Fireflies of the Dark Night

Among the many unhinged heroines in Yamiyo no Hotaru ("Fireflies in the Dark Night"), Akagami Midori Dōji—affectionately nicknamed "Midori-chan" by fans—is undoubtedly one of the top three most polarizing characters, with a significant number of detractors.

In the game, she initially appears in the guise of a servant at the Onizuki estate, leading the protagonist to mistake her for a member of the family. She often visits the protagonist's room, helping with chores and engaging in casual conversation. To an unsuspecting player, she might seem like a mere caretaker or support NPC.

...But her true nature is far more sinister. She is the "remnant" of a great demon known as Akagami Midori Dōji, once called the "Blue Savage of Ukyō," who was part of the "Four Calamities" that invaded and terrorized the capital of Fusō nearly a millennium ago.

According to the setting, she was originally a rampaging demon from the mainland. After crossing the sea, she and her horde of lesser demons literally "devoured" the capital and surrounding villages. Fans and the development team often refer to this version of her as "EX Midori-sama."

However, her reign of terror eventually came to an end. Under the emperor's orders, a group of renowned onmyōji, warriors, and monks known as the "Seven Exorcists" slaughtered her subordinates and left her in tatters. She was dismembered, her entrails dragged out, and her head severed multiple times. Barely alive, she fled in desperation. The scars from that battle remain unhealed, and by the time the game begins, her combat prowess is only about 20% of what it once was. That said, even at this diminished state, she's still far stronger than your average "Calamity Demon." Honestly, the fact that the people who nearly killed her at her peak are still around is terrifying.

It seems that at the start of the game, she infiltrates the Onizuki household for some purpose. Depending on the route, she reveals her true identity to the protagonist or their allies by the mid-to-late game, becoming a powerful ally and playable character. Her friendly personality, high stats, relatively (?) less gruesome bad endings, and striking visual design have earned her a fair amount of popularity. At one point, she ranked fourth in fan art submissions on a certain illustration website.

However, her image underwent a significant shift after the release of spin-off novels and side-story manga. These works depicted the atrocities she committed during her "EX Midori-sama" era in gruesome and explicit detail.

---

"Turns out humans and demons really can't coexist. Who would've thought?"

"Before reading: 'EX Midori-sama's beautiful sideboob and armpits are delicious!' After reading: 'All demons must die (dead serious).'"

"Is this official anti-fan hate fiction or something?"

"My grandma always said the only good demon is a dead one."

"In the game, I felt bad for Midori-chan, but this is way too accurate."

"Of course, I'll be the bait... Even as a parody, this made me cry."

"So, demons are just big liars, huh!?"

"An automatic decapitation ritual? That's pure murderous intent and efficiency. The exorcists back then must've had Goblin Slayer-level thought processes."

"↑Well, yeah (if the demons were committing atrocities like that)."

"Midori-sama was so smug in the first half, but by the end, she was running for her life with her guts hanging out. Cute, but also such a small-time villain."

---

These comments were from a certain online forum after readers finished a novel depicting Midori's rampage in the capital and her life-or-death struggle against the "Seven Exorcists" sent by the imperial court. Seriously, that was brutal. Fans were forced to reconsider the meaning behind her name, "Akagami Midori Dōji." In the game, she casually mentions, "I used to be a troublemaker," or "I'm much calmer now," but those descriptions don't even come close to the horrors she inflicted.

---

"Goodness, ignoring a meal I so kindly prepared for you? You're quite the difficult one, aren't you? Why not just accept my goodwill with an open heart?"

"There's an old saying that accepting food from demons is dangerous. Especially when it's prepared by a notorious liar like you, a 'demon.' Who knows what's in it?"

"My, my, you're as wary as ever. I always strive to treat you with respect and courtesy, you know... It's sad to see such hostility even in moments like this. I've heard that humans seek comfort in others during scary and painful times."

"Yeah, I might've sought comfort... if it were from a human."

---

My words carried the unspoken message that I would never trust a demon like her. The demon, dressed like a wandering monk (if you ignored the massive anchor on her back), shrugged with a wry smile. Sitting cross-legged, she began eating the rice ball wrapped in bamboo leaves that she had prepared, all while watching me with an amused and carefree expression.

"..."

Meanwhile, I sat with my back against a rock, spear in hand, silently facing the demon. Naturally, I was on high alert, using all my senses to monitor every move of this walking disaster. However, I avoided direct eye contact to prevent falling under any ocular techniques. I would've preferred not to listen to her words either, wary of verbal enchantments, but I needed to stay aware of my surroundings.

(I can kinda understand why the gorilla might be interested in me, but... why the hell are you paying attention to me?)

