BGM: To Whom Does the Erebal Sanctuary Belong?

 How did I let myself get dragged into this.

“How did I let myself get dragged into this…?”

“An’ why do I hafta come with…?”

 Hello. Tsukushi Awakihara here.

 Despite how I’m complaining in my not-so-internal internal monologue, I’m still dutifully walking across the sea floor.

 It’s been some time since I resolved the marine incidents, and as of today, both the rumors in town and my personal circumstances have finally settled down. I’m currently out on an undersea investigation.

“Urgh. Big Sis Kyouga was grinning so wide when she said I oughta stick with you, too…”

“Ah, ahaha…”

 As it happens, I’m also accompanied by Tenpyou, one of the Kaikeidou’s resident Kai sisters. I haven’t heard too many of the details from her, but apparently her eldest sister, Kyouga-san, told her something along the lines of “y'better get yourself in fighting form!” The reason I’m using rather ambiguous language is because I was given my briefing from Lady Otohime, not from Kyouga-san herself.

——–

“So… below the Kaikeidou, you say?”

“Yep! See, there’s this youkai down there that’s kind of dangerous. And since you are our shrine maiden and all, I was hoping you could head on down and do a little exorcism job?”

“An exorcism…? What, like it’s as easy as a trip down to the corner store…?”

 Shortly before Tenpyou met up with me, Lady Otohime came to speak to me in the Kaikeidou. ‘Exorcism’ meant beating the youkai in a fight, essentially. It’s only within the past little while, however, that I’ve finally managed to consistently beat all the Kai sisters, so this new request sounded absolutely impossible to me. I gave Lady Otohime a dubious look.

“Aw, don’t look so glum. You’ve been doing all this training by playing with the Kai sisters, so I thought I’d do you a little favor and give you an opportunity to show off the results of that effort!”

“This isn’t one of those things where your 'little favor’ is an errand run in all but name, is it?”

 Lady Otohime declined to respond further.

——–

“*sigh*… Honestly, how did I let this happen? I really have to start practising how to say 'NO’ more.”

 Lady Otohime just continued to wordlessly grin at me, but in the end, I reluctantly decided to obey her directions. Which brings us to now.

 As for where I am now, well, I’m down in the ocean.

 Not just any part of the ocean, though. I’m in the very furthest of the sea’s depths, down in the dark waters that people might call 'the abyss’. And I’m headed even deeper right now.

“So there’s still room to dive even further beneath the Kaikeidou, it seems.”

“Yeah! First I ever heard of it, though. I’m usually stationed around the front gate, or up on top of the water if I’m lucky…”

 The Kaikeidou is already at the bottom of the ocean, of course, but right now, we’re going out the back gate and down another slope located behind it. There was one time when I asked Lady Mikoto– the ruler of the Kaikeidou– about the building’s depth, but…

 (The Kaikeidou can always be found at the furthest depth that humanity has yet observed.)

 …was the rather vague response I received. I tried to ask Lady Otohime about the same thing, but she just said I ought to study more. I never did find out just how far down the place was, in the end.

“The furthest depth… that they’ve yet observed…?”

“Hm? What’s up, Tsukushi?”

 Apparently having noticed my puzzlement, Tenpyou calls out from where she’s swimming alongside me.

“Oh, I was just– wondering how far underwater the Kaieidou is located…?”

“How far? Oh man, it’s like, SUPER deep! Like, waaay down.”

 Tenpyou sticks her chest out proudly, answering with the utmost of confidence. I do tend to wonder, every so often, why Tenpyou is the only sister who’s so… um. Hm. How should I put this. Not the most… no, actually, you know what. Never mind.

“I did ask Big Sis about it this one time, though. She said, like, there’s this boat? Called the, uh, somethin’-or-other Tori… something? And it was, like… ehh. Yeah, I don’t remember it that well…”

“A boat named 'tori’… well, I’ve heard a story about the Ame-no-Torifune? ”

“Nah, not that. Lemme see here… uh… hrmm…”

 Tenpyou continued to tilt her head from side to side and grunt in an attempt to remember, but after several minutes passed with no answer to show for it, we shrugged awkwardly and continued our deep-sea trek.

……..

 I can’t say for certain how long it took us, but after a good chunk of time spent aimlessly moving forward through the dark water, we were greeted by a bed of white sand.

“Seeing as we’ve hit sand again, I would assume that this is the deepest we can go?”

“It kinda looks like Suimei’s old post, yeah.”

 I figure that the ground here is alright to stand on, so I touch down and try to survey our surroundings. The bubble from Lord Watatsumi surrounding me has begun to faintly glow, illuminating the area somewhat, but the light’s still not bright enough to make anything out.

“Lord Watatsumi, could you perhaps brighten things up a little more? …I– huh?”

“What’s up? Is your Lord Watatsumi sayin’ somethin’?”

 Upon asking them about the light, Lord Watatsumi simply replied that “you need only continue in the direction you’re facing.” I still can’t see anything, but– perhaps anticipating my next question– they add that I’ll “understand upon reaching the destination.”

“Um, they say we should… well, I’m not sure which direction this actually is, but the direction we’re facing right now should be fine.”

“A'ight! We’ll let Tsukushi’s Lord Watatsumi lead the way!”

 As soon as I relay Lord Watatsumi’s instructions to Tenpyou (admittedly with a fair bit of skepticism in my voice,) she immediately begins marching off in the indicated direction. I hurriedly dart forward to keep up with her surprisingly fast pace.

“…Huh? Oh, ah, I see. My apologies; I suppose I really should do some more studying.”

“What’d yer Lord Watatsumi say this time, Tsukushi?”

 Shortly after we begin walking, I receive a brief remonstrance from Lord Watatsumi. Having heard my apology, Tenpyou turns to face me.

“Oh, it’s just– I mentioned the Ame-no-Torifune a while back, but Lord Watatsumi has pointed out that 'Tori-no-Iwakusufune-no-Kami is actually the name of a flying ship, and the god thereof, as opposed to a ship that can dive like a submarine’.”

“Mm~mm…”

 Since they went so far as to speak directly into my mind about it, it seems that Lord Watatsumi is quite invested in the topic.

“…..OHH!!”

 Moments after hearing that, however, Tenpyou whips around to speak to me again.

“A submarine! I remember now! It was one of those– ship things, yeah, that humans use to dive underwater!”

“A submarine… oh, you mean what we were talking about a while ago?”

