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Great Sage 11 – Because it’s a Strong Style
February 9, 2022Zathael
This is a story from the time I was in the Infinite Book Corridor.
“Fools will thoughtlessly believe only in their own experience, saints understand the hearts of others and share in their pain, and sages understand the significance of history and learn from it”
Master spoke to me as I was struggling through a history book.
I liked reading books on magic or physical chemistry as the basic theory was the same as science textbooks in my previous world so it wasn’t that difficult, plus I’ve always thought of history as a rote learning subject,
“Do I still lack understanding”
I had failed master’s comprehension level check many times before.
“Perhaps so, then let me tell you a story about the empires founding that you just read”
When the human race’s largest [Empire] was just formed, master was invited to a certain party.
There, a certain man told her.
“Killing nobles requires neither sword nor magic, even if it’s a lie, convincing everyone that they have a bad reputation is enough”
Hearing her words, I nodded as if I was interested and understood,
“That was this man”。
She pointed to the name of the short lived third emperor.
“After all, a schemer is one who wallows in schemes and there is nothing more difficult to deal with than to be treated as evil”
According to the book, that man put out many policies and became a cornerstone of the over 2000 year old empire.
Then master took out a nearby book on magic,
“Curse magic will, without fail, also curse the caster”
Was written on the page she pointed to.
“All fields of study are connected, people will repeatedly make the same mistakes over and over. That is what it means to learn from history”
And then with a somewhat sad expression,
“Resentment will eat into a person, malice permeates through a group and rots them. Because the most fearsome of curses is not magic but [human malice]. It is better to resolve it swiftly”
She rested her hand lightly on my cheek.
“Oh yeah just like how no matter how many times you try to be careful, when I walk up the stairs you peek at my skirt”
I was panicking as my intentions to sneakily peek were exposed once again,
“Ending the repetition of the same foolish actions and inviting others to a new path is also the duty of a sage”
Master stood up and waved the short dress skirt that she had been wearing a lot recently and, like a mischievous young girl, stuck out her tongue.
In doing so, in the corridors faint light, I caught a glimpse of her lovely pure white panties.
Yes, that was
.. the first time I got knocked down by my master.
×　×　×　×　×
I awake to an unfamiliar hinoki wood ceiling.
Around my head the warmth and presence of a person can be felt.
Is this what they call a lap pillow?
The leg is extremely muscular and hard, and the unkempt hair touching my face is strangely ticklish.
“My lord, have you awoken”
I raise my face to see a dandy bearded man in his forties smiling back at me.
Wearing only black swim briefs for some reason.
“Maya-dono is a difficult person isn’t she, If it weren’t my lord I would have to be disposing of a corpse right now”
I confirm my surroundings and in the large wooden floor room, I see another dandy uncle in his forties with swept back hair.
As expected hes also only in black swim briefs.
“You are?”
“My apologies, my name is Azan. I serve as a guardian kitsune to this shrine”
The bearded dandy man names himself,
“As am I, my name is Unzan. Pleased to make your acquaintance”
The uncle in the corner of the room with swept back hair lowers his head to me.
To my concerns,
“I have performed a ceremony of healing, your wounds should be healed by now”
Azan explains to me.
Now that he mentions it, the injuries from fighting with Yuikuu and the pain from being dropped by Maya-chan has disappeared.
“Thanks, I’m not good at healing magic”
I make a strained smile,
“The ones to give their thanks should be us. However, why did you take on Maya-dono’s technique? In my eyes, you should have easily been able to avoid it”
“Well I’m aware that I did something wrong after all, Maya-chan seemed to be holding back so I hope that she was able to vent a little. ――Although I didn’t expect to be completely immobilised to that extent”
That’s right, it’s definitely not because of the sensation of her breasts hitting my back.
“What great insight”
Azan-san laughs dandily.
I stand up,
“Now then, the elder is waiting for you”
Unzan-san bows his head deeply.
The two line up and make a body builder like pose,
“Please come this way”
They say in unison in their swim briefs.
I feel like I’ll lose if I retort so I ignore it and follow after them.
And I make the decision to never ask about the contents of the ceremony of healing.
×　×　×　×　×
They lead me to a large tatami room where Maya-chan is sitting cross legged on a floor cushion with a disgruntled face,
“My lord, I have been expecting you”
Wrapped in white clothing, the beautiful gentle girl is sitting next to her.
“Earlier I showed you an unsightly scene
..”
Her cheeks turn red. That embarrassed appearance is something that’s fairly difficult to come by.
“No it was a sight for sore eyes. My creed is a strong style to not refuse anything that comes my way so don’t worry about it”1
However in the case of romance it’s never worked out so maybe in this instance a change in philosophy is required.
When I asked master about love she replied “I- Idiot, even I know about that!” and got mad but in the end she never taught me anything.
Even now, Chiyo is looking at me with a troubled smile.
I sit down on the cushion set opposite her and girls in red hakama place tea and snacks on a tray one after another.
The girls who were all around intermediate to upper primary school glanced repeatedly at me.
