42 The Missing Spring part 2
Editor: Katanasoul_91.
-Evening, Netherworld-
-My POV-
The color of orange filled the cloudless sky. The Netherworld's weather is calm and soothing compare to the Gensokyo's weather right now.
Some of the tree in the Netherworld starts changing their leaves color from the color of yellow to the color of pink, a tell tale that the season changing into that of a spring, and in the mid of this peaceful scene, a black clad individual is talking with a silver hair girl in a green school uniform-like dress at the base of the stairway.
The black clad individual gave something to the girl.
"Here's the share for today."
"…Thank you."
The black clad individual really doing something suspicious with the school girl, he should be captured by the police by now if a police is a thing in the Netherworld or even in Gensokyo in general.
'This is the police! Get your hand in the air!! …is what I imagined happening right now whenever I'm giving her the petal.' I thought.
"…As always, Arah-dono gathered more petal than I do." said Youmu with defeated look.
"Haha, you shouldn't mind it too much, in the end you are the one that get the petal anyway."
The amount of petal that I collect steadily increase as the days goes on, based on principle, the longer someone doing work, the more familiar they're with said work, and if you're familiar with it, you could minimalize your effort. Those practices summarize the saying I heard a long time ago, "when you work, work smarter, not harder.", which resulting me creating an air vacuum with my ability to collect the petal faster, this method toke less time and yield more result than grabbing them one by one with my hand.
"Well, see you again tomorrow like always." I said before I turn around.
But just as I'm about to leave, Youmu called out to me.
"A-arah-dono, please wait!!"
I look back.
"?"
"W-well, u-um, i-its." she hesitates to say something, her phantom-half also hiding behind her human-half.
'…Seems like I'll be here for a while.' I thought as I turn around again facing Youmu.
"P-please teach me how to gather the petal just like Arah-dono!!" Youmu asked me as her face is red with shame and her phantom-half have a tinge of red in its white body.
"…I don't think you could do what I did with my method."
"B-but, if this goes on, Yuyuko-sama might replace me with Arah-dono?!" said Youmu with teary eye, her phantom-half franticly flying behind her.
"What?!" I'm shocked. "…wait a minute." But I immediately start thinking.
At first, I'm really taken back with what she just said but if I really think about it.
'It's Yuyuko. She might just teased Youmu like usual, moreover this might her ploy to probe my intention based on my response to Youmu's distress, after all I'm an unknown individual that suddenly appeared to help her, of course after that she will start collecting an information about me.' I rationalized everything.
'And no, I'm not complaining, by all mean, keep teasing Youmu, just don't meet with me or something, just let me get my reward in piece.'
But first, let's calm Youmu down.
"Let's calm down first, and then we'll talk, okay?"
She nodded.
I make my way to the stairway. I blew the dirt away with the wind before sit on its step. I also beckon Youmu to do so as well.
After she sat not too far away from me, I start talking to her.
"Youmu-san, is becoming a servant for Yuyuko-san an important thing?" I asked.
"Of course, it's important! As a Konpaku, serving Yuyuko-sama is a great honor for us!!" said Youmu with firmness in her voice, her phantom-half nod too. "…Although, I already served Yuyuko-sama ever for a long time, but no matter how much time has passed, I still couldn't understand Yuyuko-sama, I wonder if grandpa understood her already in his time? Will he feel disappointed in me if he saw me right now?" Youmu looks down, and her phantom follow suit.
"I see." I nod in understanding.
"Oh, sorry, I shouldn't tell you about my problem." she looks sorry.
"Don't worry about it. I'm just happy that Youmu-san share your problem with me."
"I-I see." she scratch her cheek.
I do my thinking pose.
"So from what you said, basically your little understanding of your master led to insecurity of quality of your job if its meet your master satisfaction or not?"
"Well, to put it simply, it is like that." Youmu nod weakly.
"And with that mind set, you concluded that I might replace you as a servant by your master?"
"Yes, I even heard Yuyuko-sama mumble about it when I accidently eavesdrops Yuyuko-sama in her room." said Youmu worriedly.
"…" I blink. '…so sly, saving her face from Youmu while at the same time probing my intention based on Youmu's expression when she get back, very sly indeed.' I though.
"I think you shouldn't think too much about it, just do what you do everyday like usual and you're gonna be fine."
"But…"
"Let me give you an example, when a new worker arrives in a work place, they often make mistake, their work efficiency is usually the lowest, and did you know why? It's because they are doing an unfamiliar activity, they are in an unfamiliar environment, and they work with an unfamiliar faces."
"But I already served Yuyuko-sama ever since I was born!! I'm not unfamiliar with my own home!!" she rebuked.
"But you still make some mistake right?"
"Ugh!" my word hit the bullseye.
I think right now Youmu look more down than before. I smile, teasing people are fun.
"BUT the superior of the worker already know this kind of issue and should do his role properly too. Did you know what will the superior do next?"
