kscans

Chapter 279 - The Guardian God, and Famu

The sunlight was blocked by a thick mist, scattering in countless white reflections that blanketed the entire village. Not a single insect chirped; it felt as if the mist had swallowed all sound and smell.

Famu and I left her house. We held hands and looked back one last time. The mist shrouded the house, blurring its outline. For a moment, I thought I saw a light flicker in the window and the silhouettes of two people, huddled together, looking back at us.

"We're going now," Famu whispered. There were no tear tracks on her profile, nor were any new drops falling. It was that intensely mature gaze she sometimes showed, a stark contrast to her usual childishness. I couldn't tell if it was her resolve or a void so deep that even her tears had dried up. A small pang of regret pierced my chest—perhaps I had robbed her of her sadness.

"Master, let's go." Her next words were for me. Famu started walking ahead. She didn't look back again.

Famu seemed to have found some closure, but our main objective—breaking her curse—was still unfulfilled. I felt that required a meeting between her and the guardian deity, but we had no leads. We passed by the stone monument in the center of the village. Mizuki and the others should be camped just beyond it.

"This is where we worship the guardian deity," she said. She knelt and assumed the prayer pose she always did for me in the morning.

"This monument is for Okita Soji, you know."

Famu looked up in surprise.

"How do you know that?" I told her about my conversation with Mizuki and the others yesterday, reading aloud the characters on the monument that the people of this world couldn't decipher.

"So the guardian deity was Okita Soji..." She looked up at the monument, staring at the carved words.

"Ugokaneba yami ni hedatsu ya hana to mizu... Without water, flowers cannot bloom. Perhaps he believed that even if there was a separation, the water would continue to flow." Famu placed a hand on her chest. Until yesterday, she would never have said something like that. I placed my hand on her head and stroked her soft hair. She squinted as if it tickled, then stood up.

"It looks like this monument has been properly cleaned, even though no one is here." Just then, a yellow flower petal drifted into our view from somewhere. It fluttered down and landed on top of the monument.

Famu reached out to brush it away. The moment she did, her body seemed to warp along with the air around her.

"Master!"

I grabbed her outstretched hand tightly. At the same time, the surrounding scenery distorted, and we were swallowed by the mist, unable to see anything.

"Where..."

Famu and I looked around. The misty village view had vanished, and we were now standing in an ancient stone corridor. Light shone from an unseen source, so it wasn't completely dark, but the narrow corridor stretched on endlessly.

"We're in a dungeon." I turned around, but a stone wall blocked our path. There was no need to search for an exit.

"Master, let's go," Famu said, starting to walk forward. I hurriedly grabbed her arm.

"Wait. There might be monsters. Be careful." Famu turned and stared at me intently.

"It's all right. Can't you hear it?" I strained my ears, trying to sense anything ahead, but I heard nothing.

"I can't hear anything. Are you going crazy?"

"N-No! I can hear it. The voice of the guardian deity."

"Okita Soji...?" We proceeded down the corridor together. Soon, a massive door appeared before us. I recognized the ornate door.

"This is an Area Guardian's room."

"Let's go in."

"What are you going to do if the monster inside is the God of the End?! According to Myra, not even Laciel's spear works on it!" Laciel and the other four goddesses had been defeated in their battle with the God of the End and imprisoned by the other Fifty Gods.

"Master, the Area Guardian is not the God of the End." Famu's tone was remarkably calm. It felt as if she had known from the start that we would end up here.

"Could it be that everyone who's cursed comes here?" If that was the case, I wish she had told me sooner, but she shook her head.

"I don't know about the others. Luna never said anything like that."

"Who's Luna?"

"Didn't I tell you last night? She's my older sister's... Lily's best friend. She has brown dog ears like me, but her hair is long and wavy. She was the one who got sick before me." Famu furrowed her brow. Had she mentioned that? I couldn't possibly remember everyone's name, but I did remember Lily. Not her biological sister, but a neighborhood girl Famu looked up to. I think she said she was two-timing someone and ended up marrying a young man from the next village. While I was lost in thought, Famu opened the Area Guardian's door.

"Master, together."

Urged on by Famu, I reluctantly stepped into the room with her.

The door behind us closed silently on its own. It was a large, circular room. The floor, walls, and high ceiling were all covered in white stone tiles. The source of the light was unclear, but the entire room was illuminated, making torches unnecessary. At the far end was another door of the same design as the one we entered through, shut tight.

This was definitely an Area Guardian's room. I tightened my grip on my sword. Famu, however, just stood there, motionless.

"Hey!"

