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～○闡裡神社にて～
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~At the Senri Shrine~
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无現里(むげんり)。
現実には存在しないこの国でも時の流れ方は変わらず、
ただ川上から川下へ流れ落ち、
季節と景色もそれに伴い移り変わる。
物静かな模様の穹窿から、何者にも遮られること無く降り注ぐ旭日が
小昼の時を告げる数刻前のこと、
蛇は蛇穴に入り、色彩を纏うことに飽きてきた景勝が単墨色へと衣を更え、
新たな季節を迎えるにあたり、雪化粧の仕度を整えようとしている
そんな季節。
ようするに晩秋。
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Mugenri.
The unchanging country that doesn't exist within reality,
where time simply flows downriver,
and where the seasons and landscape change accordingly.
From the calm clear skies, the pouring light of the morning sun that can't be obscured by anyone,
shone down for a time, but later, like a snake crawling into it's den,
the beautiful scenery that had become wary of sporting so many hues changed to a dull inky color,
as if it was preparing for the snow of the coming season.
Yes, it was that time of year.
In short, it was the end of Autumn.
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この国に鎮座する闡裡(せんり)神社の新たな住人達は、
外とは少し違う生活にもようやく慣れ初めてきたところであったが、
その異端の地にて新たに築き上げた『平凡な日常』という名の砂上の楼閣も、
木の葉すら舞い上がらない程度のこの日の"野分"によって
顛覆を余儀なくされようとしていた。
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The new inhabitants of the Senri Shrine,
had at last become used to their new lives in Mugenri.
Yet the "ordinary lifestyle" that they had constructed there was fragile,
and due to these passing Autumn days where not even the leaves would be whirled about by the wind,
it became inevitable that their new lifestyle would come to an end.
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神社の厨房にて、
代理の神主を押し付けられた鳳聯 藪雨(ほうれん やぶさめ)は
二つの湯のみに墨の様に真っ黒な汁を注いでいた。
小気味良い音を立てながらそれらを注ぎ終えると、
鼻歌交じりにその下に置いてあったお盆ごと
湯のみを持ち上げ、その中身が"コーヒーとして"最後を迎える地へと
足を運んでいった。
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In the shrine's kitchen,
Yabusame Houren, who was appointed as a substitute priest,
poured an inky black liquid into two teacups.
She hummed a tune nonchalantly as she finished pouring,
and grabbed the tray from below the teacups.
She picked up the cups, the contents of which were "what was to serve as coffee",
and headed towards the place she was supposed to bring them.
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藪雨がそのコーヒーの搬入先と定めてるこの神社のもう一人の代理神主、
燕楽玄鳥(えんらく つばくら)を探すのだったら、
その研究室（玄鳥の自室）か、境内の縁側でもグルッと一周、
景色でも眺めながら回ればいいだろう。
大抵はそこらで怪しい実験でもしてるか、欠伸でもしながら
ボーっとしてる”てい”を装っているだろう。
その証拠に今日と言う日も縁側に腰を掛け、
分厚い本を弄びながら欠伸をしている玄鳥の姿を藪雨は難なく発見した。
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Yabusame was searching for the one she was bringing coffee to,
a certain Tsubakura Enraku.
She could be in the research room, (that is, her room) or out on the shrine's veranda,
or she could be walking the shrine grounds taking a look around.
She's usually performing strange experiments around there,
and she yawns and stretches, probably just to put on airs in front of people.
As evidence of that Yabusame found her sitting on the veranda that day,
yawning and fiddling with a thick book.
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藪雨「あれ？ まだ勉強終わってなかったの？」
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Yabusame "Huh? You're still not done studying?"
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玄鳥の元へたどり着いた藪雨は意外そうな顔をしながら、
片手で持っているお盆から湯のみをひとつ玄鳥へ差し出した。
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Yabusame, who had finally found Tsubakura, made a surprised face,
as she picked up one of the teacups from the tray she was holding and held it out to Tsubakura.
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玄鳥「んっ・・・『勉強』はとっくに終わってる、だがノルマはまだだ、
あと１６周だ」
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Tsubakura "Nng... I finished studying a long time ago, but I still haven't fulfilled my quota.
There's still 16 readings left."
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片手で差し出された湯のみを受け取りながら、もう一方の手で本を捲りつつ、
肩は竦めながら首を横に振り、目を瞑りながら眉を顰め、
口からは舌と共にため息を垂れ流している玄鳥の様子は、
大げさにその退屈さを視覚的に表現して、
相手に分かりやすく伝わるようにしているようで、
普段からの聞き手の理解力の低さを物語っていた。
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She tucked in her sleeve with one hand as she took the teacup with the other,
and she closed her eyes and frowned as she drew back her shoulders and tilted her head to one side.
Tsubakura let out a huge yawn and stretched her arms to the sky,
showing Yabusame how bored she was with her exaggerated expression.
She tried to make it easy for Yabusame to understand,
being fully aware of her audience's thick-headedness.
