章節 97: Furuya's Future and A Legacy to Remember.
At last, the long battle was over… even though they have lost a dear friend and was tired and hurt from the previous battle, the people of Furuya were abuzz with excitement in the town as the sunset approached at the time, they are waiting for has come.
"Inari-sama! Banzai!"
"Banzai!"
As the unified chant of praise echoed in the village circle, the fireworks were lit up and they flew towards the sky to light it up brightly. This signaled the beginning of the festivities.
"Come on! Try out some grilled matsutake-meat skewers!"
"Anyone want some chilled green tea here?!"
"Try your hand on some games, ladies and gentlemen!"
The festival was quite amusing, even though the city still had some traces of the past battle like the empty bullet casings at the outskirts of the village, it was a relatively peaceful and joyful celebration.
"Inari-sama… would you like to give some words to the people?"
"Geez… I'm too old for this…"
"Inari-sama!"
"Okay, okay… children nowadays…"
Seemingly wanting to tease her, the fox goddess spoke like an old woman when Kurumi asked her to give a speech while she is sitting at a raised platform in the center of the town.
"Well, I have said what I wanted to say earlier to all of you. I don't want to spoil the joyful atmosphere by telling you all kinds of responsibilities and hardships that you will have to face starting from now on… so instead, let me say this…"
The crowd was silenced as they waited for what she may say.
"I am truly happy that I have children like you accepting me even when I am no longer giving any blessings."
The festival went on for the night. Even Hiroshi and his men mingled with the locals, eating their delicacies, drinking Sake, playing their festival games and even the prim and proper Himeji Kotori was seen to be drunk enough to cling to her master as she fell asleep.
By midnight, things have settled down and the roads was filled with drunk people sprawled around while those who are still sober like the children, or those who are half-sober gave them blankets to warm them up.
"She didn't show up, didn't she?"
"Yeah. It made me feel concerned since I thought she will show up earlier."
Kurumi and Hiroshi was walking through the Gensokyo part of the Forest of Mori with Kurumi holding a lamp on the front while Hiroshi has a bag slung on his back.
"The forest seems… quiet."
"It's to be expected."
"Huh?"
"You'll understand it later."
Once they arrived at Mujina Mori Shrine, the previously glowing field of white lilies seemed to have been withered and the pond filled to the brim with Koi fishes that swims around in an eternal circular cycle no longer had any of the fishes.
"You guys… I knew you'll come here-mujina."
"Reiha…?"
"Mm! I'm Tanukichi Reiha-mujina. The former master of Mujina Mori shrine and former keeper of the balance of all Yokai folk in Mori forest's Gensokyo reserve-mujina."
Instead of a hyperactive racoon priestess girl, Hiroshi saw a girl wearing a plain Yukata and speaking with a tone that still has her usual verbal tic, but none of the energy from before.
"What… happened to you?"
"I… I lost most of my powers after Gensokyo ran out of pesky little ones who needs to be led and kept in line-mujina. Too bad for me, right?"
She tried her best to wear a happy face, but the tone and lack of energy behind it spoke the truth.
"…"
"W-what's wrong, human-mujina?"
Hiroshi placed down the bag on his back and approached Reiha. The girl with a short stature had her racoon ears perk up lightly as he walked near to her who was confused with his behavior.
"Stop pretending that you're fine…"
"Ah…"
"If you want to cry, cry and let all of it out. We came here to listen to you."
He knelt in front of her and pulled her into an embrace where her face was sunk on his chest. As soon as he stopped speaking, the girl raised her hands to wrap them on his back as her small and petite body began to shake lightly and her soft sobs became audible.
"Hik-! Everyone… everyone is gone…"
"…"
"I wanted to come back earlier to help them… but that monster showed up and killed all of them in on swop."
"There, there…"
Even Kurumi joined the hug and lightly patted her fellow priestess' back to comfort her in her lost.
"They were loud… annoying… they always make problems for me… but they are… they are still my beloved friends…"
"We know… just let it all out…"
For a long while, the three was locked in this embrace. The racoon girl was crying in the chest of the young man while the fox girl was comforting her.
