The Fierce Saintess

Episode 37: Joukyou 3 (1686) - Part 8

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*****

「A woman with a child in her belly moves slowly, making her easy prey. Furthermore, the baby within her belly has soft, tender flesh and tastes delicious. What's more, as a child of the Tsuchimikado family, it is bound to possess hidden power—devouring them both will make my strength even more formidable!」

As it chuckled in self-satisfied delight, Tomonobu managed to push his upper body up using his elbows. Tattered fragments of Kohiru's torn kimono were blown by the wind, slapping against his face and shoulders. Placing his trembling hands on the ground, he lifted his eyes, only for a giant spider to display its hideous, monstrous whole in the gathering dusk.

Only then did Tomonobu finally comprehend in his mind that all of this was the monster's scheme, and that someone named 'Kohiru' had never existed to begin with.

Yet his heart could not accept it so easily, recalling every detail since they met, pleading that it couldn't be true. He couldn't believe that smile or those promises were lies—the monster must be lying just to confuse him.

Then, right before Tomonobu, something dropped with a thud.

「Didn't you think it strange? Even though she never showed you her fox form even once.」

Tumbled on the ground was the pelt of a fox, split open down the back. The fur that must have once shone bright white was now a mottled gray, and while the petal shape on its forehead was barely discernible, its color appeared as nothing more than pale brown. Even so...

(Kohiru...)

Tomonobu reflexively reached his hand out toward it, but—

*Swish!*

A bundle of thread spewed from the monster's abdomen wrapped around his body, hoisting him up while binding him tighter and tighter.

Thick, long fangs glistening slickly drew near right before his eyes. The thought of his body being crunched to pieces by them sent tremors through his whole frame, and he squirmed frantically in an attempt to break free, but the webs wouldn't budge. Short screams poured continuously from Tomonobu's mouth, his eyes unable to even close as they stared fixatedly at the fangs.

「Fear not, I shall not devour you just yet. Humans, strangely enough, tend to abhor harming children, so I will use you as a shield. After that, I shall grant your wish. You may speak to your heart's content with your father in the next world.」

With even more webs wrapping around him, Tomonobu hung helpless from its pedipalps, unable to do anything but watch as Kohiru's pelt was trampled under the monster's legs and smeared with dirt. Tears spilled over from frustration, helplessness, and sorrow.

(......)

「Now then, such a fine feeding ground must be savored at leisure.」

Saying so, the giant spider began spewing large amounts of webbing around the gate, sealing it off.

＊＊＊

「Something has breached the barrier! Investigate immediately!」

Ordered by Yasumasa, who sensed an abnormality in the estate's barrier, the guards led by Shutetsu came running to check the situation, only to stand utterly appalled at the sight before them.

「This is...」

「A... spider monster?!」

「Dammit, why on a day like this...?」

A giant spider monster easily over ten feet tall had not only breached the estate grounds, but had captured an apprentice candidate child, dangling him from its pedipalps as if ready to stuff him into its maw at any moment.

Bound in layer upon layer of spider silk, the child's face was deathly pale, blood streaming from his cheek and hands.

Furthermore, the area around the gate was already thickly sealed with webbing, making escaping outside or calling for help seem impossible. To make matters worse, the webbing was gradually spreading. Looking closely, tens—no, hundreds—of spiderlings roughly the size of a palm were spewing thread everywhere.

(This is awful! At this rate, the entire estate will become a spiderweb in less than an hour!)

「Notify Lord Yasumasa immediately! Tell him a phantom has invaded the grounds!」

Shutetsu raised his voice, shouting instructions to the attendants and footmen.

「Also, evacuate the people in the estate to a safe location, prioritizing Lady Chino, Princess Kana, and Lord Yasutsura!」

「「Understood!」」

「Heh heh, it is useless. There is nowhere to run.」

Hearing Shutetsu's words, the spider monster spewed out even more webbing with a chuckle. It attached to the roof of a nearby building, and just as the spiderlings went scuttling up the thread, they all began spraying web from atop the roof simultaneously.

