Ouch, there’s so much hate for Tomotaka… I’m not sure if this chapter will lighten that hatred or not, but at least we can see things from his POV. Will be working on the main story again after this.
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Wafū Otome Gē de (Akuyaku/Hiroin) Yattemasu Kobanashi
Interconnected with the Main Story
– Route of The Peerless Onmyouji Mentioned in “” Anecdote
A/N:
An anecdote from Tomotaka’s POV of “The Peerless Onmyouji” route.
From summer vacation~before the Cultural Festival. Slightly twisted. Take caution.
Translator: nakimushitl
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So it appears the Priestess of Ominous Clouds chose the eldest son of the Abe family.
Even though I went to the extent of finding and putting Chako in the same class as her, it was all pointless.
There's no point letting them stay together any longer.
I had Chako quit school during the summer vacation and return home.
Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com
Brown, shoulder-length hair and large, golden eyes.
Fair skin and light pink cheeks.
A lean build of about 160cm in height.
The long, black-haired girl no longer exists.
It's the end of Tomonaga Chako.
However, thinking it more convenient for it[1] to have a name, I continue to call it Chako.
While it's a name I gave only because its phantom appearance is brown, and I have no emotional attachment to it, for some reason it fitted perfectly[2].
If found outside of nakimushitl, it's been stolen.
As the Priestess of Ominous Clouds chose the eldest Abe son, my parents gave me even more pressure.
Right now, I go to the main house almost everyday, repetitively listening to their complaints.
I commute to the main house while carrying out my duties as the Student Council president, and at night, I do work as an onmyouji.
Honestly, I'm tired.
I don't know how long this is going to continue but I can't stop a sigh from escaping when thinking about the future.
"Welcome back."
Today too, after receiving pressure from the main house, I return home exhausted and find Chako standing at the corridor, greeting me.
Although it doesn't have to take the attitude of a follower so far, its back is very straight as its gaze slants down 45 degrees.
"Aa, I'm back. I'll head out after eating."
"Yes."
I enter the room. Chako prepares dinner while I'm changing out of my school uniform.
Even though I say it prepares dinner, the basics are done by the housekeeper so what Chako does are only simple things like warming it up or putting it in bowls.
Leaving the room, I go to the dining table.
Then, the two of us sit opposite each other and eat dinner.
"Is it tasty, Chako?"
"Yes."
If found outside of nakimushitl, it's been stolen.
When I speak to Chako, although it's trying not to smile, its face is bright.
Despite being a phantom, Chako likes to eat food[3].
Besides this, it also likes to watch television.
A slightly strange phantom huh, I always think.
After finishing dinner, as there's still time before heading out, I sit on the sofa and watch television.
Chako sits on the floor, its back against the sofa as it watches television.
The program that happens to be showing is one that introduces the World Heritages.
Even from its side-back view, I can tell that it's watching the television seriously.
Somehow wanting to look at that face, I bring my body down to my front and peek at Chako's face.
Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com
Glittering, golden eyes.
Perhaps it was unable to suppress its interest, its mouth ends up grinning from time to time.
And, as if to suppress that, it bites its lips strongly.
Such an joyful side profile.
Not even noticing that I'm looking, it watches the television, its eyes glued.
… Chako?
Where are you planning to go, to be watching so earnestly?
I don't know why.
However, it felt like a hot flame arose in my heart when I look at that face.
To erase that flame, I correct my posture and lean my weight against the back support.
I try to take slow, deep breaths but that flame doesn't seem to settle.
If found outside of nakimushitl, it's been stolen.
"Let's go, Chako."
With that flame still unmanageable, I stand up and head to the entrance.
Chako, too, hurriedly turns off the television and follows after me.
I have onmyouji work to do, for the rest of today.
I haven't allowed Chako to feed on phantoms for a while.
Ah, come to think of it, since the Priestess of Ominous Clouds chose the eldest Abe son, I must get even stronger.
I have Chako.
"Chako, I'll have you fight from today onwards, alright."
I can feel the perplexity of the Chako behind me, at my words.
"… Yes."
Even then, Chako nods.
It has no choice but to nod.
Chako is my familiar after all.
Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com
If found outside of nakimushitl, it's been stolen.
Thus, it's been more than 2 months since Chako continued to feed on phantoms.
It kind of carried out its regular life at the beginning. However, it doesn't leave its bed in its room much now.
It doesn't eat the dinner it loves so much, nor does it watch television.
It can't be helped. It must be tough on its body.
"Chako, let's go work."
I call out to Chako, who's rolled up into a ball on the bed.
Haa, haa, Chako exhales short breaths painfully.
"Tomotaka… sama…"
"Nn?"
"Cannot, anymore… Cannot, anymore.
Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com
Opening eyes which sclera it can’t make appear anymore, it looks at me.
In opposition to those words, the golden eyes shine intensely.
"Chako, it's work."
The meaning of 'cannot'.
Aa, I understand very well.
Even then, not listening to Chako's words, I turn my back to it and walk.
Haa, haa, even as Chako exhales short breaths, it slowly raises its body and follows behind me.
If found outside of nakimushitl, it's been stolen.
Leaving the entranceway, I descend to the entrance of the apartment.
There's a car there and I sit on its rear seat.
