and walked down the steps. He raised his hand slightly and muttered disdainfully, "Tsk, I don't want an old woman to help me scrub my back."
Then, Shinpachi, Otae, and Kagura said their goodbye and followed Gintoki.
"Miss Tsukuyo, aren't you leaving? Are you waiting for Kawaki-san?" Shinpachi suddenly noticed something and turned to look at Tsukuyo, who was leaning against the door with a kiseru in her mouth.
"En," Tsukuyo nodded slightly and glanced at the door, "That idiot seemed to have gone to the toilet just now."
"Speaking of which, this time, only Kawaki-san really came for a vacation." Shinpachi said with some emotion, and then waved his hand, "Then we'll go first, Miss Tsukuyo."
Tsukuyo nodded slightly.
However, no one noticed that when Shinpachi talked about Kawaki, Gintoki curled his lips unhappily...
...
"It's really relaxing this time~" Kawaki stretched lazily and stepped out of Senboukyou's door. Then, he grinned and said, "Auntie, I'm bothering you again this time. I'm really sorry. I said I wanted to help, but I just took a rest when I arrived."
"You're welcome to come again, Kawaki-kun." Oiwa covered her mouth and smiled.
"I see..." Kawaki pondered for a moment, then nodded and said with a smile, "Then come back here next year."
Hearing this, the expression on Oiwa's face instantly froze.
Seeing Oiwa's embarrassed expression, Tsukuyo pulled Kawaki up and walked down the mountain without looking back. But in the end, he did not forget to say, "Thank you for your hospitality."
"Auntie, see you next year!" Kawaki, who was being dragged behind by Tsukuyo, had tears in his eyes as he waved at Oiwa reluctantly.
...
On the other side, Gintoki and the others who were not far ahead of Kawaki.
"I wonder if the proprietress is all right." Shinpachi, who had lowered his head and was slightly disappointed, couldn't help but ask, "She looks kind of sad."
"I think she'll be okay." Gintoki chuckled softly and casually replied...
...
"Hey, don't overdo it." Tsukuyo stopped halfway up the mountain and let go of Kawaki, "If you continue acting like this, I'll throw you down from here."
"Tsukki, what are you talking about?" Kawaki stood up and asked with a puzzled expression.
"Before you say this, stop your trembling legs. Only then will there be credibility?" Tsukuyo snorted and looked at Kawaki's trembling legs and the dark circles under his eyes with disdain.
"I don't know what you are talking about at all." Kawaki scratched the back of his head and then explained to himself, "The dark circles are because I didn't sleep yesterday. As for trembling, it's just because the weather is too cold."
"Do you think I'm as stupid as them?" Tsukuyo said with disdain, "Forget it, I don't want to know why either. I'll be leaving first."
"Wait!" Kawaki raised his hand to stop her, "So can you help me up?"
"Do you want me to kick you down?" Tsukuyo turned around speechlessly.
"It's okay too! But please be gentle!" Kawaki gritted his teeth, and turned his back to face the cliff, "Come on! Be gentle!"
Tsukuyo walked over expressionlessly. However, to Kawaki's surprise, Tsukuyo did not raise her foot. Instead, she reached out and placed his arm on her shoulder.
"Tsu..." Kawaki looked at Tsukuyo, who was helping him walk down the mountain step by step in disbelief.
"Shut up. If you say anything unnecessary, I will really throw you down." Tsukuyo said lightly, but then she added, "Thank you for your hard work. Although I don't know the specific reason."
"It seems that there are some things that are difficult to hide from you, Tsukki." Kawaki smiled and then looked behind him with some feelings. He said softly, "As for the reason, it is probably just a promise or something."
"Idiot," Tsukuyo spat lightly, "I can tell that it is not just me. I believe that man must have discovered something as well."
"This kind of thing doesn't matter. From the beginning to the end, I have always believed in you guys. You can definitely do this kind of thing." As he said, Kawaki stretched out his hand and clenched it into a fist, "Gintoki is different from me. If I leave this kind of thing to him, he can definitely do it better than me."
"Is that why you entrust the person you are going to save to him to save? And if that man knows that he is being used..." Tsukuyo glanced at Kawaki and reminded him in a flat tone, "Your goal will definitely be ruined."
