Ferruit Upheaval Arc
(082) Prologue
Translator: Tseirp
Miri was wholeheartedly climbing Mount Fuji.
Dressed in exercise shoes, a black school uniform (winter wear) and a coat.
With an appearance that looked like she was underestimating the climb up to Mount Fuji even if it is not winter yet, the surrounding climbers looked at her with suspicious gazes and there were some among them who wanted to warn her but they could not speak after getting hit by the spirit she was emitting.
Her eyes were filled with hatred that she had forgotten.
Once … and that was more than a thousand years ago.
At a time called the Heian period.
A girl was destined to die at Mount Fuji.
That girl was touted as a peerless beauty and captivated many men, charming the hearts of the people at that time as well as even the Emperor.
She thought that it was happiness. She thought that she had obtained everything.
Until those men came.
A bunch of Diviners (Onmyoji) visited the Emperor and asked him to calm the anger of Mount Fuji by using her magnificent power.
Putting it simply, using her power meant using her as a human sacrifice.
The Diviners perceived that their own power wouldn’t be able to achieve anything and decided to use her life in exchange for stopping the eruption of Mount Fuji.
And, those Diviners possessed great powers.
To the extent that no matter even if it’s the Emperor, he would also not want to turn them into his enemies.
To the extent that it could be thought to be cheap to be able to settle it by only having to offer a single girl.
And, she was allowed to be taken away.
To the summit of Mount Fuji.
There, she was meant to have her body burn and pass away.
However, she did not die.
Goddess — The Gods of Otherworld transported her body to the different world.
And, using the power bestowed upon her by the Goddess — she reincarnated as a demon and after living for hundreds of years, she became a Demon Lord.
It was then that she named herself Famiris‧Rariti.
12 years ago, she was sealed by the Hero and her soul was sent to Japan.
Then, she was surprised when she was incarnated as a Japanese.
That the country had changed to that extent in only a thousand years.
Then, when she grew up and became able to read, she found out.
In the end, due to her reincarnation into the different world, she did not fulfill her role as a true human sacrifice and Mount Fuji erupted multiple times during the Heian period, causing many sacrifices.
And, there was one more fact.
She found out that her own death and her own name was beautified as the tale of Kaguya Hime.
Not knowing if the power of the Goddess was incomplete or it was due to other factors, that tale was left behind as the oldest tale in Japan.
Of course, including the era, a lot of the content was vastly different from the historical fact but the jobs of her parents at that time and the fact that her name was named after the treasure that they were asked to search for by nobles at that time, it was without a doubt that she was the model of the story.
She could only give a bitter smile at how the messenger to Mount Fuji was written as a messenger from the moon.
It’s probably because Mount Fuji at that time was the land where the moon comes out from when viewed from the capital.
Even so, Kaguya — Famiris‧Rariti — no, Kusunoki Miri was about to grab hold onto peace.
Getting reincarnated, meeting Onii, spending peaceful days, she was also grateful to the hero who drove her off into this peaceful world.
In spite of that, her peace crumbled.
So, she made her move.
Arriving at the summit of Mount Fuji, without worrying about the gazes from her surroundings, she took out a single kitchen knife and, without hesitation, pierced her own heart.
Then, the surrounding people no longer noticed anything.
That day’s breakfast was the same as last night’s dinner, it was very delicious.
“Amazing, it’s this different just by using the magic kitchen knife to make the dish.”
The delicious food that was I relishing in, cooked by the aunt from the inn, made me feel better.
They were the same stir-fried potato and meat but she prepared 2 of the same, one by using the magic kitchen knife and one without.
The difference in taste was evident.
“It seems like Kannon is really not just a simple con artist.”
“Of course. If it’s my ally, the real Kannon, she can easily make an iron cutting sword that can also cut konnyaku jelly.”
“Whether an iron cutting sword can cut konnyaku jelly or not is a secondary feature though.”
As I was conversing with Marina, Haru and Carol made faced that said “Konnyaku jelly?”.
I’m afraid most likely in their imaginations, konnyaku jelly has become an incredibly hard metal.
After we finished having our stir-fried potato and meat, we discussed on how to proceed after this.
Carol had obtained reports at the northern border town that the valley road leading to the southern border town has caved in.
Yesterday, Carol also acquired information from within the town that it would still take some time before the road can be cleared.
Because of that, it seemed like we would be staying in this town for now.
“For now, like we have discussed last night, Haru will accept monster subjugation requests from the Adventurers Guild and we will go with the strategy of killing 3 birds with 1 stone, earn experience, earn money and raise Haru’s Adventurer’s rank.”
Mainly, we will raise Carol’s Temptress level.
In the first place, it is not necessary to intentionally use the Temptress skill to raise its level.
Apparently, its level will increase just by exterminating monsters by becoming a Temptress in the day.
Of course, we also forgot about that fact because Carol herself recognized Temptress as a job that calls monsters at night.
I pierced a potato with a fork.
The potato crumbled into 3 pieces from that attack.
Leaving the town, unlike yesterday, it seemed like something happened as there were a lot of people making noise.
Although it’s a different time now compared to yesterday, not only did the Adventurers’ appearances stand out, there were also many Peddlers with packed luggage seemingly about to leave the town.
Passing by in front of the stables, it should have been full like how it was yesterday but now half of the horses were gone.
It seemed like something happened and they were trying to escape the town.
“What happened?”
“Shall I go ask?”
“Okay.”
Carol asked so I requested for her to do so.
Carol jogged and approached some housewives who were having small talk.
As if it was natural, like she was an old friend of theirs, Carol entered the small talk and after conversing for a few minutes, she jogged back.
“Apparently, late at night yesterday, an Adventurer came to notify the townsmen that there was a herd of monsters approaching the town.”
“I see … so that’s why the Merchants are escaping and the Adventurers are running around to gather information. When would the monsters arrive?”
“2 days later at the earliest but the scout troops of this country has set off to verify the authenticity of the claim and if it is found to be true, this country’s army would sortie to exterminate the monsters. Because of that, the people in this town are more worried that instead of monsters, Korat would take this opportunity to attack.”
I see.
I’d like to help if it’s fighting monsters but if it’s fighting fellow humans then I’ll refuse.
“Along with that, the monster subjugation quests in the Adventurers Guild has all been canceled and became an emergency quest to join the defense of this town.”
“I see. Then, maybe we’ll just exterminate the monsters around this town for now. Marina also needs to train with a bow.”
I said in an easygoing manner.
Maybe because I’m Japanese, I don’t think that wars would happen so easily .
Author’s note:
So you have it, the fourth volume has begun.
As most have already guessed, Miri’s true identity is that of a former Otherworld resident and former Demon lord.
I planned to write Miri’s story in first person but I decided to write in third person after all.