Aoishiro web novel

In the bizarre, cold air, the girls continued sleeping. Among them was a small, pale girl that looked like a Western doll. She really looked like...a doll.
If she were a doll, then that means she was a vessel without a soul.

Syouko: Are you...Yasumi.....?

Kyuuseiki: ....., ......, ......, ......

The kyuuseiki with the form of a young girl didn't answer.
I had no type of techniques to determine if that really was Yasumi or not.
If this were Yasumi's unconsciousness, then the consciousness of the Yasumi I knew, must be buried somewhere deep inside.

Migiwa: Now then...

MIigwa moved her hand from the center of her vermillion pole, to one end.
She held it like a cane, with a little bit of gap between her two hands, and started to pull those hands apart...

Migiwa: So, let's take care of this, shall we?

Between gap of the two parts of the pole, a silver light cut through the darkness, and a keen blade appeared.
Migiwa had just said that she was the Shuten no Onikiri.
Before, Migiwa said that swords were the vessels of gods.
Therefore, instead of the small-fry mouryou, if there were an oni that she should slay as an opponent in front of her, she should have something like this.

Was Migiwa going to cut her down?
The kyuuseiki that she said was Yasumi.

Syouko: Migiwa!? Even though you know it's Yasumi, you're planning to slay her!?

Migiwa: Since you know it's her, you're NOT going to slay her?

Migiwa asked me the opposite question.

Migiwa: It's already an oni that has harmed humans. Osa knew that I was an onikiri, and that's why you sought my help, right?

I knew that.
I knew that Migiwa would do something like this.

Migiwa: Didn't you say to hurry and help solve the situation?

But, if you cut her, then she'll never again...
I couldn't voice my thoughts.
In that world that Migiwa lived in, her words were surely correct.
But still, I wanted to impart something...

Migiwa: Ah, don't worry, don't worry.

Migiwa: I'm only going to cut that spiritual body over there. I won't leave a mark on the physical body over there.

She said that in a joking tone of voice, but I knew that wasn't a joke. Her false statement was exposed.

Migiwa: Ah...pardon me. That was a lie. If I hurt the spirit, that might also return harm to the body.

Migiwa: Well, I'll do this carefully, so just relax and watch from over there.

Migiwa: Having poor stamina at the training camp, losing consciousness without knowing why...

Migiwa: It might be a bit of a hardship to Aoi-sensei when it comes to finding out who is responsible, but...

Migiwa: But fortunately, this girl doesn't have any annoying parents or relatives who would complain, right?

Syouko: Migiwa...!?

Since Migiwa said this much, it was without a doubt, Yasumi.

Then, I...
If she slayed Yasumi, I...

Migiwa revealed the blade that had been hidden up until now and gripping the vermillion pole, headed towards Yasumi's spiritual body.

Migiwa: Namu hachiman daibosatsu...

Chanting a prayer to the god of war, she started to draw a circle. It would start out slow and end faster.

Migiwa: As I pray, grant me the power to slay this spirit!

Her white blade was completely drawn out and making a large circle in the air. She was going to ensnare Yasumi's spirit within that circle...

Syouko: Migiwa...!?

I jumped into the whirlwind created by her sword.
Steel and the wood of the tsubaki collided.

Right before that moment, my eye was captured by the glint of her sword and I could see it was the dangerous, real thing. My back and shoulder were frozen and my stiff body felt the blow resound within me.

Syouko: .....!?

I think the reason for the cold feeling throughout my body was probably from imagining Kumouchi shattering and having the steel blade cut me down.
But what was called a miraculous and virtuous bokutou didn't snap in two. Instead, the blade only cut a few millimeters into it.

Migiwa: Fu...

Along with a short breath, Migiwa immediately returned the sword to its sheath.
That sword didn't have a guard and it couldn't be seen from the outside. I wondered if that style of drawing the sword was for short distances.

Migiwa: Osa...isn't it dangerous to suddenly jump in like that?

Syouko: Suddenly cutting down one of my team members...exactly who is the dangerous one?

The cold feeling on my back was melted by my heart, which was beating as fast as it could. The blood traveling to my back resulted in it being drenched in sweat.
It was lucky that I wasn't sweating much in front. I continued to glare at Migiwa and didn't show her any sign of weakness.

