Chapter 50: The Spirit Fetish Theory
Well, it’s night.
In summer, it stays bright until around nine, but now, in early spring, it gets dark by about six. By the time we finish dinner around the campfire, it’s completely dark.
Here, we tell time using a sundial and a long incense stick known as the Spirit’s Branch. In the city, bells ring every couple of hours, but in places where the sound doesn’t reach, it’s hard to tell the time.
Well, it’s not like I have to catch a train or anything, and meetings usually happen in the city, so as long as I know roughly when the sun rises and sets, I’m good.
Thanks to Rishu’s morning walks, I’ve started waking up naturally, and I’ve been going to bed early. Since coming here, my lifestyle has become much healthier. With limited books, no games, and having spent the day making things, there’s really nothing to do at night.
I’ve heard that in case of emergencies, it’s best to sleep with shoes on, so I’m currently taking mine off. I followed suit and took off my boots, but the spirit… could you please stop sniffing my discarded boots?
I’ve had the helper spirit convey that it’s on break from naming, so I think this spirit is genuinely interested in me. But really, what kind of interest is it in the smell of my boots?
After sniffing around, the spirit settles by Dean’s feet. Is it planning to make that its bed for the night?
…
Dean has higher physical abilities compared to an average person, right? Could it be that this smell fetish is his spirit? Is it a resident of his boots?
It has a face like a cat reacting to a scent, but is it happy? Spirits are said to be whimsical, and unless named, they rarely lend their power consistently. But do all spirits that stick around longer as a person’s abilities increase have some kind of fetish?
I can’t help but glance at the butler. What kind of fetish does his spirit have?
“There are some that are attracted to blood, you know,” he says with a gentle smile. So he’s saying not to lump them together, and come to think of it, he did name his spirit.
“Here’s some insect repellent. Would you like to use it?”
“No, I have some. Thanks.”
The butler continues the conversation, which feels a bit disconnected. The fact that no one seems puzzled by it suggests there might be insects that prefer blood.
Roo, perched on Ash’s shoulder, is just plain cute, which is reassuring. I wonder how Ash and the butler can keep such serious faces. Wait, could Ash’s scary face be him trying to hold back laughter…?
Well, it’s early, but it’s time for bed. I carefully apply insect repellent to the exposed parts of my skin.
They say that with a campfire, the demon beasts around here won’t come close, but if they’re hungry, that’s another story, so we have someone on watch to keep an eye out.
Dean and Chris will rotate with the rest of us, so each of us will take about two hours. The order is Retze first, then the butler, me, and finally Ash. It seems like the butler has a heavier burden since his sleep will be interrupted, but he says he’s fine since he usually sleeps little anyway.
I plan to sleep first to secure my rest. After my watch, I’ll head out for Rishu’s walk, which is our promised free time.
I lay a thin blanket over the moss for my bed, put my boots back on, and use my water bottle as a pillow. This water bottle is made from sheep skin on the outside and a stomach on the inside, shaped just like a stomach. I’m surprised that the temperature of the water inside doesn’t change as much as I expected over time.
Hmm, I really want to take off my shoes and socks.
“I feel a difference, you know?”
I’ve already covered myself with the blanket, so I ignore Dean.
“As expected of the Lord of Dusk, you can feel the cultural differences!”
Chris always makes grand statements, and the others react with a “Here we go again” kind of vibe, but whether it’s his wild intuition or the spirit of his jaw, he seems to have a sharp insight.
“This leather seems really useful. What kind of leather is it? Is it really leather?”
The outside of the blanket uses the same leather as the sheet. The inside is made of tightly woven fabric filled with thin down, making it similar to ultra-light down. It doesn’t have much cushioning, but it can be rolled up small and keeps warm.
Retze’s way of speaking is similar to Dean’s, but he seems to care more about the details. He has a slightly cynical view of the world and things.
He’s friendly, which seems like a social skill. I can’t manage Dean’s large dog-like friendliness, but I’d like to learn from Retze.
“Good material, isn’t it?”
“Indeed, the coat is light and comfortable.”
The butler and Ash.
The skin of the Giant Lizard is smooth and lacks scales, not resembling reptilian skin at all. Especially the Two-Horn’s leather, when dyed and treated with oil for waterproofing, becomes a strange material that’s thin and soft, almost like fabric.
The Three-Horn, due to its thickness, feels a bit more like leather. It stretches well and is even sturdier than the Two-Horn’s, so all my clothes, including shoes and gloves, are made from the Three-Horn.
I ignore all their questions and just go to sleep. It’s been a while since I’ve slept outside, but there are people around, and I have my gear, so I don’t feel that same sense of unease I had on the island. It’s a strange feeling.
Still, should I tell Dean about the spirit that has a foot odor fetish later?