Just as I spoke, particles of light rained down from the ceiling in the center of the room, like raindrops, and solidified on the floor into a human figure. The figure wore black tabi socks and black hakama trousers tied at the shins. Over that was a long-hemmed, wide-sleeved haori with a light-blue and white mountain pattern. Black, ash-like particles rose from its entire body like flames, which I took to be the fighting spirit it exuded. Its face was shrouded in deep shadow, its features indistinct. A metal plate on the headband tied around its forehead gave off a dull gleam. The figure lifted its haori, revealing a long sword and a short sword worn at its waist. Its hand gripped the scabbard of the long sword.

"Okita Soji...?" Without answering my question, he placed his thumb on the inside of the handguard and silently drew the blade partway. The white steel, drawn smoothly and without a sound, danced in the air.

I held my breath at the sheer refinement of the movement. This was not an opponent I could win against in a sword fight. I knew it instinctively. My sword hand grew slick with sweat.

"Master..." Famu looked at me. Seemingly unfazed by Okita Soji's presence, she turned her back to him and walked toward me.

"I want to fight with your sword, Master. Would you lend it to me?"

"Hey, don't you get it? That's not an opponent you or I can handle. I'm calling Laciel." Famu quietly shook her head at my words.

"The guardian deity is here to fight me one-on-one. To break the curse, I must fight alone." I glanced at Okita Soji. Covered in black fighting spirit, I couldn't even see the movement of his eyes, and his emotions were unreadable. However, he seemed to be waiting for our move and didn't appear to be on the verge of attacking.

"How do you know that?" Famu 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 one who made you sick and caused you to suffer, I wanted to retort, but the words wouldn't come out. Instead, I held out my sword.

"Famu, if I think you're in danger, I'll do whatever it takes to save you." Famu placed her hand on the sword. She leaned in further and kissed me.

"It's all right. Please just watch from here, Master." She took the sword from me and turned a sharp gaze on Okita Soji.

As Famu took a middle guard stance, Okita Soji mirrored her, also taking a middle guard. Famu seemed tense, her muscles not yet accustomed to the weight of the sword. Her shoulders looked stiff, and her center of gravity appeared to be shifted forward. In contrast, Okita Soji's stance was natural, a beautiful form with no tension at all. He seemed to have no openings. Famu moved forward to close the distance. Just as their blades were about to meet, Okita Soji's sword drew a half-moon, catching hers and twisting it away. The sword flew from Famu's grasp, sailing higher than expected before clattering to the floor.

For a moment, Famu stood frozen, as if she didn't understand what had happened. As she scrambled to retrieve her sword, his blade was pressed against her neck. The movement was so swift, so impossibly smooth and efficient, that I didn't even have time to gasp.

"Famu!" I started to rush forward, but the tip of his blade shifted, freezing me in place. I prepared to fight back, only to realize I was unarmed.

"Tch!" While I hesitated between supporting Famu with magic or summoning Laciel, Famu had already picked up her sword and reset her stance.

"Master, do not interfere," Famu declared. She then did a few light vertical hops, as if testing the spring in her own body. For a moment, her body wavered, and then she closed the distance in a single burst. I thought she would attack at the same time, but she feinted and then leaped sideways.

In response, Okita Soji simply kept the tip of his sword pointed at her. That alone was enough to prevent Famu from attacking.

Famu feinted a retreat, then forcefully stepped forward and swung.

"Hya!" With her spirited cry, a sharp clang of metal rang out. Her attack was parried by Okita Soji, and she stumbled, losing her balance. Again, the tip of his blade was at her neck.

She wiped her mouth and glared up at Okita Soji. He withdrew his blade, and Famu stood up, raising her sword once more. Watching this, I understood. He was testing Famu, trying to teach her his swordsmanship. And Famu was trying to meet that challenge. But the gap in skill between Famu and Okita Soji was immense.

"Hey! I don't know if you're Okita Soji or a guardian deity or what, but she's only been holding a sword for about three months. She's strong for her level, but I don't know what you expect from her. She's not at a level where she can fight you." I was shouting, so he should have heard me. But Okita Soji showed no reaction to my words. He turned his blade toward Famu.

"Famu's personality isn't suited for combat in the first place. At least give her some time to figure that out." As before, Okita Soji didn't react to my words. But Famu did.

"What would you do if I wasn't suited for combat?"

"I wouldn't do anything. There's no need to rush. You need time." She tilted her head at my words.

"Time...? Just how much time do you think I need?"

"Let's see... ten years. You can become whatever you want to be." Her face twisted.

"Ten years. Isn't that longer than the time you've been given, Master? I can't protect the things I want to protect. I'm tired of that. I will overcome this trial and protect you. This time, we'll be together. No matter what happens, we'll be together. I won't be the only one left behind again!" Famu gritted her teeth and turned her gaze back to Okita Soji.