Chapter v12-epilogue-3

Chapter v12-epilogue-3

[Part 1/4]

The peacock raged, its demands laced with desperation and hatred. A threat was implied in its words, a rash move that was somewhat uncharacteristic.

The straightforward behavior of the cunning and infamous Black Butterfly Woman was unexpected... Matsuhige's granddaughter carefully chose her words, trying to understand the meaning behind her actions.

"...I understand. But what about your side? After all, I'm merely a shikigami at that time. I hear that your granddaughter herself plans to come in person. If she's truly one of Onitsuki's elite, shouldn't she be able to detect some trace?"

It was a valid question, but to the entity beyond the peacock, it sounded like a taunt. It paused for a moment, then responded with a curse, as if spitting it out.

'...! She sensed a presence... Unfortunately, it disappeared immediately, so we couldn't grasp its true nature!!'

"What?... One of Onitsuki's direct descendants, a pure-blooded one, like that?"

Botan openly doubted the peacock's words, her brow furrowed in suspicion. She questioned if the peacock was lying, as she couldn't believe it. She had come to understand the princess's unreasonable talent and power to the point of exhaustion. She should be able to see through everything in an instant. Yet... she couldn't?

'That's our line! No matter how many times I say it, the answer is the same! That child, how pathetic...!!'

The peacock's angry voice sounded like it was about to explode. Its behavior and raw emotions seemed far from fake. It's hard to believe, but it was clear that this incident was either a self-made problem by Onitsuki or the work of someone unusual.

"Only a few can deceive the second princess of Onitsuki, even for a moment. What about Miyataka?"

'I've already done that much. I went to their house and tried to gather information, but there was absolutely no response!'

"That's something..."

Botan thought it was quite fast. Just stepping into the enemy territory of Miyataka was already dangerous, and on top of that, there were many investigations to deal with. To avoid making the other side angry, to not be suspected, and to search... it was reckless for a black butterfly lady.

Even if the item they were looking for was indeed important, the actions taken were almost outrageous.

(This doesn't make sense. No, no, could it be... could it really be?)

Doubting the extreme actions, Botan immediately denied the possibilities that came to mind.

(Could it really be...?)

Am I being influenced by my foolish values as a succubus? It seems too ridiculous. Is a grown strategist's mind really filled with such silly thoughts? How pathetic.

'That child is just as bad!! Even though it could lead to Onitsuki's crisis, she's calmly hanging out at the merchant's mansion! What on earth is she thinking!!?'

"..."

It seems that the second princess of Onitsuki isn't as upset as the Advisor in front of her. Probably because of her status as a daughter of the Tachibana family. The problem is her intentions, but unfortunately, Botan doesn't understand. Is there some kind of crack between the two? Is there a rift in their cooperation?

(No, it's funny that I'm having this kind of conversation with her...)

Contrary to the raging peacock, Botan suddenly recognized the situation calmly and couldn't help but smirk. Where did it all begin?

Before she knew it, she had fallen into a position of being a marked succubus, revolving around that man, and here she is discussing things that would be bad if heard by the court or exorcists, emphasizing and sharing secrets...

(It's really a strange story...)

She thought he was just a pawn in the power struggle of the Onitsuki family, but it goes beyond that. The man she thought was just a mediocre person has now taken an extraordinary position, and he, along with those around him, are being swept along by it. And she find herself secretly not minding it.

'Grrrr!?'

With a sound that seemed to say "poof," the white divine spider fell as if jumping into the sky. The bear, not even commanded, hurriedly caught it with both hands. Fool, it would have been better to let it fall to the floor and suffer a painful experience.

'(^‿^) Ehehe! My little sister is so shy! You're really happy to see your big sister again, even if you won’t admit it!'

"Genbu, just throw it in that water jar over there."

'Growl...'

Its response to the playful nonsense seems to speak directly to her mind. Hey, you stupid bear, listen to the command. Why are you looking at me with that baby-protecting gesture? Stop those puppy-dog eyes. And that dog perched on the bear's head is laughing. I'll make you skip a meal today. And you, cat, stop pretending it's none of your business and taking another nap.

'Hee hee hee. It's so lively and fun. It's like a zoo!'

"You're not praising us, are you? You're insulting us, right?"

Botan quickly calls out the snake's evaluation. It's no surprise she gets along with the demon. Birds of a feather flock together, as they say.

'(^▽^) My family is so warm and welcoming!'

"But where are the humans?"

Or rather, even if she concede that she understands her relationship with the spider, what is the bear and the dog's position here? Are they raising them? So they're family in that sense, right?

'It's good to be lively. I want to have a bright family soon, with lots of children!'

"...But what are we even talking about?"

'( ́∀`) A cheerful and warm family story!!'

'Growl!'

'Woof!'

'Meow''

What a delightful family. Who's the head of the household? That man? Or the horse? The snake's comment about the zoo makes sense. They certainly seem like an animal-scented family. Botan rubs her forehead, thinking about the family's smell. As for her own body odor, she checks and confirms that it's fine.

"...Well, I won't bother with the details of the plans. I'll just be grateful for the recovery."

She'll stop thinking about all the branches of this conversation. Her sanity can't take it. She'll just take what she can get. She's heard that being able to avoid thinking about things that can't be changed is a virtue of human beings. It's also called an escape.

"But how did you manage to recover it while that Oni princess was there?"

'Recovery... oh, that's right. Is that what you're talking about? But I won't clear up that first misunderstanding, either, about your initial comment. It's fun to keep you guessing!'

"Misunderstanding?"

The snake brings up Botan's first address to the snake-human god, as if remembering something. Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding? No, could it be...?

"You're not... her?"