Fantasy Library.

Chapter 528 The Truth About the Curse

At this moment, Asahi Yasuharu and Mitsuyo Komagawa were studying the vengeful spirit that was constantly hitting the rope and did not notice the situation here.

Therefore, Aize and Congyu are now practically alone. As long as they don't cause too much of a commotion, it should be difficult for them to attract the attention of Asahi Yasuharu and Komagawa Mitsuyo.

Because of this, no one noticed that the atmosphere between Aize and Congyu had become somewhat heavy.

Only Cong Yu seemed to realize something, and her expression changed.

"...Is there something you want to tell us?"

Cong Yu hesitated for a moment, but still asked the question.

Even from the atmosphere, you could tell that what Aize was about to say was probably no small matter.

That's the case too.

"Rather than saying I have something to tell you, I'd say I have something to ask you." Aize looked at Congyu and said, "I originally planned to ask Mr. Anqing or Dr. Komakawa, but they would probably be concerned about Ms. Asatake's feelings, and Hitachi would probably feel the same way."

"So, I can only ask you, Cong Yu."

After hearing what Aize said, Cong Yu could more or less guess what he wanted to ask.

"Is it the truth about the curse?"

Cong Yu spoke softly.

You could tell from Aize's words that what he wanted to ask definitely involved Asagi Yoshino, to the point that it would make everyone consider Asagi Yoshino's attitude.

There is nothing to say about such a thing except a curse.

"Although you've already given me some background information, it's clear from Miss Chaowu's attitude that what I know so far is only part of the truth, isn't it?" Aize said calmly. "You've probably been hiding a lot about filth and curses, haven't you?"

This was something Aize already knew.

That's why he wanted to delve deeper into Suiori's secrets and try to find out the truth.

"I had thought before that I would search and investigate slowly, but now that the evil spirit has already captured one alive, and we are about to start studying it, wouldn't it greatly delay the research if we still only have a superficial understanding of the filth and curses?"

Aize said this to Cong Yu.

"So, I want to learn from you about the parts I don't know yet."

"Please tell me, Cong Yu."

"I am the user of Murasame, your master. In that case, we can't be considered unrelated, right?"

Aize's implication was simple: continuing to hide things from him would be pointless.

“This…” Cong Yu hesitated for a long time, then sighed and said, “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, or rather, I’ve wanted to tell you, Master, for a long time.”

"If that's Ke Fang's attitude, then we shouldn't speak carelessly."

"It's not that we wanted to hide this from you, but..."

Cong Yu's hesitant and ashamed appearance did not sway Aize's mind.

"I'll say it again. It was one thing before, but now that we've even brought the evil spirit back alive, hiding it from me any longer isn't being kind to Miss Asatake, but rather disrespectful and irresponsible to the Asatake family and all those who have suffered from the curse in the Suiori family throughout history."

Aize bluntly stated these words.

"How can you find a real way to break the curse if you only have a superficial understanding of it?"

“I have already taken a solid step in this regard, and even captured one of the evil spirits alive. Mr. Anqing is also happy that the long-standing stalemate has been broken. Do you still intend to stand still and not keep up with my pace?”

"Then you'll really become a drag on the team."

Aize's blunt words made Cong Yu chuckle bitterly.

"That's really going too far, Master." Cong Yu said with a wry smile, "But you're right. It would be really unacceptable if our personal willfulness caused your research on curses to be delayed."

As she spoke, Cong Yu looked ahead and said something.

"Yoshino, Mako, you think so too, right?"

Upon hearing this, Aize couldn't help but look in the direction where the two girls had just left.

There, Yoshino Asagi and Mako Hitachi unexpectedly returned, looking at Aize with rather complicated expressions.

Especially Yoshino Asagi, whose complex expression was so intense that it was obvious to everyone.

"...You guys actually came back again?"

Aize pursed his lips and slowly opened his mouth.

"I'm sorry." Hitachi Mako apologized to Aize first, saying, "Because I noticed that Lord Aize hadn't followed, that's why..."

Asatake Yoshino might overlook the fact that Aize didn't follow, but Hitachi Mako would definitely notice, otherwise it wouldn't do justice to her identity as a female ninja.