“Yeah! That’s the thing Big Sis was talking about! It was the… yeah, the Trieste! The "Bathy-something Trieste,” it’s a submarine, and, like– she said it’s got somethin’ to do with somethin’ about the Kaikeidou!“

 A submarine. Those are capable of travelling through the deep sea, certainly. I hardly know any details or history about submarines, though, so I have no idea what this 'Trieste’ is like. I vaguely remember reading about a Japanese submarine called the 'Shinkai’ in a textbook when I was little, but that was a long time ago.

"Guess I’ll look up stuff about submarines the next time I get the chance, then… …oh. ”

 Right after I mumbled that to myself, my and Tenpyou’s eyes slowly widened as we saw what lay at the end of our path.

……..

“Wha…? ”

“W-woah… what’s up with all this…?”

 Here– down even further than the deepest sea, where it’s too dark to even see the tip of your nose– Tenpyou and I saw…

 A long, straight road of stone tiles, even more solemnly maintained than those of the Kaikeidou’s castle town.

 A line of crimson-painted torii gates stretching down that road– possible even so many as to number thousands.

 And row after row of stone lanterns, eerily illuminating both of the above.

“Is this… a shrine road?”

“Woa-ho~ah…”

 The place has a different atmosphere than the Kaikeidou… much more simple, and tranquil. The weight of its presence is overwhelming; both I and Tenpyou are at a loss for words. But why would something like this be here? A near-perfect replica of a building from up on land, sitting this far down in the ocean?

 I fearfully appoach one of the torii standing in the sand, and touch it. It’s smooth and glossy, to the point where I can feel it through the film of Lord Watatsumi’s bubble. I glance down at the tiles and touch one of them too; unlike the Kaikeidou’s delicate, finely-carved stonework, these are far rougher, almost looking like they’ve been jammed into place.

 I don’t know how long any of this has been here, but the torii look almost brand-new, without any splinters or peeled-off spots. And despite how rough they may be, the tiles have been arranged so it’s easy to walk on them. This must mean…

“There’s someone maintaining this place? At this far of a depth…?”

“What?! No way! Like, this is even further down than the Kaikeidou, yeah? Who would come all this way an’…”

 Tenpyou emits a loud cry of astonishment at my words. She quickly claps a hand over her mouth, though, seeming to have remembered something.

“There’s a dangerous youkai beneath the Kaikeidou.”

 I remember the instructions Lady Otohime gave me before coming here.

 The reason that Tenpyou and I came all this way.

 A stone road and torii that somone’s been maintaining.

 There’s no one coming down here to tidy the place up. Someone’s living here in this shrine.

“Uh, Tsukushi…?”

“Yes… it seems like this is the place.”

 We have no idea what might be lying in wait in the shrine up ahead. Nevertheless, Tenpyou and I take a deep breath, and begin walking down the road of torii that serve as that shrine’s gate.

Kuroha has opened an MQube account. It currently hosts remastered versions of the Stage 2 and 6 themes and all boss themes from Stage 3 onward, as well as Tsukushi’s theme and the Staff Roll theme, both previously unreleased. (I’ve also updated the status index links accordingly.) Go check ‘em out!

*I may have been a little bit off in my estimate of when I’d have the Extra Stage translations done, but (thanks to some recent improvements to my working environment,) I’m now ready to work on them wholeheartedly, and expect to have the first post done pretty soon this week. Really sorry that it’s taken so long!!

(Hi! Sorry I haven’t updated this blog in, like, three months; I’ve had some other stuff that I’ve been doing, but I still absolutely intend on completing the translation of M.c.s .
The remaining sections are Tale of the Nine-Headed Serpent (in which Tsukushi visits a sea deeper than those known to man, and meets a rowdy duo that lives there,) and Wayward Apparition (in which Tsukushi faces off with our friendly neighborhood depth-announcer).
I may not have them done right at this moment, but you can hopefully look forward to them in the first couple months of 2018. Sorry for the wait!)

“You don’t have to do anything… I… I won’t ask for much, I swear… I just, *snf*… I just want to have, a peaceful, life….. *hic*”

(Fwoosh…)

 As I choke back the rest of my sentence, I feel something wrapping gently around me. It’s such a soft feeling that I don’t even bother to wipe my face; I just let myself relax into it without thinking.

“…..Tsukushi, it’s gonna be okay. You saved me when I was crying, so now I’m gonna be here to protect you too…”

“Ten…pyou…”

 Tenpyou’s voice is soft, as her cool hands gently stroke my hair. I bury my face against her as the floodgates open, and I start crying like a little kid.

“Not sure I like that ‘saved’ phrasin’, but… well, I suppose that’s it, then. I can hardly imagine anyone other than greedy humans doing something as awful as that.”

“Yes… The power of an incarnate god must certainly be alluring to humans of the modern world. It would easily be a target of their greed…”

“Well, I can’t say much one way or another, myself. Us sisters haven’t gotten to know many humans yet.”

“Hey… um, hey, Big Sis Kyouga? Lady Mikoto? I… I wanna help Tsukushi! She saved me, yeah, so now I wanna help save her too!”

“Y'know you already said that, right?”

“Oh, Tenpyou…”

 I listen to their discussion through the haze of tears, still leaning against Tenpyou’s chest. Before long, I can make out what sounds like Shunkei-san and Suzutake-san joining in as well. After a few moments of words passing indistinctly to and fro, the discussion quiets as I– and likely the others as well– hear a new voice chime in.

“Well then! That sure makes things simple!”

 The unfamiliar voice cuts through the haze, and I open my eyes again to see who it is. Standing a few feet away from us is a small girl, wearing a kimono with vaguely geometric patterns printed on it.

“Ah, Lady Otohime…! You were watching us just now?”

“Yep! In fact, I was watching from the very start. Since before the new Kaikeidou even got built, to be precise. So, little Tsukushi Awakihara… long time no see, huh?”

 So says the tiny 'Lady Otohime,’ as she peers back at me. As I look her in the eye, I suddenly remember a strange encounter I’d had several months before.

——

 I saw a girl standing on the shore, gazing out at the sea. She stuck out like a sore thumb in the chilly weather, dressed as she was for summer, and was standing next to a travel suitcase almost as big as she was. I called out to her, wondering at the sight.

“Um, excuse me– are you perhaps a tourist?”

“Mm? Oh man, sorry, couldn’t hear you over the wind. Are you someone from around here, by any chance?”

“No, I’m just a student passing by here. Are you on vacation?”

“Well, I guess you could say that. I was hoping I could find someone who knows the lay of the land around here? Ask them a few questions, y'know?”

——

 Indeed… I had met this girl right before I saw that bizarre depression in the sea, all those months ago. The realization snaps me back to reality, and I hastily try to get up. But…

“Y-You… you’re… wuh– ”

“T-Tsukushi, hey! Don’t try to stand up so fast, yeah?!”

