[Part 1/6]
"What in the world is this?"
That was the first thing said upon stepping into the room. The ghost (亡霊/Nue) couldn't help but wonder if he had fallen into so kind of illusion.
"What in the world...? Isn't 'that' the Minister-sama?"
"No, it's not that, is it?"
The ghost couldn't help but interject towards the shrine maiden-like girl who was guiding him. It was obvious. It was already clear. After all, she had co to see him.
"If it's not that, then what is it?"
"Well... let's stop playing with words. Will you explain it to ?"
Trying to make another retort to the words of the princess daughter of the Miyataka, the ghost imdiately understood that getting caught up in this girl's absurd way of speaking was pointless and returned to the main topic.
"An explanation, huh? Where should I start..."
Shrugging at the ghost's uncooperative attitude, the shrine maiden-like girl, seeing the figure in the back of the room, withdrew her usual charming behavior and wore an indescribable expression, at a loss. In reality, explaining how the person in front of her had ended up in his current state was extrely difficult.
"Well, I'll be in trouble if you don't explain... Look at that. His knees are split into three."
Not only that, the Minister was upside down, tears and drool streaming from his sunken face on the tatami mat. He was creating a pool on the floor. Just like a figure with a face like a Buddha, with eyes rolled back... It seed insufficient to describe, but in reality, there was no other way to express it. Not even Nue had the vocabulary to accurately describe the art before him.
"Well, you see, he fell silent as soon as he t the guest. Then he claid to feel unwell and left imdiately. The tea party was ruined and ended abruptly. By the ti he got into the carriage, he was already like this."
If one were to add, the shrine maiden-like girl went out of her way to accompany the Minister just to cover up this abnormal situation. Her attitude of annoyance was certainly necessary, considering it had to be similar to this in the carriage.
"That was unfortunate. But, a tea party..."
"There was a shrine maiden on the place."
As Nue stroked his chin in puzzlent, the old man interject from the side with the depths of his throat. The shrine maiden-like girl and Nue (the ghost) then look towards the mass of flesh at the back of the room together.
"Ah, ah, ah, ahhhh!"
The old gentleman opened his mouth wide, howling or roaring, screaming in delight.
"Yes!! That's it!! That's it!! That must be it!! That's... that's right... of that person! Correctly, correctly, correctly!! The fate, eeeexcellent fate!!"
His eyes bulged out, spitting out saliva with a roar that shook his whole body, reaching a climax. Slowly, the shrine maiden grimaced at the ghost as a stain spread on her hakama. How much had been spilled?
"...I see. I roughly understand the reason. I never thought he would break down just by seeing her. It seems I misjudged."
The ghost seed to understand everything from the reaction of the old man who was both his disciple and collaborator. Normally, he had so semblance of composure, at least enough to maintain a his surface reasoning... but the torrent of emotions that had been accumulating at the bottom of his heart, the explosion, seed to be more than he had anticipated.
"...There are things you don't expect, huh?"
"If I were an all-knowing god, I wouldn't be scheming so deviously. There are plenty of unexpected things when you live a long life."
Yes. For example, the aftermath of that Tengu girl's case...
"But, it's troubleso. At this rate, it's suspicious whether he even notices our existence."
The object (Minister) in front of him seed to be completely imrsed in a world of delusion and obsession.
"...By the way, why did you co here? Honestly, isn't it reckless to act under that guise?"
The shrine maiden-like daughter of Miyataka asked as if she had suddenly realized sothing. Wouldn't it be too conspicuous to approach the Minister of the Left, who had returned to the mansion and locked himself in his room, as a re assistant?
"I can't just stand by and watch anymore. It has beco necessary for him to make a decision quickly. It's not good to be constantly on the defensive."
"...What happened?"
Sensing an unsettling presence, the shrine maiden-like girl inquired about the issue brought by the ghost.
"The incident at Anma Mountain has been resolved. More precisely, information has co that it has been resolved."
Before the ssenger of the Court, Nue, who had been parasitizing on the fox, had already grasped everything. The fate of the snake, the declaration to the envoy of the Tengu, the nonsense spoken by the returning Middle Counselor (Chuunagon).
