fictional spring

Even though I was unexpectedly pulled away and forced to fall from the wooden porch, I still stood on the snow in the courtyard, as if... my body should be able to do this reaction.

It is a healthy and sensitive state.

It is probably because of the water breathing that is still maintained, so even the cold wind that enters the body while breathing does not affect the body's functioning.

If it was earlier, standing in the snow in this kind of weather, I am afraid that I would feel hard to breathe within a few breaths.

After all, just now—when I just woke up, just doing something like walking through the verandah to the priestess was already close to the limit that my body could bear.

It was only because he was distracted by what happened later that he didn't immediately show the impact of such bad weather on his body.

The red-haired swordsman also set off.

Just as I was able to understand the gap between myself and Oni Wu Tsuji after using Water Breath, when Oni Wu Tsuji saw the swordsman who used Sun's Breath, I could also understand the situation at the moment situation.

But before reacting, he looked in my direction.

It was just a short glance, but I felt that the time was really slow. The complex emotions contained in those red plum-colored eyes suddenly made my heartstrings tense.

It was a look I had never seen before.

I can't see any familiarity, nor can I see the slightest peace - what grows wildly in those hazy eyes is full of emotions that can be called "hate".

Dark and hideous.

Oni Wu Tsuji Mumi hates me.Such thoughts came to mind in an instant.

It was so clear that I was surprised.

Even if I can't think of a reason, and I can't understand the reasons for his feelings, it doesn't prevent me from understanding this fact.

And in the next moment, the swordsman's back happened to separate our sight, and the red plum color in the sight was suddenly blocked by the long hair that was as bright as a crimson flame.

The hem of the swordsman's clothes fluttered in the air with his movements. During the fight, there was a fine sound of knives, and the affected houses collapsed. It was unknown whether it was dust or snowflakes rising from the ruins.

I stared blankly at such a scene. At this moment, where my eyes could see, there was only haze. Two vague figures emerged from the dust and smoke, and what came into my ears were bursts of knives.

Should I help?

Only then did I dully think of this question.The red-haired swordsman was fighting Mumai Tsuji, but I just stood a few meters away, watching their fight without saying a word.

Just like a bystander who stays out of the way.

I thought I would feel relaxed at this moment, because I no longer had to confront Onimui Tsuji with a sword. It is true that everything he did had enough reasons for me to hold the handle, but... what emerged inadvertently from the bottom of my heart, but It is a familiar and gentle past.

I used to like her.

And at certain times that I can't recall, I'm afraid I liked him too.

no misery...

When thoughts were surging, the red-haired swordsman had already gained the upper hand. Guiwu Tsuji lowered his head in embarrassment, his slightly curly hair scattered messily on his cheeks, accompanied by those red plum-colored eyes, the anger in his eyes was almost gushing out.

But he did not continue to entangle with the swordsman.

When Oni Wu Tsuji tried to escape, the red-haired swordsman wanted to catch up with him, but at this moment, I suddenly coughed.

The breath of water stopped.

As a result, the mind began to feel hot uncontrollably. The cold wind blowing on the face took away the temperature and made the feeling of dizziness worse. .

Can't stop.

The coughing became more and more violent, and more and more blood followed. Even if I tried to cover it with my palm, it had no effect.

I couldn't even maintain a standing posture. I knelt on the snow and bent down uncontrollably. Almost my whole body was curled up and stuck to the ground.

At this time, it was completely impossible to pay attention to the situation between Onimai Tsuji Mumi and the red-haired swordsman. His body trembled due to coughing, and tears fell uncontrollably.

Feels moist to the touch on the cheeks.

I also don't know whether the tears that fell at this time were due to physical discomfort or Oni Wu Tsuji, maybe both.

Maybe it will die like this.

I think.

When I thought of dying in such a way, I suddenly felt a little unwilling.

If it had been earlier, before the arrival of the priestess disguised as Onimai Tsuji, I would have died of a serious illness—even if I had faced such a day earlier, I would not have found it difficult to accept.

Because I feel that there is nothing unfinished, because there is no reason to stay, so no matter what kind of ending we usher in, it doesn't matter.

But it is different now.

At the moment when I realized that I might die, I suddenly had the idea of ​​continuing to live—because I still had unfulfilled wishes.

