Chapter 79: Kagome Hall (7)
Chapter 79: Kagome Hall (7)
Fang Jing blinked; he was not sure if he had just seen something or if it was his imagination…
That figure was a woman, that much was correct. Just by looking at her silhouette, it was definitely not Madam Fumiko. Also, the room she was in was not the one with that window.
“That window should be Shikatori’s room.”
At this hour, there should not be any outsiders in Shikatori’s room. At least… if it was locked, outsiders should not be able to get in.
Considering the height, it could not be Wakae.
Chikabe Fuyuko was not around either.
So, could it be Madam Esumi? But why would she go to Shikatori’s room?
Questions kept popping up one after another…
Slap!
The cane hit his leg. This time he had sensed it coming in advance, but he was too lazy to move out of the way.
“What are you looking at?”
Toriumi Arisu asked a strange question.
Fang Jing was stunned for a moment; he had not expected Toriumi to notice what he had seen.
She… really could not see.
“…Did you see something just now?”
In that moment of his daze, Toriumi Arisu asked the question again.
“No… nothing.”
He closed his mouth, not intending to talk about what he had just witnessed.
Toriumi Arisu also fell silent, but a faint look of understanding appeared on her face instead.
“Let me give you a piece of advice: find a way to leave this mansion tomorrow. This place is covered by an ominous force.”
After saying this, she tapped her cane on the ground and drifted away.
————————
Naturally, Fang Jing could not just turn and leave after hearing Toriumi Arisu’s words. He did not think any major problems would arise at this stage.
Besides, he did not believe his luck was so bad that he would be like a certain grade-school detective, bringing storms of blood and death wherever he went, spreading chains of death all around.
The importance of the Hirakawa Family’s Collection Room was clear to him. As long as he could obtain antiques and artworks that stored Yin Energy, he would become much stronger in a very short time.
As for the woman he saw upstairs, he went to confirm with Madam Esumi again.
The result was somewhat unexpected… Although Madam Esumi was a little surprised by his questions, she was not too shocked. She nodded and said she had indeed gone upstairs and entered the room.
(Could he have really seen wrong? Was the woman in the window… actually Madam Esumi? Or was he just too anxious, mistaking things in his nervousness…)
“As long as I make it to tomorrow, everything should be fine.”
Hirakawa Shun was supposed to return tomorrow. One more day should not cause any problems.
Fang Jing locked the doors and windows, lay down on the bed, and naturally thought this way. As he thought this, he closed his eyes on the bed.
He soon fell asleep and entered a deep slumber.
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Consciousness drifted in emptiness.
It was like a leaf floating on the water’s surface, slowly sinking beneath it, gradually settling to the bottom.
…
After some time, his vision suddenly became clear. “He” saw a mountainous area. At the foot of the mountains, he could clearly see a line of fire serpents crawling along the winding mountain path.
Those were not fire serpents, but a group of people holding torches.
Not good! They’re coming!
An inexplicable fear surged in his heart. He knew very well that this was very bad.
He rushed toward the mansion, pushed open the heavy door, and cried out.
No… This was useless.
He quickly headed toward the second floor, stomping up the stairs.
That’s right, over there. He soon noticed that she… was right there.
His emotions grew tense. His entire face tightened, and his expression became increasingly fearful and uneasy.
Those people would arrive soon. Alone, he could not hold them off for long.
She sat by the window, her big eyes watching the mountain path below. A soft, innocent smile appeared on her pale white face.
As usual, the black cat lay on the woman’s knees, its almond-shaped pupils narrowed into slits.
It lazily stretched on the woman’s lap, then jumped down to the floor.
“…What’s wrong?”
The woman’s lips seemed to move. He did not hear clearly, but he could guess what she was saying—He knew her all too well.
Even her every move, every smile or frown, he could discern the subtle meanings behind them.
No… This was not the time to think about that. She had to leave this place, escape from this cage. Otherwise… Thinking of this, he tightened his grip on the weapon in his hand.
…
Bang!
The sound of gunfire… and chaotic noises threw his memories into disarray, like a calm water surface being shattered, splashing fragmented and disordered memories.
