13 An Ordinary Day in the Human Village

Editor: Crembo

-Morning, Human Village-

-Me POV-​

"Thank you for accompanying me, Arah-san." Akyuu said gratefully.

"Don't worry about it. I've already fulfilled this week's quota, so I'm free right now." I explained.

The Youkai Forest and Mountain areas are chock full of ingredients. I guess the magicians aren't very fond of gathering ingredients there, probably because the constant battles with Youkai while harvesting are too troublesome for them?

I say "constant" because I kept battling one after another, every 4-5 ingredients picked up. I'm okay with battling them because my power is always on and ready to use immediately, while magicians probably need to cast their magic for each encounter. I can see that as being annoying enough to stay away from those areas.

"So, where are we going?" I asked.

"We are going to rent some books from a store called "Suzunaan". It's a rent, sell, and print bookstore. I'm a regular there, but I need someone to carry the books for me. Usually I go with my servants, but since you are here right now," She turned her head to me while smiling, "I can rent as many books as I want."

"… I see." I smiled, stiffly.

'From delivery boy to luggage boy, what a great change of profession. I'm sure I'm gonna have a great job experience in the future.'

Akyuu and I were walking down the street side by side in the morning. I estimated the time to be 9 o'clock, and like all people from the olden days, everyone in Gensokyo was already busying themselves and walking to their destinations in the streets. No lazing around in here! Unless you're a certain Miko that only moves when there's money to collect or an incident occurred, you're pretty much a useful person in Gensokyo's Human Society.

"Suzunaan, huh. Do you know the people that run the store?"

"Yes, it's the Motoori family. Their family consists of 4 members: a couple, their daughter, and an elder. The elder is the shopkeeper, the couple run their printing service, and the daughter is the shop assistant, keeping the books free of dust." She explained.

"The whole store is manned by their whole family, is it their family business?"

"Apparently, yes." She nodded.

The source material never covered anything about the Human Village. It was only when Forbidden Scrollery came out that we got some information regarding the village, about both it and the point of view of the powerless humans who live in constant fear of the Youkai. Tl;dr: it was basically a manga about how scary Youkai can be when a powerless human encounters them. The number of humans living in the village was also left unknown.

But now that I'm here, I've estimated the number of humans in the village to be less than a thousand, and according to canon, 'less than a thousand' is still a small number compared to the number of Youkai in Gensokyo.

'… Guess I haven't seen everything that Gensokyo can offer.' I smiled. 'And speaking of offering...' I looked at Akyuu.

"Do you want a hug, Akyuu-chan?" I offered Akyuu.

"… Why so suddenly?" she eyed me suspiciously.

"Because I felt like you needed one after I heard about the Motoori Family." I said.

As you guys probably know, Akyuu is the Child of Miaree. That's their treasure, and the reason why the Hieda clan exists. I theorized that after her parents learned who their daughter was, they stopped treating her as their daughter but instead treated her as their master.

I came up with that theory after I saw a servant with a "unique" title. After I discovered it, I started searching for another person with the same title, and finally I found the other one, working as a guard.

These are their "unique" titles:

[Lv.7 Mother of the 9th Child of Miaree]

[Lv.10 Father of the 9th Child of Miaree]

Her mother was the servant and her father was a guard. When they talked to Akyuu, they revered her as "-sama". I was horrified after I learned this truth, and I became even more horrified when I thought that if Akyuu already accepted it as normal, considering her access to the previous Akyuu generations' memories, the attitude between the previous Children of Miaree and their parents might have been the same.

… But I also came up with another theory to explain this situation: her lifespan. All of them knew that the Child of Miaree can't live to be more than 30 years old. That's why they cut their ties with each other and forgot that they were once a family, so the only thing they would see each other as were mere Masters and their Servants.

That's… That's just sad… And wrong…

But now I'm here. She's already proven that she doesn't want to die early, too. I will fix her, I will make her live longer. Right now she's still 8 years old, so I still have time.

I stared at Akyuu.

"It's okay, it's none of Arah-san's business, I don't need one in the first place anyway." She nonchalantly gave her answer as we walked.