...If the extermination team had been organized and departed, it could have easily beco a fait accompli. If it had been after the march of the city's head of the extermination team, it would have been a matter of honor. It might have been possible to ignore the on-site peace talks and bring it to a Tengu's extermination. But it would have been too late.
"The Tachibana rchant guild, which volunteered for the supply transport, suddenly started to complain. There has been a delay in the transport contract. No matter what we do now, the ssenger will arrive much sooner."
They can't mobilize without a budget, and they can't even march through the city. The formation of the extermination team is delayed, too delayed, and now it has beco unnecessary. Moreover, it foolish to spend a large amount of money on a war when considering the amount of money offered by the Tengu. Since the news hasn't officially spread to the public, let's just pretend the mobilization plan never existed... It was clear that the majority of the public participants would probably argue for this. People sober up from their enthusiasm as ti passes, and once the mont has passed, they forget the heat.
Still, they must take the initiative. The information in Nue's hands is as fresh as a high-speed delivery. Hardly anyone in the capital knows the sa information. That's why they want the Minister (Daijin) to act now...
"By the way, they did well, didn't they?"
Even the shrine maiden daughter knew about the legend of the great serpent. It's one thing to subdue the remnants... it's the sa with the Tengu. It's quite a concession to allow such arrogant and proud individuals.
"I agree about the serpent. Well done indeed. I have a strong nose for it."
"Was it expected regarding the Tengu for you too?"
The princess daughter of the Miyataka asks, not showing her disdain outwardly but feeling it inside. Considering the history between the court and the Tengu, it was hard to believe that their actions were expected. Especially when this ols man, the root of it all, said...
"Love."
The madman at the back of the room interjects into the conversation. He turns his head around to face the ghost and the shrine maiden properly.
"Because of love. Isn't that right, Head of the Omnyouji Bureau?"
"..."
The ghost silently agrees with the Minister of the Left, whose finger, which was like the trident-like shape, is pointing out to him. Though he (Nue) remains calm on the outside, he can't help but think to stop that posture but doesn't say it out loud.
"And Princess Daughter of Miyataka. How much of the story have you heard?"
With a bold posture, tears marking his face, and a mouth that resembled an old gentleman, the Minister of the Left asked the shrine-maiden-like princess daughter of Miyataka. Despite feeling weary of the contrast in posture, expression, and tone like a ghost, Shinobu answered respectfully.
"According to the Kojiki, the great lord bestowed land upon the three-legged who had rit... Was the three-legged crow a secret, or was it in public records?"
It is not possible to openly disclose Tengu's involvent in the establishnt of Fuso. And the indirect expression of not disclosing the hidden history is...
"In reality, it was exile. The lord was attacked by the leader of the Tengu, but the lord, in his rcy, hesitated to execute them and ultimately confined them to the borderlands at that ti... thus disgracing them."
There's more to this story. It was the first power struggle in Fuso, where the first head of the Omnyouji Bureau conspired with the empress, a plot. Therefore, the Tengu who was exiled to the mountains deeply resents the court... Of course, if one follows the main line of the old family, they would know that much. But he (Nue) doesn't intend to talk about such things now.
"Head of the Omnyouji Bureau."
"Well, since you asked. It was actually an act of kindness that didn't suit . I covered myself in mud and played the role of the one to be resented."
In response to the Minister of the Left's call, the ghost shared an old story with the princess daughter.
"Mud?"
"I turned a big fire into a small one."
That foolish bird (the tengu) doesn't understand politics. Fuso is a human country. It's not a country where half-youkai ddle. Though "she" was an exception.
"Discrimination against half-youkai is not just prejudice. At that ti, gods, youkai, and humans did anything to survive as the weak."
It was no different for the half-youkai. They ford a group and raided a village of re humans weaker than themselves. The original exorcist and warrior often clashed with them as bodyguards.
"If only they were stronger. If they had ambition and determination, there could have been other options. Keeping only the clever ones is the worst."
"...I see."
The princess daughter, who resembled a shrine maiden, agreed with the words of the ghost.
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