The night at this moment was deep, the vast sky like an enormous black curtain covering the rolling earth.
Under the moonlight shining like water at this hour.
Shinji followed behind Kikyō and stepped into the village.
This was the first time in the three months since he had arrived in this world that he had truly entered a human settlement.
Calling it a village, it was actually just a few dozen households. Thatched roofs, wooden walls, tamped earth floors.
Poor.
That was Shinji's first impression.
But that was normal. The Sengoku era was, after all, a time of chaos war-torn, the people struggling to survive. Having a roof to keep out the wind and rain was already lucky.
Moreover, they had to face yokai attacks from time to time.
The villagers along the way had already dispersed from near the shrine and returned to their homes.
But they didn't go inside. They stood at their doors, by their windows, sizing up the figure following the shrine maiden with all kinds of looks.
Awe.
Fear.
Curiosity.
And… gratitude?
Shinji could feel those complex gazes on him.
He didn't mind.
Three months of life as a demon warrior had long accustomed him to all kinds of looks. Besides, there was no hostility in these looks, just pure bewilderment.
After all, a yokai who helped them repel yokai… it really was hard to know what expression to put on.
"Don't be afraid."
Kikyō's voice sounded from ahead.
She didn't turn around, but her voice clearly spread throughout the entire village.
"He is a guest."
Just those words.
No explanation, no reassurance, just stating it.
But the villagers' tension noticeably eased.
Shinji noticed that a few children who had been hiding behind doors poked their heads out, curiously examining him.
"The shrine maiden's authority is very high."
He remarked.
To have such authority, to gain the trust of the villagers, also spoke to the efforts of the shrine maiden before him.
Kikyō didn't respond.
The two walked along the village path upwards, finally arriving at the foot of the stone steps leading to the shrine.
The vermilion torii gate cast a long shadow in the moonlight. The huge sacred tree's branches and leaves were lush, almost covering half the sky.
This was the first time Shinji had observed this shrine up close.
Not large in scale, but very clean.
The stone steps were swept spotless. The stone lanterns on both sides still had traces of burnt incense.
The vermilion paint on the torii gate was a bit faded, but you could see it had been carefully maintained.
"This is…"
"My residence."
Kikyō picked up the thread. "Also the core of the barrier protecting this village."
She stepped onto the stone steps, her white robes and red hakama swaying gently in the night wind.
Shinji followed.
His boots made faint sounds on the stone steps.
Those sounds were especially clear in the silent night.
One step, two steps, three steps.
Twenty-seven steps.
The end of the stone steps was an open platform, directly facing the shrine's main hall.
The main hall wasn't large, wooden structure, roof covered with grey tiles.
In front of the hall was a bronze incense burner, with a few unburnt incense sticks still stuck inside.
Incense smoke curled, dispersing in the night wind.
Shinji stood on the platform and looked around.
From here, he could overlook the entire village.
Those thatched roofs gleamed faintly silver under the moon. Occasionally, one or two lights flickered behind windows.
Although poor, impoverished, it was very quiet here.
Very peaceful.
Completely different from the mountains of corpses and seas of blood he had grown used to over the past three months.
"Sister!"
A young voice broke the silence.
Shinji looked towards the sound and saw a little girl running out of the shrine's main entrance.
Around seven or eight years old, with twin ponytails, wearing simple cotton clothes, and straw sandals on her feet.
Her face still showed obvious panic; she must have been hiding in the shrine when the yokai attacked earlier.
"Kaede."
Kikyō's voice rarely carried a hint of softness. "It's alright."
The little girl named Kaede rushed to Kikyō and hugged her waist.
"I was so scared! So many scary sounds outside! And so many yokai!"
Her voice was tearful.
Kikyō looked down and gently patted her back.
"It's all over."
Kaede looked up, eyes brimming with tears, at Kikyō. "Really? Are all the yokai gone?"
"Mmm."
