ROS – Chapter 37 – Zashiki Warashi (Part 2)

After Akari guided me to the storehouse, screams echoed through the mansion.

After we rushed to the location, we found Ao and he explained the situation as I carried the unconscious Gravito and Zashiki Warashi to the Japanese-style room.

I couldn’t hide my surprise at the fact that there were still youkais in Japan.

Zashiki Warashi huh… They have the appearance of children, and their abilities prevent me from seeing them.

“So, why can’t Sora and I see them, but Ao and Gravito can?” (Akari)

I actually have some theories for this.

“I think, and this is just a guess, but if it were Val, he wouldn’t be able to see them.” (Sora)

I tried to explain my theory to Akari and the others, in an easy-to-understand manner.

To summarise:

• Ao has a child’s heart.
• Gravito, on the other hand, has interacted with cursed power through the Fourth Technique in the past, and further transformed his body into that of a doll which significantly altered his nature as a monster, making his existence closer to that of a youkai.

The true abilities of youkai, are in a way, like enforcing their own rules.

The rules for being able to see Zashiki Warashi are:

• Having a child’s heart.
• Being a youkai yourself.

As long as one of these conditions isn’t met, you won’t be able to see them.

“Indeed… If what Sora says about the Zashiki Warashi’s rules is true, it makes sense.” (Akari)

I take out a paper doll from my pocket.

“Ao, please attach this to the head of the Zashiki Warashi.” (Sora)

“Okay.” (Ao)

Ao swiftly attached the paper and a new figure appeared.

“This is a Kyonshi¹…” (Ao)

“No, it’s a Zashiki Warashi.” (Sora)

Wait, am I the one supposed to be the one doing the correction now? 

I see… So this is what Katsu-san has to deal with every time.

“Mmm…” (Zashiki Warashi)

The Zashiki Warashi woke up.

Our eyes met clearly, and she froze.

“Could it be that you can see me?” (Zashiki Warashi)

“We can see you.” (Sora)

“Yes, we can see you.” (Akari)

The Zashiki Warashi noticed the paper attached to her head.

“What?! Wait, what is this paper… It won’t come off… It won’t come off! Why won’t it come off?! Argh!” (Zashiki Warashi)

Akari whispered to me.

“Are you using magic to make it unremovable? That’s amazing.” (Akari)

“No, I just used super glue.” (Sora)

“You fiend.” (Akari)

I’m sorry for being a fiend.

But it’s impossible to make something unremovable using magic. In the past, we had to resort to using rice grains as makeshift glue to cover this but it still peels off quite easily.

Nowadays, tapes and superglue exist which are really convenient.

While we were talking, the Zashiki Warashi gave up trying to peel off the paper. I thought she might panic upon realizing that she was visible, but perhaps because of Ao and Gravito’s presence, she remained calm.

Despite her appearance, she seemed quite mature.

“Why can you see me?” (Zashiki Warashi)

“It’s a combination of the Third and Fourth Technique. It allows us to see the shape of your soul.” (Sora)

The youkai’s rules are primarily about making themselves invisible, but it doesn’t change the fact that they still exist. How to make them visible depends on the skill of the practitioner.

Unlike dealing with other monsters, fighting youkais involve understanding many of their rules.

That’s why I believed that Seimei, who had the ability to ignore the youkai’s rules, would become the strongest onmyouji.

Back in the Heian period, the rules possessed by a certain youkai who managed to deal quite a fatal wound on me were extremely troublesome. No… I don’t want to remember that scene again.

“An onmyoji, huh? It’s been hundreds of years since I havae met a real one.” (Zashiki Warashi)

“Yeah, it’s been a while since I’ve seen a Zashiki Warashi too.” (Sora)

“…?” (Zashiki Warashi)

The Zashiki Warashi had an expression as if to say, “Do you know other Zashiki Warashi aside from me?”

The gaze I had been sensing ever since I entered the mansion seemed to belong to the Zashiki Warashi in front of me.

Even though I knew it wasn’t a malicious presence, I never expected that a youkai had taken up residence here.

“Are there no other youkai besides you in Japan anymore?” (Sora)

“I don’t know. I haven’t left this mansion before, so I haven’t seen any youkai from outside for hundreds of years.” (Zashiki Warashi)

“I see.” (Sora)

Hmm… There were certainly many youkai during the time I was alive. Although, I have no memory of a Zashiki Warashi being a part of the Mikage clan.

So, does that mean she came here after I passed away?

“Hey, could it be that the one who invited you to this mansion is a red-haired girl, someone like Akari?” (Sora)

“Wha──?! H-How did you know…? Well, it’s true that she looks exactly like Akari, but…” (Zashiki Warashi)

Ah… it’s her², after all.

In that case, this girl in front of me should also know about Seimei too. I’d like to hear more details about him.

At that moment, Akari, looking displeased, propped her chin on her hand.

“Nee~ I have no idea what you’re talking about with all this youkai and someone who looks like me stuff.” (Akari)

As I pondered how to explain things in response to her, the sliding door opened with a noise.

It was Sakuya.

“Sora, the livestream preparations are ready.” (Sakuya)

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TL Notes:

Thanks for reading!

Lmao the ultimate disrespect by supergluing the talisman to her face. Sora is truly a devil.

Looks like it’s gonna be live stream (Special Guest Appearance: Zashiki Warashi). This is gonna be fun.

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Footnote:

1. Kyonshi is a reanimated zombie corpse thing with a talisman stuck on their head. Think of it as something like the Kyonshi’s from Onmyoji Arena or Qiqi from genshin.
2. If you don’t remember, she is the red haired girl from the Mikage clan who Sora saved in the past. She appeared in ch 29.