[Part 3/4]
Without even having ti to catch her breath, Botan hurriedly tries to leave the scene, but before her eyes, a figure appears as if its shadow is spreading.
And then...
* * *
"I hope you're happy. The decision has been officially made, monkey. The demand will be fully t. Go without any worries."
"Hey, Am I assumd that I'm going to die?"
The next morning, a fragnt of unwelco news ca from Aka-bouchou's Tengu, who had visited with great enthusiasm. It was a regrettable story set against the backdrop of a majestic landscape where the sunrise peeks from the horizon. Can we at least Handle it more discreetly?
"Oh? Is there a chance of being saved? That's quite sothing. Shall we look forward to a grand performance?"
"I know that without a grand performance, we can't even et the conditions for subjugation."
Even without confronting it directly, I knew from past experiences that this quest would be ridiculously difficult.
(It's for the sake of my family, after all. I have no choice but to do it.)
I have no idea what's happening in the original work. It's only natural since there's no ntion of it.
However, it's definitely not okay to leave even a fraction of the Yamata-no-Orochi alone. There's also the Middle Counselor's threat, and there's no guarantee that my family won't be affected by the rampaging serpent. Although it's unlikely based on the legend, there's a possibility of heading to the Northern region. Besides, my sister is in the capital.
What will happen to Magoroku, Mari, Mikage, and the others... I don't know what will happen to anyone other than my family. At this mont, there's even a possibility of the snake heading towards the diplomatic mission. There's no choice but to do it.
"Hah, well, don't be so uptight. Well then... first, shall we fulfill the promise?"
"Hey! Handle it with care, okay!?"
As the Furoshiki (wrapping cloth) was carelessly tossed, I caught it and I inspected its contents. Inside were spears, Tant, smoke balls, Teguruma, and various other confiscated equipnt. However, among the unfamiliar items, there was sothing peculiar...
"It's mine."
"Whoa!? You're here!?"
I startled by the call from behind, the expressionless Kakitsugi's daughter calmly and silently retrieved her belongings from the Furoshiki.
She should have still been in bed when I greeted Tengu, but she seed to have woken up at so point.
"Tengu. This is..."
"I haven't placed any curses, so don't worry. Also... look, make a blood pact with this."
Before I could voice my uneasy feeling, my attention was captured by the letter presented to .
A sturdy sheet of paper was unfolded. The elegant and antiquated Font of the Fusou script in red ink, surrounded by several blood pacts... a contract. I accepted it and began to read the contents.
It doesn't seem like there are any obvious holes in the content. There was a guarantee of a reward upon completing the quest, but could it be a trap, like in Mino Owari?
"What is this?"
"It ans that the reward won't be death."
"You're being too cautious. Don't you trust it?"
"It's a contract with Tengu, you know?"
Even a farr knows this before the setting. Tengu is famous for tricking people with their cunning. No matter how careful you are, it's never too much.
"Why are you so worried about being tricked? Relax. Look, read it. It would violate the third item there, right? ...Can you read?"
Considering the possibility of being illiterate, I read the text without answering. Slowly and cautiously. Not just the content, but also paying attention to the possibility of curses in the characters themselves, and being wary of any manipulation of my thoughts.
(The Tengu of Mount Anma assure that they will not harm the aforentioned individuals unless they provoke harm, and they will not inflict physical or ntal suffering in the mountains... In other words, it ans they can be killed as soon as they leave the mountains.)
Glancing at Aka-bouchou, I imdiately caught her gaze. The enigmatic beauty, with a sly smile playing on her lips, resembled a predatory wolf.
...She seems to have sensed sothing about .
(Although the three of us are close... I can't encourage Inaba-hi and the others to escape imdiately.)
An envoy, and a court were necessary. If we were ambushed, those two wouldn't stand a chance. Considering the possibility of a full-scale war with Fus-kuni, it might seem like a reckless move... but it's best not to make assumptions based on re impressions.
"...Bouchou, are you the one who ordered the blood pact?"
"I don't know how much you guys know... but if I were to explain, it's the one who coordinates the village."
According to the story, based on their roles and responsibilities, they form groups called "bougumi" and the person representing them is called "Bouchou" or "bougumi-chou." There are a total of nine Bouchou, the sa number as the blood pacts. This Tengu involved in the kidnapping is also one of them.
"Look, there it is. My na."
Written in a skillful manner by the leader, Shinbouchou Kaede, the na is accompanied by a blood seal. I read the na and look at Tengu. She smirks. Co to think of it, did I not know this guy's na until now?
"...Introduce ourselves?"
"Well, I can't keep calling 'you' by your na forever, can I? And what about that girl over there?"
"..."
I look at Inaba-hi. She glances back at while inspecting her own weapons, but imdiately returns to her inspection with an indifferent attitude. Do as you please, I suppose.
"I'm Tomobe. ...Do I need to ntion anything about the Middle Counselor-dono, and the daughter of Kakitsugi?"