 …my body refuses to move the way I want it to, and I topple back over onto Tenpyou in a matter of seconds.

“Woah there. Calm down, okay? You’re totally beat up from that fight, so you ought to rest for right now. You can still talk to me while you’re down there, right?”

“Y… yes. Right.”

 I can’t deny that resting against Tenpyou like this is quite comfortable, so I decide to settle down in place as I continue listening to the girl from that day.

“So then, Lady Otohime… Can Tsukushi really live in, like, peace and quiet? Down here?”

“Pretty much. If you’re living in fear of the humans up on the surface, then all you’ve gotta to is disappear from the surface, right? In fact, we could even have your parents move down here too while we’re at it, and then you’d have nothing to worry about up there…”

“W-wait, okay, just hang on for a moment. This is really starting to get out of hand. …First, I haven’t actually given the OK yet.”

 I had almost forgotten as the conversation rushed along, but for starters, I still haven’t agreed to become the Kaikeidou’s shrine maiden. And, well…

“…Why are you offering to do all this for me? I mean, certainly, you’re a family of mermaids and goddesses, but knowing what you do about my situation, why would you shelter me…?”

“The answer to that question’s pretty simple, really.”

 I turn to listen as Otohime answers my question.

“We… well, technically not me, but Mikoto’s family can’t survive without someone else’s knowledge of them. That’s where you and your Watatsumi come in. By accepting you into their home, they’ll gain more strength… so, business reasons, basically.”

 Lady Mikoto and the others silently nod.

“Meanwhile, you’ve had to deal with those evil human-looking things threatening your safety for your whole life, and want to live without any further trouble. A very pure wish, if you ask me. Right?”

 As Otohime continues, I silently nod as well.

“Those two facts finally fit together like puzzle pieces, right here in this spot. That’s why Mikoto and I are giving you this offer! Also, you don’t have to actually live here if you don’t want to. It’s already enough if you just know that Mikoto’s family exists, and if even you only happened to stop by once in a while, you’d still be giving us an enormous amount of power!”

 Mikoto-san continues from where Lady Otohime leaves off.

“If you’ll consent to becoming the Kaikeidou’s shrine maiden, Tsukushi-san, then we’ll welcome you with open arms. We’ll see to it that you have every freedom you could possibly want. If you resent your family, then– with the assistance of your Lord Nakatsu-Watatsumi– I can even use my divine influence to make it so that none of them ever existed.”

“Ooh, I could help with that too! Want me to Butterfly Effect 'em and free up some space?!”

“Woah, hey! Just… slow down for a minute there.”

 Okay, that’s a clear candidate for most disquieting statement of the year. I put my hands up in the air to try and quiet the two of them down. It’s now much more obvious that neither they, nor any of the family members surrounding us, are human. Any ordinary human would probably start trembling at the knees upon hearing that, but…

“If they had the gall to try and capture such a precious human friend of ours, why don’t I head out and swallow them with a tidal wave?”

“Shunkei. It’s rather indiscrete to bring up the subject of tidal waves with most present-day humans.”

“Aw, what? That makes most of my abilities into total non-starters, though.”

 Well, I suppose that’s mermaids for you. Their thought processes are fundamentally those of youkai.

 Lady Otohime, taking notice of how I’m glancing around at everyone, resumes speaking with me.

“Aaanyway, all joking aside… what are you going to do, Tsukushi? Either forget all about us, and live as a regular ol’ human on the surface, constantly in fear of those 'things’… or accept the duty of the Kaikeidou’s protector, and obtain an environment where you can live safely and proudly as an incarnate god…?”

 She looks straight into my eyes as she speaks. Now that I’m staring at them up close like this, Lady Otohime’s eyes almost seem to have star designs in them, like the Milky Way… No, they’re far too vivid to be called 'designs,’ honestly. If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear that her irises had the whole world, the whole universe inside of them…

 And with those deep, spacious eyes, Lady Otohime grins brightly, and asks:

“So, what do you say? Pretty mean-spirited couple of options, aren’t they?”

“…..I have to agree. That is mean-spirited. It’s a choice that you set up from the beginning so that I’d pick the one you wanted me to. Honestly, now…”

“Well, you’ve come all this way, so why not give that option of mine a whirl? I’m sure nothing bad will happen. …Uh. Probably?”

“Pfft…! For someone who just foisted a rigged choice on me, you really don’t sound sure of yourself.”

 In that case, my decision is…

 It’s been one month since the marine incidents occurred– a month that passed in the blink of an eye. I’m walking along the shoreline and looking out at the sea, as usual.

“Okay then, see ya tomorrow~.”

“Oh, yes! See you tomorrow!”

 I say a brief farewell to my friends from school, and walk down to the water.

“…..All right then, Lord Watatsumi. Shall we dive?”

 With that brief word to Lord Watatsumi within me, I’m enveloped in a bubble, and glide out across the ocean’s surface.

 We reach the edge of the open ocean in no time at all. I let myself relax, and sink beneath the waves. Diving deep down, towards the Kaikeidou at the very bottom…..

……..

 I’m still living my life as a regular human, but I also visit the Kaikeidou fairly often to do my job as its shrine maiden.

 In the end, I agreed to Lady Otohime’s second option, choosing to become the Kaikeidou’s guardian… Officially, my job description is “Lady Mikoto’s shrine maiden.” I asked Lady Mikoto and Lady Otohime what I should do to serve them, but…

(I don’t think you have to do anything in particular?)

(Yeah, there’s nothing special that you have to do.)

(Whaaa…?)

 …So they replied, incredibly optimistically. I’d had the impression that the job was a little more, you know, dangerous than that. Perhaps my fears were unfounded?

 I also told my parents about my decision; Lady Mikoto, too, briefly came ashore to talk things over with them. They stood stunned at first, and didn’t seem quite able to follow what I and Lady Mikoto were saying. But as we discussed Lady Mikoto’s desire to help us with our family situation, her promise to respect my and my parents’ current way of life as much as possible, and– above all else– respecting my choice of future career path later on down the line, both my mother and father agreed to the arrangement. They said the whole “goddess” and “youkai” thing was hardly something to be surprised by, though, since I already exist in the first place.

……..

“Right, then.”

 I stop by the Kaikeidou every now and again, on my days off from school. I usually spend my time there with the Kai sisters, talking about various things and doing a bit of shrine maiden training. …Well, it’s actually pretty relaxed for something called 'training.’ We mostly just compete at showing off beautiful danmaku patterns to each other. Shunkei-san’s patterns are always gorgeous, I have to say.

“TSUKUSHIIII!”

