Chapter 226

…Hey. Can I tell you the truth?

I'm scared. So very, very scared. To the point my whole body won't stop shaking.

It's only natural, right? Something immense is about to enter me. I'm going to be confined within my own skin. Trapped-and yet trapping myself. And it's going to last forever. I won't be able to do anything for all eternity. I'll be left behind by everything; I'll be torn away from it all.

I still have so much left undone, you know? So many things I wanted to do. So many. So many. Regrets and lingering attachments… I have so many.

I'm scared. I'm so lonely.

That's why… please. Won't you… save me?

Won't you let me lean on you…?

...

......

…Hehe. I knew it. You won't kidnap me after all, will you?

Yeah. I knew. That's why you stayed by my side. You were always there for me.

You are my shield, and you are my blade. You are my chains, and you are my cage.

The eye that surveils me so I cannot flee. The collar that keeps me bound. …That's what you were, weren't you?

…Haha. I don't hate you, you know. If anything, I'm grateful.

Because! Because you indulged my selfishness, I finally got to see the world beyond my bubble. I was able to see the beauty outside the Shrine.

The sour and the sweet. The good and the evil. The beautiful and the ugly. I saw the vibrant colors of a world I never could have known inside that Shrine.

Now… every bit of it is precious to me.

You must have crossed some incredibly dangerous bridges for me, right? I'm sorry.

…Was it all part of the surveillance? Haha, I know. You were watching me from afar the whole time, weren't you? I'm not an idiot. But even taking that into account…

To make my selfish whims a reality, you made so many excuses for me, didn't you? You played the villain so many times, didn't you?

Thank you.

…You really aren't honest with yourself. It's so like you.

…Oh. I'm being called.

Hahaha! It's okay! I'll fulfill my duty properly! Don't look at me with such an anxious face!

I'm not unhappy.

This is much better than ending like a machine, fulfilling a duty without even knowing why.

Because I know that what I'm doing actually means something.

It's much better….

...

......

Ah. They've called for me. This is the end.

…Hey. As a souvenir for the afterlife, can I spit out a few cursed words? Can I vomit up my current feelings with everything I've got?

…Thank you.

…That's right. Something I want to say, huh? What do I want to say to you…?

Haha. Then let me tell you a tale! This isn't for anyone else's sake, nor for any grand purpose. I shall sing a Hex

¹ for myself!

'For your sake, I go to become the Sacrificial Pillar

².'

'For your sake, I chant this Kotodama

³.'

'With these words, I curse my very soul.'

'The days were wonderful.'

'I cast them all away.'

'So that I do not flee my duty and run to your side.'

'Farewell.'

I pray that you and I may never meet again in the cycles of fate….

* * *

The Inner Capital's central district was as peaceful and radiant as ever today.

It was as if the youkai

⁴ disturbances in the borderlands, the plagues, the disasters-and naturally, even the Oni

⁵ incident at the abandoned temple in the Outer Area-had absolutely nothing to do with this place. The markets were packed with a dizzying array of goods as always, and the teahouses along the streets were perpetually overflowing with patrons.

There were those engrossed in reading tabloids while puffing on pipes, those enjoying Go or Shogi, and even young men hiding in the side-alleys of the main streets to share banned erotic books. Small children begged for sweets while their mothers grudgingly bought them.

It was the same city as always. A wealthy streetscape. A peaceful vista that refused to change, no matter what happened outside the walls.

"..."

Hotoya Tamaki, who had been enchanted by that brilliance when she first arrived in the capital, could no longer feel that way. Instead, she harbored only irritation and disappointment. And a profound sense of alienation.

The people of this city were indifferent. Indifferent to what was happening outside the walls. Indifferent to how many people were sacrificing themselves for the peace and prosperity of these streets. They didn't care about any of it. They took this wealth for granted, accepting it as their birthright.

"Hey there, Princess! Why not take a look? Combs, hairpins, cosmetics-I've got the best selection in town!"

Tamaki spared a single glance for the shop-boy's solicitation as they passed. Inside the shop, items of exquisite quality were displayed in abundance. Combs and hairpins made of tortoiseshell, mother-of-pearl, and lacquer, inlaid with gold and silver leaf.

Rouges, powders, and a dozen varieties of makeup. They claimed it was for commoners, but it was clearly intended for the wives and daughters of wealthy merchants. Despite Tamaki's attire not being flashy, the boy had called out to her because he had undoubtedly recognized the high quality of the fabric she wore.

"How about it? Quite a selection, right? If you've got a tryst with a fiancé, one of these would make you look radiant! Come, come, step inside…"

"…Excuse me," Tamaki said.

She muttered the words under her breath, turning away coldly and walking on. She completely ignored the disappointed calls following her. In the past, she might have succumbed to the temptation and at least browsed. Now, she couldn't even bring herself to do something so trivial.

She wasn't the kind of person allowed to enjoy such things anymore….

"…Haha."

Her cold laugh was a sneer. A self-derisive one. She loathed the brilliance of this capital, but more than that, Tamaki loathed herself for walking its streets.

Tamaki continued on, moving through the bustling avenues. The shops gradually changed in appearance. The storefronts grew larger. Looking at the banners and curtains, it became clear this was the theater district. These were historic, permanent playhouses capable of seating hundreds.

Word was that despite the recent downturn, business was more thriving than ever. Many famous troupes had gathered in the capital. They had cancelled their provincial tours due to the danger; instead, performers from the countryside were flocking to the city in search of work and safety.

