I’M Really Helpless In Tokyo

"Tea has to be divided into three sips. The first sip is ‘empty’, the second sip is ‘taste’, and the third sip is ‘body’. The taste of tea is the same as Zen, samsara and nirvana are empty..."

Looking at the empty tea bowl on the table, Mochizuki Yasuji was taken aback for a moment, then smiled relievedly.

"... This drink of yours is in harmony with the Zen idea of ​​not breaking or standing, breaking and then standing. You deserve to be taught by the master of Kawasaki Temple."

"Although I don't understand well, have you misunderstood something..."

He took out a new tea bowl without hesitation, re-brewed and stirred a bowl, crossed Araki Sosuke, and handed it to Tokimoto Ichiro.

"If you want to heal Ayano's soul trauma, there is a legendary thing, maybe it can..."

While the three of them were passing tea, Mochizuki Koji looked deeply at the bookshelf behind them, and said.

"Something in the legend? You mean..."

Tokimoto Ichiro seemed to have thought of something, and subconsciously stretched out his hand to caress the long beard on his chin.

"In the legend, the "Elixir of Immortality" can heal all the wounds in this world. "

"Elixir of death? No, it's impossible..."

Muttering those four words in his mouth, Shimoto Ichiro looked in a daze and shook his head slightly.

"You also said that the'Elixir of Immortality' is just a legend. It has never been recorded in this world for thousands of years, and it simply cannot exist in this world."

"President Mochizuki, are you referring to the elixir of the undead in'Don't see Kaguyaji, use the elixir of death'?"

After pondering the words for a while, Tori Yu Mayumi cautiously asked for proof.

In Japanese folklore allusions, there is usually only one source of legend if there is a mention of "elixir of immortality".

That is, "The Story of Taketori", whose origins such as the time of writing and the author's name are unknown, but are well-known to every family for nearly a thousand years.

"Taketori Monogatari", created around the tenth century, is the originator of Japanese Monogatari literature. It tells the story of the birth and growth of "Hoshitake Teruya Hime" in the heart of Bamboo, and rejected the marriage proposals of many nobles and emperors. In front of a bewildered mortal, the story of putting on the feathers of the sky and ascending to the moon.

"Yes, it's that thing. The'Elixir of Undead' is a real thing, and we Mochizuki have the most say about this."

"What I want to say next, I hope that after you leave this tea room, if you don't have to, don't pass the third person's ears..."

Seeing the four nodding their heads in answer, Mochizuki Yasushi's wrinkled, aging face, rarely took on a proud look: "The reason why we are so sure is because our Mochizuki clan is the clan of Kaguya Ji left behind."

"What? Kaguya Ji's story is actually true?!"

"Impossible, I thought it was just nonsense by the ancients..."

Hearing this "fairy tale" that has been heard since childhood and has been modified countless versions is true, and it is difficult for several people to digest it for a while.

"The Mochizuki clan, whose surname is Sanuki made, are the adoptive parents of Kaguyaji. Because I miss Kaguyaji too much, and look up and worship Mingyue every night, hoping to return, so I changed my surname to'Mochizuki'."

Ignoring the exclamation of the crowd, Mochizuki Yasuji seemed to be caught in the memory, and said.

"At the beginning, before Kaguya put on the'Heaven's Feather Robe' and left, she bestowed a trace of'celestial blood' on the adoptive parents who remained in this world, and asked them to bring the elixir of death together with the letter to the emperor Chuihi. ."

"However, Emperor Chuihi did not take the elixir of death. Instead, he asked Mochizuki to seal up this non-human thing. After that, Emperor Chuihi quickly passed away due to excessive sorrow and refusal to eat or drink. "

"So, if there is really any elixir that you have personally sealed by the Mochizuki clan, then think of a way to take it out now..."

Araki Sosuke raised his brows slightly and asked curiously.

Intuition told him, if it was that simple, why would Mochizuki Ayano's grandfather be here to pour bitterness on himself and others all night?

"Hey……"

As he expected, Mochizuki Yasuji sighed, stood up slowly, and walked towards the bookshelf behind.

"Even in the Mochizuki clan, the seal of the immortal medicine is extremely secret, and the method of opening is in the hands of the royal family."

A simple green scroll with the thickness of a thigh was dragged down from the shelf by him.

"After nearly a thousand years of time, hundreds of years of Hyakki Yakou, countless wars, and the dark age of shogunate rule, these secrets have long been buried in the dust of history, the only clue left..."

"careful."

Yamada Kengo hurriedly stepped forward, for fear that the old man would be crushed by the thick and long thing in his arms.

"...This is the only thing left."

As the heavy scrolls were spread out on the table, a series of exquisite pictures in a continuous, simple style and painted in watercolor were displayed in front of a few people.

"Such a skillful painter...what is this..."

The crude and primitive painting style, vivid characters, and profound color schemes are perfectly integrated in these pictures.

"This is the treasure of the town family that I painted by the sages of the Mochizuki family, "Bamboo Tori Painting Scroll", which has been handed down for thousands of years."

Seeing this wonderful brushstroke and composition, Shimoto Ichiro couldn't help but stand up and examine the art treasures in front of him.

"So that's it, the story above is about Kaguya Ji..."

Little Bird Yu Mayumi carefully examined the lifelike story, just as if he was reading a comic strip.

The story structure of these connected drawings can be roughly divided into three parts: "The Birth of Kaguya Ji", "Proposal Problem", and "Ascension to the Moon". The content is similar to those in folklore legends.

"So, is the clue to the elixir of death here?"

Yamada Kengo also touched his bald head, and started investigating carefully like a famous detective.

"Hmph, he's too naive Kengo!"

Under the backlight, Araki Sosuke sat solemnly, the expression in the shadows was a bit hard to see.

"If these clues were simply hidden in these pictures, I am afraid that the Mochizuki clan would have cracked it in the past thousand years..."

"That's it, I'm still too tender, what Araki-senpai meant..."

Yamada Kengo sincerely asked the unknowingly fierce Sousuke Araki for advice.

"According to my many years of experience, according to the tactics used by the ancients, I am afraid that the picture scroll will be burnt and flooded to show its true meaning, otherwise it is to cut the interlayer and piece together the shredded parchment hidden in it..."

"Ahem, these methods Araki-kun said, I have tried them one by one by the ancestors of the Mochizuki clan..."

Mochizuki Yasushi covered his mouth and coughed lightly, interrupting his thoughtful analysis.

"I even borrowed the world's top-notch equipment over the years and conducted various scientific analysis tests. Even the most basic constituent materials can't be analyzed..."

"The only conclusion reached is that "Bamboo Drawing Scroll" is a grudge."

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