Chapter 93.4

Chapter 93.4

[Part 4/4]

"Oh, finally!"

"Hehehe, been waiting for this." The initial posting of this chapter occurred via N0v3l.B11n.

Iruka remarks with exasperation at the white fox's behavior. In response to her declaration, the soldiers gathered around the campfire start gathering their desired items from the bucket one by one.

As the soldiers formed their own group and began drinking and reveling, Iruka turned to the servant and posed a question, her voice laced with intrigue, "How about you? Are you going to drink?"

The servant shook his head, his voice carrying a sense of duty, "No, I have the night watch duty. I'm good," he assured. "You can go ahead and sleep if you want. Just don't drink too much. We'll take turns later, after all."

"Heh, what a boring guy."

Iruka sighs at the servant's response, opens the bottle of booze she obtained from the storehouse, and drinks directly from it. She also grabs pickled vegetables from the storehouse, biting into a whole pickled radish and crunching it.

"Heh, aren't you the carefree one? Don't you lack a sense of tension?"

"Didn't I say it before? Life is short and thick."

In response to the servant's impression, Iruka confidently proclaims her philosophy. It was an unmistakable expression of her true feelings. In these times, it's ridiculous to hold back and have regrets. Iruka had made up her mind to live and die in a straightforward and honest manner.

"...It's not like I have any complaints about your view of life. After all, I haven't lived a life where I can preach about it either."

The servant shrugs his shoulders with a mix of genuine exasperation and self-mockery, sipping his tea. Iruka pauses her drinking, observing the servant intently.

"...What's wrong?"

"Take this!!"

"Ouch!?"

"Whoa!?"

Immediately, Iruka forcefully yanks a part of the servant's hair. The servant involuntarily screams in pain. Startled by the scream, the white fox girl next to them wakes up in a dazed state.

"Hehehe, your reaction just now was pretty good, huh?"

"You...!?"

"W-What happened...!?"

Iruka stands up, laughing gleefully, while the servant slightly accuses her with a teary voice. Meanwhile, Shiro, still groggy and confused, looks back and forth between the two. By the way, the soldiers of the group were observing the scene with amusement from a little distance away. They were purely enjoying the spectacle as entertainment with their drinks.

"This pickled radish is no good. The pickling is halfway done. I guess I'll go find some other side dish."

"Don't you dare come back ever!!"

As Iruka heads back to the storehouse, the servant shouts insults at her. The bewildered Shiro looks around, unable to understand what is happening, while the soldiers burst into laughter. With that commotion behind her, Iruka leaves the scene, laughing heartily.

Unfortunately, the sight of her secretly tucking the torn hair into her pocket remains hidden in the shadows and unseen by anyone. Her expression, as if she had bitten into a bitter bug, also...

* * *

"Facilitate supplies and accommodations... huh? But stretching it to include manpower is an expansive interpretation. I might get criticized later."

"But you and your group are just three people, including the kid, right? Don't you need more manpower?"

"You can't put your own needs ahead of others, huh..."

I couldn't help but nod at Hikorokurō's suggestion. Honestly, these soldiers, who tried to touch Yukine... no, Suzune and the others, were a handful. But that's how it was. Hikorokurō's words were rough, but his gaze was serious. It seemed that he, too, felt a sense of crisis about his own village being ravaged by the Namahage, and there was even a hint of impatience in his expression.

"Understood. I will allow you to accompany us. However, I have two conditions."

"What are they?"

"First, you must follow my warnings and orders. You and your group are amateurs when it comes to curses and yokai, right? You struggled even against those weaklings the other day. I'm not being conceited, but I have more knowledge in that area than you do. I don't want you to do anything foolish and make the situation worse."

"...And the second?"

"You need to improve your behavior. Don't act like you did in the capital the other day towards my companions, fellow travelers, or villagers we encounter along the way. If you can't do that, then you'll just be a hindrance."

Hikorokurō glared at me for a moment in response to my proposal. He glared for a moment... then sighed in frustration.

"Fine, I got it. You really hold grudges, don't you? Don't worry, that day was unexpected for us too. And it was night duty on top of that. We had drinks and were annoyed. Onitsuki, right? That bratty maid was also getting on my nerves. ...Hey, hey, don't give me that look. We won't do something like that again. That werewolf is scary too."

As soon as he mentioned Suzune, Hikorokurō hurriedly tried to explain himself, sensing my hostility. His words seemed genuine. It appeared that being overwhelmed by Iruka and collapsing had traumatized him to some extent. It was convenient in a way.

"...Sigh. Here."

"Hm? What's with your hand?"

"It's a handshake. I'm not planning to boss you around with a nod of my head. I show sincerity to those who cooperate... Or perhaps, you don't want to touch hands because I have spiritual power and might be a monster?"

I said with a slightly sarcastic and playful tone.

"...You really do have a good personality."

In response to my words, Hikorokurō briefly widened his eyes, but then quickly put on a genuinely displeased expression. And as if responding to my call, he tightly gripped my hand...

...

...

...

"...By the way, you. Your hand has been chewed by the horse since earlier."

"What?! How many arms are you chewing?!"

Immediately after Hikorokurō's remark, I hurriedly withdrew my hand from my mouth, along with the hay, and vigorously slapped the cheek of the blue-haired dark horse that had been eagerly nibbling on it.

It was the story of the night before we departed from the station...

Murasaki Fan art : https://www.pixiv.net/artworks/98299837