Chapter 3: The Born Son of the Lost Past

"Smack."

Large drops of dew dripped down from the branches of the Westward Demon and fell on me. In the early morning, the gauze stained with the mist of the underworld became more and more humid. It seems to be heavier than myself.

yes, my body doesn't have weight. Naturally, there will be no feeling of cold. There are still memories of the time when I was in the body, and after a thousand years of catching up with me, it is no longer formal. It's not so much a habit, but rather a habit that I am like this from the beginning.

The cold air I like flows up. Heck, I don't feel cold.

"Waking up so early. Yuyuko~ Do you also know that something big is happening in Gensokyo? ”

"Yes. I am hungry. ”

I grabbed my arm from behind my back, squinted my eyes and leaned softly over it. This is the person who has been with me like this since the beginning.

"Gee, that's a big deal—it's blooming, do you feel it?"

"The little demon dream is gone again~ Foraging for food is really hard work...... Woo"

"Look, Yuyuko."

Purple hands opened in front of me, and something green appeared in the palm of my hand. The shape reminds me of the chocolate Purple gave me last time.

"Does Yuyuko know what that means?"

“…… It's sweet! ”

I replied quickly.

"Zero. This is not a fruit, but a flower. It's not surprising that Yuyuko doesn't know her. This is a flower that Gensokyo didn't have before. ”

"Flowers? …… Purple is so cunning. I pouted and bowed my head.

"Yikes! It's gone! - Purple? ”

The inside of Purple's hand was empty. What's going on?

"I can't help it. It's because it's Yuyuko. ”

Zi let go of her arm and slipped through the gap. I bit my fingertips and waited a little for a moment, deciding to follow the guidance of my stomach and leaned down on the edge of the crack left by Purple to look over.

"Yikes! Painful"

I didn't see anything clearly, and the purple that suddenly appeared collided with me. A little disappointed. I thought that purple would take a while to say~

"Oops, I'm sorry - Yuyuko."

"Purple, itchy~ Woo, I forgot that I don't actually have a body."

The breath between my purple lips and teeth slid over the base of my ears, and I rubbed the tip of my nose against my purple cheek. Purple's body tensed up all of a sudden, and after a while, it relaxed again.

"Yuyuko is good or bad. Look~"

"That's what I'm going to say. What kind of fruit is this? ”

"The fruit of that flower just now."

The same shape, but a slightly darker cone. Purple dangling in front of my eyes.

"Oh, do flowers and fruits grow on trees at the same time? The gods of the harvest in the outside world are really naughty. ”

"Why, the fruit is the reincarnation of a flower. It's just that when it bears fruit, the memory of the flower catches up. But it's not bad. ”

My eyes fluttered with the dangling fruit, and I tiptoed to find that I hadn't closed the distance. I pouted deliberately.

"Purple bully...... Woo, so I'm floating. ”

Speaking of which, the ancient gods of today once blessed this flower. - If you pick fruit, it's a disservice to the tree, isn't it? He blessed the flower to bloom forever and not bear fruit. ”

"Oops, isn't that a curse? If it doesn't bear fruit, how will it be eaten?—Woo, won't it still bear fruit even then? Don't worry about it. ”

"I can't help it. Guess which hand it is~"

"Not there. Purple is the most cunning! ”

"Guessed it. Yuyuko is the smartest. ”

There was a feeling of gentle swaying in the pocket in his arms, one, two, three, four, five. Purple understands my intentions. I floated up and hung happily on Purple's shoulder.

"Uh-huh, Purple is the best for me~"

"Hmm. It's because it's Yuyuko. ”

Even if you miss the opportunity to bloom forever, the flower will never regret it, and you won't regret it. That's what I am.

————————————=v=————————————

- The Underworld.

"Demon Dream Demon Dream, where are you going?"

"That's what I'm going to say, Yuyuko-sama! Don't run around quietly! ”

"Little demon dreams are! Leave the hungry master alone to steal fishy ...... Sobbing and sobbing"

"Wow! Yuyuko-sama! I'll always be by Yuyuko-sama's side! ”

"Yikes! Is this a stalker manifesto?! It's scary...... Frightened and frightened"

"Whew"

The cherry trees outside the white jade building have grown new branches and leaves, and the eyes are full of extraordinarily bright green. I floated up when I saw this. It was here that I met the returning Youmu.