They all have bobbed hair to their shoulders and their cute faces were all somewhat similar.
“Please feel free to eat”
Chiyo-san clears her throat with a cough as if to suggest that I regain my composure so I pick up the teacup when,
“Ah”
Perhaps because my grip strength hasn’t returned yet, it slips out of my hand.
A great sound rings out as it hits the tray,
“Kya” “Eh” “Awawawa!”
The young girls’ screams chain together
..
Young foxes panic and run around the room
The young girls wearing red hakamas can no longer be seen.
“Now now, this is disgraceful. Calm down at once”
At Chiyo-san’s words, the young foxes huddle up in the corners of the room.
“What are you doing, scaring those kids”
Maya-chan is glaring at me but,
“These kids are the children of kitsune who live in the forest and still aren’t used to taking the form of a human. However after hearing the news, they said they really wanted to meet my lord”
Chiyo-san makes a gentle smile and tilts her head.
“I’m sorry I startled you”
I smile at the young kitsune but they only begin to tremble more.
Even in the previous world, monsters and spirits were fundamentally timid and vigilant.
But when needed they would turn their fangs on you.
“I know, let’s eat the snacks together”
I eat a candy from the tray and put the rest in my hand. The young kitsune that seems the most curious slowly comes closer.
That’s right, didn’t master say that it’s important to form mutual trust.
I pat the head of the young kitsune that took the candy whose tail was swaying happily and the other kitsune also come close to eat the sweets and climb my back.
“And now you’re trying to entice them with candy”
Maya-chan glares at me further,
“I understand that it’s just a case of mistaken identity but it truly seemed like my lord had returned”
Tears are welling in Chiyo-san’s eyes once again.
“Could you tell me more about that lord and Kanako-chan’s eyes, Chiyo-san”
While I was dealing with the playful kitsune, Chiyo-san spoke bit by bit about the events leading up to mow.
“It began when my older brother, Genichi, was killed. No
.. this imbalance began when I met my lord”
It seems there is a sequel to the Chiyo Inari Legend,
“My lord, who healed this territory, provided protection for us yokai clans. In exchange we assisted in raising abundant crops”
When the reign of Ieyasu brought stability to the country, people began to question the good harvests.2
“My lord attempted to conceal it but rumours began to spread and those aiming for the yokai clans appeared”
Caught in that conflict of interest, the lord lost their life.
The kitsune ended their contract with the humans, only protecting the inari shrine and using the power of the onsen to heal the wounded
..
“My lord was an outstanding commander and held a power similar to us yokai. I have to wonder how such a person could be eliminated”
There is a rumour that the commander was assassinated by someone who wielded an eye with unique powers,
“Us kitsune have also lost many lives to those who wield similar techniques”
The kitsune who had been decreasing along with the times eventually began to search for those with the [eyes] power.
“Then Genichi, my elder brother, found one with said power and began to observe her”
From then on the story was the same as I heard from Maya-chan.
The buyout of the shopping district continued and Kanako-chan and the others was pushed into the corner,
“I too was suddenly attacked and as you can see I am still recovering. The Shimogami School has been wanting to make a deal with us kitsune for a long time”
The conditions could not be agreed on so it was put on hold.
However a few days ago a compromise was proposed.
“If I marry a certain person, everything will be settled amicably”
“I can’t believe you!”
Maya-chan yells.
She puffs her cheeks and glares at Chiyo-san.
“May I ask a few questions”
“Yes, what is it”
I add this case to the chessboard in my head.
It’s seems all too simple a scam but I need to confirm.
“First, the feudal lord being killed by one who used the power of [eyes] is a rumour right”
“Yes, however after that we were attacked many times by those with similar power”
“Have you captured any of those people to confirm”
“
..No, certainly we haven’t done that”
To attack while feigning your ability is an old trick of spies in the other world but it seems the same is true here.
“Who was the ones who discovered Kanako-chan’s ability?”
“That was
.. the Shimogami School’s
..”
As expected after talking this far, even Chiyo-san has noticed.
However next to her, Maya-chan tilts her head.
“What do you mean?”
“Basically the Shimogami School’s target was Chiyo-san from the start”
I take a breath while stroking the young kitsune’s fur and Maya-chan glares at me once again.
Master’s words come to mind.
“The most fearsome of curses is not magic but [human malice]”
It’s simple but this curse is effective it seems.
The kitsune’s [anger] in the lords and their allies death caused them to lose themselves.
“Curse huh”
Yuikuu’s words also bug me.
It seems this chessboard is still not complete.
However I feel like I have an extremely useful person in regards to this case.
I scratch my head many times but
..
For some reason, I have a hard time remembering.
Translator’s Notes:
1: Strong style is a term that originates from japanese professional wrestling and as slang means something along the lines of ‘leaving out any excessive showiness and facing something head on’
2: Tokugawa Ieyasu, one of the great unifiers of japan.
A more organised person would probably make sure they have some plan in case they are suddenly busy but instead you have me. Sorry I missed last week but there was a lot of work to do after returning from my trip.