Chapter 4: The creature in the swamp
There it was indeed—a swamp.
A deep green swamp, now covered with algae and turned into a filthy mess.
It might have once been a beautiful pond or something similar, but now it was marred by algae sprawling aggressively across the water surface, making it an unsightly sight.
There was no railing or any safety measures to prevent falls, and Houzuki stood at the edge of the swamp, rooted in place.
“Is this place really…?”
She wondered aloud where exactly they were and whether the deity known as Oshira-sama truly resided in this swamp.
Next to her, Yuiru suddenly appeared, his red eyes sparkling with excitement and exclaiming with child-like enthusiasm, “Wow!!” Clearly, the evil spirit was delighted at the sight of the swamp, as it was his intended destination in search of Oshira-sama.
“Is this the swamp where Oshira-sama resides? What a filthy swamp indeed!”
Yuiru remarked, not concealing his disdain.
“Hey, what if you anger the deity?”
“If an evil god gets angry over the banter of an evil spirit, that would be something I’d like to see.”
Yuiru chuckled with a scoffing laugh.
He laughed heartily, his attitude dismissive.
Houzuki decided she didn’t want to get involved if things went south. After all, it was Yuiru who intended to devour Oshira-sama; her role was merely to attract the deity to the swamp, and once that was done, she could safely observe from a distance.
(Come to think of it…)
The smartphone had been found near this swamp.
It seemed to have been dropped while its owner was filming a video, and it likely belonged to the man from the wagon parked at the entrance of the forest.
However, what exactly he was filming intrigued her. Could it be that he truly came to catch a glimpse of Oshira-sama?
“……”
Since the smartphone is closed, she can’t watch the video that was shot.
The smartphone she took out of her pocket was a red, latest-model enclosed in a flip-style case. Judging from the flip-style case, it might be presumed to belong to a woman.
She doesn’t understand the tastes of the world, so it’s entirely possible that the man, who is unconscious in that wagon car, likes cute things. It wouldn’t be strange if he had a particular inclination.
“Ah, this indeed has quite the atmosphere. However, it’s uninteresting that nothing has changed from when I was alive. It seems the flavors have also become bland.”
Being an evil spirit, perhaps traveling between heaven and earth is a trivial matter, as Yuiru was floating in the air and observing a deep green swamp. Whether always ready to consume Oshira-sama or not, he held a silver knife in his hand.
Somehow, this place feels dangerous.
Even Yuiru, who feeds on ghosts, senses that something uncontrollable awaits in this swamp.
Houzuki looked up at Yuiru floating above the swamp and said,
“Hey, Yuiru. Shall we go back? Instead of coming at night, why don’t we come during the day?”
Houzuki’s words were cut off midway.
Pakipaki, paki.
The sound of stepping on branches.
In this dense forest, it should only be Houzuki and the others.
No, both of Houzuki’s companions are ghosts, so they make no sound when they move. Effectively, the only one who could make such noise is Houzuki.
—Has someone entered this forest?
Pakipakipaki.
Gasa, gasa. (TN: rustle2x)
Pakipakipaki.
The sound of kicking dried leaves and stepping on branches alternately stimulated Houzuki’s eardrums.
A strange sweat trickled down her back.
Something was definitely approaching. Houzuki had no way to deal with it.
“Wai, hey, Yuiru.”
“Quiet, Houzuki.”
It seemed Yuiru had stopped observing the swamp at some point, and now, still staring into the darkness, he gripped a silver knife in a reverse grip.
“There’s a delicious smell.”
And finally, it came into Houzuki’s field of vision.
Nuuー…… (TN: often used when something unknown, mysterious, or big appears out of nowhere;)
A pale, delicate arm stretched out from the darkness.
Emerging from the shadow of a tree, the arm, looking as if its skin might peel off, lightly scratched against the bark of a tree trunk.
Since only the arm was visible, it was still unclear who it belonged to. However, the arm was unusually damp, as though it had been plunged into water, completely soaked.
Kari, kari. (TN: scratch2x)
The fingertips scratched against the tree bark.
“Why don’t you show yourself?”
Yuiru called out to the arm that stretched from the darkness.
Was he intending to devour it once it revealed itself? His red eyes held a serious glow. Clutching the silver knife in a reverse grip, he looked ready to pounce on the arm at any moment.
Would the call make the other party come out obediently? Surely, Oshira-sama wasn’t foolish enough for that. A silver-haired, red-eyed high school boy wielding a silver knife should naturally be regarded with caution.
Hita, hita.
Hita, hita.(TN: the sound of hitting water repeatedly; lapping (against, on, toward); the way water surges forward, gradually drawing near)
The wet arm extended from the darkness once more.
It wasn’t just one or two arms this time—three, four, numerous arms reached out and clung to the tree.
The number of arms clinging to the tree was enough to make one want to escape reality, wondering how many people were hiding in the shadow of the tree. The fingertips scratched at the bark, and the arms swayed up and down as if beckoning Houzuki and Yuiru.
Kari, Kari.
Kari, Kari.
Karikari, kari.
Kari, karikari.
It seemed to beckon, “Come here.”
Or perhaps, it was glaring resentfully at Houzuki and Yuiru from the shadows.
Either way, the sensation was unnervingly eerie.
If that was Oshira-sama, then Yuiru would have to consume it.
“Is, is tha-, is that Oshira-sama……!?”
“Well now, that’s one strange creature.”
Holding a silver knife in one hand, Yuiru tilts his head.
“Oshira-sama is a malevolent deity that appears in the swamp, and I’ve never heard of him venturing out of it.”
Just then.
Pashan. (TN: splash)
They heard the sound of water striking something from behind.