“Tenpyou!”

 Tenpyou shoots through the water towards me, leaving a trail of bubbles in her wake. She flies straight down the Kaikeidou’s castle thoroughfare like a torpedo, with the help of her fish tail; I call out to her in response, while quickly trying to decide which direction to dodge in today.

 Tenpyou’s still in charge of guarding the castle town and the Kaikeidou’s front gate. Now, though, little Ayaori and Suimei are there with her too, and the Kaikeidou has a trio of mermaids protecting it. Now that I’ve become the Kaikeidou’s caregiver, the two of them don’t need to provoke any rumors up on shore, after all.

“　…Big Sis Tenpyou sure likes Miss Tsukushi, doesn’t she~?”

“Miss Tsukushi’s not doing half bad, either~.”

 And my very first motive, the marine incidents and rumors here in my town on the shore, naturally faded away as the Kaikeidou’s residents returned to their seabed home. The town’s residents, too, are all living their regular human lives. No strange incidents assail the sea– none from the Kaikeidou, at least– and the fishermen have successfully returned to their pre-incident level of business.

……..

“W-Wait, me?! Become the Kaikeidou’s shrine maiden?! ”

 Our scene opens in the Kaikeidou, deep at the bottom of the ocean. One thing led to another, and I’ve managed to secure a complete victory over Kyouga-san, the eldest of the six Kai sisters living here. I’m currently standing in the Kaikeidou’s VIP reception hall, surrounded by those very sisters, as both they and I listen to Kyouga-san explain what’s been going on. Halfway through her explanation, I give an embarrassing yelp, as some very unexpected information is introduced.

“Precisely. Ah, we’ll be just so fortunate to have someone as qualified as you, Miss Tsukushi. Our jobs will be so much more satisfying with a darling lass such as yer'self around…”

“H-Hang on a moment! I mean, never mind how… ‘darling’ I am. I haven’t even given a reponse yet…”

 Kyouga-san goes on to explain her family’s circumstances to me, while leisurely reclining on the alcove of the reception room we’re in. To sum things up, their sea-dwelling “Great Mother” decided to build a new shrine to reside in, and created the Kai sextuplets to guard said shrine. And their role here, in turn, was to invite in a human who would be capable of overseeing the shrine building down here in the sea.

“And since you earned a victory against my sisters an’ I, that makes it official– you’re the Kaikeidou’s new shrine maiden, lassie! No complaints from us!”

 She ends her explanation with a jolly laugh. No, wait, hang on here, I literally only just got informed of all this… to say nothing of the fact that I already serve Lord Nakatsu-Watatsumi.

“I-I’m still the Awakihara clan’s incarnate god, you know. Whatever your mother’s circumstances may be, I can’t just… abandon that, well… that role…”

 I couldn’t think of anything else to say after that.

 …Well, more accurately… I couldn’t actually bring myself to say 'no’ to their proposal.

“Y'seem rather out of sorts, dear. …Is there something 'bout them Awakiharas that’s been on your mind? ”

 Kyouga-san speaks softly, but meaningfully, with her elbow propped on her knee. My back stiffens; she hit the bull’s-eye when it comes to the anxiety I’ve been having. Whether she can tell what I’m thinking or not, though, she pats her knee and puts the subject aside.

“…Well, that god of yours shouldn’t be any problem. Ain’t that right, Lady Mikoto?”

 I turn around in reponse, and see a humanoid figure smoothly fade into view from thin air.

 A woman with black hair stands there, clad in beautiful azure robes. The design on her long skirt resembles a dragon, and the ornament in her hair looks just like a crown. Every part of her expression… her eyes gazing out from under her beautifully-parted hair, her gentle smile… seems colored with love and affection.

Beautiful and Clear Form of the Sea God
Mikoto Yaobi

“…It’s very nice to meet you, miss shrine maiden of Nakatsu-Watatsumi-no-Kami.”

“P-Pleasure to make your acquaintance…!”

 Her voice is as gentle as a harp; there’s no hint of anything that could put a listener on edge. For a moment, I find myself at a loss for words.

“My name is Mikoto Yaobi. I am a sea goddess, and the head of the Kaikeidou that we stand in right now.”

“Wait, a sea goddess… so, does that mean you’re related to Lord Nakatsu-Watatsumi…!?”

“Yes. I’m an offshoot of another Watatsumi god, who shares the same origin as yours. Perhaps you could call me… a descendant of theirs?”

 I’m still captivated by Lady Mikoto’s voice, drifting along as light as silk, but I pay attention to her explanation. It makes perfect sense. A deep-sea palace, devoted to the worship of an ocean goddess… it’s only natural that they set their sights on me, since I’m connected to the Watatsumi gods myself.

“The Watatsumi god watchin’ over you is, in a manner of speaking, Lady Mikoto’s ancestor. With someone like that serving as our shrine maiden, we’d basically be guaranteed success. That’s what Lady Mikoto… and our eternal guest, Lady Otohime Kanpukugu, proposed to us.”

 First a Dragon Palace, and now Otohime…? Heh. If we’re comparing this to “Urashima Tarou, carried on a turtle’s back,” I suppose that makes me “Urashima Hanako, carrying a god on her back.”

“I see. I understand your situation now… but, even with all that said, I’m still a member of the Awakihara clan. I am a vessel for Lord Nakatsu-Watatsumi-no-Kami, so… no matter what the circumstances are, I can’t just… ignore the rest of my family…”

“…..Even as your Awakihara relatives are threatening all that you hold dear…?”

“Wh…?”

 My breath stops in my chest for a moment. Mikoto-san’s face, after saying that, looks terribly sad.

—-…Our valued guest, Lady Otohime, told me this. Though the Awakiharas were overjoyed at the birth of their clan’s one and only incarnate god, they also wanted to claim that power for themselves… and the clan has gradually become a den of creatures that one would hardly even think of as human. Leaving a divine being and a poor young girl all alone, in such a small and ugly corner of the world, would be… foolish, to say the least.

“…That’s what she said.”

 As she tells me this, I can feel the strength draining from my shoulders.

“…So. You already know everything, then.”

“Well, no… Neither I nor Lady Otohime herself know all the details. According to her, she only did a cursory investigation of the few sources she had available. …I know that this may pain you, Tsukushi-san, but… if you can manage it, could you please tell us what sort of things happened with your family?”

“…….”

 It’s a story that’s gloomier than a rainstorm at midnight, honestly.

 Before I was old enough to really understand what was going on around me, I started practising various rituals as part of our family’s tradition. I didn’t think anything of it; I was just going through the motions, really. But as I started to get the hang of it, strange things would begin to happen. Water would form into droplets and hang in midair, and when I prayed to the sea, the waves would ripple and part just like in the story of Moses. That was the power that Lord Nakatsu-Watatsumi had granted to me as a descendant of the Awakihara clan.

