The afterlife blew up Gensokyo

"what happened?"

Setting the jade box aside, Yakumo Yukari frowned slightly.

"I don't remember you being the type to talk about death all the time. Is it because of your father's sudden death?"

"Perhaps so..."

Saigyouji Yuyuko's voice sounded very low.

"Because of my father's sudden death, everyone in the family says that the curse on me brought this to my father. I've been having nightmares for several days in a row. In my dreams, everyone in the Saigyouji family is holding weapons and surrounding me, trying to kill me... Am I really an ominous presence?"

"That's not true. Humans always like to involve individuals in these kinds of things to satisfy their various ulterior motives. That's why I say humans are far more complex than yokai. How could such a thing happen among yokai?"

Yakumo Yukari extended her folding fan towards Saigyouji Yuyuko.

"Alright, alright, don't pay attention to what they're saying. How about we cheer up a little? How about I show you a magic trick right now?"

"Zi, you're always like this..."

Looking at the beautiful flowers growing on the folding fan in front of her, Saigyouji Yuyuko sighed softly, leaned her head on Yakumo Yukari's shoulder, and looked up at the slightly gloomy sky through the gap in the eaves.

"Perhaps I really should have died sooner. I asked Youki and Morichi about my father, but they refused to talk about it. They know something but won't tell me anything... It's so tiring..."

"Since you're tired, why don't you leave?"

With a soft chuckle, Yakumo Yukari put away her folding fan.

“I’ll take you away from the Saigyouji family… if you’re willing to leave with a youkai.”

"……leave?"

Saigyouji Yuyuko paused for a moment.

"Yes, I can take you to the world of monsters and stay by your side forever. There's not as much scheming and backstabbing in the world of monsters as in the human world, and no one will point fingers at you. I will protect you."

Yukari Yakumo suddenly laughed.

"Furthermore, in the future, I will grant you a lifespan as long and enduring as that of a demon... So, are you willing to leave with me?"

"...Can I trust you?"

After a long silence, Saigyouji Yuyuko sat up straight and turned to look at her.

"From childhood to adulthood, I have never traveled far from home and have always been under heavy protection... Zi, can I completely trust you?"

"........."

For some reason, looking at the serious-looking girl in front of her, Yukari Yakumo felt a sudden unease, but she still nodded solemnly.

"Of course, you can trust me."

"Then it's settled, Zi. Take me away from here."

After staring at Yukari Yakumo for a long time, Yuyuko Saigyouji broke into a big smile.

“Every day here, I have nightmares almost every night. Every time I wake up from a nightmare, I just stand there in a daze until dawn. If this continues, I don’t know if I can hold on any longer… Take me away from here, anywhere is fine.”

"Then it's settled."

Picking up the jade box beside her, Yakumo Yukari stood up from under the eaves.

"Since you've decided to leave, you must have some things to take care of, right? I'll be waiting for you in the grove outside the Human Village three nights from now."

"I understand. I'll come find you then."

She looked noticeably more relaxed, and Saigyouji Yuyuko nodded seriously.

"wait for me."

............................................................

"here we go."

At the top of the mountain of monsters, on a huge rock, someone who was lazily taking a nap with their hand as a pillow suddenly opened their eyes.

"What started?"

Upon hearing this, Hirain Hana, who was sitting against a boulder with a comic book in her hand, turned her head in surprise.

"destiny."

Shi Bai sat up from the boulder and yawned.

"The fate of some people has begun."

"Fate? What is fate?"

Hirain Bō tilted his head slightly with a hint of curiosity.

“Fate is fate, what else can you call it? This thing is actually very complicated, and it’s hard to explain in a short time… but it’s almost everywhere.”

Sitting cross-legged on the boulder, Shi Bai solemnly held up one finger in front of him.

"To put it this way, in about 300 or 400 years, a very dignified little girl who controls the power of destiny will appear. Let her explain it to you then, because I don't know how to explain it myself."

"Hmm... so what did you mean by what you just said?"

After thinking for a moment, the black-haired loli said she didn't understand anything.

"It doesn't mean anything, it's just a sigh, I just suddenly felt like reflecting on fate."

Shi Bai lay down on the boulder again and spoke lazily.

"Going back to sleep now, good afternoon~"

"No way! You're not allowed to sleep until you explain yourself clearly today!! I hate people who only say half of what they mean!!"

"Uh... I already said it was just a feeling..."

"So what exactly are you lamenting about!?"