Syouko: Besides, what was that? I didn't see too closely, but was the length of your blade over 15 centimeters?

Migiwa: Dunno, maybe you just imagined it.

Syouko: .....

Migiwa: Yasumi...this kyuuseiki doesn't seem to be connected to the kenki I'm chasing.

But her look implied that she wasn't going to let an oni she could "see" in front of her escape.

Syouko: If you're going to interrupt me, then there's no helping it.

Migiwa: I'll forcefully move you aside.

She pointed the end of her pole at me while saying that.

Syouko: .....

Migiwa: Osa, you're serious about this, right?

And with just that farewell salutation, she squinted and lowered herself into a stance. The tip of her vermillion pole...

Hyun...hyu...hyu...hyu...

It started out slowly, but the rotation graduallly accelerated. The mysterious, vermillion pole didn't move at the fulcrum where she was holding it, but at the tip where it was making circles.

Syouko: This is...

The metal ball that was shining in the light, blue darkness, burned an afterimage in my retina. The golden, shining circle drew the eye.

Migiwa: Suten oujin-ryuu ga mae no te... (suten nirmanakaya style's dance of the hand)

Syouko and Migiwa: Hebi no me! (The eye of the snake)

That strange, glowing, golden ball was just like the unblinking eye of a snake after its prey.
If you didn't have any prior information about this move, you might be taken in by it.
But I already knew this move.

Syouko: That's just some bluff!

The basics were, it was a move that didn't use that rotation.
The important point about this move is to make the opponent impatient and make a bold attack. At that moment, you would heave up. It is called makiwaza in kendo.

When the weapon flew from the hand of the opponent, then in the next instant, the pole would return and hit.

Syouko: Don't take me too lightly!

Migiwa: Ah...it misfired.

Syouko: Come on...makiwaza is a surprise attack, right?

If you knew a makiwaza was coming, you could grip down tightly and exhaust the opponent's rotation as a countermeasure.

Syouko: And you've already shown it once before to this opponent in the morning!

If that move had been a quiet motion that suddenly fired, you might not be able to counter it. However, Migiwa had a easy to understand starting movement for that move.
It was true though, that the feel was different than a bokutou. Migiwa's original weapon had a big difference in persistance and power, but since I knew about the move, I could counter it.

Migiwa: Ah, that's right. Because I wanted to see the depths of Osa's sword skills, I might've given a little too much service.

She said that in a light tone, but her eyes didn't warm up.

Migiwa: Though you resemble the kenki, you're several levels below. For example, if Osa were the lance in the game of shogi... (Note: the lance can only move forward)

Migiwa: Then the kenki's sword skills would be like a strong rook. Besides able to move forward, it can also move in long distances to the back, or to the right or to the left.

Syouko: ...Ah.

The rook...the piece in shogi whose main point is for attacking.
Always attacking, even from a long distance, with the one-handed attack that she was good at, the champion of all of Japan in girl's kendo, it was the second title given to Natsu nee-san.

Migiwa: Ara...it seems you remember something from that comment?

She said that in a malicious tone with one side of her mouth lifted in a sneer.

Syouko: That move won't work on me anymore.

Migiwa: Then...let's go for a hidden move...

Hyu...

The threatening sound that came from the golden ring that was the eye of snake suddenly stopped, and the sound became higher pitched.

Migiwa: Shuten Oujin-ryuu jya no michi...jyame (suten nirmanakaya style's path of evil...evil eye)

Syouko: The same move...?

Migiwa: The character for "jya" is the same "jya" in amano jyaku (the demons that the four celestial guardians stand on)

The warped demons, amano jyaku.

Migiwa: In other words, an evil eye.

Syouko: The rotation is going in the opposite direction? Does that have any meaning?

Migiwa: In order to stop the movement of something, the evil eye...

Just turning the golden ball on the end of the pole in the opposite direction, Migiwa said that with confidence. I didn't see anything different.

But there should be some difference.

In order to discover the secret, I focused on the whirling circle, and at the next instant, I was captured by the strong, blue glow in Migiwa's left eye.
My mind was captured...

