Nyanyan seemed to be embarrassed by all the praise, but she also looked quite content with herself. We then went around to each house and got all the residents of Shangri-La to drink some of Nyanyan’s medicine before returning to the woman’s house to hear her story.
“And so... what brings you children here to Shangri-La?”
I looked over at Chirika, who gave me a small nod and took over from here.
“We are after only one thing. Do you know of a yokai called the Gold Yaksha?”
“The Gold Yaksha?”
The woman cocked her head to the side, then pensively looked up. It seemed nothing came to mind, however, as she furrowed her brow and shook her head.
“I’m sorry. It may be something that has slipped my mind in my old age, but that name does not ring any bells.”
“Old age...? Miss, you don’t look any older than 20.”
“We of Shangri-La do not age or die. We will simply bear this illness, ailing for all eternity...”
“What...?”
I gasped reflexively. Just the thought of a fate like that sent chills down my spine... Chirika, meanwhile, wasn’t ready to give it up. Unhappy with the answer she’d gotten, she pressed the woman for more information.
“Miss, my sources say the Gold Yaksha hails from the land of Shangri-La. Do you really know nothing of him?”
“What? He hails from here...? That can’t be. No one would ever try to leave here...” the woman declared, paling suddenly.
“What’s wrong?” asked Chirika.
“To my knowledge, there has only been one person to leave Shangri-La. Perhaps he is this Gold Yaksha you are seeking.”
“Who is he?”
Chirika leaned forward, drawing nearer to the woman. Then, reluctantly, she said..
“My husband.”
“Your husband...?”
“Yes,” the woman replied in a quiet voice. “The plague first swept through Shangri-La nearly a hundred years ago. The residents of the village fell one after another, and by the time I collapsed, my husband was the only one who hadn’t yet taken ill. In desperation, he left for the outside world in search of a cure for everyone.”
Chirika’s expression wavered for a moment when she heard the woman’s story.
“...Is that all? That’s the reason you think your husband may be the Gold Yaksha?”
The woman hung her head for a while, unable to answer... Or perhaps just hesitant to. I think the only reason she spoke up anyway was probably because she felt indebted to us for saving her.
“My husband returned to Shangri-La just the once, saying that he was unable to obtain medicine in the outside world without this thing called ‘money.’ So in order to get money and buy the medicine... my husband took the Mask of Greed with him.”
“What’s the Mask of Greed?”
“A demon mask that was sealed in the village storehouse. It’s a cursed artifact that amplifies someone’s greed and grants them power proportionate to that greed.”
“A cursed artifact, huh...?” Sherlyn, who just so happened to be cursed herself, muttered quietly as she tapped a finger against the crown on her head.
“It is said that the Mask of Greed will eventually consume the wearer, transforming them into a demon themselves. I can only assume that my husband thought money was unobtainable without the power of the mask. He was always timid at heart...”
When she was done sharing her story with us, the woman closed her weary eyes once more.
“What do you think, Hibiki?” I asked.
“The residents in an isolated place like this are probably the epitome of socially inept, yeah. But considering the time period... Maybe the medicine was just that expensive or he was fooled into overpaying for it. Maybe a bit of both. At any rate, I doubt the sum was so astronomically high that it couldn’t have been obtained through ordinary means.”
If he thought he needed a dangerous power to make money, what was he doing? The first thing that came to mind was robbery. According to Chirika’s story, the Gold Yaksha kidnapped the princess and demanded a ransom, which very well may have been how this woman’s husband decided to make his money. However...
“Chirika, right now we’re 1,500 years in the past, but you...”
“You said I was from 500 years in the past from your world, meaning we’re a thousand years hence from that now.”
A thousand years, huh? No matter how expensive the medicine was, there was no way it would take that long to save up for it. Which had to mean...
“If he still hadn’t obtained it after a thousand years, then it may simply be that the right medicine or treatment wasn’t available in this era,” offered Hibiki.