…Oh god, her eyes are dead, did I go too far?
"..I'm gonna take a guess with what you're thinking and I'll say that you're wrong, the superior need to do nothing."
Yay!! Her eyes are back!! She titled her head in puzzlement too.
"Or should I say that the superior need to stay patient. Give the new worker a chance to improve, experience takes time to accumulate, and that worker accumulating it as they work, at first they will do a few mistake here and there, but in the long run, they will absolutely do a great job with what they were doing."
Youmu starts to understand what I'm saying.
"Your master already done her part properly, and now it's your turn to do the same. Although, you already doing your part Youmu-san, did you remember? You already asked if I could tell you about my gathering method, you already trying to improve yourself, that's why I said you don't have to do anything and just do what you normally do."
Youmu looks happy.
"I see! I understand now! Thank you very much for your enlightenment, Arah-dono!!" she deeply bowed to me.
*ding*
[Achievement Alert]
[Impress Phantom Human Gardener]
[Reward: 20.000 AP & IP]
Thank you for the point.
"Glad that I could help, now onto another matter, I can't teach you how I gather my share, but I could show you how I did it instead. You saw how I blew the dirt away just now?"
"Blew the dirt? You mean that you used the air?"
"Yup."
I swayed the grass in front of me using the air.
"Now that you know that I use the air, I also could use it like this for gathering."
I sucked some falling leave by creating a vacuum to pull them to my hand.
"I see, it is true after all that I can't do such action, but…"
Youmu suddenly turn silent, she's thinking about something.
After several more second, I noticed the changed in her status.
Her level went up.
[Lv 46 into Lv 48]
'…Is this that 'warrior revelation' thingy? When a warrior got a 'revelation', they suddenly can create some new technique and somehow become more powerful. Is this what happening right now?'
Since Youmu still in her thought, and since I have some time to kill, I decided to stay silent and do some thinking as well.
'About the conversation between us just now, did Yuyuko already know that I'll be helping Youmu? or she just taking a gamble by using Youmu to gather my information? What will she do after she knows me from Youmu? Can I survive if she decided to end me? …Can I change the direction of death?'
…
'…Ugh, I should stop thinking all of this complicated stuff. After all, I'm just a normal guy that followed his desire to go to this Universe, I should have just imagining some cute girl rather than thinking troublesome stuff.'
*ding*
[Achievement Alert]
[Impress the Ghost Princess of Death]
[Reward: 20.000 AP & IP]
"…"
I immediately realize what that alert mean.
I get up from the step.
I look back behind me.
I follow the stairway with my eyes until I see the top of it in the distant.
I see her.
At the end of the stairway, she's floating, short wavy pink hair, light blue and white kimono. I can see that she cover her mouth with her folding fan.
It's her.
It's Yuyuko.
I start bowing to show my respect to her.
"Hm? What's wrong, Arah-dono?"
And the next second.
"Yuyuko-sama!!" Youmu surprised, "Sorry for taking your time, Arah-dono! I bid you safe journey back!" she bowed to me first before she climb up the stairway by flying. Yuyuko also already went away from her spot.
And now I'm all alone at the base of the stairway.
'…Does this mean I'm not gonna instantly died when I meet with her again right? …Right?'
I wondered as I fly out to the exit of the Netherworld.
-Night, My Home-
"So tired." I plop face down on my futon.
Meeting Yuyuko consumes many days worth of my mental stamina. I know I'm not directly meeting with her, but still…It was scary.
"Did something happened, Master? It's unusual that you say that you're tired."
I look to my side.
At my side was Bara wearing her red pajama with cute motif. She's sitting on her own futon while hugging her pillow.
"It came back, my mental fatigue is restoring." I relaxed.
"Hm?" she titled her head.
"It means Bara is still cute no matter what she wears." I smile.
Her face starts going red, she hide her face behind her pillow.
CUTE!!
She came out from her pillow and now she's glaring at me. "…Master, please don't dodge the question." SHE'S STILL CUTE!
"Haha, okay, okay." I turn my body around, now I'm facing upward. "This evening, I meet with the one behind this incident."
"Eh?" Bara needs a second to process what I just said. "Wasn't Master said that it's bad if you meet with her?! Are you okay?!" she asked worriedly.
I already explained the general gist of the incident to her, I also told her to keep quiet about it since if Reimu and co, knew about it, it's gonna be troublesome for me to explained, …I think I should prepare an explanation in advance, just in case.
"Yeah, it's bad, but fortunately we didn't meet with each other directly, we just looking at each other from a far, no body's hurt."
"…I see." she sounded relived.
I close my eye, trying to think about my position in this incident right now.
The incident already going on for almost a month now, the amount of petal that appeared in the sky steadily growing in amount that some of it just start falling into Gensokyo rather than fly straight to the Netherworld.
Surely, all of the heroine will start moving soon, do I fight them or join them? Which side would give me more contribution? What kind of damage will my reputation or relationship suffer if I pick either one of them? Can I win if I fight either one of them?