Syouko: .....!?

I wonder if it was her killing intent. It was like the first attack I blocked with Kumouchi, when the cold as steel feeling traveled through my body. Though I wondered if it was killing intent, since Migiwa didn't move at all.

Migiwa: Ok, I'm going to aim for your throat.

She announced her next move and lowered the tip of her pole a bit...
In the next instant, it extended towards my throat.
I wondered if she announced her next move on purpose, but I could see her attack coming.
I should've been able to dodge that, but...

Syouko: .....!?

Migiwa: How does it feel? You can't move your body, right?

Syouko: What...

Migiwa's pole, which I should have been able to dodge, brushed past my throat.
I couldn't avoid her attack.
It wasn't that Migiwa's attack was sharper than before, it was that I couldn't move.
If Migiwa didn't miss on purpose, my throat would have been crushed.

Migiwa: Kanashibari...(sleep paralysis)

Yes, this was like kanashibari.
I wasn't afraid of Migiwa, and was standing before her. I didn't have any doubts about the path I was taking, but...
Even then, both my legs were frozen to the ground, like when a frog was standing before a snake. I couldn't move my feet from the tatami.
In the world of swordsman novels, if you drew a half-circle with your sword, you could hypnotize your opponent. It was something like the Engetsu Sappou.

Migiwa: You've been entranced by the evil eye.

Migiwa's blue, blue, eye that had an inner luster...
She looked away from me and turned towards the kyuuseiki.

Syouko: Yasumi....!

I screamed.

If I couldn't stand between Migiwa and Yasumi, then this was all I could do.

My voice which couldn't reach Migiwa, if it could just reach Yasumi...

Yasumi was unconscious, so if she woke up, that kyuuseiki would also disappear.
Migiwa, who was staying here and revealed her identity, with her position, she shouldn't be able to directly cut down a living body, so if I could just get the kyuuseiki to disappear, I could buy some time.
So, in order to get Yasumi to wake up, or for someone else to notice the situation, I yelled.

Syouko: Yasumi! Yasumi! Wake up!

Migiwa: Wh, what!?

Syouko: I'll persuade Yasumi, so until then, Migiwa, don't lay a hand on her.

Migiwa: What foolish thing are you saying?

Syouko: Even if Yasumi drains my vitality, I'll acknowledge it, so it won't cause anyone trouble, right?

Migiwa: This is foolish.

Migiwa: Consider the case of the day before yesterday, and yesterday. It pushed its tiredness on Hime-san and look at her condition...

Migiwa: Right now, it's wounded, so there's no telling how much vitality it will drain.

Syouko: .....

Migiwa stuck to her values and disregarded my words. I knew Migiwa had no intention of listening.
But even then.
Even then, I wouldn't give up.

Syouko: Yasumi.....!

Though I bought a tiny bit of time, Yasumi still didn't wake up.
If my words wouldn't reach her, then I'd have to wake her up physically, so I tried to think about a way.

The evil eye that bound my legs...
I wondered if it was some hypnotism technique or something else. It should be something of that variety.
Ordinary people are said to have different skills and physical abilities. Migiwa was not an oni, but a human like me.
I wondered if a person who didn't know about it could see magic? Something like my grandfather's livelihood, acupunture...

.....a needle?

The killing intent I'd acknowledged before, that cold feeling that entered my body.
Traveling to my bare thighs...
In the dim moonlight, something was shining. I could see a thin, silver line.

A needle that was spit from the mouth (fukumibari) or something like that.

So, the variety of technique was revealed.
The reason the pole was spinning in the opposite direction was to draw my attention, like how a magician does when he speaks eloquently.

Syouko: Yasumi.....!

Migiwa: Eh.....!?

With shaking fingers, I pulled out the needle and staggered towards Yasumi.

Kyuuseiki: .....

I didn't head towards the kyuuseiki that Migiwa was going to slay, but instead towards the body that wouldn't wake up.
And when I was next to Yasumi, I gathered my strength and picked her up, and this time, moved towards the kyuuseiki.

Migiwa: Wait a minute, Osa! What are you doing!

What was I was doing? It was obvious.