 When my parents discovered this, they told the head of the main Awakihara line right away. Every member of our extended family came together all at once, from the main line to the various branch families, just to see me. Innocent as I was, I showed off all the miracles I could perform, and everybody rejoiced at the birth of their incarnate god. I remember my grandfather– the head of the family at the time– patting me on the head, with the widest, kindest smile I’d ever seen.

 That was the last time I can remember any of those people being nice to me.

 I never used my powers outside of the Awakihara clan, so I never had any trouble with my friends at school or anything, but… compared to some of the things I had to deal with, that might’ve been preferable. As far as dark situations go, at least that one would’ve been fairly bright.

 At times, there were things who tried to win me over with presents and flattery, back when I was still little.

 At times, there were things who would come up to my parents talking about adoption, or bartering, or so on, like they thought less of their own child than a piece of furniture.

 At times, there were things who would break into the house when I was home alone, grab me by the arm, and try to abduct me. …Plain and simple.

 At times, there were things who would stalk me even to places where I was spending time with other kids my age, without caring one whit about harming those other kids in the process…

 My one stroke of good luck was that even with all these awful things going on, Lord Nakatsu-Watatsumi tried their hardest to drive it away from me. This one time, when I asked them about it, they said that protecting the human they dwell with is as important a part of a god’s job as any other.

 The tide didn’t stop, though. They weren’t even people, just– things, with human skin stretched over something too dark for little me to fully understand. They would attack me, my parents, everyone I spent time with… for years and years, right up until I was almost the age I am now…

“…Even my own parents started to become alienated from me, because of all this. At one point– it was just the one, but they said– they said that maybe we’d have all been better off if I hadn’t been born. And I mean, they… they were right, really. If I’d been a normal girl back then, then I could’ve just had a regular life, as a regular descendant of the family.”

 Eventually– after we’d spent so many years surrounded by those things that we started to lose track of how long it’d been– my grandfather paid us a visit. The same grandfather who’d smiled and patted me on the head, back on that day at the Awakiharas’ head household. He told my parents that he’d found all the extended relatives who’d been stalking me, and given them severe punishments. And, perhaps more importantly, he’d managed to find us a place where we could safely escape from the family in secret. We agreed, and so that’s where we’re living now. That marked the end of it. …And once everything was settled, my parents knelt down and apologized, from the bottom of their hearts, for what they’d said to me.

“And… that’s it. The life I have now is all there is to me.”

 As I finish my recollection, Lady Mikoto and all the Kai sisters fell silent.

“This place… this little town by the sea… it’s the one place where I can live peacefully. It took us so long, but I’ve finally found it. It’s the safe haven that my grandfather prepared for us, and that Lord Watatsumi is working hard to protect. So… I want to stay there. That’s… my choice…..”

 Even as I’m speaking now, I can tell that my voice is trembling.

 Even as I’m talking, I can tell that my vision is getting blurry.

“Tsukushi-san…..”

 I can feel something awful welling up in me at the sound of Mikoto-san’s soft voice.

 I know. I… I know.

 If I want to live a decent life up on the surface, as a regular human, then even that town isn’t guaranteed to be safe forever. Once there’s a new head in charge of the Awakihara family, they’ll probably contact me eventually. I might be pulled back into that darkness again. Or worse, those things might discover this town I secretly moved to, and I’ll have to confront them again. I’ve had enough of that terrifying life… I just…

 I’ve had enough.

 I don’t… want to go back.

“…..on’t want to.”

“…..I don’t want to. Shouldn’t that be obvious?”

“…..I don’t want to go back there. I just want… to keep living peacefully, with Mom, and Dad, and Lord Watatsumi, who saved me so many times. That’s… that’s all.”

Last Spells are now unlocked. Girls are now praying…

edit: And they’re done a day later! That was fast

“…..Whew. You did a fine job, lassie.”

 Kyouga-san’s final shot flies past me, and off into the distance.

 I can’t sense any more of her will to fight.

 With this, my battle with her has drawn to a close.

“You put forth quite the effort. I s'pose this means I lose, then.”

 At Kyouga-san’s words, the fairies around us all raise a huge cheer.

THE HUMAN WAS SO STRONG!

OH MY GOSH LADY KYOUGA LOST!

TODAY IS JUST RIDICULOUS!

“…Alright. I’ll return Tenpyou to normal.”

 …With that, Kyouga-san snaps her fingers.

What… the…..?

 Right as she does so, my vision goes blurry, my strength drains from my body… and I slump onto the floor, unable to stand. I feel so heavy… and I can’t see anything…

“…Kyouga-san, what did you just do to me?”

“…….”

“KYOUGA-SAN!”

 I raise my voice at her, despite being unable to see, and I hear her response.

“…Well, dearie, you did win against me. The result of our little match was a victory, no doubt about it.”

“Then…”

“However, you should have picked up on it by now… all you won was the ‘match.’ When it comes to your 'battle’ with me… no, with all of us sisters… you haven’t even managed to set foot in our territory yet. …So, I have hereby trapped you in this 'prison of vision’.”

“…..Since when did you… when did you even manage to…?”

“Ever since I sized you up as you walked into the room. You really shouldn’t have looked into my eyes. My ability is the ability to manipulate eyes, y'see. Y’ spent so long making eye contact with me at close range that, if I weren’t keepin’ my power under control right now, you’d never wake up again, you know?”

“Grh…..!”

“You may have won this battle. But you still haven’t won against any of us Kai sisters. Feel free to rewind an’ try again from whichever battle you want, alright?”

BGM: A Festival Orchestra that Ends Today ~ Climax Benefit.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOO-

OOOOOOOOOOOO-

OOOOOOOOOOO!!”

 Tenpyou’s piercing shriek fills the room. As she yells, the party around us stops dead, its energy vanishing into thin air. The previously-bustling atmosphere is as dull and bleak as a festival’s closing day. In fact, even the fairies that had been flying in all directions are no longer anywhere to be seen.

“No! S-Stay away! NOOOO?! Ahh, waaahhh…!”

“T-Tenpyou…?!”

 Tenpyou thrashes in Kyouga’s arms, like she’s trying to run away from something terrifying.

“This one’s still got a long way to go. She’s far too susceptible to any threats against her. We sisters of Kai have no place for such a foolish sibling as this.”

“Wah-aaahhh…. nooo~…”

 Tenpyou wrests back and forth in Kyouga’s grasp, tears spilling from her unfocused eyes. Unable to stand watching this for another second, I yell as loud as I can.

