Fireflies of the Dark Night

"You smell terrible. You should take a bath immediately."

After being brought back to the mansion by oxcart, I was summoned straight to Princess Gorilla's room. Kneeling before her door, I reported my return, and those were the first words I received in response.

...…Wait, isn't that a bit harsh? I mean, I washed myself in the river several times on the way back. I had to stay clean to prevent my wounds from festering, so I was pretty careful about hygiene. Isn't that comment a bit too much?

"Oh? I'm not being sarcastic. You really do smell awful."

The sound of the sliding door opening slightly made me hold my breath, my head still lowered. Why? Well, warm air seeped through the gap, and I caught a glimpse of her white, flushed feet peeking out from under her loosely draped kimono. It was only natural to react.

In other words, what I'm trying to say is… she's in the middle of changing after a bath. Probably wearing just a single layer, if that. Wait, a morning bath? That's pretty luxurious.

"Princess, forgive me for interrupting, but isn't it improper to speak to me in such a state with the door slightly open?"

Mainly because it puts me in a difficult position.

"Oh? What state are you referring to? Do you have eyes on the top of your head or something?"

"Even though you've been waiting so long," she teased, letting out a mischievous, almost cruel laugh. No, not a girl—a gorilla.

"Don't worry. I've already used a spell to clear the area. I'm using a self-made shikigami for changing clothes, not a maid, so no one's watching. …But you really do stink. It's the smell of a female dog."

"Isn't that just species-based disgust?" Her tone at the end was as if she'd caught a whiff of something foul, like a cesspool. And then… I noticed the shadow on the floor move as she flicked her fingers.

The next moment, a pale blue flame erupted right next to my face. Two shikigami, charred black, fluttered down into my field of vision, twitching like living creatures before finally turning to ash and losing their power.

"This is…"

"It's pathetic that you couldn't even detect such a simple stealth spell. I wouldn't ask a lowly servant like you to join the fight against that woman, but I can't have you bringing such filth into my room."

Who had attached this to me? The most likely candidate is Himetsuki Hina, but she wouldn't use such methods. That leaves someone from her faction acting on their own? Well, while Hina and Aoi are the top two candidates, there are others in the running. It's not impossible that a secondary candidate did this. The gorilla seems to think it's from her elder sister's faction, though…

"Princess, my apologies. This is my fault."

"Yes, I know."

"Don't bully him," she said, accepting my apology as if it were only natural. Well, it's true, but couldn't she at least defend me a little?

"Don't worry. I don't expect much from you right now. I'll teach you the basics of detecting stealth spells. Of course, there won't be a second chance."

She laughed again, a gleeful, almost sadistic smile on her face. In other words, if I fail next time, I'll be the one set on fire. How generous of you, Princess. Damn it!

"…Thank you, Princess."

Well, even if I'm thinking sarcastic thoughts, I'm not childish enough to voice them directly. So I offered a formal, albeit insincere, expression of gratitude. Lower servants like me are treated as expendable, so opportunities to learn such techniques are rare, and information is tightly controlled. If I don't seize chances like this, I'll never get anywhere. In that sense, even if it's just a whim or a game to her, Princess Gorilla's guidance is as valuable as gold to me.

"Don't mention it. More importantly… hey, what happened to your mask?"

Finally, she noticed that I wasn't wearing my mask.

"I lost it during the last mission. I plan to request a new one."

"Oh, I see. …That's right."

As she spoke, I noticed her shadow shift as she sat down. And then, something appeared in my field of vision…

"Huh…?"

The next moment, a fan opened right in front of my face. A beautiful cherry blossom-patterned fan filled my view, and with a flick, it lifted my lowered head.

[Illustration Display]

"Oh yes, that's what your face looks like, isn't it? In a way, it's a nostalgic sight. I almost forgot what you look like since you're always wearing that mask."

"Liar, you've been watching me all along," I thought. As the fan moved my head, my gaze met Princess Gorilla's face, now up close, scrutinizing me like a merchant appraising goods.

Her hair, slightly longer than a bob with a gentle wave, was a soft cherry blossom color. Her long eyelashes framed her eyes, and her flushed, warm skin, still glowing from her bath, had a slight sheen from the scented oil she'd applied. Her lips curved into a faint, enigmatic smile, and her vivid yet subtly shadowed peach-colored eyes, half-lidded, exuded a bewitching, almost mischievous charm. The sweet scent of flowers tickled my nose—perhaps she'd used some kind of incense in her bath.

