Shiki Novel Translations 3.16.1

[sinnesspiel]

Motoko wouldn't allow Shigeki to go near the funeral hall. She sent him to stay with her extended family, and hurried through wrapping up yesterday's all night vigil. To be honest, she didn't even want to go to the vigil nor the funeral. The condolence callers all gave her strange looks, but she didn't care about that.

And on that morning Motoko noticed, despite all the precautions she had taken, that Shigeki was acting strangely.

"But why?!"

Motoko shouted, breaking down into sobs. She had quarantined him from Tomiko. She had made so absolutely sure to. She had sent him off to stay with family, so why, Motoko raged against such an unreasonable fate.

Outsiders would be one thing, and her father-in-law and mother-in-law may have tried, but now there shouldn't have been anybody left who would try to take Motoko's child. And yet something was trying to take Shigeki from her.

"Shigeku-kun isn't feeling well, you said?" asked Rika who had stopped by the extended family's home, looking at Motoko with sympathy. "It's been a tragedy for you too, Motoko-san. One after another."

Rika herself had just lost her own husband at the beginning of the month. Rika who had married into the village had the Maeda surname, but she had taken her children and moved back in with her extended family in Mizuguchi.

"......Nee, Motoko-san. When I say this, I don't want you to think I'm normally superstitious or anything, but. ... Do you think it might be possible Uncle is taking them with him?"

"My father-in-law?"

Rika gave a dark nod.

"It really does sound stupid, I know. .... But, I can't help thinking about it. I heard rumors of Uncle appearing..."

Motoko's eyes were wide.

"My neighbor right next door, the Tamaru's Obaa-chan, says she saw him in the neighborhood. I told her, 'Oh, you must've miss-seen, right?' but she said she was sure it was Uncle."

Tamaru Mitsue lived in the southern part of Mizuguchi.

"So I wondered if Uncle didn't have some kind of regret. I was half joking but.... Still, it is true that Motoko-san's household has seen one misfortune after another? ---That's why...."

"Yes...."

Is that right, Motoko wondered. That made perfect sense. Her father-in-law Iwao had hated Motoko. No matter what she did, he never did like it. So surely, Motoko thought with conviction.

(So that's what's been happening....)

Iwao was taking them with him. He was taking everything precious away from her. He and everyone else were seeking to snatch up her children away from her. Divine Providence itself was overturning death, reviving enemies as allies to its cause.

"I won't let that happen.... Never."