The pink power-gorilla's interest in me is somewhat understandable. After being forced into a three-day, three-night extreme escape-and-caregiving scenario, even a personality-disordered individual like her might develop some curiosity about someone other than the protagonist. But you? Why are you so fixated on me? It doesn't make sense.

"What's your goal? Why are you here? Why are you following me?"

It was a question straight from the heart.

"You've told me your goal plenty of times before. Shouldn't you be doing something more important than wasting time with me here? While you're busy with this, some talented hero might be born somewhere else, you know?"

Well, actually, they've already been born. If you want to meet them, just wait about three more years. For a demon like you, that's practically no time at all, right?

...That's right. I know her goal. I knew it from my knowledge of the game, but I've also heard it directly from her—albeit unwillingly and mostly one-sidedly.

Akagami Midori Dōji is a demon left behind by time. Once, she wielded immense power and led armies of demons. There's no doubt she was once one of the top five most powerful beings in this country. Yes, once.

But times change. Over the long years, even she, who once made her name feared, has been reduced to a relic of past glory. Though still powerful, she no longer commands the same strength, armies, or infamy. In fact, records about demons describe her as a foolish creature who overestimated her own power and was chased down by the "Seven Exorcists." She's become a complete laughingstock.

That said, it's impossible for her to storm the capital now and reclaim her lost honor. Humans have grown far stronger compared to a thousand years ago. Not only have exorcists intermarried to strengthen their bloodlines, but humanity itself has expanded, technology has advanced, and the methods for killing demons have improved.

Above all, the capital has been heavily fortified with powerful barriers since the Great Human-Demon War 500 years ago. While the newer districts developed after the war might be manageable, the heart of the capital—the imperial palace, the political center of Fusō—is impossible to infiltrate, even for her at full strength. Even if she could get in, the emperor is protected by the most powerful onmyōji, monks, warriors, shrine maidens, and exorcists in the country. Even as a great demon, in her weakened state, it's doubtful she could land a single blow.

And because she's intelligent—because she's lived long enough to see the tides of time shift—Midori Dōji has come to understand something. She's realized that she's become a relic of the past, that she's missed her time to perish.

The other members of the "Four Calamities," who once plunged the capital into terror and littered the streets with literal mountains of corpses, have all been slain by the "Seven Exorcists." Other famous, long-lived demons who once spread fear across the land have also been hunted down, one by one. Even "Kūbō," who gathered demon armies from across the country—no, the entire continent—to wage the Great Human-Demon War, was sealed away by the heroes of that era.

Now, there are few demons as ancient or powerful as her left in Fusō. While demons are still a significant threat to humanity, they're no longer the overwhelming force they once were. And while it might take another hundred or two hundred years, in a thousand years, demons will likely no longer be a threat to humans at all. That's why...

"Hey, hey, I've told you before, haven't I? I snuck into that mansion to find a hero strong enough to kill me."

The demon leans on her hand, speaking nonchalantly. Yes, her goal is utterly selfish and troublesome.

Her former comrades were all slain—as worthy rivals to the heroes. And alongside those heroes, their names were etched into history forever.

So, even as she's being forgotten, even as she becomes a relic of the past, she wants to leave her mark like her comrades did. Even if it's only as a footnote in the heroes' glorious achievements, she wants to be remembered before the day comes when she's treated as just another nuisance to be "dealt with." While demons are still feared, while they still inspire terror, she wants to be slain by a hero and have her existence remembered... That's why she infiltrated the Onizuki household.

She was searching for someone worthy of killing her, investigating the Onizuki family, which has deep roots in the north of Fusō. And in the process, she happened to meet the game's protagonist. She observed the protagonist's spirit, talent, and strength... evaluating whether they were worthy of slaying her. And her assistance to the protagonist was also meant to help them grow into a hero capable of killing her... at least, that was her initial goal.

Depending on the route and her affection level, she might develop a forbidden romance with the protagonist, transcending the boundaries of species. However, in the end, they either fail to overcome that barrier and kill her, or hesitate and are killed themselves, leading to a bad ending. Personally, I don't mind the former—it doesn't cause trouble for anyone else, and I'd even encourage it. But in the latter case, the half-mad demon goes on a rampage, taking out her frustration on innocent civilians, and eventually engages in a deadly battle with the imperial forces sent to exterminate her, causing a huge mess.

"Demons are truly selfish. If you just want to die, why not charge into the capital? Why insist on being so picky about your stage of death?"

"Ah, but that's exactly why. I'm a demon, after all. Even in death, I deserve a fitting stage. Don't you think it'd be lonely and unsatisfying to be remembered in just two or three lines of some record? If I'm going to die, I want it to be as dramatic as possible. Isn't that just human—no, demon nature?"

