“Rei—Reima-dono?! Please, release me this instant, de gozaru!”
“Hah, not a chance. We’ve already made our break for it, so we’re in this together now!”
“This is beyond reckless, de gozaru?!”
Ignoring Tsubaki’s protests, I channeled my mana into Luna to reinforce her as we tore away from the mansion. I didn't have a destination in mind, much less a plan.
“You had better explain yourself later.”
“...Truly, you are a peerless fool, Reima-dono.”
“Fine by me.”
On one hand, I had a repulsive, arrogant prick; on the other, a benefactor who had helped me. There were things like social standing and public optics to consider, but if I had to choose between the two, the answer was obvious. Besides, I’d already decided that this time, I was going to save everyone. I couldn't just stand by while one of my companions was stuck in a situation where she couldn't even smile.
“—Tch! After them! Don't let the great sinner escape!”
From behind us, dozens of retainers—likely the Kanna family’s vassals—sprang into pursuit.
Mobilizing this many people just for me is a farce, I thought. I decided to use the sheer brute force of my buffs to punch a hole through their lines and get out of there.
Since I’d only just arrived in this city, I had no idea what the optimal routes were. For now, my only thought was to put Kyoto behind us.
“There they are! Use your bows! But do not strike the Princess!”
Are they serious?
If they were really that worried about hitting her, they shouldn't be using bows in the first place.
...It seemed they’d already decided I was expendable. For a while now, their aim had been vicious. They were targeting my head, my legs, and my vitals, doing everything they could to kill my momentum.
“How can that brat move so fast?!”
“Send more men! Call in everyone we have!”
The retainers’ shouts were growing increasingly frantic, and the hail of arrows was intensifying. I needed to find an escape route, and fast.
I asked Luna to freeze the feet of the men blocking the path ahead to pin them down. I couldn't afford to kill them, which meant I had far too many things to juggle at once.
“If you cut through that alley, we can escape!”
Tsubaki, who had been silent until now—likely to avoid biting her tongue—raised her voice to guide me.
Trusting her word, I managed to break through the residential district. We dashed toward a forest visible in the distance at full speed. Once we were deep enough, I gave my thanks to Luna and dismissed her, then focused on hiding our presence.
As an afterthought, I realized this place didn't feel like modern Kyoto at all, but for the moment, I was grateful for the cover.
“...Phew. We should be safe here for a bit. Now then, give me the details, Tsubaki.”
“Since things have come to this, I shall speak... The truth is, I am to die soon, de gozaru.”
—Die.
Having died once myself, I knew the weight of those words.
And because I knew she wasn't the type to joke about such things, the gravity of the situation settled heavily in my gut.
“...Why?”
“...To be precise, it is a form of reincarnation. I am to be a living sacrifice.”
“What for?”
Her answer was the worst-case scenario. I pressed for more, unable to process such an unexpected response.
“A god resides within my heart, de gozaru. I have lived for the sake of that god’s resurrection, and now... the time has come.”
“How did it even come to that?”
“To utterly slay the Calamity sealed within Kyoto. To destroy it completely, the power of the god dwelling within me is required. This marriage arrangement was also for the sake of securing the cooperation of the Tsuchimikado family.”
She finished her explanation, leaning her back against a tree.
There were several things that bothered me about her story, but a sense of dread had been gnawing at me from the start. If such a horrific entity existed, Yamato should have been the one heading out to subjugate it. Based on her choice of words—"slay it completely"—the thing likely possessed something close to true immortality.
“Can’t I and my Summoned Beasts win against it?”
“I saw it once. It is... the world's worst nightmare. According to Master, it is a monster that will not die unless it is erased at a conceptual level... No matter your strength, Reima-dono...”
“We won't know until we try.”
“It is impossible. The Kanna family has sought a way to kill it for decades, paying the price of hundreds of lives... It was determined that slaying it is impossible without the flames of the god within me—Hinokagutsuchi.”
She spoke with absolute certainty... but I refused to give up. More than anything, I wanted to put her mind at ease.
“...Hey, Tsubaki. A little while ago, you said something to me, didn't you? You told me you wanted me to be able to laugh.”
“I did say that, de gozaru.”
“I feel the same way. You’re a companion I met in this world, and I want you to be able to laugh too. No matter the obstacles, no matter the difficulties, I want to reach a future where everyone can smile.”
“...I feel the same, de gozaru. That is why I steeled my resolve.”
“No, that’s not good enough. It doesn't count if you aren't among that 'everyone.' Besides, you were the one who told me to rely on you, Tsubaki.”
I gave her a small smile.
Having said my piece, I stood up.
But just as I reached out my hand to her, a sharp, static tingle ran down my spine. In that same instant, a nearby tree exploded. A premonition of disaster flashed through my mind as I recognized a familiar scent of ozone.
“Sorry, Reima. I’m going to have to take you into custody.”
My reaction was too slow. My current body couldn't keep pace with his reflexes... and I couldn't even manage a summon in time. In the next heartbeat, I was bound within a cage of lightning. I had been captured—by the Raijin.
“...Ouma.”
“Long time no see. So... why the hell have you shrunk?”