The afterlife blew up Gensokyo

Whether it's demolishing or building a house, Shi Bai is a professional. In less than five minutes, he blew the entire shop into the air, leaving only a flat area behind.

As for where the shops that were blown up went... well, they probably wouldn't have killed anyone if they fell back down.

……perhaps.

P.S.: Good morning...

Chapter 18 Every seven generations of Okuri's sons

Shi Bai is quite skilled with his hands.

After the original shop was swiftly demolished, a brand new shop appeared in its place in less than an hour, braving the light drizzle.

What kind of shop are you planning to open?

Without paying much attention to the shop's style, Kazami Yuuka came to Shi Bai's side with an umbrella and asked him some questions with some curiosity.

"To be honest, I haven't really thought it through yet. After all, the idea of ​​opening a shop was just a spur-of-the-moment decision..."

Shi Bai reached out and touched his chin, thought for a moment, and then shook his head.

"Forget it, let the signboard stay empty. We'll deal with it later."

"Could you put more flowers in here?"

Looking at the brand-new shop in front of her, Kazama Yuuka suddenly spoke up.

"If I really can't think of what kind of shop to open, then I'll just open a flower shop for now."

"Then let's go to a flower tea shop, and I can sell tea part-time."

Shi Bai smiled.

“From now on, we’ll come here to drink tea whenever we have time. As the saying goes, a minor hermit lives in the wilderness, while a major hermit lives in the city. Don’t you feel lonely staying alone in a place like Sunflower Field all the time?”

"...I'll listen to you."

Reaching out to grasp the other person's hand, Yuuka Kazami's lips curved into a barely perceptible smile.

The autumn rain continues.

The opening of a new flower tea shop in the Human Village is not exactly big news, at least not to humans.

In reality, there are quite a few yokai coming and going in the Human Village on ordinary days, and there are indeed shops run by yokai. However, generally speaking, not many yokai have the patience to stay in the Human Village for long. Therefore, most of these shops run by yokai employ humans to manage them, which is one of the main sources of employment for the humans in the Human Village.

Actually, when Ellie was managing her previous flower shop, she originally wanted to use this method, but unfortunately... Dream Pavilion didn't have the money.

Besides, how many people would be willing to spend money to go to a flower shop specifically to buy flowers?

That's why the original shop gradually became abandoned.

Moreover, time has passed, and almost several years have gone by. Very few people in the village still remember the original owner of this shop.

But ultimately, there will always be people who remember and care.

In the human community of the Human Village, there is no village chief. The entire Human Village is jointly managed by several major families within it.

For example, the Kirisame family, a demon-slaying family that existed in the Human Village for generations before the Great Barrier that isolated the outside world was established; the Motoori family, which kept a large number of ancient books and inherited knowledge and devoted itself to researching them; and the Hieda family, which is recognized as the largest and richest family in the entire Human Village.

If the once-famous, short-lived top demon-slaying family, the Saigyu family, were still around, they would have replaced the Hieda family as the number one family in the human village. However, due to a secret that happened hundreds of years ago and whose truth remains unknown to this day, the Saigyu family has long since vanished into the dust of history, leaving only the legend of the once-famous singer of Gensokyo.

Currently, among all the families in the Human Village, these few have the longest history, and among these families, the Hieda family is the most special one.

The Hieda family's lineage is different from the other two families. When Mio-Are's son was alive, the Hieda family was the number one family in Gensokyo. Even the Youkai Sage had to give the Hieda family face. Even after Mio-Are's son was gone, the Hieda family was still protected by the Youkai Sage.

The so-called son of O-Are is the true master of the Hieda family. Every hundred years after the death of the previous son of O-Are, the next son of O-Are will be born in the Hieda family.

Incidentally, the lifespan of each generation of Miorai's children is extremely short. Even the longest-lived generation only lived to be eighteen years old. This phenomenon, which is unclear whether it is a curse or something else, has always shrouded each generation of Miorai's children.