'… Seriously, this girl.'

I looked at my surroundings.

There's people but not a lot of them, just 2-3 people at best.

'You're gonna get one, whether you like it or not.'

My walk turned into a jog, I passed Akyuu and then proceeded to stand in front of her.

"…Arah-san? What are you doing?" she took one step back. She felt something was about to happen to her.

I kneeled to bring myself to her eye level.

*hug* I hugged her.

*squeeze* I tightly hugged her.

After a few second of silence, I separated from her. Her face was slightly flushed.

"… I told you that I don't need it." She said while averting her eyes.

'Even though she said that, she didn't even move when I hugged her.' I smiled.

"Then I'm the one who needed it, just take it as helping me instead of helping you."

"… Stupid Arah." She pouted.

"Yes, yes, I'm indeed stupid." I stood up. "By the way, Akyuu-chan, when is your birthday?"

"Ah, that's, it's in August."

"August? Last month? Isn't that also when I came to Gensokyo?"

"Now that I think about it, Arah-san did indeed come to Gensokyo on August."

"Then how about I just make that month my new birthday and then we can celebrate ours at the same time?" I suggested.

"… Arah-san, it's called "Birthday" for a reason."

"I don't care. I know it's late but I'm gonna make you a birthday gift, so look forward to it." I smiled.

"… You don't have to, you know."

"As I said, I don't care. By the way, just call me Arah from now on."

"… Then please call me normally too."

"Okay then. Let's continue our walk, Akyuu-chan."

I held her hand and started dragging her.

"… Don't ignore me, please." She said while walking with me.

-Akyuu POV-​

"Arah-san…" I called him.

"…"

"Arah-san…"

"…"

"… A-Arah."

"Yes, Akyuu-chan, what's the matter?" he finally turned his head in my direction.

"… It's this way." I pointed with my other hand.

"Oh, wow, we almost went the wrong way. I was kinda worried there since you were quiet along the way." He said while smiling.

"… Meanie." I pouted again.

The store isn't that far, just a few blocks away from my mansion, but it's still a walk. It's tiring, but it's for books! I can't give up just because it's tiring!

"You look quite tired; want me to carry you again?" He offered.

"… No need."

Arah-san's pills are too precious for this small walk, so I abstained from taking any right now.

"Then let's sit down over there for a while." He pointed at a bench in front of a sweets shop. "I also want to ask you something, so let's sit down."

He led me toward it and started ordering some sweets from the shopkeeper.

We sat down while waiting for our order.

"Hm? What's wrong?" I asked.

He was looking left and right after he sat down.

"It's nothing." he stopped looking around and turned toward me. "Akyuu-chan, friendly Youkai usually come into the village, right?"

"Yes, the friendlier Youkai usually come to the village bar to get drunk or eat human delicacies."

"But they never settle in the village, right?"

"Of course. If a Youkai were to live in the Human village, there would be an uproar about it. The majority of Youkai don't really like to go near the Human Village too, excluding the friendly ones, of course."

"Is it because of the different existence between us and them that they don't like to near the village?"

"I don't know. When I asked the friendly ones, they just said they didn't feel anything when they went near the village. When I heard that, I noticed something about the friendly Youkai that come to the village."

"What is it?"

"It's their purpose."

Just as I said that, a waitress brought our order - tea and 2 sticks of dango - and Arah-san paid her.

"What timing." He said while smiling.

"Yes." I also smiled.

We sipped our tea and ate a dango.

"Their purpose?" He said after he finished one of his dango.

'I'm still half way through my first one... Arah-san, you should enjoy sweets, not just eat them outright.' I thought at him.

"*gulp* Hah~" I finished the Dango in my mouth, "Yes, the reason why the friendly Youkai never attacked humans is because their origin stories never involved harming any human."

"…I see, their origin stories. But ordinary people are still afraid of them despite their friendliness?"

"The majority are. It's understandable. But some of them already consider the friendly Youkai to be just like any other humans because they deal with them regularly. For example, the bar keeper, and any other stores that the Youkai frequent."