They were together, all alone in the middle of the quiet forest that was once the home of thousands of Yokai and spirits that had died during the previous battle against Izanami.
"I brought some of your favorite milk tea. I kept it warm so you can enjoy it well."
"A-ah, thanks… Kurumi."
Reiha took the bottle of milk tea and drank the slightly viscous dessert drink that seems to be her favorite. Her previously sullen face seemed to have cheered up as light smile traced on her face as she drank the entire bottle.
"Nothing really tastes better than what you grew up with."
"Yeah."
"I don't want to ruin the atmosphere, but since were talking about that, do you mind if I ask something about what will happen to the Sanctuary now?"
Hiroshi's question was quite untimely, but the two seemed to understand the reason why he risked speaking out of line.
"Inari-sama told us to leave the Sanctuary as soon as possible."
"Huh?"
"It's normal given her current state where she is wasting away in terms of her spiritual power. Now that all of the Yokai that used to balance out the Sanctuary's spiritual energy is gone, we can't afford to stay here any longer and be a hindrance to the future that she wants the humans to have."
Having it worded out made Hiroshi understand the meaning of their words.
Basically speaking, since the Yokai and the blessings of Inari are no longer present, everything will now have to fall to the shoulders of the people of Furuya. They have to keep their emotions in check, keep living a meaningful life that has a purpose and depend on one another as they move forward to the future.
Inari was still the leader of the secluded village, but she is now nothing more but a patron and a figurehead. In time, as she stated, she will depart from this world and the humans have to lead each other in order to stay alive and well, and for them to properly transition to that, they have to learn not to depend on the supernatural anymore.
"The Sanctuary is no longer bathed in her aura and blessings, but we still have our innate powers… We can no longer be called Shrine priestesses since our Shrines no longer serve any purpose, but as I said, we are still capable of things that normal people aren't."
Just as she said that, Kurumi lit up a small fox fire in front of them while Reiha swiped her hand around to stir up a soft breeze that shook the branches of the trees around them.
"What are your plans then? I know that both of you may fight with each other most of the time, so you do seem like odd pair to travel around."
Hiroshi spoke before chuckling a little, but Kurumi and Reiha looked at him with strangely plastered on smiles.
"…Please don't tell me that-"
"Yup. We're joining you in your journey."
Hiroshi's initial fears was true, but instead of being bothered about it, she just sighed and extended both of his hands to the two.
"Well then, welcome to the crew. We travel around on my whim so it may be a bit of an inconvenience, but I wish you enjoy your stay."
"Hehe… We sure will."
"I heard you're a good cook-mujina. Let me taste your cooking-mujina."
"Sure, sure…"
After they returned to the town, Hiroshi and the two went to the house that was given to them as a shelter for the night. To his surprise, he saw that all of his men are still awake and waiting for him at the receiving area.
"You guys…"
"We have things to discuss, my lord."
Hiroshi took the center seat while Kurumi and Reiha remained at the rear of the room to listen. After they have settled, Minori finally spoke about the reason why everyone seemed worried about something.
"I was keeping watch over the festival grounds earlier when I caught sight of someone shifty in the crowd. I trailed him for a moment until I saw him enter the forest with a cloak that you may be familiar with, Kou-sama."
Minori took out a blood-soaked cloak and its color already told Hiroshi who it was and what Minori did to him.
"I see… so there really was a hole in the Sanctuary's defenses and the perpetrator is likely to be the same one that made the time-delayed openings to Yomi."
"Also, we found this at his sleeve pocket. Lady Tanukichi, is this the same one as you found in the forest?"
Minori showed a piece of paper with writings that looked like it was written in blood. Reiha looked at it and nodded with a reply.
"It is the same. It seems like he came back just to make sure that things went as planned."
"That, or he was sent for another purpose."
Hiroshi understood what he wanted to imply with those words, and he clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"Haah… even in a place like this, huh?"
