The leisurely holiday that lasted for a whole month is finally over.

There were quite a few unexpected events at the New Year's Festival, and instead of holding another festival on the last day of the festival as in previous years, the human village quietly began the busy spring planting in February.

The sky was just dawning, and the meager morning light was shining through the trees.

On the outskirts of the Enchanted Forest, near the human farmland, two figures stood facing each other, silent at first.

Standing here wearing the same pair of headphones as before, looking at Miss Aqiu who was standing a few meters away and staring at her, the big monster who read the mind couldn't see any expression on his face, just waiting for the other party to speak first.

And the human girl standing opposite, Barnyard Aqiu, seemed to have made up the same mind, so the two of them only stood like this for a long time.

Unfortunately, this confrontation is a natural disadvantage for the human side, and after a long time, Barnyard Aqiu sighed.

"Miss Satoru, the fourth volume of "Records of Experiences at the Bell Shrine" is a puzzle chapter, and the mastermind behind it is Miss Miko's sister. ”

Gu Mingdi felt like he had been struck by lightning, and he couldn't move for a while, and he only said: "You...... I ......"

Then he took a step back and muttered with a wry smile, "Is this revenge?...... If you weren't for Miss Aqiu herself, I would have killed you. ”

Barnyard Aqiu made a gesture of invitation, and then turned around and walked out of the Enchanted Forest, although Gu Ming felt that he didn't know where he was going, but since Barnyard Aqiu was leading the way, there was no reason to stop.

Gu Ming Dijue kept up with the pace and walked side by side with Barnyard Tian Aqiu, but there was no good face on his face.

was originally a very delicate girl's appearance, but because of her dull eyes and sullen expression, she became a look that no one should enter, and this situation can be regarded as the norm of mind-reading monsters.

"So, Miss Aqiu wrote to the Earth Spirit Hall to say that there was an urgent matter to discuss, just to spoil the content of the next volume in person?"

"Not as you think, Miss Satoru," said Aqiu with a smile, "I have a lot to say to you. ”

Dozens of members of the police force were already in place at sentry posts around the farmland, and the village farmers were walking from the main road to get ready to start work with hoes and chatting in twos and threes. The timing of soil loosening and spring planting varies slightly depending on the crop, but whenever the farmer goes out to farm, he must be supervised by the police force.

Any presence outside the village can be extremely dangerous for mortals, and they immediately recognize that the youkai is walking side by side with the village's Miss Aqiu of the barnyard family, and the only celebrity in the village who interacts with the youkai without surprising anyone.

Many humans who have never left the village in their entire lives can only learn about the world they live in through Gensokyo Origin. The vast majority of the people in the village are in awe of the mission of the barnyard family.

Perhaps a few of the farmers cautiously greeted the eldest lady of the barnyard family, but most of them even stopped chatting and kept their heads down and silently hoeed the ground, for fear that they would anger the lifeless and gloomy youkai girl who walked beside Aqiu.

Contrary to Gu Ming's expectations, Barnyard Aqiu did not take her into the village, but went around to the edge of the originally abandoned farmland.

"In the past, this side was cultivated on all sides," Ah Qiu explained, as if to see the confusion of the monster, "for a while, the scale of the village was too fast, which affected the balance, and some of it had to be abandoned. ”

Gu Mingdijue stepped into this wasteland without saying a word, guessing what Miss Aqiu's true purpose was.

Half of the abandoned huts in front of me collapsed due to the rain and wind, but a few still stand.

Pushing open a wooden door, there was a "creaking" sound, and the beams supported by the decaying logs seemed to collapse at any moment.

Ah Qiu walked in first, and Jue Youkai followed.

Surprisingly, the outside of the hut was surprisingly tidy, there was not a trace of dust on the tables, chairs, and straw mats, and even the smell of decay that permeated the whole community became almost unpleasant in the house.

"Are there still people living here?"

"It was there until last year, and then left...... Will be back in a while...... That's what Miss Alice said. ”

Gu Ming Dijue nodded: "Then, the so-called something has to be told in person-what it is, please say." ”

......

......

A set of ornate tables and chairs placed next to the straw mat was extremely incompatible with the overall simple hut, but this was not Gu Mingdijue's concern.

Even so, the hut was divided into two compartments, and when I looked inside, I guessed that it was a human habit, based on the few objects placed on the side of the adobe kitchen.

But I have never heard of a human race leaving the village to live together, and it seems that there is a sense of déjà vu that there is a conflict with the human world, and that there is no doubt that it is the former residence of those demon slayers.

