- 01: Filial Piety
I, Kuromiya Haine, am the God of Darkness. More accurately speaking, a reincarnation of the God of Darkness. The almighty Gods are able to change their own souls to a certain extent and reincarnate in the surface world with a body. Released from the seal that lasted 1,600 years, I used these soul technique to become a human and fully enjoy the change of the world…I mean, observe it. I will be repeating myself here but, it has been 1,600 years long since I have seen the surface world. Just how much has it changed? Since my descent, I have been excited. To begin with, if I had to explain why I was sealed for such a long time…it would be a story that goes all the way back to the creation of this world. At that time, there was the cooperation of six Gods -including me- who created this world. The sky was created, the sea was created, the land was created, and at the end, the people that lived in that land, the humans were created. At that moment, one of the Gods said this. “Let’s make humans the slaves of Gods.” The one that went against it straight away was me. We can’t do something like that. As living beings, humans are free. Even if we are their creators, there’s no way it is okay for humans to be ruled on the whim of Gods. The opinions of the Gods were divided in two, and finally, it turned into a battle. And so, I lost the fight and ended up sealed. By the way, the Gods that were at the side of ‘humans are the slaves of Gods’ were all the 5 remaining aside from me. Since they won, the living of the humans while I was sealed should have been a rough one where they were bounded by the subordination of the Gods. Even so, I believed. Humans will push through difficulties and evolve in a way that only they can achieve. Humans are strong. And they are deeply prudent…and kind. And so, I have been reborn as a human and am living alongside them. In order to fully enjoy this world that I haven’t seen for 1,600 years. The place I was reborn as a human in was a mountain village that can be considered a remote region. There, I received a new body as the sole son of a normal married couple. My father is a hunter. Well, even if I say so, at a small village, hunting doesn’t bring much income, so he also gathers firewood, picks edible wild plants, and acts more like a jack-of-all-trades in terms of the forest. Even so, his skills are good. At times, he also hunts the harmful beasts that devastate the fields, monsters, and he has gained the goodwill of the villagers. And I, as his son, am seen as the one who will be following my father’s steps to become a hunter. I myself think that’s fine. Even if I don’t leave this small village for the rest of my life, this is also a way of living for humans. The God of Darkness enjoys the life of a normal human, and dies. That’s what I thought. Until this day came… * * * With only the sound of cutting wind, the arrow flew. The arrow hits the wild boar without err, and so, the boar that has been destroying the fields these last few days made a cry of agony and falls. “I did it!” Confirming the hit, I run towards the fallen game. The wild boar had already died, so there was no need to deal the finishing blow. Father also comes after he puts away his readied bow. “You brought it down splendidly, Haine. There was no need for Dad to shoot a second shot.” “In no way. It was because I knew that father would bring it down even if I were to miss that I was able to shoot with peace of mind.” (Haine)
Even so, the happiness of bringing down a game was big. “Father, let’s quickly take it apart. The meat is filled with nutrients, so we have to let mother eat it!” (Haine) “Haine, there’s something you have to do before that, right?” When father pointed it out, I noticed, and I hurriedly put my bow aside and kneel down. And then, I place my hands together at the boar that had now become a corpse, and pray towards the life that was lost. This is a forest rule that hunters share. “…Okay then, let’s begin the dismantling. From here, the closest water source would be…” “Over here father!” (Haine) Pointing the direction where the river is at based on my memories, I take the initiative of carrying the game on my back and began walking. The dismantling will have a lot of blood flowing, so it is indispensable to have a lot of water in order to wash it away. In that way, we can divide the eatable meat from the hide and bones that can be useful, the fat that can also be used as fuel, and it also makes it easier to carry. “Haine has…already become a splendid man.” “That’s not the case. There’s still a lot of things I want father to teach me.” (Haine) “No, there’s practically nothing for me to teach you anymore. You are…too good of a son for a countryside couple like us. And so, I thought this but—” “Wait a moment.” (Haine) Father was in the middle of speaking, but I who had found something, entrusted the game to father and crouched on the ground. The ground that had grass growing heftily in this forest. “This medicinal plant…if I remember correctly, it works with heart diseases. I was taught that by the pharmacist, Ribe-san.” (Haine) “You, you even learned that…” “When we return to the village, let’s have Ribe-san compound it. It might ease the illness of mother.” (Haine) After I place the plucked medicinal plant in between oiled paper and put it away, I once again carry the game and head to the water source. Arriving at the place, I cooperate with father and swiftly finish the dismantling, and so, the job is done. Settling the request from the village chief to subjugate the harmful beast, we are finally able to return to our house after 2 days. “Father, how much boar meat will we be selling? Leave enough portion for us to eat at home, okay? We will have mother eat it after all.” (Haine) “Yeah, I know.” “But money is necessary too. We have to buy the medicine for mother. Even if we can save some with the medicinal plant we plucked just now, it would still be…” (Haine) While thinking that, something happened as we advanced through the forest. Father and I noticed it. This turbulent atmosphere as we got closer to the village.