Both of them thought that something had happened to Aize, which was why they returned. Little did they know that they had overheard what Aize had just said.

"It's good that you're here," Cong Yu said. "You heard what I just said, right? What are you planning to do?"

Hitachi Mako immediately looked at Asatake Yoshino.

After all, it was a decision that Asatake Yoshino should make.

Asahi Yoshino lowered her eyes, her expression still so complicated, but she no longer reacted with resistance as she used to when this topic came up.

“Mr. Aize is right.”

After a long while, Asahi Yoshino finally raised her eyes and looked at Aize.

"At this point, if we continue to conceal it, it will not only be a hindrance, but also a disrespect and irresponsibility towards the Asabu family and the people of Hoori who have been cursed throughout the ages."

Her expression and eyes gradually hardened, as if she had made up her mind.

"Mr. Aize," Yoshino Asagi said to Aize, "After you finish your shower and before you go to sleep, could you please come to my room?"

Clearly, Asahi was preparing to tell him the things she had kept hidden from him in person.

"it is good."

Aize naturally agreed and nodded.

"I'll be there."

…………

As the man with the best physical strength and least fatigue, Aize naturally wouldn't fight with the girls for the bathroom. After returning to the Asagi family, he first let Asagi Yoshino and Hitachi Mako take a bath before soaking in the bathtub himself.

Since gaining divine power, Aize has also developed a way to purify himself from impurities. Therefore, when he soaks in hot springs, it is no longer for purification, but simply for cleansing and relieving fatigue.

When Aize came out of the bathroom, it seemed that Hitachi Mako had already left the Asabu family and returned to the Hitachi family. Murasame was staying at the shrine with Asabu Yasuharu and Komagawa Mitsuha and did not come back at all.

In other words, only Aizawa and Yoshino Asagi were currently in the entire Asagi household. Aizawa wasn't nervous and slowly walked through the corridor to Yoshino Asagi's room.

"Miss Chaowu."

Aize knocked on the door and called out.

"Yes, I'm here." Asagi Yoshino's voice immediately came from the room, saying, "Please come in."

Aize reached out, opened the door, and entered Asagi Yoshino's room.

This was the first time he had entered Yoshino Asatake's room.

What came into view was a Japanese-style bedroom, the same style as the rooms in the Asabu family. Unlike the other girls' rooms, it was not full of girlish charm, which made people vaguely aware of the room owner's lack in this aspect.

Yoshino Asatake, who is known as the Shrine Maiden in Hozuki and whose status is no different from that of a princess, may have a heart as lacking as this room, devoid of the flavor of life and the charm that a young girl should have.

There's no way around it; a girl's life is destined from the moment she's born to be completely cut off from these things.

"Sorry to disturb your rest so late."

Asahi Yoshino gestured for Aize to sit down and immediately apologized to him.

At this moment, the girl had changed out of Chihaya and her shrine maiden outfit and put on a nightgown that resembled a kimono or a robe. Her hair was still damp, and her skin was incredibly moist, filling the room with an alluring fragrance.

“This is something I decided to hear myself, so there’s no reason for you to apologize.”

Aize didn't know if Yoshino Asagi had noticed how alluring his current posture was to a boy in his adolescence, so he could only pick up the rough tea that Yoshino Asagi had poured and drink it as if to cover up his embarrassment.

“Then I still have to apologize to you.” Asagi Yoshino said somewhat persistently, “I’m really sorry for keeping these important things from you all this time.”

“I’ve said this before. Whether you say it or not is your right.” Aize put down his teacup, looked at Asabu Yoshino with a guilty expression, and smiled. “Besides, it’s not too late to say it now.”

After speaking, Aize's expression became serious again.

"Then, could you please tell me the truth about the curse?"

Aize's request was met with a sigh from Asatake Yoshino.

“It should be me asking you to listen to my story,” said Yoshino Asatake, holding a teacup and wiping it as she spoke. “Mr. Aizawa is already quite familiar with the legend of Hoori, isn’t he?”

