[Part 2/4]
"A divine revelation...? She's an evil god, a monster. No matter how terrifying, she's still a 'monster'. Do you believe the words of such a thing, is it just child's play?"
'(. ･з･)ﾉ Every sweet story's got a catch, y'know!'
Understanding what the mummy was trying to say, but I imdiately denied it.
Youbo (the youkai mother) is a fallen Earth Mother Goddess, and she is one of the closest to a god among the deities in the original 'Firefly of the Dark Night (Yamiyo no Hotaru)'.
Yes.
She is only close to a 'god'.
A divine revelation, in other words, prophecy.
Using one's 'face' as a side to see and tell the future, the fate.
Once a privilege of a god, it was given to manipulate people's fates for convenience, to gather faith, or just for a bit of fun, playing with their destinies.
Even the oracle from a pure divine being is, in many ways, of poor quality.
And it's even more common for monsters, both tangible and intangible, to trick the gods and twist the oracles.
It's foolish to believe in the exaggerated tales of a degenerate forr divine being.
"Indeed, that would be true if it's a fallen god..."
"What do you an?"
I asked again, prompted by Ichishen's suggestive wording.
The mummy Ichishen stared at and spoke while tearing the skin at his mouth.
"It may be hard to believe... but we must trust that oracle. It's a genuine prophecy. It's trying to bloom back into a god."
"What...?"
I raised an eyebrow at Ichishen's remark.
With the power of the supernatural weakening and human power growing, the scales keep tipping... In this day and age, it's unimaginable for a divine being to fall while the opposite doesn't happen.
I suspected it might be a sche by the evil god.
But what was even worse was thinking that creature would co up with such a roundabout plan.
"Are you serious...?"
'( ´,_ゝ)I'm dead serious, for real~'
Twisted, bent, crazy, and nothing but a bunch of unnecessary worries, but I knew in many ways that the monster's thinking was nothing but good intentions from a divine perspective.
So, I had noticed it before.
It couldn't be lying.
It couldn't be faking.
It wouldn't say sothing false.
If anything, could it be a disagreent due to different values as a divine being?
What would that an...?
"Do you understand that doubt? But that oracle... reluctantly, I feel that everything's fate has branched off from that divine word. Fatally, and decisively... I can feel how crazy that is."
"Branched off..."
Stepping away from the path that had been laid out.
A choice—an actual choice—appeared.
Like slipping free from a script in a play... Ichishen describes that mont with tangled emotions, yet with a strange, undeniable clarity.
There was no deceit there.
Optimism, prejudice, madness, the joy expressed by the mummy was all based on reason.
"...So I prepared this place. And I tested you. And you were led here. As the oracle foretold. Therefore, I believe. In what cos next as well."
A man nad Juuyaku Ichishen wasn't supposed to casually accept the handling of a divine ssage.
He was supposed to be on high alert, being careful and cautious, examining and analyzing, pondering and weaving the aning of the words.
He was supposed to have determined its truthfulness.
After that... there's no choice but to trust it.
...Once I'm led to this place, there's no room to choose any path.
"I guess it's about going with the flow. Well, there are tis when you just have to let things happen."
'(＾ω＾) Let's do our best!'
So, I'm prepared.
I accept the reality that everything is in the palm of my hand.
Even if it's not in the hands of a Buddha, but in the sinister hands of a fallen god, there are things that can't be helped.
But, at least...
"Hey, can I check one more ti?"
"...What is it?"
"About the divine ssage you received. ...What about my sisters?"
'(^o^) Auntie!'
I stared at the mummy and pursued it.
I silently showed that I would never forgive lies.
"...Don't worry. If we go on like this, at least regarding this matter, it is guaranteed."
"I see."
With that thoughtful and heartfelt answer, I felt relieved.
That's right.
That was what mattered.
That alone was what mattered.
With the mummy's values, I needed that assurance.
There was no need to worry anymore.
Since I figured they were already considering that.
So... I felt truly at ease.
I could give myself up without reservation.
Then ca the rumbling.
Low at first. But it wouldn’t stop.
No—it was growing.
Closer. Near. Almost here.
I held the sakura dagger (tantō).
Perhaps... I see.
Up to that point.
This was always how it was going to end. There really was no other way.
"Well then, should I play my role properly?"
'(＾ω＾) I'M THE HEROINE, YOU KNOW!'
"There's no way that's true."
I went along with the joke.
Just as I finished my retort, it ca as if it had been aid at .
