Fireflies of the Dark Night

The world of Yamiyo no Hotaru (Fireflies in the Dark Night) is modeled after Japan during the Edo period, a time when concepts like human rights and democracy were virtually nonexistent. The Fusou Kingdom within the game is a rigid class society. In fact, given the presence of monstrous creatures that surpass humans and the existence of individuals with special powers to combat them, the class consciousness and hierarchy might be even more severe than in real-life feudal times.

At the top of the ruling class are the Emperor and the imperial family, who hold the highest authority in Fusou. Below them are the court nobles who oversee the central government and ministries, the feudal lords who manage regional administration and military affairs, and the exorcist clans who possess supernatural abilities and confront monstrous creatures. These groups form the upper echelons of the ruling class.

Beneath them are the wealthy merchants who hold trade monopolies, landlords who own large estates, and wealthy farmers who, while not as land-rich as the landlords, still possess significant private farmland. There are also lower-ranking samurai who receive stipends from feudal lords, skilled artisans, and mid-tier merchants. These groups, who own property, hold privileges, or possess other assets or skills, make up the middle class of society.

Of course, the class structure is a pyramid, and even if you include everyone in the aforementioned classes, they likely make up less than 10% of the population ruled by the Fusou Kingdom. The vast majority of the populace belongs to the lower class.

That said, being in the lower class doesn't mean everyone is starving. A country that fragile would quickly be destroyed by demons. Most peasants and townsfolk, while lacking in entertainment and having to work every day, earn enough to avoid starvation and even have some minimal savings. However, the game does hint at the existence of tenant farmers burdened by heavy taxes, day laborers struggling to make ends meet in the cities, and outcasts treated as untouchables. As for me? I was born into a poor farming family in a remote village. At least I'm not a tenant farmer—that's something.

In this society, the Tachibana family is a merchant household that traces its roots to a fallen noble family that abandoned its aristocratic status. They belong to the upper class among the commoners.

This family operates a rice wholesaling business, which was highly valued even in real-life Edo-period Japan. Beyond that, they deal in a wide range of goods, from daily necessities like sake, soy sauce, salt, sugar, and cotton to luxury items like silk and spices. They also cater to exorcists and samurai by selling weapons and medicine, and even handle imported goods from the southern barbarians and the mainland. They are a long-established, major trading house that has existed since before the Great Demon War. In the game, players can visit their flagship store, where the shopkeeper is the 14-year-old Tachibana Kayo-chan (known as "Item Shop Kayo-chan"). While the items are expensive, rare goods are available for purchase.

Incidentally, Kayo-chan, despite not being a romanceable character, has an unnecessarily detailed character sprite with plenty of variations. This has led to her often being cast as the first heroine the player encounters in fan-made works or as a member of harem scenarios. Above all, the events in the side story Kojihiun Tan (The Tragic Tale of the Fox Child)—specifically the infamous "Item Shop Kayo-chan's Parents' Brain Pudding Incident"—ignited a wave of dark fanfiction and fantasies.

I mean, come on, if you were forced to hide in a carriage and watch your parents' skulls being cracked open while their brains were scooped out with a spoon and eaten alive, wouldn't you be traumatized? After her parents, the heads of the trading house, were killed, Kayo-chan was left to manage the massive business alone. Combined with the family's portrayal in Kojihiun Tan and her occasional dark dialogue in the game, fans often created scenarios where she sells her body to shady adults to protect the shop. Yeah... a loli literally sacrificing herself for the sake of her business? That's some seriously twisted fetish material (just being honest).

...Anyway, that's enough backstory. While Kayo-chan's personal misfortune is quite tragic, I also have my own reasons for intervening in this event beyond mere goodwill. After all, this incident, along with the "orphanage feast event," plays a significant role in the fox demon's full-power revival.

"Ah, that's right..."

I gaze at a line of ox-drawn carts (though some are pulled by horses) traveling along a road several miles from the capital. There are at least thirty carts, and if you include the smaller wagons, the number might triple. Dozens of travelers and laborers accompany them, along with an equal number of guards. Some of them even emit spiritual energy—undoubtedly rogue exorcists, freelance sorcerers, or ronin who have left their clans.

"Still, the quality isn't particularly impressive," remarks the Gorilla Princess beside me, fanning herself lazily while dressed in a cherry-colored kimono. She's right; from the perspective of a top-tier exorcist, their abilities are rather lackluster.