"… Then, from what you told me, other than the friendly ones that go inside the village, no Youkai has ever been recorded as living inside the village?"

"Yes, that's pretty much the gist of it."

"I think that's all I wanted to know. Let's finish our sweets and continue our walk." He said while eating his other dango.

'… I wonder why he suddenly asked those questions.' I finished eating my dango while still pondering.

-Afternoon, Suzunaan-​

"Excuse our intrusion." I said as we entered the store. Of course, without Arah holding my hand.

Inside the store there's a mountain of books, and many bookshelves that are full of many types of books. Besides the many books inside the store, there's also an elderly person sitting behind the counter. It's the owner, Motoori Harusen.

"Ah, Akyuu-dono, is it that time already?" he asked.

"Yes, Harusen-dono, but I will rent more books than usual." I answered.

"Ho~, is it because of that boy beside you?"

"Yes, he's the new guest in the mansion, he volunteered to help me."

Arah stepped forward.

"The name's Arah. I'm a guest in the Hiedaa household right now." Arah introduced himself with a bow.

"Hohoho, making yourself useful aren't you? Someone who doesn't work, doesn't deserve to eat." Harusen looked amused by it.

"Haha, yes, when I saw she wanted to go outside, I thought maybe I could accompany her. She is sickly, after all." Arah explained cheerfully.

"Hohoho, what a polite boy. But let's not make the lady wait, shall we." He turned to his side, looking through the row of bookshelves, and yelled "Kosuzu! Come here!".

"Yes, Grandpa!" A girl's voice came from behind the shelves.

A few seconds later, a little girl, her red hair styled into twin tails, came out holding a duster in her hand and wearing an apron on top of her checkered kimono.

"What's the matter, Grandpa?" she said, and then noticed me and smiled. "Akyuu-san! You came!" she rushed toward me and held my hand.

Her name is Motoori Kosuzu; she's my dear friend and also a reader buddy.

I smiled back "Yes, I came for my weekly book rental."

"Hohoho, now then Kosuzu, why don't you guide Akyuu-dono to the bookshelves to pick her books." Ordered Harusen.

"Yes! Follow me, we got some new books for you!" she started dragging me.

"W-wait! Slow down for a second." I said hurriedly while glancing toward Arah.

He just smiled and waved at me.

-Me POV-​

'And there she goes, a Loli getting dragged by another Loli, what a scene. I wonder if I should start helping her every week.'

As I was wondering about that, the old man that seemed like Kosuzu's grandpa called me.

"Now then boy, while the girls are away, I want to ask you something."

I gave him a questioning look.

"Why did you help Akyuu-dono?" he asked me with serious eyes.

'Ah… It's this type of question.'

"From the looks of your face and the strange way you wear your Yukata, you're definitely an outsider. I think that's why you're a guest at Akyuu-dono's mansion." He gave his theory about me. "Now then, why did you decide to help her? Is it wealth? Or is it for some other reason? Because the Hiedaa clan is not gonna share their wealth with just some nobody." he said with serious tone.

'… Is he interrogating me because of his grandpa instinct to dote on grandchildren? If so, he's a cool dude in my book... Let's give him a serious answer.'

I grinned, "Of course I have a reason to help her. The reason is even so obvious that you don't need to ask me about it."

"Ho~, then tell me, boy. What is this reason?" his voice turned cold.

"The reason why I helped her is none other than because…" DRAMATIC PAUSE "… She's too cute to be left alone." I gave a wide smile when I answered the question.

"!?" My answer apparently gave him some shock.

'Ah~, it feels so nice when you shock people.' I was delighting internally.

"… Boy, do you know what you're saying?"

"… Yes, I also know about the Child of Miaree and what their future fate is."

"… Then, are you prepared for what will happen in the future?"

"Yes, I already prepared when Akyuu herself explained her situation and what the "Child of Miaree" was to me." I said with a confident tone.

'Oh, I prepared all right. But right now I'm still weak, very weak. I calculated that 10 years of experience will be good enough of a preparation. '

When I looked closer at Harusen, he was trembling.