To vent their frustrations over the grim state of the world and rising prices, the people of the capital sought fleeting entertainment, and the Imperial Court was more than happy to provide it. They sponsored spectacles to distract the masses, funded by the court and the nobility.

The usher blinked for a moment when she showed her pass and he saw her face, but he immediately ignored the queue and guided her inside. He led her to a private box, partitioned off and raised a level higher than the rest. From the other seats below, the angle made it impossible to even see her. Furthermore, the box was shielded by a Barrier Curse for perception obstruction and soundproofing.

"Of course, that means we can't hear the lines from the stage either."

The moment she stepped past the partition and into the box, the noise vanished. The only thing she could hear was the voice of the lone occupant: an elderly noble. A man of virtue, dressed in fine, elegant clothing that avoided being gaudy, welcomed Tamaki with a compassionate smile.

"Lord Minister of the Left. Hotoya Tamaki, reporting as requested," Tamaki said.

"Umu. Umu," the Minister said.

She bowed and announced herself. Following the Minister of the Left's grand nod of invitation, Tamaki sat on a cushion beside him.

"Lady Tamaki, I am glad you came. Are you feeling physically recovered?" the Minister asked.

"Thanks to you… light duties are good exercise," Tamaki replied.

Tamaki had been bedridden for a while after the incident at the abandoned temple, but she had made a staggering recovery in just a few days. The physician had been suspicious but ultimately chalked it up to the vigor of youth, allowing her to return to her duties in the People's Exorcism Guard while he monitored her progress.

Since then, she had successfully hunted down the centipede youkai that had been lurking in the Outer Area after fleeing the temple, and captured several low-life outlaw exorcists who were trying to strike twice by exploiting the public's anxiety. And now, she had been summoned by the Minister of the Left. The official reason was "escort duty." However… looking at how Tamaki was dressed up, it was clearly a pretext.

It wasn't for any illicit purpose. Rather, Tamaki recognized this as a gesture of appreciation for her service.

"You mustn't overexert yourself… though I suppose being reckless is the privilege of the young," the Minister said.

"So that's why you're telling me to rest?" Tamaki asked.

"Precisely. Make yourself at ease. Surely no one is going to launch a raid here. Forget about the weapon in your bosom for a while," the Minister said.

"Hahaha…"

Tamaki gave a strained laugh, seeing that he had detected the blade she kept hidden just in case. This Minister of the Left, having led the People's Exorcism Guard to pursue the Thunder Oni during the recent chaos, was evidently no stranger to violence himself.

"Now then. What of your father? He must have been terribly worried when you were snatched away by that Oni," the Minister said.

"I… sent him a letter. I told him there was no problem," Tamaki said.

"You didn't go see him in person?" the Minister asked.

"I know it's poor form, but… it's a bit hard to face him," Tamaki said.

Her friend's older brother had been killed. It had been a bolt from the blue for Tamaki as well. He had reportedly been lured out by a threatening letter and stabbed repeatedly. The faint traces suggested a Barrier Curse had been used to keep witnesses away; there were undoubtedly multiple attackers. The incident was a shocking affront to the Kebiishi police, who were now frantically searching for the culprits.

That was the public story. The problem was her friend. Suzune was so heartbroken after parting with her brother's corpse that she couldn't focus on work at all. As a relative, she needed to go into mourning. But where?

She had no reason to stay at the Miyataka estate anymore. The Onitsuki estate would be uncomfortable without Tamaki's constant presence. She thought of the third brother's place, but since it was an inn, the lodging fees would pile up. As a business, having someone in deep mourning on the premises would be a burden on the landladies.

At the suggestion of the noble hosting her father, a room was rented for her. She was mourning there. Which meant her heartbroken friend was currently with Tamaki's father.

(I really should go to her, look her in the eye, and comfort her, and yet…)

She knew it in her head, but the reason she couldn't do it was because she lacked the courage to know what to say. Or perhaps, it was because of the guilt….

"…Haha, no way."

Fragments of a blurred dream flickered in the back of her mind. No way. It was too chaotic, the dots too disconnected. How could such a thing be possible? When did she eat him? How was he alive? Why was he her friend's brother…? Nothing fit. The lack of cohesion and consistency made Tamaki certain it was just a dream.

And yet, why wouldn't this gnawing sense of guilt leave her heart…?

"……It's starting," the Minister said.

"Gasp!?"

The Minister of the Left's words pulled Tamaki back to the present. She sensed it immediately. A Barrier Curse

⁶ stifled all sound, yet the air itself seemed to vibrate with a low, rhythmic thrum. She looked down at the stage. Amidst silent cheers and the ghost of applause, the next act of the Kabuki play had begun. The Minister of the Left clapped several times with ceremonial grace before turning to her.

"'The Miko's Sorrow: A Prayer for Rain'... are you familiar with it?"

"N-no..." Tamaki stammered.

She could only shake her head at the Minister's inquiry. In the village of Hotoya, such grand theaters were never permitted to open. Even after arriving in the capital, she had only attended a few performances.

They said the Kabuki repertoire included five hundred plays, with perhaps a hundred in regular rotation. Yet Tamaki remained ignorant of even the most famous masterpieces. She was, after all, just a girl from the provinces. The Minister offered a thin, pleasant explanation.

"This work was penned nearly four hundred years ago. The author remains a mystery. The setting is the distant past; a tale of a maiden chosen as a sacrifice by the cruel Minister of an ancient slave dynasty to appease the heavens. It follows her and the noble guardian who fought to protect her."

"A Miko..."