The demon, wearing the skin of a human, closes her eyes and smiles. I know what she's imagining: a fierce, bloody battle against a rare hero, ending with her head being severed in defeat.

"You're insane..."

I mutter under my breath at her excited expression. I can't understand her way of thinking at all.

It's been nearly twenty years since I was born into this world where death is always close at hand. And yet—or perhaps because of that—I still can't comprehend her mindset. Maybe if I didn't have memories of my past life, I could have sympathized...

(Is it because I know my past life that I've become so afraid of death?)

If I had only known a world where life was cheap, maybe I'd understand the desire for honor over survival. But in my past life, death wasn't something I faced daily. Even after reincarnating into this world, I'm still terrified of dying. And that fear has driven me to keep struggling, never giving up, never breaking, even in the face of impossible odds. Ah, damn... Am I just tired? My thoughts are wandering.

"Let's get back on track. I know your goal. That's exactly why I don't get it. Your goal is to find a hero worthy of killing you. But what you're actually doing is messing around with me. I don't see the connection. You know as well as I do that I'm just a lowly servant. I have no special powers, no notable lineage. There's nothing about me that should meet your standards."

Not that I want to meet her standards. The being in front of me, dreaming of being slain by her ideal hero, is a selfish, self-centered demon. She builds up expectations, and if you deviate even slightly, she feels betrayed and flies into a rage. In fact, one of the reasons she hadn't achieved her convoluted suicide by the start of the original game was because of her selfish disappointments. According to behind-the-scenes reveals in the fan guidebook, several people she took an interest in were inexplicably killed for minor mistakes before she even met the protagonist.

And if you mess up the timing of raising her affection in the game, she'll suddenly snap and turn you into a bloody mess, resulting in a game over. Seriously, what the hell is going on in her head?

I take a deep breath, enduring the pain and fighting off the drowsiness and exhaustion.

"...Or what? Am I just some toy to kill time for you? I know it's pointless to argue with a lying demon, but if that's the case, I'd rather you just say it outright. It'd be easier for me."

I mutter with a self-deprecating smirk. It's entirely possible. Demons, even when they gain intelligence, are greedy, arrogant, selfish, and hedonistic. This is especially true for oni, many of whom were once human.

"Really, you're so hostile toward me. Do you really think I'd prepare a meal just to kill time with you? Tsk tsk, if you keep being so harsh, I might cry. I'm a woman, after all."

She makes a fake crying gesture. Of course, there's no way a demon's tears are anything but fake. When she sees her act isn't working, she lets out a bored sigh. I'm the one who wants to sigh here...!

"Ugh...!?"

As my irritation grows, my vision starts to blur. A headache sets in, and the drowsiness becomes overwhelming.

"Oh? Are you tired? Hahaha, it's been a rough day. I even interrupted your sleep earlier. How about I take the night watch for you?"

The demon smiles gleefully as she watches me sway. This bastard...!?

"You... don't tell me...!?"

Finally, my nose picks up on the faint, unusual smell. She's using some kind of inhalant sleep agent...!!

My grip weakens, and the spear falls from my hand. My shoulders slump, and my eyelids grow heavy.

"My, my, you held out longer than I expected. Most seasoned fighters fall for this trick pretty quickly. I'm surprised you lasted this long. Oh, right, I heard you've been building up resistance to poisons thanks to some pharmacist friends of yours?"

"You... what are you...?"

I struggle to form words as the drowsiness takes over. There are two meanings behind my question: How does she know that, and why is she doing this?

"Now, now, that's not important. What's important is that you shouldn't push yourself too hard. Consider this a health tip from a demon who cares: listen to your body's needs. Don't worry, I won't eat you while you're asleep."

Don't... screw with me...!! I'd never... trust... a demon's words...

"Good night. I hope you have pleasant dreams."

"Shut... up... you damn... monster... I'll... kill you..."

Before I can finish my parting shot, my consciousness fades into darkness...

---

"Hahaha, that's right. 'For now,' you're not strong enough to defeat me. But don't feel bad. Everyone starts out like that."

The blue oni smiles seductively as she whispers gently to the sleeping human before her.

"No hero is born capable of slaying an oni right away. ...Well, there are exceptions, but they're rare. Most heroes spend years, even decades, honing their mind, skills, and body."

Of course, exceptions exist. But such beings don't particularly interest her. What she prefers are those with strong spirits. Talent is fine, but a hero who relies solely on talent feels shallow. They're not worthy opponents to crown her final moments. Battles with them would be dull and lack depth.

"In fact... I quite like your approach."

Her lips curl into a beastly grin as she reaches out to touch the human's cheek. Her movements are careful and delicate, as if handling something fragile. She knows all too well, from thousands of experiences, that her grip could easily crush a human skull if she weren't careful.

