'Kitsune Saiguu: "Cheer up, there'll be endless fried tofu to eat."'
===✧✦✧===
The next scene showed Kitsune Saiguu leading humans to the underground palace of Araumi for refuge.
A human who already lived there, upon seeing the situation, picked up a great sword without hesitation and rushed out of the palace to fight for the others' safety.
This was the same human who had intruded upon the Hyakki Yako—Otogiboshi, the Great King of Fables.
He disliked youkai, but at this moment, he was willing to stand side by side with them.
Outside the palace, the Shogunate army and youkai were fiercely resisting the tide of dark beasts, among them a familiar, beautiful figure.
Mikoshi Chiyo, who had once danced with Kitsune Saiguu, was now battling monsters, her body drenched in blood.
Not long ago, a beast from beyond with a tiger's body and a serpent's tail had swallowed her whole. She broke free from its belly, which is why she was covered in 'blood.'
Mikoshi Chiyo recognized the burly man wielding the great sword. They exchanged a nod, their understanding unspoken.
This man was neither a powerful youkai nor a Shogunate soldier; he joined the battlefield as an ordinary human.
After several bouts, Otogiboshi, exhausted, collapsed amidst the dark beast tide. His great sword fell to the ground, its sound catching Mikoshi Chiyo's attention.
In Mikoshi Chiyo's peach-red eyes, a scarlet hue burned as the monsters tore at his body.
Mikoshi Chiyo froze, her expression turning ferocious. Darkness began to erode her heart, gradually transforming her into a true oni.
She screamed in a frenzy, her hands turning into claws that ripped and tore, her teeth sharpening into fangs that gnashed. She seemed to have lost her mind.
She was no longer the graceful maiden dancing at the banquet, nor the cheerful red oni friend wrestling with humans.
Now, she was like a mindless beast.
Her expression was ghastly, her body covered in blood, her mouth biting into torn monster flesh, her scarlet eyes glaring at everything before her, friend or foe indistinguishable.
She no longer resembled the beauty she once was, yet this sight made readers' hearts lurch, tears unstoppable.
Ei, in particular, was heartbroken, her lips trembling.
Was this the fall of a hero? Such regret… how could anyone accept it?
===✧✦✧===
On the next page, the scene was empty, nothing but pure darkness.
Against the black background, a single line of text appeared, words once spoken by Ioroi.
Ioroi: "Hmph! Humans, with their short lives and inability to transform—why does that stinky fox favor them so much?"
===✧✦✧===
The next illustration depicted several versions of Kitsune Saiguu, each with different clothes, expressions, and actions—laughing, drinking, dancing, grieving.
Page after page showed scenes from before, but without Kitsune Saiguu.
The lost boy, the moment of lighting fireworks, the joyful tengu mother and child, Asase Hibiki and Takamine the Mistsplitter gazing at each other.
Then came scenes with Kitsune Saiguu.
Dancing with Mikoshi Chiyo, racing the great tengu, playing hide-and-seek with Ioroi, bidding farewell to Kamuna Harunosuke, and spending time alone with Yae Miko.
The final image on this page was a large illustration of the Shogun and others enjoying cherry blossoms.
These were Kitsune Saiguu's dearest friends, her memories, her 'eternity.'
Readers sensed trouble—another 'lingering pain attack'!
In the large illustration, Sasayuri held a teacup with closed eyes, savoring the moment's tranquility.
Ei sat at the edge, looking up at the cherry blossoms, a faint smile on her face.
Mikoshi Chiyo lay on the Shogun's lap, reaching out to greet a fluttering butterfly, her expression gentle.
Kitsune Saiguu reclined beside the Shogun, pipe in hand, her face brimming with a contented smile.
Then Lucian inserted a flashback. In the following panels, a contrast was drawn. On the left, Sasayuri squinted elegantly, black wings folded neatly.
On the right, he lay on the ground, bloodied and battered, his beautiful black wings broken, feathers scattered around him.
The next illustration showed, on the left, the stunning maiden lying on Ei's lap, her face full of sweet smiles, a butterfly fluttering toward her fingers, speaking to her gentleness.
On the right, she was missing a horn and an arm, her expression ferocious and resentful as she glared at Ei, her scarlet pupils unable to contain anything else, terrifying in their intensity.
The final contrast showed, on the left, Kitsune Saiguu's leisurely, carefree demeanor, reclining beside Ei, gently exhaling a wisp of smoke.
On the right, Kitsune Saiguu lay flat in a black void, her face serene, eyes closed, showing neither sorrow nor joy, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.
===✧✦✧===
The next scene was a large illustration on the right page of the book. The white void from earlier had changed, now gradually overtaken and shrouded by darkness. Amid the darkness, a line of dialogue appeared:
Kitsune Saiguu: 'In my lifetime, I, too, took human form, walking alongside these short-lived yet beautiful creatures, becoming dear friends to many in different roles.'
Kitsune Saiguu was gradually enveloped by darkness, starting from her limbs:
[So, dark will that tears at me,]
[Now that I have lost all my strength,]
[Let my Hakushin blood be yours to spill.]
Seeing this, Ei's tears were no longer just in her heart. Her expression remained mostly unchanged, but tears streaked down her refined face. This was the first time Lucian had seen her cry.
This 'lingering pain' likely made Ei imagine that scene—the dark monsters tearing at Kitsune Saiguu.
And at that moment, she wasn't there! She wasn't there!
In the previous scene, she was still by Kitsune Saiguu's side, but now she was absent…
In the illustration, Kitsune Saiguu shed no tears, only appearing weak. As the darkness continued to consume her, she slightly opened her eyes, half-squinting as if using her last strength:
[But, despite my humble position,]
[I still hope you will hear my plea…]
[If you can see what I hold dear,]
[Then please spare those creatures.]
My cherished ones, please carry the memories we shared and live on, long and enduringly.
Why do I favor humans? Because they are the beautiful creatures I cherish!
Their lives are short, but the memories of our time together live on in my heart, becoming eternal, staying with me.
Now, it's my turn. I will become a memory. Please, write my eternity.
Please, live on long… with 'me'!
At this point, the people of Inazuma could no longer hold back their emotions. Tears flowed freely, and the sound of sobbing echoed everywhere.
Even in such a state, Kitsune Saiguu thought not of herself but of them.
How could this memory not be blazing and radiant? This was a 'light' that even darkness could not devour!
In the final scene, Kitsune Saiguu seemed to have lost all strength, her eyes closed. Darkness had consumed most of her body, leaving only her fox-like eyes.
This scene mirrored her first appearance, where just her brow and eyes alone inspired affection.
Yet now, those same eyes sent a shiver through the heart.
===✧✦✧===
Character Voice · Raiden Ei: About Crying
"…Mm."