Rem IF Ex: Fortune Fish-Head Tree

Rem IF Ex: Fortune Fish-Head Tree

us hatred because of this day coming closer......]

Then, the person who let out that listless murmur along with a sigh was a boy that had tiredness and insightfulness on his face, unfitting for his age.

He had short, blue hair swaying in the wind, sanpaku eyes to sharply look through the world, and traditional Kararagi Japanese clothes.

It was the Natsuki Rigel, the “Setsubun King”, admired by the people at Kararagi City State’s second town, Banan.

[Rigel: Too disgraceful.......!]

The “Setsubun King” folds his short arms, and he looked up at the sky as if in grief.

The “Setsubun” event that started to root in the town a few years ago changed every, every year, swooping down on him. The continuation of that suffering made him grow, and when he realized it, it even pushed the lone boy up to the “Setsubun King”.

As of now, Rigel was merely walking in the Banan town, and even on days unrelated to Setsubun, he would occasionally have to deal with the shower of beans from kids. It seemed he didn’t understand the point of it. If he overlooked it pleasantly by reasoning that it couldn’t be helped because they were kids, then his father who’d seen it would laugh at him in an extremely pompous way, and he’d feel discomfort.

Anyhow, the “Setsubun” event already became essential at Banan, and to Rigel as well it was――putting his emotions aside, the same could be said for Rigel.

Rigel’s own father was related to why that began, but the biggest reason was because of a family matter――”Setsubun” was an event related to Onis.

Thus, Rigel, who had Oni blood, his beloved younger sister, and also his mother were inseparable.

Therefore, “Setsubun” was an event that involved Rigel, and it was essential to the Natsuki family.

So, Rigel came to accept the bean tossing, being a target, being silent until he was done eating the lucky direction roll Futomaki, and running all over the whole town dressed as an Oni.

However...but...

[Rigel: Can Dad run out of ideas already......]

[Subaru: ――Hey! Rigel! Just how long are you gonna stand there lost in your thoughts!? I’m really counting on your fighting power! Come over here! Help out!!]

It was right after Rigel dropped his shoulders weakly and grumbled like that.

Rigel heard a faraway voice call him, which also sounded quite cornered, and so he reluctantly turned his head.

――His half-naked father was waving his hands frantically around the water of the large Mogolade geyser.

He was completely soaked, his usual upright black hair now clung to his forehead, and it was as if they were taking a bath together. His father threw away his ruined jacket, and while hurriedly bleaching his built upper body, he called out to Rigel and said

[Subaru: A school is coming! What Elder said was right! There won’t be another chance if you let this one go! Rigel! Hurry!]

[Rigel: Fine! I got it, sheesh!]

It would have been better if Rigel just abandoned it regretfully, but he recklessly and violently scratched his head, and he finally ran towards his father.

Rigel went towards the Grand Mogolade Geyser that spouted water while having his head being bathed in the spray of water coming down from the cloudless sky.

――This year’s “Setsubun was somewhat different from the usual.

[Rigel: No wait, being a nuisance to me is the usual!]

[Subaru: Rigel! Rigel-san!? Hurry! Bring out your horn! Grab onto the net! Grab onto it hard and don’t let go!]

[Rigel: Shut up――!!]

Rigel follows his father’s orders, unsure of if he was being serious or not, and when he stood on the deep pool of the grand geyser, he stared at the swirling water, seeing myriad of fish shadows.

[――――]

He grabs tightly onto the edge of the net. Heat gets produced on his forehead. He blanks out for a second, and he felt an excessive amount of exhilaration.

The overflowing power swells up endlessly by taking in the mana in the atmosphere. The short 11 year old Natsuki Rigel had the brute strength of an Oni god inside of him, unfitting of his childishness.

[Rigel: Urwaaaa――!!]

He puts in unfathomable strength into his thin arms, and pulls up the net at once. The net made of thin iron thread fulfilled its role of not being torn down by oni strength.

[Subaru: There it is! Rigel did it! We won’t lose either! Everyone, give it all you’ve got and pull――!!]

[Everyone: Heeaaaaaaaaaveee hoooooooooooo!!]

The father continues after Rigel, who became the previous counterattack――no, it wasn’t just his father.

All the people of Banan he brought along ran up to the net at once, and each of them pulled up the net with their entire soul. He turned his head towards the outside of the net to make sure the fish shadows didn’t escape, but they were already in the middle of a devilish strategy. They couldn’t escape. They wouldn’t let them.