Tamaki watched the stage with renewed interest. The actress playing the lead was a striking beauty. Though the Barrier Curse meant Tamaki could not hear a single word of the dialogue, the woman's graceful movements and desperate gestures told the story clearly enough. Whether it was the brilliance of the direction or the skill of the actors, the tragedy felt palpable.

"Long ago, the heavens were incensed by the nation's lack of virtue," the Minister continued, his voice smooth. "The sun hid behind a shroud of perpetual clouds. Light vanished, and toxic thunderstorms rotted the very soil. Storms, tsunamis, and earthquakes tore the land apart. As the darkness deepened, the Mōryō began to roam the earth at will."

"That... could it be..."

"It is a staple of the theater," the Minister replied. "The common folk cannot openly criticize the Imperial Court, so they adapt. They change the era, the names, and the setting. It is the wisdom of the masses - creating a veil of excuses. Where there is policy from above, there is a counter-measure from below. A slave dynasty, the Shogunate... they are mere masks for the Court."

Tamaki realized the truth. This wasn't just a play. It was a retelling of the Great Rebellion of Humans and Youkai

⁷. Five centuries ago, Fuso had nearly collapsed during the greatest upheaval in its history. Even in the most illiterate corners of the countryside, the tale was etched into the hearts of the people through folk songs and oral tradition. And they all knew how it ended.

"A Miko is, by definition, a sacrifice to the gods," the Minister said. "An existence created for that singular purpose. In the old capital, it is said that maidens of pure blood and chaste spirit were raised in total seclusion for this very end."

On stage, the Miko shared a tender moment with her guardian. It was more than mere playfulness; it was the look of a maiden in love. An unforgivable transgression. Soldiers soon tore them apart. As they reached for one another, the scene shifted to a ghastly depiction of the starving masses.

"You know the mastermind of the Great Rebellion, don't you?"

"Yes," Tamaki whispered.

She knew the name but dared not speak it. Names carried power; to utter it was to invite the attention of things that should remain forgotten.

"He was a Pillar

⁸ of true intellect," the Minister remarked. "Unlike the mindless beasts that rely on raw slaughter, he understood the human heart. He used that knowledge to weave a grand strategy. He made the people starve, fall ill, and turn on one another until they were forced to prostrate themselves before him. The armies of the various daimyo suffered defeat after defeat. Even cornered, the lords could not unite. He marched into the Center Region, pushing his forces to the very gates of the capital."

The Minister spoke with such vivid clarity that Tamaki could almost see the dark age unfolding before her.

"And there, the Miko became the foundation," Tamaki murmured.

On stage, the maiden wept as the evil Minister designated her as the sacrifice. Her grief was so raw it transcended acting. Tamaki wondered how the real scene must have looked five hundred years ago.

"The pure Miko offered herself as a vessel, forcing his sun to set," the Minister said. "There cannot be two suns in heaven. By ending his reign, the Imperial Court ensured the dawn of the Era of Humanity. The age of the irrational was over."

"The Era of Humanity..."

"Tell me, Tamaki-dono. Does this legend not strike you as... abstract?"

"What? Oh, I... um..."

Tamaki had been lost in the play. On stage, the noble guardian had rescued the Miko from her cell, and the two were fleeing on horseback. She struggled to find an answer. Seeing her awkward smile, the Minister laughed softly.

"It is a script meant to captivate. And with a star of this caliber, it is no wonder you are enchanted. But look closer. He 'set' like the sun? He sank into the earth? And that was the end of it?"

Tamaki frowned, sensing the missing pieces in the history she had been taught.

"The sun always rises again," the Minister noted. "A god, even when struck down, eventually finds a successor. So, where is he now?"

"The Miko's sacrifice... did they seal him in the earth? Is that why he fell?"

"They used the Miko's very body as his prison," the Minister corrected.

"A prison? Then where is he now?"

"Right here."

The Minister pointed at the floor. Tamaki stared down, her heart skipping a beat.

"Wait... what!?"

A sudden, primal shiver raced up her spine. She gasped, her legs going weak as she reflexively scrambled back, collapsing onto the floor. Her heart hammered against her ribs, though she hadn't moved more than a few feet. She took a jagged breath.

Deep beneath her - deep within the very bowels of the earth - she felt it. A presence so massive and overwhelming that she couldn't believe she hadn't sensed it until now. Cold sweat beaded on her brow.

"Are you surprised?" the Minister asked.

"Y-yes... is it... truly? He is down there? Right now?"

"To be precise, he is also here. A specialized oubliette exists deep beneath the capital, directly under the streets where the people sleep. There is a gargantuan limestone cavern where the Spiritual Vein lies exposed. We use a section of that void as his cage."

Tamaki listened, her consciousness pinned to the terrifying weight beneath her.

"This is the reason everything in Fuso is funneled to this city," the Minister sneered. "Your village of Hotoya worshipped a divinity, did it not? You surely know that the 'Land Gods' across the provinces are merely sealed Pillars."

"Yes," Tamaki affirmed. She had been a Miko in her village; she knew they siphoned a god's energy to fertilize the soil.

"He was different," the Minister said. "He was far beyond those lesser gods. Even trapped in a Miko's body, his power was vast. If we had simply buried him, he would have merged with the Spiritual Vein and usurped the land. The people of this city act as ballast. They consume the Reiki so it does not stagnate. Most of the energy from the Spiritual Vein is used simply to fuel the Barrier Curse that holds him."

Tamaki sat in stunned silence. The prosperity of the capital was a lie.

