I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit

Well, well, look at you! So dedicated, you've earned a little extra treat! 🎉

---

"Everyone went out?"

Went where?

Wasn't the area outside the village supposed to be dangerous, teeming with vicious monsters that made it imperative to return home before nightfall?

And why had everyone gone out?

Sara sensed something odd in Chika's words but couldn't quite pinpoint what it was, as though the truth were shrouded in thick fog.

"Chika…"

Unconsciously, Sara's expression grew more serious.

"What exactly do you mean by 'went out'?"

"Why does Sara always ask such weird questions?" Chika tilted her head in confusion, her tone sounding entirely genuine. "'Went out' just means 'went out.' What else could it mean?"

Something was off… Very off.

Just as Sara opened her mouth to probe further, a hand suddenly pressed down on her head.

"Chika, you said you'd take us to your house, right? So, which one is it?"

"Hmph! My dad is the village chief, you know. Of course, my house is the biggest and most obvious one!"

Chika cheerfully led the way while Kiichi and Sara followed behind.

The village, unlike the city, didn't have paved roads; the so-called "paths" were merely trails worn by frequent use.

But neither Kiichi nor Sara were ordinary people, so this kind of terrain posed no difficulty for them.

The false moon and stars hung in the sky, and the tranquil night enveloped them.

The inexplicable atmosphere gnawed at Sara's nerves. The unsettling, intangible strangeness weighed on her, compelling her to seek guidance from the one she trusted most.

"Master…"

"Shh—"

Kiichi raised a finger to her lips, a faint smile playing on her face.

"Sara, you've noticed the abnormalities too, haven't you? But don't forget why we're here," she whispered. "We're only here to eliminate the monsters and prevent them from wreaking havoc outside. As for the peculiarities of this place… strictly speaking, they're none of our business. We can ignore them entirely."

"But…"

What about Chika?

Sara couldn't bring herself to abandon this innocent little girl, who had so suddenly become a friend.

And yet, her master's words…

"Of course, that's just my perspective. It's merely a suggestion. Ultimately, the decision is yours to make."

Suddenly, another hand landed on Sara's head.

"We yokai are creatures of immense willfulness. Only by holding steadfast to something can we preserve ourselves against the erosion of time. Perhaps it's too early for you to understand this fully, but remember: Do what you must, do what you wish, and do what you can."

Sara didn't entirely grasp Kiichi's words, but she committed them to memory.

"We're here! This is my house!"

A single building stood quietly before them, far larger than any other structure they had passed.

At Chika's eager invitation, Sara stepped inside, but she soon realized Kiichi had stopped at the entrance, staring thoughtfully.

"Master?"

"Hm? Oh, I'm coming, I'm coming."

This house… or rather, its owner… was no ordinary figure.

Kiichi had sensed traces of onmyōdō before entering the village, and now she could feel the same traces emanating from the house.

A massive onmyōdō barrier enveloped the entire village, seemingly to protect it. This explained why the bloodthirsty monsters couldn't approach.

And this house… it seemed to be the barrier's core.

Quite a well-hidden setup…

"Whoa! What's that?"

Sara's startled exclamation came from inside the house.

The source of her alarm was two objects inside.

They resembled humans in shape, with heads, limbs, and roughly human proportions. But from the side, they were as flat as paper. Their entire bodies were white, adorned with red symbols.

As soon as Kiichi stepped in and saw the two "paper figures," she understood.

"All right, all right. These are just shikigami. No need to be so alarmed."

Kiichi placed a hand on Sara's shoulder, stopping her from drawing her bow and attacking the figures.

"Shikigami?"

Sara echoed the unfamiliar term, her astonishment evident.

"Wow! Angel Sister, you're amazing!" Chika's eyes sparkled as she looked at Kiichi. "My dad explained them to me a bunch of times, but I always forget their names, so I just call them Taro and Jiro."

"What casual names."

"They're not casual! I thought about them very carefully for three whole nights!"

Soon, the purpose of the shikigami in Chika's home became clear.

The one Chika called Taro efficiently wiped the table and arranged the plates, while the one named Jiro bustled in the kitchen. Before long, it emerged with three steaming dishes.

Kiichi frowned as soon as she saw the spread—it was entirely vegetarian. Not a single meat dish.

However, Sara and Chika ate heartily, seemingly unbothered.

"It's been so long since I've had a meal at a table with others," Chika said with a satisfied smile, one that bordered on blissful. Her happiness wasn't from the shikigami's cooking but from the company of Kiichi and Sara.

Unable to hold back her curiosity, Sara asked, "Chika, where are your parents?"

"They went out."

Chika's reply sounded perfectly natural, her expression devoid of anything unusual.

And that was the most unusual thing of all.

"If they went out… where did they go?"

"Where? Just… out?"

Sara felt drained.

This world, this village, and even Chika… everything seemed shrouded in strangeness, yet no matter how she tried, she couldn't uncover any clues through conversation.

As night deepened, it was time to sleep.

Chika's schedule seemed unusually strict—meals had to be eaten at mealtimes, and bedtime meant bedtime.

However, the house only had two bedrooms: one for Chika and one for her parents.

With Chika's parents absent—"out," as she put it—the second room was allocated to Sara and Kiichi.

But Kiichi didn't sleep.

"You rest first, little Sara. I'll patrol the area a bit more and try to figure out what's going on with this sealed space."

Kiichi continued analyzing the mysteries of the sealed space. Everywhere seemed steeped in abnormalities, and wandering around might speed up her investigation.

Unlike humans, Kiichi didn't require much sleep—or food, for that matter. But Sara, being human, needed to eat and rest.

Yet as she lay alone in bed, Sara couldn't fall asleep.

---

This bonus chapter is like an encore after a rousing performance—totally worth staying for, wouldn't you say? Oh, and don't worry, my lyre's got plenty more tunes to play next time!

But for now, it's time to take a bow. Thank you for the applause (and all that wonderful support). If you're feeling extra inspired, you know where to find me—[patreon.com/WiseTL]. Toss a coin, and who knows? Maybe the next bard will sing your praises!

Now, go forth, Traveler, and revel in the wonders of this world. Until next time! 🍃✨

Oh, and this bard must be off for now—another breeze calls my name. See you soon, dear friend!