[Subaru: You guys......behave, and become sacrifices for “Setsubuuun”!!]

They were comrades having unwanted suffering forced upon them by “Setsubun”.

They didn’t understand the other people’s―the adults’ feelings. However, at the very least...

――At the very least, I’ll sympathize with you guys from the bottom of my heart, and I’ll take you with me!

[Subaru: Uwoahhhhhh――!!]

He bites his molars, each of them fighting for their lives, putting in absolutely all of his strength.

His palm that grasped the net was hot. He didn’t know if the drops of water from his forehead were sweat, or if they were drops of water from the grand geyser.

The only thing he thought of was him not letting go of his grip.

――To understand why it became like this again, we’ll have to backtrack a few days.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

It was early afternoon of a day off. The father and son entered the same kotatsu, faced each other, and began having a pleasant interaction.

Neither of them had school or work, and it was a rare day when they had no plans. They spent their time leisurely in the kotatsu since morning, had the same old conversation of “How’s school?” “Nothing new”. Having these kind of days every now and then――what a time of negligence it was.

[Subaru: Ah, Rigel-kun. It’s gonna be that day soon. What do you think about that? Hm?]

[Rigel: Go catch a cold.]

[Subaru: That’s a roundabout way of being offensive, oi.]

The person who responded to those words by curling his lips unhappily was this man that saw his eyes that looked exactly like Rigel’s everyday in the mirror.

He had short, black hair, unusual black eyes, and he was the center pillar of Natsuki, Rigel’s family name. He was Natsuki Subaru, Rigel’s father.

He should almost be turning 30, so to the best of Rigel’s knowledge, it wouldn’t be strange for him to have things like suitable composure and dignity as an adult. However, his father――as for Subaru, he didn’t really seem to be that way, and he had composure that might make you think he’d be 5-6, or even younger than that, perhaps being related to emotional matters, or his everyday behavior.

Incidentally, currently in the Natsuki Family there was Spica who was having special education for the gifted as the youngest child, and things like dirty words and offensive words were forbidden for the sake of her emotional development. Thus, it was necessary for him to pick expressions that would soften the abuse of his father down to things like “Go catch a cold”, while still carrying what he intended.

But, Subaru was not discouraged at all by Rigel’s original complaints, and he said

[Subaru: Well, it’s not like I don’t understand your feelings, either. I’ve also reflected on this year. ――There’s no way you’ll be hit with more beans during Setsubun than the amount of beans used at Banan in a month.]

[Rigel: Last year I didn’t think I’d hover between life and death because of something like beans. I’ve seen it for a while in my dreams, and even now I make noise while having nightmares.]

[Subaru: But don’t worry. The number of Onis has increased even more this year, and it’s been converted into a plan to distribute and reduce the burden on your shoulders. Nothing similar to what happened last year will happen again!]

[Rigel: Stop building a unit with me in the center without warning!]

In response to Subaru’s words, him acting like he cared but not actually caring at all, Rigel hit the kotatsu, and he raised his voice. However, he was relatively quick to feel like he was probably wasting his breath, which is what he started to feel in particular a few days after last year’s Setsubun.

Anyhow, everywhere he went, every man he met, and finally, even any infant would know about Rigel’s achievements. If the townspeople whose faces and names didn’t match continued to call out to Rigel by saying “Looking forward to next year as well!”, he wouldn’t have something like a way to escape, as he was timid.

[Rigel: The kneading from last time wasn’t good enough too. Also, about the decorative club, were the thorns filled with cotton properly? It’s not like I’m going to hit people, but if by some chance I hit them, there’s a good chance the event can get canceled.......]

[Subaru: Considering how you’re saying this and that, and how you handle things positively, I feel like I’ve raised you well. That’s a relief.]

[Rigel: What are you saying!? Also, isn’t the first time you said that when you started getting everyone involved!? And putting my right to complain to you aside, don’t you feel bad about disturbing the people who are mere participants!?]

[Subaru: Seems like you’re kinda getting old already.......]

Rigel sighed without saying anything at Subaru’s unreasonable thoughts.

Subaru’s words being incomprehensible was also just the usual. Trying to understand all of them little by little would just tire him out. Unlike Rigel’s mother, he gave up on trying to understand his father ever since he had an umbilical cord.

[Rigel: So, is it safe to say that you wanted to talk about “Setsubun”? I’ll have you know that the size of last year’s Oni pants and vest won’t fit me. I’m growing.]