Kawaki quickly refuted, "Use? Don't make it sound so bad. Even without me, Gintoki would still have done the same. Moreover, I helped at that critical moment. I was obviously scared to death, but I forced myself to help!"
Tsukuyo snorted and did not say anything.
-----Dividing Line-----
Three years ago, that was when Rei first met Kawaki.
When Rei heard from the proprietress that this man could not see spirits, Rei became a little curious about Kawaki.
'He can't really see?' Rei thought.
Rei circled around Kawaki, who was eating and drinking. From time to time, she would reach out her hand and shake it in front of Kawaki.
However, Kawaki did not react at all. It was as if he really could not see the spirit. Seeing this, Rei's curiosity gradually subsided. For a period of time after that, Rei rarely came into contact with Kawaki.
After that, Rei heard from some guests and employees that some evil spirits had permanently disappeared because of Kawaki. The curiosity that had just gradually faded gradually rose again.
"Can you see?" Rei patiently circles around Kawaki all day and night, like a child. From time to time, she would come forward and ask.
In the end, Kawaki could not hold back and shouted crazily in a space with only two people, "How many times has it been?! Why do you keep circling around me like a fly? Why?!"
"You can see me?!" Rei was surprised.
'Oh no! I couldn't hold it back for a moment...' Kawaki thought that something was wrong. Then, he pretended that nothing had happened. He looked around and muttered, "It's so strange, did I just talk in my sleep?"
"You can definitely see me! Absolutely!"
"I'm still very sleepy. I should sleep a little longer..."
"Hey! You!!"
...
After that, Rei and Kawaki became familiar with each other. Rei also knew the truth. It was not that this man could not see the spirits, but he pretended not to see the spirits.
"Come with me, save this inn, save the proprietress!"
At the same time, Rei reached out to Kawaki for the first time.
"I'm sorry." Kawaki raised his head and smiled awkwardly, "Although I also want to save this place that is like a demon's lair with you, no matter how I look at it, it is not a good time."
"Why? If it is you who can harm the spirits, you can definitely..."
Kawaki shook his head slightly, "Have you heard a sentence? People who are confused about their own existence cannot save others. I am still looking for something called an answer."
Rei was puzzled, but she still saw a special emotion in Kawaki's eyes. It was like sadness, confusion, pain...
"But, don't worry." Kawaki smiled gently and then extended his pinky, "When I find the answer, I will definitely return here again. Whether it is this inn or that aunt, leave them all to me. This is a promise..."
The next day.
Rei and the proprietress stood at the door, watching Kawaki leave...
Unknowingly, three years had passed. When Rei saw that man again, there were many more people around him.
"Is it going to start?" Rei finds Kawaki on the first night when Kawaki and the others check in.
"Ah, but it seems that I don't need to come. An annoying fellow has also come here." Kawaki smiled and looked at Rei, "That silver-haired guy, he will definitely do something. Follow him, Rei."
Under Kawaki's suggestion, Rei incited Gintoki. However, the first operation of the two ended in failure. Rei was imprisoned, and so was Gintoki.
When she saw Kawaki tear open the talisman in the room, open the door, and slowly leave, Rei followed without hesitation.
"Go find that man. He will never give up easily." Kawaki just smiled faintly and said, "He will never fail."
Although the process was a little tortuous, the result was as Kawaki had said, successfully saving the inn and also the proprietress…
-----Dividing Line-----
Oiwa, who had just sent off Gintoki and Kawaki, turned around and walked toward the inn. However, she had only taken two steps when she suddenly see something and stopped in her tracks.
"Rei!" Oiwa asked in surprise, "Why are you still here? Why haven't you gone to heaven?"
"Well, I feel like I still have something to do in this world." Rei stood up and looked at Oiwa, "But don't worry. The reason I came back here isn't because I was worried about you. It was because there's a man whose back I want to wash."
Hearing this, Oiwa and Rei laughed at the same time.
'Proprietress, the promise is not just between you and the boss,' Rei thought. Then, she looked at the road at the foot of the mountain and smile...
'That's great. Kawaki-sama, there is no more confusion in your eyes...'
(Senboukyou Arc, Finished.)
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