Fire, intense flames began to burn. The entire estate was engulfed. Everything before his eyes was burned, ignited, and swallowed by the flames. Tongues of fire licked at all things, turning all beauty into ashes.
Memory… also came to an abrupt halt at this moment.
————————
He had a very bad dream.
Fang Jing held his forehead. Whether it was due to poor sleep or something else, this dream made him extremely uncomfortable.
Walking to the Mirror, he noticed he had dark circles under his eyes.
As for the dream he had, his memories were fragmented… He could not quite remember.
“If you can’t remember, then don’t force it.”
He patted his cheeks to perk up his spirits and also recalled some information he had exchanged with Old Man Qiao yesterday.
Fang Jing had actively sought out Old Man Qiao last night and talked with him for a while. From him, he learned a lot about Kinugawa.
Hearing Fang Jing actively ask about Kinugawa’s history, Old Man Qiao was surprised but also very happy. For an enthusiast like him, discussing such topics was right up his alley.
The old man, who had originally planned to sleep, found his drowsiness fading due to the desire to chat.
“The origins of the Kinugawa Clan are very mysterious. Rumors say they come from an ancient family, but that family does not publicly reveal its name. It is said only a very few people know of its existence…”
Old Man Qiao chuckled: “One suspicion is that this clan worshipped a secret religion. They might have believed in an ancient religion, worshipping hidden gods like Matara and Ichigenshin.”
“Hidden gods?”
“Exactly… deities whose true forms are unknown and cannot be rashly judged.”
Old Man Qiao stroked his sparse beard: “No one knows their true nature. It is unclear if they have sacred texts or a clear foundation of faith. To be sure, there are scattered directions of such worship and faith in this country, but that legendary clan is even more mysterious… Even whether they actually exist is a question.”
“But the Kinugawa House does exist, right?”
“Of course.”
Old Man Qiao happily nodded and casually rummaged through the messy table, finding a heavy book: “They probably came here from North Harima when the country started abolishing domains and establishing prefectures. But if you trace further back, no one knows the clan’s detailed history…”
“The Kinugawa House should be a prominent and wealthy family, right?”
“No, the Kinugawa family made a living from sericulture. Initially, their family circumstances were ordinary. That clan later gradually prospered through the silk reeling and weaving industry…”
Old Man Qiao told him more information, including the rise of the Kinugawa Clan.
“Because this clan was relatively wealthy, they slowly grew stronger locally and accumulated some assets. But because they were outsiders, they faced hostility from the locals.”
Old Man Qiao continued: “Also, almost none of the successive heads of the Kinugawa House lived past forty. And women who married into the clan often died young. The locals believed this was a cursed clan.”
Kinugawa Shima was born into such a family. His mother died when he was born, and his father passed away when he was seven. He had a very lonely childhood, but he was fortunate in one regard: he also inherited a vast family fortune.
After growing into adulthood, Kinugawa Shima lived in seclusion, hoping to pursue his own interests. He read a lot, but he was narrow-minded and had few friends.
He was mostly self-taught in wood carving, so his style differed greatly from famous artists of the time. His carvings were mostly bizarre and fantastical. The Mahoraga series was among his more famous works.
“But it’s a pity… Now most of his works are lost, and few people collect them. It is said that before his death, he spent most of his time working on his final wood carving. A few people who corresponded with him knew he was carving a wood sculpture named ‘Black Madonna’…”
However, this was just occasional information mentioned by Kinugawa Shima. After his clan’s tragic demise, no one found that wood carving.
…
He did not talk with the old man for too long either, after all, someone of Old Man Qiao’s age usually went to bed early.
“The time is… 9:40? How long did I sleep?”
The time shown on his Phone was 9:40 in the morning. He had never slept this late before. In recent times, his sleep duration had become shorter and shorter, and his waking time was very consistent, usually around 5:00 in the morning.
“This is too strange.”
Fang Jing shook his head. He walked to the window and pulled open the curtains. Outside, the sky was pitch black, and a half-moon was hidden among the clouds.
Wait! The moon… Right now, is it really 9:40 in the morning?