Well, this gorilla might be crazy, but thanks to the illustrator, her face is well-drawn. I've been looking at it for years, so her beauty doesn't faze me anymore. …Though I have to admit, seeing her post-bath shoulders, collarbone, and the hint of cleavage (even if the fan blocked the full view) did make me a little flustered. And that valley… it's not just a C-cup, it's at least a D. And she's still in her growth phase? Seriously?

"Oh? You're not reacting much, are you?"

"As a servant, it's only natural. May I ask what kind of reaction you were hoping for?"

I maintained a calm demeanor as I asked. Honestly, I've seen her naked in game stills multiple times, and I even helped bathe her and take care of her when she was a bratty kid. So this is nothing new.

"Well, I thought you might shed tears of blood or break down sobbing, considering how lucky you are to see my soft skin like this."

"Shedding tears of blood might be difficult, but I could manage a sob if you'd like. Shall I?"

"Are you joking? Doing it just because I told you to wouldn't be amusing. No, thank you. Go take a bath."

She closed the fan with a snap and turned her back to me, now wearing only a robe. I knelt again, lowering my head to obey her command… but not before asking one more question.

"One more thing, if I may be so bold to ask?"

"Oh? What is it?"

She turned her head slightly, already seeming to guess what I was about to ask, a playful smile on her face. Ugh, she's so annoying.

"The servants' bathhouse doesn't open until evening. It would be difficult for me to bathe before then."

"I'm well aware. I don't give impossible orders, so don't worry."

"Then…"

"There's some leftover bathwater you can use. No one will complain if it's just the remains."

Wait, hold on. What does that mean? I have a really bad feeling about this…

"Princess, what do you mean by…"

"I've burned incense and used bath salts, so the scent might be strong, but it's still better than your current stench."

No, that's not the issue. Wait, seriously? If this gets out, it's not going to be funny.

"I've already cast a spell to keep people away, so don't worry and just wash off that smell. I can't stand the thought of you being summoned again with that stench. If I smell it on you next time… well, who knows what might happen?"

As I bowed my head respectfully, a cold sweat broke out on my back. I could vividly picture the smug, malicious smile on the face of this power-type gorilla…

As mentioned before, the Onitsuki family mansion has been artificially transformed into a "labyrinth house" through years of experiments and research conducted by the Rikyūshū. From the outside, it appears to be a large noble estate in the capital, already vast in scale. However, the interior is partially merged with another dimension, stretching its actual area several times over.

The mansion is primarily built in the shinden-zukuri style, designed to be as symmetrical as possible, with numerous gardens and even farmland inside.

The central shinden is where the family head resides, followed by the northern wing, connected by a corridor. This northern wing is the domain of the eternally youthful yet stubborn old hag.

From the central shinden, the eastern and western wings extend, with the former belonging to the elder sister and the latter to Princess Gorilla. Additionally, there are three other buildings extending north and east-west from the northern wing, where other relatives and clan members live. While multiple people share these buildings, which are the same size as the ones occupied by a single direct family member, the sheer size of the buildings makes this arrangement manageable. Frankly, it's the four individuals who each monopolize an entire wing who are the odd ones out.

These structures form the core of the mansion, surrounded by kitchens, stables, warehouses, wells, and the like. There are also quarters for the servants, who are mere commoners without any knowledge of exorcism. This is the living space of the clan.

The area is enclosed by a wall, beyond which lie facilities managed by the Onitsuki family as exorcists, not private individuals. The servants are strictly for domestic purposes and possess no knowledge of exorcism. Beyond the wall, the residences of the Hidden Operations Unit (隠行衆), the Alchemists (薬師衆), the Curse Tool Masters (呪具士衆), the Researchers (理究衆), the Healers (癒術衆), and the Lower Servants (下人衆) are lined up. These include various research facilities, living quarters, and training grounds necessary for their work.

After washing off the grime in the lukewarm leftover bathwater at the western wing's bathhouse, I made my way to the Lower Servants' residence—more precisely, the annex where the head of the Lower Servants resides—still emanating an uncharacteristically pleasant scent for a servant. My purpose was to report on the recent mission and request replacements for the lost items.

"I've already heard the details from Ayaka and the dispatched team from the Rikyūshū. Considering you faced a great demon, even with a stroke of luck, it's a remarkable achievement. As the head of the Lower Servants, I'm quite proud."

The man, who had been working in his tatami-floored study, set down his brush and looked up. His friendly smile was hard to read, with an underlying depth that was difficult to discern.

Onitsuki Shimizu, head of the Onitsuki family's Lower Servants, is in his mid-thirties at the start of the original game. He has short, neatly trimmed blond hair and heterochromatic eyes—blue on the right and red on the left, a condition known as odd-eye.