I shrugged my shoulders and slowly turned around.
A loud, black, muddy flood rushed into the room.
Earth, a child of the earth goddess, the nurturing mother.
The torrent of death approached and the mummy.
Surely, that was all planned...
* * *
'''''◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️◼️!!!!'''''
The torrent of death.
The black swarm that could only be described as such quickly tried to occupy the space.
At the sa ti, they all rushed toward the agate pillar, a mass of "Reiki (spiritual energy)."
It was like ants swarming around candy.
However, beautiful roses have thorns, and balsam flowers have fruit.
"I wouldn't recomnd touching that."
With those spun words, I lowered my body.
Explosions rang out countless tis.
The worms that rushed toward the agate pillar, a mass of "Reiki (spiritual energy)," turned into minced at.
There are plants that have the property of splitting open.
They throw seeds out explosively to spread.
Based on the touch--not plant, the spiritual herbs tangled around the agate pillar exploded one after another as soon as the worms touched the fruits they bore, scattering hard seeds like a shotgun blast.
The bad thing is that the seeds which were scattered quickly took root and blood after sucking the blood and flesh of the worms.
The explosions continued without stopping; the explosions kept going.
"Damn! Of course, they secure their own safety...!!"
'(＾∀＾) I'm safe thanks to my papa!'
"Ah, is that so...!"
I cursed while watching the surrounding vine puppets grow and protect the mummy from the seeds.
Lowering my body, I hurriedly pushed through the wave of worms and ran like a beast.
And then I discovered it.
The evil god wrapped in worms.
Its terrifying and youkai (spirit) beauty evoked an irresistible motherly feeling when it recognized and greeted with a big smile.
There was not the slightest sense of danger at the sight of charging with my Tantō.
'Wow! You ca well, didn't you? Co here, boy, let hug you close to mother's breast!'
"Shut up!!"
I shouted loudly to drown out the voice that spread like a sound wave.
Even after I drowned it out, the overly sweet brainwashing tried to seep into my brain.
My instincts recognized the mother as a mother, dissipating hatred and lting hostility.
Instead, the desire to be held in that breast and be pampered was thrust upon ...!!
"Damn spider!!"
'(*´∀｀*) Papa, I'm close by!'
"When did we beco family?!"
I used the stupid spider to self-deprecate and correct my view of family that was about to be tainted.
I forced my legs, which were about to stop, to move forward.
There was no need to cut down the worms trying to block the path.
The mont they touched the long rope that wrapped around , they got caught in the spinning and turned to minced at.
"Deliver it...!!"
'(^▽^) To the other side of the universe!'
Body enhancent, forced running using the long rope, and partial youkai (spirit) transformation.
Mobilizing all of these, I pushed through the obstacles and closed in on the evil god.
To , aiming my Tantō, the fallen god still wore a loving smile, and I naturally drove my blade into that face.
It pierced through one of her eyeballs.
Skull fragnts and chunks of flesh scattered along with green hair.
And then... she hugged !?
'Gotcha~? Mhm mhm, you're such a nice quality bag, aren't you~?'
"Guh!!?"
'(>皿
Countless arms stretching from the lower half of the at mass grabbed my legs.
Ignoring the stupid spider's threats, slender white hands tightly wrapped around my upper body.
She buried her hollowed-out face against as if sniffing my hair.
Not caring at all that her jaw shattered, hair got tangled, fingers got sliced off, or skin tore as she hugged deeper and deeper while the rope kept spinning.
Ridiculous.
This is...!?
"Huh!? ...Tch, so that's how it is!!?"
The aning of her recklessness beca clear imdiately.
The rope's rotation stopped.
Because hair got tangled in flesh and blood──especially the hair being the main problem.
If the rope tried to spin, torn-off hair would writhe and bind it even tighter.
On top of that, the surrounding worm creatures sward over to cover completely now that I'd lost the rope's protection, and then...
'My cute little boy~♪ Let mommy spoil you lots, okay~?'
"Gh...!!!? ?"
'(≧ヘ≦) ONLY PAPA GETS TO SPOIL !'
What sealed my resistance was the violent curse-word blasted point-blank, hot enough to scorch my brain.
My consciousness, my values, my mories──all being overwritten.
This is as far as I go.
This is where it ends...
"So... this is fine, right? Head of the Household?"
'Ukyan♪?'
Muttering almost to myself, I forcibly yanked myself free from the monster's head.
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