"Every harvest, every luxury, and every blessing here is bought with the Divine Energy gushing from him like a toxic flood. The decadence of the citizens is a policy - a way to ensure he never stores enough power to break free. We are all parasites, living off the 'blessings' of his imprisonment."

Tamaki felt a wave of nausea. The Imperial Court was built on sacrifice and deception. It was no different from the guilt she carried for what she had done.

"By the way," the Minister of the Left said, his voice dropping, "regarding your own power."

Tamaki flinched. It felt as if her secret had been dragged into the light. The memory of the ally's arm she had consumed surged back, making her stomach churn.

"Are you alright? You look pale."

"I... I am fine. I just realized how shameless I am. My power... it is a curse."

"If you refer to the incident the other day, forget it," the Minister said. "I have handled the compensation. Those men knew the risks."

"But I...!" Tamaki stopped. She had committed a crime and received no punishment. She was part of the same corrupt system.

"The Imperial Court harbors many secrets," the Minister said after a heavy silence. "Many... secret arts."

As they spoke, the Kabuki

⁹ program on stage is showing a scene of parting between a noble youth and a miko

¹⁰. It was a dialogue of intense, wailing grief-the young man's desperate pleas clashing with the miko's resolve to return and fulfill her duty. Watching the stage with a distant gaze, the old Minister of the Left began to speak.

"That power of yours is certainly dangerous. However, the Imperial Court also hides away its own perilous strengths, knowledge, and techniques. There is no need for you to loathe your own power. Rather... for you, the Court's secrets might be exactly what you desire."

"Desire...?"

"Yes. So that you may never know regret."

The Minister of the Left stared intently at Tamaki-san. It was as if he were seeing through to her very soul. He watched her with narrowed eyes. Tense, Tamaki-san unconsciously straightened her spine. She squared her shoulders and braced herself, her chest tight.

"As a nation of men, for men, much was deemed contrary to the human way and forbidden. Many techniques and much knowledge were cast aside. However, even poison can become medicine depending on how it is used. If you utilize that sealed knowledge, the true nature of your power-the ability to govern it perfectly-might be within your reach."

"To govern it... perfectly..."

"Yes. No, it is far more than that. It is said the forbidden knowledge even touched upon the supernatural. To conquer time, to manipulate destiny, to regain a lost body... perhaps even to bring a life back from the Underworld."

"But, that's...!"

While Tamaki-san felt a pull toward the forbidden knowledge the minister described, she sensed it was an unforgivable path that strayed from the human way. To gain something was to lose something. She did not believe one could obtain such things without a sacrifice.

"Of course, you are right. But... what if you used the power already inside you?"

"What!?"

"Govern that power with forbidden knowledge. At the same time, use that very power as the price. You have already consumed a part of the Spiritual Vein

¹¹. You have eaten the lives of countless plants, insects, and beasts. Your injuries healed so quickly likely because of that energy. Even so, a vast amount of vitality must still be stored within you. Am I wrong?"

"...Probably not."

Tamaki-san sensed what the minister was getting at. At the same time, she remembered. She remembered the first time her power awakened. How she had prayed to the white spider with him to save her friend.

"You have already taken life. If you continue this way, you will pile up more battles with monsters. If you use that vitality as the cost for the forbidden techniques... perhaps it could be used for the good of the world."

"...!!"

It felt like a ray of light. She saw a possibility where she could save everyone with the power she had loathed. If the minister's words were true, she might be able to return the arm she had consumed. She could save those she had failed. She could prevent anyone else from slipping away. Perhaps her friend's brother could be brought back, and... perhaps even the chance for him was not zero.

"...Is there a way to learn this knowledge?" Tamaki-san asked fearfully. She let herself hope.

"...It would be impossible within the current Omnyoji Bureau."

The hope was crushed instantly. Tamaki-san's expression hardened under a deep sense of loss. She clung to him, her voice desperate.

"But...! Even if I succeed at the Omnyoji Bureau!? Even if I become the head of the dormitory!!?"

"Unfortunately, the law dictates that even the Bureau Head cannot easily view the forbidden knowledge. Those of previous generations might know of it as lore, having lived through eras before the bans were codified. However, they are bound by oaths never to perform it-let alone teach it. The forbidden books in the archives are cursed. Without a unanimous vote from the council, they cannot even be opened."

"...That's...!!?"

The hope she had glimpsed was pulled far out of reach. Tamaki-san could only sink into gloom. A faint irritation began to take hold. A seed of hatred. She didn't understand what it was directed at-she couldn't even recognize it yet.

Watching Tamaki-san as she was crushed by despair, the minister was certain. The seeds of darkness he had planted in her heart had finally, albeit slightly, begun to sprout.

"I have a duty I wish to entrust to you..."

He began to whisper her new mission. A path designed to lead her toward even deeper, more absolute disappointment.

* * *

My hearing, which was beginning to stray from the human norm, sensed footsteps approaching. I turned my gaze toward the door before she even entered.

With a slight creak of the floorboards, she appeared with a sour look on her face.

"Servant, I have a report... Oh, am I interrupting?"

"No. It's fine, I'm almost finished."

'(｡-ω-) Slurp slurp slurp (；゜∀゜) Hey, it's my turn! Move it, little sis!'

It was feeding time in the training hall, and Matsuhige's Kochou's Granddaughter had arrived. I managed to ignore the ridiculous declarations from the spider. Botan-san cleared her throat, looking like she was holding back a retort. She shot a cold look my way.

"You're certainly diligent. Working up a sweat with the second princess of the Onitsuki family again?"

"Hey, watch the phrasing!!?"