“That’s probably it,” I agreed.
Most likely, he was swallowed by the power of the Mask of Greed while he was waiting, which eventually transformed him into the Gold Yaksha as he came to be known.
“Tch...”
I could hear Chirika click her tongue quietly next to me. When I turned to look at her, she looked pained and was gritting her teeth. This unexpected origin story of the Gold Yaksha seemed to have stirred something within her. The same was true for me; I would have regretted attacking him thinking he was just a regular demon. But there was still hope.
“With Atlantis’s highly advanced medical technology, surely we can cure the plague of Shangri-La! As long as that happens, then the Gold Yaksha won’t need to go on a quest for money.”
If we could stop the Gold Yaksha in this era, then Princess Izuko wouldn’t be kidnapped a thousand years from now—which would resolve Chirika’s story! I could finally see a light at the end of the tunnel, though there was still the matter of the coup in Atlantis. I couldn’t afford to make the same mistake twice, so we’d have to progress both stories at once moving forward now.
“Hibiki, please take Nyanyan and the others back to Laputa first. There, could you work together with the Laputian king to come up with a way to stop Boboza’s coup d’état?”
It was a massive favor, and one I could only ask Hibiki—heir to the Banjo bloodline who’d resolved probably even more stories than me. With her in charge, I knew everything would come together seamlessly.
“Leave it to me,” she said with a determined nod.
“I’m counting on you.”
With a fistbump as a farewell, we then split up and went about our respective plans.
▽
Hibiki and the others ferried the people of Shangri-La to Laputa so they could be transported to Atlantis for treatment later. The medical journals of Atlantis had been donated to the Great Library of the Heavens, however, so Nyanyan said she’d do her best in the meantime. She was rather spoiled and selfish when we first met her here in the past, but she was a lot more cooperative and motivated now. When I asked her why, she answered...
“Because hearing someone thank me was a lot nicer than I expected.”
As a princess, Nyanyan had probably always had someone to do every little thing for her. She’d never really had the chance to do things for anyone else. Maybe that was why she wanted to be on the giving rather than receiving end for a change. I decided to leave the people of Shangri-La and Atlantis to her and Hibiki for now—I had things I had to do myself.
I asked Satsuki to search for the Gold Yaksha’s current location and then headed there by the airship. Six of the girls came along with me: Satsuki, Iris, Shirley, Corona, Chirika, and Sherlyn. Satsuki was the navigator, Shirley was the pilot, and the other five of us prepared to face off against the Gold Yaksha. I’d brought the most competent fighters with me in case things took a turn for the worse, but I was really hoping it wouldn’t come to that.
“There it is. Inside that forest,” announced Satsuki.
“Got it. I’ll land as close as I can,” replied Shirley.
She brought the airship down on a road next to the forest that Satsuki pointed out. The Gold Yaksha was apparently hiding out in a cave here, stealing money and goods from passersby.
“All right. Be careful...” Satsuki hesitantly agreed.
“You’re not that strong either, Rekka, so don’t get in over your head, okay? Don’t be afraid to use what I gave you,” implored Shirley.
She’d given me several items for self-defense, mostly traps. But after I agreed to use them and we said our goodbyes for now, Iris, Corona, Chirika, Sherlyn and I made our way into the forest.
“Hey, Rekka, why did you bring Sherlyn along?” Iris whispered in my ear as we walked through the trees.
Sherlyn was a mage and a phantom thief who had fought all kinds of battles on her own, but it was true that her Mark and Steal skills weren’t particularly useful in combat.
“If possible, I want to save the Gold Yaksha... that woman’s husband. I think we might need Sherlyn’s power for that. Not to mention she wanted to come along.”
“Hmm...”
Iris glanced over at Sherlyn, who waved when she realized it.
“Well, as long as you have a plan, Rekka, it should be fine.”
“I sure hope so.”
