Yamiyo no Hotaru

Chapter 82

　"En" (縁) refers to a connection, relationship, fate, or bond.

　The definition is broad and encompasses not only blood relations such as parent-child and siblings but also social connections such as master and servant, as well as karmic connections based on possessions. In the end, it can even extend to groups such as villages, organizations, and nations.

　Many curses are based on these connections. The classic example is a curse that uses a straw doll. This involves sewing the target's hair or other personal belongings into the doll and cursing them. Alternatively, a curse may target the target's family or village, sending vengeful spirits and ghosts down the line of relationship. The curse of finding a person is also a form of curse.

　The closer the connection, the clearer the conditions, the stronger the power of the curse. Conversely, if the connection is vague or broad, the curse against an individual will be diluted and weak.

　This principle also applies to emotions. The stronger the emotions directed toward someone, the stronger the bond will be, and the deeper the connection will be...

　Now, the time goes back just a little. A girl sensed this connection. The determination, the resolution, and the decision that came through the deep connection between her and him through their hearts. Though she interpreted it in a way that was convenient for herself.

　As she sat up and emerged from the covers, her black, glossy hair brushed against the fabric, and her nape peeked through the gap in her hair, forming a graceful curve.

　"Just wait. I'll be there soon," she said and give a sigh.

　Inside the ox-cart, which had become a "stray house", the girl who had sneaked into the sleeping quarters behind the curtains at the upper seat was already fully awake, having been drawn out of her dreamlike state.

　She rose from the sleeping quarters into the darkness. Her slender, white limbs stood out against the jet-black background, as if illuminated. Her body was taut and glossy...

　Yes, she was naked now. Her body was glistening with sweat and she had a radiant, godly aura about her. Her cheeks were flushed with a deep shade of red and she let out a sultry sigh, as if she was burning with desire. It looked as if she was in love or lost in lust. And both were right.

　What she had been doing in the futon alone just a few minutes ago was nothing but comforting herself in the literal sense of the word. She had been thinking of her beloved, daydreaming about their rendezvous and fantasizing about their love for each other.

　He was repeatedly whispered sweet words in her ear, like a childhood game, and held tightly by his well-trained, hard and robust body. Her breasts were ravished passionately, as if by an infant, and her body was violently penetrated and tormented like an animal, until finally they would embrace each other, taking in the boiling love and reaching the climax together... She was imagining such a scene.

　It was a scene that was like a dream, where she was endlessly coddled and loved by her beloved while she snuggled up to him... However, just imagining it wasn't enough, so she used her own fingers to bring herself to climax again and again, leaning in, crying, shedding tears of joy, and continuing to reach the climax. But in reality, it was just a vain act of self-exhaustion, and she cried her eyes out. It wasn't anything special, just a daily routine for her now. It was a part of her everyday life.

　It was painful, joyful, loving... but most of all, it was a precious moment for her, where she could completely expose herself. It was comforting. It was the hope that kept her alive.

　But now, she moves. Though it was an important time, she moved. It was so natural that the fatigue from hunting youkai since dawn and the exhaustion from the comfort of the bed were irrelevant now. After all, to her now, everything about herself was a factor that could not be taken into consideration in any way.