Syouko: Yasumi! Return to your body and wake up!

I headed towards the spirit and holding the physical body, I ran into it.

Migiwa: What....!?

Kyuuseiki: ......, ......

The moment I touched Yasumi's spirit, I felt "energy" being drawn out.

Syouko: Ku...

It was being sucked out.
Like how a cup of tea cools after it's poured. like how a bowl is spilled on the side of hill, like it were a natural transition...

My "energy" was being stolen.

But was that because Yasumi was unconsciously trying to obtain the minimum amount of "energy" it needed, so Yasumi's body turned into a spirit...

Yasumi: Huh...huh...?

Yasumi, who was in my arms, opened her eyes. As if to confirm what was happening, she looked to the left and to the right.

Migiwa: What, impossible...

I also thought I did something reckless. Ignoring Migiwa's warning, I had touched Yasumi, when I didn't know how much vitality she would drain.

But still...

Syouko: Thank goodness, Yasumi. Are you awake...?

Yasumi: Syouko-sempai...

For me, who had bad luck, it seemed as if the luck I should normally have, was saved for a situation like this.
Yasumi stood up on the tatami with her own two feet, and with a complicated expression, looked at me, then at Migiwa.

Yasumi: Huh? Migiwa-san is in this room...

She looked at the hand that was still gripping the unfamiliar, vermillion pole.
That was the scabbard that was going to be used to cut her down.

Yasumi: Then, that wasn't a dream.....?

Migiwa: It seems this time, she's aware of her condition.

Returning to the cold voice of an onikiri, Migiwa stared at us.
Even if they were in a magic-induced sleep, the other team members were in this room. Surely, she wouldn't cut down a living body here, right?
I hid Yasumi behind the shadow of my back and took a step forward. I wasn't planning on being caught by either the eye of the snake or the evil eye anymore.
I wasn't going to stand down and I wasn't going to allow Yasumi to be cut down.
Migiwa saw my serious gaze and understood my intention.

Migiwa: Well...glaring at me is just a waste of time. If I let a sure thing escape, it'll be too horrible.

She looked away and turned her back to me.

Syouko: Migiwa, where are you going?

Migiwa: I'm going back to the place I was before.

I'd interrupted her real job and forced her come here.
I felt bad about that, but in order to protect Yasumi...
Migiwa also had a similar feeling...

Migiwa: I don't feel guilty about anything I did, so I won't run away, and I won't hide. As long as you guys are here, I'll still look you in the eye.

Yasumi: Ah...

Migiwa: But it might be better if I eat my meals separately. In order for you guys to have fun and to be able to enjoy a pleasurable meal. It's also for my own health.

She said that as if she wouldn't be able to bear dying of poison, and left the room.

Syouko: Exactly who was going to poison whom?

Migiwa left Yasumi and me behind as she left the room.
Perhaps the magic-induced sleep had not disappeared yet since the team members in the same room didn't seem like they would wake up...

Syouko: More importantly, Yasumi, are you ok?

Yasumi: It's no good...I'm just no good anymore...

In a world with just the two of us, Yasumi resembled a hollow doll, and said that in an empty voice.
Large tears were flowing down from Yasumi's wide eyes. She didn't wipe them up and looked at the empty sky.

Yasumi didn't see me. She was in her own world, drowning in despair, as she kept sobbing.

Yasumi: I knew it wasn't ok. I broke the promise with my mother...and received this punishment...

Syouko: Yasumi!?

Yasumi: She kept telling me that...whatever happens, you can't go near Urashima...

She didn't hear me. Like a wind-up doll, until the turnkey stops moving, it'll keep doing nothing but the same movements, and Yasumi kept crying and expressing her grief.

Yasumi: It would've been better if I hadn't gone to the training camp...

Whether it was due to her falling tears, or her hollow voice, her expression was a little blurred.

Yasumi: It would've been better not to come. But I was looking forward to being with everyone, with Syouko-sempai...if I didn't cross over to the island I would've been ok...

If she were talking about an island, it would be Urashima.

Syouko: Yasumi. Exactly, what are you saying?

What was the connection between Urashima and Yasum?

Yasumi: Because I was born and raised on Urashima...

