Rainbow-Colored Threads (Aya's Yokai Extermination Series)

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■Preface

A scenario themed around Christmas.


■Characters

◎Aya
◎Wife in her girlhood
◎Nurse
◎John Newton
◎Narrator
◎Priest (Me)
◎Me from a few years ago (around 40s to mid-40s)
◎Me as a child (around middle school age)

■1748 Atlantic Ocean, on a ship

◆0 Prayer

(SE) Storm and thunder. Sound of a rough sea.

(SE) Shouts. Slang.

John: Oh My god!! Please save me!!

■Modern Day

◆1 Amazing Grace

(BGM) Amazing Grace

Priest (Me): You must be the person referred by Mr. Galahowa. I've heard about you... Before we go into detail... do you know the song she is playing over there?

Man: ...I've heard it before, but I don't know the title...

Priest (Me): It is a song called Amazing Grace.

Man: Ah, I feel like I've heard that...

Priest (Me): It means the amazing grace of God.

Narrator: The man looked confused.

Priest (Me): It's confusing to be told that so suddenly, isn't it? But I want to tell you. The man who wrote the lyrics to this song was named John Newton. What do you think he did for a living?

Man: ...What did he do?

Priest (Me): He was a merchant who dealt in black slaves...

Man: Huh? Why would a song by a man like that...

Priest (Me): His ship was wrecked. He was terrified and prayed to God. Because his ship was carrying a large amount of cargo lighter than water, such as timber, the ship miraculously did not sink, and the weather cleared up. He was saved, and he thanked God's grace from the bottom of his heart. However, he could not wash his hands of the slave trade for many years. It is not easy for a person to change. It is like dying and being reborn. After much struggle, he began to live a different life.

...I see. I, too, lived a terrible life beyond redemption like John and you, and I couldn't easily change my way of life...

◆2 Strange Disease

Me from a few years ago: I don't care what it costs... I'll pay any amount of money... Save Noriko...

Narrator: The petite woman with short hair was looking at her wife, who was lying in bed with her eyes closed.

Aya: Hmm...

Me from a few years ago: Medically, no problems can be found... That is usually impossible... She won't regain consciousness, and she is getting weaker and weaker.

In this industry, which is full of scammers, I heard that you people can solve things like this...

Narrator: The woman who called herself Aya looked at me as if I were something filthy.

Aya: ...Grandma, is this person really worth saving...

Me from a few years ago: Huh?

Narrator: The woman stared at Noriko, then began to speak.

Aya: Oh, no, sorry. Never mind.

I hate to say this to you, ma'am, but honestly, this is a very difficult situation.

Me from a few years ago: What do you mean?

Aya: Look through this.

Narrator: The woman took out a transparent orb. I looked through it and saw Noriko. Noriko was... entangled in countless glittering threads shining in various colors. It looked just like a rainbow.

Me from a few years ago: What is this...?

Aya: We call them "Rainbow Threads."

Me from a few years ago: So, what are they?

Aya: It's a mysterious phenomenon; some say it's a yokai, others say it's a disease. When this appears, most people weaken and die.

Me from a few years ago: Isn't there anything you can do?

Aya: I could weaken the power of the rainbow threads a little bit to prolong things, but, well, there's almost no chance of survival.

Me from a few years ago: What's the cause...?

Narrator: The woman said, frowning.

Aya: ...It's hard to say, but... they say it's a yokai that rarely appears to greedy wealthy people or their families.

◆3 Legend

Me from a few years ago: Huh? What is that! Are you trying to say that I'm being punished?

Aya: No... don't ask me about things like that...

Me from a few years ago: Even if I grant you that it's divine punishment for how I've lived my life, why did that yokai possess Noriko instead of me?

There are tons of people in this world who have done much worse things than me!

Narrator: The woman shrieked, as if she had reached the limit of her patience.

Aya: (Clicks tongue) Look, how would I know that! Everyone who encounters a difficult accident or illness says the same thing! 'Why me? Why my family?' People who are blessed all think they are the exception. Isn't it just that their constitution or circumstances happened to align?

Narrator: I was at a loss for words.

Aya: Well, anyway, they say there's no way to completely exterminate it...

Narrator: The woman approached Noriko and chanted something like a spell.

Aya: (Muttering) ...Beings from beyond the pale. Take with you that which erodes this person's soul and spirit... (sound of blowing breath if possible)

Narrator: She blew a soft breath. I felt as if the entire room had shaken, though it might have just been my imagination.

Aya: (Holding out the orb to 'me') Here. Take a look...

Narrator: I looked at Noriko through the orb. The rainbow-colored threads had decreased, just a little.

Aya: Rainbow threads are really troublesome... I can reduce them a little, but I can't take them all away.

Me from a few years ago: Do something about it... I'll pay whatever it takes!

Aya: The amount we agreed on is fine...

We aren't scammers, after all...

Narrator: With a piercing, unpleasant look, the woman opened the door and left.

Me from a few years ago: Damn it!

Narrator: If Noriko hadn't been sleeping, I would have wanted to smash something to pieces.

Even after that, I occasionally had that woman reduce the number of rainbow-colored monsters, but Noriko grew weaker by the day. No matter how much I begged the woman to do something, she just kept saying there was nothing she could do. However, there was something that bothered me. When I quietly opened the door to watch the woman leave the hospital, I heard her say this while walking down the hallway.

Aya: I wonder if that legend is true. That it appears to people who have a chance at redemption. And that method, too... I'm not sure about it...

◆4 Past

(Scene change. Childhood)

(SE) Sounds of children playing. A distorted Jingle Bells melody.

