Hide and Seek
Chapter 14
When you're living in kindergarten, some rules seem to emerge on the spot.
One of those rules is this:
"Teacher, we can't find Hotaru-chan!"
It's like a rule for hide-and-seek where if Hotaru-chan hides, you can't win. Pointing out that it's more of a fact than a rule isn't accepted; it's just one of those on-the-spot rules. And since Hotaru-chan is always there before time is up, it's kind of tricky in a way.
So, the kids think they have to find her at all costs, using all sorts of methods, but they can't find Hotaru-chan. At this point, you start to suspect she's not just a regular person, but maybe a hide-and-seek pro or even some other entity entirely.
"Is it really? If she's not a person, then she won't be able to eat our oranges. Those oranges are from the grateful field of Lord Tanuki."
No, seriously, Asuka-chan, let's just stop with the oranges. You will be the one to regret it.*
[T/N- Asuka keep saying Mandarin as Orange, it will be her one of the Embarassing past , that's what Runa meant]
But more importantly, a mysterious term has come up.
"Lord Tanuki?"
"Yeah! He's super important and an amazing yokai*!!"
[T/N- Literal meaning Ghost, for Details, here used as a local God]
Upon asking, it turns out Lord Tanuki refers to Kobo Daishi Mausoleum, of famous Shikoku Pilgrimage. I kind of guessed that from the name, but apparently the "tanuki" is apparently a Spector.
Shikoku has long been associated with tales of tanuki yokai, and historical anecdotes recount a particularly formidable tanuki's intervention in a feudal lord's family conflict in Ehime Prefecture during the Edo era.
After causing various problems, it was sealed away, and it seems that the place it was sealed is connected to kobo daishi mausoleum .
It seems that because these mandarin are from a nearby mandarin orchard near the sealed place, they're believed to have the protection of the "Lord Tanuki."
"Hotaru-chan loves these oranges♪"
Hotaru-chan nods eagerly in agreement with Asuka-chan.
Perhaps because of this connection, Hotaru-chan helps Asuka-chan distribute the Mandarin named oranges.
But that's beside the point.
"Why not try catching her with mandarins as bait?"
"I actually tried that already. But only the oranges were eaten."
As Asuka-chan puts her hand on her cheek in dismay, Hotaru-chan nods in understanding.
Does Hotaru-chan really understand her own situation? But asking such questions only stirs up the childlike desire to find out.
After being reborn, my thoughts are often dragged down by my body, but I don't care, what's the point of life if I don't enjoy my youth?
"Hehe. Then I'll find Hotaru-chan for you!"
Twenty minutes later
A bewildered Hotaru-chan appears before me, as I failed to find her .
At this point I don't know what's future holds for me but ...
"Hehehe. I'll use the power of science and money to find Hotaru-chan!"
"Runa-chan, I think that's a bit immature..."
.
The next day,
What I prepared was a home video camera.
It's still quite expensive, costing tens of thousands of yen, but I'm a young lady.I can easily afford that much money.
After Tachibana bought it and my three maids found out and thus began my photo session, my precious sacrifice led to the setup of the video camera in the kindergarten's garden for my filming session.
"Asuka-chan, give me a mandarin."
"I said they're Oranges!"
"Okay, okay."
We lay out a tarp in the middle of the garden and place the mandarins on top.
This way, when Hotaru-chan, who's hiding, comes out, the camera will capture her perfectly.
As for the opinions of other children like, "What if Hotaru-chan keeps hiding?" they were ignored by me and Asuka-chan.
And so, with a fullproof plan, we embarked on our revenge...
"Lies! Why isn't it showing up on the camera!?"
"The mandarins disappeared!?"
Afterward, we were all terrified by the unexpected horror scene where the mandarins captured on the camera suddenly vanished, except for the one who is cause of it, Hotaru-chan who was happily eating the mandarins.
"Isn't there anything else we can do to find Hotaru-chan?"
After several failed attempts, and with the addition of three more video cameras, despite it being somewhat eerie that Hotaru-chan couldn't be seen on camera, we had become somewhat accustomed to it.
As I pondered deeply about what to do next, my longtime companion, Asuka-chan, suddenly clapped her hands.
"Since Hotaru-chan likes singing, maybe if you sing, she'll join in!"
Though I couldn't help but think it was unlikely, I sang a random song, coincidentally one that was playing on the educational TV channel.
♪♪
In my past life, I loved singing. I wanted to pursue singing, but financial constraints prevented me from doing so. As an adult, I eventually forgot about singing altogether, until...
Interrupting my thoughts, Asuka-chan applauded enthusiastically.
"You're amazing! Runa-chan, you sing so well!"
[T/N- in the future she will be singer model swordsman manythings you just have to turn off your brain in those moments......]
Pleased with the praise, I continued to sing a couple more songs. Before I knew it, not only Asuka-chan but also nearby children and teachers were listening intently.
Yes, I had forgotten how much I loved singing.
*Clap clap clap.*
As I finished singing, Hotaru-chan clapped her hands and smiled.
"Runa-chan, you're good at singing♪"
"Hotaru-chan spoke!!"
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[Kobo Daishi Kukai]
A friend living in Shikoku once declared, "Shikoku is like Disneyland for the elderly," which seems to hit the nail on the head regarding the 88 temples pilgrimage.
Furthermore, rather than "being defeated by eating mandarins because they're yokai," it's more accurate to say that "the curse placed by the targeted yokai was lifted thanks to the powerful mandarin oranges."
[Lord Tanuki]
The Hidden God of Punishment.
Although the sealing was done by the power of Usa Hachiman Shrine, in this story, it's attributed to the power of Kobo Daishi Kukai. Exploring the relationship between the samurai class's worship of Hachiman and the local worship of Kukai could be intriguing from an ethnographic perspective, but alas, time is short.
[Songs]
"Minna no Uta" (Everyone's Songs)
Luna's favorite songs from "Minna no Uta" are "Makkura Mori no Uta," "Tsuki no Waltz," and "Metropolitan Bijutsukan."
[Hotaru-chan spoke!]
A reference to a certain hamburger chain's commercial.
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