Now, the Hieda family has welcomed the seventh generation of the Hieda family, the son of O-Rei—Heida-no-Shichi.

Each generation of Miara's sons carries a heavy responsibility: to compile the "Origins of Gensokyo".

The so-called "Origin of Gensokyo" records stories about youkai, and is a book written specifically for humans that records the physical characteristics and weaknesses of youkai.

—This was a path that Hieda Rei himself had chosen, a path destined to be incredibly difficult.

The torch is passed down from generation to generation.

Hieda Shichi was the seventh compiler of Gensokyo Origins.

Within Gensokyo, there exists a universally acknowledged prohibition among all youkai: no youkai may harm any generation of Miori's child. You may refuse an interview with her or refuse to see her, but you must never harm her.

Otherwise, you will face the most terrible consequences.

Death? Death is just the simplest thing.

You should know that after death, your soul will go to the underworld, which is the territory of Yama. If you dare to harm Yama's contractor, are you prepared to receive painful punishment in hell?

Moreover, behind each generation of O-Rei's son stands an unfathomable yokai sage.

Therefore, among the humans in the Human Village, the son of Miori in each generation is the only one who can go anywhere in Gensokyo without any hindrance.

However, although each generation of Miori's children enjoys so many conveniences, her compilation of the origins of Gensokyo is not going smoothly. Not all youkai are willing to cooperate, and it is common for her to go out alone for ten days or half a month only to return empty-handed.

...What monster would be willing to reveal all its weaknesses and abilities to a human?

It is precisely for these reasons that the section compiled by each generation of Go-A-Rei's sons is filled with a large amount of their own personal speculations and opinions, which may contain some content that deviates from the facts.

Even so, each generation of the sons of O-Are will not give up, and will do their best to modify, correct and fill in those contents.

"...That shop has reopened?"

Upon hearing this news, Hieda no Shichi, the son of the seventh generation of Oo-Rei, was initially stunned for a moment before his face clearly showed joy.

Although she is human and a weak girl, she actually went to the Youkai Mountain herself in order to continue writing the book "The Origin of Gensokyo".

Although she didn't even make it halfway up the mountain due to exhaustion, she did manage to interview some patrolling white wolf tengu, and even by chance encountered the god who governs autumn in Gensokyo... This was definitely a huge gain.

Hieda Shichi had also been to the sunflower field, and even dared to venture into it.

However, it was obvious that Kazama Yuuka was unwilling to be interviewed, so no matter which way she went, she could never reach the very center of the sunflower field to see the Flower Tyrant, and had to return disappointed.

—It was far too easy for a powerful demon to avoid meeting a frail human girl.

Hieda Shichi even went to great lengths to find the Dream Mansion, but Ellie, the gatekeeper of the Dream Mansion, was extremely wary of uninvited guests, and she didn't get any useful information from them at all.

The only few things recorded were that there was a lake on a certain mountain called the Lake of Blood, and a dreamlike building on the lakeside. In front of the dreamlike building, a gatekeeper with a long scythe was guarding the secrets of the dreamlike building... That's about it.

"Are you really planning to go? I remember the owner of that flower shop is that Flower Tyrant, right?"

Closing the ancient book in her hands, the girl with long brown hair spoke with a hint of worry.

"A powerful demon of that level shouldn't be so easy to encounter, right?"

"We should give it a try, shouldn't we? And the location is right inside the Human Village, so we don't have to travel far like we usually do. That's already quite lucky. I was planning to go out and visit the Sunflower Field again soon."

Carefully blowing the ink on the scroll to dry, the girl in the kimono smiled and began to speak.

"If we're lucky, maybe we'll be able to see him this time?"

"What do you mean by good luck? In the past, if I could meet my target person once out of ten trips, I would consider myself lucky."

With a sigh, the brown-haired girl hugged the ancient book to her chest and stood up from the floor.

"I'll borrow this copy of the Kojiki for now, and I'll return it to you in a few days."

"Well, be careful on the road."

The girl in the kimono nodded gently.