"Yeah."
The assassins are linked with the Yomi cultists, that is the hypothesis that they arrived in right now given the previous clues they found.
"Well, it's better to be safe than sorry… We have to move now."
"Understood. I'll send a call to Hashidate embassy to assist on our way back to-"
"We're not going back to Kiko yet."
My sudden response gained the shock of my men.
"But my lord… You said that-"
"I did, but circumstances have changed now… Back then, I know that all of you are tired given our one-and-a-half-year long journey around the country and we have learned enough about our enemies… But given the circumstances now and before like our previous encounter with the Shogun and how deeply ingrained our enemies are in the country's economy, I can't leave this half-baked…"
"I also have something to say, everyone."
Reiha stood up and spoke calmly about what she heard before she was brought back to the surface by her racoon spirits during the last battle in Yomi.
"I heard Kyo-san tell Inari-sama that there are answers that we can only find in the Imperial Capital… as for what those answers might be and why Inari-sama chose not to tell it to everyone is something that I don't know."
"…"
"But if it's possible that the answers about whatever we will be facing is only to be found there, I believe it is worth the risk."
Starting with her, my other retainers also spoke up in response.
"From my age, one of the things I learned is that there are things that you can only gain if you are to continue forward. I will support your wish to go to Hitachi, my lord."
"I speak the same, Iwasawa-sama. Our journey mustn't end here when we still lack enough information."
"I will support any wish that you have, Iwasawa-kou-sama."
Old man Namikaze, Ayasaki Ayato and Himeji Kotori all spoke in the side of their master's wish.
"I… I do not support the journey onwards to Hitachi, my lord. I beg for your pardon."
"Don't be. I have always told you to just be honest with me and speak your mind."
"Thank you… I don't like to continue anymore but rest assured that I will continue to support and protect you if you wish to go to Hitachi."
Hiroshi's decision was as expected.
"Alright! Our last stop will be the Imperial Capital of Hitachi in Mikoto city. But before that, we have to visit Kanae estuary first."
"Huh? Why, my lord?"
Kotori and Ayato asked the same question, but since both of them are the newest of the direct retainers of Hiroshi, it is normal for them to be confused.
"I have a promise to fulfill. I need to find the family of two orphans that I've been entrusted."
Tomorrow quickly came and Hiroshi's men received gifts and provisions from the villagers who thanked them for saving them during the last battle. They were even given a horse-drawn cart to keep their supplies sine their numbers are now almost 80. Minori was the one who led the preparation of their steeds and supplies as their master and the two locals who will be joining them was called to the main temple by the fox goddess.
"I-Inari-sama…"
"H-how?"
"Ehehe… I was quite surprised about it too."
The shocked expressions of Kurumi and Reiha was normal. Afterall, the fox goddess in front of them had some changes in her.
"How? I thought you'll be weaker as time goes on…"
"I thought about that too… until last night's festival when my body felt a bit lighter."
The fox goddess still looked like she is old. But the wrinkles on her face have subsided and, on her back, there are two tails now.
"So, that's how it works, huh?"
"What works?"
"Inari-sama gave up her connection from the spirit world and damaged her spiritual self to seal the pot of the dead, but since her way of recovering strength is from the praises of humans, the celebration last night that was addressed to her name and the succeeding merrymaking made her recover lightly."
After Hiroshi's hypothesis, the fox goddess smiled lightly as if telling him that he was right.
"Then, is it possible that-"
"No, Reiha. I will still disappear one day."
"Ahh…"
The racoon girl was quite hopeful of what the recovery might mean, but the reply of the fox goddess shut it down.
"The people of Furuya is giving me strength and reason to live right now… but as time will pass by and they become involved with the outside world and become interested with selfish things, I believe what killed my fellow great spirits will also come for me."
"Inari-sama…"
"Still, I will hold onto the hope that they will continue to live in my principles and value their faith in me even though I cannot do much for them anymore. I have hope in them, but I don't want to be naïve and give them all of my faith."