“KYOUGA-SAN! What on EARTH did you do to her?!”

“Hm~m? Why, you’re the ‘incarnate god of Awakihara,’ aren’t you? Can’t you manage to figure it out by yourself?”

 Thus prompted, I ask Nakatsu-no-Watatsumi-no-Kami. They immediately reply that she’s using some kind of… hypnosis, that induces terror.

“Hypnosis…? Why would you–”

“Oh, my. So you really could figure it out? I’d expect no less from the power of a god. Y'know what? Why don’t we use Tenpyou here as a test subject to figure out just how far you’re able to see…..?”

 At Kyouga’s joyful-sounding suggestion, I feel something inside of me once again snap.

“…Kyouga-san.”

“Mm? What’s the matter?”

“Reverse the hypnosis you put on Tenpyou, immediately.”

“Why?”

“Just do it. Put her down. Now.”

“Hoho, what a refreshingly absurd demand. And? If I say no?”

“If you don’t, then I am going to exterminate you right here and right now as a youkai who brings harm to humanity.”

 I call forth my ōnusa, which I’m now well-practised with over the course of all this, and thrust it towards Kyouga.

 This “Kyouga” is dangerous. I don’t know the details of her ability, but at the very least, she has the power to induce mortal terror in people, and she’s got a mentality that lets her use it as casually as she likes… And she talks to Tenpyou, who stuck with me in coming all the way up here– to her own sister– so callously. She called her own family member a test subject. I can instinctively tell that out of all her sisters so far, she’s the one who I most have to avoid underestimating.

“A sense of justice like a frog in a well, who knows nothing of the vast ocean… I can’t say I dislike that. But this is still just a matter between us sisters, isn’t it? …Are you tellin’ me that you’re still gonna butt in?”

“Yes. Absolutely. I may not be able to say why, but– I feel like I absolutely can’t let you get away with this.”

“HAH! I think I find that directionless justice of yours wonderful! As for how you’re going to challenge me, I can certainly hazard a guess, but… well, let’s try not to overthink things too early.”

 She says that with a wide, haughty grin. It’s a suspicious expression; I can’t stop a nervous tension from running down my spine.

 Right in the middle of all this, with the room feeling like a powder keg about to go off, Tenpyou’s shrill, trembling voice reaches my ears again.

“Tsukushiiii… where are youuu….?”

“Whoopsy.”

 Tenpyou forces her way out of Kyouga’s grasp, and starts calling as if she’s looking for me. It seems like she can’t tell where I am; she walks blindly in my general direction, waving her arms out in front of her.

“Tenpyou. Tenpyou, I’m right here, it’s okay.”

“Tsukushi…! Tsukushi-hiii… *sniff*”

 I take Tenpyou’s hand. As she realizes I’m there, she pulls herself closer to me along my arm. …She’s not looking at me. I imagine that the hypnosis is still affecting her eyes somehow. Kyouga looks over at Tenpyou for a moment, then slowly straightens up and mutters while scratching her long hair.

“Well, I’ll be… it’s not any of us sisters, not that person, but you who she’s calling for help… You’re a rather popular one, aren’t you, lassie?”

 Kyouga speaks with evident emotion. And then she continues:

“If this is anythin’ to go by… it seems like our plan to make you into this place’s new shrine maiden will go pretty well.”

“Your new… shrine maiden…..?”

 With that, I can practically hear the sound of my memories from the past few hours snapping together like a puzzle.

 A test of strength, six sisters, letting victors pass through, their knowledge of my identity, a shrine maiden…..

“Well, we can save all the talk for after your fight with me. There’s no way that you’ll let me get away with this, right?”

 Kyouga’s jeering brings me out of my thoughts, and back to reality. Right. The debriefing can wait until after this… first, there’s a pack of youkai mermaids living in seas of my real world, threatening people… no, even more importantly than that. Right now, right in front of me, there’s the insane leader of the Kai family, who’s grinning without a care in the world while toying with her own little sister…

“…Quite right. That was a very interesting phrase I just heard, so I’ll include all that in my list of things to resolve after beating you.”

 I take a deep breath, and clap my hands over my cheeks to get myself fired up. –Don’t worry. I’m still quite calm. Lord Watatsumi did briefly speak with me out of concern, but I’m fine. I’m just going to get a little serious for once, that’s all.

“And there we have it! SHUNKEI!”

“Yes’m~!”

“Whip us up a crowd, an’ make sure to get all the fairies who were skipping party duty a minute ago! In fact, call everyone out in the thoroughfare too, why don’t you!”

“Heh heh. This sure is going to be fun. Roger that, cap'n!”

 After Kyouga and Shunkei-san’s quick call-and-response, Shunkei-san once again whips off her outer cloak and hurls it up to the ceiling. Just as my vision is focused on it, the festival plaza is suddenly replaced with an even more spacious area– like a vast sports arena. There’s a torii gate and a pair of stone lanterns standing in the distance, and the space around is is packed with a massive crowd of fairies like spectators in a stadium.

“T-There’s so many of them…?!”

“It seems like you didn’t clue in at the time, but Shunkei’s power is making waves. An’ the swell of excitement rippling through a crowd– a human wave, if you will– is within her ability’s scope, too.”

“Aw, shucks.”

 I think back to my fight with Shunkei-san. That makes sense; the reason she didn’t use her ability on me is because she was spending all her energy on gathering the crowd and hyping up the fight. In that case, that fight’s outcome is…

 …Not any easier to accept, thank you. The fact that I couldn’t exploit that ability by directing it at myself still shows that I’m inexperienced.

“NOW! The audience is assembled. You, lassie, have more than enough reason to take me down. And you have the power with which to fight me. I, meanwhile, have my duty to fulfill as the eldest Kai sister!”

 It’s time for my dramatic battle with Kyouga. Provoked by her words, I feel a heat rising up from somewhere in me, and I respond to her declaration in kind– as I feel, in the back of my mind, that this marks the end of this whole uproar.

“I’m going to resolve all of this. The end of the marine incidents, Tenpyou, the truth of what’s going on here– I am going to take all of them from you, and then return to the surface! This is humble Tsukushi Awakihara, hereby…no, you know what. This is–!”

Stage theme: Bohemian Ringleader

 Several minutes pass as Shunkei-san guides us up the staircase in the west corner of the reception hall. We’ve already gone up 4 or 5 landings, and I’m no longer sure just how high up… well, actually, we’re underwater, so I suppose I should say “how deep down” we are?

“Oh, right. Miss Tsukushi, what do you say we have a little idle gossip as we walk?”

