Yamiyo no Hotaru

Chapter 137

 Against the backdrop of the moonlit night sky, a bird soared.

 No, it wasn't a bird. It was a meticulously crafted imitation of a bird. A Shikigami, made to resemble a bird. A simple model...

 '...'

 It pierced through the sky far above, breaking through the sea of clouds. For a moment, the view turned white, but it quickly returned to deep darkness. Having passed through the clouds, its body was damp. Its inorganic pupils were slightly moist, giving viewers the impression that the Shikigami might actually be alive.

 ...However, it was all just a facade.

 '...'

 The Shikigami that had reached its target in the sky above stared down at the ground. It focused on one corner of the ground.

 A battle was unfolding. Numerous strange roars. Growls. Conflict between humans and monsters...

 '...'

 The bird didn't intervene in the unfolding situation, merely observing the entire course of events.

 '...'

 Relentlessly, endlessly...

 ...for now.

* * *

 The senses of youkai surpassed those of humans, and even animals. Moreover, many of them possessed various sensory organs beyond the five basic senses, what people might call a sixth sense.

 Late at night, the sky was dyed a deep black, as if ink had been poured onto it. The deep forest of the forbidden area was bustling with noise. Inhuman inhabitants were shouting in excitement. The moment the girl stepped in, they were able to detect her presence with all of their incredibly sensitive sensory organs.

 It was that intense, rich, and powerful. Lots of really good spiritual energy. From a child, a very young girl. Even a very young one monster. They could smell her from really far away. Like the best snack ever, a yummy smell of a big meal.

 Now, these youkais were rushing toward her like they were migrating. It wasn't a metaphor, more like an avalanche. Many tiny youkai turned into a big, wild river. They were all trying to get to her first, pushing and shoving, and the one who got there first would win.

 They pushed aside the trees, toppled their own kind, and continued to impatiently race forward... and finally, they glimpsed her.

 A group of humans was there. Dozens of them. Normally, creatures like them would naturally attack and devour their prey, but at the moment, it didn't matter. The monsters' gazes were fixed on a single point.

 The princess stood on the roof of an ox cart. Her hair was a vivid and charming peach color. Her resplendent and extravagant attire resembled that of a celestial maiden, and the sight of her dancing, with her pure white feet exposed, was a unique and improvisational performance, unlike any traditional dance. If she were to perform this before any dance master, they would probably retire in shame, so beautiful was her footwork.

 It was an incredibly graceful dance.

 '......!'

 Even lowbrow and vulgar creatures, lacking intelligence and culture as they were, seemed to have the most basic sense of beauty. The youkai momentarily stopped and gazed in awe. It wasn't lust. It went beyond that. It was infatuation, intoxication, worship.

 ...Though it lasted only a moment.

 'Roarrrrrrrrr!!!!'

 The monsters roared in delight. Youkai didn't know words like "out of one's league." They didn't have a sense of empathy. They took what they wanted by force. They didn't consider their prey's feelings. No matter how divine an existence they encountered, they would drag it down, seize it, plunder it, defile it, dominate it, and make it their sustenance. That was the nature and duty of youkai.