"Demon Dream Demon Dream, what kind of flower fruit do you think this is?"

"You don't have any fruit in your hands......"

"Huh?"

Looking down, there really isn't ...... Anyway, the fruit is sweet, right?

"I see! It was Youmu who secretly ate it! Demon dreams are so slippery! ”

"Huh?! Not really! ……”

"The real criminals are the ones who will deny the crime~"

"Yuyuko-sama! Woo"

It's so cute that the little demon dream is embarrassed in vain~ Even so, I have always known in my heart that I owe a smile to the demon dream who has been working hard all day without asking for anything in return. It's not okay to pay attention to compensation on a regular basis......

"Demon dream, smile ~ Mi ~~"

"What to do next, you can just tell me, Yuyuko-sama......"

I thought of doing it. Youmeng's face was full of resignation. It's become uncute! I tilted my head,

"Demon Dream ~ I want to eat mochi ~~"

"Hey, hey, hey, Yuyuko-sama!! That's my half-spirit! ”

Sure enough, the little demon dream is still the cutest~~

- Santu River. Compared to the colorful underworld, the place that connects to the realm of the living seems lifeless.

"Oh, if you don't pay the undead, you won't be able to send it over, right?"

"Hmm...... Such! It's enough to sell the little demon dream! ”

"Wow! Yuyuko-sama! ”

"We're bothered by a dime a dime. It's going to be a waste of all your time. ”

The ferryman on the river brought a nice red color from the other side. Connecting Gensokyo and the underworld, she should know something about the fantasy and spirit of flowers.

"Komachi, do you know what kind of flower knot this fruit is?"

"The only thing we see here is the flower on the other side. If you want, you have as much as you want. …… Where is the fruit? ”

"Yikes! Youmeng, you stole it again! ”

"Whoa, whoa—"

Youmu tried to defend herself. Over there, Komachi was propping up the boat on his own, and he was singing a song that I don't know what it was, and I couldn't hear it clearly. I went to pick up the flowers scattered on the small machiboat and floated along the river.

"What's the use of that...... Yuyuko-sama? ”

"Youmu. Look at the other side of the river. ”

"I can't see clearly...... What's over there? ”

"I don't know."

“…… I don't know? ”

"I don't know what I want to see."

"I don't know if I see it......"

Saying this along the way, Youmu and I took a detour and left. There is a wide barrier between the underworld and Gensokyo, and when I flew above the clouds, I heard the singing of musical instruments.

"Youmeng, do you hear this voice? Bu Dong Bu Dong. ”

"Huh? All I could hear was the movement of the keys...... It's none of our business, right? ”

"Youmeng, you can't do it without curiosity. Is that the same as staying home all the time? ”

"It's not appropriate for you to say that......"

Youmeng made a look of embarrassment, holding his half-spirit and trying to pass through the enchantment. I stopped her again.

"If you pass through the realm like this, you still can't see anything, huh?"

"Isn't that what you want to hear, Yuyuko-sama? …… How did you hear that? ”

"Oops, don't you smell it? Restless Mochi ...... The smell of the Spirit. ”

"Hey?!"

Youmeng showed a bewildered expression, and her arm unconsciously hugged the half-spirit tightly. Really, I'm not going to eat her again, I'm too nervous.

I flew over the top of the barrier with the help of Youmu. What exists here is the realm between the netherworld and the manifest realm, which is represented by an enchantment. Although the half-human, half-spirit demon dream can be passed, but if it is not controlled, it will erode the body - just like eating only eight points full.

"Demon Dream Demon Dream, I'm hungry~"

"Uh......h Please wait, there is a Night Sparrow Yokai shop over there. I hope it's not closed yet......"

- "Huh? It turned out to be the Lord of the Saigo Temple in the underworld......"

Prizmliba's keyboardist emerges from the clouds below. I watched with interest, but Yumu interjected in a panic.

"Yuyuko-sama, that's not something you can eat!"

"I know. I know very well what kinds of spirits there are. ”

I said casually. Youmeng's face was clearly full of disbelief, and it became even more nervous when I looked at her half-spirit. At this time, the neglected spirit below spoke again.