I still have unfinished business.

Bitter wind rustled past my ears, but footsteps sounded in front of me.

Whose footsteps were those?

I propped myself up on the ground, resisted my gradually blurred consciousness and raised my face, and then I saw the red hem of the clothes.

——It was that strange swordsman.

Subconsciously, he began to look for Onimui Tsuji's figure, but found that the person seemed to be no longer here.

"He ran away."

A calm and indifferent voice suddenly sounded in front of me.

The swordsman said, "Gimui Tsuji has already escaped."

What kind of expression should I use to face such a result?

Anger or pain?

I do not know either.

Probably at this time, my expression still hasn't changed much.

However, a palm appeared in front of my eyes—a male palm with thick calluses on the finger pulp and tiger's mouth.

It is the palm of the swordsman.

"Are you ok?"

I took that hand.

It was much warmer than imagined, and much more generous than imagined—it was a strange touch that I had never felt before.

It's like touching something that really exists and can be touched-the sun.

After a simple treatment, I followed the red-haired swordsman on the way to the Ghost Killing Squad.

Of course, he kept breathing water while he was on his way.

At that time, after holding his hand, it seemed that I had learned something from him, so after waking up, I immediately thought of going to find my mother, Riko and the others, but after I said this, The swordsman told me——

"In this mansion, there is no breath of other living people."

I don't know what this sentence means-everyone is dead?Or has the living escaped from the mansion?

I opened my mouth to ask something, but I couldn't say a word, so in the end, I just looked at Lord Swordsman silently, watching those red eyes also fall on me.

This kind of red is completely different from the Onimiya Tsuji I have seen before.

The red that belongs to the swordsman is a warm but calm red, while the red that belongs to Oni Wu Tsuji is a deep and dangerous red.

I began to think of Ghost Dance Tsuji Mumi again.

So I asked the swordsman to find a torch for me, and then set fire to the mansion with my own hands.

"Why do this?"

The swordsman suddenly asked me: "Don't you mourn for your family?"

His voice was very calm, just like his expression, as if there would be no emotional changes at all, and he was incredibly quiet from head to toe.

To be honest, I was surprised enough that the swordsman could take the initiative to talk to me—just like at that time, he gave up the chance to hunt down Kimai Tsuji, and stayed in the courtyard because of me who was unwell.

Master Swordsman... is a very kind person.

So even if you treat strangers, you will help them without hesitation.

But he doesn't seem to understand what I'm doing.

In fact, according to common sense, I should indeed find out the relics of my father and my mother's body—if I can find these, I will bury them and erect a tombstone for them.

But I think it's no longer necessary.

"Those who have died have nothing left."

Seeing the raging fire rising from the field of vision and devouring the entire City Lord's Mansion, everything I was familiar with was reduced to ashes in an instant.

I turned my face away and said to the swordsman: "Everything you have in life can't be taken away, whether it's money or body, or feelings and fate, nothing belongs to them anymore."

Hearing this, the swordsman seemed to show some doubts, it was a very subtle expression, and after a while, he was always expressionless again.

"yes."

He said softly, "No one has ever told me that before."

It was obviously a very calm voice, but I could hear some strange emotions from it, and I realized something because of it.

"Have you lost anyone, too?"

After my question, the swordsman was silent for a moment.

"Have."

Just a short answer.

Maybe the swordsman didn't want to tell me about his own affairs in detail at this time, so he replied like this, but he answered my question, which also means that he wants to hear my opinion.

"The living people bury the feelings of the dead in their hearts, and the people who stay behind hold the feelings of the people who left. So one piece of happiness will become two pieces of happiness." Happiness, one share of pain will become two shares of pain. The feelings I have endured have become twice as much, and I will feel more and more difficult to bear such a heavy burden.”

I said to him: "Those feelings turn people into 'ghosts'."

When I said this sentence, I also felt a little surprised. I obviously didn't have such an idea at first, but as I was talking, the last sentence came out of my mouth.

I know very well that the so-called "ghosts" are not ghosts like Mumai Tsuji, but other ghosts that arise from people's hearts.

Hearing such words, the swordsman showed obvious bewilderment - it is normal for him to be unable to understand the meaning, because even I myself feel that it is too strange.