I shouted back at her disdainful gaze. Granted, I already had a complicated relationship with Aoi-san, and right now I was just wearing a jacket over a loincloth, probably smelling like sweat. But it wasn't like that. I didn't have a fetish for getting down in the training hall, and I didn't spend my life doing nothing but shaking my hips.

Training. Yes, it was training. Since the incident with the mimic the other day, I had been training thoroughly to rebuild my basics. I had been clashing swords with Aoi-san's Simplified Ritual and the girl herself. When she brought out half of her ultimate formation, I wanted to quit, but she didn't let up until the time was up. Onitsuki Aoi was a sweet girl, but she was a harsh teacher. She was fierce, relentless, and in her own way, a very sensible woman.

"There are bite marks on your neck, though?"

"...That was a grappling technique!"

"Oh? You were quite 'diligent,' then?"

"No, I wasn't!!?"

'(＾ω＾) Ufufu, such a warm and happy home!'

Under her suspicious, judging gaze, I did my best to defend myself. And you, shut up, you stupid spider.

Being pinned down in a grapple and having my face buried in her softness before getting bitten was technically training. In a real fight, I would have been suffocated or had my throat ripped out. There was no other meaning to it. The fact that she held onto me and played with me afterward was also... technically within the scope of training. So stop looking at me like that!?

"Rest easy. I don't care how messy or degenerate your life becomes. As long as you fulfill your role, I don't care how much you run wild. I suppose shaking your hips or drinking is more efficient for you than proper training anyway."

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't just decide that on your own."

"Then you're saying I have no reason to look at you this way?"

"...I give up. You win."

"Good. Honesty is a virtue."

'ヽ(；▽；)ノ No fighting in the family!!'

I accepted my moral and ethical defeat. I shoved the stupid spider into its special quadruple-layered cage. '(゜Q゜) I'm still eating!' Shut it.

"That bug is as noisy as ever," Botan-san said.

"It's getting more and more c**ky. It keeps breaking out of its cage to wander the estate. Do you know what the people here are calling it? 'Miko-sama.'"

"If it gathers too much faith, there's no telling how it might mutate. You'd better discipline your women properly. That is your specialty, isn't it?"

"I feel like you're insulting me, but... fine. So, the report?"

I straightened my sleeves and looked at her. Botan-san nodded.

"Good news and bad news. Which first?"

"...Good news."

"You might be able to make contact with Minister of the Right."

"Finally. Well, I guess it was only a matter of time..."

I rubbed my chin, thinking back on the scheme. I'd had a connection of sorts to that calculating minister through several intermediaries. In the first place, the case involving the Juuyaku family that led to my disappearance had been indirectly influenced by the minister's intentions.

Even without knowing me personally, the minister had used the head of the Onmyoji Bureau, Azuma Hibari, to order investigations into corruption and negligence. That was how I noticed the anomalies in the Juuyaku territory. The Bureau Head and Azuma knew my circumstances, but they were also people who held a degree of trust from the minister. That was the opening I'd been looking for.

Having escaped the surveillance of the Onitsuki family, I was able to act freely. I had support from Aoi-san and Kayo's public influence, as well as Matsuhige's underground connections. I had gained a level of freedom that would have been impossible if I were still treated as just a servant or a household member.

Individual power has its limits. If you can use the wealth and military might of an organization or a nation by befriending those in power, you do it.

(As a side note, the process of contacting Azuma was so difficult that Matsuhige's Kochou's Granddaughter ended up doing most of the work. She was acting a bit smug now that she knew her grandfather's weakness.)

"Where are we meeting him?"

"The old capital is the candidate."

"Let me guess... it's a 'sorry to deceive you, but you have to die' kind of vibe?"

"It means you need to be prepared for that. A high minister is meeting a nobody mixed with monster blood. It was bound to be like this, wasn't it?"

According to what I knew, the planned meeting spot was a place where they'd definitely be looking to kill me. Botan-san was being more than reasonable. Well, that's just how it goes. I should be grateful I'm even allowed a meeting.

"I get it. ...So, the bad news?"

"About the place I had researched by sending out familiars based on your 'prophecy.' To put it simply: it was a total bust."

"That's..."

'Firefly of the Dark Night', that story is split into two major routes. Whether the protagonist goes to the capital or stays at the Onitsuki main house. This massive divergence meant that I would be unable to interfere with half of the game's events.

From a macro perspective, the capital route is the priority. However, the 'stay' route is also full of depressing events that I can't just ignore.

Since Aoi and Kayo-san are already at their limits in various ways, they grant my wishes now without me having to explain a thing. To the two from Matsuhige, I used my physical condition as a pretext. Divinity exists as a plane within the world. In a sense, it transcends time and space. As a result of touching a part of that myself, I am partially perceiving the future… I was met with a suspicious gaze, but Onitsuki Botan, who promised temporary cooperation, followed my instructions. She released her shikigami toward the event stage and the parties involved to scout the situation.

Then, it was confirmed: those events had already concluded.

"The monster of the Sealed Land has vanished, the bandit settlement is annihilated, and the Cursed Village has been wiped off the map. The hidden village of the fallen warriors is the same. The temple treasures have been plundered, the outlaw exorcist has already fled the mountain hut, and the Great Tree of Samsara

¹² has burned to a cinder. It's creepily efficient… as if someone has beaten us to every turn," Botan said.

"If there were absolutely nothing, I would just write it off as your delusion… but the fact that there are traces left behind makes this even more foul," she added.