"To put it simply, a person who truly wants to die won't care what people say anymore, while someone who keeps talking about death, in my experience, doesn't really want to die, but rather..."

"But what?"

"But they are still... still yearning for love."

P.S.: Good morning!

Chapter Thirty-Three: Cherry Blossoms Fall, Butterflies Dance, Ink-Dyed Cherry Bloss

—This was a grand escape.

Having cast aside everything from the past and discarded the heavy shackles, Saigyouji Yuyuko took nothing but the small knife that Yakumo Yukari had given her as a return gift as she embarked on her journey of escape.

The sudden death of her father, the rumors circulating in the Saigyouji family, the indifference of the spirits around them, the recurring nightmares of death... she really couldn't take it anymore.

If that's the case, then let's just run away.

Let go of those pointless things, run far away with your first friend, and bury everything from your past.

The night was beautiful, and she fled alone under the cover of darkness.

"...Do you think he's very stupid?"

The person who had been watching all of this from the darkness turned to look to the side after a moment of silence.

“I am very disappointed that his daughter chose to run away from such an important responsibility.”

"That's all I have to say, can't you at least remove the sword from my neck first? I don't think this is the right time for conversation."

Morichika Rinnosuke sighed helplessly.

"Yoji, when did you notice my little tricks?"

"Is this important?"

Holding the white tower across the other's neck without wavering, Soul Demon spoke softly.

"Your defeat was sealed the moment I got close to you without you even realizing it. If you make any move now, I will not hesitate to cut off your head."

"It's no use. Even if you stop me now, you can't prevent that from happening. Youki, run away now."

Morichika Rinnosuke looked up at the night sky.

"In half an hour, the Westward Demon will bloom, and everyone here will die, even if you are half-human and half-spirit."

What I do is none of your business.

The expression on Konpaku Youki's face remained unchanged.

"Many people will indeed die tonight, but not everyone will die here. Give me the Three Sacred Treasures."

"you……"

As if realizing something, Morichika Rinnosuke's expression changed slightly.

Just then, a meteor streaked across the deep blue sky with a long comet tail. On this night, which seemed no different from any other, a once-in-a-century meteor shower quietly descended.

"A meteor? That's a once-in-a-century spectacle!"

Amidst the fireflies-filled forest, Yukari Yakumo smiled and pointed to the sky.

"You've probably never seen such a beautiful sight before, have you? They're celebrating your new life too."

"A freshman...?"

Sitting cross-legged on a clearing in the woods, Saigyouji Yuyuko fell silent for a moment.

"Of course, because from now on, you will be separated from the lowly group of humans and enter a completely new world."

Yukari Yakumo responded with a smile.

“I told you before that you could absolutely trust me, so now I can tell you the whole truth. Haven’t you always been curious about my background?”

"Does one's background... really matter?"

Saigyouji Yuyuko looked up at the night sky.

"I don't care about those things."

"Of course it's important, because my true identity and background will definitely surprise you."

Yakumo Yukari opened the folding fan in her hand.

"My identity and origins lie in being the supreme being among yokai, revered as the Sage of Yokai. Within the hierarchy of yokai, I..."

"None of these things are important."

Saigyouji Yuyuko shook her head and turned to look at her.

"Whether it's a sage or something else... take me away from here."

Aren't you even a little bit surprised?

Seemingly surprised by the other party's unremarkable reaction, Yakumo Yukari was slightly taken aback.

"And besides, shouldn't you be happy at a time like this? Why do I only see dejection on your face?"

"Happy... I really am very happy."

Saigyouji Yuyuko forced a smile onto her face.

"The Saigyouji family will thrive without me. After all, the Soul Demon Princess and the others are still there. I'm just a burden there. They'd be happy if I left, wouldn't they?"

"Is it still because of what happened there? Since you've already chosen to leave, you might as well let it go."

Yukari Yakumo smiled, her expression nonchalant.

"You'll probably find out eventually anyway, so there's no harm in telling you now. After tonight, the Saigyouji family will cease to exist."

"!!!"

"There's nothing to be surprised about. It's survival of the fittest. Those things have nothing to do with you, right? There's such a beautiful view here, so don't think about those troublesome things."

Yukari Yakumo reached out and caught a firefly flitting among the grass, then held it up in front of Yuyuko Saigyouji.

"Look, isn't it beautiful?"

"...Why will the Saigyouji family be destroyed after tonight?"

After a moment of silence, Saigyouji Yuyuko, who was sitting there with her legs crossed, spoke softly.

"I can't help but care about this, so please tell me."