Wife as a young girl: *Sigh*... I wonder if my life will always be like this...

Narrator: When I was a child, my parents went missing. I met my future wife at the orphanage where I was sent. Both Noriko and I were covered in scars. The orphanage where we were raised was clearly a bad draw. Bullying was rampant, and the staff wouldn't do anything even when we were subjected to violence.

Me as a young boy: (Muttering) It's okay. Leave it to me! I'll definitely become rich enough that no one can beat me!

Narrator: She looked relieved.

Wife as a young girl: (Muttering) Yeah...

Narrator: Climbing up while protecting her was not an easy task. No, in truth, had I even been able to protect her in the past?

There were times I hacked the scum who violated her to pieces and killed them.

I went from being a lackey for an antisocial group to a manager for special fraud, kept achieving top results, and finally ousted the previous owner to become the owner of the entire group.

Once, I had been obsessed with a woman other than Noriko.

One day, Noriko walked in while I was flirting with that woman on the sofa. I had my arm around the woman's neck, playing with her long hair.

Noriko pressed the play button on the IC recorder she was holding, held it up like an Inro, and tilted her head slightly. What came out was a conversation between my subordinate and the woman, plotting to take my head. The woman began to tremble violently.

Narrator: I slowly held the neck of the trembling woman and twisted it in one motion.

(SFX) The sound of bones breaking. The sound of pushing down the woman I killed.

Narrator: And then, I slowly knelt down in front of Noriko and prostrated myself.

Executive Me: I am sorry...

Wife: Idiot!

Narrator: The woman and the subordinate who betrayed me sank into the sea. I decided I never wanted another woman besides Noriko. I have decided to go to hell with her.

(End of flashback)

◆5 What has changed

Narrator: Noriko was growing weaker and weaker. She looked like she could die at any moment.

The woman had said something about that method... The woman knows some kind of countermeasure against that monster, even if it's uncertain...

Damn it, that woman. And yet, no matter what, she refuses to tell me.

I've made it through every difficult time so far. I'll definitely make it through this too... Think... Think...

...That woman also said something about the prospect of her having a change of heart. What does that mean?

A change of heart...?

Me (a few years ago): Could it be...

Narrator: The next day. After the woman finished administering palliative care to my wife and tried to leave quickly, I chased her into the hallway and questioned her.

Me (a few years ago): Hey! You said this monster appears to greedy wealthy people or their families!

Aya: Huh?

Me (a few years ago): You said that!

Aya: That's what they say, but...

Me (a few years ago): Could it be that if I stop being a greedy wealthy person, that monster will disappear?

Narrator: The woman wore a troubled expression.

Me from a few years ago: Well? Tell me clearly!

Aya: I have heard that in very rare cases, the rainbow threads have disappeared from people who changed their way of life, or from their families.

But I've also heard that in most cases, even if they donate all their wealth, the person possessed still dies.

Honestly, I don't want to help someone like you.

Even so, my grandmother told me to go, so I'm here at your place...

Narrator: I slowly knelt, prostrated myself before her, and pressed my forehead to the floor. It was the first time since that day.

Aya: What are you doing! Even if you do that, there's nothing I can do for you!

Narrator: I spoke while still prostrated on the floor.

Me from a few years ago: I heard you muttering in the hallway. You said that rainbow threads appear on those who have a chance of redemption. If that's the case, I should have a chance too. You are my only hope.

Aya: Huh? What are you talking about!

Me a few years ago: I thought about donating all my assets to charity. But then I called an old acquaintance and realized something.

I asked my friend to introduce me to a charity. And what do you think they said?

They said this.

"Are you planning to take it over and use it as a money laundering route? I'd be happy to get a piece of that." That's the only kind of people I have as friends.

Noriko is on the verge of death right now.

Surrounded by nothing but scum, I don't have the time to look for a charity that's actually doing honest work.

There are plenty of organizations that claim to be charities but aren't helping anyone, or are even doing more harm than good.

Didn't those who failed just throw their money around blindly, thinking only about whether their own selfish desires would be fulfilled?

Aya: Are you an idiot? Do you really think a young girl like me has those kinds of connections?

Me a few years ago: You never know until you try! My whole life has been like that. That's why I just want to do my best!

Aya: That's what I'm saying! Even if you use all your money, there's no guarantee your wife will be saved!

Narrator: I looked up.

Me a few years ago: I don't care! If I lose Noriko, there's no point in being rich or even being alive! I'm betting everything!

If I try and Noriko still dies, I won't complain to you or the old lady!

I'm scum too, but I was once known as one of the Four Heavenly Kings of this region. I have the resolve to see things through to that extent!

If it's you, or your grandmother, isn't there some kind of connection? If I didn't have any potential, your grandmother wouldn't have sent you to me...

...It's such a cruel world, full of heartlessness and betrayal. And yet, only Noriko loved me... Even though Noriko kept telling me over and over to quit this line of work, she stayed by my side the whole time...

Narrator: The woman stared at me, lost in thought, then took out her mobile phone.

She made a call to someone and began to speak.

(SFX) Phone ringing sound

Aya: U-um... Mr. Galahowa? It's Aya. Mr. Galahowa, you mentioned before that you had friends in international organizations, right... It's a long story, but would you be willing to listen?

Narrator: A while after she started talking, a nurse came running over.

No way...

She forgot to keep talking, her eyes wide, her mouth hanging open.

Galahowa: (On the phone) Aya? Aya? What's wrong?

Aya: Seriously...? You've got to be kidding me...?

Nurse: Mr. Kurasawa! Your wife has regained consciousness!

Narrator: I rushed into my wife's hospital room in a panic.

(BGM) Amazing Grace

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