I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [136]
Chika's sudden question left Sara stumped.
"Out of nowhere… um, I've never really played games. Does training in martial arts count as a game?"
During her time training under Kiichi Hougen, her master often told her to relax and play once her lessons were done. But Sara never knew what to play.
Games, at their core, were supposed to help people unwind and ease their minds, weren't they? But Sara never felt like she needed them.
"Does that mean I get to decide everything? Hmm… so that's what Angel Sister meant when she said I should take care of you, Sister Sara?"
"Huh? Was that what Master meant?"
Sara began doubting herself. Could it be that Chika's earlier claim about looking after her wasn't a joke?
If this really was her master's intent… Sara started seriously thinking about any games she might know.
"Now that you mention it… I think I've heard of one," she said, rubbing her chin as she tried to recall. "It's a game where two people use wooden paddles to hit something back and forth."
"Hmm… could it be…" Chika tilted her head. "Sister Sara, are you talking about hanetsuki?"
"Probably? I'm not sure; I've never actually seen it. Do you know it, Chika?"
"Yes, I do! A long, long time ago, my dad gave me a hanetsuki paddle! It even had my favorite cherry blossoms painted on it."
"A long, long time ago? That makes it sound like it was centuries ago. You don't even look older than me."
Sara sighed and asked, "So, should we try playing that… um…"
"Hanetsuki."
"Yes, hanetsuki. Should we play that?"
"But my paddle and shuttlecock are back at home. Wouldn't it be a pain to go all the way back now that we're here?"
"I don't mind. Are you tired? If you are, I could carry you back. You're not too heavy for me."
Sara wasn't joking; her expression was entirely serious. If Chika nodded, Sara would undoubtedly kneel down and carry her on her back all the way home.
For someone with a Vision like Sara, Chika was hardly a burden.
"...Huh?"
Chika froze at the suggestion.
"What's wrong?"
"...Oh, nothing at all."
When Sara looked closer, Chika had already recovered her smile.
"Well, um… it's been so long since anyone carried me. It just feels a little… nostalgic?"
"That's probably because you've grown up," Sara speculated. "Your parents must have thought you were old enough to walk on your own."
"Yeah, I think so too. I've grown up now. Even though my parents aren't here, I can take care of myself. Even when no one's watching, I can do the things I'm supposed to do."
Chika clasped her hands in front of her as she smiled brightly.
"But let's not talk about that. My paddle is at home, so we can get it when we go back later. For now, Sister Sara, let's play something else! I'm really good at games. I'm as good as a bird swooping over a lake to catch fish!"
Sara, who had no particular interest in games, was at a loss and decided to go along with Chika's lead.
After all, her master's task for her was simple: Make sure Chika has fun.
Once they left the house, Chika's home was left empty.
Not long after, the front door opened, and someone stepped inside.
It was Kiichi Hougen, who had left earlier.
"Hmm… looks like the two of them went out," she murmured, glancing around to confirm Sara and Chika's absence. "Good. What comes next isn't something children should see."
In her hand, Kiichi Hougen held a few tattered pages.
"Although… Chika probably already knows, one way or another. Still…" She sighed, closing her eyes. "Knowing is one thing. Seeing it for yourself is another. Then again, maybe it's better for her to witness it firsthand? Harsh as it is, she might even be hoping for something like this… ugh, this is giving me a headache. It's like one of those exam questions where you narrow it down to two choices, and both seem equally awful."
She scratched her head in frustration.
"Even after living thousands of years, I still don't understand the human heart."
"Come to think of it, maybe someone like Shana-oh, that so-called 'demon,' is better suited to me? At least her thoughts are as clear as fish swimming in a pond."
"Speaking of which… why did I leave the mountains and start mingling with humans in the first place?"
Kiichi Hougen continued her monologue, rhetorical and unaddressed.
She made her way to the backyard—yes, Chika's house had a backyard.
It was clear the space had been abandoned for quite some time.
The ground was overgrown with weeds, and a well in the center had fallen into disrepair. The well was dry, its cracked and moss-covered walls visible all the way to the bottom.
Without hesitation, Kiichi Hougen approached the well. Placing one hand on the rim, she jumped in.
Of course, she wasn't attempting suicide.
Though the well seemed dry when viewed from above, Kiichi Hougen plunged into a body of water—a lake hidden beneath the surface.
When she emerged, not a single drop clung to her.
She now stood in a vast underground space, and the lake she had emerged from was an artificial one.
This sight didn't surprise her; she had known about this place before jumping in.
"The last core… or rather, the last auxiliary core. What a hidden spot. A secret realm, huh? I guess some people love their theatrics," she muttered.
Her musings were cut short when a massive fireball, radiating searing heat, hurtled straight toward her.
Before it could make contact, freezing shards of ice erupted around the fireball, encasing it in ice within moments.
The now-frozen fireball shattered into a spray of icy fragments just inches from Kiichi Hougen's face.
The surrounding temperature plummeted, and even the underground lake formed a thin layer of ice.
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