“Yeah. I always rely on you, so you can lean on me anytime too, okay?” Iris offered with a smile.
I honestly felt like I was always the one relying on her, so it was really sweet of her to say. I was genuinely grateful to have her around, as an ally and as a friend.
“Rekka, have you no propriety? Flirting at a time like this...” Chirika muttered with a disgusted look.
“I-I wasn’t flirting...”
That seriously hadn’t been my intention, but if it looked that way to her... then I was really embarrassed.
“Young man, I see it.”
Just then, Corona ducked behind a tree and let us know she had a visual. We all took the hint and jumped into the underbrush before poking our heads out. And there, just as Satsuki had described it, was the cave. We continued to lie in wait, and a figure eventually emerged from the mouth of the cave.
“That’s...” I stammered.
“His face is a little different, but there’s no mistaking it. That’s the Gold Yaksha,” Chirika said with a nod.
The horned Gold Yaksha was easily two heads taller than me. He was definitely large and muscular, carrying a heavy hatchet with one hand.
“I don’t recall him having a hatchet on the mountain...” Chirika muttered under her breath as she placed a hand on her katana.
“Hold it.”
“What is it, Rekka? Don’t tell me you would like to take the lead in battle.”
“No, no. It’s just that if he’s using a tool, then I’d guess he still has some semblance of humanity. We might be able to reason with him, so let’s try talking before fighting.”
“...Fine. But the instant talking fails, I will have no mercy on him.”
I gave a modest nod of agreement before stepping out from the trees.
“Crap!”
The bushes around me rustled noisily as I moved. Naturally, the Gold Yaksha heard it right away and turned to me with his hatchet at the ready.
“Please wait! I came here at the request of your wife!” I shouted, holding both my hands up to show I meant no harm.
“My... wife...?”
“That’s right! If you’re looking for medicine to save the plague in your hometown, then...”
I was ecstatic to see his reaction, and I took another step forward to try and negotiate, but...
“...GRAAH!”
That was apparently reckless. The Gold Yaksha suddenly swung his hatchet, aiming to bring it down right on top of me.
“Fool!”
“Urk!”
Just as I was about to get my block knocked off, Chirika thrust me out of the way and met the hatchet with the sturdy blade of her unsheathed katana. The hatchet was deflected with a metallic clang, and Chirika took a few steps back to put some distance between herself and the Gold Yaksha.
“Rekka!”
“Young man!”
“Rekka, are you okay?!”
Iris, Corona, and Sherlyn all jumped out from cover to help me get back on my feet.
“Medicine... Need money... for... med...” the Gold Yaksha mumbled, clutching at his head in pain as he faced off against Chirika.
“Young man, shall I?” Corona asked, her dark magic already swirling at her hands.
“Do it, Corona! I won’t forgive him for hurting Rekka!” shouted Iris.
“Not you too, Iris! And no, Corona! Just wait!” I shouted too, trying to keep them both from jumping into the fray.
“Why?! That guy tried to hurt you! Besides, hasn’t he completely turned into a monster already?”
“No... Not yet.”
He had attacked me, but I saw the way he reacted before that. It was still too early to give up!
“Money... Gold... I need gold!” The Gold Yaksha roared and launched another attack, this time swinging his hatchet at Chirika.
“!”
Chirika evaded the swing and flanked the Gold Yaksha, cutting the back of his hand.
“Gwargh!”
Blood spilled from his split skin, and he shouted out in pain.
“He must be using the hatchet because his skin isn’t hardened like steel yet... The thousand-year gap means he’s not as strong right now. Or as fast. His movements are slow.”
Chirika analyzed her opponent calmly as she readjusted her grip on her katana. They glared at each other from where they stood before us, one to our left and the other to the right.
“Grrrugh...”
The Gold Yaksha glared at Chirika as he growled, while her eyes were calm but full of vigor. In my eyes, that alone was reflective of their difference in power. From what I had heard before, Chirika and the Gold Yaksha were evenly matched during their fated battle on the mountain. So if he was weaker than her now, surely victory was at hand... And that was exactly why I had to stop her.