"…Fu-fufu-FUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" he suddenly started laughing loudly.

"…You okay, gramps?" I gave him worried look.

"Don't worry Arah-boy, you just humored me with your answer."

"… What?"

"I don't know if your answer is real or not, but if it's real, then I can die without worries." He said while smiling.

'BADASS GRANDPA RIGHT HERE BOYS! You are literally my dream self in the future Harusen-san!'

Just as I idolized Gramps, the girls came back from their book browsing.

"Grandpa, what happened? Why did you suddenly start laughing out loud?" asked Kosuzu with a worried look.

Akyuu also looked worried.

"Oh, Kosuzu, we were just having a nice little chat. Apparently this boy thinks Akyuu-dono looks cute and wants to keep her for himself." He said happily.

The girls started going red, especially the subject herself, Akyuu, blushing like mad.

"A-ARAH-SAN!" She shouted at me.

Despite the uproar Gramps started, I just smiled throughout the ordeal.

-A few minutes later-

We finished our business in the store.

Akyuu wasn't kidding when she said she wanted to order more books than usual. I counted at least 30 in the pile, but I have my ability and can easily carry all the books.

Gramps tapped my shoulder and said "Take care of Akyuu-dono for me." with a smile.

Kosuzu started hiding away from my vision. She probably thought I'm some kind of pervert due to gramp's statement, but it's not totally wrong and I didn't see a need to correct his statement.

Akyuu and I started going back toward her mansion.

Nothing happened on our way back.

Akyuu decided not to rest and started rushing despite her tiredness on our walk, resulting in total exhaustion when we arrived.

I entrusted the books to a servant and went back out again for unfinished business.

-Random Alley, Human Village-​

This is where I sensed something while I was resting with Akyuu this morning.

'Akyuu said sometimes friendly Youkai go into the village to get drunk or buy things. I already sensed those guys before, their aura feels open and friendly… But it's different from this thing right now. It feels suppressed, and at the same time, evil just like the Youkai in the mountain. But unlike those guys, this thing feels the need to hide its presence. Why though?' I wondered.

As I walked into the alley, I sensed something in my surroundings.

'… Thin, long, and hard to see… A thread?'

It started getting close to me, and I expanded my armor.

Recently I stopped adding the Counter effect to my armor, because I began to like hitting things up close. I didn't know I had this kind of wild side in me.

'It's clearly a trap, but I hope this will make it reveal itself to me on its own.'

I purposely got hit by the thread to make it easier to locate whatever put this trap down.

After several seconds, the threads started forming a cocoon around my upper body.

'… It's kinda weird that the thread is rolling me up while floating 5 cm away from my body. Guys, that's not how physics works.'

I sensed something coming from the corner of the alley.

"Kukuku, finally, my first prey." A voice came out.

It stepped out of its hiding spot.

A humanoid figure wearing a Yukata, with 8 spider legs behind his back, 6 eyes on his face, and fangs coming out of his mouth.

[Lv.16 Spider Youkai]

… That's pretty low even for a weakling. A newbie Youkai, perhaps?

"Oh my god. A Youkai. Please don't kill me. Help me…" I said, obviously faked fear in my voice.

"Kuahaha! It's useless, human! Be happy that you will be my first prey!" he said menacingly.

'Oh wow, he actually believed that. Someone please give me an Oscar.'

He walked slowly toward me, probably for dramatic effect.

He walked slowly.

Slowly.

… Slowly…

"Okay this is taking way too long." I dropped the threads that were encircling me and prepared to fight him.

"What?!" He seemed genuinely surprised that I got away from his threads.

"Let me show you how a real thread affects an opponent." I pulled out Mimicry String from my waist pouch.

I already used it on Maribel and now I used it again on this guy.

Mimicry String looks just like any other string, but it's magically attached to my every limb. When I will the string to move, it moves according to what I imagine.

5 strings started to fly at the Youkai: arms, legs, and torso. Those were my targets.

