/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>45045552 (13/?)

Looking over the seals Mima was drawing, Hana’s mind was stuck on one point, “I’ve seen these before.”

As soon as those words were said, Hana shrank back. While she didn’t mean it in an accusatory manner, such things were irrelevant to a goddess. Hopefully, Mima would make her retribution fast and wouldn’t cease her lessons.

Mima’s retribution was neither fast nor slow for that matter. Instead, the goddess simply chuckles, “I suppose would have seen them around before. They are Hakurei designs, even if the current shrine maiden has neglected them.”

Curiosity quickly overcoming any lingering fear, Hana prods, “What’s wrong with them? Mo-She was dutiful in youkai extermination if nothing else. She wouldn’t just ignore a useful power.”

Mima looks down at the seal almost wistfully. It reminds Hana of the times Mom and Marisa would… Hana pushes such thoughts away as Mima replies, “Well it wasn’t useful for her. The way Gensokyo currently works, sealing threats away just isn’t useful. Almost every incident ends in a tea party and some bruised egos. As for the few issues that couldn’t be resolved with a tea party…”

Mima drags a finger across her neck before comically slumping her head and making a ‘bleh’ sound. In the past, Hana might have been amused by the display, but her attention was fixated on something else. Trying her damnedest to not sound impolite, Hana asks, “If seals aren’t useful in killing people, why do I need to learn about them? Surely, we aren’t going to spare Yukari after everything she’s done.”

Mima looks to Hana with a frown that oddly lacks any disappointment, “Ah the righteous fury of youth. I won’t lie and say Yukari doesn’t deserve a very long voyage down the Sanzu, but that’d cause more problems for all of us.”

Hana was about to give a fiery response before Mima gave her a tired look, “Please let me finish. You can yell at me all you want afterward. As I was saying, for all the nastiness of modern Gensokyo, it’s still a paradise compared to my day. From what I can see and have heard, a major reason for that is the fact that certain taboos are followed. For all their bluster, when was the last time one of the major powers tried to properly kill each other? Now while Yukari’s actions have broken some taboo of not… I don’t need to repeat her crimes, killing her would just cause the whole system to unravel.”

Mima gains a sardonic smile before sighing, “I’m the greatest hypocrite in the world for saying this, but learn from a middle-aged woman’s mistakes. Blindly chasing vengeance will do you no good. Instead, you should be pragmatically chasing vengeance before living a long and happy life afterward to spite your wrongdoer. While killing her will plunge Gensokyo into chaos, sealing her away for many times your lifespan…”

Will mean that Yukari will never bother Hana again without breaking the system, Hana concludes in her head. Hana is torn. She can’t find any fault in Mima’s reasoning, but how can she let things go at trapping Yukari in some box for a while after everything that woman has done? No, Hana cannot live a long and happy life anymore. Nothing is going to fit back together after Yukari smashed it.