A mysterious girl from the Outside World

Rin Satsuki. At first, I didn't think much about it when a nine-tailed Youkai fox visited me one day and barged into my house, informing me about such a person.

"Today is the day when you'll go out to record this generation's map of Gensokyo, right?"

I nodded.

"If you mean "just another day" with "the day," then you are right. I am going out again. As much as I want it to, my body doesn't have the strength to travel the entirety of Gensokyo in a day."

"I am aware."

We stared at each other for an uncomfortable amount. We were lucky that my servants were currently preparing things for my departure. Yet, based on my understanding of Yukari, I am sure she made the exact arrangements to make this situation happen.

"Is your master getting impatient with how slow the Gensokyo Chronicles come along? If so, I am sorry to inform you, but I think she'll have to wait longer."

The kitsune Youkai shook her head.

"Quite the opposite. I am not here today about the Gensokyo Chronicles. I am here because I should deliver a message to you."

That's not how opposites work...

"Alright. What is the message?"

"Soon, you'll have a fateful encounter with a girl from the outside world. A girl with an unkept appearance and a scattered mind, yet radiant, long hair reminding of the flowing sunlight and golden eyes that hold a burning flame defying the fate given to her."

...

"Huh?"

"Don't look at me like that. Those are the words of my master and not me."

An encounter from the outside world? At that place? What is Yukari telling me? Is she telling me I should be careful because I'll meet someone dangerous today?

"I like to think that you shouldn't think too hard about the cryptic messages of my master. After all, she likes to mess with people. A lot."

"Is that really something you should say about your master?"

She ignored my words.

"Anything else I need to know?"

"Rin Satsuki."

"Rin Satsuki?"

A soft knock on the door. For a moment, I panicked, turning towards the Youkai messenger, only for her to be already gone.

"Akyuu-sama?"

"C-come in."

One of my servants opened my door.

"We finished preparing for your departure towards Muenzuka, Akyuu-sama."

"I got you. I got you. I'll be out in a minute."

Bowing down again, he closed the door and left me to sit in silence once again.

I'll meet an outsider named Rin Satsuki today. Someone with beautiful blond hair and shining golden eyes.

Hearing that description I would think of one of those princes in shining armor that appear in Western stories.

But what could the meaning of Yukari's message be?

Could it be that they'll appear in front of me to save me like a knight in shining armor? I mean the location would make sense since Muenzuka is very dangerous, to say the least, but then what would unkept mean, not to mention someone with a "scattered mind"...

...what could a scattered mind be? Someone forgetful? Maybe a natural airhead? Or was it someone who didn't have all their memories?

Not to mention the last line. Burning eyes that defy the fate that was given to her?

Deciding to not think too much about that gap youkai's message, I stood up and left for my departure.

The Gensokyo Chronicles weren't going to record themselves.

"Akyuu-sama, we are ready to depart!"

"YES!"

...

As I left my house, I was greeted by the shouts of my overenthusiastic escorts.

"T-Thank you, Honda."

"It's our honor to guard you Akyuu-sama, we..."

People are always jealous about the things they don't have. Showing jealousy is only natural. After all, the burning desire to be similarly capable, own the same things, or have a similar life can lead to people striving to reach the same point.

It's dangerous when no matter how hard you struggle, you can't catch up to that person's standpoint. Jealousy to the point that people would harm someone else to get what they want.

People have been jealous of my ability, even if it was always brought up jokingly. Yet, they have never even considered the drawbacks of my ability.

Mainly, even if I want to phase out what Honda is currently talking about, I won't be able to forget about it. Honda's longwinded speech is filled with empty pleasantries and meaningless phrases, padded out with words he didn't understand to make it sound fancier.

"Akyuu-sama?"

"Huh? Ah yes. I am happy you feel like this about being my escort."

"Ah yes, of course..."

Why won't he ever shut up? You know what? I am just going to walk off. We are behind schedule already, and I don't think I need to listen to a speech about how being given the job to escort me will bring his family 2 generations of luck.

"Akyuu-sama!"

"Akyuu-sama!" x4

Sigh, what a bother. Being the Child of Miare is a tough job, huh? Having to write the Gensokyo Chronicles, the records of these lands with each of my reincarnations...

I know I hold memories of all the previous times I did this. All my previous reincarnations had to go through this.