"Lord Saigyoji—I'd like to ask you for a favor. Today is the anniversary of the recital, but it's too high for me to get by......"

"Solo? Why? ”

"Gensokyo is full of spirits and flowers~ The inspiration from this also wants to spread to the underworld~"

When Lilica got excited, she started chattering and making noise, and she gave birth to the usual movement of the three of them. For the voice of the spirit was not a noise through the instrument, and it was three times more than usual. Someone like Little Demon Dream who doesn't know how to appreciate it already has a big head like a fight.

"Oops, you said there were flowers everywhere...... Do you know what kind of flower fruit this is? ”

"Even the Lord of Saigyoji Temple doesn't know...... When it comes to rare flowers, the only cherry blossoms that can be picked up here in the spring are the ones that can be picked up here. ”

I slid down the barrier and took the petal from Lilika's hand. This is the spring color that flutters in Gensokyo when I want to resurrect the Westward Demon. The petals don't dry up, and of course, they don't bear fruit—

"Oops! Where is the fruit of my hand? …… Demon dreams? ”

"Huh?! I don't know anything......"

"It's the most suspicious thing to say I don't know, Demon Dream~"

"Woo......"

- "Lord Saigyoji? Can you do me a favor......"

As Yumu and I were about to leave, Lilika hurriedly spoke.

"Do you say that 'alone' can't get through? So three people can, right? ”

"Three people? Sister, they didn't come......"

"I can smell the bass and the drums."

After I said that, I walked away with Youmu. After a while, there was a multiply noise from behind. Although my stomach was not so empty, I decided to go to my breakfast first.

"Yuyuko-sama......"

"What's wrong, Youmeng?"

“…… You say there's a bass and a big drum, but whose is that? ”

"yes, whose is that?"

"Can you not always say these headless and brainless words, Lady Yuyuko......"

The instruments carried by the spirits were the violin for strings, the accordion for the keyboard, and the trumpet for the wind. But when you play together, there are all kinds of things, even the timbre of the percussion instruments. The beauty of this, half of the demon dreams of being a human probably can't be comprehended. However, I don't have the idea of forcing Yumu to understand—temporarily.

Gensokyo's bright appearance from the clouds is very different from the earlier scene when the smell of cherry blossoms was everywhere, and later it was all green with long grass and leaves. The closer you get to the ground, the more you can feel the activity of the spirits. I can't help but light my feet - oops, I'm floating.

The banks of the Santu River, full of flowers on the other side, were left behind, and I closed my eyes slightly, feeling the heart of the wild flowers on the middle way. Although the matter of flowers and birds is often compared...... As I thought so, I heard the birds singing.

"Demon Dream Demon Dream ~ Don't be listless. Is this song stupid? Haven't you forgotten my breakfast? ”

"I'm making you dizzy...... Because I can't understand what Yuyuko-sama said. ”

"Oh, Youmeng, don't think about that. Because you don't understand it when you think about it, do you? Listen to the song. ”

Youmeng probably felt that he was being underestimated and showed an unconvinced look, and then the source of the song quickly approached.

"Humans who are intoxicated by flowers~~ Humans who are bewitched by the song of night blindness~~,——Hey, it's only half a person~"

"Demon dream, half of you are drunk."

"What are these words?"

"The singing of the night sparrow will make the trinomical canal abnormal. Is the little demon dream resistant? ”

"I'm half a spirit...... I don't know what a semicircular canal is, though. ”

What is a semicircular canal, I only heard it from Purple. Because knowledge is useless for the undead.

After saying that, Youmu looked in the direction where the song came from, and then, the happy mood was conveyed from her throat.

"Breakfast has fallen to Yuyuko-sama!"

"-Hey, it's not open during the day~ Besides, the ghosts on this shore have always been penniless~"

"That's right~"

"Why don't you deny it......"

"Because it has nothing to do with breakfast. - Although, there are too many small broken bones of birds and finches, and I don't like it. ”

"yes, little bone-huh-he???"

The little Night Sparrow monster was frightened and secretly shrunk back. It's as dull as a demon dream.

