Chapter 82
It's been so hot day after day that I'm practically boiling.
Today, too, I'm enjoying the coolness as the river carries me along.
The river water is always cold, and so are the amoebas.
I want to do something about how hard it is to sleep in this heat. I can't sleep.
...?
Maybe if I cool the room with magic, it'll be easier to sleep...
...
...
Damn, why didn't I realize that sooner!
Maybe it's because I still haven't gotten used to magic?
Magic still feels kind of strange to me.
...I'll get used to it in time. There's no point in rushing.
Today, I'll cool things down with magic before going to bed. Definitely.
Even so, playing every day is starting to weigh on my conscience.
So, instead of getting out of the river... I'll think about curses.
It's unclear whether there are any humans in this world.
Back in Japan, a curse was something one person used against another.
There might be humans somewhere.
...Though there's a good chance there aren't any in the forest.
This world might even consist of nothing but forest.
Ah, this line of thought is getting depressing. Next!
What exactly is a curse?
In Japan, cursing a specific person was probably the most common kind.
Or maybe something that settles in a place... No, would that be a ghost rather than a curse?
The forest is a place, too.
...Could it be the work of a ghost?
Ha ha ha, never mind that. Ignore it, ignore it.
Don't think about it. Don't think about it.
Ha ha ha, this is kind of fun!
The most terrifying curse in the forest is that shadow.
It sort of clings to my body, which irritates me, and it scares my companions.
If I see it, I'll purify it immediately. No question.
That thing is to blame for everything!
There's also possession!
Shuri was taken over, and so were the baby ants.
That's another bad curse.
Hmm? Are there good curses and bad curses?
Well, whatever. Don't worry about it. Ha ha ha.
If I remember correctly, people don't realize they're possessed at first.
A voice gradually starts coming from inside, and it takes over more and more...?
Wait, was that a demon?
In the movies... well, I guess it's basically the same thing.
So possession is bad too. If I see it, I shouldn't immediately banish an evil spirit, but break the curse.
Whether it's a curse or a demon, its very existence is unacceptable.
I wonder if purification works on both curses and demons.
Which one is it?
I don't know because I've never seriously thought about it.
Huh? Do I even need to know this?
...I suppose I do, since I need to exterminate curses and demons.
Is my head getting a little fuzzy?
Well, whatever.
For now, demon extermination!
Hmm... When I think of demons, I picture sacrifices.
People use sacrifices to summon demons, gain power, and rule the world.
That's how it goes in the movies, anyway.
That's why there are priests to stop them.
Was it demon extermination? Was banishing evil spirits related to demons, too?
No, my memory is too hazy. I can't remember.
Huh?
Is this world dealing with a curse? Or demons?
...Either way, it doesn't matter. Both are our enemies.
We have to defeat them both!
No sacrifices! No possession! No curses!
They're all bad, so let's exterminate them. Yes, that's right.
Are curses and demons basically the same thing?
Huh? Or are they different?
I can't get my thoughts organized... For now, I'll just treat them as the same thing.
Whether it's a curse or a demon-summoning ritual, I'll stop it.
Ha ha ha, what's going on? My head is spinning, and this is fun!