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~Momiji’s Perspective~
Countless fireworks have now bloomed and welcome the dawn sky.
The sky had already begun to turn white, the dawn was near.
the constant sound of festival music, the summer festival that never ends.
All the monsters who worked at the Inanaki Sacred Mountain enjoyed it, singing, dancing, and eating.
The only exception was the dark-haired girl, Momiji.
“This is… what have you people been thinking…!” (Momiji)
I grind my molars.
A wave of uncontrollable anger is overflowing from within me.
There’s a word in Yapani that describes my appearance, a Hannya, which is exactly what I probably looked like.
I had simply come to make my daily rounds, to see with my own eyes the unchanging, silent Inanaki Sacred Mountain.
But what about the scene in front of me?
From the first torii gate, along with the approach to the shrine, there were many stalls lined up.
In the distance, there was a tower, and the drummers were her employees.
I can see lanterns (bat-shaped monsters that look like lanterns) lined up, happy people passing by, and even a palanquin!
It’s an unusual situation, an unprecedented situation.
It’s much more normal for a party of adventurers to come to attack.
No, what if the attack has already begun?
“–You guys! Stop this foolishness right now!!” (Momiji)
I flew in an angry cry.
Normally, this would make anyone who hears it tremble, but in the face of these festivities, it’s powerless.
A few people who were walking relatively close to me just said, “Momiji-sama?”, “How awesome maple-sama!”, “She’s angry…”
I was so frustrated that I couldn’t help but ground my molars.
“You’ve got to be kidding me! I didn’t give you permission to do this! Get out of here! Get back to work!” (Momiji)
Another shout.
Normally, this would be the end of the matter.
Everyone would lower their eyes like a scolded child and quietly obey me since the relationship between boss and subordinate would be absolute.
But–
“…” (The Surrounding)
It was as if my anger had never existed in the first place, and I had been swallowed up in the hubbub of the festival.
In fact, even my subordinates who should have been able to hear my voice was passing by me, pretending not to hear me.
“Now…!? Hey, hey, hey! What the hell is wrong with you?” (Momiji)
“Hiii!?”
In the end, Momiji couldn’t take it anymore and grabbed one of the bakeneko walking nearby.
In her hands was a foodstuff that she probably bought from a food stall – baked rice cakes with sauce on them – and the presence of it made her even more irritable.
“You…! Do you think that this act will be forgiven…?” (Momiji)
“Momoji-sama, this is…!” (Bakeneko)
The bakeneko girl slumped and swam her eyes a lot, then as if she had made up her mind…
“—E-excuse me! Because today is a fair—we’re off duty-nya! There is no reason for Momiji-sama to say anything about how to spend the holidays-nya!” (Bakeneko)
“Guh…!?” (Momiji)
It’s my turn to be at a loss for words.
I never dreamed that I would be spoken back by my subordinates.
Seeing this as an opportunity, the Bakeneko goes on further.
“And both Nekomata-sama and Yukime-sama are enjoying the festival-nya!” (Bakeneko)
“What!?” (Momiji)
Momiji immediately scans the area.
Their presence was immediately sighted.
Nekomata was watching the bird-shaped sirens singing and dancing on the stage, standing bewilderedly there.
And the appearance of Yukime drinking alcohol with a woman with a flower decoration on her head.
Immediately blood rises on the Momiji’s head.
“Nekomata, Yukime…! Have you lost your mind?!” (Momiji)
Momiji shoved the bakeneko away and put her hand on the hilt of the naginata at her waist.
It was then.
“– I’m not going to let you do this, sister.” (Woman)
A woman stood in front of her.
An oni girl who is dressed in a kimono and also holds a naginata on her waist.
Her sister—Sakura.
“Sakura…!? …Is this your doing!?” (Momiji)
“…Yeah, this my idea.” (Sakura)
“What do you think you’re doing…! Why? …Why do you interfere with our work? Sakura!” (Momiji)
I released a tremendous pressure that shakes even the air around us.
If it was the Sakura from before, she would definitely have buckled under the pressure.
She would have given up, she would have been scared, she would have followed what I said.
But—Tonight’s Sakura didn’t back down and stubbornly say,
“ Work? Did you say work? This is it!?” (Sakura)
“… !? Well, Miss Runaway! We have an irreplaceable duty!” (Momiji)
“Labor without compensation is just childish!” (Sakura)
“You…! Are you ridiculing our sacred duties !? Don’t worry about the cost! For there is something more sublime than that…!” (Momiji)
“You think I don’t know?! —Look at this!” (Sakura)
Sakura turned and looked around at the scene of the festival.
“Everyone is enjoying the festival!? Everyone chose this festival over work on their precious holidays!? Who says I’m not working for the greater good!?” (Sakura)
“Guh…!?” (Momiji)
“ Come on, wake up! You call it “sacred duty”, but in the end, it’s just forced labor! We all want to take the occasional day off like normal people!!!” (Sakura)
“ Don’t be such a…… child! Don’t be so naive! Work is not that easy! Grow up, Sakura!!” (Momiji)
“If that’s the case, I’ll just be a child! It’s much better than pretending to be an adult and forcing a make-believe idea on everyone who doesn’t want to accept it!” (Sakura)
“I will not tolerate your repeated rudeness… Sakura!” (Momiji)
Momiji finally pulls out the naginata from its scabbard.
A blade that shined and glittered like water was exposed under the bright sun.
Sakura, on the other hand, pulls her own katana from its sheath.
Then, with a sharp gleam in her eye, she announced in a loud voice,
“–I’m Sakura! One of the Middle Management Hero Party! Over 0! Forever!” (Sakura)
Two blades met, and the sound of a tremendous fight rang out, cutting through even the festive atmosphere.
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