"But that's exactly what makes it wonderful. A battle with someone like you would be far more satisfying than facing a mere prodigy."

The oni reflects on her encounter with this weakling.

It had been a coincidence. She had been growing impatient after meeting and being disappointed by several potential heroes. On a whim, she had made her way to the Onizuki clan in the north of Fusō.

She hadn't expected much. True, as an ancient family, they had their share of talented individuals. The sisters of the main family, for instance, had the potential to become formidable figures. But no, they didn't resonate with her.

Still, she decided to observe them a bit longer. Perhaps in ten, twenty, or even fifty years, someone to her liking would emerge. For her, who had lived through countless ages, such a span of time was nothing. Especially the next generation of that family—their talents would likely be even more concentrated. She could at least acknowledge their potential. She decided to watch over them for a while.

With that in mind, the oni quietly took up residence in the exorcist family's estate. And then, she found it—the fated encounter arrived far sooner than she had expected.

The first thing she noticed was his eyes. The underlings... their existence, though the name might change with the times, had been around since ancient days. Thus, she knew well their nature. Beings with little self-awareness, nameless masses who stood by the side of heroes... yes, that's how they were supposed to be.

But he was different. While the others had cold, lifeless eyes devoid of emotion, hope, or despair, his eyes were unmistakably alive. That was the first reason he caught her attention.

And once the demon noticed, she became obsessive. Out of interest and curiosity, she observed, admired, and monitored his every move. She acknowledged his uniqueness. Amidst harsh training and daunting tasks, he relentlessly honed himself, sharpened his wits, and bolstered his spirit. This was something the other underlings, lacking in self-awareness and with deadened hearts, did not possess. Nor did most of the demon slayers, who were strong but lacked this quality.

"I've found it..." she thought. She had found the existence she had been seeking. More precisely, she had found the personality she desired.

And so she observed, admired, and monitored. She found it pleasing to watch him, a weakling, overcome numerous challenges beyond his stature, sometimes even putting on a grand performance. The pinnacle was that three-day-and-night escape drama. Magnificent, truly magnificent.

She even met him face to face. She liked his reaction then, and she liked it up to this day. Any ordinary person would have let their guard down by now, but this man still remained on maximum alert against her with all the power he could muster. Magnificent, what a strong spirit!

"Watching you, I thought... it would be much more enjoyable and certain to nurture a hero who could kill me, rather than searching for one."

She imagined it. A being with no talent, no lineage, no divine favor, climbing to great heights while spitting blood. A nameless existence becoming a hero recognized by all. And the first heroic tale of his ascent would be against her.

She fantasized. A nameless, oppressed weakling biting and clinging to an overwhelmingly strong foe, mobilizing all his strength, wisdom, and courage in despair to seize a slim chance of victory.

She deluded herself. A desperate, life-and-death struggle with a resolve so fierce it would be told for a thousand years, ending with the once-weakling's well-honed, calculated strike piercing her heart.

And then her head would be cut off from her corpse, displayed before the masses. Many would witness the birth of a hero in that moment. And someone with the power to kill a rare monster would never remain in the position of an underling. In the end, as in many stories, he would be united with a noblewoman, and all would be well.

Magnificent, truly magnificent. Isn't this the greatest stage? It would undoubtedly be told across the ages. To be the foundation of such a magnificent tale, isn't that the greatest honor for a monster? The demon's face lit up with ecstasy.

"But..."

A magnificent end... but she thought. The demon was greedy and selfish, having once decided on a place to die, yet now another desire flickered in her mind.

Is it really okay to die here? To part with such an amusing human? No, from a monster's perspective, a human's lifespan is short anyway. Even if the man before her were to spit blood, suffer, and become a hero who lived out his natural life, it would still feel unsatisfying. Then...

"Sigh, you still won't eat it, huh?"

The demon muttered, looking at the leftover rice ball at her feet. It's a well-known legend that those who eat a monster's food become monsters themselves. Especially if it contains the demon's bodily fluids. Of course, once or twice wouldn't be enough, but if she could make him eat it dozens, hundreds of times...

"Wouldn't it be fun to roam the world with a partner, making a grand spectacle? Ah, but turning him into a demon and having him seek revenge might be good too."

Demon-on-demon killings were rare these days. That would be thrilling, and the humans would surely record it desperately.

"Hehe. Whichever path we take, it will be enjoyable. So..."

Perhaps because he was deeply asleep, his sleeping face looked somewhat childlike. The demon whispered in his ear as she admired it.

"So... don't disappoint me, okay?"

The demon licked his ear, almost like a dog marking its territory...

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