Why did you bring yourself here? Are these demon slayers still alive today? Or is it because it's the residence of the demon slayers, and there are already traps set up here for youkai who strayed into this place?

Gu Ming Dijue looked at the barnyard field Aqiu who was still hesitating how to speak, such a familiar and unfamiliar Miss Christie, but at this moment it was not the proper posture of the humble and wise author in her impression.

I have been exchanging letters with her under the pseudonym of "Little Five" for several years, but I have never been willing to think about whether the other party knows my true identity - until the recent New Year's Eve Festival, perhaps because of her own uninvited surprise, the two are not the first time they have met. Although the two didn't have any conversation that night, even Barnyard Aqiu couldn't hide his heart, and that night, Jue Youkai already knew, and there was no room for maneuver in the matter.

Gu Ming Dijue sat down in his chair and quietly looked at the barnyard field Aqiu who was still hesitating across the table. I think it's thanks to wearing these headphones, otherwise Miss Aqiu would have felt very stupid in the face of a mind-reading monster - but there is no way to do it. The kinder the human being, the more unable it is to say goodbye lightly, not to mention that this should be a further situation, so that Miss Aqiu, who has an extraordinary position in the human village, can only ask herself out alone, and it can only be due to one thing - the cause of Ogura Kuriko's death has been exposed.

I don't know what the strength of those demon slayer ambushes in the cubicle is?I will never be caught with my hands tied, and I can only kill in front of Miss Aqiu as a last resort - but I am not a big monster who is good at breaking through skill, and it is a different matter if I am already in prison at the moment.

The demon slayer's formation spell has been taught thousands of years ago, and he is not sure that he will be able to get out of the whole body, but fortunately, before going to the appointment, he has already explained the aftermath of the Earth Spirit Hall to his pet Ah Pho, since Miss Ah Qiu is involved in this matter, she will not do such a thing as tying herself up and executing herself in public in the village, right?

It's just a blink of an eye, but Gu Ming Dijue has thought about many things unconsciously.

At this time, sitting across the table, it seemed that he felt ridiculous that he was so distressed, and sighed as if he gave up.

"Miss Satoru, I hate yokai. ”

"Well, I know. ”

"You may not understand that I hate youkai more than you think. ”

"No, I can understand, probably not far from the level of my misanthropy. ”

Ah Qiu thought about it and couldn't help laughing: "So, it should be so." ”

Gu Ming Dijue didn't laugh, she looked at Ah Qiu and thought, this kid can still laugh...... But when I thought about it, of course, the degree of value that the two of them valued each other in their eyes would not be of the same level, so I was relieved.

"Miss Jue, in fact, I am better at writing than speech. ”

"But since we chose to meet, something must have happened that was too serious to put into words. ”

“...... Exactly. ”

"Listen up. ”

"Miss Jue, I have a very willful request. Aqiu stood up from his seat.

"Hmm. Gu Ming nodded and looked at Ah Qiu who was walking towards him, this moment had finally arrived. Did you let Miss Aqiu do it herself, then perhaps, she would have ended here.

Barnyard Aqiu came to Gu Ming Dijue's side and stretched out his hands.

Gu Ming Dijue closed his eyes.

Feel a light on the top of your head and reopen your eyes. Miss Aqiu, who was nearby, held the headphones taken off from her head and looked directly into her eyes.

"I hope that you, from now on, will always read my novels, keep writing to me, and tell me how you feel about reading, and I will keep replying to you, and so on and so forth, until ...... Death separates us. ”

......

......

The unexpected words came out of the mouth of the barnyard field, and Gu Ming couldn't help but get up from his chair.

"Why?" she asked as she paced two steps around the table, turned to look at Aqiu and stared into her eyes, "Ogura Kuriko...... Still alive?"

"Would I have stood here and spoken to you calmly?"

Sensefully, he reached out a hand and fumbled for the edge of the table to make sure he was where he was—and finally managed to sit back in his chair. Suddenly, the dilated eyes focused again, looked at the barnyard and asked, "But even so, I hurt Kogura Kuriko and Miss Aqiu, so can it be okay like this, shouldn't it be like this?"

"Hmm...... Of course, it's not okay to say forgiveness easily," said Aqiu, who said this with a relaxed expression, and said in a non-solemn tone, "Deception is just a trivial matter for me, and the important thing is the chestnut's side. ”

"I'm not going to apologize to anyone. ”

Ah Qiu smiled when she heard this, "Sister Chestnut told me that Jue Youkai will not apologize to others whether she recognizes her mistake or not, because that is not her style. ”

Gu Mingdijue thought about it, raised his eyebrows, and didn't take a stubble. At this moment, her mood finally relaxed.