[Subaru: Well, compared to last year you have grown 5 centimeters, after all. It makes me feel good too seeing the height marker starting to get higher at a quick pace. However, I’ve also had my growth halted temporarily, and there was a lot of time until the next big result. Look at it in a long term point of view.]

Subaru laughs, and he reached out for Rigel’s head, who was at the opposite side of the kotatsu. He was probably trying to pat it, but he couldn’t reach it because of his laziness of not coming out of the kotatsu. It couldn’t be helped. Rigel brought out his head, and it got pat. It tickled.

[Subaru: Anyhow, don’t worry about the Oni pants. Rem will proceed to secretly work on that. The outfit that is remade every year for your growth......I thought to put visible decorations for the people that come to the ceremony when you get married, but what do you think?]

[Rigel: Go catch a cold.]

While getting his head pat, Rigel wished relatively seriously for a cold that would make his dad breathe painfully. Subaru continues with a “And then you see”, as he accepts that with a wry smile and says

[Subaru: Yes Oni pants are important too, but the “Bean Tossing Event” committee are the ones that pursue that issue, so we have to groan “Uh-huh” by ourselves. Apart from that]

[Rigel: Wait wait wait wait, you mentioned the name of a committee I’m unfamiliar with!]

[Subaru: Apart from that, what’s important is the upcoming new experiment for “Setsubun”. Bean tossing is easy with ehomaki, but we have to cultivate the unknown that to avoid getting tired of it. The times always walk fast. If you cling onto the past, you’ll get left behind.]

[Rigel: Catch it.......! Go...catch a...cold.......!]

The voice that sincerely made a wish didn’t even reach his father in front of him, and it got repelled.

Rigel hanged his head heartbroken in response to that reality. Subaru nods at his son’s situation, listens, and he leaned forward as if telling him to be surprised.

[Subaru: I wracked my brain, and I worked out what the Setsubun event left behind. With that being said, in addition to the bean tossing, let’s put that thing into practice too this year.]

[Rigel: .......What kind of strange festival will it be this year?]

[Subaru: Don’t call it a strange festival. Strange festival........is what I want to call it, but I’m ready for that type of slander towards this event too.........]

In response to Subaru’s way of speaking, him being gloomy, Rigel had the chills run through his back.

From an outsider’s point of view, it wouldn’t be strange for them to think of things like festivals to scatter beans and hit Onis, events in which people would stay silent, eating futomaki while facing the lucky direction, all as a strange festival, even if they seemed like a family gone mad. However, with the way Subaru put it, maybe they seemed like something more than that.

[Rigel: N―noo! You’re just gonna end up making me suffer again anyway! Right? Isn’t that right!?]

[Subaru: Why have you become a child that doubts........just what changed you?]

[Rigel: 90% of it was because of Dad, and 10% of it is because of Mom!]

[Subaru: .......Hehe, for you to understand the influence of your parents at that age, you’re amazing, eh. To be frank, I’ve truly recognized that ever since you were born.

[Rigel: Why are you flattering me with a distant look, I’m angry, you know!?]

He rubs the bottom of his nose, and Rigel was seriously appalled at Subaru, who seemed to be satisfied in a way. However, Subaru waved his hands with a “Calm down calm down”, and he said

[Subaru: Stop, since the conversation won’t get anywhere. Allow me to announce what we’ll be doing in this year’s Setsubun.]

[Rigel: What about the next Oni pants.......]

[Subaru: No need to worry, since they’re ones that won’t hurt your heart or body. ――A new custom will be added to the Natsuki family, starting with this year’s Setsubun!]

He claps once, and meanwhile, Subaru hit the table with his fingers with fast rhythm. When he urged him with his eyes to imply that he was taking too long with his introduction, his father said “Tada!” to create an opportunity for himself, and he said――

[Subaru: ――We’ll be doing Hiiragi Iwashi!1]

Then, he said that.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

[Rem: So, what type of event is this “Hiiragi Iwashi”, Subaru-kun?]

A few minutes after the awfully grand announcement, a woman came from the kitchen and returned to the living room――it was a person with long, blue hair, and beautiful, soft looks. She wore a kimono, had a lovely, black haired baby held in her breasts, and she was next to Subaru in the kotatsu.

Needless to say, it was Rigel’s mother, and Subaru’s wife, Natsuki Rem.

