Chapter 93.2

Chapter 93.2

[Part 2/4]

Considering the messenger's words, he must know that one village has been destroyed... but it is not unusual for a village to be destroyed. The bodies have been disposed of. It's reasonable to assume that it's now the responsibility of the exorcists from the household, and perhaps the fact that we've been dealing with Namahage in a haphazard manner for over two hundred years has made it difficult for them to connect the dots. They seem to be unaware of the situation we're currently facing.

Well, it's not like it would be the best idea to tell them the truth. They might refuse to follow this mission and try to escape.

"...Ah, I know," I said, my voice tinged with hesitation, "It's not a pleasant story, but do you want to hear it?"

"Of course," he replied earnestly, his tone laced with determination. He glanced at the other soldier beside him, seeking confirmation, and added, "I'm not risking my life for some order I don't understand. Right, guys?"

"Yeah," chimed in the other soldier, his voice full of conviction, "tell us."

His companion nodded in agreement, his voice reflecting a mix of anxiety and curiosity, "Yeah, it's better than dying without a clue."

The tension in the air intensified as the last soldier stepped forward, his voice laced with urgency, "And what about that monster from earlier? If you know something, tell us now!"

Hikorokurō's words lure the other soldiers, who are wearing jingasa (a type of kasa), into asking for my explanation. Fortunately, the prohibition of disclosing information was directed at the villagers and not the soldiers. Besides, it would be difficult to hide the truth now that we've reached this point.

"Well, then..."

Therefore, I proceed to explain the current situation. I tell them about the Namahage, the fact that the opposing exorcists have lost track of it, which resulting in the destruction of one village, the county governor's failure to prepare for the village's evacuation, our mission, and...

"Wait a minute," Hikorokurō said, his voice laced with curiosity. "So, what's the situation here at this station...?"

"That's exactly what it means," I reply matter-of-factly, my words tinged with a hint of impatience.

"No way..." Hikorokurō's voice trails off, disbelief coloring his tone. "You've got to be kidding me..."

He clutches his head, his voice filled with anguish, and slumps down in despair.

The boundaries that protect the scattered stations throughout Fusō-kuni are not easily broken by small youkai or low-level medium youkai. Even if there were instances where they were breached, it certainly doesn't apply to this case. Besides, after dissecting the monsters we gathered and examining their insides, we hardly found anything resembling human flesh. In other words, those pests were not the ones responsible for turning this station into such a gruesome scene. By the way, something resembling a carrier pigeon was found in the stomach of an arm insect.

"Based on the investigation I and my friend conducted earlier, it seems that this station was attacked a few days ago. It must have been at least a week ago."

"..."

As the soldiers, including the substitute fire commander, come to understand their own situation and the state of Hieda County, silence falls upon them. I take a sip from my cup and then grab a piece of dried meat from my pocket. Steam rises from the cup, which I had been cooling on the side. I don't offer any to Iruka. She has her own portion. What? She has already finished all of hers? Don't mess with me!

"...What do you plan to do?"

After a few moments of back-and-forth, I reluctantly hand over several pieces of dried meat to Hikorokurō. He looks at me with a tense expression and asks me a question. I sit back down and gaze into the campfire for a while before answering.

"Our mission remains the same. We will continue searching for the whereabouts of Namahage and report back once we find any information. ...Of course, we will also report on the state of this station."

"Report? How do you plan to do that? You guys don't have carrier pigeons, do you? Are you going to send a messenger alone?"

My response to Hikorokurō's words is to extend my arm and show him the piece of paper placed in the palm of my hand.

"What's this? It's just a piece of paper... Whoa!"

For a moment, the soldiers stared at my palms with puzzled expressions, but then they recoiled in surprise as a pigeon shikigami emerged from my hands. They were taken aback, their knees giving way in astonishment. I couldn't help but let out a wry smile beneath my expression. What I was doing seemed like a magic trick with doves.

The station was already in a dilapidated state. As part of disposing of the monsters' corpses, the plan was to burn down the building when we left. Since it would be burned anyway, there wouldn't be any problem with taking supplies... That was Iruka's argument.

"I don't mind, but don't linger too long. We've mostly cleaned up, but there might still be some youkai lurking around. Don't forget your weapons."

"If possible, see if you can find some sake or cigarettes too. It's so cold, especially sake sounds good."

Hikorokurō placed an order in response to my words. In fact, the remaining soldiers also followed suit. Perhaps they didn't want to move away from the campfire. Shrugging her shoulders, Iruka walked towards the storehouse.

After some time, the sound of footsteps gradually faded away, and a tranquil silence enveloped the surroundings once more...

"Tomobe-san..." a voice echoed beside me. It was Shiro.

"For now, wrap yourself in a blanket and get some sleep," I replied, my words filled with a gentle insistence. "We don't know when or where we'll be able to sleep."

"But I also have some work to do..." Shiro interjected, her voice tinged with a touch of determination.

"Don't push yourself too hard," I cautioned, my tone brimming with paternal worry. "A brat like you shouldn't be overexerting. ...You also look exhausted from this blizzard." Pausing, I carefully observed her, my voice morphing into a comforting murmur. "I mean, your eyes seem tired."

Shiro's eyes clearly showed signs of sleepiness. It must have been a relief for her to have the campfire and tea. It seemed like the tension had snapped.

"The body doesn't lie. You shouldn't force yourself. Here, take this mat."

Apologizing, I handed Shiro a cheap sleeping mat I had taken out from the supplies. It was a single-person mat, meant for camping.

"Yes... I'm sorry."

Shiro nodded slightly, her fox ears and tail drooping. She spread the mat beside me, wrapped herself in warm clothing like a makeshift blanket, and curled up before lying down.

"Tomobe-san."

"What is it?"

"Thank you for helping me earlier when I was attacked."

"...Just go to sleep."

"...Okay."

After that, Shiro fell silent. Before long, I could hear her soft sighs and the sound of her breathing turning into light snores.

"..."

I sipped my tea, trying to ward off the growing fatigue and drowsiness that I myself was beginning to feel. Then, I looked out of the partially destroyed window of the station. The blizzard made it nearly impossible to see anything outside the station... It was frustrating, like having a bitter pill stuck in my throat. An indescribable sensation of discomfort.

"D*mn it."

I muttered under my breath, barely audible to anyone. Something, something was bothering me. An inexplicable sense of unease. But I didn't know what it was. I couldn't explain it, couldn't say anything about it to anyone, and that only made me more frustrated.

And because of that, all I could do was sit there alone, consumed by restlessness...

*To be continued*