She took the headphones from Aqiu and put them back on.

"So what do you think? Compared to Kokura Kuriko, who only had a one-sided relationship with me, you are the one who has exchanged letters with Satoru Youkai for many years. ”

"That said, I don't really know each other very well. ”

"Oh, is that so?" Gu Mingdijue echoed seemingly casually, but seemed a little unconvinced, and it seemed to her that her own affection for Christie Q and her work must have deepened...... Being masked with the term "mutual" will of course lead to dissatisfaction.

Barnyard Aqiu naturally heard the tone of the monster and couldn't help laughing.

"Isn't it funny?" said Gu Mingdijue's tone was not good.

"That's not the case, Miss Jue, cough," Aqiu tried to hold back a laugh, but he couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth as he spoke, "Little Go, do you know what Christie Q's original intention is for writing?"

"Xiao Wu is just a pen name obtained by splitting words, please don't call me that," Gu Ming Dijue frowned and thought, "The original intention of writing a novel, usually speaking, is to have a wonderful story that must be told and not vomit unpleasantly and want to share it with others, right?"

"That's right, that's pretty much the intention of everyone who wants to write a serious story," she said, smiling and looking at the monster, "but when she finds that the story she's carefully crafted is like a stone in the sea, and no one can respond to it—that enthusiasm will quickly cool down." ”

"No," Gu Ming Jijue was silent for a long time, and then spoke, "Before I came into contact with your work, it was already very popular in the Monster Mountain. ”

Unfortunately, Yokai Yamanaka has long been using outside printing equipment to borrow Christie Q's transcription from Suzuna-an, and it only takes a stick of incense to make a copy of the entire book...... This copy was then used as a template for mass printing and promotion in the Yokai Mountain, and the whole process was unknown to Aqui, who was in the middle of the world.

Of course, there is one thing that is not stated by the monster, and that is that Christy Q's book also has a loyal following in Old Hell...... As for the main messenger who caused her work to become popular in the old hell, it is not worth mentioning it.

"So what? What you don't know is the same as not existing. ”

Gu Mingdijue nodded: "It's not that a novice with immature writing can't write a good story, but there is indeed nothing sadder than writing a wonderful story that can move him, but he can't resonate with anyone else." ”

"Miss Satoru, do you know how I persevered in the beginning?" "I fantasized that there was a reader who would stay up all night at the suspense I left in the story, applaud the unexpected developments, lament the joys and sorrows of the characters in the play that were hidden behind the reasoning and not been pointed out by me, and be tacitly acknowledged by the ridicule and arrogance that I hide in every book. ”

Gu Mingdi listened and did not speak.

Barnyard Aqiu continued.

"Such a reader who exists in fantasy is not necessarily a human being who is my contemporary. Even a hundred years after my death, there may be such a person in Gensokyo, and as long as I know that this possibility exists, I will be able to continue writing with satisfaction. ”

In the end, this wish was fulfilled in a very wonderful way. ”

"I understand that some youkai are very embracing of human culture. The Tengu live in the Yokai Mountains and establish a civilization similar to the one in the human world, imitating the customs of humans to establish ethnic relations. It is not difficult to understand that some of them are willing to read human novels. ”

"But I really didn't expect that the first reader who received feedback on the work would be a mind-reading monster living in the old hell......"

"My predecessor, the reincarnation of the soul of the eighth-generation Reko Takita, was afraid that you would be a mind-reader, so she only conducted a written interview in the form of a letter - I don't know what you did, but it did make her conclude that there is no friendliness to humans at all. ”

"The effect on me personally was that the handwriting of the mind-reading monster Koaki Jijue was passed down as knowledge, and after reading the letters left by the barnyard field during his lifetime, I was able to confirm the identity of the letter. ”

"Anyway, Miss Jue's handwriting is very distinct, and it is the kind of writing that will leave a deep impression after seeing it once. ”

Gu Mingdijue: "Do you want to say that my handwriting is ugly?...... Humans practice calligraphy with muscle memory, but I'm a monster after all, so there's no need to do that. ”

"No, it's just a strong personality...... Miss Jue's words give people a very sharp feeling, although ...... It's really not pretty. ”

"Ahem, after all, Miss Barnyard is a scholarly family, and the handwriting of a country monster like me naturally can't get into the eyes of the law. ”

"Miss Jue is too humble. You are a treasure given to me by God, and you have taken up an important part of my heart as a "Enlightened Enlightenment" alone, and you have meant more to me than anyone else. ”

Gu Ming felt that his two arms were placed on the table, and he shrugged his shoulders with his fingers interlocked, and said, "I—I don't know......"