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鳳聯藪雨、燕楽玄鳥・・・この二人はこの世界、
『无現里(むげんり)』に閉じ込められると同時に
重役(神主)を任された身であった。
どうせなら巫女さんがよかったと愚痴る藪雨と
どうせなら株主さんがよかったと愚痴る玄鳥だったが、
その後それらの事について二人で話し合い(じゃんけん)をして、
それぞれで役割分担を決めたのであった。
その結果として、地味で小難しい仕事の全てが玄鳥にまわり、
日々神社の仕来りや由緒、神事や无現里の歴史等々を
とある人物に日々叩き込まれる生活を送っていた。
一方藪雨はというと、料理や掃除洗濯といった家事全般を請け負い、
堅苦しい神事とは程遠い役割を獲得したのであった。
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Yabusame Houren and Tsubakura Enraku... these two people were entrusted,
with an extremely important role (taking on the job of priests),
and were locked up in this world, Mugenri.
Yabusame complained that she'd rather just be a shrine maiden,
and Tsubakura complained that she'd rather just be a stockholder,
and so the two of them discussed (played rock-paper-scissors),
to decide who should take on the priest's responsibilities.
As a result, the boring and tiresome chore became Tsubakura's job,
and so she had to attend to the everyday practices of the shrine,
as well as memorize all the shrine's rituals and study Mugenri's history, and so on.
Yabusame on the other hand took on the job of taking care of the housework, doing things like cooking and cleaning,
and had thus successfully avoided having to deal with the stiff rituals of the shrine.
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藪雨が差し出した湯のみを受け取った玄鳥は、
渡されたものに入っているものが、
通常の用途ではそこにあるべきではないものだと認識しながら、
それを口にした。
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Tsubakura, who had taken the teacup that Yabusame handed her,
noticed that the substance in the cup,
wasn't anything that would usually be considered edible,
but drank it anyways.
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口の中で黒い液体を舌の上で存分に滑らせ、
味をしっかりと噛み締めてからそのまま喉奥に流し込んだ玄鳥は、
一息ついた後、藪雨を見てニヤリとした。
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She swished the black fluid inside her mouth around on her tongue,
and after reflecting on it's taste, swallowed it.
After taking a breath, she looked at Yabusame and showed her a wide grin.
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玄鳥「この世界に来ても、お前の腕は健在のようだな」
藪雨「それを飲んでそう言うのはたぶん玄鳥だけだろうけどねー」
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Tsubakura "Even since we've come to this world, your skills in the kitchen haven't dulled a bit."
Yabusame "You're probably the only person alive who would drink that and say such a ludicrous thing."
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そう言いながら、藪雨は頭を傾げながら苦笑した。
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While saying that Yabusame leaned her head back and gave a strained laugh.
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？？？「なんですか？ それは？」
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? ? ? "Hm? What's that?"
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背後から聞こえたあどけない声に反応した藪雨が振り向いた先には、
暗黒色の髪をなびかせた子供の姿があった。
年柄年中、丈の短い袖無し羽織を着ているその子供は、
そこから由来して周りから・・・
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In front of Yabusame, who had turned around in response to the innocent voice behind her,
there was the figure of a black-haired child.
The child, who wore a short, sleeveless haori[1] all year round,
began walking in a curve around them...
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藪雨「あっ、ジンベイくん」
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Yabusame "Oh, it's you Jinbei-kun."
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っと呼ばれているが、本名を知る者は誰もいないようだ。
秋風も渡り鳥を追いかけるように飛び去り始め、身を震わせるに足る空風と
一年ぶりの再会を果たすこんな季節でも、
ジンベイは平気な顔で甚兵衛羽織を素肌に一枚だけ悠然と纏っていた。
ちなみにこの人物こそが玄鳥の教師であるので、
それ故に時に玄鳥はジンベイのことを『先生』と呼んだりしている。
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This child is called Jinbei by the people around her, but in truth no one knows her real name.
An Autumn gale harsh enough to make your body shiver blew by as if to chase after the migrating birds.
Even in the cold of the oncoming winter,
Jinbei was perfectly comfortable in her single-layer haori.
By the way, Jinbei happens to be Tsubakura's teacher,
and so Tsubakura sometimes calls her "Sensei".
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藪雨「コーヒーだよ、知らない？」
ジンベイ「ん～、もちろん聞いたことはありますが、
僕は茶葉で作ったものぐらいしか飲まないので・・・」
玄鳥「！ あ～、よかったら先生も一つどうですか？
何事も挑戦といいますからねぇ」
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Yabusame "It's coffee, didn't you know?"
Jinbei "Hm~ Of course I have heard of it,
but I haven't drunk much more than what I prepare with tea leaves, so..."
Tsubakura "Ah~ If you like you could have one too, Sensei.
You say that everything's a challenge to overcome, after all."
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妙案を思いついたのか、玄鳥は悪戯な笑みを心の奥底に隠し、
見せしめるように自分の湯のみを啜りながら、
もう一つの湯のみの中味をジンベイに勧めた。
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Having thought of an ingenius prank, Tsubakura held back her smile,
and to show Jinbei that it was fine she sipped on her own cup,
and offered her the contents of the other cup.
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ジンベイ「いいのですか？ 藪雨さんの分は？」
藪雨「えっ、うーん・・・いやー、僕はいいかな～」
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Jinbei "Is this really okay? What about you Yabusame?"
Yabusame "Ehh? Uh, umm... I mean, I guess you can have it~"
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藪雨はあからさまに慌てたが、
ジンベイはそれを只の遠慮の類のものだと思ってしまった。
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Yabusame was obviously very flustered,
but Jinbei thought she was simply being hesitant to give up her own drink.
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それが最大の敗因であったことを、数秒後に思い知るのだが・・・
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She would only realize the horrible mistake she had made several seconds later...