It seemed to be a sentence picked up suddenly from a certain moment, and it was blurted out by taking this opportunity.

We waited until the City Lord's Mansion was reduced to ashes before we left. During the process, many people from the city gathered around, and I didn't see half a familiar face there—no one who came out of the City Lord's Mansion.

I don't know whether the other people in the city lord's mansion had already run far away, or they all died in the city lord's mansion.

These have nothing to do with me.

So when other people in the city came up to me suspiciously and asked me what happened, I just told them: "The ghost destroyed everything."

It is because of the generation of ghosts that this situation has been created.

The red-haired swordsman was silent and didn't say a word. He neither comforted nor explained to others. He just waited quietly for me to speak.

I have nowhere to go.

So I said to him, "Please bring me back to the Ghost Slayer, too."

On the way to the ghost killing team, we also encountered other members of the ghost killing team and other ghosts by chance. Those crows that could speak human words surrounded our heads, shouting that ghosts appeared somewhere.

It was in this way that members of the ghost killing team passed information to each other, and the leader of the ghost killing team also used this to issue orders.

On the second day of our journey together, I asked the red-haired swordsman his name.

"Ji Guo Yuan Yi."

He told me so.

So I also told him my name: "I am Gen Mutsuki."

Hearing that the swordsman who was on his way suddenly stopped, he turned his face and glanced at me, still expressionless, but this action made me feel a little puzzled.

"What's matter?"

I asked him.

"I've heard of this name before." The swordsman said to me: "Some time ago, a drug seller delivered medicine to the lord, and he mentioned this name by chance."

"Muzuki Hime."

Hearing this, I couldn't help being a little stunned. Obviously the drug seller he mentioned was the one I knew - I don't know the name or origin, and even the name is just an ordinary drug seller.

And only that person would be like that.

"What was mentioned?"

I couldn't help asking.

The swordsman was silent for a while, then turned around and replied, "I don't remember."

I was actually not surprised to get such an answer, so I didn't ask any more questions, and just speeded up the pace of the journey together with him.

Mostly because they all used the breathing method, they traveled faster than ordinary people. As a result of this, we arrived at the main house of the Ghost Killing Squad within a short time.

That's the residence of the leader of the Demon Slayer Squad.

On the way, Lord Swordsman actually told me something. The leader of the Demon Slayer Squad has always been the Ubayashiki clan. Because of some kind of curse, the descendants of the family died young, but even so they still created the Demon Slayer Squad. , working hard with other outstanding swordsmen to kill evil spirits.

"There is an excellent swordsman called 'Pillar' in the ghost killing team. Because he learned the breathing method, his strength has also increased greatly. In addition, he uses the sword called 'Sunlun Saber' that can kill ghosts. Weapons, so the team is getting stronger."

A young man with a gentle face sat across from me, and there was tea on the low table in front of us, and the indoor barrier door was wide open, so we could see the sunlight falling on the courtyard outside.

The sun was out today, which is rare.

There are several big trees planted in the courtyard, and my lord explained to me, "It's a wisteria tree. Although generally speaking ghosts can't find it here, we still planted such plants in the courtyard."

I looked at him silently, then lowered my eyes and stared at the teacup in front of me.

"It's rare for the weather to clear up, why don't you go out for a walk?"

The lord suddenly suggested.

I froze for a moment, and although I didn't understand his intention, I nodded in agreement.

Standing on the wooden veranda, my gaze involuntarily fell on the opposite barrier door. After realizing what I was doing, I pursed my lips again and shifted my gaze to the courtyard.

It was probably my actions that made the lord understand something, and he suddenly asked me: "Do you want to stay?"

For a moment, I couldn't understand what he meant.

"stay?"

The lord nodded: "I have heard Yuanyi tell you about you... and the reason why such a thing happened is because of the existence of ghosts."

"..."

I kept silent and didn't answer.

"Yuanyi is an excellent swordsman," the lord told me, "He also became a ghost hunter because his family was killed by a ghost. Later, after he joined the ghost killing team, he found that everyone couldn't use breathing, so he I improved the breathing method I used, and then taught it to the other pillars."

I suddenly realized what the lord meant.

"I also heard that you used water breathing."