"Demon dreams! Bite her! I feigned hesitation and added, "...... Don't eat it all yourself. ”

"Who will eat it! - Yuyuko-sama, that's the proprietress who runs a barbecue restaurant. Do you remember the eight-eyed eels I bought before? ”

I turned to look at the panicked Youmeng, tilted my head, and said seriously: "Youmeng, it's not right to always remember what you ate last night. ”

"Even if you don't say it, I can't remember exactly what you ate last night...... Ah! ”

Youmeng said a few words full of resentment, and hurriedly flew up to chase the fleeing night sparrow. I took a leisurely walk along the path of the wildflowers—floating, I wonder if it could be considered a pre-meal exercise.

I closed my eyes and sniffed deeply. I can't smell the flowers, I can't smell the spirit. Outside the underworld, from the banks of the Santu River to the edge of the Great Barrier of Boli, the mountains and wilderness and the wastelands are all filled with [them]. There are all kinds of flowers blooming here, and the flowers are lodged with [them] who have wandered here. The sun is warm, but the illusion floating in the air is cold. Here, there is a deep, dangerous, and fragile ...... Dead silence, and sorrow.

"Woo-"

"Yuyuko-sama, I'm back."

I opened my eyes and saw Mistia in the apricot yellow and plum red on both sides of the road. Oops, I've just become purple, and it's not fun.

"Nope! There's nothing in the store! ”

"Oh, what's missing?"

As Yomimu says, Mistia, the Night Sparrow Monster, runs a mobile barbecue stall in the middle of the road. Most of the wild flowers and fruit trees in Gensokyo can be found in this area, so if you are a bird that haunts the fruit, you might know something.

"Little broken bones, do you know what kind of fruit this is?"

"It's not a little bone! …… Where is the fruit? Ah, I saw the white grass blooming. ”

Hey. The hand was empty, and there were only two left in the arms. Where have they gone? I tapped the corners of my lips with my fingertips, and I saw the way I wanted to speak and stopped.

"Demon Dream Demon Dream, what do you want to say? If you keep your words in your heart, you'll get fat. Fat on the stomach yo. ”

“…… It's nothing. - Mistia, is there really no surplus in the store's inventory? ”

Youmeng's face was not good-looking for a while, but he still made such an uninteresting reply. I put my interest on the bird's head.

"Uh......h A guest who came last night ate and drank all night with wine......"

- "Oh, Cuixiang, I'm really interested." ”

Crossing the hillside where the white grass bloomed into a slightly infant yellow, I found that the ghost who had returned to his hometown was amusing himself. I saw something unusual in Cuixiang's body - just amused that they had deserted their duties.

"Isn't that the shrine maiden's sleeve and the imperial coin? You're going to cause Reimu some trouble. ”

"Because of the mutation, Reimu is still sweeping the floor there."

It was a veritable drunkard, holding a flask in one hand and a royal coin in the other, poking the flowers and whistling away what had slipped out of his ghostly spirits. It's a lot like Reimu's style, but that's not the job of a shrine maiden.

"Sweeping?"

"yes. Sweeping the petals of the morning, Marisa was completely destroyed. ”

"Speaking of sweeping floors, my family's court master is much more professional than the shrine maiden."

As I said this, I saw Youmu bow her face as if she were resigned to her fate. At this time, I suddenly heard a crisp click.

"Ah, it's broken......"

Suika stared at the broken coin in a daze. Speaking of which, this imperial coin is just a cherry tree branch in the backyard of the shrine, how can it withstand the strange power of ghosts.

"Oh, how are you going to explain it to Reimu?"

"Reimu didn't know I stole it."

Cuixiang doesn't care. Yes, when it comes to thieves, how many numbers do you have to queue up to get the [honest] ghost? My heart moved. Can the ghosts that have been active on the earth for more than 1,000 years be able to answer my questions?

"Then I'll give this royal coin to Purple and think of a way. But, on the other hand, do you know what kind of flower fruit it is? - Oops! Demon dream, bite her! ”

"Flail and slash!"

Suika turned into mist drunkenly, threw the broken imperial coin on the ground and ran away. The slash of the demon dream did not make a difference, only the panicked "spirit" was attacked by two swords, or torn, or disappeared silently.

"I'm sorry, Yuyuko-sama ......"

"Oh, Youmeng, you've made a terrible mistake."

"Huh?"

"These 'spirits' can't be cut off casually."

"Didn't we all do that when we were in the underworld?"