Slamming down reports and scrolls of evidence, Botan clicked her tongue. Accepting that my wild claims were fact was unavoidable, but the reality that these threats were being scrubbed from existence-retconned into oblivion before a fundamental solution could be reached-was clearly something Botan could not sit idly by and watch. I felt the same.

"Were we one step too late? Did that piece of crap 'The Ghost' scheme something again?" I asked.

"It's quite possible. We must hurry our cooperation with the Minister of the Right

¹³," Botan replied.

At this stage, we were constantly being beaten to the punch by the Youkai Salvation Corps. They had spent five hundred years spreading a net throughout Fuso, with the Minister of the Left sitting at the heart of power. We had to pivot our strategy immediately-switching gears from a simple RPG quest to grand-scale political warfare.

"Thank you. Is that all for the report?" I asked.

"Yes. Also, regarding the covenant proposed to you by the monsters… take this," Botan said.

"Hm? A selection ledger?" I frowned as I inspected the scroll. It was a list of family names and individuals. Some were known to the public, others I recognized from the original "story," but the majority were strangers.

"This is..."

"If you are ever forced to accept their proposal, you must demand that the people on this list be transferred to the protected zone at a minimum. They are indispensable for the inheritance of the knowledge and special abilities required to weave the future of the human world," Botan said. Her request was cold-blooded and perfectly rational.

"Accepting that proposal is out of the question, right?" I asked.

"Naturally. They may have the power to destroy this country. However, we must prepare for the worst. If the time comes for you to make a choice, I don't know if I or my grandfather will be able to intervene. That is why I recorded that ledger." She toyed with her hair, her scorn intensifying. "Oh, and a little treat for you: near the end, I've included the names of famous princesses and courtesans. If people are being devoured in real-time, demand their safety as part of the deal."

"A treat, huh..." I shrugged, feeling like a scumbag in her eyes once again.

"I'm just assuming the worst. If you were truly that shallow, you wouldn't be in this mess, would you?"

"Was that a compliment or an insult?" I asked.

"I wonder," Botan replied.

"I can't stand it... gh!" I tried to stand, but I tottered. A violent headache flared, and my vision swam. Nausea hit me like a physical blow.

"You seem unsteady. Is it the blood deficiency

¹⁴?" Botan asked.

"It hasn't been this bad before. That bastard... the amount he's draining is steadily increasing," I muttered.

"He's growing into a sturdy 'Eldest Brother' on your nutrition. Soon, he'll suck you dry. That's what happens when you rely on 'that' every time. You're reaping what you sowed," Botan said.

"That hits close to home. That's why I wanted to increase our numbers..." I thought back to the other "me." The self I had killed. I had seen that incident as a windfall-a chance to recover an imitated soul. Creating a double of oneself might seem deviant, but I couldn't afford to be picky. It was better than sacrificing a stranger. He could have shared the burden of the bloodsucking.

Lately, the "mercy milk" in my diet was getting out of hand. My head throbbed. The double punch of anemia and the swaying room made the dizziness unbearable.

"Will you take some Angelica

¹⁵?" Botan asked.

"For the blood deficiency? Why would you... no, I'll take it." I didn't ask why she carried medicine for "monthly cycles." I just took the kindness offered. She handed me a pill mixed with spiritual herbs.

"It's... big," I muttered.

"Excuse me?" Botan asked.

"Nothing."

Botan leaned over to offer the medicine, staring intently at me.

"Is there something to wash it down with?" I asked.

"I have a canteen, but I'm not sharing it with you," she said.

"Haha... figured."

I steeled my resolve and swallowed the pill with nothing but saliva. It was vile-a bitter, choking taste that burned my throat.

"Ugh... that's disgusting."

"Heh. You look like an idiot. It's wiser to stay down until it spreads. I suppose I've done something quite cruel, haven't I?" Botan said with a soft, wry smile.

"What do you mean?" I asked, tilting my head.

"The failure of the soul recovery incident," she explained.

"Don't worry about that. It was a long shot anyway. I know how the world works," I replied.

"You're awfully casual about your own soul," she said.

"Because it's mine. If it were someone else's life, I wouldn't be this calm. By the way... about 'that'..."

"Your sister is safe. My grandfather had her protected through his connections," Botan said.

"That's a relief." Truly. The old gentleman's house was allied with the Minister of the Right. It was far safer than being near the Minister of the Left. I wished I could have saved Tamaki too, but at least the "corruption meter" hadn't peaked yet. "I owe you one. I'd give you a kidney for this."

"I don't need your organs," she said.

"My heart, then? Or a covenant? When I kick the bucket, you can carve me up for parts, as long as you protect my family," I joked. But I was half-serious. I didn't expect to last the year.

"Consult my grandfather. I decline," Botan said.

"What a waste. These are top-tier materials. You could have kept them all for yourself, y-y-ugh...!"

A sudden, violent vertigo hit me. My vision spun, and a crushing weight of drowsiness slammed into my chest. I tried to stand, but I was pushed down.

"I intended for it to be potent, but it still took a moment to kick in," Botan whispered.

"Bo... ta...?" I looked up at her. Her face was a mask.

"How... why... what did you...?"

"Rest easy. It isn't poison. It is medicine for your blood deficiency-I simply mixed in a sedative. They say the difference between medicine and poison is the dose. This is close to lethal, but for a man like you, it should be just right," Botan said flatly.

Her breath was coming fast. Her cheeks were flushed. My senses were fading-sight, sound, even the touch of the floor.

"Wh-why...?"

"Why? That's my line!" Botan screamed. "You're so oblivious! It's too much! You leave everything half-finished after all that foreplay! I thought I could satisfy myself with just the bloodsucking, but...!"