Heterochromia… this isn't just a visual trait added for character design. Rather, it's proof of his unique ability, or "heterogeneous power" (異能).

Among humans who can wield spiritual power to perform techniques, there are extremely rare cases of individuals born with special, innate, and unique abilities known as "heterogeneous powers." When these abilities manifest through the eyes as a medium, they are called "Mystic Eyes" (魔眼). Shimizu's Mystic Eyes are particularly unique in that each eye possesses a different ability.

"Restraint" and "Distortion"—the former is similar to hypnosis, immobilizing the target, while the latter is akin to telekinesis, exerting a physical force on the target.

This combination is devastating. At worst, he can paralyze and even twist the neck of his target just by looking at them. Of course, depending on the opponent's demonic power or abilities, his eyes can be neutralized, but in most cases, it's a fatal first encounter.

Even if his Mystic Eyes are nullified, his raw spiritual power, mastery of techniques, and skill with a staff are top-notch. In the game's later stages, neither humans nor demons could stand against him in direct combat. The demon side had to resort to heavily meta-gamed traps to finally kill him. He is undoubtedly one of the strongest in the current Onitsuki family. And… he was once the most promising candidate for the next family head.

After the spiritual powers and "heterogeneous abilities" of the eldest daughter, Hina, and the second daughter, Aoi, manifested, he voluntarily stepped down from the position of family head candidate. Even at the start of the original game, his abilities surpass those of the two sisters, but he believed they would eventually surpass him, which he thought would benefit the Onitsuki family as a whole.

…Well, the elder sister can revive immediately even if her neck is twisted, and the younger sister can nullify both restraint and neck-twisting with simple physical enhancements powered by spiritual energy. It can't be helped. Even without his Mystic Eyes, his raw skills still overwhelm at the start of the game.

(Above all… this guy is the type who never shows weakness.)

In the game, Onitsuki Shimizu is neither cruel nor sadistic, but he is a coldly rational individual who will not hesitate to make sacrifices for the sake of the clan. Depending on the route, he may cooperate with the protagonist or become a relentless adversary. When he opposes you, his ruthlessness and willingness to use any means necessary make him a formidable foe. While not someone to be overly wary of, given my position, I couldn't afford to be careless around him.

"'Mirage'… and a small one at that, recently transformed into a great demon, it seems. Wounded, too… possibly driven to those mountains after losing a territorial dispute with another demon."

Shimizu unrolled what appeared to be a report from the Rikyūshū, who had analyzed the corpse, and began summarizing its contents.

"Multiple tentacles severed, fatal wound caused by a blade twisted into a depression in the shell, resulting in critical damage to the internal organs, huh?"

He paused, then looked at me.

"Not to be rude, but the equipment issued to the Lower Servants makes it nearly impossible—or at least extremely difficult—to damage the hide of a great demon, even if it's wounded."

"I was able to complete the mission thanks to a dagger bestowed upon me by Princess Aoi."

I anticipated his question and answered preemptively. The answer itself was true, and by answering first, I subtly conveyed my obedience. Onitsuki Shimizu isn't an outright enemy at the moment, but his potential to become one makes him someone I can't afford to antagonize. Thus, I couldn't risk leaving a bad impression.

"…I won't fault you for receiving a gift from Princess Aoi. However, I would have appreciated a report. The education and supervision of you all is my responsibility."

"Don't bully him," I thought, correcting his use of "supervision" to "surveillance" in my mind but keeping it to myself. Among the various groups under the Onitsuki family, the Lower Servants have the most members, suffer the highest attrition, and, due to their poor treatment, are the most likely to rebel. While measures like brainwashing, curses, and information control are in place to prevent desertion or uprising, they aren't foolproof. The reason someone of Shimizu's caliber is in charge of the Lower Servants, who are viewed as inferior to the other groups, is so that he can single-handedly suppress any rebellion should it arise.

"I apologize. It was the princess's request, after all."

It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the full truth either. When the gift was bestowed upon me, the Gorilla-sama had refused my refusal and said that I wouldn't be allowed to give it up, but he hadn't explicitly told me not to report it. Still, I didn't want to draw unnecessary attention to myself, so I chose not to report it. Well, given the princess's capricious nature and quick wit, I figured she'd handle any follow-up questions from Shimizu with some clever excuse. If she didn't, I'd be in trouble.

"I see. Very well, I'll inform the princess myself. It's fine for her to favor someone on a whim, but since there are administrative matters to consider, I'd like to be kept in the loop."

In other words, he was warning me not to let subordinates hide things on their own in the future. It was a good example of how the way you phrase something can change its meaning.