“Bwuh– …yes, all right.”

 Shunkei-san leisurely addresses me as she strides ahead. I’d only been half-listening, as I was preoccupied thinking about how long these stairs are going to go on for, so I wind up squawking awkwardly in reply.

“Were you born around here? Around that town on the shore, I mean?”

“No, my… rather, our family’s hometown is somewhere else. Mm-hm…”

 I pause for a moment in my reply, hesitating to give a more detailed explanation.

“Oho? So what brings a young lady such as yourself to a sleepy little town in the middle of nowhere?”

“…Do I absolutely have to explain everything?”

 I reply to Shunkei-san’s probing curiosity with a look of obvious suspicion. I’m getting the same feeling that I did a while ago… when little Suimei had asked me why I was here. It would already be hard for any old person to tell their life story to a complete stranger, but when it comes to my bac… my family’s background… I

“Well, I’m fine with not knowing, personally, but since we have such a good occasion, I figured I should get to know you some more. Also… I think someone here is a lot more interested in you than I am. Isn’t she?”

“Huh?”

 On Shunkei-san’s suggestion, I turn to look at Tenpyou next to me. She’s got her head turned to me as she walks, and her eyes are shining with evident interest.

“…….”

 I look at Tenpyou, and think things over for a while. I think back on what sort of person I am, and– though I realize that my jaw is trembling just slightly– I take a deep breath, and begin to spea-

“And here we are!”

 Shunkei-san casually interrupts me right as I’m about to start talking. I look up, thusly prompted, and am met with a door just slightly taller than Shunkei-san herself.

 Oh, for– give me back my determination, darn you! With INTEREST. I’m not even talking annual interest, I’m talking 10% per second. For crying out loud.

……..

 Shunkei-san opens the door, and we see what lies inside.

SAY THAT T’ MY FACE, WILL YA!

PARTYIN’ BEAT S ALL!

FIGHTS AN’ FIREWORKS ARE THE FLOWERS OF EDO!

 It’s so spacious that for a second, I forget that we’re even indoors. More than anything else, the vast space is filled to the brim with excitement. I’d swear I was standing in the middle of a summer festival at a shrine– a festival conducted, in fact, by the crowd of spectator fairies from before. If I had to say one way or another, it feels more like the Kaikeidou’s town thoroughfare than the crowd during my previous battle with Shunkei-san. Shunkei-san, for that matter, is looking out at the festivities without blinking an eye, and Tenpyou is staring at them with a look of exasperation.

“Wow, she’s at it again!”

“Big Sis Kyouga is alllways throwing big parties all by herself…”

 Ah. This is normal, then.

“Yeah, Big Sis is basically a total hedonist. Now, I should mention: this room right here? It’s the Kaikeidou’s Hall of Honoured Guests. It’s the room we use during visits from extremely important guests, our Great Mother, and so on.”

“…Are you sure it’s okay to use the VIP room to throw private parties like this…?”

“Eh, it’s not like our Great Mother doesn’t know about it…”

 You’ve got a very generous mother.

“Hm? Tsukushi, what’s up?”

 As Tenpyou speaks, I glance around the festive panorama surrounding us. This is where Shunkei-san was guiding us. And it’s where Tenpyou and her sisters’ “Big Sis” is supposed to be. So where exactly is that Sis?

 Then, as I’m walking around the festivities with Shunkei-san and little Tenpyou…

“Uh– wha–?!”

 My attention snaps back at the sound of the voice from before, seemingly right next to my ear. I whip around as fast as I can, but all that’s there is the door we just came through. Nobody to be seen. Confused, I turn back around, an

“GYAH?!”

“Hm~m. You’ve got such a nice face for a young lass, dear. I can tell you’re going to be the most darling belle in your golden years.”

 Right as I turn around, I’m met with a pair of deep, black eyes not even an inch away from my nose. The woman staring at me has chalk-white skin, red makeup around the corners of her eyes, and a long shock of disheveled white hair, draped over her back like a cloak. It’s a dazzlingly sharp contrast with Shunkei-san’s red hair; the two of them almost look like complete opposites. She’s got an even more handsome face than Shunkei-san, too. She’s like the white lion in a kabuki performance.

“Big Sis Kyouga, would you mind saving the evaluation for later and introducing yourself?”

“Oh, heavens, I do apologize. This is your first time comin’ face to face with me, isn’t it? I’m known as 'Kyouga Kai,’ the eldest of we six sisters here. It’s such a pleasure t’ make your acquaintance.”

Reveller of Obstinate Independence
Kyouga Kai

 As she says that, Kyouga-san leans forward with her knees bent, and extends her upturned palm to me. It’s the 'jingi wo kiru’ kind of formal greeting that you see in period dramas.

“…Er, what should I do with this?”

“Ah! Ever so sorry. You’re a modern lass, after all! I should have known you’d be annoyed by a greeting like that.”

 Kyouga-san– tall and beautiful as she is– laughs heartily as she pokes fun at our brief interaction. Her evident joy is certainly befitting of her 'fun-loving elder sister’ persona, I suppose. I feel like I’m getting a very different impression of her than I did from Tenpyou and the other sisters’ conversations… and then, as I’m still looking at her…

“……TENPYOU? YOU HEARIN’ ME?”

“Er….. yes…”

 I feel a sudden, wordless concern.

 She turns her back to me, and speaks to Tenpyou. It was just a few words, but those words shook me to my core. All I can see is Kyouga-san’s back; Tenpyou’s expression is obscured. But if I can feel my legs trembling over here, then I can certainly imagine how Tenpyou must feel being directly called out… probably.

“This is the third time now, you know. I think it’d really be for the best if you learned how to control yourself a little better, hm?”

 She’s speaking kindly, but she doesn’t sound kind.

 Kyouga crouches down and gently wraps her arms around Tenpyou, who has now walked over to her. She places a hand on Tenpyou’s chin, turning her face toward herself. Her phrasing may sound calm, but every syllable out of her mouth feels like it’s gouging at me.

“I’m… I-I’m… sorry…”

 Tenpyou apologizes in Kyouga’s embrace, now on the verge of tears. I want very badly to say something, but the atmosphere surrounding Kyouga is so heavy that I can feel myself instinctively crouching back. I can’t move, let alone speak. Kyouga gently runs a hand over Tenpyou’s head, and says–

“All right. Have a lil’ look into my eyes now, will you?”

“…….”

“There you go. That’s a good girl. Sleep well, now…”

 She looks Tenpyou straight in the face. Tenpyou slowly closes her wet eyes, and…

Ah,

Aaah…..

N-n…..

BANG!

“And there. Well done.”