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ジンベイ「それでは、お言葉に甘えて・・・」
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Jinbei "Well then, I think I'll take you up on that offer."
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幼子のような身長のジンベイに合わせてしゃがみ込んだ藪雨から
ジンベイは湯のみを受け取り、それが放つ蒸気に鼻を湿らせた。
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Yabusame crouched down to meet Jinbei's short stature and handed her the cup.
Jinbei took the it, and the vapor from the cup rose up into her face.
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ジンベイ「へ～、不思議な香りですね～・・・
頭の後ろの方がジンジンするような・・・
これが豆汁ですか・・・」
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Jinbei "Oh~ What a mysterious smell...
It makes the back of my head tingle...
Is this made with bean milk...?"
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そう言い終えると同時にその黒い汁を口にしたジンベイの姿を横目に見て、
玄鳥はしてやったりとほくそ笑んだ。
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Tsubakura chuckled to herself at the sight of Jinbei drinking the black liquid.
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涼しい顔をしていたジンベイの顔が変貌していくのには、
さして時間を必要としなかった。
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In no time at all, Jinbei's calm face underwent a transformation.
It was the worst thing she had ever tasted, and she looked sick.
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藪雨「えっと・・・だ、大丈夫？ ジンベイくん？」
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Yabusame "Uh, hey... Are you okay? Jinbei-kun?"
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涙目になりながらも口の中のモノを意地で咽喉の奥に押し込んだジンベイは、
息荒げに俯きながら玄鳥を睨んだ。
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Jinbei cast a glare at Tsubakura,
as her eyes teared up and as she struggled to swallow the liquid.
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ジンベイ「図りましたね・・・」
玄鳥「おやおや、サッパリ」
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Jinbei "You tricked me..."
Tsubakura "Oh ho, it worked perfectly."
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悪戯心をまるで隠す気の無い玄鳥を恨めしそうに見るジンベイをよそに、
玄鳥は平然と同じ含有物の液体を啜っていた。
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Tsubakura was a trickster and wasn't afraid to show it.
To rub it in Jinbei's face she calmly sipped at her own cup as Jinbei watched in disgust.
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やっぱりこの世界の人でもこの味はダメなんだ・・・、
っと心の中でつぶやきながら、
今日のは毒物が入ってない分、マシな方なんだけどなぁ・・・
っとも思った。
藪雨は"玄鳥用の二杯分"とは別に、自分用に台所に置いてきた
『特製でない』コーヒーの味を懐かしみながら、
ジンベイが悶えてる様を同情の眼差しで観察していた。
だが、そもそも自分は紅茶党だったことを思い出し、
明日にでも茶葉を買いに行ってみようかなぁ・・・
などと今の内に予定を立てておくことに頭を回し始めた。
もっとも、明日になっても藪雨当人がその予定を覚えていられる確率は
天文学的確率で低いのだが・・・
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"As I thought, even the people of this world think the taste is awful..."
she thought to herself.
"I hadn't put any poison into it today, but maybe I should have..."
so she thought.
Yabusame had prepared a drink for herself seperately from the two cups for Tsubakura.
While Yabusame yearned for the coffee that wasn't Tsubakura's "specially made brew",
Jinbei shared a glance with her and understood the feeling completely.
However, Yabusame remembered that she had run out of tea leaves,
and thought she would go out again tomorrow to buy some.
Her plans for tomorrow were already whirling through her head.
However, the chance that she would actually remember those plans by tomorrow,
was astronomically small...
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※----------------------------------------------------------------※
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※----------------------------------------------------------------※
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ジンベイ「まっ・・まぁいいでしょ、この件はツケとくとして、
今は過去の返済の話をしましょう」
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Jinbei "Well... Anyways, let's talk about how you can repay me for that just now."
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敗北を認めながら、ジンベイは次第に平静を取り戻しつつ、
湯のみを藪雨が持つお盆に乱暴に返して話題の路線を変えた。
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Recognizing her defeat, Jinbei calmly returned to her agenda.
She put the cup back on the tray Yabusame was holding, and changed the subject.
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玄鳥「そのことなら、たったいま１０１周目を読み終えたところですが」
ジンベイ「へ？ なんだ、もうあと少しじゃないですか、随分と早いですね」
玄鳥「由緒と歴史を煩悩の数だけ読ませるなんて、
陳腐な修練だと思いますがね、１０２周目」
ジンベイ「どんなに頑張っても一ヶ月は掛かると思ったんですけどね～」
玄鳥「暗記だけなら最初の一周で十分だろうに、１０３周目」
ジンベイ「出来る出来ないではなく、これが仕来りですからね！」
藪雨「玄鳥はズルイからね～、本当にきちんと読んでるってところが」
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Tsubakura "If you're wondering about that, I just finished the 101st reading."
Jinbei "Eh? There's just a little bit left, you'll be able to finish it in no time."
Tsubakura "To read as much history as there are worldly desires,
it seems like such a stale way of learning, but I'm at the 102nd reading."
Jinbei "I thought for sure that it would take you a month no matter how hard you tried, but you're so fast~"
Tsubakura "If it's just memorization then I would have been fine after the first reading. I'm on to 103."
Jinbei "It doesn't matter if you had it down the first time, this is how it's traditionally done!"