Aichi, Ani, Ami, Ayo, Ago, Amu, Anana, Aya...

All the names I carried in my past lives. All of them had the duty to compile the Gensokyo Chronicles, and every one of them was proud in their own way to be a historian.

Yet, all those memories didn't feel like they were mine. They felt like the stories of people I read about and remember by heart. Did all my other reincarnations feel how I feel right now? Did they all have similar doubts as me?

Those kinds of thoughts occasionally float around my head in times of boredom. When I have nothing to do. When I don't have to record for the chronicles. When I don't have to be a Child of Miare and just can be...

...Akyuu.

Looking up at the sky, I wondered how it would feel to soar in the sky like the birds do. Flying around, looking down upon the lands, taking in the view. Meaningless thoughts like that.

"Akyuu-sama?"

I quickly pulled my hands back down. It seems that I was unconsciously reaching for the sky just now.

What a blunder.

"It's nothing. The blue sky was just so beautiful today."

Hearing my answer, my four escorts just nodded their heads as if they agreed with me.

Not that I am particularly dissatisfied about their behavior, but it didn't feel like they were looking at Hieda no Akyuu when they were interacting with me. What reflects in their eyes is a shadow of the past.

They are not respecting Hieda no Akyuu. They are respecting the 9th Child of Miare and the reincarnation of Hieda no Are.

A fate I was given since the day of my birth. The 9th rebirth of the girl keeping the records of these lands, and as that girl, she carries the duty to go out and create records of the land.

In fact, that was one of her first duties to fulfill once she could read and write properly. Go out, visit every location, record them, and note down what changed during the centuries her soul was working in hell for the Yama.

Without a flaw, with each life, for the ninth time. Though, the chronicles this time around are a bit special.

The Gensokyo Chronicles that Hieda no Akyuu is going to publish is the first one created after the creation of the Great Hakurei Barrier that isolates us from the outside world.

Fantasy, Dreams, Nightmares, Myths.

I had the duty to record all that during my short stay of 30 years on this mortal plane. Thinking about it, I felt a sense of pride grow in me, thinking that especially my chronicles were going to record a turning point in history.

That I am the one that was going to record an important turn of fate and that my work will be referred to by countless people in the future.

Then again, that's what my previous eight reincarnations did, so what would make my records any more special than theirs?

"Akyuu-sama, we arrived."

"Huh? That fast?"

Today I was going to record the location of Muenzuka, which is at the end of the Road of Reconsideration, which connects the Forest of Magic to Muenzuka.

Though the Forest of Magic isn't situated too far from the human village, walking through it to the Road of Reconsideration was still quite a long walk.

"Thank you for escorting me all the way here. I think I'll be fine from now on."

"But Akyuu-sama, isn't the Road of Reconsideration quite dangerous?"

"That's a good question, Tonda. The main reason why the Road of Reconsideration is highly dangerous is because of the spider lilies that surround the entire area. Flowers of death carrying lethal poison that gets released the moment you step on them."

"Then that is all the more reason why we should follow you!"

I gave them a smile, but for some reason, they took a step backward as I did that.

"Oh? This soul of mine is used to being on the other side of the Sanzu River. I think I'll be fine walking along a few spider lilies."

"Then what about the Youkai?"

"Oh, the Youkais?"

Acting as if I was thinking for a moment, I gave them all a big smile.

"My woman's intuition tells me I won't walk across one today. Or maybe it's the intuition of my past life?"

Once they heard me mention my past life, they all started to agree with me. Saying yes and whatnot.

My chest felt constricted for some reason. They didn't know, but Youkais aren't allowed to touch humans from the human village, which is why I wasn't worried about one attacking me.

But they can't know. Youkais exist because of human fear. Their belief. The belief that these embodiments of their fear do exist is the reason behind the existence of Youkai.

With the widespread of science and knowledge: technology, humans started to get less and less scared of the unknown. Fearlessly advancing into the darkness.

Because of that, fewer and fewer people started to fear the unknown, fear the Youkai. Which is the reason why Gensokyo exists.

Keep humans around so they can fear them. Keep them around, so their existence can stay.

Which is the reason why Youkai can't attack human villagers. Though, outsiders from the outside world are still free to hunt.

"Yes, just wait here at the edge of the forest, and I'll be back in a minute! Don't worry too much. Oh, in the case, I don't come back within an hour, please inform Keine-sensei about it."

