Translator: raggykoshka
Editor: raggykoshka
With the joined efforts of Sousuke, Hiroto and three kitsune brimming with appetite, the pot with the stew soon became empty. After also devouring all of the pasta, the kitsune gave large smiles of satisfaction.
After finishing tidying up in the kitchen and returning to the living room, Mutsu found the kitsune already dozing off.
“They’re all completely out of it before I even took out the alcohol.”
Mutsu’s discreet laughter was contagious, and soon Sousuke and Hiroto joined in.
Hiroto stroked the soft fur of one of the kitsune, seeming to have already gotten used to them.
“I didn’t know youkai could be this tame.”
“Isn’t it just because these guys live among humans?”
Mutsu didn’t forget to add that they still were fairly disconnected from human society.
“Sou-san, doesn’t this mean that it was pointless for us to come out here this late in the evening.”
“It’s all because Mucchan was in a hurry to get here.”
“Hiro-chin! Say something to defend me!”
Mutsu gave them a glare as she prepared tea and cleaned up some cigarette ash, as if sayingDo you really plan to rest now.
He didn’t want to be left alone, so Hiroto started nodding as if his life depended on it.
Mutsu took out a piece of paper cut into the shape of a person out of her pocket, held it in her palms, and blew on it. The paper fluttered downwards, growing larger it fell and by the time it reached the ground, it landed steadily on two feet, just like a human being.
Mutsu gave the paper figure her flashlight and let it walk in front of them. The shrine grounds weren’t that large, so they quickly reached the front shrine. The flashlight shone upon their surroundings, revealing the roof, surrounded by overgrown trees, and an offertory box.
“Who will go first?”
Mutsu and her paper figure turned their heads at the same time. Mutsu’s light complexion and the pure white smooth and featureless thin face made a somewhat creepy picture.
“I will.”
With those words, Sousuke handed over his flashlight to Mutsu. It seemed that he was supposed to climb where the flashlights shone, but there obviously weren’t any stairs around, so he was a little worried.
Mutsu alternated between illuminating the lower part of the building and the rood.
“I suppose you’ll have to climb onto the offertory box, there’s no other way. Even though it’s sacrilegious.”
Then she added:
“We’re doing it for the investigation, so theshould forgive us.”
Maybe because he was hesitating to put his feet onto the offertory box, Sousuke climbed up onto the handrails next to it and jumped from there. He seized the edge of the roof with precision and heaved himself up with only the strength of his fingers.
“Wo-ow!”
Just as Mutsu expressed her admiration, a low groan could be heard from above. It seemed like Sousuke had hit his head against one of the overgrown branches.
[!