Tsugumomo (つぐもも)

Troubleshooters' Office

Someone talked you into it?!

Yes. After we left the dream, it started coming back to me.

I think the pillow was given to me by someone.

What?!

And just who was it?!

I can't remember it very clearly.

I think it may have been a student.

Do you think someone is trying to cause trouble?

Most likely.

The way the shoe amasogi went berserk...

And the matter of the underpants amasogi...

It all seems a little too convenient to be simple malison disturbances.

If someone were arranging them, it'd go a long way toward explaining it.

But why would someone do that?

I have no answer to that, but we'll need to be on our guard.

Aw, this is so, so, so boring!

Quiet down, Mimane.

But things were just getting fun thanks to that pillow!

And then those two had to mess it up again!

Let's just kick their butts already!

Not happening. We promised not to do anything to them.

What's up with you, Akito?!

Fine, then! I'll do it by myself!

Both of you, stop!

I apologize, Azami. I'll talk some sense into Mimane.

Keep your promise.

Or no more help.

You're the ones short on time.

Can we really trust her?

We still have no idea who she is or what she's after.

She was the only clue that my fortune pointed us toward.

I believe we should do as she says for now.

No matter who she is, we need her help.

Meh!

That's right. This is all to obtain a shard.

If we can manage that, we'll be saved.

Tsukumogami and their masters.

A master is critical for a tsukumogami, to replenish their spent strength.

Tsugumomo

Tsugu

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Chapter 6

The Lost Village

"The Lost Village."

Several Hundred Years Ago

Several Hundred Years Ago

At a certain house,

there were three tools that had been lovingly used for three generations.

At around the same time, they ascended, becoming tsukumogami.

We tsukumogami want to be of use to you.

Please, direct us as you see fit.

But first, we have three wishes we would like you to agree to,

after which we will share our true names with you, and accept you as our master.

Very well. What are they?

Right...

Since the three of us are sworn siblings,

we ask that you allow us to stay together.

And while we are tools, we do have personhood, as well,

and would like to be treated as such.

Finally, there are limitations to the powers of tsukumogami,

so we ask that you do not demand more than is safe to provide.

Very well.

I welcome you all as guests in this house.

Arumi, the crystal ball, has the power to see the future,

but her predictions become less accurate the further she is,

in both time and distance, from the subject.

She was mostly used to gain insight into

the immediate future and to help make major decisions.

As a pair of scissors,

I may not be a weapon, but I do have an edge.

That meant I was skilled in combat and used as a bodyguard.

And the one who saw the most use...

was Hifumi, a die that could manipulate fate.

Since her rolls could result in good luck, she served a far more critical role.

We were honored to see how much our master relied on Hifumi,

and were proud of her for it.

You think I'm more amazing? What are you talking about?

Arumi can see the future and help avoid danger.

Akito is strong enough to protect people.

It's about who's right for the job, and we all serve our purpose well!

You two need more confidence!

As long as we're able to make people happy.

We lived peaceful lives, for a while.

But then...

After a while, strange monsters began to appear in the village.

And around the same time, Hifumi began to lose her strength.

Naturally, we had questions.

My die...

It can manipulate fate based on the rolls,

but not always for the better.

Should it roll a one, it brings misfortune to whomever rolls it...

And if you continue to roll in spite of that,

the misfortune accumulates into a curse...

One that turns people into monsters.

Our master had become obsessed with Hifumi's powers.

To ensure he would have only good luck, he would hire villagers to roll the die...

and have them continue until they became monsters.

She tried to stop him, but...

And you don't care what becomes of the other two?

And so she was forced into compliance.

We told the villagers the truth about what was happening.

We thought we were saving them, as well as Hifumi.

But...

It didn't work out that way.

The rage of the villagers showed no mercy to the tool that had been used against them.

Hifumi... All of us...

All we wanted was to be of use.

After leaving the village, we served several new masters, one after another.

But every time, they would inevitably disappoint us...

until, after fleeing our fourteenth master,

we lost all interest in serving anyone ever again.

A tsukumogami without a master loses their strength over time.

As we wandered, we began to sense our end approaching.

It was then...

that the door opened.

Where are we?

Stop!

Who's there?!

We mean no harm! Please, lower your bow!

We wandered in here, following a strange red bowl!

If we aren't welcome, we will leave!

Arumi, I don't think he's willing to talk.

Right.

Three. Four. Half.

One. Seven. Half.

Two. Five.

Foresight? In that case...

He's using fire!

Two beats from now, a radius of ten jou!

Piercing Spirit Archery:

Blazing Red Arrow!

We parried it?

But I don't know if I can do it again.

What do I do?!

Wow! What was that, huh?!

So neat! Where are you from? What do you want?

What are these? Scissors?

Tell me about the outside!

Shared Fate, Shared Dream

Nothing like a tsugumomo with a fine behind.

So, I am the elder of this village, Tanmen the bowl tsukumogami.

Everyone calls me Old Bowl.

A tsukumogami's true form can give away a lot about their powers and weaknesses.

Is he trying to demonstrate that he means us no harm?

It's nice to meet you. I'm Akito, a pair of scissors.

I'm Arumi, the crystal ball.

I'd like to welcome the two of you to Mayoiga, the lost village.

I also apologize for the reception our guard, Yasuki, gave you.

Terribly sorry.

There's a limit to the number of tsukumogami we can welcome here.

And more than anything, we can't have the gods or their hounds finding our village.

It's all right. But I'd like to know more about this place.

Everyone here is a tsukumogami...

And I don't sense the presence of any humans.

We were on the verge of losing all strength before arriving here,

but we're both feeling much better now.

Where does this power come from?

A long time ago,

there was a house tsukumogami that had a grand black front gate.

The terrible treatment our kind was receiving wounded his heart,

and he wished that tsukumogami could survive without humans.

And thus, he became our paradise himself: our Mayoiga.

This place can support all these tsukumogami without any humans?!

Unfortunately, I can't answer all your questions yet.

But rest assured, this place is a paradise for tsukumogami.

I imagine the two of you have become fed up with humans as well, yes?

You're welcome to remain here, as one of us.

Thank you, sir.

After we arrived in Mayoiga, it wasn't long before we began to fit in.