"Now, while there were some issues and a bit of luck involved, your achievements are still achievements. Even as a mere subordinate, your accomplishments this time deserve proper recognition."

This statement proved that Onizuki Shimizu was the kind of person who wouldn't forget to offer a reward after delivering a reprimand. It also showed that he didn't underestimate me in a bad way, even though I was just a lowly subordinate.

(My background is slightly different from the other subordinates... That's probably why he's wary of me.)

Originally, I had fallen from being the elder sister's caretaker to a subordinate, so he likely suspected that I might be harboring some resentment. By showing me this "reward," he was trying to gauge my reaction and figure out what I was thinking... or so I guessed.

"After the failure of our mission two assignments ago, we subordinates suffered significant losses. It's a job where turnover is already high, but that was a particularly painful blow. Thanks to that, we had you serve as a provisional squad leader this time... but I'd like to formally grant you command of a squad now. Of course, this will come with improved待遇."

Being promoted to squad leader among the subordinates was a somewhat reasonable and not entirely unwelcome reward. To prevent rebellion or collusion, subordinates weren't assigned to fixed units. Instead, squad leaders were given temporary command of members as needed. There wasn't much interaction between ranks, and horizontal connections were constantly shifting, so relationships weren't deep. Moreover, there were no ranks above squad leader, and unlike the grunts who slept in shared quarters, squad leaders were given their own rooms—and effectively isolated. Planning anything with subordinates would be difficult. The ancestor of the Onizuki family who designed this system must have had a truly nasty personality.

"I humbly accept this appointment."

...That said, I had already anticipated this from the setting materials, and I never thought I could escape my subordinate status with such a simple trick. So, I suppressed my emotions and accepted the appointment without hesitation.

(That's right. Wait for the right opportunity. Things are too uncertain now. The surest chance to escape will come after the original story events unfold...)

To be precise, there were plenty of bad endings where the subordinates or even the entire Onizuki family were wiped out, so I had to steer the protagonist away from those routes and toward a path where escape was possible. It was a difficult task, and the situation had already diverged from the original game in some ways... but the overall flow of events should still follow the same trajectory. And when those events came...

"Ugh...!!"

As I was thinking this, I noticed the gaze of the head subordinate fixed on me from the front. I quickly shut down my thoughts and feigned indifference.

"...Ah, right. About the supplies. You can go to the cursed tool artisans for weapons and clothing. I've already informed them."

As he said this, he pulled something out from his pocket and handed it to me.

...It was a Noh mask. Not the small mask I had worn as a grunt, but one depicting an old man—a mask symbolizing a squad leader.

I bowed deeply and accepted the mask. Just before I took it, the person offering it gave me a meaningful smile.

"Continue to work hard. As long as you understand your place as a subordinate, remain loyal to the Onizuki family, and devote yourself wholeheartedly to your duties, I will be your ally."

"..."

I felt a chill run down my neck at what was likely a veiled warning, and cold sweat broke out on my back. If I said the wrong thing, my head would undoubtedly be on the line.

"...Understood."

I gave a short reply. It took about ten seconds for the oppressive surge of spiritual power filling the room to subside.

"...Hurry up and take the mask. I have a lot of work to do."

The words came as the dense pressure of spiritual power finally dissipated. I desperately tried to stop my hands from trembling as I silently, and somewhat hurriedly, put on the mask. I didn't want to show my pale, corpse-like face any longer than necessary.

"Now, you may leave."

"Yes."

I responded to the head subordinate's smiling command in a completely emotionless tone and turned on my heel.

(Damn it all!! I can't stay in this place forever!! Who knows when I might be killed...!!)

"It's okay. You'll always be with me."

I could feel my heart rate skyrocketing. I suppressed the urge to let my legs give out from tension and fear, forcing myself to remain calm and hide my emotions like a proper subordinate as I made my escape.

However, in a way, the worst news for me might have been what came next. As he watched my retreating back, he suddenly added:

"Ah, that's right. I'll give you the official notice later, but I'll tell you now. Tomobe, you'll be accompanying us on the next trip to the capital. Tighten up and devote yourself to your duties."

"...Huh?"

"..."

I was so caught off guard by Onizuki Shimizu's merciless and sudden bombshell that I forgot to act and blurted out such a foolish response. After all, the timing of his order couldn't have been worse.

...Yes. It was the worst possible mission, at the worst possible time, in the worst possible place.

After all, it was the season of Koryaku Hakuki... one of the攻略 characters in "Fireflies in the Dark Night," and one of the most beastly characters in the game... and her prequel story was about to begin in the capital...

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