Sera-Fuku (2)
"Utsuromura's Origin Legend" (Author Unknown)
In the Japanese Heian era, a young noble went hunting but got lost in thick fog. While searching for his separated servants and beaters, he came upon a noble lady weeping.
Enchanted by her beauty, the noble spoke to her. "Beautiful lady, why do you weep?"
The noble lady, startled at the sight of him, revealed the reason for her tears. "I am originally the daughter of the moon god Tsukuyominomikoto. I lived in the moonlit paradise of Yomi. Having committed a great sin, I was cast down to earth. Unlike Yomi, this land has no moonlight, and the thought of living here alone without end fills me with despair."
Feeling pity for her plight, the noble dismounted and extended his hand. "Don't worry, miss. Won't you marry me? I'll turn this land into a miniature garden like the Yomi you knew. Our descendants will enjoy endless prosperity in a village bathed in eternal light."
"—You're Natsunashi Yuuki?"
A beautiful girl with snake-like slit crimson pupils scanning me from head to toe.
I couldn't even muster a reply. Not because her snake eyes paralyzed me or anything. Inside, I was tearing up with emotion.
No way. A high school girl in a sailor uniform!!!!
I'm glad I'm alive. School-issued swim bloomers and gym bloomers are part of the holy trinity dominating academy moe fashion. And this snake-eyed beauty was wearing a sera-fuku. Not sailor fuku—sera-fuku! The combo of sailor collar and ribbon. Sera-fuku is the root of Japanese school uniforms, designed after some sailor's outfit. A far cry from the blazers Koreans wear. But that's not all!
Whoa, whoa. It's even a black sera-fuku...? Sure, the crisp white-and-blue combo is refreshing, and navy blue is classic. But nothing beats the ultimate truth of black base with red ribbon. And the hem of the top is short. The details are alive~.
Still not the end! Another secret ingredient drop. A katana at her waist—!
The snake-eyed girl had a Japanese sword strapped to her hip. Expert analysis: an uchigatana, perhaps? (Sniff.) A single-edged blade. Of course, a high school girl with a katana always adds that umami flavor, like MSG—no, Ajinomoto. Black sera-fuku and katana? A god-tier combo. Cheat code.
Not done yet! She's even got an armband on her sera-fuku shoulder. It has a dragon-head emblem and "Meakashi" written on it. If everything so far was the complete form, this is the path to ultimate evolution.
As I'm mentally snapping polaroids in my head, the black sera-fuku girl urges me on.
"Why're you speechless? You were mumbling something weird. Too much moonlight?"
Her voice has that perfect haughty edge. That's it. That's it—!
"Are you on the morals committee by any chance?" I ventured carefully.
"Hmm...? Huh!? Morals committee?"
Morals committee. The cute girls who catch uniform violators at school. While being the biggest offenders themselves. Anyway, if she's morals committee, carrying a katana makes total sense. Unlike Korea's student guidance office, Japanese morals committees can straight-up slice delinquent students per school rules.
"Hold up! Elite night watchman Mitsurugi Tsurugi of the Snake Sword, and you treat me like some morals committee lackey?!"
The annoyed beauty reveals her name: Mitsurugi Tsurugi. Fine, her parents weren't the sharpest with names, but night watchman? Oh right! It just clicked. Reika mentioned it briefly.
"Unlike the city, villages like this get pitch-black at night. Stay inside after 11 p.m. till 5 a.m. The night watchmen patrol for safety."
So night watchmen are like a vigilante group? Yeah, tracks with the morals committee vibe. Self-satisfied, but Tsurugi flips out.
"I am on the school morals committee, sure, but still."
See? Shit!
Shing.
Tsurugi draws her katana. Matches the sera-fuku perfectly—a dark red blade with a dragon-head fuller. Stylish combo. Pointing it at me, she speaks.
"Natsunashi Yuuki. I've come to advise you wisely today. Beyond the Hoozure of the Three Great Families, the Kiryuen Family—which I serve—also has claim over you—."