With that, I left my escorts behind.

Phew, finally free from their stares at my back.

The Road of Reconsideration. One of the few places in Gensokyo where the barrier intersects with the barrier of the netherworld and the outside world.

Occasionally the barrier will get so unstable due to the many intersections that holes open in it.

Those that are suicidal will find themselves drifting here, walking around this poisonous path of spider lilies.

That's when you can observe an interesting spectacle. Inhaling the toxins of the flowers, they will linger in your body and swirl around, which is the point where something wondrous yet unpleasant happens.

Your will to survive will get rejuvenated, making you reconsider taking your own life away. That is the reason why this area has been named the Road of Reconsideration.

Though, what usually awaits people after they realize that they don't want to die isn't really pleasant.

Because this is an unstable area that is known for outsiders occasionally arriving here, Youkais lie in wait to prey on them.

Usually, at the point when they'll realize they want to live, they'll experience death in the stomach of a Youkai.

Though, for me those toxins...

"It might have taken me a while, but I've reconsidered about taking my own life. Just kidding, I just thought that this was the appropriate thing to say here, tehe~."

Suddenly hearing a voice behind me when I wasn't expecting it made me jump.

But I am quite close to Muenzuka at this point. Usually, once someone reaches Muenzuka, it's the end. It was the resting place of the nameless dead for a reason, yet a person came out of it.

For a moment, I considered running away or hiding. I thought that they might be a dangerous Youkai or something similar to a Youkai.

I know they technically aren't allowed to even touch a hair of mine, but for god's sake, those were still Youkai and they were still quite scary.

But before any of that, I was reminded of the message I got this morning. The message of a fateful encounter with someone.

Observing that person, I realized that they were indeed quite close to the descriptions I have gotten.

They were dirty. Quite dirty even. All they wore was a dirty white shirt that was a bit big for their size and nothing more. Yet, despite their filthy appearance, it couldn't hide their beauty for a moment.

The shoulder-length, blond hair was indeed reflecting the sunlight back in a way that makes them look like they were shining and the golden eyes reflected an intense sense of determination as they wandered around the area, scanning their surroundings.

Especially since I am looking at them for...

"...a while now."

"Huh?"

Came out of my mouth when I realized that the person was now looking at me. Panicking, I struggled to come up with words. Before I realized it, I just blabbered something out without a thought.

"Uhm... you are Satsuki-san, right? Rin Satsuki?"

Uncomfortable silence rose as the girl was now observing me with her keen eye. I mean, it was fair. It was quite suspicious that I knew her name when this was the first time we met, not to mention if that really is her name.

The Shikigami just dropped it out of nowhere before leaving, so I couldn't even be sure whether the name of the blond girl with golden hair really was supposed to be Rin Satsuki.

All of which didn't matter right now because the girl took on a fighting stance.

"Woah, woah, woah! Satsuki-san, there is no need to get violent. I am a human!"

Why did I say that? Isn't saying that you are a human even more suspicious?

"How long have you been there?"

"Huh?"

Is that her problem with me being here...?

"I asked, how long have been you there?"

...that I heard her monologue to herself, thinking that she was alone, but there was someone there that saw all of that?

Thinking about it, immediately all the memories of similar situations that happened to me appeared in front of my eyes. Even if I try to bury them with more memories, I can't get them out of my head...

Still, to reconsider taking your life when you were already in Muenzuka. Even assuming that she was an outsider that was spirited away exactly into Muenzuka, it was still impressive that she got out.

"About when you arrived here and said, "It might have taken me a while, but I've reconsidered about taking my own life away." I-I think there is nothing to be embarrassed about! In fact, I think it's a sign of strength that you decided to not abandon life!"

Realizing that I might have been here since the beginning of what the girl did, it looked as if she wanted to sink into the ground.

It looked kind of endearing until she took a fighting stance again...

"Huh? Didn't we already go through this? I already said it! I am a human, a hu-man."

"Then tell me the reason why a small human girl would come to this road."

...

I just realized, but today I quite often went "Huh?" didn't I? It just has been one surprise after another.

Even now, when the girl in front of me talks about the regret the living left behind in their death.

Regret. Is that what makes people turn around on the Road of Reconsideration? Does that mean anyone who continues past the road doesn't have regrets left, or are they so far gone that they don't care about their regrets anymore?