Botan ripped my loincloth away, exposing me completely. She snorted in disgust and began stripping off her own exorcist robes. She wanted me to see.

Wings erupted from her waist-demon wings. A black, snake-like tail cracked against the floor. Cr-ack! "Wh-at... is... th-at...?"

Even with my vision blurred, I could make it out. A body as pale and sickly thin as a recent convalescent. Draped over her was a chaotic mess of shimmering, pitch-black glossy fabric, cords, and chains. It was a Nanban

¹⁶ restraint harness, designed to bind and restrict-and strangely, it left very little to the imagination.

Succubus suit. The idiotic term flashed through my mind.

"I'm stuffed into this miserable Nanban restraint-wear just to keep my damn instincts in check!" Botan screamed. I could hear the words, but I couldn't process them. I was completely disoriented. All I knew was that she was beyond furious. She was weeping with rage, her knees turned in and her hips trembling violently. She was drooling, her voice rasping in a discordant echo.

Was this... did I do something? Was this even reality?

"Wait, uh... okay. Look, I... I'm sorry...? I'll apologize, okay...?"

"Then take some damn responsibility for what you've done to my body!!"

I felt the roar of her voice. Then, my vision was snuffed out. Everything went pitch black. A heavy weight thrummed against my head. A damp, overpowering musk flooded my nose. I had no idea what was happening. What was she doing to me!?

"Dammit, dammit! It's so... so thick! I can't believe you're doing this unconsciously! Making it look so-standing so conspicuously! All that built-up... and then you have the nerve to look so clueless!!? You're practically begging for it!!"

My thoughts were sluggish, weighed down by sleep. I felt a massive shock through my lower body. Like I was being gripped from the front and pierced from behind. My back arched violently, my body convulsing. I felt pain, but a wave of euphoria washed over it. I was making pathetic, senseless noises.

"The smell! It's everywhere! This... I love this smell... God, why am I doing this with my bare hands!!? Just peeling it back...! Gulp... It looks so... Aaaaahhhh! No, no, no! That's not it!!"

I couldn't think straight, but I could hear it in her voice. This was raw, naked vitriol-she'd thrown away her reason along with her clothes. But even as she spat those insults, I felt no anger.

Only guilt. A crushing sense of guilt toward her...

"Guh... h-ah...!!"

"That's right! This is work! This is... replenishment!! I can just refine it later! If anything, this is for the public good!! To stop you from spraying this scent everywhere!! I'm... I'm not doing anything wrong!!"

I felt something cold, and a tightening sensation below. But I didn't have the strength to fight back.

"Right! Exactly! It's okay through the latex. It's okay through the latex. It's okay through the latex. It's okay through the latex..."

Botan was rambling, the words tumbling out. I couldn't tell if this was reality anymore. Maybe I was already halfway into a dream.

"Aah! Enough! For my sake! To refine as much medicine as possible! I'm going to squeeze you dry until every last bit of latex is used up! Brace yourself!!"

My consciousness finally gives way. My senses vanish into the void. I was falling... falling into sleep...

"With the skills of the succubus you turned me into... just go ahead and break!!"

Only one certainty remained as I drifted off: a conviction that this sleep would be a beautiful, sweet dream.

* * *

"Hey, hey. I'm intruding again, aren't I?"

"...Huh?"

I was standing in a paradise. A blizzard of cherry blossoms swirled in the air, and a sweet, fragrant breeze tickled my nose in the warm sunlight. In a world so beautiful it lacked any sense of reality, the voice called out.

"Hmm... It seems you are truly at the mercy of a cruel fate, aren't you? Honestly, I can't help but pity such endless, futile effort. It's like stacking stones on the banks of the Sai

¹⁷."

Sitting on a bench beneath the cherry tree, casually snacking on dango

¹⁸, was a beautiful woman in shrine maiden robes. A monster wearing the skin of a beauty. As I stood there speechless, she gave me a soft smile. She leaned her cheek on her hand, her one open eye peering into me, as if she were weighing my very soul.

"This is a rare chance. Why don't we chat for a while here in this dreamscape? To get to know one another... don't you think?"

"...Haha. You've got to be kidding me."

It was an encounter I couldn't escape-a sudden meeting with the Final Boss within the world of dreams.

---

Summary:

A mysterious woman delivers a haunting monologue about her impending sacrifice and lifelong surveillance, before the scene shifts to Hotoya Tamaki walking through a bustling but indifferent capital, weighed down by alienation and survivor's guilt. She meets the Minister of the Left in a private Kabuki‑theater box, where he reveals that the city's prosperity rests on the Great Rebellion's imprisoned mastermind beneath the stage, sustained by a Miko's sacrifice—forcing Tamaki to confront how the nation's luxury is built on containing a dark god.

Manipulated by the Minister, Tamaki believes forbidden arts can "fix" her monstrous nature, while the protagonist trains brutally with Onitsuki Aoi and coordinates with Botan for a high‑stakes meeting. Their investigation—based on the protagonist's game knowledge—fails, and major events have already been "pre‑solved" by an unknown force; Botan then reveals a list of people she plans to save, vents hidden frustration, drugs the protagonist, and tears off her clothes to reveal a demonic form in an aggressive outburst. Overcome by his scent, she forces him into a state of "replenishment" in a succubus‑like restraint suit, knocking him unconscious and into a dream world, where he meets a powerful, enigmatic shrine‑maiden‑clad figure who invites him to talk.

