叩かれた扉
A knock at the door...


Kei: Uzuki-san!

I can't take it anymore.
This time I really throw the futon off, and open the door.
In my haste, the charm on the door peels off, and dances while it falls, like a white petal from that tree.
Ahh, I'd better fix it - but that can come later. First I have to help Uzuki-san.

Kei: Uzuki-san, are you all r---

A red light burns into my eyes, and my words freeze.

Nozomi: Ufufu, well aren't you the fool.

The edges of her lips raise in a malicious smile as she whispers.
Though not consciously, I back away to the center of the room, taking distance.

Nozomi: Good evening to you. I suppose I can come in.

With me backing away and the entrance open, Nozomi-chan steps into the room.

Nozomi: I'm so happy to have you welcome me.

A pale blue light coils around her body, giving off a whip-like crackle.

Nozomi: !...... That's some welcome......

Eyebrows knit in a scowl, Nozomi-chan makes no move to turn as she calls out to Mikage-chan, hidden behind her.

Nozomi: Mikage.

Mikage: Yes, Nee-sama.

Standing at Nozomi-chan's side, Mikage-chan turns her eyes to the fallen charm.
Immediately, it is beset by a change.
Much the same as when you use a magnifying glass, the paper turns black and holes widen as it is slowly scorched.
It does nothing flashy like catching flame, but within a moment, it is completely eclipsed by an ashen black.
Nozomi-chan takes another step in my direction.
The blue light no longer lashes at her. The effect of the kekkai is now gone.

Nozomi: It's perfectly safe, now. Good work.

Mikage: Is it not too early to be at ease? There could be intrusions like the one last night.

Nozomi: There's nothing to worry about. That scary Onikiri-Yaku is probably engrossed in her game of oni tag, completely at ease with the kekkai here.

Nozomi: And with that woman's power as it is, she can't even get in our way.

Nozomi: Isn't that right, dearie? You can't even take form like last night, can you?

Kei: Eh!?

Feeling a presence and turning around, I see the blue shadow of a woman, flickering dimly, and transparent like a ghost...

Kei: Yumei-san!? You can't, Yumei-san, you're in danger!

Nozomi: Fufufu, what did you come to do, I wonder? Did you want us to finish you off today?

Nozomi-chan chirps with laughter, delightedly, amusedly, as if singing.

Nozomi: I welcome you. Will you stay without running until we destroy you completely?

Nozomi: If the pillar of the seal were to vanish, I'm sure Nushi-sama would be delighted.

Nozomi: Sealing Nushi-sama away, taking him from--- kgh!?

As if a pain or ache had sprouted inside her, she grasps her head in her hands, her face grimacing. She seems to be in much greater pain than when she touched the remnants of the barrier.
For the past few days, perhaps I looked like this from the outside whenever attacked by the red pain.
But, though I don't really know what's going on, if there's any chance, it's now.
I pass my eyes over the surroundings, wondering what I can do.
Because I opened the door, because I peeled off the charm and broke the kekkai.
......The charms?
The charms are pasted on the walls to my right, left, and back.

Nozomi: ...... We will have you take responsibility for stealing Nushi-sama from us, here and now.

As I back toward the wall, the red, transparent fog rises from Nozomi-chan's body.
Whereas Yumei-san cannot even muster a single butterfly of light, her power, in itself, gone.
Regardless, Yumei-san stands her ground.

Yumei: Kei-chan, find an opportunity to escape, if you can.

As if to take my place as I move back, her transparent blue cheeks stiffen as she moves forward.
As we pass, her hand touches mine. The sensation is like a passing breeze, gentle, powerless.
I can't understand why she would go that far to save me, but...

Nozomi: Hmmm...... looks like you don't intend to run. I will answer that pure sentiment by erasing you painlessly.

Yumei: ............

The red fog gathers in Nozomi-chan's hand.
I don't know if this'll work or not, but I have to do it now.

Kei: ............

Mom. Watch over me. Don't let my clumsiness stop me here.
Uzuki-san. If only just a little, give me some of your courage to stand against oni.

Nozomi: There...

Kei: Yumei-san, dodge to the side!

Peeling off the charm behind my back, I thrust my body forward.
Facing Nozomi-chan, gripping the charm, I thrust my hand at her.

Yumei: Kei-chan!

Nozomi: What are you---

The red and blue light collides and bursts.

Nozomi: Aaagh-------!!

Even if I close my eyes against the piercing light, I can feel the charm crumble in my hand as its power is exhausted.
Checking whatever effect it had is postponed as I face to the right and leap.
Hitting the wall, I open my eyes.

Kei: There it is!

With the second charm in hand, I face the center of the room. Judging from that painful sounding scream, it must have some effect.