「This place is already my feeding ground. Give up and be eaten.」

「Guh, big as it may be, it's just a spider. I'll take it!」

Before Shutetsu could stop him, a young guard drew his sword and leaped forward, but—

「My, what lively prey.」

The moment the spider monster spoke, multiple strands of web shot out, swooping down upon the guard.

「Uwah!」

His sword torn away in an instant and his movement pinned by threads tangled around his arms and legs, the guard gasped for air under the tight coil around his neck. He squirmed desperately, but soon ceased to move.

「Ah, blast it. They don't taste as good dead.」

Watching his comrade's corpse cast aside like trash, Shutetsu pulled back inside the building and roared:

「Listen up! Do not rush in recklessly under any circumstances!」

At present, there were not many guards remaining to protect the estate. A substantial number had accompanied the Onmyouji who were away for the Great Purification, but more than that, the Tsuchimikado household was normally protected by multi-layered barriers that made external intrusion extremely difficult, rendering a large defense force unnecessary.

However, it was a different story if someone inside invited an intruder in. In that case, the barrier's protection failed to take effect, allowing entry into the estate.

(That boy must have invited the monster in somehow. The building's barrier is still holding for now, but if the barrier is destroyed along with the building...)

＊＊＊

「A spider monster in the estate?!」

Upon receiving the news, Yasumasa acted swiftly.

「Matsuba, Kaede, go reinforce Shutetsu immediately! It's near the side entrance beside the observatory!」

「「As you command.」」

Watching the divine messengers dash off, he then pulled out his yatate and quickly jotted down the urgent message and direction onto a bird-shaped shikigami.

(Father should be in the South Court in front of the Shishinden Hall right now...)

「Swiftly as the law decrees, fly and convey this message!」

Blowing on the shikigami to dispatch it, he ran toward the side entrance himself to assess the situation. Along the way, he ordered an attendant present to gather all the apprentices and candidates remaining in the estate.

However, the moment he stepped just shy of the side entrance, Yasumasa froze. The spider monster's size and ghastliness far exceeded his imagination, sending a wave of terror surging over him. But pushing it back with all his might, he halted his feet just as they began to step backward. Seeing Matsuba and Kaede, who had arrived first, step smoothly out front to protect their master, he finally found his voice.

「I have already notified Father. He will return with haste, but until then, we must protect this place at all costs!」

Calling out to Shutetsu and the others, he began reciting the Vajra Kundali Mantra to reinforce the barrier himself.

「On kirikiri bazara un hatta, on kirikiri bazara un hatta, on kirikiri bazara un hatta.」

Even while chanting, the anxiety in Yasumasa's chest only grew. Master of divine messengers though he was as the next head, he was still only ten years old. Though he barked out order after order to guards and attendants, he didn't even know if what he was doing was truly right.

(If only either Fūka or Ruka of Father's divine messengers would return first, I could ask them!)

Still, he could not afford to let his anxiety show on his face.

(Right now, this is a battlefield, and I am the commander.)

Just as he was about to chant more mantras—

「Lord Yasumasa, I have brought them!」

The attendant arrived driving forward the apprentices and candidates, who were wondering suspiciously what was happening. Apparently, they had been rounded up without any explanation.

As a result, the instant they laid eyes on the giant spider, some tried to flee, while others collapsed to the ground and even wet themselves.

「The exits are already blocked, so there is no escape! If you do not wish to die, lend a hand! Fortunately, the building's barrier is intact. Anyone who can use even a little spellcraft, chant mantras to bolster the barrier's strength! Those who cannot, chant mantras of protection!」

「「W-Whose mantra should we...」」

「Anyone's! If you want to survive, chant every single one you know!」

「「「Y-Yes, sir!」」」

Immediately, several trainees began reciting the mantra of Trailokyavijaya (Gōzanze Myōō)—「On somba nisomba un basara un patta」—and the Vajra Kundali incantation (Kongō Gundari-ju).