 Shunkei-san’s final shot grazes past my arm, and both I and the spectators fall silent. Shunkei-san breaks the silence a moment later, clapping her hands as she speaks.

“My attacks ran out of time, and you dodged every last one of them. That means I lose, right?”

 As she continues to speak, a ripple goes up throughout the crowd of fairies.

THE HUMAN WON?

LADY SHUNKEI GOT BEAT…!

THE HUMAN GIRL SURE IS STRONG!

 The little spectators squabble excitedly once again, in their language that seems just barely comprehensible to a human. The battle’s over, for what it’s worth, so I breathe a sigh of relief and let some of the tension out of my back. But there’s still some part of me that’s left feeling unsatisfied. That’s because, well…

 Shunkei-san wasn’t using her ability.

 Her attacks… they scattered water bullets in a whole rainbow of overwhelmingly vivid colors. I’d go so far as to call her danmaku iridescent, in a way that would entrance just about any viewer. But that vivid curtain of bullets was all she used. There wasn’t the slightest indication of a special ability like Suzutake-san’s collision bullets or Tenpyou’s vibrations.

 And, even more importantly, her attacks weren’t targeted at me… in fact, if you’ll pardon my rudeness, they were so full of holes that it almost felt like they were deliberately crafted to avoid hitting me.

“Shunkei-san.”

 I address Shunkei-san calmly, albeit with a clouded expression at the fact that I’d been taken so lightly. The Kaikeidou’s reception hall is still filled with the heat of our battle; having noticed my discontent, Shunkei-san glances awkwardly off to the side.

“Ah, well… yeah, sorry about that. I can’t exactly fight you all-out in your current state, is the thing.”

“What is that supposed to…?”

 What a frustratingly vague answer. I clench an empty fist at my side. You made such a big show of things, you taunted me over and over, and you just–

“Well, I’m sure you’ve got some thoughts about that match, but a victory is still a victory, and you’re clear to proceed onward. Could you, uh, let me off the hook with just that, this time?”

“Mmrrm…..”

 As she gives that brief congratulation, Shunkei-san clasps her hands together apologetically. Upon seeing her expression, I can sort of feel my frustration petering out.

 In other words, I may have won the match, but when it comes to a genuine battle against Shunkei-san, I still can’t even step into the ring, let alone win. It’s true that in my previous youkai confrontations, I may have borrowed power directly from Lord Watatsumi, but I didn’t really. You know. Fight with them afterward…

“Don’t feel too bad about it, though. You only learned how to fight during your battle with Tenpyou just a little while ago, right? You can’t expect a baby who just learned how to walk to break the world record for the 100-meter dash right off the bat.”

“I mean, I get what you’re trying to say, but…”

“Plus, once you have enough power behind you, I don’t think any of us would be able to win against you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Heh heh. You’ll find out soon enough!”

 She pats me on the back as she says that. Well, at any rate, I’ve beaten her, so I suppose we should be moving along.

……..

“TSUKUSHII~II!”

 As the crowd of fairies starts to file out of the reception hall, little Tenpyou leaps out from amongst them and runs over to me.

“You were SO AWESOME! You fought, like, so good and everything!”

“Ah, um. Yes. Thank you very much.”

 As she gets right up in my face, waving her arms up and down from sheer excitement, I can feel my swirling thoughts start to calm down. I’m not quite sure why, but the sight of Tenpyou has started to put me at ease.

 Shunkei-san, who had been watching us from off to the side, walks over to Tenpyou and lays a hand on her soft, golden hair.

“Wah.”

“Seems like Tenpyou here has taken quite a liking to you. I think this means things will go just fine, hm?”

“Huh? …What will?”

 As I ask that, Shunkei-san moves from stroking Tenpyou’s hair to putting a hand on her waist, and…

Fwup!

“NWAUH?!”

“Okay, then. We’ve got Tenpyou secured, so how ‘bout we head on up to meet our big sister, Kyouga Kai!”

 She hoists Tenpyou up by the waist, swiftly wraps her arm around her, and holds her against her side like a puppy dog.

“Gotta keep the kid sister in check, first of all. She did run away and make us chase her through, like, the whole building this one time, so just to be safe.”

“Noooo, lemme GOOOO! I’m not gonna run today, I SWEAR! I wanna go up there with TSUKUSHIIII!”

 Tenpyou flails around in Shunkei-san’s grasp, kicking her legs up and down. (…And I’m walking right behind them. Yeesh.)

“Sorry, kiddo, but I don’t think I can trust ya on that one. How do I know you’re not just making more excuses to run from Big Sis’s punishment…?”

“Sure, Big Sis Kyouga is scary, but I wanna see Tsukushi in action way more than I’m scared! It’s no fair that we’re the only–…..”

'WHOOPS. No more of THAT out of you, Tenpyou dear.’

“EEEK……!!”

 Right in the middle of Tenpyou’s sentence, I suddenly hear the voice of something I can’t see, and Tenypou-chan gives a small leap of fright in Shunkei-san’s grasp. The voice– which I’m assuming that Shunkei-san could hear, in addition to Tenpyou and I– spoke in a peculiar manner, but had an overwhelming authority to it. As I stand there, wondering whether I should proceed…

“Woah, hey.”

 Tenpyou wriggles out of Shunkei-san’s hold, runs up to me, and looks me dead in the face with black eyes that seem to go on forever.

“…….”

“Huh? Tenpyou, what’s the ma–…..”

 That’s not her in there.

 She’s looking at me, but it’s not Tenpyou doing the looking. When I put it like that, I’m sure it doesn’t make sense, but the gaze I feel on me is clearly different from the Tenpyou I’m used to. Her eyes are the only part that aren’t her…?

“Just whose eyes are these…..?”

“Uh… aahh……”

'Ooh. You’re a perceptive one, figurin’ out that it was me. Of course, I s'pose that’s only natural for someone who managed to make it all the way here. Proceed onward, then, if you please. I’ll let you guide the two of them on up, Shunkei.’

“Roger that. Just hang on one moment~.”

 The voice from who-knows-where… and who-knows-who… gives a brisk reply. Shunkei-san walks over to the corner of the reception hall, and opens a door to the left of the one we came in through.

“Guess that’s another thing you’re gonna get scolded for, huh, Tenpyou?”

“Urgh, I didn’t even say anything…”

“All right then, Miss Tsukushi. We’ll be heading even further up from here. I’ll guide you to our next destination, okay?”

 She winks as she says that last part, which I unconsciously interpret as a way of wordlessly implying “come with us no matter what.” I walk onward, hurriedly chasing after Shunkei-san and Tenpyou’s turned backs.