"Using a pseudonym, a surna, and a title. How cautious."
Tengu shrugs her shoulders at the fact that I didn't ntion each individual's true na. Of course. There's no obligation to reveal the true nas to monsters. It's only dangerous.
"You already know. That's why this docunt exists, right?"
I will point out the flaws in Tengu's words. This is the introductory passage of the docunt, which describes the subject of the contract. It states that "those who have signed their blood below will be referred to as Party B." At the very least, the person who wrote this seems more thoughtful than the Tengu woman in front of . It appears that the Tengu have good calligraphers.
"It's an honor to receive your praise. My cute subordinate wrote this composition. ...Though it's probably not a pleasant story for you."
In other words, it can be understood without explicitly stating that there may be a possibility of not having cleverly hidden pitfalls in the contract...
(If only this blood seal is genuine, then I can feel sowhat relieved.)
With these thoughts in mind, I look at the seal of the old man who was stamped ahead of .
Nobles in this world are inherently cunning. Especially those who deal with significant contracts with magical binding power. The nobles of Fus-kuni, in particular, seem to consider writing fraudulent contract docunts as part of their job. It's their profession. I would like to believe that a certain level of safety is guaranteed when such individuals stamp their seal...
(Isn't it because of this mark that there is a threat, brainwashing, and forcefulness? What happened when the finger was cut off?)
Since I haven't directly witnessed the scene of stamping, my trust in the seal is not high. In the end, I had no choice but to carefully interpret the aning of the text.
"Step back."
"Inaba-hi, what are you doing!?"
Before I could stop her, Inaba-hi was biting her own thumb and pressing it onto the paper. A new mark was imprinted by the bright red fresh blood.
"Inaba-hi..."
"In any case, we can't move forward without doing this... right?"
She continues to calmly brush off my criticism, as if nothing had happened. Should I consider it boldness due to her youth?
"..."
Once again, after carefully reading the content, I resigned myself and pressed the blood seal. I pressed the seal with my thumb, overflowing with the blood from the bite. And... the blood seal erged from the paper.
"...!"
In an arc, the blood jumps up as if it were a living creature. My mark belongs to . The female Tengu's mark belongs to the female Tengu. Inaba-hi's mark belongs to Inaba-hi. What remains disappears into the sky, racing away to so unknown place.
"Ugh...!!?"
I groaned in response to the dull, piercing pain. I took a deep breath and knelt down. Finally, I bared my chest to see the mark.
The curse mark engraved on the location of my heart.
"Inaba-hi, are you alright...?"
"..."
I approached the young lady of Kakitsugi sitting on the floor, and helped her sit up to assess her condition. She nodded silently several tis while clutching her chest. It was a truly painful sight.
"Don't be weak. Can't handle this level of pain?"
"If we break the rules, does it feel like there's sothing in our hearts...?"
I glanced at the female Tengu rubbing her chest.
"Look at your chest. Is there a needle of blood piercing through your heart for breaking the promise?"
"Is it a curse of a thousand needles...?"
Once again, I was faced with sothing antiquated.
"Well then! Our contract has been sealed! It may be a short ti, but I'll be counting on you, alright?"
The person I was about to use as a guinea pig had an extrely carefree smile. It was truly a youkai-like ntality. It reminded of the Blue Demon. ...Knowing her, she's probably observing sowhere. Or maybe she's already beco interested in the protagonist?
"...So what do you plan to do? Are you going to guide to the snake from now on?"
"Well, well, don't rush. Before that...look here."
Hello everyone,
We have several works to share with you. Below are the details:
A series set in a fantasy world, not isekai but a fantasy one. It's about an enchant magician who was a mber of one of the strongest guilds on the continent but has been expelled. The cause? It's because he is not needed. However, after that, his enhancent that has enhanced other people's equipnt in the guild, returns to him after he releases it. Do you want to know what happens next? Read on here.A project titled "Isekai Healing Mage". The MC is summoned as a hero with three others. However, upon arrival, he discovers that he is not a hero. Follow his journey as he navigates through twists and turns, leaving the palace and working at the guild. Read more about it here.Another project revolves around the MC whose heroines aspire to beco his mother instead of his lover. Read this unusual story here.Our latest work also into the genre of Second Life. It's about the story of a forr s*x worker who wants to avoid loneliness and find fulfillnt in his second life. Experience his conflicts and resolutions as the protagonist progresses. Read it on here.Additionally, we have a worth-to-read project about soone who has returned from an isekai. The main character is a hero who has defeated the Demon Lord. However, for so reason, the human-demon war has resud and will take place in the MC's original world. The MC, unaware of this, ets a Saint from that world and she asks him to join the war. But what does the MC say? He refuses. Is it because his pas love was rejected by the princess when they adventured together in the past, or is he simply fed up? Discover the answers by clicking here.
We hope you enjoy reading these works!
Reviews
All reviews (0)