Most rogue exorcists and freelance sorcerers are either weak individuals who left their families due to discomfort or trouble, or peasants who secretly awakened to spiritual power. With inherently low potential and a lack of proper training, their skills are inevitably poor. Of course, there are exceptions, like Kazama Saisuke or Dougen-ou, who were exiled from the Bureau of Onmyou or their clans for being too talented or delving too deeply into forbidden techniques from the Great Demon War. But if the Tachibana Trading House had elite guards, they'd likely be stationed elsewhere, not on a relatively safe route near the capital.

That said, you have to give credit to the Tachibana Trading House. While the guards may be rogues and freelancers, individuals with spiritual power or supernatural abilities are rare to begin with, and even fewer possess combat skills. Having over a dozen exorcists, sorcerers, and samurai with combat abilities is more than sufficient for guarding a caravan near the capital. Against mid-level demons, they could probably manage to escape if four or five showed up. And near the capital, such an event would normally be unthinkable. Normally, that is.

Perhaps because they've been out in the provinces on a buying trip, they're unaware that dozens of people have gone missing in the new district of the capital over the past week. Or maybe they simply don't care, thinking it's just the new district. They might also believe that no powerful demon would appear so close to the capital. But if events unfold as described in the novel, this will prove to be a fatal mistake.

"And that cargo... Oh my, transporting something like that is just asking for trouble. They've set up a sealing barrier, but it's amateurish. Some of the demonic energy is leaking out."

I couldn't agree more. Transporting such cargo near the capital right now is like pouring a bucket of blood over your head at a beach infested with sharks. Tachibana Keisuke, the head of the Tachibana Trading House, is described in the novel as a bold and decisive merchant, but it seems he's out of his depth when it comes to matters outside his expertise.

"Oh, it's starting," murmurs the Gorilla Princess.

At that moment, over a dozen fox demons appear and launch an attack on the caravan. Using stealth techniques, the mid-level demons conceal their presence until the last moment, then strike, immobilizing the caravan. They destroy the cart wheels, prioritize neutralizing the exorcists and samurai, and strategically position themselves to create a包围网. Their actions clearly demonstrate their high intelligence.

"Just as you predicted. Are these the foxes causing trouble in the new district?"

"Indeed, my lady. With your permission, I've been monitoring the situation and learned of this impending attack. Moreover, the target is the Tachibana Trading House. It would be beneficial to earn their favor."

For the past few nights, I've been hunting the fox demon's fragments that prey on humans, but this "brain pudding incident" is beyond my ability to handle alone. At the same time, if I can disrupt this event and eliminate a significant number of the foxes, it should greatly improve the situation during the later orphanage event.

Given that, my options are limited. And once I've involved myself in this matter, I should see it through to the end. Half-measures are the most dangerous, as it's impossible to predict how future events might change in ways I can't anticipate.

That's why I brought this matter to the Gorilla Princess, who is vying for the position of next clan head (both in the game and in this world). I tried to persuade her by emphasizing the potential political gains with the court and the opportunity to build connections with a major merchant family... but given her capricious nature in the original story, I expected more resistance. Fortunately, a simple bow was enough to get her on board.

"Hmm, so this is why you asked for freedom to act independently?"

The Gorilla Princess, looking slightly bored, asks about the request I made earlier while we were on the road to the capital. As in the game, she's confident in her talents and abilities, which makes her dislike mundane, profit-driven thinking. She's the type to pursue interesting endeavors even if they're disadvantageous. If I answer wrong here, she might cancel her support. So I choose my words carefully.

"It is related, but this is not the main point. If I had to say, I would consider it more of an accessory."

The real focus is on you eliminating the rival who is vying for the yandere man (while causing harm to those around you).

"Oh, is that so? That's good to hear. I would have been disappointed if the souvenir lacked such elegance. I hope the souvenir is something more interesting and not just a tedious, overly complicated item?"

The gorilla, hiding her mouth with a fan, speaks in a teasing tone. Hey, stop that, don't raise my expectations. Honestly, I have one thing in mind, but due to a slip-up, it's unlikely to meet expectations now...

"...Princess, if we don't intervene soon, there might be casualties."

I replied, trying to steer the conversation away. The girl narrowed her eyes, seeing through my attempt to change the subject. Oh well, can't I just avoid it?