Rem had been cleaning up the lunch in the kitchen, and while caressing her daughter――while caressing Spica so that she wouldn’t wake up, as she was full and was taking a nap, she tilted her head in a lovely way.

She was listening to the father and the child’s conversation, but it seemed like it was also her first time hearing about the “Hiiragi Iwashi” that Subaru brought up. It wasn’t like the Natsuki married couple to talk about basically anything.

[Subaru: You listened well, Rem. “Hiiragi Iwashi” is the third Setsubun plan to go with the bean tossing and ehomaki. I can’t deny that it feels a little plain and minor compared to previous ones, but for that, it seems like there’s some real, well, things like blessings, so it’s recommended for religious people.]

[Rem: I see, as expected of Subaru-kun. Woman and the elderly certainly do expect participating in the events like bean tossing and ehomaki to be difficult. It’s not easy to clean up the beans and eating all of the futomaki........you have an eagle eye!]

[Subaru: Ah, yeah. Now that you say it, that is true. .......Ahh, that’s right. That’s exactly the eye I was aiming for!]

[Rem: Yes! So, what is “Hiiragi Iwashi”? What type of suffering will you put Rigel through?]

[Rigel: With this, I feel like making Mom catch a cold now too........!]

In response to Rem’s words that linked “Setsubun”, “Rigel”, and “Harm” with an equal sign, Rigel held his head with his hands and lamented himself. However, Subaru swung his raised finger back and forth, saying “Tut-tut-tut” at Rem’s words, and also said

[Subaru: Rem, don’t jump to conclusions like Rigel. Zero harm will be done to Rigel this time. “Hiiragi Iwashi” is simple, quick work, after all. Don’t worry.]

[Rem: I―I see. ......Yes, I understand.]

[Rigel: Why do you seem a little sad? Hey, Mom, Mom?]

[Rem: Just kidding. Please don’t take things so seriously, Rigel.]

His mom’s despondent look restored to her usual one, and Rigel made an indescribable profound look at her. Subaru responds to the interaction between the mom and child by clapping his hands as he said “Okay okay, attention please”.

[Subaru: It’s bad of the Natsuki family to get off track so easily. So, let’s reflect and do this again. About the essential “Hiiragi Iwashi”, it’s something that’s even simpler than things like bean tossing. It’s a custom where you impale the head of a fried sardine onto a Hiiragi twig, placing it at the front door. Easy peasy, right?]

[Rem: Iwashi?]

[Rigel: Hiiragi?]

Rem and Rigel tilt their heads, respectively, at Subaru, who gave an explanation with pride.

The “Iwashi” and “Hiiragi” words Subaru said were both unfamiliar vocabulary to them. The original name was “Hiiragi Iwashi”, so he thought it’d be simple.

Subaru puts aside convincing Rigel for now, and he folded his arms as he nodded saying “I get it”.

[Subaru: If this was the old me, I would’ve said some foolish remark like “D―damn it! People don’t get Hiiragi and Iwashi here too!”, but that’s no good. I’m learning, too. I’ve anticipated it not getting through. So, let me simplify it. Hiiragi is a tree, and Iwashi is fish. In other words, it’s a custom where you impale grilled fish onto a tree’s twig!]

[Rem: Grilled fish...onto a tree’s twig......why do that?]

[Subaru: To be honest, I really have no idea......this event is left at the edge of my sea of knowledge, but it’s about enough bean knowledge to make me want to praise myself......]

[Rem: I see. Bean knowledge just for Setsubun.......Subaru-kun, well done!]

That was――

[Rigel: Th―the Cragrel Moving Forest.......!]

It was the Cragel Moving Forest that moved, seeking water.――It was a quake. Clouds of dust rose into the air, and as for what was approaching, it was a march of green that was passing right next to the grand geyser.

Rigel belatedly determined what he’d aim for upon seeing the front―that large tree advancing at the very front.

[Rem: Rigel, now!]

In response to his mother’s yell, Rigel used the tip of the rope as a loop and threw it without question.

That loop entangles the tree’s thick branch, and the net pulls it.

――The sparkling of the fishes’ lives suffered defeat in front of Mother Nature.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

――Let’s talk about the Cragrel Moving Forest.

The inner sea of the planet, etc...

The Cragrel Moving Forest is special nature that produced the Kararagi City State’s harsh environment, as well as the river source that is Grand Mogolade Geyser――it’s the name of the many trees whose roots don’t stick to the ground.