Kikyō nodded.
Kaede finally breathed a sigh of relief, the fear on her face gradually fading.
But the next second, her gaze fell on the figure behind Kikyō.
Shinji.
Clad in tattered red armor.
Disheveled white hair.
And that,
Crimson red oni mask.
"Ah!!!"
Kaede screamed and plopped down on the ground.
She pointed at Shinji, her finger trembling violently.
"A de-de-demon——!"
Shinji: "…"
Well, this reaction was normal enough.
If it were him, suddenly seeing a guy in a oni mask standing in front of him, he'd probably be freaked out too.
Let alone a child.
"Kaede."
Kikyō's voice was calm. "He is not an enemy."
"B-but his face…"
Kaede hid behind Kikyō, only half her head peeking out, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on Shinji.
That look held both fear and curiosity.
Kikyō glanced at Shinji.
She seemed to want to say something but held back.
Shinji understood what she wanted to say.
This oni mask was really too frightening.
Not just for children; even adults would feel a chill down their spine seeing it.
He looked down at himself.
Tattered armor, stained with blood and grime.
Pale hair, disheveled like straw.
Plus this crimson oni mask… he looked like a villain no matter how you saw it.
"…Never mind."
Shinji sighed.
He raised his hand and touched the edge of that red oni mask on his face.
In the three months since he had arrived in this world, he had hardly ever taken off this mask.
Partly out of habit, partly because there was no need.
After all, everyone he met was either a yokai or an exorcist trying to kill him. There was no one who needed to see his true face.
And as a demon warrior, this mask was, to some extent, also his second face, a layer of armor formed from his demonic energy, his ghostly aura.
His 'protective shell'.
But now was different.
He was standing in a human village.
Standing before a little girl who had been frightened to tears by his face.
Also standing before the strongest shrine maiden of the Sengoku era, who seemed to have initially trusted and accepted him.
His fingers hooked the edge of the mask, applying gentle pressure.
Click.
The red oni mask fell away.
Moonlight spilled onto that face, hidden for three months.
It was a young face.
Around sixteen or seventeen years old, regular features, clearly defined contours.
Although his skin was pale, not like a living person, that paleness instead accentuated a kind of sickly handsomeness.
His eyes with jet-black sclera and crimson pupils glowed faintly in the moonlight, the crimson pupils like two burning jewels.
Paired with that head of pale hair…
"So beautiful…"
Kaede had somehow peeked out from behind Kikyō, her eyes sparkling.
"Big brother is so handsome!"
Shinji: "…"
This contrast was too much, right?
A moment ago she was screaming in fear, now she was acting lovesick?
Children's emotional changes really were hard to predict.
Kikyō was also looking at him.
Those cool eyes seemed to hold a hint of surprise.
Maybe she hadn't expected that under that oni mask was the face of a young boy.
"You…"
She began, but then stopped.
What had she originally wanted to ask?
Wanted to ask who he was in life?
Wanted to ask why he was so young when he became a demon warrior?
Died young, perhaps…
But in the end, she asked nothing.
Just withdrew her gaze and said to Kaede.
"It's getting late. You should go home."
"Eh——?"
Kaede pouted in dissatisfaction. "But I still want to talk to the handsome big brother!"
"Your aunt and uncle will worry." Although she was her sister, Kaede was mostly fostered with other families in the village.
"…Fine."
Kaede replied dejectedly.
But after taking a few steps, she turned back and waved at Shinji.
"Big brother, can I see you tomorrow?"
Shinji glanced at Kikyō.
Kikyō said nothing.
"…Probably."
He answered vaguely.
"It's a promise then! I'll come play with you again tomorrow!"
Kaede's voice gradually faded into the night wind.
Only after her figure disappeared down the stone steps did the shrine finally fall silent again.
Only Shinji, and Kikyō, remained.
Two people.
One human.
One yokai.
Gazing at each other in the moonlight.