After the other party left the Hieda family, the girl in the kimono also began to pack her things. Originally, she was supposed to make some minor revisions to the past content in "The Origin of Gensokyo" today, but such a rare opportunity as the arrival of a great youkai in the human village was not common, and she did not want to miss it.

The Flower Tyrant arrived in Gensokyo a few years ago, and with his immense strength, he quickly earned the title of Flower Tyrant within the region.

As the son of the seventh generation of Miyako, Hieda no Shichi was eager to learn about her, but each time she went to the sunflower field, she returned empty-handed, and in the end, she was almost extremely frustrated and gave up.

The other person is currently in the flower shop in the Human Village. Surely I won't be completely unable to see them this time?

Hieda Shichi felt that his chances of success on this trip were still very high.

Yes, it's really big.

..................................................................

Sitting blankly at the table, staring at the man in front of him, Hieda Shichi's expression seemed somewhat dazed for a moment.

She can retain her memories and be reborn repeatedly. This is an agreement or contract between her and the Yama. However, due to the multiple reincarnations, the memories of her past lives are not completely inherited; some are randomly lost.

Even so, there remains an exceptionally vivid figure in her memory that she can never forget.

—That is a memory that can never be erased, no matter how many times one is reincarnated.

"...Should I call you Hieda Rei or Hieda Shichi?"

Looking at the kimono-clad girl in front of him, Shi Bai was filled with surprise.

"Heida Rei is long dead. I am now Hieda Shichi."

Hieda Shichi shook his head.

"I am Hieda Arei, but I am not Hieda Arei. I am now Hieda Shichi, the son of the seventh generation of Hieda Arei, and the seventh compiler of Gensokyo Origin."

"Yes...would you like something to drink?"

Looking at the girl in front of him who was pretending to be calm, Shi Bai couldn't help but chuckle.

"The last time we met was in the Jade Palace of the Underworld, wasn't it? I remember you were incredibly confused back then. It seems you've found your own path now."

"So you've settled down in Gensokyo now?"

Seemingly not intending to continue the conversation on this topic, the girl in the kimono glanced at Kazami Yuuka, who was quietly drinking tea behind the counter, and then proactively changed the subject.

"I guess so. After being busy for so many years, I should finally be able to have a little free time now."

He raised his hand and poured a bowl of tea for the other person, then pushed the bowl towards them, a look of sighing on his face.

"And you? How are you feeling here? Although just thinking about it, I know it must not be easy. For the sake of this book, 'The Origin of Gensokyo,' you have practically abandoned everything—love, family, and all the things that a human being should enjoy. You haven't experienced any of them, have you?"

"I have to grit my teeth and keep going on the path I've chosen. After all, I've come this far, and it would be too much of a loss to give up now."

Hieda Shichi smiled slightly.

"There's no such thing as a 'second chance' in this world. Can I give up now?"

"Huh? Okay."

Shi Bai raised an eyebrow.

"Who says there's no going back? I am that going back. If you really want to give up on this path, I can help you."

"……help me?"

Hieda Shichi's expression seemed slightly dazed.

"Of course, after all, we're friends, aren't we?"

Shi Bai smiled.

"If you want."

P.S.: Good morning!

Chapter Nineteen: Winter in Gensokyo

Some things simply cannot be explained in simple words.

Hieda Shichi is just Hieda Shichi, not the original Hieda Rei.

What is the most essential element constituting a person's existence? Someone once asked Shi Bai this question.

Memory, soul, personality, or something else?

Shi Bai's answer was to live in the present.

The world is just a dream, how many times will life experience the chill of autumn?

The wind rustles the leaves in the corridor at night; look at the furrows of my brow and the gray in my hair.

Cheap wine often makes me worry about having few guests, and the bright moon is often obscured by clouds.

"Yes, you are you. Even if you have given up so much, even if you have forgotten some memories of your past, you will never give up the path you chose in the beginning."

After receiving a negative answer, Shi Bai smiled nonchalantly and took the initiative to change the subject.