“Tch!”
I took off running about the same time the two of them made their moves.
“Graaargh!”
The Gold Yaksha swung his hatchet, relying on power alone to try and take out Chirika. It was an obvious play, and one that was easily counterable by a master swordsman like her.
“...”
But she hesitated.
“Chirika!”
I jump tackled her from the side and knocked her to the ground. Immediately behind us, I heard a hatchet slashing through thin air. The sound alone sent cold sweat dripping down my back.
“Wh-What are you doing?!”
“If you don’t want to do it, then stop!”
“...!”
“You were evenly matched before, but now you’re the stronger one, right? But you didn’t go for the kill just now! It’s because you hesitated, isn’t it?!”
There was no way the best Chirika could do was land a tiny scratch on the back of his hand when he’d left himself wide open. Something was strange.
“Rekka!”
“Huh?”
Iris launched a jump kick at the Gold Yaksha, who was taking aim at me and Chirika still on the ground. His huge frame went flying into a tree trunk with a loud crash.
“Sorry! Please buy me some time!”
“I’m generally terrible at holding back... but I’ll try.”
Corona shifted into Demon King mode and went to help Iris with my unreasonable request. Using the time they were buying me, I turned back to Chirika.
“You don’t want to kill the Gold Yaksha, the man who was just trying to save his hometown and family, either, right?!”
“So what?! My feelings shouldn’t matter! As long as I can pay my debt to the princess, staining my hands is no—”
I pulled her back by the shoulder as she tried to stand up and bashed my forehead up against hers. Then, at point-blank range, I looked her dead in the eye and yelled.
“Don’t be ridiculous! Would the princess who saved you want you to do that?!”
“Then... what are y
ou saying I should do?”
“Whatever it takes so that you’re not left miserable! The reason why I do what I do is because I want your story to have a happy ending!”
“...!”
I left Chirika speechless, and quickly turned to Sherlyn.
“Sherlyn! Can you take the Mask of Greed with your magic?”
No matter how cursed it was, a mask was a mask. If we got it off of him, he should come to his senses. We at least had to try it.
“As long as you can hold him still for a moment.”
“Got it!”
From my pocket, I pulled out one of the devices Shirley had given me. It was the electromagnetic binding trap she had once used before. By throwing the table-tennis-sized ball onto the ground, it could paralyze the opponent with electric shocks and stop their movement.
“Iris! Corona! Fall back!”
“Okay!”
“Right!”
I waited for the moment the two of them had backed away before throwing the electromagnetic binding trap at the Gold Yaksha’s feet.
Bzz, bzz, bzzt!
The ball burst open, flooding the ground with sparks and lightning.
“Graaah!”
The powerful current ran through the Gold Yaksha’s entire body, paralyzing him.
“Mark!”
That was when Sherlyn used her magic to mark her target, the Mask of Greed right on the Gold Yaksha’s face.
“All right!” With everything going exactly as planned, I shouted out without thinking.
“Steal!”
Next, Sherlyn used her magic to pull the Mask of Greed towards her. With that, it should pop right off, but...
“Wait, wh-wh-what?!” Sherlyn stammered.
The reason was immediately apparent.
“Why is he getting pulled along with it?”
While the Mark spell had definitely targeted the Mask of Greed, for some reason, the Steal spell didn’t pull it off of him. Instead, it was pulling them both together. Naturally, seeing the hatchet-wielding Gold Yaksha come at her made her panic.
“Urgh!”
There was no time to think. At this rate, Sherlyn was in danger.
“Damn it!”
I threw myself at the Gold Yaksha, stopping him from getting any closer to Sherlyn.
“Urrrrrgh!”
I Saved Too Many Girls and Caused the Apocalypse: Volume 12 Page 12