As an aside, I haven't implemented it in a spell card yet, because I still don't know how to turn robbing my opponent of movement into fair play. It's really difficult.

"W-what?! I can't move my body! Human, what did you just do to me?!" yelled the Youkai.

"Don't worry, I only sealed your movement, don't get yourself so worked up."

"A human opposing me?! How dare you!"

He spit out some kind of liquid from his mouth at me, but it was futile because it was blocked by my armor and just plopped to the ground. When he saw the attack failed, he started shouting angrily at me. Because it was loud, I muted him for a while.

'… *sigh* Now what? Do I report to Reimu? But how do I get to her with this guy with me?'

As I was thinking about how to handle this situation, I sensed energy forming beside the Youkai.

It's a gap, Yukari's gap.

But what came out of it betrayed my expectations.

It was a woman. She had yellow eyes, short blonde hair, and a light pink two-tailed hat festooned with many amulets. She had fox ears hidden under the hat, had nine fox tails, and wore a blue & light purple dress with blue print on the front.

It's Ran.

[Lv.65 Kitsune Shikigami, Yakumo Ran]

"Seems like a troublemaker has already been stopped before anything bad happened." She said.

She started doing some sort of hand signs and ended with two fingers pointed toward the Spider Youkai.

Purple chains appeared around him and tied him down.

"Hoh~, amazing." I said, admiring this little magic and pulling my string back.

"As for you," she turned toward me. "I can only thank you for stopping him before he hurt any humans in the village." She lightly bowed at me.

"I just happened to sense him in my walk, think nothing of it. But more importantly, who are you? Why do you use the same thing as Big Sister Yukari?" I started my "Who are you?" routine for people I already know.

""Big Sister Yukari", is it?" she asked.

I just nodded.

"*sigh* Yukari-sama, please..." She sighed and looked down for a second but went back to being serious. "*cough* well, my name is Yakumo Ran, Yukari-sama's Shikigami, or you outsider can call me Yukari-sama's subordinate. The thing you saw was a gap, Yukari-sama taught me how to use them. And as for why I'm here," she glanced at the chained down Spider Youkai, "I sensed this newbie lurking around in the Human Village, and I'm here to stop anyone from getting killed. Including the newbie." She finished explaining.

"I see. So, what now?" I ask.

"Now, I have finished my business, so I'll start packing up."

A gap opened beneath the Spider Youkai and he fell in.

"I have heard stuff about you from Yukari-sama. You're not bad for a Danmaku newbie, Arah-boy."

After she said that, she also disappeared into her gap.

And now, I'm all alone in this alley.

"That was something. Now what? Playing piano at the SDM? Yup, definitely playing piano."

I decided immediately what I was gonna for the rest of the day and started going toward my new destination.

Author note:

Heyo, Author here. OMFG, THAT WAS HARD. CONVERSATION BETWEEN CHARACTER IS SUPER HARD, I think that's what making this chapter really hard to make. Ugh…fuck my life.

In the series, human village is just a prop, so Information regarding anything from the human village is really low, freaking ZUN.

That's also including theory about Akyuu situation; I'm just speculating her situation from Forbidden Scrollery, which is the only source of information regarding the human village.

As for Kosuzu Grandpa name, his name is not revealed in the series, so I took liberty to named him in here, and again, freaking ZUN.

As for Arah plan "10 years later", yeah, I really will starting to help Akyuu when the fanfic arrived in that time line, that's also if my fanfic stay updated until that time line occurred, Ugh, crossing my finger right now.

When I first write the chapter, I really having hard time writing the conversation, so when I reread it, all I saw is just a bunch of gibberish, I just wondered what the fuck am I thinking when I write this stuff.

You gotta have full concentration when writing sentimental stuff, and my poor English is not helping at all in this case, it's only making it harder when I create this stuff, FML.

And last but not least, Horray for reaching 50k word to me! Horray for all the reader that still stay and read all of my messed up of a fanfic! I TRULY THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT!

By the way, I know it's late but Stack, the Akatsuki Record singer released ZUN theme song, it's fucking amazing, one of my dream come tru