Seirei no Moribito

For me, the "Witch of the Spirit Tree”, the life of every man has become a very light object.

As the "Spirit Tree” and its “Protectors” told me, I have dedicated my dear friend - Niña - as a “tribute”.

As if Niña's death were a light object, the routine began again.

As usual, I visited the dojo with my children's lunch and, as usual, talked to him and left.

The position of “witch” is proud.

But people's lives are light. It's not supposed to be there, but I obey it lightly.

That's hilarious. Even so, reality doesn't change, I can't change... it's regrettable, sad, and pitiful of myself.

I would have come to Niña's house if I had noticed.

"... is anybody there?

Where I met my parents, their hearts didn't heal, let alone I came here because I wanted them to comfort me.

But I wanted you to say something to Niña's parents.

Whether it's a grudge against me, a grief for losing my daughter, whatever.

"... Uncle? Auntie?"

But after all this time, I never saw you two.

Usually, my aunt hurries out to the front door and greets me with a smile...

- Laura, what are you doing?

But it wasn't my aunt who came out, it was him.

"... Leo, why are you here?

"That's our dialogue. At this hour... Yeah, there's a stand-up, so go up."

It was as if it were his own house. He invited me in.

It's a small but very beautiful house with white curtains and three families living there. Where Niña and her aunt stood in the kitchen to order meals, and her uncle polished her partner, the hunting gun, and all three of her family spent a daily regiment.

But there was no one there. It seems to be poorly maintained at that location, with small amounts of dust on the other side. slightly different from the landscape of those days when it was busy. To me I was uncomfortable with its

"Since the day Nina disappeared, there's no one else in this house."

He briefly tells the truth.

"Because Niña's parents are with Niña"

"What... what does that mean...?

with a strangely accustomed handle. He poured tea and served it before me,

"The" Spirit Tree ”seems to hate raw people who turn to themselves, and her parents, knowing that Niña would be sacrificed, defied the" Protector ”after a long thought. Against the Guardian is like flipping a flag against the Spirit Tree."

Pale, with a stiff tone and no expression,

"- They killed me. The day before Niña went to the forest where the Spirit lived with the Witch.

……

"... what, it...?

"It means the way it is. Sanctions are imposed on the barbarians with death. That's how they do it, so... people don't live in this house anymore. And I'll never come back."

"... but no one in Nina, no one around..."

"... it's only natural that Niña won't say. I can't tell my best friend the brutal truth. It's only a matter of time before Laura realizes she's twice as responsible."

I... couldn't believe it.

Niña's parents looked just like Niña, she was nostalgic, warm, she hated contention... she had nothing to scold, nothing to be angry about or cry about. Always laughing... such an aunt and uncle defied the “Spirit Tree”? Protect Niña, just for that...?

"Spirit Tree" as far as those two are concerned...

"... killed, of...? They just wanted to protect Niña... that's all, they only limited the two of them...?

"... Laura, the witch, knows best. They have no emotions. Just follow the word" Spirit Tree "... and eliminate it if it becomes a threat. It's always the Spirit Tree way."

He was calmly speaking only the truth to a frightened position,

"But Laura doesn't have to burden it."

I turned around and smiled gently and calmly.

"Nina said that, right? Laura just did what Laura could, and if she felt responsible for it, she'd lose my raison d 'être. … yes,"

"... Leo... but I..."

"Don't worry, I can't do that right away, but... I don't think it's a good idea to spend time on that."

He said with a smile that calmed his mind just to see.

"Laura can only do Laura... do her" witch ”job. I don't think what Laura's doing is wrong."

To that word, I was saved.

I've been nesting in my heart ever since this morning, and it's beautiful and sunny, and at the same time, I'm so sorry for Niña for being my best friend to the end, my sadness for her being gone and my anger at myself, and more than that, I'm glad he and Niña showed me around.

"... yeah. Sorry, thanks... Leo, Nina..."

I wrapped a cup of tea in my palm and cried quietly.

"... Nina, Nina... Huh!

He stayed by my side the whole time until I stopped crying.

Three days after he braided his skills and Niña was made a "tribute” after that week.

The change was abrupt.

"… now make the village chief a" tribute "?"

As he fulfilled his duties as a "witch", the "protector” came to the temple and said so.

As usual, a “protector" with no expression, like a doll, tells him unilaterally and doesn't listen to him at all. I can't help but be angry at that attitude, but whatever happens to being a "witch," you must stay calm and kill your emotions and put them down. Follow that teachings faithfully,

"... if that's what Spirit Tree wants."

