[Part 3/4]
"That's right. The demon (oni) is here, it seems."
Princess Tamamo scread at the grueso sight before her. By her side, Miyataka Shinobu mocked. Against the dog that crawled out of the wall, the talismans she had scattered before once again surged forward. Like a muddy current, they flowed in from the front, cascading.
The divine dog's anguished cries echoed throughout the room. Blood sprayed. Tamaki and Suzune grimaced at the agonizing sight. Ezo's princess had gone pale.
The remaining mbers felt neither sympathy nor complacency.
"Miss Ako's daughter?"
"I understand!"
Responding imdiately and sowhat irritably to the Curse Caster of Miyataka, Murasaki acted. Almost simultaneously, a roar resounded. A released chill cooled the room, and countless talismans that had been close by were gathered, frozen, and shattered. A headless blade snake, following Murasaki's command, cut in. Its frozen body, however, shattered from the impact that followed.
The bloodied dog, its body chipped away, drew near.
"I won't allow it!!"
Murasaki intercepted the swiping claws with a spare blade. And then the second swipe did sa. The third blow left the blade twisted. A weapon that should have been adequate was, now, nothing.
"Huh!?"
"Miss Murasaki...!!"
Just as the blow was about to strike Murasaki's astonished head, it was intercepted by Tamaki's thrust from the side, reflexively presented to halt the strike. The blade was deeply embedded in the arm of the giant dog. While it wasn't intentional, it happened to pierce a spot where beast fur had been chipped away by the talismans, revealing a painful gash.
'Grrrrrrr!!?'
A scream of agony resulting from intense pain echoed. Tamaki's weight on top of that caused the divine dog to lose its balance. The arm strike ended in a miss. The divine dog fell to the ground.
"'Bind'."
The voice, like that of a young girl, sang out, and in response, a length of rope made of spider thread was tightly wound around the dog's body.
The thread had been collected from the lair of a fallen spider goddess so ti ago, then spun and fashioned into a simple rope. It was sturdy, easily sinking into the flesh of anyone it touched, making escape difficult.
'Grrrooooohhh!!'
"You're quite naive!!"
As the bound divine dog lay prostrate on the floor, it raised its head one last ti in an act of resistance. The released cold air was much fiercer than before, quickly turning the room into a frozen winter landscape.
Unfortunately, the onslaught of countless talismans that appeared from nowhere ford a boundary, preventing the room from being completely frozen.
"You insolent fool...!!"
Murasaki's youkai blade, while regenerating its body, struck the divine dog's jaw with its tail. The beast's cry of pain ensued. However, the spider thread rope wrapped itself around the dog's body like a snake, forcibly silencing its cry.
Now, its freedom had been utterly stripped away.
"No, Ginka!? Ginka...!!? Nooo!!?"
"Hey now, don't go to dangerous places. After all, you're about to be married, so it's important to protect your precious body."
Unable to bear the sight of her friend's pitiable state, Princess Tamamo tried to rush forward, but the female curse caster of Miyataka grabbed her shoulders and held her down.
"Why? Why, like this...?"
"Why, you ask? Well, it's just the natural consequence of a beast that doesn't know its place—And don't look at with those eyes, Miss Ako."
With teardrops welling in her eyes and sobs escaping, Princess Tamamo spoke with a trembling voice. In response, Shinobu whispered in a soothing tone. And upon noticing Murasaki's disdainful gaze, she retorted jokingly.
"...Princess Tamamo will need to be debriefed about the situation in detail later on. Although considering her position, I think it's best not to cause too much emotional distress? Or perhaps, you're 'watching' and it's not a problem?"
Shinobu shrugged at Murasaki's point. Her lips relaxed into a twisted, sardonic smile. It was a bitter smile, but a hint of confusion was discernible.
"...I'll leave the explanation to you then."
Murasaki nodded slightly in response to Shinobu's submission. And she began to explain. She detailed the current state of the monstrous creature, as well as its fate, to Princess Tamamo.
"It seems you have a particular attachnt to it, Princess, but unfortunately, there's no alternative but to deal with it."
With as much calmness as possible, Murasaki spoke, her words still icy.
"That child... is a deity existence, is that it...!?"
Princess Tamamo, her voice breaking, questioned with a trembling voice. Her words were polite, but an unmistakable undercurrent of accusation seeped through.
"...That's a story from before. Please take a look. Look at that form."
Thus, Murasaki pointed to the restrained divine dog. She indicated its tainted black fur, highlighting the issue.
"As experts, when we inspected it, we concluded that it's a curse. Likely a curse of youkai transformation."