"…"
The human heart is fickle. It is naturally evil and selfish. Inari already knows that and as such, said that she will not hope for something like an eternal life because of them. But still, she has love to give for them and until her last breath, she will hold onto that love.
"You two… stay safe out there and send your envoys to keep me informed about your antics. Especially you, little Rei… you're still quite immature and fragile hearted…"
"I-Inari-sama…"
"Come here."
She embraced the two and softly kissed their foreheads that glowed as their animal-like appendages disappeared.
"I've casted a simple spell on the two of you so that anyone except for your allies will not be able to see you whenever you cast a spell or use your supernatural forms. It will be useful in your journey for sure."
""Thank you, Inari-sama…""
The three hugged each other for a while more until Hiroshi took out his pocket watch to silently tell them that it is time to leave.
"And to you, Hiroshi…"
"A-ah… yes…"
Hiroshi approached the fox goddess who stood up to embrace him but while being thankful for the gesture, Hiroshi suddenly felt one of her tails touching his groin.
"U-Um… Inari-sama…"
"Be patient… this will consume some of my strength."
Confused, but trusting her words, he stood still until her tail went back and she let go of him but not before whispering some words on his ear.
"Use my blessing wisely and responsibly, okay?"
After they went out of the Shrine building, Hiroshi noticed that Kurumi and Reiha seemed to be agitated.
"Why are you guys acting like that? Is something wrong?"
"Umm… how should I say this-mujina?"
"L-leave it to me, R-Reiha…"
"O-o-okay…"
The shaky way of speaking of the two made him suspicious and he asked them straightly.
"Okay, out with it… what is this about?"
"You received a blessing from Inari-sama… that is… quite an honor but also something pretty risqué…"
"Risqué?"
What are these two talking about?
"I believe that you know that Inari-sama is the goddess of three things, right-mujina?"
"Yeah. What about it?"
"She is the goddess of harvest, wealth and…"
"And?"
"Fertility-mujina."
Fertility… fertility… Wait-!
"Darn that old vixen…"
"C-Congratulations, Hiroshi…"
"We won't mention it to the others-mujina…"
I didn't like how they worded that out, but it calmed me to know that they won't be mentioning it to the others.
"Alright! Is everyone here?!"
"Yes, my lord!"
The 82 members of our group assembled at the northern shrine of Furuya where some of the six-tailed kitsune envoys are still keeping watch. Most of them are sleeping since they are no longer being supplied with energy from Inari-sama but they are keeping up with their work.
"Oi, dumb face!"
"Oh… it's you again."
I know only one fox who would call me that.
"Keep Kurumi safe… It will be her first time to leave the Sanctuary so she's bound to do a stupid thing or two."
"Muu, don't say things like that, Gonta-san!"
"You listen to me, you runt! I am older than you!"
"Argh…"
The six-tailed fox who had a deep male voice spoke calmly after scolding her which I received properly.
"Kurumi and Reiha are the last of their kind. Now that the Yokai and spirits of Gensokyo are no more, they are the rarest of the rare of their kind."
"…"
"Please keep them safe… They are still children and have a long way ahead of them…"
"I will do my best, Gonta-dono."
"Mm!"
As the foxes howled, a trail of smoke rose from the shrine and extended outwards to the interior of the forest. It was our way to exit from Furuya.
"If ever you wish to return to here, rest assured that we will meet you whenever you come."
"Thank you again."
We lined up to the trail and following my order, Reiha sat in front of me as Kurumi rode on Kotori's horse since both of them don't know how to ride on one.
"Let's go!"
And so, we left the secluded province of Furuya and the mysterious forest of Mori that surrounds it. We bid our friends, acquaintances, guardian figures and even dead loved ones a temporary farewell as we promised to one day see them again.
"Our next stop will be the various fiefdoms of Kanae estuary!"
創作者的想法 
Ephraim_Chronia
Ephraim_Chronia "Hiroshi's advanture arc is coming to a close! As the gang comes to the Imperial Capital, what would they possibly discover?!"
-Editor KEY
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票