The Great War decades ago had already dramatically changed the terrain of the entire Miyama.

Today, the mountain of the Tsuchigomon family is even more majestic than it was before the Great War.

After years of careful maintenance, the destroyed vegetation has regrown, once again making the entire mountain lush and green.

Under the summer sun, the forest is filled with cicadas.

Rustle, rustle.

The breeze blows, and the leaves play a song.

Natsume and Haruhu are walking through the forest together.

Walking on a mountain road paved with bluestone slabs, Chunhu looked around curiously from time to time.

"Well, Natsume, didn't you say there are lilies everywhere here? Why don't I see any of them? ”

Natsume, who was walking in front, replied without looking back: "In order not to cause a disturbance among the surrounding residents, the ancestors tried to remove all the lilies that bloomed all over the mountain, but later found that from the halfway point of the mountain, even if those lilies were removed, they would grow back on the next day, so they didn't do it, but the lilies at the foot of the mountain were gone." ”

"Oh, I see!"

The further you go up the hill, the more sparse the trees become.

Halfway up the mountain, the tall trees suddenly disappeared.

In its place, there is a sea of flowers.

A sea of flowers that spread to the top of the mountain.

Under the sun, as far as the eye can see, there are lilies in full bloom.

The gorgeous lilies of various colors swayed in the summer breeze, which dazzled the spring tiger for a while.

"It's so beautiful, it's so beautiful......"

The boy tried his best to express his admiration for the sea of flowers in front of him, but the barren language made his cheeks flush.

Looking at the spring tiger, Natsume smiled lightly, his expression was a little proud, as if he was showing off his favorite toy to his friends, and said, "How is it?" Beautiful, right? Under the influence of youkai. Nothing grows here except lilies. ”

"It's beautiful, it's really beautiful! Natsume is amazing! ”

However, Chunhu didn't seem to notice what Natsume said, and just looked at the sea of flowers vigorously.

Then, in Natsume's stunned eyes, Chunhu cheered. Jumping and rushing into the sea of flowers, using the flowers as a bed, began to roll.

"Oops! Don't do that! The flowers have been destroyed by you! Beware of the monster brother getting angry! ”

Natsume panicked and wanted to step forward to stop the spring tiger who was rolling, but she was wearing a kimono and clogs and she was a little inconvenient to move, and she tripped and fell carelessly, accompanied by a lovely wail, Natsume suddenly pounced on the sea of flowers.

"Ahh Natsume!! ”

Haruka, who was rolling around to his heart's content, heard Natsume's voice, and quickly got up to look, and saw Natsume pounce on him. I was taken aback.

The boy ran over and clumsily grabbed Natsume's arm to pull the girl up.

Natsume, who was pulled up by the spring tiger, sat in the sea of flowers, with a lily on her head, pink lips, and a trace of tears in her beautiful eyes.

"Oops! Don't cry!! ”

Chunhu suddenly panicked, dancing and trying to say something, but clumsily did not express anything.

"Poof—"

Natsume, who was amused by the boy's stupidity again. While wiping his tears, he got up, and then frowned and began to count the spring tigers.

"Look at it. A lot of flowers have been destroyed by you, what if the monster brother is angry? ”

"Ahh

Hearing that the monster might be angry, Chunhu was suddenly frightened and his heart was cold.

"So、Will that youkai get angry? Natsume, you're going to save me! You call him monster brother, you must have a good relationship, right? Help me! ”

"Ann, la, a!"

Natsume squinted her eyes and tilted her little head slightly.

"Brother Youkai has been very quiet, since the first time I saw him. I've been sleeping quietly. ”

"Very quiet...... Go to bed? ”

"Yes, my father said that when the monster brother first appeared, he had a battle with many onmyoji, and was later sealed by the head of the family at the time with the clansmen. I've been there ever since.,I've seen a monster brother.,It's pretty good.。 ”

Chunhu's interest suddenly shifted from the sea of flowers to the monsters he had never met.

"Let's go check it out!"

"Uh-huh! Let's go! ”

◇

Halfway up the mountain, the more you go to the top, the more lush the flowers become.

Or rather, it's no longer something that "luxuriant" can describe.

Those lilies are not only beautiful, but also much larger than ordinary flowers, walking on the bluestone road to the top of the mountain, Chunhu looked at the lilies that were taller than his own height, and exclaimed constantly along the way.

"I can't believe that flowers can grow so big!"

"That monster, is it a flower demon?"

Natsume nodded repeatedly.

"Yes, my father said it was the flower demon."

"Alright! I'm about to see it!! ”

Natsume suddenly pointed ahead, and Haruka looked in that direction, only to see a towering giant tree standing high on the top of the mountain that was faintly visible.

In this place full of flowers and no trees in sight, it is unusually conspicuous.

Under the tree, you can see that an altar has been built.

It is a stone platform surrounded by torii gates.

At the same time, the stone platform is also surrounded by a rope, and not far away there is a drum of Taiko.

"See that tree? Brother Youkai is there! ”

Natsume pointed to the top of the mountain and said with a smile.

◇

What exactly does a monster look like, Chunhu has never had an intuitive impression.

Before this, Chunhu had always believed that the monster he was a monster must be a blue-faced fanged monster with a vicious face.

It's just that the "monster brother" that I heard from Natsume's mouth was described as "good-looking" by the beautiful girl like a porcelain doll in front of me.

Even so, Chunhu has always been unimpressed.

However, it wasn't until he actually saw Yakumo Mo, who was sealed in the tree, that he understood why Natsume's entire little face glowed at the mention of this youkai.

It was really a youkai that I couldn't describe in words.

At that moment, Chunhu thought he had seen a god.

Many years later, when he recalls that scene, Chunhu always can't help but smile bitterly, obviously he is a monster, but it will make the humans who meet for the first time think of God.

The long black hair was spread out, and the two bundles on the chest had yin and yang jade hair ornaments.

A delicate robe reflected bright colors in the sunlight.

The doll's delicate face is reflected in the light that shines through the gaps in the leaves.

Spring Tiger held his breath and cautiously came to the bottom of the tree.

After a long day's effort, Chunhu climbed onto the root of the tree, which was thicker than his whole body, stood on it, and looked up at Yakumo Mo, who had been shot through the trunk by a sharp arrow.

The breeze lifted his long hair, and the sound of clear music sounded in the sky and the earth that went straight to his heart.

With his eyes closed, his slender eyelashes neat and beautiful, he fell asleep like this, as if he would wake up in the next moment.

And it seems that he will never wake up again. (To be continued......)

PS：poi~

Thanks to the mighty warriors, Red Moon~..., Flying Flame Dark Fire, jtsl118's tipping poi~~

The additional chapter will be put up around dinner time in the afternoon poi~