"Nnnnnn… Nnnnnn!!"
"What ails thee, Limbo?"
"No, no, it is merely… well, quite a troublesome turn of events. It appears the Guardian of Shimousa has been summoned."
"…That Guardian, thou sayest?"
"Indeed, indeed, precisely so! Such a presence cannot be utilized in our design; he cannot be manipulated, nor can he be corrupted. He would effortlessly repel even our Karma of Absolute Slaughter! A man who defied the trends of his era, the rulers of his day, and even the Imperial Court itself to forge his own path—him, him, him! Had he manifested as a vile spirit, a Berserker, or a vengeful Avenger, it would be one thing. But to manifest as a pacifier—a grand spirit, a Heroic Spirit harboring the divine within his very vessel?! If so, then beyond a shadow of a doubt, he shall stand as an absolute obstacle to our grand ambition! Nnnnnn, Nnnnnn…!!"
"…Even against our Swordmasters?"
"If we apply every thread of Karma at our disposal, we might at best force a mutual destruction. To slay him outright is a desperate gamble, and bend him to our will we cannot—truly, truly—agh…!"
"…"
"Leave this to me. That Spirit bears a shackling burden. We need only leverage that constraint to bring his purpose to an end."
"…Thou art certain of this, Limbo?"
"Without fail. He is the 'Great Spirit of Shimousa.' They shall inevitably venture toward the leyline where his phantom reposes… When they do, I shall ensure that Ruler's duty ends—and see to his absolute demise…"
[The Realm of Two-Fold Agony]
"My, my, Inferno-han. What's gotten into you?"
"Have you seen Black Rope…? She appeared somewhat troubled, so I thought I might gently… incinerate her worries."
"Now, now, hold your horses before you get yourself killed. On that matter, she did say, 'That child is mine to slay. Whoever interferes is my enemy.' Honestly, I can't tell if her mind is completely shattered or if she's just being stubborn… It's beyond me."
"Is that so…? What a pity. I thought it would be quite a spectacle to watch the Minamoto's precious daughter burn right before her eyes…"
"If that's the case, I wouldn't mind melting her down a bit myself… Tee-hee, I wonder what face that old hag would make… Hehehe, ehehehe…"
The Red-Haired Grandpa
"Onui! Tasuke! Are you two alright?!"
After a two-hour trek—greatly shortened thanks to Rikka and Ruler's impressive swiftness—the party of four arrived at the hermitage of the man known as "Grandpa." Waiting for them at this makeshift base was a man with a thoroughly sculpted torso, completely bare from the waist up…
(…He doesn't look a day over twenty, though…)
To Rikka, he looked like nothing more than a spirited young man in his early twenties. A "grandpa" with a physique like that and looking so youthful? What kind of crazy twist was this? Her definition of a grandfather was crumbling.
"He, too, is a Heroic Spirit. A stray soul without a Master—a mere shadow manifested in a temporary vessel… He is no ordinary mortal."
Rikka nodded in understanding at Ruler's explanation. That made sense. In that case, was he some sort of Pseudo-Servant utilizing a host?
"Grandpa! We're okay! Look, the Dragon God and a super-strong samurai mister protected us!"
"Daa~♪ Kyai, kyai!"
"…Hey, kids, are you telling the truth? These two aren't bandits or highwaymen, are they…?"
"They are not. Under the banners of righteous anger, justice, and noble cause, we merely protected a treasure of Nihon. Furthermore, no trace of falsehood dwells within our intent."
"Um, we just followed our hearts to save Onui-chan and Tasuke-kun. We don't need any reward or thanks, honest!"
Having grown accustomed to interpreting Ruler's lofty speech, Rikka translated his words in her own way. It would be a terrible shame if his stately, dignified demeanor caused any misunderstandings.
"It's true, Grandpa! The Dragon God and the samurai mister are super strong! They went flash! and then boom!"
"Daa~! Kyakya!"
"…I see. Well, you've saved us a world of trouble. So, children are treasures, huh? You actually get it. You really get it…"
The man nodded continuously, and then—
"Onui! You little fool!"