"It might be easier to owe favors after the number of dead increases... but, fine."

With a resigned tone, she took a step forward from the spirit beast we were riding—a giant eagle large enough to carry several people. Yes, until this very moment, we had been conversing while flying high above. The headwind has been so strong lately, I feel like I might fall...

"Tomobe, you understand, right? You are to disembark after we land."

Understood. Yeah, if I jump from this height, I'd die.

As if mocking my inner complaints, the girl casually took another step forward and, in the next instant, began to fall.

The girl's body accelerated downward due to gravity. Under normal circumstances, she would have collided with the ground and turned into a crimson, pomegranate-like mass of flesh.

But I knew from the start that such an outcome was impossible.

In an instant, a figure hit the ground, sending up a cloud of dust. For a moment, no one could comprehend what had happened, and both humans and spirits around were struck with astonishment.

"Now, entertain me at least as a way to kill time."

Her low voice resonated eerily in the sudden silence.

From within the dust, a fantastical girl holding a fan emerged, wearing a haughty and gruesome smile...

The number of attacking fox spirits easily exceeded thirty. Nearly half of them were mid-level demons. For ordinary soldiers, even fully armed, it would take at least ten to stand a chance against such creatures. By the time their numbers surpassed ten, they had already overwhelmed the escort capabilities of the merchant guild.

"Impossible!? Why would such a thing happen so close to the capital...!?"

Tachibana Kagesue, the head of the Tachibana Merchant Guild, who was riding in one of the carriages, was shocked but still managed to give orders from beside the driver, desperately trying to save as many carriages and servants as possible.

"Ah, you..."

His wife, of Southern Barbarian descent and originally the shop's poster girl due to her beauty, called out to her husband with a trembling voice from inside the carriage.

"It's alright! The capital is just ahead. Help will come soon...!!"

That would have been a normal assumption. It's unthinkable that a large merchant guild convoy, carrying goods ordered by the imperial court, would be attacked so close to the capital. Yes, under normal circumstances.

The fact that the imperial court had strengthened security around the inner palace and the capital meant that security elsewhere had relatively weakened. Moreover, the Tachibana Merchant Guild had much more substantial escorts than other guilds. Precisely because they thought they could defend themselves, their vigilance had slackened.

Therefore, under normal circumstances, help would only arrive after it was too late. Yes, under normal circumstances.

A shock akin to an earthquake, followed by the cries of demons, rose from a distance.

"Wh-what's that...!? What's happening!!?"

"Ah, reinforcements! The exorcists are slaughtering the fox spirits one after another...!!"

A laborer answered Kagesue's question. As he understood the meaning of the response, a relieved smile finally appeared on his face.

"Father...?"

"Kayo!? Stay hidden in the carriage with your mother. Don't worry, help has arrived!!"

Hearing the anxious voice from behind, Kagesue turned around and reassured her. The blonde girl, held by her mother and wearing a frightened expression, nodded in response to her father's words.

However, it was too soon to be optimistic. The next moment, the heads of the horses pulling their carriage were severed. Both horses that were pulling the carriage had their heads fly through the air...

"Whoa...!?"

"Ah...!?"

As soon as they sped up, the horses, now headless, crashed violently into another carriage, causing it to overturn. Kagesue quickly pulled his wife and child close, and his wife shielded their daughter with her body. And then...

"Ugh... ah... Father? Mother?"

The girl, who had momentarily lost consciousness from the severe impact, opened her eyes to see her parents' faces. It seemed that when the carriage overturned, they were thrown out and protected by her parents.

"Ka... Kayo... Are you okay?"

Her mother, with a pained expression, worried about her daughter's injuries. Her right leg was visibly injured, even through her kimono.

"Damn it, my leg... crap!"

Kagesue cursed as he endured the pain. He too had been pinned under some cargo that had flown out of the carriage. With proper treatment, it wouldn't be impossible to heal, but... there was no time for that now.

"Ugh... Kayo, are you alright!? Are you hurt!?"

In response to her father's strained voice, Kayo nodded affirmatively. Then, the girl tried to help her father by desperately lifting the heavy cargo with her small hands. Of course, the cargo didn't budge an inch.

Kagesue desperately looked around. The battle between the demons and the guards and employees was still ongoing. However, even though reinforcements had arrived, it was uncertain whether they would make it in time before they were killed.