Her eyes were still hollow like before and didn't reflect anything here. But since her words answered my question, I moved closer to Yasumi, who was alone in her own world.

Yasumi: Because, mother said it was dangerous to stay on the island...

I didn't know who would be in danger, but maybe it meant that outsiders like us wouldn't have had and an incident like what occurred today.
In a small world like the dorms, stories about eyewitnesses who have seen a ghost would have quickly spread. Some rumor would have reached even Ayashiro or me, who weren't living in the dorms.
And about the effectiveness of the drowsiness induced by the spirit, on the first night, Ayashiro saw the spirit, and on the next night, Momoko saw it.
For the training camp that was going to last 10 or more days, I personally didn't think that there wouldn't be more witnesses.
So if that was the reason, then it was true that her mother should have forbidden her to come here.

Syouko: If you come close to the island, something like today will happen?

Yasumi: I don't know...

Syouko: Is it because Kurou-sama's festival is near...

Yasumi: I...don't...know...

Her overflowing tears reflected the dim moonlight that shone past the shoji screens.
Her overflowing tears reflected my body.
Her overflowing tears...
The feelings in her heart, which should've been deeply buried, floated up.
To avoid painful things, to wash away things that she accidentally saw, Yasumi's heart, which should've been buried was...
Maybe it was because I threw a small stone into a pond, and I caused her feelings to rise from the abyss.
As if she couldn't stand it anymore, and couldn't suppress her feelings anymore, and that she had to accept reality, Yasumi...

Yasumi: I don't know! I don't know! I don't know anything! I don't know anything!

Her suppressed feelings overflowed.

Yasumi: For such a thing to happen...

Syouko: Yasumi...

I hugged Yasumi.
Yasumi looked like she would collapse from the shaking of her body. I wanted to at least protect her on the outside.

Syouko: Then, Yasumi, whatever you know, talk to me about it.

With enough strength to stop her shaking, I embraced Yasumi in a hug.

Yasumi: Syouko...sempai...?

I was not reflected by Yasumi's tears, but by her eyes.
I gave a small smile and nodded. The inner Yasumi that looked like she were going to break was let out.
Yasumi entrusted her body to me and she started talking about things which no one else knew.

Yasumi: Before my mom left the island with me, my name was Nekata Yasumi.

Syouko: Nekata...

Syouko: Do you mean the Nekata-san that prays to Kurou-sama? The Nekata-san of Nekata Kurou-ryuu?

Yasumi: The 'mi' of Yasumi (保美) was originally not the character for beautiful (美), but was the character 'mi' (巳) from the year of the snake. It's because Kurou-sama is a snake god.

Syouko: Nekata Yasumi... (根方保巳)

...a daughter that supports the snake.

The daughter of the family that preserves the faith of Kurou-sama.

With that bloodline and that name, that is the connecting fate between Yasumi and the island.

Syouko: Then, that girl that I met in the past on Urashima...

Natsu nee-san was interested in Kurou-ryuu, so if we went to the island, she would be able to visit the successor of that style, Nekata Souji.
And if Nekata-san had some kids about the same age, it wouldn't have been strange they we would play together.

Yasumi: When I was on the island, I wasn't sickly at all.

Then, in my dream, the genki girl that was pulling my hand was...

Syouko: ...Yasumi?

Yasumi: I said I had an older sister, right? Onee-chan was the sickly one and couldn't leave the house...

Yasumi: When onee-chan died, my mother took me and left the island.

Yasumi: She said we couldn't stay here.

It didn't seem her mother left because it was hard for her to stand seeing the traces her dead daughter left behind.

Yasumi: Maybe it's not a sickness, but something like a curse.

Perhaps she was afraid that her remaining daughter would also be affected, and she was afraid of a disaster.
Cursing Kurou-sama who sealed him, and cursing the bloodline that performed the sacred rites for the religious ceremony, the Oni King's...curse.
So Yasumi turning into a kyuuseiki, perhaps it was a curse where you became like your enemy and in exchange, you attacked your allies.
Like how Migiwa said the iso-onna and the ushi-oni were connected, then the Oni King that turned into an ox might also be of the same kind.

Yasumi: I...if I don't return to school, I...

