Chapter 34

The Hound’s proposal was definitely one that required Kaede’s trust and even though she had said she would put her trust in him, she was still reluctant as she pulled the bundle of bells off of her back. She stepped to the far end of the platform to untie it, revealing the heavenly treasures as she kept a cautious eye on him.

The Hound seemed unfazed as he gazed past Kaede to the three bells and then pointed at the bronze altar bell, infamous for not eliciting a sound. “Can you hand me that one, young Kaede?”

Kaede picked up the bronze member of the trio and slowly walked over to The Hound before placing it in his hand warily. “If you do anything suspicious, I will not try to stop Yurika from stabbing you.”

Yurika grinned, holding up her sheathed kodachi in response as The Hound’s unseen eyes gazed between the girls, incredulously.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said as Kaede met Yurika’s grin with her own, almost as if they forgot how outmatched The Hound was against both Gakuto and Yurika just chimes earlier. Deciding to ignore their misguided threat, he slid the bell’s handle over the extended fingers on his right hand as his thumb wrapped around the curve of the metal ring.

“I hope now isn’t a bad time to tell you that that particular bell doesn’t make a sound.” Yurika said as Kaede nodded slightly.

The Hound hesitated for a second before raising his hand to shoulder height. “That’s a matter of little concern. This bell has special properties that make it different from the other two. It will only ring for one bound to the contract.” His unseen eyes gazed over the six bells attached to the bronze ring, before turning back to the girls, his fingers now gripping the edge of the ring.

“That is, to say, me.” The Hound flicked his wrist back and forth twice and the six bells rang out clear as day, to the surprise of Kaede and Yurika. Each of the six bells made a slightly different sound but they seemed to harmonize and encircle the area, their sound surrounding the trio as the two girls glanced around at the torii, waiting for some sort of change.

But nothing happened.

“Well, that was disappointing.” Yurika said, her eyes full of displeasure for The Hound.

“At least you made the bell work!” Kaede said, clapping her hands quietly as if to cheer up the shrouded figure.

The Hound clenched the bronze ring tightly, trying not to yell at the very patronizing young maidens before him. “That was not the attempt to dispel this illusion, Kaede, Yurika…”

Yurika crossed her arms, a scowl on her face. “Hurry up, then!”

“Oh, that makes sense! Show us your best, sir Hound!”

The Hound felt even more irritated but he brushed it off, closing his obscured eyes and taking a deep breath before reciting:
“Divine bells of the noble guardian, call out into this domain and shatter all deception! Release thou and thine prisoners from their unseen prison. Thus commands thy celestial servant!”

The Hound’s voice seemed to echo across the sealed stairs as he continuously flicked his wrist back and forth, repeatedly ringing the bronze altar bells clenched in his hand. The sound was incredibly overpowering as Kaede and Yurika covered their ears. The Hound stopped swinging the bell but its chime only seemed to grow louder as the pressure seemed to weigh down on the girls, struggling to stand in the distorted area.

The Hound remained unfazed as he brought the divine bell down to his side.

The sound slowly subsided and the girls brought their hands down, looking around expectantly. The area quieted down and after a few moments, Yurika opened her mouth to speak when suddenly:

KR-R-ACKK!

A loud shattering noise, like that of a massive window, bellowed around the area and the girls glanced around frantically, searching for the source. The shattering noise seemed to muffle but continued, as if the unseen window’s break was expanding even further when the entire area’s colors seemed to shift and invert, creating a negative space that would’ve been frightening to Kaede and Yurika if they had had time to react to the scenery change.

As quickly as the colors swapped, everything returned to normal as fragments of the illusion started to appear around them and float up into the air before disappearing from view. All at once, the ambient noise of the island roared back to life causing both girls to cover their ears again.

The illusionary staircase were no more as Kaede, Yurika and The Hound found themselves standing on the platform, looking up at the end of the stairs and the Shrine of the Banished beyond.

Yurika didn’t waste any time rushing up the stairs, after giving The Hound a quick bow of her head in thanks while Kaede turned to pick up the bundle with the two remaining bells.

The Hound watched her meticulously wrap the bells up so they didn’t hit against each other before she tied the bundle tightly, turning and meeting his masked gaze.

Kaede gave a bright smile and The Hound was reminded once again of a younger Kagura, before he held out the bronze bell, offering it back to the oiran.

“I am a man of my word, young Kaede.”

Kaede looked from the bell to The Hound’s masked face and back before placing a hand gently on it, pushing it back towards him, her vibrant smile still present.

“Since it belongs to you, sir Hound, hold onto it. It was a gift from Kagura-chan, wasn’t it?” Kaede tied the bundle across her torso once again before she started back up the stairs, following after Yurika. She stopped after a few steps and turned back facing The Hound, who seemed anchored in place.

“I’m glad I put my trust in you. You really are the noble guardian of the princess, aren’t you?”

Kaede rushed up the stairs, eager to see the shrine that they were hindered from reaching as The Hound stared at her retreating form before looking down at the bell in his grasp.

“I think I get why you are entrusting everything to that girl, Kagura-sama.” The Hound whispered to himself as he slipped the bell, soundlessly into his shroud, before following after Yurika and Kaede.

“I will do everything I can to help your young avatar, my beloved princess.”