Yamiyo no Hotaru

Chapter 68

Three days had passed since we parted ways with the Tachibana Trading Company near the Sumiya village in Hina county. We crossed the bridge over the Kizugawa River, passed through the Hikawase mountain, climbed the Mimisake Pass, and finally arrived at the entrance to the Kizuki Valley.

　"Okay, we are almost there! After climbing up this pass, we'll be there soon!!"

　I shouted to my subordinates. Unfortunately, it had been raining heavily for three days in a row since we had parted from the Tachibana Trading Company group, and everyone was getting weak considerably. I thought about waiting until the downpour passed somewhere, but unfortunately, there was no place to stay, and there was a limit to how long we could stay out in the rain, which would never end, so we had no choice but to continue on our way. The result was an exhausted group of people.

　"D*mn, it looks like yesterday's rain was a lie. Perhaps I should have stopped the forced march."

　I spit bitterly at the cloudless clear sky. For some personal reasons, I wanted to reach the valley as soon as possible, so I forced the march, but... it was my bad judgment.

　"The shrine should be in sight soon, but..."

　There are three paths into the Kizuki valley, all of which have shrines. The shrine is a kind of boundary point to protect the valley, and it is also the entrance to the valley. In the case of the Mimisake Pass, where one enters the valley from the west, the shrine is placed at the top of the pass.

　Finally, after about half a minute, it came into view. At the top of the Mimisake Pass, a huge birch tree rises, and at the base of the tree is a small hut and a shrine, the entrance to the valley...

　"Hmm? That's..."

　I squinted as I noticed that as I mounted and rebuked the rest of the group. I see a figure by the shrine. A white, small figure. That child figure... looked familiar to me.

　"Tomobe-san......!!!"

　The white fox girl, who also recognized my presence, came running toward me with a childish smile of pure and innocent joy. I also trotted my horse up to her.

　"Shiro!? Did you come to greet me? How can you be alone...? It's dangerous!"

　Sending a half-youkai child to meet me and my subordinate at the boundary between the valley's barrier and the outside world... considering the position of half-youkai in this world, it's unclear what the villagers of the valley might do. It seemed too reckless of an action, not one that Shiro would take. It was also against that princess who would have ordered her to do it.

　"Ah! Uhh... It's all right! Princess has made arrangements for an escort!"

　The white fox hurriedly points to the sky in defense. Then, I look up at the sky. There, a shadow is flying up in the sky. I squint. Despite the distance, I recognize it as a huge hawk. So it's an insurance measure, huh? And looking closer, I see that this white girl has a few things in her hand that look like simple charms. However...