Yasumi: Have no choice then to return to my father's place...

Yasumi: I don't know what will happen from now on, but it might not be bad.

Normally, If there were a father remaining, that would the best choice.
However, after her mother died and Yasumi became a person without a single relative, the ties between her father must've been completely cut.
If there only needed to be a physical distance kept from the island, then Nekata Yasumi didn't need to become Aizawa Yasumi...
Yasumi didn't seem to know the answer, or if there was a reason for this.

Syouko: Yasumi, it's ok. Even with your physical condition, it'll be ok.

So I said that we'd all return together and I hugged her shaking body.

Yasumi: But, but, what if after I return, something like this happens...

Syouko: Today, you were not conscious of this. You're opposed to hurting Momoko, the kind people in the dorms, and the rest of us, right?

Syouko: As long as you're not tired, and if you rest and recover when you're tired, you wouldn't recklessly attack people, I think.

Yasumi: But...

Syouko: But if you're still tired and can't help it, you can drain vitality from me.

Yasumi: Eh...!?

Syouko: I can't guarantee that I can do it forever, but until I graduate, I'll look after you.

Even after I graduate, if we were not so far apart, I planned to continue doing this much.

Syouko: Within the scope of my power, I'll help you, I'll protect you...

Syouko: This is a promise.

I faced Yasumi and stuck out my right hand, bending the first four of my fingers.

Yasumi: Why...why...are you going this far...

Why...

Syouko: I'm the captain. I have a responsiblity to look after my members.

Yasumi: Then, I'll quit.

Yasumi: Then Syouko-sempai won't have to make such a promise.

Syouko: You're going to leave the club you worked so hard to get into? You're going to leave the club where you couldn't do the same practice sessions as everyone else, so in order to not drag others behind, you became the manager?

Yasumi: But...I...don't want to cause trouble for Syouko-sempai.

Yasumi: I'm the manager! I have to look after the health of all the sempai and everyone else!

Yasumi: Why would you go so far as the captain!? You're just the captain of a club, right!? This has nothing to do with the club!?

Syouko: It's because I'm the captain...

I reiterated my words.
Since I said that, and what I said was correct, I couldn't take back my words.
That's why I took my left hand and thumped my chest, while saying.

Syouko: Maybe it's...not because I'm the captain.

My words didn't support what I felt in my heart.

Syouko: About Yasumi, about the Yasumi that tries so hard, I just can't leave you alone...I think.

I like girls who try their hardest. It was no one in particular. I liked all girls who tried their best, but...

Syouko: Perhaps, I like that part about Yasumi. And since I like that, I just can't leave you alone, I think.

Yasumi: Syo...Syouko-sempai...

Surely, this girl was special. Underneath my left hand, my heart didn't speed up.

Syouko: And also, we're childhood friends, right?

Syouko: We only knew each other a few days, and even now, I can't remember well, but we weren't cold towards each other.

Yasumi: It's because, that event happened...

Yasumi: When I entered Seijou, and until I met sempai, I didn't think that Syouko-chan was still alive...

Eight years ago, I had an accident in the sea. Natsu nee-san died, and I was also on the verge of dying. The memories right before and after that time were vague.

Yasumi: Ah...

But I was still alive. My body was hugging Yasumi.

Yasumi: Is it ok to ask a favor...?

I don't mind.

Yasumi: Is it ok to make a promise...?

That was what I had been saying.

Syouko: I don't like lies, and I wouldn't want to become a liar.

Yasumi: I know. You're bad at lying.

Syouko: I AM bad at it.

Yasumi: Yes...so that's the reason I can believe sempai's words.

Syouko: I see.

Finally, Yasumi smiled, and I could feel strength returning to her body.
Both her legs could now support her body with strength to spare, and I patted her shoulder.

Yasumi: Syouko-sempai?

Covered in a shadow, Yasumi looked up at me.

Yasumi: I..like Syouko-sempai.

From behind wet, black, eyelashes, I was reflected in her straight-forward eyes, as she told me with direct words.

Yasumi: So, I don't want to only receive things from sempai, I want sempai to receive things from me too.

Yasumi: If sempai is going to support me, then I also want to be the closest support to sempai.

