sinnesspiel | Shiki Novel Translations 2.9.2

The one to tell Seishin of Mutou Tohru's death was Naka-Sotoba's manager old man Koike.

"The Office's Manager's place's oldest son died," Koike came all the way to the temple to say.

"The office manager---Mutou-san, is it? Tohru-kun?"

"That's right. Junior Monk, what on earth is happening in this village?" Asked by Koike, Seishin was at a loss for a response. "I'm thinking aren't there too many deaths. Not just deaths. Even my son---" At that, Koike's mouth closed. "I, in all my years of living, hadn't seen anything as strange as this before now. Too many people are dying, too many people are going. This strangeness has been going on too long to think of as normal. Until now, the village had been the same as ever. What's happening to the village these days? Doesn't the Junior Monk think so too?"

"....That is true."

"The Junior Monk must know that there are rumors it's an epidemic."

"I have heard."

"As for whether it's true or what, what do you think?"

"I cannot know."

"They say there's something wrong with the Kanemasa's wife and daughter, don't they? We can't go thinking that that's spread to the folks in the village, eh?"

Seishin's brows furrowed. "That is not possible. Kirishiki-san's wife and daughter have a collagen disease called SLE. A collagen disease is not contagious."

"Then, the story that Kanemasa's doing something." Seishin stared back at old man Koike's openly angry face. "It's the people of Kanemasa. It's been weird since they moved in. It's not just me, everyone's saying it."

"That is... unrelated, isn't it? Since they had moved in, so it is said but in truth the deaths had been occurring since before Kirishiki-san had moved in."

"I'm not just talking about the deaths. I'm talking about what's strange in this village. This village has started being out of sorts since that house was built up on the Kanemasa property in the first place."

"Koike-san," Seishin looked into old man Koike's eyes. "When you say out of sorts what, concretely, are you refering to?"

Koike was silent.

"I too will acknowledge that the village is strange. It is certainly true that there have been too many deaths, and that there may be a cause. But it is not related to Kirishiki-san is it? The family had moved in after the string of deaths had begun. I will also acknowledge that there are many moves. And an exceeding number of incomplete transfers. I cannot say what is strange or how, but they are not ordinary moves, and they are continuing is certain, I believe. And with Koike-san's case being the tip of the brush, it is certain that something is strange. I will even acknowledge that the Kanemasa's house is strange. I will even acknowledge that Kirishiki-san and his family are eccentrics. However, what connection are you saying there is between Kirishiki-san living in a strange house and deaths and moves?"

"No... that's."

"How are you saying that they are connected? What are you saying that Kirishiki-san can do? Those who are gone were not by any means killed by anybody. It is clearly a disease. Kirishiki-san's wife and daughter are indeed afflicted with a disease but it is not one that can spread to others. It is futile to seek a connection. Even those people who had moves were by no means kidnapped by anybody."

"That's, it's true, but."

"I am begging with you to please think rationally. I understand that you are despondent but if Koike-san speaks of things thusly, the people of the village will end up believing it."

"This... wasn't," Koike averted his eyes. "really about my son in particular."

So Koike said but from Seishin's view it was clear that he was being influenced by the shock of being abandoned by his son. He wanted to make that somebody's fault, intending to make the Kirishiki household that had moved in from elsewhere bear that burden. It looked like a step towards unreasonable ostracization.

"At any rate, for now let us focus on Mutou-san's family."

Koike murmured Aa dejectedly. "Right, that's what I came to consult with you about. I had heard from Mutou-san, but the family are parish members?"

Seishin nodded. "Yes. At Mutou-san's mother's thirty second death anniversary, he wishes to transfer her grave site to here."

Seeking the temple's approval to transfer the gravesite, the family entered into the parish. But, Seishin thought. Wasn't she likely cremated? Those of the village were particular about burials. They had a strong resistance to cremation. But, the Mutou family weren't originally those of the village. Until now they had cremated their dead. So they shouldn't have been opposed to it. They would probably be more comfortable with cremation, he thought.

"What shall we do about the burial? Until now they had cremated, and we can allow a grave for depositing ashes."

"No, it's going to go according to the village customs. Seems the Ozaki's Junior Doctor suggested that it'd be better to do it like they always had, though, but the wife said since they're here now..."

Seishin nodded. When Mutou had sought a grave plot, he had originally intended as much. As a member of the village, whatever may come he would leave it in the hands of the Mourning Crew and bury the body in the graveyard, thinking to thusly fully take root in the village. Mutou probably understood the circumstances, so he could be pursued to agree to cremation but he hesitated to push it too strongly now after the fact.