Yabusame "You're so smart Tsubakura, to have understood it all after just one reading~"
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玄鳥は二人の言葉に対して反応することもなく、
風圧で自身の髪が靡くほどの勢いで本を捲りながら読み進め、
数秒後にパタンっとそれを閉じた。
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Without responding to the other two at all,
Tsubakura continued reading, flipping the book's pages at a tremendous speed.
Several seconds later she closed it with a thud.
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玄鳥「それで、こんな手の込んだ"偽者"をつかった
悪戯の成果を見にきたんですか？」
ジンベイ「おー、やっぱりバレてましたか」
藪雨「え、どういうこと？」
ジンベイ「実はそれ僕の創作なんですが、いかがでしたか？」
玄鳥「煩悩を意識しながら108回読むと
謎が解ける仕組みは面白かったです。 内容は酷いが」
ジンベイ「これは手厳しい・・・、
ま、実はそれについては今は正直どうでもいいんですけどね」
藪雨「・・・？ じゃあ他に何か用があるの？」
ジンベイ「えー、といいますか・・・・右手をご覧ください」
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Tsubakura "So, did you come to see,
the results of the pranks you pulled on me?
Jinbei "Ohh, so I was found out."
Yabusame "Huh, what do you mean?"
Jinbei "Actually I wrote that book myself. So how is it?"
Tsubakura "To go through 108 readings while aware of the worldly desires,
Your plan to get me to solve the mystery was pretty interesting, but what a cruel way to teach someone."
Jinbei "This is harsh...
Well, in truth I honestly don't care anymore."
Yabusame "...? Well then is there something else you want us to do?"
Jinbei "Hmm, would you like to know? Then watch my right hand."
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そう言いながら、ジンベイは縁側から見える景色に右の掌をかざした。
ジンベイの手の導きにより藪雨と玄鳥の視線は、ジンベイの顔、
肩、腕、掌、指先、その先の景色へと移ろい、
そして最終的にはその延長上にある空へと到着した。
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After saying so, Jinbei pointed at the landscape out from the veranda,
and, following where she pointed, Yabusame and Tsubakura's lines of vision,
moved from Jinbei's face, to her shoulders, her arm, her palm, her fingertip, and lastly to the landscape.
Then finally, Jinbei pointed her finger up to the sky.
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本日の无現里の天気は、晩秋の趣を感じさせながらも見事な秋日和であった。
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The weather in Mugenri that day, was that of a clear Autumn day.
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三人が臨む一点の空を除いて・・・
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All except for the point in the sky that the three were looking towards...
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藪雨「うぁー、すごい曇ってるね～」
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Yabusame "Woah, it looks really cloudy over there~"
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藪雨は目を見開きながら、ジンベイの掌の延長上をじっと眺めた。
視線の先には晴天の中に唯一、巨大で分厚い雲が『唯我独尊』
っとでも言いたげに浮かんでいた。
他は快晴であるにも関わらずその場所だけが異様にまで曇っているのは、
中々の奇観であった。
まるでそこで雲が固まり、動かなくなってしまっているかのようで、
風にも流されずにその場に留まり続けている。
そしてそれに扈従して、雲の下の世界はまさに常夜の国のように・・・
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Yabusame opened her eyes wide and gazed up at the sky.
She was looking up at the massive cloud that was floating in the otherwise clear sky.
It was truly a spectacular sight, one could even call it "vain" in it's attention-stealing proportions.
It was as if the cloud had hardened in that spot and wouldn't move, even as the wind blew against it.
From the land below it, it must have seemed like the world had entered into eternal darkness.
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玄鳥「数日前からあんな感じだな、あれならずっと寝放題だろうに、
うらやましい限りだ」
藪雨「あ、そうなの？」
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Tsubakura "It's been like that for days.
If it was like that here then I could sleep all I wanted. I'm jealous."
Yabusame "Oh, is that so?"
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マヌケな声を境内の庭に響かせながらも、
藪雨の目線は曇り空に釘付けになっていた。
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Even as Yabusame's idiotic voice echoed through the shrine garden,
her eyes were glued to the enormous cloud.
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玄鳥「そいで、あの黙劇中の雲がなんだっていうんですか？
中に天空の城でもあるのかな？」
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Tsubakura "So what the heck is that huge cloud?
I bet there could even be a floating castle in there."
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玄鳥は面倒くさいという内心を隠すつもりの無い口調で、
師であるジンベイに訪ねた。
それに対してジンベイは呆れた顔で玄鳥と藪雨を見た。
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Tsubakura questioned her teacher Jinbei,
and didn't attempt at all to hide her annoyance.
In response Jinbei looked at Yabusame and Tsubakura with an astounded face.
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ジンベイ「知りませんよ、私がああした訳じゃないですし」
藪雨「えー？ どういうこと？」
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Jinbei "I don't know, I didn't do it."
Yabusame "Huh? What are you talking about?"
|
|
藪雨は曇り空から目線をジンベイに移し、
気だるそうな玄鳥の代わりに質問した。
|
Yabusame transferred her gaze from the cloud to Jinbei,
and responded to her in place of Tsubakura, who was drained of energy.
|
|
ジンベイ「さあ？ 単なる異常事態じゃないですか？
『異変』ってやつですよ、巷で有名なあの」
玄鳥「単なるものでないから異常で異変なんじゃないのか？ はぁ～あ」
|
Jinbei "Who knows? It's just a common abnormal situation.
It's what you would call an "incident", the people talk about these things all the time."