Yasumi: Within the scope of my power, I want to help, and protect...

Yasumi linked my arms, which were loose, with hers.
The places were we were in contact, yielded to each other, and the distance between us became zero.

Syouko: Will you stay close to me?

Now just now, but from now on...

Syouko: Can you promise?

Yasumi: Yes, I promise.

My straightened little finger met her little finger, turned to make a ring, and linked together.
That shape wouldn't leave any lasting impression, and it wasn't a ring finger either, but this was a ring that symbolized the oath we swore to each other.

Syouko and Yasumi: We've linked our fingers as a promise.

And the oath was exchanged.

Syouko: And also, I've also been in a complicated state of mind.

Yasumi: Eh?

Syouko: I...I thought I might be the kyuuseiki, and had some big doubts about myself.

Yasumi: Syouko-sempai was? Why did you think that?

Syouko: Yesterday, when Yasumi collapsed, you were with me, right?

Yasumi: Ah...

Syouko: And the clincher was yesterday night's test of courage. Just touching the trunk...

Yasumi: The Tokosaki no Tsubaki...

I had caused a symbol of everlasting life to fall.

Syouko: At that time, I definitely felt some strong "power" flow into my body.

It was like an oni that stole vitality...
There was no definitive proof, but thinking along those lines, there was enough of a connection.

Syouko: Thinking about it, I was on the verge of dying at this very place, eight years ago.

Syouko: If you think about it like that, the me that is here now might be dead, and I'm just an oni.

Yasumi: There's no way that's possible.....!

Syouko: In this world, you never know what might happen.

Yasumi: Yes...

Just a few hours ago, I didn't think anything like what happened could have occurred.

Syouko: ...but, why Ayashiro?

It wasn't someone who had enough leftover stamina like Momoko, or me. It was Ayashiro, who looked to not have much vitality.

Syouko: Yasumi, could it be, about Ayashiro...

Yasumi: I like Syouko-sempai...!!

Syouko: .....

Yasumi: Ah...

We both turned red and we looked at each other.

Syouko: Th...thank you.

Yasumi: Yes...

Yasumi: Maybe it's because I like Syouko-sempai that I didn't attack Syouko-sempai.

Syouko: I can't acknowledge that.

Well, let's leave it at that for now.

Syouko: Yasumi.

Yasumi was sitting on the bed. From her head to her feet, I looked over her entire body. Because her physical body had continued to sleep, there weren't any signs of external wounds. Her pajamas were also unruffled, but...

Syouko: Being attacked by Migiwa, you're a little beat-up, right?

The spirit that was "Yasumi's self" deep within her, shouldn't be without injury.
Looking at Yasumi with that in mind, the thin arms that were sticking out of her half-length, puff sleeves looked more transparent and white than usual.
At the same time, her shins and calves didn't look like they had the energy to support her.
Because she didn't have enough "energy", in order to compensate, it seemed she unconsciously sent out her spirit to drain "energy" from others.
But because Migiwa and I interrupted her while she was trying to drain vitality, and also the spirit which also needed "energy" to be created...she was beat-up.
In other words, right now, Yasumi doesn't have enough "energy".

If I left her like this, then probably tomorrow...actually today, since the new day had already began...in the morning, she'll be in an even worse situation.
If worse comes to worse, she'll turn into a kyuuseiki again and attack someone. Though she was aware of the situation, it might happen unconsciously.

I can't let that happen.

There was also Migiwa, the onikiri to consider, but...
If she knew that she'd hurt people close to her, the feelings of this kind, gentle girl...
Perhaps Yasumi knew about this too so she didn't brighten her faint smile, and acknowledged this.

Yasumi was right now, in a weakened state.

If there was nothing that Yasumi could herself do about her weakness...
If her weak body was going to be prolonged...

Syouko: Then, you can drain my "energy"

Yasumi: Ah, but...

After that invitation, Yasumi looked at my arms, my neck, my face, and several other places. Finally she lowered her eyelids in what looked like embarrassment.

Syouko: You don't have to hold back.

If she held back, it'd actually cause trouble. I couldn't think of another way to keep everone safe.

Syouko: .....