It’s already been explained how the water that spews out from the Grand Monoglade Geyser acts as a source of river around this area, but the water that spews out at fixed intervals doesn’t always rain on the land.

The wind has a particularly big effect, and the lands’ respective precipitation becomes sparse because of the season’s wind direction. Apart from that, the living things that were managing were people and animals, but the plants that relied on water could not do that. Naturally, the Grand Mogolade Geyser’s water was a lifeline to them, as they were things that would have no choice but to wither if water wasn’t thorough.

Having said that, plants weren’t things that could make direct appeals, as they didn’t have mouths. Therefore, as a result of the influence from not knowing what to do to survive, the trees went through evolution.

It was them saying “If the land lacks water, then why not just walk to a place with water?”.

And thus, the moving forest that was born――The lively trees that were called “Cragrel Moving Forest”, picking up the name from the humans that first discovered it, were in the middle of the Magolya Plateau that had the Grand Mogolade Geyser water rain on it, and they continued to move all year round without rest.

The moving forest’s trees’ wood were known to be of very fine quality, perhaps because of how they were full of vitality, but they wouldn’t stay in one place, so it was difficult for them to gather. To make matters worse, if you stood in their route, you’d get run over recklessly, so they were famous as forestry that put lives at risk.

That special characteristic of the moving forest worked as a plus, just for this one time.

That was when they did something with the force of nature, given that they couldn’t win with human power.

[Rem: The moving forest was going for the grand geyser, so it seemed that I could take my time to join Subaru-kun and the others. That’s what I said at the start.]

[Subaru: Then, if Rem sees withdrawn people collapsed at the base camp, she’ll do something about it, having noticed it.....actually, that’s the truth of my strategy, eh.]

[Rigel: Strategy? How is that a strategy? It’s a German hold of relying on Mom!]

[Subaru: Don’t put it that way. Well, this is love winning in the end.]

[Rem: Subaru-kun.....]

[Rigel: That was a good line!? Mom spoils you too much!]

They raised a big catch flag, and the group went back home.

The soaked family talked about this time’s cause of victory on the way back, but the one who wasn’t quite satisfied with that explanation was Rigel, who wasn’t overcoming it.

Rem’s participation and pulling the Cragrel Moving Forest with a net brought them success, and the large amount of fish that were in the great geyser was pulled out splendidly(Subaru called them pseudo-Iwashi).

Actually, after that, the dashing moving forest took away the fish with the net, and there was an act of them chasing the moving forest to get back the net back, but that was left out.

Anyhow, they obtained the fish safely, and they replaced Hiiragi successfully by cutting down one of the moving forests, so enough of that was secured.

With this, the preparations for “Hiiragi Iwashi” that Subaru talked about were complete.

[Rigel: That was a lot tougher than stuff like bean tossing and Ehomaki. We went far too, plus I’m tired.]

[Subaru: Yeah, people like Elder were about to die, after all. You shouldn’t do things you aren’t used to.]

[Rigel: You said it, I’ve had enough of that. I definitely won’t do things like that again.]

Rigel sighs, and Subaru smiles wryly at him, agreeing with his feelings.

Although, the two of them saw Chamov chewing on a sweet leaf carefully.

Even though it was a lot of work, fortunately there were no casualties, and there was no damage. They were all somehow intoxicated by the atmosphere, but their injured backs were also recovering through Rem’s healing magic.

Like that, everyone triumphantly returned to Fusumi, and they should’ve been talking about distributing things like the fish and the wood now, but――

[Subaru: That’s out of my control. Let’s share the hardships of this trip as a family.]

[Rem: Yes, the best part of the trip.]

[Rigel: The best part of the trip is sharing hardship.........?]

While experiencing a slight feeling of a common sense crisis, Rigel gets mad as he cuddled his beloved sister, his reward for returning from the jaws of death.

Spica was one year old, and recently, she’s been frequently standing up and trying to walk on her own. She was an angel that also called Rigel “Nii-ni” on very rare occasions.

[Rigel: Her first calling me Nii-ni will be my lifetime treasure.]

[Subaru: You are an extreme siscon......]

[Rigel: Uh-oh, kinda seems like you’re saying Daddyy after Nii-ni and Mommyy, Spica. The grumbling of a loser does make me feel good. Hahaha.]

[Subaru: Grrrr........]

[Rem: Calm down, Subaru-kun. You have to let Rigel feel superiority sometimes too. Also, Subaru-kun is my number one.]