"These are different. - After they are cut off by the White Mansion Sword, they probably won't become Buddhas. As for where to go...... I'm going to chase you like a ghost~~"

"Yikes! …… Don't say that, Lady Yuyuko. I'm actually a little afraid of ghosts and something......"

"Oh, look, what's behind you?"

"Woo babble—"

I amusedly looked at the demon dream that was frightened by my own half-spirit, and walked slowly forward according to my mood. However, I didn't deceive Yume, I thought as I floated leisurely.

"Youmeng, Borei's power is colorless power, you know?"

"This ...... I don't know. Does it have anything to do with us, Yuyuko-sama? ”

"It's okay."

"Woo......"

Youmu seems to be depressed, and even then I have no intention of explaining. I've already said what I want to tell Youmeng. The royal coin is just the imperial coin, and the strength is just the strength, that's it. Similarly, these little things wandering in Gensokyo cannot be eliminated by brute force, and it is not suitable to be cut off with the White Mansion Sword. Probably only Hakurei's shrine maidens can bear this weight.

- Yes, that's not the Spirit. Is this what Purple wants to show me? What comes in from the outside world is essentially the same thing as a ghost. Their true body is ......

"Human Talisman [Present World Slash]!"

"-Human Fu [Present World Slash]!"

Youmeng's shout rushed towards the figure revealed in the shadow of the tree with sword light, but was parried by the counterattack that seemed to be reflected in a mirror. Oops, I missed it. This one is also able to deal with these "spirits".

“SONAN……”

"Hey, I'm the one to complain."

"Demon dream, suspicious~"

I don't know how many years of demons and spirits have stepped out of the path, and the sea of purple cherry blossoms that have precipitated into mounds of sin, I gently crossed this junction line. The tomb has arrived, and I really don't know it. It's a bit surprising to meet such a person here, but it's a matter of course.

"Youning...... Mr. Youmeng said reluctantly. It seems that I can't understand it and I'm getting emotional.

"Demon dream, that's just, copy."

"But ......"

Youning's lazy face was full of helplessness, and when he waited for this time, he shrugged his shoulders and spoke.

"Peace of mind. I'm not parody. I can't understand your sword skills or spiritual power, and I can't do it if I want to. It's true that I'm just copying—that's the only thing I'm good at.

…… Speaking of which, when such a rare guest comes here, meeting him is a sword, is there something rare happening? ”

“…… Oh, Youmeng, why did we come out? ”

"You pulled me out......"

After Youning diverted the topic, Youmeng stopped caring and instead talked to me with a little grievance. If you think about it, it seems like this.

"What about you? I haven't seen you outside of the shrine. ”

"Where did Reimu lose her temper, I came out to take refuge." Youning smiled bitterly and touched her chin.

"To put it simply, Marisa did the destruction, and then during the duel, I couldn't find the royal coin, and when I wanted to go out, I found that the sleeve of the shrine maiden's costume was missing. Anyone is going to explode. ”

"Ahh The royal coin was taken by Suika, and now it's in Yuyuko-sama'......"

"Huh, huh?"

"It's me, but the ghost has processed it."

"Hmm...... The"

I took out the two wooden sticks, and Youning also showed a look of surprise when he saw such a royal coin, and shook his arm very hard.

"It doesn't really matter. When you go to Rinnosuke, you can probably trade in the old for the new. This kind of prop is still more professional for him. ”

"Oh, then please, you're a dream."

“…… I understand. ”

Youmu took over this task without hesitation, and I walked into the Void Tomb by myself. Youning sighed and followed. Why sigh.

"So, did Miss Yuyuko come to this kind of place to find lunch?"

"Whew, is it already noon? I can't even remember what I ate earlier. ”

"There's only Purple Sakura here, if Miss Yuyuko is there, you can probably see the spirit that lives in the flowers, right?"

"- Oops, don't you see? The same kind of thing. ”

"Hmm. Although it is a bit rude to say that...... But I'm not an undead. ”

"That's right. It's not a spirit. [This]. ”

“……”

Youning was silent for a moment. He understands what I'm saying. It's convenient, but it's not so fun.