"It's the story of how a demon bewitched the lord next to Suizhi, causing him to lead his troops to attack Suizhi, and then the people of Suizhi, blessed by the gods and possessing the Murasame, repelled him, right?" Aize nodded and said, "There's something wrong with the story itself?"

"More or less." Asatake Yoshino looked at the tea swirling in her teacup and said, "After all, it's a legend that can be made public. Even if it's true, it must have been embellished to some extent."

"Some truths that are inconvenient to be told have long been removed from myths and legends, and apart from a small number of people who know the truth, the rest are unaware of them."

That's true. It's impossible to tell everything, and it's even less likely that the truth is a myth that can be made public. The reality is definitely more complicated and cruel than that.

With Aize listening attentively, Yoshino Asatake began to recount her story...

…………

In the beginning, it was just a story about two brothers.

These are brothers with completely different personalities and character traits, like heaven and earth.

The eldest son is a very willful, short-sighted person who is loyal to his own desires. He becomes irritable and vents his anger on everything around him when his demands are not met.

The second son, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. He was of noble character, skilled in martial arts, and very respectful of others. He was kind and gentle even to those of lower status than himself, and was a very beloved and supported person.

Both brothers were heirs to the Asabu family, which ruled Suiori, and as they reached a certain age, they naturally faced a problem.

That is, who should become the leader of the family, and who should become the lord of Suizhi and ascend to the top.

The result was self-evident: compared to the eldest son, who was willful and short-sighted, the second son was more respected by the people and his retainers.

Thus, the second son was naturally chosen to assume the position of lord and was about to inherit the territory and family.

The eldest son, who acted solely on his desires, naturally refused to accept this outcome.

As expected, a struggle for the family business ensued between the two brothers, causing great chaos.

In his quest for territory, the eldest son resorted to any means necessary, bringing in troops from a neighboring country and staging a rebellion.

That's right. The reason why the neighboring country attacked Suizhi was not because they were bewitched by monsters. On the contrary, they bewitched the eldest son, causing him to betray Suizhi and the Asabu family, and led them into Suizhi's territory.

The eldest son not only brought in the army of the neighboring country, but also, because he hated his father, his younger brother, and the relationship between his family and this territory, he found a reclusive dog god in the mountains and sacrificed him using a forbidden method that was against the will of heaven and the gods, thus triggering a curse.

The anger and curse of the dog god who was unfortunately sacrificed combined to cause a great disaster, making life unbearable for the people of Hozuki.

Famine, epidemics, flash floods... all sorts of disasters began to befall the land of Suizhi, making the people of Suizhi suffer unspeakably.

The filth accumulated on this land, causing various disasters and cursing the Asabu family, who were the lords.

Unfortunately, at this time, the neighboring country attacked Suizhi, pushing Suizhi to the brink of despair.

In order to protect the territory and repel foreign enemies, the second son could only constantly hone his martial arts skills, rushing to the battlefield, trying to salvage the situation after the fact, and struggling desperately.

Until one day, the second son had a dream.

In his dream, he learned the location of a knife.

That was the sacred sword bestowed upon Sui-ori by the gods; it was the only way to overcome curses, purify impurities, exorcise disasters, and drive away enemies.

By offering human sacrifices and other offerings to the divine sword, the sword's power will be awakened, helping the second son overcome all obstacles.

"Human pillar..."

Aize murmured to himself unconsciously.

"Yes." Asagi Yoshino gave a somewhat sad smile and said, "She was a girl who was born weak and is said to have little time left."

It goes without saying who this person is.

Who else could it be but Cong Yu?

The girl, who became a human sacrifice and offered herself as a ritual offering, became invisible to everyone. She not only appeared in Hoori as the manager of the divine sword, but also became the object of divine power.

The second son, having obtained this power, purified the filth, banished the disaster, and led Suizhi to victory over the neighboring country's army. In the end, he beheaded the reckless eldest son, bringing him the punishment he deserved.

but……

"The curse of the Asabu family continues, doesn't it?"

Aize uttered those words.

"……Yes."

Asagi Yoshino's eyes looked very dim.

(End of this chapter)