Chapter 279 - 279. The Guardian Deity and Fam
Sunlight was blocked by thick fog, reflecting whitely in multiple layers, enveloping the entire village. Without a single insect's chirp, every sound and scent seemed to be swallowed by the fog, as though it wrapped around everything. Fam and I left her house, our hands clasped, turning back only once. The fog enveloped the house, vaguely distorting its outline. Suddenly, a light flickered in the window, and figures huddled together, watching us—I thought I saw them.
'I’m off!' Fam muttered softly. No traces of tears marred her profile, nor were there any new droplets. That occasional, terribly mature gaze in her otherwise childlike face. I couldn't tell if it was resolve or a hollowness that had dried up even her tears. Maybe she’d had even the emotion of grief stolen from her. A small pang of regret struck my chest.
'Master, let’s go.' The next words were directed at me. Fam began walking forward. She didn’t look back again.
Fam seemed to have sorted out her feelings, but the primary goal of breaking her curse hadn’t been achieved. It felt like a meeting with her Guardian Deity was necessary, but there was no clue about that either. We passed by a stone monument in the center of the village. Misaki and the others should be camping ahead.
'A Guardian Deity is enshrined here.' She knelt, adopting the prayer pose she usually gave me each morning.
'This monument belongs to Okita Souji, does it not?' Fam looked up, surprised.
'How do you know?' I recounted yesterday’s exchange with Misaki. I read aloud the inscription on the monument, written in characters this world’s inhabitants couldn’t decipher.
'Was the Guardian Deity Okita Souji…?' She looked up at the monument, staring intently at the carved letters.
'“Unless you move, the dark will overtake flower and water… If there’s a gap, even then, the water flows on believing.” Did he believe that even a gap wouldn’t stop the flow of water?'
Fam placed a hand on her chest. She never would have said that before yesterday. Thinking this, I reached out and stroked her head. Her hair was soft. She narrowed her eyes, as if ticklish, then stood up.
'It looks like someone cleans this monument regularly, even without anyone around.' At that moment, yellow petals fluttered into our field of vision, drifting down onto the monument. Fam reached to brush them away—
The instant she did, her body, along with the surrounding air, seemed to ripple.
'Master—!' I grabbed her outstretched hand firmly. The surrounding scenery warped, then vanished as if swallowed by the fog.
'Where is this…?'
I looked around with Fam. The landscape shifted from the foggy village to an ancient stone corridor. Light filtered from somewhere, preventing total darkness, but the narrow corridor stretched endlessly.
'We’re inside a dungeon.'
I looked back, but a stone wall blocked the exit without needing a search.
'Master, let’s go.' Fam started walking forward. I hurried and grabbed her arm.
'Wait! There might be monsters. Be careful.'
Fam turned and looked at me intently.
'It’s alright. Can’t you hear it?'
I strained my senses, listening, but there was no sound.
'I don’t hear anything! Have you gone mad?'
'No, I can hear it. It’s the Guardian Deity’s voice.'
'Okita Souji, then…?'
Fam and I moved down the corridor. Soon, a massive door appeared. I recognized the pattern carved into it.
'That’s the Area Guardian’s room.'
'Let’s enter.'
'What if the monster inside is the God of the End? Maira said even Racshell’s spear couldn’t defeat him!'
The Five Pillar Goddesses, including Racshell, were defeated in battle by the God of the End, then imprisoned by the other Fifty Gods.
'Master, the Area Guardian isn’t the God of the End.'
Fam’s voice was surprisingly calm. It felt like she knew we’d reach here all along.
'Does everyone cursed come here?' If that were the case, I wished she had told me earlier, but she shook her head.
'I don’t know about the others. Luna didn’t mention anything like that.'
'Who’s Luna?'
'Didn’t we talk about her last night? Your older sister… Lily’s best friend. She has the same brown dog ears as me, but her fur is longer and wavy. She was someone I comforted while they were sick.' Fam furrowed her brow. Now that she mentioned it, we had talked about her. Lily wasn’t a blood sister, but an older woman Fam admired from the neighborhood. I recalled that she cheated and married into a young man’s family in the next village. As I pondered this, Fam opened the Area Guardian’s door.
'Master, together.'
Urged by Fam, I reluctantly stepped inside.
The door behind us closed silently by itself.
It was a wide, circular room. The floor, walls, and high ceiling were covered in white stone tiles. The source of light was unknown, but the entire room was illuminated, negating the need for torches. Further in, a door of the same design as the entrance was firmly closed.
Without a doubt, it was the Area Guardian’s room. I clenched my sword. But Fam stood still, unwilling to move.