"Okay. Say whatever you say. ”

"Purple told me that these are a collection of [temperament]. If you roll up in the sky, you may change the weather. ”

"—Not true. These little guys are Fu Fushen. ”

Youning frowned slightly, and said something that surprised me. The reaction was a little overdone. Fu Fu Shen ...... It seems to be useful news. However, that's the more interesting title.

"Ah...... I'm sorry. Well, let's just look at the flower first. ”

Youning waved his arm again, and this time I could see it clearly. The little things that were wandering in the air were dispersed by him, and then re-attached. It's like a catkins of the season.

I saw Youning sitting to the side with nothing to do, and continued to wander around. On the side of the purple cherry blossoms of the mound, scattered wildflowers dot the hills where the lily of the valley blooms, and there is a sunflower garden connected to the ocean of sunflowers. I think of the youkai who lives in the flower field and is proficient in plants.

Speaking of which, the sunflowers there are in bloom regardless of spring, summer, autumn and winter. And the other plants and trees in Gensokyo bloom and fall peacefully according to the laws of the four seasons. As with the exception of the Sunflower, the lodge of the spirit can give the flower the color of re-blooming. So, what is it that houses in the sunflower here?

I thought so, but when I got close to the Sunflower Garden, I still didn't find anything like a spirit in the flower, and even the thing that now flooded Gensokyo and thought it was some kind of mourning god didn't exist. The one who usually takes care of the sunflower here can't be found. I wandered for a long time in the rising flower-scented air, but I was still going to go back the way I came. Because there are only sunflowers, no cherry blossoms, no wine, no demon dreams, and no such things to have fun with, it's really boring.

There are so many flowers, although I am a little envious, but if I really have to take care of them, even if I am a demon dream, I will go crazy. Oh, when I think of the demon dream, I seem to hear the cry of the demon dream.

- "Huh? It's all here. ”

At the junction of the mound and the hill of the valley, I happily saw the person I wanted to meet. Demon dreams, Youning, and Youxiang are all gathered here.

"Demon dream, it's so slow!"

"Whew, because I can't find Yuyuko-sama......"

"Well, I heard the ghost of the demon dream call and came to take a look."

"Oh, it turns out that the demon dream really called me."

Youning shrugged her shoulders easily, and on the other hand, although Youmeng said this, the other side stared at Yuxiang with a nervous expression. You don't have to think about it to know that it was attracted by the demon dream.

"Youmeng, although she is a flower raiser, but there are no flowers on her face."

"Yuyuko-sama! ……”

"Yuka, what are you doing here? - Is that a puppet in your arms? ”

"This is what I just adopted."

Yuka carries a doll in her arm. After answering like this, he hugged the doll to his chest and scratched his cheek with a little annoyance.

"I feel like I want to see her often."

"It's fragrant. It's called 'liking' ~ just like this ~"

I hugged the frozen Youmu like Yuka, and Youmu leaned on me without a little resistance. The little demon dream is so good.

"Loved it...... ? ”

Yuka read it as earnestly as if chewing. Gee, wouldn't the joke be a little too much?

"Yuxiang, do you know what kind of fruit this is?"

“…… I don't know. ”

"Huh?"

Yuka replied very dryly. That's right, Yuxiang is only in Gensokyo, since this is the fruit of the outside world......

"This one, this one is called a fig. …… It doesn't seem to be a thing in Gensokyo. By the way, of course it's okay if you say Purple. ”

I forgot, there's an outsider here.

"Figs...... Demon dream, let's taste this fruit. Speaking of which, why is it called a fig? ”

"Because of the fruit, people don't think it's a flower. …… Hey, you have to peel this when you eat it. ”

"Oh, you're going to skin it."

"You put it in my mouth......"

So, what does it mean for purple to show me the flowers and fruits of figs? In the past, even if I couldn't guess, I wouldn't have thought about such a thing, and I don't know why I suddenly cared so much about it this time.

I tried to imitate Purple's mind. If it is related to the spirit, there are many ways to interpret it. Is the spirit to blame for this? Or is it an unprecedented smuggling from the outside world...... However, no matter where you start your thinking, you can't help but end up with the conclusion that you have a sweet tooth or remember to peel the skin.

"Mistress Yuyuko...... Where do we go next? They're all gone. ”

"Huh? Have I been thinking about it here for a long time? ”

"Ah, it's not long......"