Kei: Go back! If you don't leave, I'll do it again!

Nozomi: Fufu---

Kei: ......?

Nozomi: Ahahahahahaha! To think you'd bare your teeth and come at me with a used talisman.

Kei: ......I-It doesn't hurt?

Nozomi: Oh, it hurt. It hurt so very much.

She laps at her painfully burnt hand with her red tongue.

Nozomi: ......So, I think I will wound you in turn, and heal it with the Nie no Chi flowing within you.

Kei: Don't come any closer!

Even as I ready myself to thrust out, I turn my eyes in that direction for only a moment.
Her seething red eyes capture mine, and with the ring of the bell on her ankle, she closes in with small steps.

Nozomi: Fufufu, I'll admit you're not as weak as I thought at first, but your leg is trembling, you know.

Nozomi: Poor thing. I will stop that trembling for you.

Her eyes flare, raising the heat within.
I reflexively avert my eyes, and cover my face with the charm.
The gaze that Uzuki-san called "jashi" - the shine of those eyes has the power to render me as the frog before the snake's glare.

Kei: I won't fall for that anymore. And you don't need to worry about me. This trembling is from excitement.

Glancing at Nozomi-chan from the edge of my deflected vision, I say this in a strong voice, partly to myself.

Nozomi: ......Oh my? Is that so?

Though I can't see her face, her voice has a minute air of surprise.
Making sure not to meet her eyes, but also not to neglect her movements, I concentrate on Nozomi-chan's feet. Those feet stop and stand still.
However, that is only for a moment.

Nozomi: I see. In that case, there's no reason to hold back, is there?

The porcelain white bare leg reaches straight forward.
Giving off no feeling of weight, with soft movements, as in slow motion, yet with just enough definite speed to preclude my reaction, she steps forward.
By the time I can react to the ringing bell, Nozomi-chan's face is already in front of my eyes.

Nozomi: I've come close enough to touch you. I'm near enough to feel your breath. I can feel the heat of your blood, and the beating of your heart.

Glance entangles glance.
The white skin and the halation of the red eyes dominate my vision, warping it with vertigo.

Nozomi: And so, what are you going to do?

Kei: Th-......

Yet, my body still moves.

Kei: This is what I'll do!

With the hand holding the charm, I thrust out at Nozomi-chan.
Raised and waiting is her tiny white palm.
As our hands collide, a sound lashes out like a drop of water on a frying pan full of hot oil.
Red and blue mix together, overflowing with a light like purple lightning.

Nozomi: ......Oh my, that hurt.

The hand I used to attack is now firmly caught in Nozomi-chan's grip.

Nozomi: Well then, what will you do now?

From the gaps between our embracing hands, the charm crumbles to ash and drips down.

Nozomi: Do you have another one?

One charm remains.
It's still there, but it's pasted on the opposite wall. I can't rely on it in this position.
And above Nozomi-chan's tiny shoulders...

Mikage: No. I will not allow you to interfere with Nee-sama.

...blocked by Mikage-chan, Yumei-san cannot take any movement from her position.

Nozomi: Fufu, you want the talisman over there? Not that I really mind, but what do you intend to do after you use it?

After that...
After I've used that...
Like a light bulb powered by a series of batteries, a kekkai of four connected charms might be able to repulse oni with a strong force, but using one at a time---
Wringing out all the courage I can muster to resist like this, in the end, I guess it was doomed to failure.

Nozomi: Is that the end of your resistance, then?

Leaning my back to the wall, somehow I'm still standing, but I'm already on the verge of collapse.

Nozomi: In that case, I suppose it's about time to feast.

As she spins the words from her sakura-colored lips, her teeth creep out, far paler than her white skin.
Those teeth will rend my flesh, dig inside, and make the blood flow out.
As my shoulders are grasped and pinned to the wall, the despair of a butterfly caught in a spider's web wells up within me.
The thread of her gaze reaches into my eyes, and ensnares me from the inside.
Nozomi-chan smiles.
My consciousness, bound and immobile, is thrust deep and far away.

Kei: Yumei-san, I'm sorry. You don't have to worry about me anymore, so please leave before they kill you.

Yumei: Kei-chan---

Yumei-san's voice trails off.
After you went through such trouble coming for me, I'm so sorry. And, one more...

Kei: Uzuki-san, I'm sorry. Because I'm such a clutz, I couldn't use the charms right.

Kei: If Nozomi-chan and everyone become stronger, it'll be more trouble when you banish them. I'm really sorry.

Uzuki: Kei-san---

From far away, Uzuki-san's voice.
Maybe Nozomi-chan's imitating her voice again, maybe it's a hallucination.

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