'Hey!' I called out. At that moment, light particles rained down like raindrops from the ceiling, coalescing on the ground into the figure of a human. The figure wore black tabi socks, black hakama secured at the calves, and an indigo and white checkered haori with long sleeves and hems. Dark particles rose like flames from his entire body, seeming like the caution he emanated. His face was shrouded in deep shadow, his nose and mouth barely discernible. A hachimaki was wrapped around his brow, the metallic plate reflecting a dull light. As he swung the haori aside, I saw a katana and wakizashi at his waist. His hand tightened on the hilt.
'Okita Souji…?' My question was unanswered. He quietly ran his thumb inside the kabuto’s chin guard. The white blade, smoothly and silently unsheathed, danced in the air. I held my breath at the exquisite technique. This wasn’t an opponent I could defeat in a fight. I knew it instinctively. My fingers gripping the sword grew damp with sweat.
'Master…!' Fam looked at me. As if she didn’t feel Okita Souji’s pressure, she turned her back to him and approached me.
'I want to fight with Master’s sword. Will you lend it to me?'
'Hey, don’t you understand? That’s not someone you or I can defeat. Summon Racshell!'
Hearing my words, Fam shook her head calmly.
'The Guardian Deity is here to fight me one-on-one. To break my curse, I have to fight alone.' She turned her gaze back to Okita Souji. Covered in black energy, his movements were obscured, making his emotions unreadable. Yet, he seemed to be waiting for our move and wasn’t showing any aggressive intent.
'How do you know all this?'
Fam tilted her head at my question.
'You can’t hear it… Master? But I can hear the Guardian Deity’s voice.'
That’s the voice of the thing that made you sick and tormented you! I almost retorted, but the words didn’t come. Instead, I offered the sword.
'Fam, if you feel dangerous, I’ll do anything to save you.'
Fam’s hand reached for the sword. She leaned closer and kissed me.
'It’s alright. Master, please watch from here.'
She took the sword and turned, fixing a sharp gaze on Okita Souji.
As Fam held the sword in a raised stance, Okita Souji mirrored her. Her shoulders seemed tense, perhaps due to unfamiliarity or the weight of the blade, shifting her center of gravity forward. In contrast, Okita Souji’s stance was natural and effortless, with no openings. She took a step forward to close the distance. Just as their blades were about to clash, Okita Souji’s sword traced a semicircle, deflecting Fam’s. The sword left Fam’s hand, soared higher than expected, and clattered to the floor. Fam froze for a moment, as if unable to process what had happened. Then, as she rushed to pick up the sword, a blade pressed against her neck. It happened with such speed that I barely registered it. The action was flawlessly smooth with no wasted motion.
'Fam!'
As I tried to rush over, the tip of the sword moved just enough to restrain me. I tried to react, but realized I wasn’t armed.
'Hah.'
As I hesitated between supporting Fam with magic or summoning Racshell, Fam picked up the sword and took her stance again.
'Master, don’t interfere.' She declared. She then jumped lightly into the air, as if testing her body’s springiness. The momentary waver in her stance—then she instantly closed the gap. At the same time, she feinted and hopped sideways. In response, Okita Souji simply aligned his tip with her movements, preventing her from closing the distance. Fam once retreated as a feint, then forcefully stepped forward and slashed.
'Yah—!'
A fierce clash of metal rang out with her shout. She failed to outmaneuver Okita Souji, losing balance and falling. Once again, Okita Souji’s blade pressed against her neck. She wiped her mouth and glared up at Okita Souji. When he withdrew the blade, Fam stood and took her stance. Seeing this, I realized. He was giving Fam a trial, trying to teach her his swordsmanship. He was testing her resolve. Even so, the gap between Fam and Okita Souji’s skill was astronomical.
'Hey! I don’t know if you’re Okita Souji or a Guardian Deity, but she’s only been holding a sword for three months. Even among those, she’s on the stronger side. I don’t know what you seek in her. But she’s not at your level.'
I shouted, so he had to have heard me. However, Okita Souji showed no reaction to my words. Then, he aimed his sword at Fam.
'Fam’s personality isn’t suited for fighting in the first place. At least give her time to figure that out.'
Okita Souji still didn’t react to my words. However, Fam responded.
'What if I’m not suited for fighting?'
'Nothing. You don’t need to rush. You need time.'
She tilted her head at my words.
'Time? …How much time do I need?'
'Well… ten years. Become whatever you want to be.'
She grimaced.
'Ten years. That’s longer than the time you were given, isn’t it? I can’t protect what I’m supposed to protect. I don’t want that anymore. I will overcome this trial and protect Master. This time, it’s together. No matter what, it’s together. I won’t be left behind alone!'
Fam clenched her teeth and looked back at Okita Souji.
Thank you for reading! I am encouraged by the like button, bookmark, and positive reviews. Thank you for pointing out typos. They help me a lot.
---