Gods were not absolutely inviolable and sacred beings. Ultimately, they were superior entities, but no more. There were countless ans to drag them down. In fact, Fusō-kuni had dealt with godly beings who had fallen so far as to beco lowly entities, not even allowing them to reincarnate.
"With so much corruption, there's no way back. ...If my assumption is correct, was the first ti you encountered it as a young pup, Princess?"
"Yes. It was a small, adorable puppy, with fluffy white fur that was friendly..."
"But it's safe to say you witnessed it killing the youkai of Ezo, right?"
"Ugh...!?"
Coldly, Murasaki pointed out. Though hesitating for a brief mont, Princess Tamamo nodded in agreent.
"Was the creature you rember like that, Princess?"
"No!!? Sothing like that!! Sothing so... terrible...!!?"
She had always been the type to even cower from small insects that entered the room and hide behind her. To think of her facing... that!
"That's right. However, it's not like that anymore. Please look at its fierce growl. Even now, it's attacking you. Its head is no longer like an innocent puppy you rember."
"Wha...!? But, still...!!?"
Trying to co up with a counterargunt, Princess Tamamo couldn't find an answer. Even though her emotions resisted, her rational mind affird Murasaki's words. The tantrums of a child wouldn't help here. Either way, Princess Tamamo had no power to change the situation.
"The job of exorcists is to eliminate youkai. Even for that creature, living on in such a pitiful form is nothing but disgrace. There's even a kind of rcy for those beyond salvation."
"rcy..."
Ezo's princess pondered Murasaki's words. She still wasn't entirely convinced. It seed she needed one more push, and Murasaki gritted her teeth in frustration.
"Well, well, can you imagine the scandal if such a filthy creature had infiltrated the side of the Saeki clan's princess? My, my, if the ears of the court nobles were to catch wind of this..."
Princess Tamamo's expression crumbled further at the semi-threatening tone. These words were far too harsh for a sheltered girl who had only just crossed the threshold into her teens.
"Shinobu-san, perhaps you should choose your words more carefully? Isn't there a lack of courtesy toward the princess?"
"Indeed, is that so? There certainly hasn't been much gratitude shown toward the princess for harboring a monster that was hunted down by the court."
It was a tit-for-tat exchange. After all, the other party was soone who served under the Emperor. And this was an exchange where the Saeki White Dog Clan dispatched troops in return for sothing. It was too late to nullify this deal now. Letting Ezo have its way could co later. Right now, they needed soldiers.
Ti is money. Did she intend to exacerbate the situation here? Did she think the person who authorized her dispatch gave her that much authority? Murasaki questioned this with her gaze.
"...I went a bit too far. I apologize."
Shinobu, under Murasaki's silent inquiry, yielded and offered an apologetic remark. It was a half-hearted, courteous apology. Murasaki found her attitude increasingly displeasing, but... there was no ti to keep chattering.
"Princess Tamamo, are you prepared?"
"...As much as I can be, please."
Gently but urgently confirming, Murasaki's words were t with a voice that sounded strained, as if extracted after a long internal struggle. Murasaki nodded and accompanied Princess Tamamo.
"I will protect you. Let's go. This won't be pleasant to witness until the end. ...Will you allow us to handle this?"
"Of course, that's why you ca here for, right? Please, go ahead."
Murasaki raised an eyebrow at the Princess's nonchalant response. She then glanced at Suzune, who had been eavesdropping with an annoyed expression.
"Suzune, accompany Princess Tamamo for a while. You're also under suspicion. Show so sincerity at the very least."
The words were cutting, yet Murasaki's intention was considerate. Those in positions of power sotis used lower-ranking individuals as pawns to smooth over situations, and she understood this all too well. Entrusting Suzune with this role was an important move to provide relief.
"What about you, Shirowakamaru-san?"
"I know what to do. Leave that to . ...It seems Master will be arriving shortly too."
The forr boy nodded, not hearing Murasaki's words. At about the sa ti, a sparrow ca to hr ear and told her that reinforcents were on the way, and that all of her fears were unfounded.
Shirowakamaru was responsible for collecting the captured assailant, and Miyataka's curse caster were supervising the situation. While she had considered that it might be a burden for her alone, if Onitsuki's Advisor was coming this way, it would be unwise to make a foolish move.
"Miss Tamaki, the sa goes for you. You've accomplished your main objective. How about being by that maid's side soon?"
After escorting Princess Tamamo and Suzune out of the room, Murasaki called after Tamaki.
"Y-yeah..."
Not fully satisfied, not entirely convinced, but without resistance, Tamaki headed towards the door.
"So, can you behead it and pierce its heart simultaneously?"
"Don't worry. Thanks to the seedling parasitizing this arm..."
Reviews
All reviews (0)