"Eek…!"
The young man called Grandpa suddenly delivered a sharp scolding.
"Didn't I tell you to come here with your mother and father?! You got attacked by those monster-like things, didn't you?!"
"U-Uh-huh… The black ones…"
"It's a miracle these folks were around! Otherwise, you and Tasuke would be piling stones at the River Styx right now! If anything happened to you two, your parents wouldn't be able to rest in peace even in death!"
"…I'm sorry…"
"Kyau…"
Grandpa scolded them with earnest severity. Feeling the genuine concern behind his harsh words, Onui and Tasuke lowered their heads in apology.
(Scolding them properly… Yep, yep. Kids won't learn unless you tell them what they did wrong.)
"Children must grow righteously and healthily. Both rebuke and praise must be given justly. Let the boys grow sturdy, and the girls bloom with grace and splendor."
The jet-black and gold warrior and the orange-haired girl both nodded in agreement.
(…Lord Ruler, is it okay if girls grow up sturdy too…?)
"So long as one does not stray from the righteous path, that, too, is acceptable."
(Thank you so much!!)
"…Alright, let me see it. A smart girl like you wouldn't sneak out for no reason. You brought work for old me, didn't you?"
Onui's eyes lit up at his words. She reached into her kimono, pulled out a comb and a tea bowl, and handed them to him.
"…Good grief, you silly brat. Going to such lengths for beat-up junk like this. If a parent lost a child over something like this, they'd die of heartbreak."
Seeing the courage of the two children who had risked everything just to fix their parents' cherished items, the man sighed deeply.
"Can you fix them, Grandpa?"
"Heh, who do you think I am? I'll make 'em good as new. But food comes first. Onui, get breakfast ready. Make sure everybody eats their fill."
"Okay!"
"Our task here is complete, Master. Come, let us resume our journey and seek the way home."
(Right!)
Having seen Onui and Tasuke safely returned, the two turned to leave quietly, but…
"Hey, you two went out of your way for these brats. I won't call it an apology or payment, but… sit down and eat a bite. It's perfect timing for breakfast."
Ruler and Rikka exchanged glances at Grandpa's invitation.
(…In this era, people hardly have enough food to share with others…)
"Starvation is a constant shadow… How lamentable. How cruel… The sorrow and grief are endless…"
Unlike modern Japan, which was saturated with goods, this was ancient Japan. Food was scarce enough for Onui, Tasuke, and Grandpa. Adding Rikka's appetite—and Ruler's presence—she felt she couldn't bring herself to consume their provisions. Onui and Tasuke were at an age where they needed nutrition the most. How could she not exercise restraint?
"N-No, I'm fine! Please, everyone else go ahead and eat!"
"I concur. Nourishing their flesh is the duty of young children. We must not deprive them."
Despite their refusal, Grandpa merely snorted.
"Don't look down on me. I'm a swordsmith. Setting aside that terrifying samurai gentleman over there, I'm not low enough to let a fine Yamato Nadeshiko like you go hungry."
"Yamato Nadeshiko…?!"
"I'm talking about you. You've got a fine, well-tempered body that's a marvel to look at. I'm not letting a physique like that starve down to skin and bones. Stop arguing and take a seat."
"GHHHH—!! MNNNNN~!!"
Rikka threw her head back to the heavens in silent victory. While his praise wasn't entirely conventional for a young woman, a compliment was still a compliment, and she couldn't help but feel thrilled.
"And you too, samurai gentleman. Come inside. Neither of us relies on ordinary flesh and blood anymore, but as long as we wear human forms, we eat meals. That's just how it goes."
"…"
"Samurai mister! Let's eat together!"
Onui, now wearing an apron, invited the Ruler of Kanto to join them. Shrinking his towering frame—nearly six foot three inches—he looked down at Rikka.
"…We shall partake. It is not the food, but the goodwill we accept; we must honor their spirit of hospitality."
"Meaning we should accept their kindness rather than focus on the meal itself, right?"
"Precisely. The bonds and interactions between people are among the true treasures born of a peaceful world."
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