A Soft End of the World

the Kugi's family member: Iwakura's seems similar to ours, but Kashima's is… Natori: Ha? the Nire's family member: It's nothing...Shall I call you a car? Natori: Ahh, no. I’d like to see the forest, so I’ll walk. I’ll take my leave then. the Nire's family member: Natori-san…

the Nire's family member: Actually, there’s something I’d like to speak with you about. It’s something I intended to keep as just my own secret, but… Natori: Nire-san? the Nire's family member: Are you investigating 'that' matter, aren’t you? Natori: 'That' matter? the Nire's family member: The wing. Natori: The wing? the Nire's family member: During the last box-passing ritual, when I dropped the box, there was a terrifying-sounding voice, but even though we were trembling, we all managed to finish passing it around. And just as we were breathing a sigh of relief…

the Nire's family member: …something glinted. the Nire's family member: I thought I saw something glinting on the tatami mats. We all moved to the waiting room right after that, and we were rushing around cleaning up and such, but I just couldn’t stop thinking about it. I hurried back secretly to look for that glinting thing, but it was nowhere to be found. However, I had a thought: What was glinting on the tatami mats back then was a fragment of the decoration that had fallen off the box—the very box that made that sound when I dropped it. Could it have been a piece of the beautiful, pale wing embedded among the countless eerie butterflies that were painted there.

the Nire's family member: Do you understand? I mean, if you examine the box that was passed around during the box-passing ritual and find no butterfly with a missing wing then that box is safe!! Natori: … the Nire's family member: That said, I couldn’t find the wing fragment that had fallen on the tatami matts. Maybe the wind blew it away…? …Or was it just my imagination after all…? Natori: Or perhaps someone picked it up. the Nire's family member: Eh? Natori: Have you told anyone else about this? the Nire's family member: …No.

Natori: I appreciate that you told me about this. However, since this relates to the investigation, please keep it confidential for the time being. Natori: …What? Were you eavesdropping? the Kugi's family member: Sorry. Did you happen to see our leader? the Nire's family member: The Matoba clan’s… Natori: He was in the waiting room a while ago. I don’t know where he went after that. Well then, I’ll be going now.

the Kugi's family member: Nirei-san, why did you do that? Why did you choose Natori as an attendant? I’m pretty sure the last attendant was someone else. the Nire's family member: Because of that terrible incident that happened last time, I had been looking for someone truly capable to serve as an attendant this time, and just as I was thinking of asking someone, I received a recommendation from a long-established exorcist, and Natori-san visited us, saying he would be happy to assist. the Kugi's family member: I never imagined the Natori family would offer their services—there was no reason to refuse, was there? the Nire's family member: No. He is the one who's reviving the clan. the Kugi's family member: Hoo, you know Natori clan? the Nire's family member: Well, as a family dealing with something so unusual, I did a lot of research to find someone who could help us.

the Nire's family member: After all, my great-grandfather, grandfather, and father have had a long-standing relationship with them. Natori: What is it that Kashima-san’s son wants to discuss? Natsume: What does that note say, Natori-san? Natori: Um…

Tanuma: And that stone Musuko-san found…Do you know what it is? Natori: That was under the floorboards…Hm…Truly, what is it? Hm… Natori: Sensei, do you sense anything? Sensei: You idiot. It smells like the lavender bath salt in the lavender bath. Natsume: Natori-san, where's Hiiragi and the others? Natori: Hiiragi? Ah, have you ever heard of Shiki? Tanuma: Umm… Natori: Most exorcists have spirits who work for them under contract. Hiiragi is one of my Shiki.

Natori: This time, I’ve had Hiragi and the others stand by at a distance. I’m thinking of calling them over after I see how things go. Natsume: Why? Natori: Even though they’ve sealed a great disaster within the box, this Yoshizu Village still feels somehow…somehow out of place. Natsume: Out of place? Natori: Yeah…It feels stagnant.

Natsume: Streamers? Natsume: Matoba-san…? Tanuma: Black flags…? There are lots of them. Matoba: Took you long enough. You’re heading to Kashima's household, aren’t you? I was waiting to go with you. All: EH?

Tanuma: Are you going to see the Box too, Matoba-san? Matoba: Yes. And I’d like to hear what Kashima has to say as well. Natsume: What are these streamers? Matoba: Well, shall we get going? ???: Mo-om, I’m back.

Woman: Welcome back. Boy: Let’s eat breakfast with Grandpa. Woman: Come on, put your hat on and wash your hands first. Dad, how did the Box-passing ritual go? the Iwakura's family member: Oh, well…You see… Woman: Dad, is something wrong with the red bean soup...? the Iwakura's family member: Eh? No…I need to step out into the garden for a minute. Woman: Eh? Boy: Grandpa, hurry up~ Red bean soup! Red bean soup!

Natori (?): Excuse us, we’d like to see the box. Apologies for the sudden visit. the Kashima's family member: Eh? Oh my! Please, come on in. Natori: Eh… Sign: The box is over here ->

the Kashima's family member: In our [Kashima's] household, we keep the Box on display. All: On display…!?? the Kugi's family member: [Iwakura’s is similar to ours, but Kashima's is…] Natori: On display…So anyone can see the Box…?

Nyanko-sensei: What if a cat sneaks in and opens it? What do you plan to do then? Natsume: Hey, Sensei! [But he’s right…] [What will happen if someone accidentally opens the real one…] the Kashima's family member: Of course, we turn away anyone who looks suspicious. Originally, there were requests from the villagers asking to see the box or to make offerings…