I also should create a spell card that utilizes my Counter Armor. A spell card that still fair despite none of their attack would reach me. …Wow, I sound like an arrogant bastard right there, this is annoying. I never test my Counter Armor against them, I didn't know if my ability actually worked against them or not.
"U-um, Master."
I open my eyes and look at Bara.
"If you're still tired then do you want me to massage your back?"
"Oh good idea, please do it."
TOPLESS!!
I lay down prone on top of my futon.
"Here's the oil for messaging." I take out the oil from my pouch and gave it to Bara.
"Y-y-y-y-y-y-yes!!" Bara received it with red face.
I smirk.
Bara is blushing and that's a good thing. That mean my body is great to look at for the female. That's a good sign for my future development.
Soon after, since there's a difference of size between both of us, Bara is sitting on my butt to massage my back.
"How is it, Master?"
"Can you knead my shoulder harder? You can try using enchantment, its okay."
"Okay. Hup. Hup."
"Ah~, that's the stuff." I melt. 'This is heaven.' I happily thought.
Minutes have passed.
"Master, can I ask you something?"
"Of course, what is it?"
"Did you know about Akyuu-chan illness?"
My happiness is gone, and seriousness is what replacing it. "Yeah, I know of it. I plan to cure her before the dead line, right now I need to grow stronger so that some powerful being can't stop me when I tried to cure her."
"Is some powerful being didn't want Akyuu to get cured?"
"I don't know, but there's nothing wrong to prepare oneself. We still have time."
"I see."
I can't see her face right now, but I bet she's smiling right now based on her tone. Worried for a friend is a sign that their relationship is good. Loli friendship is good.
But…
"…Bara, aren't your massage steadily growing stronger and stronger?"
"Don't worry about it. I'm trying to give you the best massage in the world, Master. Just relax."
She's not giving me the best massage in the world.
By the end of it, I punished (hug & headpat) her while still being shirtless when the floor start creaking because of her massage. That will teach her a lesson.
-Noon, the Skies of Gensokyo-
I think that there's an old saying about when you a fly, you will meet with a bird no matter what. I believe that there's such saying even thought I haven't read much about a saying. I said that stuff because of what happen to me right now.
"Ayayayaya, good afternoon, Arah-san, right? It's nice meeting you right here in the sky."
"Ah, yeah, it's nice meeting you too, Aya-san."
It's Aya, the Crow Tengu Reporter. I met her when I'm about to go above the cloud, I saw her in the distant before she just arrive to my position within 3 second flat.
She whips out her notebook and pen.
"Are you perhaps also trying to solve the incident?"
"Also?"
"Yeah, the Hakurei Miko, the Burglar Magician, and the Devil Maid are moving to solve the incident recently."
I raised one of my eyebrows from that news.
"I see, seems like they finally move."
"Based on your word, can I simply presume that you already move to solve the incident before them?"
"Well, you can say that."
"Then do you know the one behind the lateness of the spring?"
I blink.
"Unfortunately, no I don't. Instead, do you Tengu have a clue to who's behind this instead? Your people are proud of themselves for being the fastest for collecting information. "I smile.
"Ayaya, flattering won't get you anywhere, but I do appreciate the effort." she also smiles.
"Aw, not even a tiny bit? I'm sure you people are trouble that the winter is not ending."
"Ayayaya, I think you misunderstood with which people that troubled with the weather. How about you give us the sword and maybe I will tell you about it?"
"Can I tell the Oni that the Tengu withhold the information of the perpetrator from us? I heard the Oni really likes their flower viewing party, I wonder what happened if I told them when they don't have it this year?" I still smiling.
"…" she's not smiling.
She closed her notebook.
"It's the Heaven."
"Heaven?"
"We currently concluded that the heaven stole the string, cherry petal falling from the sky, the only being that live above the sky is the heaven people and they stole the spring for their own selfish reason. The ongoing blizzard also probably their doing, laughing at us, the surface dweller while they are partying under their own personal spring."
"And you can't do anything about it since it's the heaven?"
"Yep, we Youkai can't do anything when it comes to anything related to the heaven."
"I see, and you didn't tell this to Reimu because?"
"Are you kidding?! She will beat us up before we could explain it to her, and if she has a brain, she would notice the one behind it sooner or later anyway."
"Make sense." I nod in understanding.
"Now that I already answer you your question, I gotta go, see ya!"
And she blast off.
"…They already move huh, guess it's time to make my decision."
After that interaction, I teleported my way to the place above the cloud rather than just fly toward it. Of course with clear view toward my destination. I don't to accidently fused with some random flying bird.
Author note:
Heyo, Author here. This arc will have 3-4 chapter in it, that mean 1-2 more chapter until it's end, and I will continue with some story stuff before the next incident happen, or I just write the Side Story instead. Just write your opinion of it in the forum or the review box.