And as for the candidates:

「O-On abira unken bazaradato ban...」「「On abira unken bazaradato ban...」「「「On abira unken bazaradato ban!」」」

As one began chanting the mantra of Dainichi Nyorai, more and more joined in chorus, quickly turning into a grand unison.

Dainichi Nyorai was the principal Buddha possessing both 'boundless compassion' and 'vast wisdom.' While the effects of its mantra were wide-ranging, it was highly effective for purification and repelling evil. Furthermore, even for those whose divine power was not particularly high, chanting in unison with a single mind produced a great result.

The effect manifested immediately: the spiderlings on top of the roof tumbled off one after another.

「Good, it's working. Keep going!」

Yasumasa shouted words of encouragement. However, that drew the spider monster's wrath entirely onto himself.

「Insolent brat! I shall devour you first!」

＊＊＊

「Princess! Please flee to a safe place immediately!」

As a male attendant who normally never entered the inner chambers appeared, Princess Kana asked, holding back her startled maidservants.

「I have sensed an abnormality in the estate's barrier for a while now. What has transpired?」

「A spider monster has breached the estate grounds! And it's a massive brute, over ten feet tall!」

The moment she heard that, Natsume sank to the floor, paralyzed. Though unusually tall and tomboyish since childhood, for some reason spiders were her absolute weakness.

If it was tiny, it was one thing, but once it reached the size of a thumb tip, she couldn't handle it at all, leaping and fleeing at the mere sight. Now she was told it was over ten feet tall. Just imagining it caused her legs to give way.

Both Princess Kana and Saki were well aware of Natsume's phobia of spiders, so—

「You there, forgive me, but lend a hand. Saki, I leave Natsume to you! I shall...」

「Princess!」

At that moment, Suou pulled hard on the princess's sleeve. Losing her balance, she landed on her backside, but right in front of her eyes, something flew past.

Looking closely, a small spider was perched on the male attendant's shoulder, and it had shot a thread straight toward the princess. As it prepared to shoot another thread—

*Smack!*

Kaou crushed it with a pebble of ice. The male attendant turned pale at his own blunder.

「When on earth did...」

「Do not move. There may still be more. Suou, Kaou, check his body!」

「「Understood!」」

As a result, they crushed two more and confirmed there were no others.

「What about Mother and Lord Yasutsura?」

「Another person has already gone to inform them.」

「I see. However, if such things have already snuck in here, this place can no longer be called safe. Saki, enlist this man's help to take Natsume and everyone to the Kondon Sanctuary. That place is protected by a barrier with special spellwork. However, be sure to inspect each other's bodies and clothing for spiders before stepping inside.」

While nodding, Saki looked at the princess with deep concern.

「What will you do, Princess?」

「I shall go to assist Brother.」

「No! It is far too dangerous. Please don't!」

「Nonsense. Of those currently able to move in this estate, I likely possess the highest divine power. Moreover, Suou and Kaou are Pattern-Bearers who learned offensive arts in our recent training. Thus, assisting Brother and guarding the estate until Father returns is my duty. Let us go, Suou, Kaou!」

「「As you command, Princess!」」

(This won't do... Me acting like this...)

Seeing her beloved princess dashing off to deal with the monster herself, Natsume finally came back to her senses.

Her very first thought was that she had to protect Princess Kana no matter what. It wasn't that her fear of spiders had vanished, but more than that, she felt she had to think of what she could do right now and take action.

That was when an idea struck her. It was something she felt only she could have noticed precisely because she had spent her whole life paying constant attention to spiders since childhood.

(Spiders never spin webs near *that*... So if I use *that*, maybe...)

Rising on unsteady feet, Natsume asked the male attendant to evacuate everyone as the princess had instructed, took Saki by the hand, and began running toward a certain location.