Tsubakura "If it's such a common thing then it isn't much of an abnormal situation, is it?"
|
|
玄鳥は先の展開が読めたのか、
ため息と欠伸と台詞を絶妙にブレンドしたものを喉から吐き出しながら
伸びをして、その姿勢のまま縁側に横になって
仕舞いには目すら閉じてしまった。
|
Perhaps Tsubakura had already understood the situation earlier, because she was already bored of it.
While releasing a superb blend of yawning, sighing, and talking,
she stretched out, and with that same posture laid down on the veranda,
and closed her eyes.
|
|
藪雨「異変ー？ どういうこと」
ジンベイ「まぁ、誰かしらが悪巧みして、
ああいう風になってるってことですかね」
|
Yabusame "An incident? What's that?"
Jinbei "Well, it means that someone came up with some sinister scheme."
|
|
藪雨のお惚けな質問に、ジンベイは親切にも答えた。
なにせ、藪雨にそれを理解してもらう必要があったからだ
|
Jinbei kindly answered Yabusame's foolish question.
At any rate, it was important that Yabusame understood that much.
|
|
藪雨「悪巧み！？ ど、どうするの玄鳥！？」
玄鳥「そりゃ・・・誰かがどうにかしなくちゃ、なんじゃないか？」
|
Yabusame "Sinister scheme!? Wha- what'll we do, Tsubakura?!"
Tsubakura "That's... Well, I bet it'll be fine if we just ignore it."
|
|
ホッコリした藪雨の間の抜けた質問に、
やる気の無い玄鳥の応答が生温くなって返ってきた。
|
Tsubakura gave a half-hearted reply to Yabusame's idiotic question.
|
|
藪雨「ほへぇー・・・それで、誰がどうすんの？」
|
Yabusame "Oh... Well then, is anyone going to do anything about it?"
|
|
その答えを聞きたくなさそうな顔をしている玄鳥のことなど露知らず、
藪雨は無邪気な質問を放った。
|
Yabusame was completely unaware that Tsubakura clearly wasn't interested in answering her questions,
and kept asking one after another anyways.
|
|
ジンベイ「もちろん、貴方達がどうにかするんです」
藪雨「えっ」
|
Jinbei "Naturally, you'll take care of it.
"Yabusame "Huh?"
|
|
唖然としている藪雨をよそに、もはや観念した玄鳥は体を起こし、
普段ののっぺりした表情に復帰した。
|
No longer paying any attention to Yabusame, Tsubakura got up,
and returned to her regular expressionless look.
|
|
玄鳥「超過勤務手当てが出るのなら、ですね・・・・行って何をしろと？」
ジンベイ「まぁそんな些細なことは気にせず、
行くだけ行って人柱になるなりなんなりと、
手段や方法は全てお任せします」
|
Tsubakura "I'll go if I'm payed overtime... So what do you want us to do there?"
Jinbei "Don't worry about trivial things like getting payed.
You'll just have to go over there and sacrifice yourself,
so I'll leave it up to you to figure out how to go about it.
|
|
冗談なのか本気なのかわからんその言葉に玄鳥はうへーっと舌を出した。
|
Not knowing whether Jinbei was being serious or not, Tsubakura stuck her tongue out at her.
|
|
玄鳥「なんで最高位の神職自らが生贄にならにゃあかんの」
藪雨「ひとばしら・・・？」
ジンベイ「死ぬ気のない者はすべからく死ぬべし、
・・・っというのがこの世の常です」
玄鳥「仕事内容と逸脱してる気がするような、しないような」
藪雨「ちょーかきんむ・・・？」
ジンベイ「お財布の紐は誰が握ってるのか、
また晩御飯にでも思い出させてあげましょうか？」
|
Tsubakura "Why does a high-ranking priest like myself have to act as some scapegoat?"
Yabusame "A scape-goat...?"
Jinbei "It refers to someone who sacrifices themself in order to take the blame for something."
Tsubakura "I don't remember this being in the job description when I signed up for this priesthood thing..."
Yabusame "Job-des-crip-tion...?"
Jinbei "You should all remember who's holding the money around her.
Perhaps I should remind you again about what we're having for dinner?"
|
|
二人の会話の内容を２％も理解できていない藪雨をよそに、
ジンベイの言葉の銃口は二人に向けられた。
|
Ignoring the fact that Yabusame didn't even understand 2% of what they were talking about,
Jinbei pointed her threats at the two of them equally.
|
|
玄鳥「うへぇ、レンコンか」
藪雨「！ イヤだ～、レンコン飽きた～」
|
Tsubakura "Oh, so we're having radishes again?"
Yabusame "Eww~ I'm sick of radishes~"
|
|
この部分だけ会話の内容が理解できた藪雨は、
それでなんとなく話の流れも分かったようで、
足をじたばたしながら駄々こね始めた。
|
Yabusame, who finally understood part of the conversation,
somehow came to understand the threat that Jinbei had made,
and began kicking her legs back and forth and throwing a tantrum.
|
|
ジンベイ「いっそ、全く無くても私は大丈夫なのですよ」
|
Jinbei "Honestly, I hate radishes myself. We should really just get rid of them all."
|
|
闡裡神社代々の式神はそういいながら、ニッコリと笑った。
それは藪雨にとっては可愛らしく、玄鳥にとっては不気味な笑顔であった。
|
Jinbei, the shikigami who had served at the Senri shrine for generations,
gave a smile to Yabusame, who she found cute, and to Tsubakura, who she found creepy.
|
|
藪雨「夜ご飯の為ならしかたないね！」
玄鳥「恐怖政治が長続きしないということを、
すぐに証明してみせましょう」
ジンベイ「はいはい、舌の体操はここまでにしといて」
|
Yabusame "If we ever want to eat anything else for dinner then we better just throw them out,
there's just no two ways about it!"