The lord looked at me and asked me solemnly: "Before this, have you learned swordsmanship or breathing method?"

Hearing this, I shook my head, "Master Yuanshan, he is the first swordsman I have ever seen who uses the breathing method."

Before him, I had only occasionally seen the scenes of warriors practicing in the city.

My father didn't think it was necessary for me to show my face in front of the samurai, so after I happened to pass by the training ground a few times and saw the practice scene, a gate was installed there to completely cut off the chance for me to meet other people .

All I need to see are those noble sons who come from Kyoto, or from other cities, just to see me.

After listening to my words, the lord sighed softly, "Yili is also a very good child."

With a sad voice, he told me about the swordsman's life experience, "Father and mother passed away very early, so they can only depend on each other with their young brother. Their brothers have been living in the mountains before. One day, Yili I took my younger brother to the mountains to cut firewood, but met a ghost in the mountains."

"It happened that there was no sunshine that day, so the ghosts also went out for activities during the day. Yili wanted to escape with his brother, but was stopped by the ghost, and the other party... ate his brother in front of him."

Hearing this, I can suddenly think of the follow-up development.

"The ghost ate his younger brother, but let him go. This past has left Yili in pain, so he joined the ghost killing team and has been fighting to find the ghost."

After hearing this, I raised my face and looked at the lord: "Is it because people who joined the ghost killing team were all taken away by ghosts?"

The Lord didn't seem surprised that I would ask such a question, because he nodded after listening: "So everyone is holding the mood of killing the evil spirits even if they fall into hell with them. , have been working hard for the same goal.”

"And all the other ghosts were created by Oni Wu Tsuji, so..." I said softly, "As long as you kill Oni Wu Tsuji, everything will end, right?"

Hearing that the lord did not speak, nor did he make any movements, a rare warm wind blew past our sides, slightly brushing his shoulder-length hair.

In the brief moment when the forehead was exposed, I saw a small piece of wrinkled skin like a scald, but in the next moment, I felt that it was withered like bark.

I was startled and hesitated for a while, but I still asked: "Your face..."

The lord smiled without haze, with a gentle and calm expression on his face: "It's just a very ordinary thing."

"Because a 'ghost' appeared in the family, the whole family fell into a curse, and the body would become weak day after day. No one can live beyond the age of 30."

It was probably the expression on my face that made the lord think of something, he reached out and touched my head.

It's a very strange feeling - strange but not annoying.

No one has ever acted like this to me before, like... an elder?

He obviously looks a few years older than me, but the appearance shown by the Lord Master seems to be the elder of everyone. He exists like a father and brother, tolerant and kind.

"Don't you feel pain?"

I suddenly found it hard to understand, I didn't feel the pain was unbearable, it was because I didn't have anything to care about, but the words my lord told me when he talked to me were enough to prove that he had an extremely firm goal.

I know why I became what I am now, and I also know the ending I want to pursue. I know that such a future can even be called illusory, but I will not feel painful and powerless because of it.

The lord shook his head and said to me: "Because I know that I am not the only one who yearns for that wish to come true."

"The rest of the ghost killing team, the people whose happiness was taken away by ghosts, their descendants and my descendants, all are working hard for a common goal. It is true that the road is long and difficult, but there is always One day, it will all be over."

Suddenly, something bordering on panic came over me.

Those emotions climbed to the extreme when the lord invited me to join the Demon Slayer Squad, trying to make me a new water column.

I declined his request.

It's not just that such a request is unreasonable, there are probably other reasons that are unclear.

The lord standing on the porch was still calm, he looked at me for a while, then suddenly asked: "Is it because you can't let go of something?"

I opened my eyes wide.

"In your heart, there is something very heavy and sad."

Suddenly he said this to me.

"I originally thought it was the pain caused by the death of my family members, but it doesn't seem to be the case, because after I told you about Yuanyi and Yili, your reaction told me that there was something else. Roots sprouted in your heart."

"Maybe it's strange to say that, but I think that's the more important reason—the real reason that drives you here."

I listened carefully to every word that fell into my ears, and suddenly understood—I had always observed other people's emotions before, but now is the first time someone has seen my true thoughts.

Your lord is right, what drove me here was indeed the reason of my family, but more, it was a certain agreement that I deliberately suppressed in my heart.