I complained of my decision, and I put my hands together and put them over my head.

Then “Protector" nodded small and disappeared by “Spirituality”.

"... did they say that?"

Before I went to deliver lunch to the dojo, I told the village chief what had happened this morning.

Contrary to the slender, tall, rinsy look and sharp eyesight, the young woman village chief in her twenties, who is surprisingly well looked after,

"... what's the revelation?

"I told you to let me out."

"That's a bad situation..."

He is clanging his heels of boots, putting his arms together and making an imaginary face.

It was obvious what was wrong with this situation.

It was the mayor of the village now in front of me who woke up this village.

If the mayor of the village, called the second faith of the village, were to be dedicated as a "tribute" … the villagers would not shut up.

Villagers who have just not found meaning and value in the demands of “contributions” that have become more frequent will be concerned about this in a massive uprising. It's - against the Spirit Tree, and if we do that, we're doomed overnight.

That's not what the village chief wants, but I doubt it will be dedicated as a "tribute". That was more proof than anything of the mayor's puzzled face.

"... oh my god. I said I had an answer at a time when I was worried... but I didn't know I could find another solution."

"... If we don't give a revelation by the end of the day, perhaps tomorrow the village chief will..."

"Dedicated, or..."

It was also unusual for a wise and wise village chief to be so troubled. That's the seriousness of this situation, but it was something I couldn't do.

"No, I can't think of an answer... sorry, could you come back in the evening?"

"Dear village chief, but it's a difficult matter to judge...... ok, I'll come back in the evening"

I bowed down and followed the village chief's house, and behind it, I felt the village chief whine something small.

We have to do what we always do.

Even though I walk with that in mind, my steps are somewhere unnatural, but I came to the dojo with a hard-working laugh that only worried him.

"Oh, Laura, sis!

The children who noticed me rushed to the discrete as they threw the wooden knife,

"What's for lunch today?

"Okonomiyaki and nut juice."

They each received lunch as they gasped pose, picked up a wooden knife and rushed to the bulk again.

I was sighing, not knowing it, watching how healthy it was all the time.

"... you're not well, what's wrong?

noticed my unconscious sigh. He calls out,

"... yeah, I'm just a little tired, nothing in particular"

"... right? I hope so..."

That said, he started swinging the wooden knife again.

Hundreds of barebacks before lunch.

Even as I watched the wooden knife swung down to the exact same spot many times, I knew my mind was somewhere different.

Sacrifice of the village chief told by the "protector”. The attitude of the village chief troubled by that response.

That's my concern, really.

"... if the mayor is turned into a" tribute, "there will be a riot."

"Yeah... Master Murakami is pretty worried about all this time too..."

And I accidentally hammered him. I noticed that after I vomited my sigh again,

"Huh...? Leo, how could you...!

Forget to delude me. I asked him.

He exhaled a little,

"I knew it...... The problem Laura can't talk to is mostly about witches, so I thought maybe it was about the village chief."

I tried camouflaging... and it seems like that.

I mean, that's what got me hooked up with his measures.... This is something he shouldn't have known. Yeah, I didn't let you know.

In front of him, I never wanted to throw up weak noises. Yet...... my idiot, Doji......

"... I thought the next“ tribute ”would be the village chief. Comparing the victims these days, it seemed like they were nominating for all the people who were obviously against the" Spirit Tree ”. Then I went to talk to the village chief, but there was nothing she could do about it, and so was Laura... no?

For a moment, I was worried if I could still be deluded.

"Yeah, it's all Leo's guess."

I eventually gave up and sighed heavily.

"He said to give a revelation, so the whole village will know about the village chief. But when the village chief finds out he's going to sacrifice, everyone will definitely try to defy the" Spirit Tree ”. Master Murakami doesn't want that, and that's why there's nothing else he can do... I don't know anymore..."

"... sure, yeah. The village chief's sacrifice is like throwing a stone of great rebellion at this village. But there's no other way to avoid it... except one."

The hope he left, whining with a bitter look.

"That means there's only one way, right? What kind of a way is that?

I asked him with anticipation of the way,

"... maybe the village chief won't take that way. Sacrificing someone is no different."

unusual for him, saying so in a low voice,

"But other than that, there's a way..."

to me retreating to that word,

"Laura better not know. 'Cause that's how this works."

I stuck with a rejection I wouldn't let you say yes or no.

The last wooden knife swung down sounded sharper than usual to the dojo,

"Come on, let's have lunch."

The words, the attitude, eloquently told him that he no longer wanted to talk about this method.