Yasumi: Ah...no...I'm grateful, but, I was just thinking about the principle of how to drain vitality...

Syouko: Ah...

Yasumi: Since I did it unconsciously.

True, if it happened unconsciously, then it'd be hard to know how it was actually done.
And the Yasumi right here was not a spirit that had escaped from the shackles of the body that was its vessel, but a human.

Yasumi: ...

If I touched Yasumi like this, and where she was touching me, no "energy" was being drained.
Maybe it was a special condition that the kyuuseiki possessed?

Yasumi: Um...

I looked at Yasumi, who was looking apologetic, and uncomfortable, and steeled my resolve.

Syouko: They say there's "energy" within blood.

It's said that oni ate people while they were alive, but that was because it was the most easy and efficient way to receive the "energy" in blood.
Or taken to an extreme, in order to receive nourishment, the oni would eat the meat, which was a bonus, along with the spirit.

Yasumi: Yes?

Syouko: Yasumi, this might not work, but I'm already injured, right?

Yasumi: Y, yes.

I slid my fingers along the area where Migiwa's pole nicked me, between my neck and shoulder.

Syouko: .....

In all the excitement, I'd forgotten about the pain, but with that stimulus, it was brought back.
It wasn't a large, open wound, so the blood wasn't flowing out, but I could feel my fingers being covered with a trace of liquid...
Removing my fingers, I could see my pointer and middle fingers were covered in a shining, red color.
I licked my fingers, but I couldn't say anything happened within my mouth.
In the years I've lived, I've been hurt at times and licked my wound, so I've tasted it before, but compared to other food and drink, it had a hard to describe, peculiar characteristic.

It had a metallic taste, but a part of it was somehow sweet. The mysterious taste mixed with my saliva and melted away.
Truthfully, I was half in doubt about whether this really had "energy" in it, but...
I once again brushed my fingers along the wound...
This time, whether it was because it was already wet, or because I was used to it, the sensation was definitely less...

Syouko: The wound, would you mind licking it?

Yasumi: Eh...?

Yasumi: Ah, I guess if it's your own neck, you wouldn't be able to do it yourself. But even if you're saying that saliva has disinfecting properties...

Syouko: Ah, just in case, it might be better to do this after disinfecting. To be precise, my blood, could you lick it?

The wound hadn't closed yet. I confirmed that my fingers were stained with red and placed my fingers in front of her face.

Yasumi: Ah...

Syouko: Please drink my blood.

Yasumi: Eh...to...y,..yes.

Yasumi: Nn...nn...nn...

Yasumi stuck out her tongue and licked the blood on my fingertips. This time, she put her mouth directly on what is considered the fountain of life.
However, because the wound was light, you couldn't drink it as if drinking water, so she diluted it with saliva in order to swallow it.
In order for her to do that, I curved my neck.
Her lips were temporarily parted from my throat, so the air mixed with the saliva, made my skin feel cool.
It made me think of the alcohol disinfectant used before an injection, causing my tailbone to squirm a bit.

Syouko: How is it?

Yasumi: It feels like...deep within my stomach, there's a warm feeling...my body is hot...something like that...nn...

The physical blood wasn't staying in the stomach like it should, but was traveling down the abdomen...
With heated eyes that looked like they were clouded with fever, she looked up at me in question, and then once again, put her lips on my neck.

Syouko: You don't feel bad or anything, do you?

Yasumi: That's, well...it seems ok...

More close to licking than to drinking, if it were only this level, I would be fine.

Yasumi: Nn...nn...nn...

Yasumi and I stayed that way for a while.

Nami: .....

It might've been she was talking in her sleep, but the satisfied sigh that Nami let out caused the two of us to separate at the same time.

Yasumi: Ah...

Syouko: .....

After separating, it felt a little awkward. We looked at each other to decide what to do next.

Yasumi: If we continue beyond this, you might get wrinkled...

Yasumi: Eh..to...we have to patch up your wound!

Yasumi became flustered and went to retreive the first-aid kit.
Tomorrow morning, if Yasumi is feeling ok, we'll have to confront this problem...
It seemed like it would be a good idea to talk to Migiwa, an expert in the area, about this.