Tsubakura "If you're going to stop with your fear tactics,
then just cut it out already."
Jinbei "I get it, I get it, you can stop sticking your tongue out at me now."
|
|
不満げな玄鳥の言葉と視線を無視しながら、ジンベイは話を続けた。
|
Ignoring Tsubakura's discontent, Jinbei continued the conversation.
|
|
ジンベイ「そうですねぇ・・建前上、留守番もいたほうがいいので、
お二人の内のどちらが現地に向かうか決めてくださいね」
藪雨「ほーい」
玄鳥「へーい」
|
Jinbei "Anyways... It would be good if one of you stayed here to protect the shrine,
so decide which one of you will go out to take care of this cloud incident."
Yabusame "Huh?"
Tsubakura "Heh?"
|
|
快く返事(?)をする二人であるが、
当然どちらも「自分が行く」なんて面倒なことをするつもりなど
毛頭無かった。
「どちらが行くか決める方法をどうするか」
っという事を決めるだけでこの後も
随分と時間を有するのであるのだが、
|
The two of them responded cheerfully(?),
but there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell,
that either of them would actually volunteer to be the one to go.
"What should we do to decide who goes?"
It took them a great deal of time,
just to decide that much.
|
|
それはそれとしておこう。
|
For now let's leave that as it is.
|
|
※----------------------------------------------------------------※
|
※----------------------------------------------------------------※
|
|
～○人里から少し離れた森の中～
|
~In the forest near the Human Village~
|
|
里から道を外れて森の中をすこし抜けた先に
小さな開拓地と丸太で作られた小屋があった。
手荒で、杜撰に造られたその粗末な小屋は、
多少の雨風を凌ぐには十分であるだろうが、
嵐でもやってきた日には"パタンっ"と
良い音を立てて倒れてしまいそうな程頼り気がなかった。
そこには気配も服装も似たような３人が住み着いていた。
|
In a grove inside the forest beside the road coming from the village,
there was a log cabin.
The crudely made cabin,
could protect from rain fairly well,
but on stormy days it would creak loudly,
and it seemed like it was ready to fall apart at any minute.
There were three people who lived there.
|
|
頬赤「今日は一雨きそうだな」
|
Hooaka "Looks like it's gonna rain today."
|
|
窓から空を見上げながら、炎のような真っ赤な髪の色をした人影は、
憂鬱そうに呟いた。
ロウソクと外から取り込む光以外に照らすものの無い薄暗い部屋の中では、
特にすることがなく。
雨が降ってこられると非常に退屈になってしまうのであった。
|
While looking up at the sky from the window, the figure of a person with hair as red as fire,
muttered in her gloominess.
In the room which was lit by nothing more than a candle and what little light came in from outside,
there wasn't anything to do.
Whenever it rained the inhabitants of the cabin became unbearably bored.
|
|
蒿雀「ここのところずっとそればっか言ってるよね、アカは」
|
Aoji "That's what you always say, Aka."
|
|
丸太を切っただけのお手製の椅子と机に突っ伏しながら、
弱々しい声で呟きに応答する緑の髪の青い人影。
この似た姿形をした二人はここに棲息していた。
突然聞いたことも無い国に飛ばされ、財産も住居も食料も無い状態から
一ヶ月間、死ぬ気で生きてきたが、
最近になってようやく安定した生活を送れるようになってきていた。
水と食料の確保、小屋の仮建設・・・
それらが揃った今、必要とされているのは『資金』だった。
その『資金』については、ここにはいないもう一人が
現在仕事を探しに行っており、この二人はその帰りを待ってた。
っというより、待つ他にやる事がないらしい。
|
The figure of a blue person with green hair replied in a weak muttering voice,
as she plopped down into a chair that was hand-made and cut from a log.
These two people had suddenly been sent flying into this country that they had never heard of before,
and without any assets or food or even a place to live,
they had spent a month outside with little hope of surviving,
but recently they were finally given a stable lifestyle.
They had the security of a consistent supply of food and water, as well as this makeshift cabin...
What they needed now was "money".
The person not present in the cabin was out looking for a job to earn that "money",
and the two in the cabin were waiting for her return.
Or rather, they had nothing else to do but wait.
|
|
頬赤「だってずっとそんな天気なんだから使用がないじゃん」
蒿雀「そう言って、一度も降ったことないけどね」
頬赤「人に伝えると正夢は実現しなくなるって言うじゃん、
だからお前のせいだ」
蒿雀「えぇ・・・」
|
Hooaka "The weather's always like this so of course I'm depressed."
Aoji "It hasn't rained even once, though. Even though you thought that it would."
Hooaka "It's said that if you tell people about the predictions in your dreams, they won't come true.
So basically it's all your fault."