Did any of my last incarnations have any regrets when they departed from the world of the living? Even if they did, I know nothing about it. In fact, I almost knew nothing about them.

It sounds ironic that I knew nothing about "myself," but that's just how things were.

The moment I was born, my life wasn't mine. My life was meant to be dedicated to recording history. The history of Gensokyo.

So, even if I wanted to, I couldn't take my own life. I must record history without fail. That is the duty of a Child of Miare. That is the reason why I walked here despite my body being frail.

My reason to live was to keep track of Gensokyo.

So...

""...what reason could a girl have to be here, other than being a Youkai who is waiting for an unsuspecting human." That's what you are going to say next, isn't it?"

"You took my words right out of my mouth. Now tell me!"

How surprising. That person seemed to be very composed. Unnaturally so. Walking out of Muenzuka was an accomplishment, to say the least.

Even if you managed to escape the pursuit of the living youkai, the jealousy the dead have for the living is not to be trifled with. Muenzuka was a dangerous area, even for the Youkai, even more so if you are spiritually tuned enough to hear the voices of the dead.

Which is why it's all the more of a surprise that the girl...

...

That Rin Satsuki managed to walk out of it with an intact mind. No, it was more than just that.

With eyes burning red hot with compassion to the point where she felt pained at the suffering of the dead. Despite her caring immensely about the situation, she still managed to walk out unscathed.

Rin Satsuki. She is a bit insane, isn't she?

Is that why Yukari gave me that vague message?

"I understand your suspicion, but I have my reasons why I am here at the Road of Reconsideration. You have to take my word that I am human, though if you still can't come to trust me..."

She is someone interesting, that much is certain. She seems to be the kind that would even trust a Youkai as long as communication was possible.

In that case, is she simply testing me to see if I am trustworthy, or is this really about being human or not?

Regardless, I still didn't understand much about regret, but I had a feeling in my stomach that I am going to regret it if I don't get that girl to trust me.

Proof that I am not a Youkai, huh? That's a tough one, considering that there are quite a bunch of Youkai that take on a humanoid form.

Taking on the form of a little human girl wasn't unpopular. After all, seeing a cute little loli lost on the road would make you want to help her out, wouldn't it?

So, there was only one option left...

"Youkais are spiritual beings rather than physical ones, and because of that, they are mostly immune to physical attacks. Meaning that a knife, a sword, punches, throws, kicks, even cutting them up into pieces would be rendered ineffective."

...I slowly walked up to the girl. Taking her hands and wrapping them around my neck.

"That means if I am a Youkai, this would be quite ineffective..."

Several tense seconds passed as Rin stared at Akyuu in disbelief.

"What kind of tasteless crap is this? Are you trying to test me or something?"

What? Did I test her? I was sure she...

"Then are you telling me to choke you to see whether you are suffocating or not? If you aren't, you are a Youkai. If you are, you are a human. Is that it!?"

...! ...huh?

What... what was I doing just now? Did... did I lose my mind for a second there? Why would I go that far for a stranger I have never met before?

Is it because of her charisma, or was it...

I looked down at the spider lilies.

...the effects of the poison that the death flowers had on me? Death, reincarnation, regret. I thought I knew what they were. I thought I was over them since I lived for the ninth time now. But maybe a part of me regrets having taken that deal several lifetimes ago.

Maybe this place reminded me that I didn't want to be bound down to my duty anymore.

"Did anyone tell you that you are quite reckless yet? This "Road of Reconsideration" we are standing on, or whatever you called it. It's a dangerous place, even if we take the Youkais out of the equation. Depressed people, spiteful people bearing grudges, and criminals were the majority of the voices I heard here. What would you have done if I took you up on your offer and then took advantage of you? Soiled you? Made you unable to marry?"

Wha-?

Why would she care so much about a stranger...

Though, I immediately realized the answer as I looked into her eyes. That girl loved humanity. In her eyes, I could see infinite compassion and desire to make everyone in front of her happy. Eyes are indeed the window to the soul, and her soul was beautiful.

"I knew you weren't that kind of person, Rin. You would have stopped the moment you would have seen me gasping for air. After all, would a malicious person have such a genuinely pained face when talking about the lingering souls of the people who get lost on this road?"

Even if I lost my mind for a moment and did those things while being unable to act in my best interest, I meant every word of what I said.

Rin Satsuki. I wish I could be her friend.