"But I'm hungry. Go back to breakfast. ”

"I'm sorry! Yuyuko-sama! I'll prepare dinner as soon as possible! ”

"Gee, it's dinner time? Then I'm going to eat together in the morning, noon and evening~"

The sunlight was already yellowish. According to Purple, in the evening, the realm called [Spectrum] will shift in the direction of red.

"Demon Dream Demon Dream, be careful on the way back~ If you kill the soul, you will waste the sword."

"Waste...... The sword is not used to reduce it. Speaking of which, what is the Fate Spirit, Lord Yuyuko? ”

"I can't cross the spirit of the Santu River."

"Isn't that all the spirits in Gensokyo......"

Youmu said inexplicably. Following the way, after the demon dream disappeared from my field of vision, the Santu River was about to arrive in front of me.

- "Komachi Komachi, can you send me over~"

On the boat that crosses the Santu River, the sunlight on Gensokyo's side is filtered by the mist. The underworld is still able to see the sun, so it's interesting to think about.

When the spirit crossed the Three Ways River, he was not paid money or silver that he had during his lifetime, or that he carried with him. The measure is the good karma that lingers in this spirit. However, if good karma is salary, paying salary means ending the common fate. That's how it is true that the Yama will judge only on the basis of the sins they have committed, and not on the good karma they have formed as a living being. The so-called "fate" is the settlement of cause and effect when the spirit is generated. When it comes to the spirit of uncausedness, it is the spirit that is unwilling to give up cause and effect.

"What are you thinking, Miss Undead? If you are paid for this, the process of crossing the river will become super ~ boring. ”

"Speaking of spirits, Komachi, what do you think a flower that looks like a fruit has something to do with it?"

"Where is the Spirit?"

"Oh, didn't I say that? What spirit do you think it has to do with it? ”

“…… It's not so much a spirit as a flower is like a fruit in a previous life. It's pretty much the same thing that ghosts like to hide in flowers. ”

"Huh! Yes! ”

I came to my senses. The voice that couldn't help but come out of my heart startled the big grinning Komachi. After that, I sat down on the edge of the boat and listened to Komachi's story of the strange tale I had received from the spirits of the past, and enjoyed the journey.

————————————==————————————

"Well, I almost forgot to peel it again."

I put the fig to my mouth again, peeled back the hard but tough shell in the cold moonlight, and then smiled a little self-deprecatingly. Youmu was tired from the day and went to bed early, what was I expecting.

The cold wind of the underworld breath passed through the courtyard of the white jade building, although I didn't like this kind of wind in my heart, but my body felt very refreshing - no, I don't have a body now.

I looked at the westward demon that held up a void of darkness in the starry night sky. Those who know me probably wouldn't have thought that the eldest lady of the Saigyu Temple family would be alone here.

I know the corpse of the Westbound Demon. The girl who has been luring people to death finally buried herself with her own hands, such an ending is very good. For herself, it couldn't have been better.

I put my knees together and just sat quietly curled up. When I'm alone, I don't like to drink, I don't like cherry blossoms, and I don't like to look at the moon. Here, there is no scenery that I am nostalgic for.

If anything, I am an undead now. The undead are beings who have no body, no muscles and bones, no weight, and even all five senses have been lost, and are eternally separated from the living on both sides of the realm. The undead are only the heart. Everything that is outwardly manifest, and the senses that can receive information, are all transfigurated from the mind. Just like now, outside the mind, the consciousness spreads out, the body turns into real illusion, layer by layer like a wave of darkness surging, why don't even the spirits that have not existed in the past not become Buddhas and leave, they are, to put it this way......

- "Yuyuko! ”

It feels like it's held in the palm of your hand.

- "Yuyuko!! ”

From somewhere far away, across the senses of silence, it is ...... sound, and the temperature of the back of the heart.

"It's all right, Purple."

Below me were purple knees, and on my arms around my shoulders were quivering warmth.

"Zi, I'm an undead now."

I said softly.

"Purple, when the fig refuses the blessing of the present god, the flower will not regret it. I won't regret it. ”

“…… Yuyuko, I'm sorry. ”

The mood calmed down, I turned around, and Purple didn't move, just looked at me with worried eyes.