"Kayo, hide inside the carriage, among the luggage! Stay there until help arrives...!"

At her mother's desperate voice, the girl shook her head, understanding the implication.

"N-no! I... I want to stay with you and Father...!!"

"Don't be selfish! Listen to your parents...!!"

The father scolded his daughter, who was tearfully defying her mother's orders. Kayo trembled at the sharp, fierce expression of her father, who was usually known for spoiling her excessively.

"Your father and I will be fine. You just focus on protecting yourself! Now, hurry..."

"Hurry? What are you going to do?"

A cold woman's voice echoed, cutting through Kagesue's words, leaving them breathless. Kayo turned her gaze toward the voice and saw a woman with silver hair and blue eyes, her kimono stained with the blood of many. Her expression was twisted with cruelty, and atop her head were beast-like ears resembling a fox's, with four tails swaying behind her... Clearly, she was not human.

"Hah... Hii...?"

The moment Kayo saw her, she collapsed to the ground in terror, her face pale and her teeth chattering. Overwhelmed by the overwhelming aura of death, she felt her muscles relax, and she shamefully wet herself, though she was too terrified to care.

(I... I can't... This is...)

Her young mind desperately tried to think of a solution, but she quickly realized it was futile. Even as a child, she knew there was no way to escape.

"K-Kayo! Run awa—GYAH!?"

Kagesue tried to tell his daughter to run, but his left ear was sliced off by a single swipe of the fox woman's tail. His wife and daughter screamed.

"How noisy. Be quiet, you monkeys. Hmm, as expected of a merchant family leading such a convoy, your bloodline isn't bad. At least it's better than eating common townsfolk."

Even if they lacked supernatural abilities or the conscious use of spiritual power, the upper classes often intermingled their bloodlines. As a result, the quality of their flesh and blood, including its latent potential, was quite remarkable. Combined with the attractive cargo on the carriage, this attack was, in a way, an inevitable choice.

"Now, let's feast. I would have preferred to take my time, but there's no helping it. Fighting her in our current state would be too difficult. Let's just take what we came for, shall we?"

Personally, the fox spirit—or rather, the original before splitting—preferred to crack open skulls while her victims were still alive, savoring their brains bit by bit. She found it immensely pleasurable to watch their faces twist in despair, terror, and pain as their bodies twitched. But... with that monstrous woman descending from the sky, things were different. While her weaker clones bought time, it was best to grab the prize and make a quick escape.

And so...

"Let's start with the little girl who might try to run away."

With a cruel, cold, and sadistic smile, the woman transformed into a giant fox spirit. Her icy gaze pierced through the girl like a predator eyeing a mouse. Then, she opened her massive jaws wide.

It's over, Kayo thought, closing her tear-filled eyes and covering her head, bracing for the imminent pain. But...

"Huh...?"

The moment she had prepared for never came. Slowly, hesitantly, she opened her eyes, her fear mingling with confusion, and saw... a figure standing in front of her, shielding her.

"Damn it, this thing's handle got bent in one hit... And this was supposed to be a higher-quality weapon than the ones I used back in the day..."

The figure standing between her and the monster glanced at the spear's handle, which had been grotesquely twisted by the fox spirit's fangs, and let out a deeply exasperated sigh...

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[Illustration Display]

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In-game dialogue excerpts from Tachibana Kayo-chan (showing her darker side):

 "Right now, I'm just a poster girl... But someday, I'll take back the guild from those bastards. No matter what it takes..."

 "I've swallowed muddy water. Endured humiliation. Even accepted disgrace. All of it... just to protect Father's shop..."

"I'll never forget. The honor they stole from me... I'll make them pay twice over, no matter what it takes...!!"

"You're an exorcist? Hehe, then I'll give you a little service. In return... kill as many monsters as you can, okay?"

"Men and monsters are no different. In the end, they're all just beasts driven by instinct. It's satisfying to watch them kill each other, isn't it?"

"Oh, asking me out on a date? Ahaha, just kidding. ...Either way, I've been summoned by those old geezers at the guild tonight, so it's impossible."

"No matter how much fate toys with me, no matter how much my body is defiled, I'll never lose my pride. ...That's the one thing I can't let go of, not even for my parents."

Note: During these lines, her in-game sprite often has the highlights dimmed, her eyes shadowed, or her back turned.

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