"Look, this proves that we don't know each other as well as we thought - I didn't expect that Miss Satoru would be so interested in this kind of chattering tea, and even go out of your way to do so, and you didn't expect that if you revealed the slightest desire to participate, I myself would be more than happy to meet you, so that no one would be harmed." ”

Gu Ming Dijue was silent, and Barnyard Aqiu looked at her with a smile.

Eventually, the monster sighed.

"I'm not good at judging anyone from the point of view of good intentions, not in the past, and still will be. ”

"Miss Satoru knows that I hate youkai, so she doesn't want to believe that I only treat you differently? Even youkai must have an instinct for self-preservation, so I don't think Satoru did anything wrong. ”

"But what, Miss Jue...... The flowers are gorgeous, they will eventually scatter, and nothing good will happen if they linger," said Barnyard Aqiu, leaning back in his chair, holding the back of his head with his hands, and closing his eyes, "Whether it is a human or a youkai, whether it is kind and gentle, stubborn and stubborn, whether it is nature or habit...... If you can change it for the sake of others, even if the ending doesn't go as you want, it must be a very beautiful thing. ”

"As far as I'm concerned, I won't have any prejudice against you, Miss Satoru, because of the 'youkai', on the contrary, my correspondence with you has begun to give me a new understanding of 'youkai', Miss Satoru, what about you?"

Gu Mingdijue thought about it.

“...... Someday, I will write a novel that you will praise and that you will write for me. So said.

Barnyard Aqiu sneered: "My vision is very high, Miss Jue is going to work hard." ”

"I'll do my best. ”

"By the way, what type of novel does Miss Satoru plan to write?"

"Still thinking about it. The two representative authors I have come into contact with so far are Kristi Q and Suzutaro, and although both of them have written a lot of mystery works, the core of their writing is different. ”

Got rid of the shackles of the identity disguised as Ogura Chestnut during the tea party, and at this moment, Gu Ming Jijue can speak freely in front of Barnyard Aqiu.

For example, Suzutaro's "The Last Demon Slayer of Heijokyo Kyo" and Christy Q's two classic works "The End of Detective S" and "M Died Because of M", although they both contain elements of reasoning, but Sutaro's novels are more biased towards the word "love", and the discussion of human nature triggered by unexpected motives does not focus on the laying out of clues and evidence, and there are many other elements such as suspense, horror, humanity and love. And you...... Christie Q's works pay more attention to highlighting the elements of "intelligence", connecting the dots with subtle modus operandi and unexpected foreshadowing clues, which can make readers have a wonderful level of ontological reasoning. ”

"For personal reasons, I don't have much of a touch on human nature, so I appreciate the pure intellectual competition in your writings...... I thought maybe I'd try to imitate one of your mystery novels first. ”

Listening, Barnyard Tian Aqiu tilted his head, and did not answer this sentence, but said:

"Suzutaro is undoubtedly a very rare and extremely powerful writer, with a talent for writing that even I envy...... The reason why her novels are not widely circulated is actually related to the closed environment of Gensokyo. As you said, my novels focus on "intelligence" and ignore "love", which makes the story not have to be too elaborate in the era - and because Kosuzu has read many, many books about the outside world, her understanding of the outside world is incomparable to anyone here, so the human society she writes and the stories that happen in it are probably difficult for humans and monsters here to understand, but in fact, they are all very wonderful stories. ”

Gu Ming Jijue nodded: "I have also been in the outside world for a long time, Sutaro's words ......"

"Today's occasion isn't a good place to discuss Sutaro, so let's talk about it another day. ”

"Uh...... All right. ”

As if hearing the end of the conversation, Gu Ming Dijue stood up and planned to leave first.

Barnyard Aqiu reached out to stop her.

"Miss Jue, the reason why I have asked you to meet today is to tell you that I don't want our relationship to be shattered for any unexpected reason. ”

Gu Ming Dijue nodded: "I think this idea has been well transmitted. ”

But even if she doesn't kill humans easily in the future, Satoru Youkai won't make any promises, and as Ogura Kururi said, it's not her character.

"So, I'll go first, Miss Jue, you still haven't seen anyone. ”

Gu Ming felt that when he heard this, he looked at the kitchen room in the compartment, and a small figure appeared behind the grass mound—Kokura Chestnut showed half of his body and waved at the barnyard field.

Ah Qiu nodded to her, then glanced at Gu Ming Dijue, and left the hut first.

Alice, who was waiting outside the house, escorted the barnyard back to the village.

Inside the house, Ogura Kuriko smiled and looked at the expressionless Komei Jiju.