Aoji "Eh..."
|
|
要領を得ない話ばかりしている所を見ると、二人は相当に暇のようだ。
|
The two could only continue on with these sorts of pointless conversations,
so it seemed that they were each as bored and tired as the other.
|
|
※----------------------------------------------------------------※
|
※----------------------------------------------------------------※
|
|
黒巫鳥「もう一度だけ聞く・・・・どうして暇を持て余していたんだ？」
|
Kuroji "I'll ask one more time.... Why do you have problems with having so much free time?"
|
|
しばらくしてみると、帰ってきた黒髪の量産型は、
眉を中央に寄せながら残りの二人を地面に正座させ、
自分は椅子で足を組みながら説教と洒落込んでいた。
|
The black-haired "mass-produced model" that had just returned home,
looked harshly at the other two and had them sit on the ground,
taking the chair for herself as she began lecturing them.
|
|
蒿雀「その・・・余りにもすることがなくて・・・」
|
Aoji "You see... There's not really anything to do, and..."
|
|
末っ子の蒿雀は黒巫鳥から目をそらしながら小声で返事をした。
|
The youngest child Aoji avoided her older sibling's glare,
as she replied to her with a small voice.
|
|
黒巫鳥「出る前に私は言ったよな？
『金が溜まったらきちんとした家を建てるから、
今の内に木材を集めておけ』・・・って。
あれから一刻は過ぎてるが、
それなのにどうしてここには一本も切り倒した木が無いんだ？
イリュージョンでこれから出てくるのか？」
蒿雀「ごめんなさい・・・」
黒巫鳥「いいかお前ら、少しは生活が楽になったからといって、
決して油断のならない状況だということには変わりないんだぞ？
我々は一刻も早くこの状況を打破しなくてはならない、
だから一分一秒を大切にして生きていかなくちゃいけないのに、
なんだこの体たらくは！」
頬赤「一分一秒が大切なら、こんな説教してる暇ないんじゃなーいの？」
|
Kuroji "Do you remember what I said before I left?
I said "If I can make money then we can build a better house,
but we'll still need wood, so go chop down some trees in the forest."
Some time has passed since then,
so why haven't you collected any wood?
Do you think the trees are going to chop themselves down?"
Aoji "I'm sorry..."
Kuroji "I've been able to afford you guys a halfways comfortable living,
but that doesn't mean you can just slack off all the time!
We need to get through this sorry state of affairs as soon as possible.
You need to live treating every minute and every second as precious,
so what's up with you guys!"
Hooaka "If every minute and every second is precious,
why are you wasting everyone's time with this dumb lecture?"
|
|
反省してる演技すらしようともしない頬赤が、
天井を仰ぎ見ながら皮肉を言った。
|
Without even pretending to reflect on what Kuroji told her,
Hooaka made a joke while staring at the ceiling.
|
|
黒巫鳥「次にどうでもいい事で口を開いたら、
今日の晩飯はお前以外がご馳走になるぞ」
|
Kuroji "If you keep saying such cheeky things,
you won't get any dinner."
|
|
ふー、やれやれ・・・っとでも言いたげな表情で
頬赤はため息をしながら黙りこくった。
|
Hooaka gave a sigh and then fell silent,
as she made an expression as if to say "My god, just shut up".
|
|
黒巫鳥「もういい、とにかく仕事を決めてきたぞ」
蒿雀「えっ！？ 見つかったの」
黒巫鳥「いや、雇い主が居たというわけではないが、
近くの里では最近子供～成人の学力低下が著しいと
老人どもが愚痴を漏らしていた」
|
Kuroji "Anyways, I've decided on a job."
Aoji "Huh!? You actually found one?"
Kuroji "Well, no, I don't exactly have an employer or anything,
but the younger generations of people in the nearby village are terribly uneducated,
and the elders are complaining about it."
|
|
蒿雀「あ、ってことは！」
|
Aoji "Oh, so that means...!"
|
|
話の流れを察したのか、蒿雀は嬉しそうに声をあげた。
|
Possibly having grasped the conversation's meaning, Aoji spoke with a delighted voice.
|
|
黒巫鳥「学び舎開設で一儲けだ！」
蒿雀「学者一家、鵐家の出番だね！」
|
Kuroji "I'm going to establish a schoolhouse, and we'll be rich!"
Aoji "It's the debut of the Shitodo, family of scholars!"
|
|
はしゃぐ蒿雀を見て笑みを浮かべる黒巫鳥は、ふと頬赤の方をみた。
その話をきちんと聞いていた頬赤は、訝しげに自分のことを指差し、
無言の主張を訴えていた。
|
Seeing Aoji in high spirits made Kuroji smile.
Looking at Hooaka, she saw that she was puzzled and pointing at herself,
silently raising a question.
|
|
黒巫鳥「お前は・・・・小中学生レベルの授業を担当か・・・
それか用心棒ってとこだな・・・」
|
Kuroji "You... Maybe you could be an elementary or middle school teacher...
No, maybe just a guard..."
|
|
ひとえに智識が無いと言われた頬赤は
あくまで無言で「はーい」っと口の動きだけで返事をした。
|
Hooaka, who had just been blatantly told that she wasn't smart enough to teach,
stubbornly mouthed the word "yes" without making a sound.
|
|
黒巫鳥「そこで一つ提案があるんだが、
学び舎を開設するには里の住人と信頼関係を築かなくちゃならん」
蒿雀「えー・・・でも僕達ここに来たばかりだし・・・」
黒巫鳥「そう、だから『売名行為』が必要だと思わないか？」
蒿雀「うーん、そうだけど、何をして売名するの？」
|
Kuroji "I have something to propose,
even if we set up a schoolhouse, no one will come if the villagers don't trust us."