Tsurugi mumbles something *mumble mumble*, but I can't hear a word.
✪_✪
Ooh. Black sera-fuku beauty draws her sword—the scene every otaku dreams of, and I'm witnessing it live. Aimed right at me!? Ehehe. I'm dying!
As I stare sparkling-eyed, Tsurugi stops.
"Huh?! What's with those eyes? Defiance?"
"Show me your moves, Miss Mitsurugi."
A girl wielding a katana's gotta have some slick techniques, right?
"You want a demo of my Kiryuen-style swordsmanship?" Tsurugi winks one eye.
Style name-dropped with the school prefix! Impressive!
"Yeah."
"As if I'd show Kiryuen's Three Secret Sword Forms to a half-foreigner like you."
Arrogant retort from the girl.
"Guess you're not confident, huh."
I nod neatly. Yeah. She already treated my eyes plenty; asking for clumsy swordplay's greedy.
But the one fuming is beet-red Tsurugi.
"N-not confident?! As an elite night watchman, my Kiryuen-style is perfect!"
She draws and performs a sword dance. Each motion flows like water. Tsurugi's skill level seems high, but that's it. I got bored fast.
"………………"
Arms crossed (serious face), and Tsurugi sheathes with a click, pissed.
"Natsunashi Yuuki!! You asked for it, so why the deadpan reaction?!"
"Can't you make it flashier, Miss Mitsurugi? Shout the technique name, send sword winds flying, summon a dragon with each swing."
Japanese swordsmanship different or what? No sera-fuku breathing technique?
Stung, Tsurugi trembles in frustration.
"What?! It's not midnight, so big moves would get me kicked from night watch!"
I extend a hand to the bluffing Tsurugi.
"Whatever. Perfect timing anyway. Wanna be friends, Miss Mitsurugi?"
"Friends? Wh-what?"
｡˚⊹(◕_◕)〣
Dumbstruck Tsurugi asks back.
"Yeah. Today's goal: wander the village making friends. Like five of 'em. Ultimate goal: befriend everyone in Utsuromura."
Humans are connected through six degrees to eight billion people. Read it somewhere. With just two thousand in Utsuromura, total connection's no pipe dream.
Currently, friends are Reika, Buntaro, Guki, plus Beheaded Jizo and Hime from that drunk Kasu night. I'll build it up.
For some reason, Tsurugi looks grave and scolds me.
"Natsunashi Yuuki. You lost your mind? Just hole up till festival day."
Come to scenic Japanese countryside just to jerk off at home? Make sense. But a word catches me.
Festival in the village!? Reika, why hide this big event?
Japanese summer means festivals, matsuri. Not like Korea's street performers with candy sticks. Goldfish scooping! Candy apples! Choco bananas! Yakisoba! Shirtless dudes drumming taiko! And romcom summer peak: fireworks confession.
Kya. All vivid in my head. If [Silent Story] wraps at the summer festival, expanding connections till then is peak visual novel pro strat.
Then—
Vroooom—
Engine roar from somewhere. A bike blasts between me and Tsurugi. Bearded foreign geezer. Face obscured, age unclear. American flag bandana and leather vest screaming USA.
My eyes lock on his bald spot.
"That guy's it. I'm friending him!"
"N-Natsunashi Yuuki...? Didn't you hear? Stay home!"
"Then, Miss Mitsurugi, since we're friends now, feel free to be friendly anytime."
I wave goodbye and chase the bike.
"Ah, damn it! W-wait! Hold up!"
Tsurugi runs after me.
Know this. I am Colonel ■■■ of the United States of America.
In the 1949 Utsuromura Great Subjugation, I am the sole surviving soldier. Even I would have been better off dead.
The higher beings were wounded but all intact. My comrades and I barely succeeded in bombing the shrine housing the source of the higher beings, □ the □ bee□. However, no physical or magical attacks worked on □ the □ bee□.
I take responsibility and remain in this inhuman hellscape.
As time passes, I will go mad, my mind crumble, old memories fade. But I wait only for the day □ wanes.
I bury this memo here.