Chapter 24

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As soon as the Mikoshi Nyuudou realized that Fuyuka was not going to attack it, the kaii became completely docile. Even its size returned to that of a small monk.

“Father!”

The Tofu Boy hugged the Mikoshi Nyuudou.

The Mikoshi Nyuudou, who seemed to have finally noticed the presence of the Tofu Boy, reached out to its son, who jumped to his father’s chest, eyes wide.

“Ah, Tofu Boy?”

“Yes! I’ve been looking for you everywhere!”

No matter how one looked at it, as the two of them rubbed their cheeks together, they truly resembled nothing more than ordinary human beings. The Mikoshi Nyuudou looked a bit older, perhaps due to its characteristics as a kaii, therefore they seemed even more like a pair as a parent and child.

“Father, let’s go back to the book! I want to go back!”

“If you’ve been there once, you know it’s not such a bad place.”

The Tofu Boy appealed to reason while Subaru also tried to suppress the fire.

Although, the Mikoshi Nyuudou, on its face had a stubborn expression, refused to budge.

“I refuse. It’s kind of calming and comfortable inside the book, but after all it’s a thing that’s under the control of humans. I want nothing to do with people anymore.”

“Father…”

“The only human I’ve decided to get involved with is the chief. I don’t want anything to do with anyone else. That’s why I’ve been holed up in this mountain like this…”

The Tofu Boy said that the Mikoshi Nyuudou was shy, but “misanthropy” seemed a more accurate term for the kaii than simple anxiety.

Shouma tapped the clearly frowning Tobu Boy on the shoulder with his fingertips.

“Who is this chief the Mikoshi Nyuudou is talking about?”

“It’s Nurarihyon, the one I mentioned to you earlier.”

“Eh? But the Nurarihyon was a kaii not a human…”

“Kaii or a human, it was hard to tell which he was. It might be more accurate to say ’a person who behaved as a kaii’. Not to mention, there seemed to be no replacement even so many years after his death.”

Whether or not a substitution takes place, if that’s what determines whether one is a human or a kaii, then the Nurarihyon was definitely the former.

A person who had the name of a kaii, Nurarihyon, with a handful of kaii in his service. Shouma wondered what kind of person he must have been.

“I understand that the Mikoshi Nyuudou only wants to be involved with the Nurarihyon.”

The giant kaii looked straight at Shouma.

“But, everyone has a first time, right? I’m sure you and the Nurarihyon didn’t get along right away.”

“What do you want to say?”

“So, I was wondering if I could try to befriend you the same way, if it’s possible…”

The Mikoshi Nyuudou opened its eyes wide. Then, it’s body swelled up to double its original size. The giant kaii laughed as if the air was being sucked out of it’s greatly inflated body.

“Gahahahaha! How absurd! You…the same way… as the chief!?”

It laughed tremendously, there was no thought of shyness in it.

It was probably best to assume it truly despised humans.

The Mikoshi Nyuudou raised the edge of its mouth into a grin.

“Hai, then it’s a deal. If you can do it I’ll regard you the same as the chief. I’ll even go back to the book.”

“Well, and how do I do that?”

“It’s easy.”

The body of the Mikoshi Nyuudou began to turn transparent. Then it rifled and crumbled from the edges while slowly scattering like ashes.

“If you are able to find my real body down there in the Festival and can successfully destroy it, I’ll recognize you.”

“And what happens if I cannot?”

“If you can’t? Well, then I’ll eat you headfirst.”

Lastly, only it’s head could be seen.

“The time limit is the end of this Festival.”

As soon as the kaii finished, the figure of the Mikoshi Nyuudou completely disappeared from the scene.

—

“So, you took the bet?”

“Yes”

When he finally made it up to the temple, Tendou scolded Shouma, without letting the boy know the reason behind it.

Before the man’s imposing stance, Shouma was sitting on his knees in a perfect seiza. Of course, there was nothing spread out underneath him. It was only the plain ground.

“Just why did you take the risk of this bet? Why didn’t you catch it first, just to begin with?”

“I didn’t have the Collected Records at hand, and even if I had I wouldn’t have known what to do with it.”

To be honest, Shouma didn’t want to hear anything from the guy who was simply late, but since he too thought that the wager he made was stupid, there wasn’t much choice other than to swallow all of his complaints.

In the passing, Fuyuka went to her employer to ask “Since you are here, that’s enough right? Then I will…!” and simply made her farewell while returning to the hustle and bustle of the Festival below.

It seemed that her role at Tendou’s Detective Agency was merely clerical after all.

Tendou shrugged his shoulders astoundingly.

“There is a famous phrase against the Mikoshi Nyuudou.”

“A famous phrase?”

“By saying “Mikoshi Nyuudou, I’ve seen through you!” [1] when it tries to attack you, you can disable it. What? You didn’t know?”

“Don’t take your knowledge as a matter of course!”

“Eh, isn’t it common knowledge?”

“Where is this part of the common knowledge?”

It may be a general knowledge for an expert in the field of the kaii, but Shouma wasn’t even halfway there yet, let alone a quarter of the way to being one. Tendou shouldn’t impose his biased common knowledge on others.

Since he still was tired from climbing up there, Tendou stretched his back.

“Ah, It’s alright. The kaii’s generally don’t break their promises.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, if Shouma can really detect the real body of the Mikoshi Nyuudou and destroy it, it will surely keep its promise… So good luck!”

“Huh?”

Tendou’s words had the ’simply leave it to others’ feeling in it and Shouma’s mouth dropped open.

“What? Did you expect me to help you? No, I can’t do that. If I find the Mikoshi Nyuudou, it surely won’t consent. You have to find it Shouma, you are the one it’s made the bet with.”

“Ehh…”

He said that, but the gamble was indeed between him and the kaii. If Tendou were to interfere, there was a chance that Shouma wouldn’t be able to come to an agreement with it.

Besides, it was a game of hide and seek and not a duel between the two. Shouma alone might be able to manage it.

“Don’t worry, I won’t leave you this time. I’ll be here waiting for you.”

Shouma looked around once more. What did Tendou mean by waiting here? Does it mean that he has to come here to pick up Tendou after he finds the Mikoshi Nyuudou? If so, it would be a huge hassle.

“Hmm, but since Shouma seems more of an amateur than I thought, I’ll give you one hint.”

Tendou held up one finger with his usual man-eating smile on his face.

“The Mikoshi Nyuudou hates humans, therefore it doesn’t want to maintain eye contact with them, right? Pay attention to your surroundings. In that case, I’m sure you’ll notice it, Shouma.”

—

Translator’s Notes:

[1] There are two versions of this phrase, one is the 見越入道、見越した ’Mikoshi Nyuudou, mikoshita’ the other is 見越入道、見抜いた’Mikoshi Nyuudou, minuita’, the former can be translated as “I’ve anticipated your arrival or move” while the latter means “I’ve seen through you or detected you”. Both of them give the same results, the Mikoshi Nyuudou disappears and the victim can escape.

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This translation is hosted by Nocturne Translations.

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