Hieda no Akyuu
Hieda no Akyuu's Fantasy Rebirth Story
Akyuu
Welcome, PLAYER.
Akyuu
I thought the youkai sage would be joining you today, but it seems like I was wrong.
I've come alone this time!
Akyuu
Hehe, all the servants know who you are by now.
Akyuu
Although, if the youkai sage walked in through the front door instead, they'd all be taken aback by her flamboyance.
Akyuu
*sigh* But that's only if she'd ever use the front door.
Miss Yukari... is the most gorgeous youkai in Gensokyo!
Akyuu
She outclasses everyone in that respect.
But you might be the most lady-like human in Gensokyo!
Akyuu
I feel awkward saying this, but yes, Hieda is a long-established family that's treated like a celebrity in the village.
Akyuu
It's all thanks to the faith the villagers have in us that we can live such a privileged life. I'm really grateful.
Akyuu
And that's because of the duty I'm entrusted with―the duty to record Gensokyo's history as the Child of Miare.
Does recording Gensokyo's history help the villagers?
Why do the villagers think so highly of the Hieda family?
Akyuu
Oh...
S-Sorry! Did I ask something I shouldn't have...?
Akyuu
No, that's not it.
Akyuu
I was just a bit amazed... Only an outsider like yourself could've wondered such a thing.
Akyuu
It even took Kosuzu some time to realize that and ask me about it. But she's Kosuzu, and that's what she does.
Akyuu
Well, enough about her.
Akyuu
You can think of the Hieda family as Gensokyo's secretary. There are several reasons why the villagers look up to us...
Akyuu
...There you have it!
Akyuu
I think there's no harm in you knowing this much. So does it make sense now?
Records will teach the coming generations about this era.
The Gensokyo Chronicle is written for the future.
Akyuu
Yes, that's right.
Akyuu
It might be difficult for people who toil day to day to understand the importance of history.
Akyuu
But still, I think it's safe to say that our human way of life was built upon the legacies of the past.
Akyuu
Family ties, wisdom, tools, homes, and even the village itself... All have their roots in the history that has been passed down.
Akyuu
To further pass down this history, someone has to record it.
Akyuu
Because, unlike youkai, humans do not live long...
(Right. And life is even shorter for the Child of Miare...)
It's an important job...
Akyuu
It really is.
Akyuu
The past can change for future generations depending on how the present is recorded in history.
Akyuu
That might sound like an exaggeration, but I don't think it is.
Akyuu
The truth is that every time the Child of Miare reincarnates, not all of the predecessor's memories are preserved.
Akyuu
Rather, most of them are lost.
Akyuu
And if the lost memories can't be recollected, it's as though they never existed to begin with.
Akyuu
Thus, as a Child of Miare, the historical records accumulated by my predecessors are like my own memories.
The Child of Miare inherits the ability of Gumonji...
...but their memory is pretty much a clean slate.
Akyuu
It would be terrible to have generations of memories as a child. Just thinking about it gives me the chills.
Th-That's true.
Akyuu
But it's scarier to think how that would be nothing compared to a youkai who has lived for over a thousand years...!
Akyuu
Well, youkai probably forget things too, but differently from humans...
Akyuu
...
Akyuu
By the way, you'll be checking the historical records today as well, right?
Akyuu
Miss Keine's class is not bad either, but there are lots of other students there.
Akyuu
I wish Kosuzu had even a little bit of your enthusiasm for studying.
I'd lose to her. She reads much more than I do.
Thanks for always letting me access part of your library!
Akyuu
But it's sad that we can't have tea inside the library.
Akyuu
I'm not sure when it started, but now we always chat over a cup of tea before we try to look for your memories.
Akyuu
But usually, the youkai sage is with you.
Akyuu
It's kind of strange to see the youkai sage rereading historical records in our library.
Now that you mention it, I wonder what she's looking for.
Akyuu
You should ask her about it.
Akyuu
...Battles of bullets, huh?
...?
Akyuu
Ah, sorry! My thoughts just slipped out of my mouth.
Akyuu
...
Akyuu
The fact that the youkai sage is looking for something...
Akyuu
...means that there's something she doesn't know or that she has forgotten something. That's normal even for a youkai...
Akyuu
But it's odd for a person of her stature to read the records so keenly and personally visit the Hieda library countless times.
Maybe there's something she wants to confirm.
Akyuu
...
Akyuu
That's...
Akyuu
...similar to how bullets can't always be dodged even by memorizing the patterns.
Huh? What do you mean...?!
Akyuu
You know how I occasionally partake in battles of bullets after I got the temporary license from the youkai sage, right?
Yes, It's kind of crazy now that I think about it.
Akyuu
I think the youkai sage probably gave me the license because she wanted to show me something.
Akyuu
I have perfectly memorized all the bullet patterns I've seen. And I can shoot bullets by referring to those memories.
Akyuu
It's strange that my knowledge turns into bullets, but let's just say that it's thanks to the youkai sage's magical powers.
Akyuu
For a while, I used to wonder why I couldn't dodge every bullet even though I've memorized all the patterns I've seen.
Akyuu
But if you think about it, the answer is obvious. What you know is different from what you can do.
You know what's coming, but your body can't keep up?
Akyuu
That's exactly how it is in a match.
Akyuu
That's also why training repeatedly is important for battles of bullets. Memory is not just mere knowledge...
Akyuu
Memories are engraved all the way to the memory layer.
Are you talking about the three layers of the world?
Akyuu
Yes. And going back to old books and rereading them...
Akyuu
...is kind of similar to battles of bullets. That's what led me to another conclusion.
Akyuu
It took time to notice because of my Gumonji ability. But I realized that I couldn't compare memories all on my own!
Whoa?!
(Akyuu is getting so into this!)
Akyuu
Inconsistent memories... that is what has been bothering the youkai sage and me. It's kind of like a battle of information!
Akyuu
Hehe!
(She thinks she just said something really cool.)
Akyuu
I'll resolve this weird feeling of inconsistent memories by dodging the information bullets, and then...!
Akyuu
Well, I don't know what will happen after that...
You should talk to Miss Yukari about it.
Akyuu
Yes, now that I have realized all this, I'll arrange for a meeting to discuss it.
And here's a present for you from me and Miss Yukari.
She said, "Your memories will be useful someday soon."
Akyuu
Gah...! It's like she saw right through me.
Akyuu
This is...!
Akyuu
I've seen these in the historical records and amongst the items from the outside world. Is this beautiful dress really for me?!
Miss Yukari said it cannot match the Hieda family's attire.
Akyuu
There is no comparison between the two!
Akyuu
Rather, I thought they seemed really nice when I read about them in a novel from the outside world.
Akyuu
So please convey my thanks to the youkai sage. And thank you too, PLAYER.
I'm sure this kind of dress will look really good on you!
Akyuu
I'll try it on with the help of my servants later. I'm so excited!
Come to think of it, didn't the detective in the Chris Q...
...aristocratic detective series wear something like this?
Akyuu
That's right! When I came up with that detective character I...!
...?
Akyuu
Ah...!
Akyuu
I-It's nothing!
Costume Presentation
Hieda no Akyuu
I can leave records, but I cannot write down what you've experienced. So tell me about your memories. Events cannot be fully understood with only one perspective, after all. Please continue to help me with the Gensokyo Chronicle.