"In things like this, it'll be going all according to custom. I'll be asking you to go with a fitting posthumous name and to tend to the bedside sutras. The overnight vigil is today, and the service tomorrow, we can do it before noon as usual I was thinking?"

"......Very well."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

An insult to Sunako is an insult to Seishin. If I were Seishin, I'd be more concerned about SLE being passed down to his and Sunako's offspring.

If Ozaki tries to warn him against breeding with her, it is surely not jealousy, but the advice of a medical professional. Ahem.

"Toshio, I think I'm going to propose to Sunako tonight."

Seishin watched the emotions run across Toshio's face as his childhood friend digested his information. Surprise, worry, fear, excitement, and finally something akin to disappointment settled on his expression. Like two bushy caterpillars, Toshio's eyebrows knit together and his glinting eyes looked into Seishin's.

"Seishin, I don't think you should marry Sunako," he said.

Seishin's stomach twisted, and he had to fight back a hopeful smile. His voice studiously blank, he inquired, "Why not?"

"Because I..."

Watching Toshio's hesitating face, Seishin's breath caught in his throat and his heart beat faster in anticipation. He found himself leaning closer to the other man. Toshio tried to speak again.

"Because I--"

"Yes?" Seishin interrupted breathlessly.

"Because I am afraid your spawn will inherit her SLE," Toshio finished proudly.

One of the writers I follow says Shiki may be too heavy for her (horrible people, all kinds of death, spoiler: no happy ending), but she did get interested in Ozaki/Seishin. Sadly, all the fics had references to suicide attempts and none of them ended happily. I shall refer her to this ficlet in order to make her merry.

Indeed, Shiki is not for the pusillanimous. What's the use of being a fan of something if you can't have fun with it sometimes? If it makes people merry, maybe I'll continue this ficlet and post updates on my lonely DW page.

It amuses me that what Seishin says to Koike is quite similar to what Toshio said to Seishin in that moment of his outburst back then. I wonder if this is a conscious thing? What is it in his mind when he chides Koike?

I wonder if he feels hurt at all, being scolded by Toshio like that. Any sane person will feel hurt to some extent being treated like that. If he doesn't feel anything at all then his level of detachment when it comes to his own person has really reached unhealthy level. And I don't like that if that's really the case.

I don't think Seishin seems unhealthy at this level either. Maybe unnaturally well composed to worry about Toshio first, but he is also down on himself, which I think is a normal enough response of some people. Also interestingly, there's no apology for it. Apparently they've talked since then. In the anime, at least, Ozaki awkwardly does give a kind of weak, awkward "Sorry about last time" thing.

Perhaps that's because Seishin loves Toshio a lot (non-sexual love is still love) (I'm really starting to see this idea), enough to think about him first and worry about himself later. But I think it's also in his nature to be the one who gives, who cares. And even if it perhaps hasn't reached unhealthy level, Seishin's not really caring about his own self/detachment regarding his own self combined with facing Toshio who already has a very special status is.... (that's how it is in my head anyway)

....Toshio, that's no good. Seishin, you're too indulgent with him.

I agree with all of that, but then, I do see the Seishin-loves-Toshio-romantically angle. I can devil's advocate against it, but even I can't argue against the same basic idea that Seishin puts Ozaki first and cares about him especially over even himself and others. The only debatable point is whether it's romantic or not, and I personally read it as such, based on the other points we'd discussed prior.

It's too late. Seishin has already spoiled his Toshio rotten. There's no fixing him now. Nothin' to do with sour milk but make cheese.

Oops my reply was somehow misleading. What I meant is 'I'm really starting to see the idea that Seishin loves Toshio a hell lot (and that it perhaps is even romantic, when his feelings for Toshio is that intense)' but I said 'non-sexual love is still love' to prevent myself from getting too biased and carried away....

Seishin is indeed a tough piece of work to analyze, but perhaps if there's one thing of him you will not doubt about since there is no reason to, that is his feelings for Toshio.

But then there is that dark part of Seishin that just gives no fucks...

Which I like. Though seeing that part of him kinda shocks me too, he could be a kinda scary person. To think that he's the one who ends up killing a person, (there's a scene of him saying 'I don't want to kill' right?) while Toshio sticks true to his words to never kill humans, even when people around him become 'murderers'.

Seishin has been denied death two times, and then he denies Sunako death too. Perhaps he's lonely and has feel attached to Sunako in some ways. As much as it displeases me, those two are kinda canon this way.

Shiki Novel Translations 2.9.2

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