Chapter 127.3

Chapter 127.3

[Part 3/4]

Murasaki scolds Shirowakamaru, who is teary-eyed while stroking the arm grabbed by an unfamiliar man. Towards the end, she points it out in a soft voice. Blushing, she holds the collar of her thin attire she's wearing.

"Well, it was dark, right!? I- I mean... You couldn't see anything, right!!?" The original appearance of this chapter can be found at Ñøv€lß1n.

Tamaki, following behind, asks for confirmation while pulling her risky hem. The oversized yukata, however, appeared quite suspicious when it moved vigorously. But Hotoya Tamaki's devised infiltration plan was essentially impersonating an employee. To put it more accurately, it involved taking out about three men who worked at the bathhouse using ambush tactics. After knocking them out, they would borrow their clothes and sneak in. Since this bathhouse was open almost all night, they couldn't aim for closing time. There was also the need to protect the princess's safety as soon as possible. Choices were limited.

"But this...!! It's-it's shameless!!"

Murasaki spits out with a trembling voice. Their current situation was a last resort due to being unable to use the loincloth. The humid bathhouse environment had made their yukata quite thin. It was so thin that they feared it might become see-through, and it was only in the dimly lit room that they could bear their shame.

"Quickly do what needs to be done and let's get out of here...!! This area should be good enough. Hurry up and do it!! We're enduring it over here, you know!!"

"Ugh, I know. You're so noisy..."

Deep within the bath area, in the corners, Murasaki, having arrived at a seemingly unpopular place, hastily commands. Shirowakamaru, commanded, continues stroking his arm... could he be a Mysophobia? Tamaki wondered, observing him begrudgingly cursing. Guided by the light of a small candle holder in their hands, they draw a protective circle with lime they had concealed in their pockets. Tamaki and Murasaki keep watch of their surroundings in the meantime.

Shirowakamaru casts divination. He chants lengthy curse verses. Tamaki sneakily observes his demeanor.

(...He's a boy, right?)

The sight of a boy with soaked fabric clinging to his slender body was somewhat fantastical, given that it seemed to emerge from the darkness. Exuding an air of illusion and overflowing sensuality, he had seemingly sweated in the steam, making even the act of pushing his hair back appear enchanting. Frankly, it was hard to believe he was a boy.

*Gulp...*

Unintentionally swallowing his saliva, and perhaps in response, Tamaki hurriedly averted her gaze, not wanting her emotions to be deciphered by the gaze that had suddenly turned toward her. Yet, in doing so, she flinched at the sudden sound emanating from below.

"What's wrong...!!?"

"Uh, well... this, I guess?"

Instinctively squatting and investigating the source of the noise, Tamaki directed her suspicious gaze toward Murasaki. Soon, she identified the source in the darkness. It was an empty bath bucket. Acknowledging it, the daughter of Akō family let out a sigh of relief.

"...Honestly, don't startle me like that."

"S- Sorry..."

Accepting Tamaki's apology, Murasaki turned her back. She checked the progress of the curse.

"...Alright. Got it. All that's left is to record the results on the map."

Just as Shirowakamaru finished the curse and stored the tools, the former boy lightly rubbed out the floor circle. Murasaki nodded, turning to face Tamaki. She was about to say something when...

In the darkness, a silver light gleamed.

"Ugh!!? Dangerous...!!?"

"Huh...!?"

It was a premonition, and it was chilling. Tamaki, instinctively shouting, had thrown a bath bucket next to Murasaki in an attempt to throw it at her. To be more precise, she had aimed it just beside Murasaki.

'Sha...!!?'

A sense of helplessness and anger surges within Tamaki as she mows down the corpses before her. Consciously harboring a dark emotion, Tamaki's thoughts extend beyond.

(Is this forbidden technique, could it be the doing of the kidnappers from that Miyataka? If that's the case, what happened to Suzune...!!?)

Tamaki trembles, envisioning the worst-case scenario. Although the perpetrators of the kidnapping can't be denied, she had thought that such outrageous acts wouldn't be committed against people serving the court. However, does this situation warrant a change in perception...!?

"You scoundrels!!"

When the number of cut down monsters exceeds ten, Murasaki, frustrated by the growing number of 'Akaname', releases a portion of her youkai blade's power.

"Strangle them, 'Kubisage'!!"

A declaration followed by a swing. Simultaneously, her slender blade transforms. Stretching like a whip, splitting apart, entwining. Countless blade-like strands tighten around the necks of over a dozen 'Akaname'.

'■■■■!!'

'■■■■!!?'

As if hanged, they clutch their constricted necks, the 'Akaname' let out inexpressible roars. And... the moment Murasaki tightens her blade, they suddenly fall silent. The heads of the strangled monsters roll as soon as their necks are severed.

"'Chirase (Scatter).' 'Hazure (Explode).'"

The talisman-controlled porcupines under Shirowakamaru's command faithfully executed his orders. They scattered their back spines, skewering the surrounding 'Akaname'. Immediately after, like balloons swelling up, they dove into the group and exploded. The blast scattered the 'Akaname', limbs flying, slamming them against the walls.

It's a tactic similar to what was used in Hieda County... However, in reality, the needles this time are coated with poison, and they're filled with not just gravel but also metal shards, enhancing their killing power. The latter might be more effective, but it's dubious how effective it is against these moving corpses.

'■■!!'

'■■■■!!?'

A newcomer leaps over the partition between the men's and women's baths and charges at them. Tamaki's blade catches the tongue wrapped around it and captures it.

"Ugh!!? What the...!"

Immediately, Tamaki enhances her physical strength with her spiritual power, then swings her sword with all her might. She swings the captured 'Akaname' through its tongue, hitting the surrounding 'Akaname' and sending them flying. The long tongue tears with an unpleasant sound. Fortunately, there's no blood spurting since the bodies are already dead.

'Roarrrr!!!!'

"What!?"

"Roaring... is this a new kind...!?"

Animalistic cries, screams or shouts. Even from the darkness, they can see that several guests have gone mad and rushed out of the individual bath compartments, some with bath water still clinging to them. Following them, the grotesque monster, a mishmash of fish and beast, emerges.

"A tiger!?"

"A Suiko, perhaps. But that appearance...!!"

Murasaki and Shirowakamaru display bitter expressions and roll their eyes in response to Tamaki's shock.

It's spelled 'Suiko' (水虎). However, as a monster that actually dwells in the wild, a true Suiko should resemble a kappa more than the creature before their eyes. What they're seeing is...!!

"One of the forbidden techniques, huh. Ugh... an imitation...!!"