Aoji "Oh... But how could they trust us if we just got here?"
Kuroji "Exactly, so don't you think we may need to do some self-advertising?"
Aoji "I guess so, but how are you going to advertise?"
|
|
黒巫鳥はジェスチャーで芸をしてみせている頬赤を
マジマジと見ながら、話を続けた。
|
Kuroji continued talking,
as she looked at Hooaka, who silently made a gesture.
|
|
黒巫鳥「道化、神楽に自信があるなら止めはしないが、
それより言い方法がある」
蒿雀「っというと？」
黒巫鳥「最近、随分と長い間曇り空が続いているよな？」
蒿雀「うん、ここんところずっとそうだね」
黒巫鳥「巷ではこれを神や妖怪による『異変』だと言って騒いでいる」
蒿雀「ふーん、本当にそうなのかな？」
黒巫鳥「実際、何者かの陰謀によってこういう異常現象が起こる事は
この国ではよくあるらしい、
本来では神社に勤めてる奴がそれを毎回解決してるらしいが・・・」
蒿雀「神社って・・・藪雨と玄鳥がいる？」
黒巫鳥「あぁ、原因が何であるにしろ、
奴等がその気になったらこの程度の自然現象、
強引にでもすぐ解決できるだろう」
|
Kuroji "We could act as clowns, or put on a play,
but I have an even better idea."
Aoji "Which is...?"
Kuroji "There's been this really weird cloudly weather recently, right?"
Aoji "Yeah, it's been like this every day."
Kuroji "The people of the village are saying it's an "incident" caused by some god or youkai."
Aoji "Ohh, was it really caused by somebody?"
Kuroji "In truth, it seems that in this country,
it's not terribly uncommon for someone to come up with a plot like this.
Originally someone working at the shrine solved all the incidents, but..."
Aoji "The shrine... you mean that place where Yabusame and Tsubakura live?"
Kuroji "Yeah, regardless of the incident's origin,
I'm sure those guys are strong enough to solve it by force."
|
|
黒巫鳥のその言葉に蒿雀は過去の出来事を思い浮かべて、
うんうんっと納得したが、
それと一緒に疑問も浮かび上がり、黒巫鳥に聞いた。
|
Kuroji's words reminded Aoji of the things Yabusame and Tsubakura had accomplished before,
and remembering their strength, she agreed with Kuroji's observation.
However, a doubt remained in Aoji's mind, and so she asked Kuroji about it.
|
|
蒿雀「だけどまだ曇ってるよ？」
黒巫鳥「うむ、おそらくあいつらはまだ『異変』について知らない、
もしくはこの現象が『異変』だと気がついてないのかもしれない」
蒿雀「あぁ、神社ってここから結構遠いもんね」
黒巫鳥「そう、だからこれはチャンスだ」
蒿雀「え？」
黒巫鳥「この『異変』を我々の手で解決すれば、
我々の名声は鰻のぼり、鯉のぼり！ 天までのぼって龍となる！」
蒿雀「そんな上手くいくかな～」
|
Aoji "But isn't it still really cloudy?
Why haven't they done anything about it?"
Kuroji "It's likely that they still don't know about the incident,
and that they haven't realised just how large the cloud has become."
Aoji "Oh, the shrine is pretty far away from here, after all."
Kuroji "Right. So, this is our chance."
Aoji "Huh?"
Kuroji "If we solve this incident ourselves, our names will go down in history!
We'll surpass the eels and the carp, and ascend into the sky as dragons!"
Aoji "I wonder if it will really go that well~"
|
|
苦い顔をしながら蒿雀は弱音を漏らした。
|
Aoji let out a small noise as she made a bitter face.
|
|
黒巫鳥「どうせ暇なのだから、やるだけやってみてもいいだろう」
|
Kuroji "At any rate, I don't have anything else to do, so I better get to it myself!"
|
|
つい先ほど自分が言っていた事を完全に無視しながら、
黒巫鳥は蒿雀を説得しようとする。
|
Completely ignoring what she herself just said,
Kuroji began coaxing Aoji into helping her.
|
|
蒿雀「うーん・・・どうするアカ？」
|
Aoji "Umm... What should we do, Aka?"
|
|
蒿雀が意見を求めると、頬赤はサムアップしながら満面の笑みを浮かべた。
|
Hooaka smiled and gave a thumbs up.
|
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不安げな蒿雀とやる気満々のフリをしてる頬赤を交互に見ながら、
黒巫鳥はよし、っと短く声に出して椅子から立ち上がり、
窓の外の曇り空を眺めた。
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Aoji, who was uncomfortable, and Hooaka, who was pretending to be excited,
looked at one another as Kuroji nodded and jumped up from her chair,
looking at the cloudy sky out the window.
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黒巫鳥「決定だな、・・・・それじゃまずは別行動をとり、各自情報収集だ」
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Kuroji "So it's decided.... First I better do some recon!"
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こうして、それぞれが別々の理念を抱きながらも表層上は結託し、
立て付けの悪いお手製の木の扉は、
音を立てながら３人の小鳥達を見送ることとなった。
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Thus, even though they had different reasons, they all had the same objective,
and as the poorly made wooden door squeaked as they left the cabin,
the three little birds went out on their mission.
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