---

Trivia:

- The sacrifice speaker shifts her perspective on her guard/captor from resentment to gratitude.

- Tamaki's friend Suzune is currently staying at Tamaki's father's residence.

- Tamaki is haunted by 'blurred dream fragments' that hint at her eating someone or someone surviving her.

- The theater box has a specialized soundproofing and perception-blocking barrier.

- The capital city is flourishing partly because provincial entertainers are fleeing to it for safety.

- The Kabuki play serves as a thinly veiled political allegory.

- The 'excess' of the capital's citizens is a deliberate government policy to burn off spiritual energy.

- The mastermind was sealed inside a Miko's body, which serves as a living prison.

- Tamaki recently 'ate' an ally's arm, a major source of her current trauma and guilt.

- The Barrier Curse prevents sound but allows the sensing of spiritual pressure.

- The Minister of the Left is explicitly planting 'seeds of darkness' to cause Tamaki-san disappointment later.

- Tamaki-san's accelerated healing is actually a result of 'consuming' life force from the spiritual vein.

- The protagonist is currently in a loincloth and jacket, covered in sweat and bite marks.

- The spider in the cage is being worshipped as 'Miko-sama' by the estate staff.

- The upcoming meeting in the old capital is explicitly recognized as a likely death trap.

- The protagonist is experiencing 'blood deficiency' due to something constantly draining him.

- The 'Selection Ledger' contains names from the original story world.

- Botan's grandfather has already secured the protagonist's sister.

- The protagonist previously killed an 'imitated soul' of himself.

- The Minister of the Left is the central antagonist figure in Fuso.

- The term Nanban implies foreign/exotic origins in a Japanese setting.

- Botan mentions a 'Second Princess' who was supposed to have 'drained' the protagonist.

- Botan's breakdown includes a repetitive mantra about 'latex' (rubber) as a mental defense.

- The protagonist feels guilt rather than fear or anger during the assault.

- The shrine maiden figure is explicitly identified as a 'monster' despite her appearance

---

Character Insight:

Tamaki is undergoing a severe crisis of identity and morality; she views the city's peace as an insult to those sacrificed for it and feels a heavy, inexplicable guilt tied to her 'dreams'.

Tamaki realizes her personal 'monstrosity' mirrors the systemic monstrosity of the Imperial Court. The Minister shows a cold, pragmatic ruthlessness, viewing human lives (and divinities) as mere components of a larger machine.

Tamaki-san shows vulnerability and a desperate desire for redemption, making her easy prey for political machinations. The protagonist demonstrates a pragmatic shift toward leveraging national-level power rather than relying solely on individual strength.

Botan moves from a cold, professional ally to a desperate predator, revealing that her bloodsucking habit was a form of restraint that has finally reached its breaking point. The protagonist shows a self-sacrificial streak, offering his own 'materials' (body) to ensure his family's safety.

Botan's motives are driven by a biological or magical instinct she is trying to resist with the suit, but the protagonist's 'thickness' (mana/essence) breaks her resolve. The protagonist remains passive, highlighting his physical or mental exhaustion.

---

Behind the Scenes:

The title 'I Was Reincarnated as a Nameless Combatant...' sets up a dark fantasy setting where 'depressive' and 'erotic' elements are baked into the world's mechanics, often involving sacrifice and 'Kotodama' (spirit of words).

The 'Era of Humanity' concept often appears in Japanese fantasy as the transition from an age of myth/gods to an age of human logic and governance.

The mention of 'Firefly of the Dark Night' routes confirms the protagonist is operating with 'isekai' or 'meta' knowledge of a specific story's structure.

The 'Monkey Space' reference in the notes refers to a Japanese manga trope where characters or plotlines are abruptly removed from the story as if they never existed.

The 'Banks of the Sai' (Sai no Kawara) is a Buddhist concept of limbo where children pile stones, representing a futile task.

---

TL Notes:

1↵ Hex: A magical spell or incantation, often with a negative or binding connotation.

2↵ Sacrificial Pillar (Hitobashira): A human sacrifice buried alive under or near large-scale buildings like dams, bridges, and castles as a prayer to the gods.

3↵ Kotodama: The Japanese belief that mystical powers reside in words and names.

4↵ Youkai: A class of supernatural entities and spirits in Japanese folklore.

5↵ Oni: A kind of yōkai, demon, orc, ogre, or troll in Japanese folklore.

6↵ Kekkai (結界): A spiritual boundary or barrier used to contain energy or sound.

7↵ Jin-yō Tairuran (人妖大乱): A historical event involving a massive conflict between humans and supernatural entities.

8↵ Hashira (柱): The traditional counter for Japanese deities, implying they are the pillars of the world.

9↵ A traditional Japanese dance-drama known for its stylization and elaborate showmanship.

10↵ A shrine maiden or supplementary priestess in Shintoism.

11↵ A metaphysical path or conduit through which spiritual energy flows in the earth.

12↵ Rinne no Taiboku; a spiritual landmark in the story's setting.

13↵ Udaijin; a high-ranking historical Japanese government position.

14↵ Kekkye; a term in traditional medicine referring to a lack of vital blood or essence.

15↵ Touki; a herb frequently used in traditional medicine for women's health and blood circulation.

16↵ Nanban (南蛮): Literally 'Southern Barbarian,' a historical term for Westerners/foreigners. In fantasy, refers to exotic or imported gear.

17↵ Banks of the Sai (Sai no Kawara): A place in the Japanese Buddhist underworld where deceased children must stack stone towers as a penance.

18↵ Dango (団子): A Japanese dumpling made from rice flour.