Following me, Chako also sits down next to me.
With us seated, the car departs shortly.
"This time, it's a lake in the neighbouring province. Power seems to have amassed there in summer and it took away several holidaymakers."
"… Yes."
As usual, it exhales short breaths while its golden eyes shine.
Fu, I laugh and pull Chako's head towards me.
"It will take some time. You can lean on me if it still hurts."
Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com
The past Chako would probably say, "I dare not" and straighten its back as it sits next to me.
However, it looks at me with half-opened eyes now and entrusts its body to me.
Haa, haa, only Chako's breathing can be heard within the car.
Chako is my familiar.
No matter how painful it is, it can't escape from my orders.
I slide my hand against the soft, brown hair.
My hand tinges with heat at the soft sensation.
It's not possible for Chako to leave me.
Because the familiar contract won't disappear until either of us do.
However, my heart shouts.
If found outside of nakimushitl, it's been stolen.
That my time with Chako isn't eternal.
It can escape any moment.
I don't know what that feeling of impatience is.
It turns into flames in my heart and gradually burns my chest.
"Chako, we've arrived."
In the darkness of the night, only the sound of touching leaves and the quiet sound of water resounds.
It's been about 2 hours since we left the house.
Running at high speed, we reach the lake in the mountain.
Exiting the car, Chako and I stand before the water.
Perhaps it noticed that an onmyouji has come. The water surface begins to bubble and the surrounding trees dance in the wind.
"Well then, Chako. I ask that you do the usual."
I distance myself a little after telling Chako.
Although Chako glanced at such a me… as though it had given up, it returns its gaze to the water.
Today's the first time Chako said it can't.
Surely, she truly can't.
This moment now, is the last time it can remain in human form.
If found outside of nakimushitl, it's been stolen.
Chako brings out claws from its hands.
Then, those claws slash at its own arm.
Red blood trickle down into the lake.
The blood of Chako, who ate many phantoms, is a mass of spiritual energy.
And that is poison to phantoms.
To escape from Chako's blood, the phantom that was concealed in the lake appears at the water surface.
Unfalteringly, Chako leaps at that phantom, right hand flashing.
Shortly, the phantom splits into half from the waist and its body sinks into the lake.
Splash, only the sound of something falling into the lake resounds.
Then――
Unable to retain a human form, Chako raises a howl and transforms into the figure of a wolf.
Bloodlust swells from that large body and drops of drool fall from the mouth where ferocious fangs protrude.
Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com
Chako had lost her ego.
All that's left is to go berserk.
Unhurriedly, I bind a seal and chant a curse.
With that, black chains twine around the brown wolf that's about to rampage and it prostrates in no time.
"Chako? You aren't Chako anymore, right?"
Although I knew it, I confirm once more.
The brown wolf doesn't reply, merely groaning in pain.
If found outside of nakimushitl, it's been stolen.
"Sleep a little then. I'll wake you up again when it's time."
Looking at the golden eyes that lost their light, I take out the talisman I prepared.
Then, I apply a seal and curse slightly more complex than those a while back.
These allow a familiar to dwell in a talisman.
Originally, this is a type of spell that seals low-grade phantoms in talismans, to be used as exhaustible goods.
However, it's slightly different this time.
It's typically impossible for a powerful phantom like Chako to dwell in a talisman.
Which means that I, myself, had become strong because Chako ate phantoms and increased its spiritual energy.
Moreover, the Chako to be sealed doesn't have an ego and thinks in the same manner low-grade phantoms would. Therefore it became possible.
I thought there was a fifty-fifty chance it would either go well or fail. However, Chako doesn't show much resistance and easily turn into a talisman.
It could be that Chako, itself, doesn't want to retain its figure and continue to feel pain.
If found outside of nakimushitl, it's been stolen.
Taking the talisman Chako dwells in, I slowly breath out.
Water slowly fills the lake and the trees softly rustle.
Looking up at the sky, I can see the stars glittering from the gaps between leaves.
How quiet.
As though only the talisman in my hand is heated, my palm tingles and becomes warm.
Chako is here.
Chako is by my side.
Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com
Once I sense that, it feels like not just my palm, but my entire body is warm.
"You leaving me…"
Is unbelievable.
That's right.
Chako's my familiar.
The contract won't disappear. That's impossible.
However, because I can't trust in that.
――I should just destroy.
Chako should just lose its will.
Since we have a familiar contract, it matters not whether it has a will.
If it will leave me because it has a will, it should just lose that will.
If I make it a talisman and leave it in my hands always, I should be able to escape from this feeling of impatience.
If found outside of nakimushitl, it's been stolen.
After all, I'm the one who found Chako.
Chako is mine.
If found outside of nakimushitl, it's been stolen.
Translated at nakimushitl.wordpress.com
[1] Pronouns aren't really used in Japanese so I've been using whatever was apt. Here, it's not that Tomotaka is objectifying Chako or anything (no pun intended), just that I wanted to use something gender-neutral.
[2] 茶色い, or (light) brown, is literally 'tecolored'. 茶子, or Chako, literally means 'tea child'.
[3] Literally 'rice', but this is usually used to indicate 'meals' or 'food' in general. Basically he means that Chako likes eating (human) food despite being a phantom.