"Purple. I am, the undead. - As for the undead, the satisfaction and confusion they feel are not relative concepts. ”

If the spirit can calmly accept its own death, it will no longer be confused, and if the spirit of confusion is lost, there will be no reason for not becoming a Buddha.

"Purple, look, what is this?"

I took out a wreath from my bosom and weaved it from the flowers I picked along the way today. The flowers on the other side of life and death, the lily of the valley with the poison of the heart, the promised white grass, the cherry blossom petals of spring, and the purple cherry blossoms that end sins......

Purple is still like that, her eyes are staring at a delicate worry that can't be dissolved, and she doesn't move. When did you see that look? Not looking at my face, not looking through time into the distant past, but ...... Just like that moment thousands of years ago, when I was bent on going my own way. Suddenly, something liquid slipped down his cheek. The body was so heavy that he didn't obey the call. However, I trembled uncontrollably.

"Purple ...... I am so tired...... Can you hold me tight......"

"Yuyuko ......"

Purple just said this, and the body temperature was transmitted exactly from all around her body. I don't know why, I feel full of confusion, and the nostalgia and peace of mind that this confusion brings.

I opened my eyes and saw that there was no dark night sky like before. As before, he spoke softly.

"Purple, look at that garland. There's an empty one in the middle, do you know what? ”

"Yes. This is, the flower of the underworld. ”

“…… Purple is so cunning. ”

It's not like a coquettish tone before.,Unconsciously poured out with a complaining tone.。 Why, what is buried in your heart, you won't let me bear it together? I still haven't said anything like that. Because, it will make purple embarrassed.

"And how am I going to compensate you? What do you want, so that you can eat enough, how about this? ”

"Oh, before breakfast, maybe I will become a Buddha when I fall asleep alone."

I winked at Purple. Did Purple understand my expectations, and through the close chest of the body, she sensed Purple's bad thoughts.

"Yuyuko, like a child."

"Then Zi, who is an adult, will go to the room first. I'm going to have a late-night snack first. ”

In that case, let's give Purple such a chance.

Because, it's purple.

———————————— P.S

After several twists and turns, I still gave up the idea of returning to the furnace again, and sent it out with self-abandonment. Tinkering, it actually reached more than 10,000 words, which is also beyond the expectation and there is nothing to be done. This chapter of the lost son of the past life, from the point of view of the original intention, is a work that cannot fail anymore. Because Yuyuko knows the truth early no matter what happens, so he tries to borrow Yuyuko's wisdom to reveal the essence of this change, hoping to write a lively and ethereal artistic conception. On the other hand, in most of her creations, Yuyuko only enjoys the happiness of a child, and I want to make up for that. However, out of selfishness, I abused the happiness and misfortune of Miss Yuyuko, is this really good...... Halfway through the writing, in order to advance the plot, I still changed it to my own tone, and the scribbled ending of the last stanza was even more incomprehensible. Judging from the results, it seems that I just want to explore the inner world of the lost undead, and then take it for granted that I have a closed door, something like that.

However, in the process, another interesting thing was unexpectedly written. This grotesque thing is full of meaning, although it doesn't look like Yuyuko would say, but it's still an oriental-style text. You can barely laugh.

Having said that, the title of each chapter in this volume has two meanings at the same time. In addition to alluding to Yuning, it also has a close connection with the protagonist of this article. For example, the flower of the other side that was born on this shore is a perfect metaphor for Komachi. In the case of this chapter, this feeling is even more pronounced.

The meaning of being born is to bear fruit without flowers. - Because it was born "naturally". The previous life of the fruit was a flower, and the fig, which was often ignored, was in the same situation as the undead lady in Bai Yulou who didn't know the past. However, "Lost" is a state between loss and discarding. Whether or not it was intentional or not is unknown.

On the other hand, the flower of the fig does not resemble the shape of the flower, but tends to be the same as the shape of the fruit – the inside is very different. This moral is very disrespectful, so let's stop here. I would like to remind you that as I have said before, there are two implications of this topic. What are the characteristics of figs? However, that will also be for later. I'll admit that the metaphor isn't elegant, so it's okay not to guess. This chapter is Yuyuko's story, that's all. If I find it interesting, I'm very satisfied. Of course, if you get sunburned like me, I won't be responsible.