[Rigel: Spoiling him again......]

Rem kindly comforts Subaru, who was depressed. Rigel pouts in a displeased way at that usual interaction. Then, seeing that, Rem let out a little laugh.

[Subaru: Oh, what happened, Rem?]

[Rem: No, it’s just...we’re always together wherever we go.......that made me a little happy, and I thought it was funny.]

[Subaru: ......I see I see. If you thought of it that way, then it was right to have you on the family trip. Well, forgive me for having it kinda feel like bringing my family come on a company trip.]

Subaru seeing Rem put her hand on her mouth smiling happily makes him also smile again. Seeing that smile makes Rigel feel like he somehow saw through Dad’s expectations.

They went far to prepare for the new celebration of “Setsubun”.

Of course, they really were necessary procedures needed to celebrate “Hiiragi Iwashi”. That’s why fish, wood, and twigs should have all worked as alternatives.

So, as for why they still had plans of going far away like this――

[Subaru: The culture promotion committee was happy to tackle promoting culture. Being able to study the ways of Banan made Fusumi’s great men happy. And, we’re happy that we were able to make a family trip. It was a good attempt at finding a solution throughout struggle. No, it wasn’t a complete struggle, but 3/8ths of a struggle.]

Subaru laughs nonchalantly. The main thing was the very last part of his speech; if he was familiar with spending everyday together with family, he could see the light.

It probably was the truth that he couldn’t ignore the two goals in front of him. Not appropriately declining favors was very inconvenient, and it was the nature of a man who saw much of life. That’s what Rigel nonchalantly thought.

[――――]

Rem was looking at Subaru’s smile, her smiling with a kind look in her eyes.

Mom also definitely was able to see through Dad’s heart. That’s why Mom did not even oppose Dad’s absurd speech from the start, but instead happily went along with it.

[Rigel: Elder, Elder, can you hear me out for a bit?]

Rigel separates himself a little from the flirting called parents’ pleasant chat, and he calls out to Chamov, who was drying his body’s fur in the sun. Chamov turns around saying “Certainly?”, and he looks at Rigel with his round eyes as he said

[Chamov: What is it, certainly? Rigel and I are good friends, certainly. Ask me anything, certainly.]

[Rigel: Anything special happening in Fusumi this season?]

[Chamov: Hmmm........]

He asks that question, and Chamov closes one of his eyes, seemingly going into deep thought, just for a little bit. After that, Chamov glances at Subaru and the others, and he immediately nods.

[Chamov: Subaru has asked me that question too, certainly. Like father like son, certainly.....]

[Rigel: No, I don’t need to hear about that.]

[Chamov: Don’t be a party pooper, certainly. This season at Fusumi, famous flowers will......”White Snow Sakuras”3 will bloom.]

They were plants that were extremely difficult to take care of that could grow precisely because of how it was Fusumi, land blessed with plenty of precipitation from the Grand Mogolade Geyser.

It was a scene of all the huge trees’ leaves becoming petals that were white like snow――Rigel had never seen snow, but he imagined that it was definitely a stunning scene.

It was also a family trip Subaru planned, as he wanted to show it for “somebody’s birthday” that was coming up very soon, using “Setsubun” as an excuse to go.

[Chamov: Calling him out would be unromantic, certainly. It will be kept secret, certainly.]

[Rigel: I won’t say it......but Mom probably knows.]

[Chamov: Like I said, it’d be unromantic, certainly. You too, if you’re going to marry, you’ll take that child too, certainly.]

[Rigel: I’m against raising Spica exactly like Mom.......]

[Chamov: The madness of you wanting to marry your sister like it’s no big deal makes me tremble, certainly.]

He makes Chamov’s small body tremble, and Chamov looked at Rigel with eyes that seemed to be frightened. Just when he shrugged his shoulders, indicating that he was annoyed with that look, Spica pulled onto his cheeks. Cute.

[Subaru: Hey, Rigel, Spica. Come here. I have something to talk about.]

Then, just when the conversation ended, Subaru called out to Rigel and the others. Chamov jerked his chin in response to that voice.

[Chamov: It’s okay, I’ll go, certainly. I won’t be unromantic by butting into a happy family get together, certainly.]

[Subaru: Th―thanks, Elder. Okaay, then we’ll see you later.]

He waves goodbye, and when Chamov let out a charming smile, while swinging his butt’s tail left and right, he walked off in a way that was filled with only love and respect, nothing more and nothing less.

