/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>45063909
(3/4)
Blasted robe. “Oh, of course not. I acquired this from, well let’s say it was entrusted to me by someone to fulfill my own role in all of this. It felt wrong to not be wearing it on such an auspicious occasion for myself. I mean no offense.” I reasoned.
Couldn’t very well say: ‘I grave robbed this from a tomb of legendary Youkai hunters’, ah, it probably didn’t even matter in the presence of Miko.
“Oh, not the robe. I mean this.” She said, tapping my bracelet with a single finger.
At this, Seiga stopped smoking and immediately turned in our direction, her interest piqued.
“Well, this was also entrusted to me as well.” I say, holding the bracelet to the light, examining the large, smooth black stones that composed it and the silver veins shining within. “It’s supposed to be an armament of some sort, although I suspect it’s inert. I’m only a little practiced in magic arts, charms, seals, and tools like that, but I can’t seem to get these beads to do anything no matter the chant, incantation, hand sign, or conditions I try.” I say, shrugging.
“It’s almost as if they’re really just some ornate stones and nothing else.”
Miko closed her eyes and breathed, as if formulating a response in her head. This put me on edge. Why had the Crown Prince, with her quick wit, taken a pause? Surly she could reply faster than I could inquire, unless, unless it was necessary for myself?
“Have you tried removing those stones?” Seiga interjected.
“No, I…” I think to myself. I hadn’t removed the bracelet since I donned it yesterday.
Grabbing the stones, I tried pulling it off my right hand, only for it to squeeze my wrist as if it were a snake constricting its prey. I tugged and tugged but couldn’t get it any farther.
“Stop! Stop! Oh, that’s a horrid and wonderful noise, but stop!” Seiga said, her hands clasped around her ears. I didn’t hear anything like that but stopped at her insistence.
Suddenly there was a banging on the door. With a wave, Miko produced a tiny golden sword in the air which zoomed past us and phased through the door. The banging stopped.
“Goro-kun, you are human, aren’t you?” Miko asked.
“Of course.” I said, confused.
“Have you ever harbored a spirit? Acted under a god’s influence? Or perhaps, consumed Youkai flesh?” She asked.
The room went silent, and the air felt heavy.
This was a Youkai-slaying weapon, I was still being treated after biting off Seija’s neck and swallowing it, was this bracelet trying to kill me?
“That bracelet is culmination of 108 human sacrifices.” Seiga spoke. “Human sacrifices, by humans, for humans you understand? Not as a Youkai or Terrible god would do, where one involves waste and the other is overly symbolic. It involved taking specific human bones, boiling out their marrow, grinding the bones into dust, mixing the resulting meal with silver, and trapping the conduits in obsidian.” She explained, tapping the ash out of her pipe.
“It’s refined human animosity, perfect and un-conditional negative emotion to anything that isn’t purely human. Its use is a conduit for Houjustsu, tranquil magic, but the resulting spells would resemble Youjutsu, chaotic magic.” She continued.
“Why would they make such a thing to fight Youkai?” I ask, feeling my panic creep in.
“Because even though it looks like Youjutsu it’s not. The malice is targeted, direct, and unlike a grudge it won’t ever grow or veer from its ire. Such a thing could scarcely be called Houjustsu either, the practitioner who finished it likely couldn’t find peace so chose instead to impose complete order on malice.” She waved.
I looked at the bracelet and let myself feel anger and I finally saw what everyone was gawking at.
In each stone there was a face, a human one cloaked in red with attentive expressions, uncanny expressions, as I moved the bracelet away from myself the size of the faces did not change and the red light they cast did not reflect on the shining palace floors. They were just, staring.
I felt a weight in my chest. “If someone wearing such a thing were to die…” I begin to ask.
“They would not pass the Sanzu. The beads will not let your soul leave.” Miko said.
“No, but I, I have pills from Eientei, they’re treating me.” I laugh. “Once I finish the treatment, these things, they’ll fall right off, right?”
Miko solemnly shakes her head. “Your life may not be at risk, but your body is irreversibly tainted. The bracelet will never let you go.”
“Then I’ll chop my arm off. It’ll be a nuisance, but I can at least die peacefully, right?”
Seiga spoke “You would only be down an arm, The beads grip isn’t a physical phenomenon, that’s just how you perceive it. Even more drastic actions like destroying the beads may just cause more harm.”
My head swam. What was all this for? Had I died on Youkai Mountain that day I would’ve died happy and now I was doomed, cursed.
“There might be one way.” Miko spoke.
I listened.