Capítulo 134: I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [134]
Kiichi Hougen pushed the door open and was greeted by the sight of a modest table spread with dishes and two small figures sitting quietly, waiting for the meal to begin.
Perhaps "modest" wasn't the right word. There was just enough food for three people, and it was entirely vegetarian.
"Angel Sister! These lavender melons are ones Sara and I picked for you!"
"Oh! Well, thank you so much, little Chika. Here, as a reward, a pat on the head."
"Ehehehe…"
As Chika leaned her head forward eagerly, Kiichi Hougen couldn't help but think she looked like a kitten begging for affection.
"And what about you, Sara? Would you like a reward too?"
"Eh? I… no, I…"
First came surprise, then confusion, then hesitation, and finally, embarrassment.
What a range of emotions. Thinking about how Sara would grow into her typically stern personality in the future gave Kiichi Hougen some mixed feelings.
Still, even though Sara would become serious, she wasn't inflexible or unapproachable.
With her face flushed red, Sara gave the faintest of nods—so subtle that Kiichi Hougen almost missed it.
Such a cute reaction. Well then, pat, pat.
"If you were hungry and couldn't wait, you should've started eating without me. It's no good when the food gets cold."
Kiichi Hougen pulled out a chair and sat down.
"But… eating together feels better, doesn't it?"
"…"
Hearing Chika's words, Kiichi Hougen glanced at her briefly before looking away.
"Yes… it's true. Meals do taste better when shared."
"See? Angel Sister agrees!"
Satisfied with Kiichi Hougen's affirmation, Chika beamed with delight.
Although there's an old saying, "One should not speak while eating," neither Kiichi Hougen nor the two young girls seemed the type to care about such rules.
Soon, their earlier conversation resumed, as Sara and Chika had been happily sharing stories about their pasts. Naturally, they both turned to Kiichi Hougen and asked about her own history.
"Well, I've lived a long life, but my past is very dull. You wouldn't find it interesting at all."
"That's such a sneaky answer! How would we know if it's interesting or not unless you tell us?"
Chika puffed out her cheeks in indignation, looking like an adorably defiant pufferfish.
"You see, I've spent most of my life deep in the mountains, hardly interacting with people."
"But Sister Sara also lived in the mountains, and her life with her animal friends sounds super interesting!"
"Huh? Is that so? Hmm… maybe you've got a point."
Kiichi Hougen tapped her lips with the end of her chopsticks, frowning slightly.
"Oh, right. Chika." She suddenly looked at the girl as if remembering something. "Have you heard of someone… I think your father called him the 'Blind Swordsman'?"
"The Blind Swordsman…" Chika thought for a moment before her face lit up. "Oh! You mean Sword Uncle! I know him! Back when my dad was still here, he'd often go to Sword Uncle for help."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah! Whenever my dad couldn't decide what to do, he'd ask Sword Uncle for advice. And Sword Uncle is amazing! Those bad dog monsters outside, no matter how many came, they were never a match for him. Everyone in the village said that as long as Sword Uncle was around, the village would be safe."
"Well… I can agree with that. Your Sword Uncle is certainly impressive," Kiichi Hougen replied, stroking her chin thoughtfully.
"Hmm?" Chika tilted her head, sensing something unusual in Kiichi Hougen's tone and expression. "Angel Sister… have you met Sword Uncle before?"
"Who knows… have I?"
"Ugh! Angel Sister, you can't answer a question with another question!"
"Well, since you know the Blind Swordsman—your Sword Uncle—that makes things easier," Kiichi Hougen said casually, picking out the best-looking lavender melon from the basket. "Do you know where he lives? Is it somewhere near your house?"
"Hmm… I think… his house is the one farthest to the east. A long time ago, I went there with my dad. Sword Uncle didn't take care of it at all, and there was hardly any furniture inside." After recalling this, Chika looked at Kiichi Hougen curiously. "Does Angel Sister need something from Sword Uncle?"
"Well, there's an item… though it's not really mine. Let's just say it's something I urgently need. I originally thought it was in the eastern mountains, but when I got there, I found that someone had already taken it. I'm guessing it was your Sword Uncle, so I plan to visit his house to check."
After defeating the "Corruption" that had displayed unparalleled swordsmanship, Kiichi Hougen had ventured into the western mountains. She had quickly dispatched a group of Bloodhounds and a few pitifully weak Corruptions before reaching the innermost area, the location of a secondary formation core.
A guardian protected the core, which didn't surprise her. What did catch her off guard was how familiar the guardian seemed.
Even without making a move, the massive, grimacing demon masks floating on either side of it were enough to trigger a strong sense of déjà vu.
The moment she saw it, Kiichi Hougen felt an inexplicable twinge of pain in her liver.
Isn't this the Maguu Kenki?!
In the game, she'd been beaten by this boss in the Spiral Abyss more times than she cared to admit.
This time, however, Kiichi Hougen was pressed for time. She made short work of it in just a few strikes.
In the game, the Maguu Kenki had been a formidable miniboss. Here, as a guardian of the formation core, it was… less impressive when faced with her skills.
After defeating the Maguu Kenki, Kiichi Hougen swiftly dealt with the core and found fragments of a journal.
She had feared these fragments might have been on the armored figure she fought earlier. If that had been the case, they would have been incinerated by her flames.
Luckily, the fragments remained intact. The information they contained confirmed her suspicions about the origin of the Corruption… though she had hoped to be wrong.
[Even the Blind Swordsman is starting to succumb to the Corruption… How much time do I have left?]
[Oh gods… Oh gods… What should I do?]
[The Blind Swordsman… Takizawa Satoru… Tsuchiya Yosuke… Kawakawa Mitsutake… Nozaki Hikoshirou… Nogamiya Honoka…]
[I remember all their names… I remember all their faces… I remember the 388 years of harmony and joy this village shared…]
[Oh gods… I don't regret the decision we made. We don't regret the choice to use the 512 lives of this village as a sacrifice, as bait, to seal away that terrible monster here.]
[But… but… my daughter… Chika… What will become of her?]
[What… what should I do?]
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