Rigel sees that with his own eyes, and then he went back to his parents. When he did, he saw the same old Rem, her cheeks slightly red, and the same old Subaru, him being his reckless and self-confident self.

[Subaru: Ahem. You see, Rigel. I want to show something to Rem and you guys.]

He imagined what it was from the pretentious expression, and the wording that came out after that.

[――――]

There was a pause after Subaru’s announcement, and Rigel glanced at Rem.

Subaru faced the children, his eyes sparkling, and he did not notice his wife next to him. When Rem noticed Rigel’s look, her having a faint smile, she put a finger on her lips, saying “Shh” as a signal.

Starting to talk would be unromantic. Pointing it out would be unromantic. That was greatly understood.

Rigel reluctantly shrugged his shoulders. Spica also shrugged her shoulders, copying him.

[Subaru: This time’s family trip isn’t for mere fishing and work. The truth is――]

The clownish mastermind gets surrounded by the children and his wife, thinking that his secret hadn’t been found out, and he magnificently announced the final plan of the family trip.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※

The details of the “White Snow Sakura” appreciation meeting will not be talked about.

Let’s just say that they were able to enjoy the truly splendid scene of the flowers that colored the many mountains of Fusumi.

Well then, the family trip was used as groundwork, and they still had to accomplish the new nominated custom of Setsubun, “Hiiragi Iwashi”, but――

[Subaru: Hmm, I didn’t see through this unexpected thing happening, even with my amazing eyes.]

[Rigel: That’s because you’re blind as hell! Come on, use your hands, Dad]

They pant, and the big figure and small figure that ran about in the streets of Banan――putting it frankly, they were the men of the Natsuki Family, Subaru and Rigel.

They had green and red wigs that were like a perms, and vests with black and yellow stripes. They had clubs made of soft material in their hands, the thorns filled with cotton. It was a style of the good old days, and a style of the new era of the Oni.

As for what those two were frantically doing in what were clearly Oni outfits――

[Subaru: Trying to do Hiiragi Iwashi was fine......but I didn’t think it’d cause an outbreak of cats and mice downtown!]

[Rigel: If you think about it, it was inevitable! Of course the strays would the eat all this bait if we hung them up openly!]

Rigel takes decorated fish again from an established point with their branches while raising an angry voice, and it gets thrown into the bag to collect them. They were now at 20. There was still a long way to go.

That was because branches and fish were distributed throughout town, and the whole town was practicing this weird festival.

[Subaru: Oi, Rigel, don’t treat them so carelessly! This is like a sacred ritual, so the Hiiragi Iwashi would be thankful. You should dispose of them kinda like this, filling them at a proper place. You have to do it like that.]

[Rigel: What a pain! Plus, don’t implement disposal laws arbitrarily! And anyways.......Ow!]

Rigel continued to feel impact on his little back, as he raised his voice pointing out the lack of progress. When he turned around to see what it was, what fell at his feet were small beans――they were beans.

And the ones who threw them were kids chasing him with smiles on their faces――.

[Kids: It―it’s hunter! Hunter found them!]

[Rigel: Crap! We’re gonna get covered in beans! Hey, you over there! How can we escape to the other side from here.......shit! Damn, he’s nibbling on Ehomaki!]

When Rigel was cornered at the street, trying to look for a way out, he was at his wits’ end. The old person that he asked on a porch was looking at the lucky direction of the futomaki that he was nibbling on.

A person in that situation would not speak. He would continue gazing at the lucky direction until he was done eating.

[Subaru: I feel like damage like this breaks out even at Fusumi, but who will be responsible? Me? What you think, Rigel?]

[Rigel: At the very least, ow! Right now, oww! I’ve lost a way to escape, ow! So it’s your fault that I’m getting hit with beans ow ow ow! Why only me!?]

He had just seen him in a new light for a little, and yet Subaru still did an unsatisfactory job.

The parent and child ran their Oni pants through the Banan town while crying because of the rapid succession of beans.

Surely his mom and sister were waiting at home, eating Futomaki while facing the lucky direction.

Would they collect all the “Hiiragi Iwashi” and return home safely――?

[Subaru: Hehe, Rigel. You’re pretty fast now. I’m happy.]

[Rigel: Shut uuuupp!! Go catch a coooldd!!]

That parent and child quarrel resounded into the sky.

This was also, once again, a shot of the daily scenery at one part of Kararagi City State.