This Japanese Monogatari Isn't Lame
Chapter 92. I’m suffering inside, but I dare not speak out.

Chapter 92: Chapter 92. I’m suffering inside, but I dare not speak out.

"Magong," Beichuan Si asked, tilting his head, "about that matter we couldn’t finish last time, I’d like to set another time to meet. You should be free these days, shouldn’t you?
"

"Um... Granny’s ritual has ended. I can make time recently," Magong Tong replied with a gentle nod.

The ritual has ended?

Beichuan Si couldn’t help but glance at the golden energy flowing around her once more.

This golden energy could at best last until the end of spring break, but what should they do after that?

Logically, Magong Tong should have relied on the annual ritual to sustain her this long, but this time, the golden energy on Magong Tong...

Could it be that Granny Magong had also...?

Granny Magong had always acted as Magong Tong’s accompanying spirit, guarding her with her own power to protect her granddaughter from the curse.

But maybe that strength was finite.

As the curse continued to grow, the binding power was also gradually weakening.

If it were as Beichuan Si suspected, then Granny Magong should also be in a state of having exhausted her resources.

Beichuan Si subconsciously rubbed his chin, his eyes flickering.

"Beichuan?" Magong Tong blinked from the side.

"Magong," Beichuan Si suddenly extended his hand, resting it on Magong Tong’s shoulder.

Magong Tong trembled instantly, stiffening up so much that she couldn’t even speak.

Beichuan Si ignored her reactions and looked directly at her, asking word by word, "Do you want to see your grandmother again?"

"Eh..."

Magong Tong was first startled by his words, then her face showed utter disbelief, "That... Beichuan, my grandmother has been dead for many years."

Yes... dead for many years, and yet still silently protecting you.

Beichuan Si continued, gazing at the golden energy around Magong Tong, "Do you want to see her again?"

"Of course, it would be best if I could see her again..." Magong Tong mumbled, following Beichuan Si’s words.

This was because she didn’t sense any hint of jest in Beichuan Si’s tone, so she wasn’t particularly angry.

But if Beichuan Si had been joking about her grandmother, Magong Tong would have been upset.

Because some jokes should not be made.

However, meeting with the departed?

Magong Tong was somewhat skeptical.

Beichuan Si’s expression relaxed, disregarding Magong Tong’s slight doubt, and he countered, "May I ask, is Granny Magong’s memorial tablet enshrined in a temple or at home?"

In most parts of Japan, cremation is practiced, with only a handful of regions conducting burials.

After cremation, the ashes are either enshrined within the family homes or sent to temples or shrines to be buried or worshipped. Beichuan Jianyi’s ashes, for example, were enshrined at home.

Of course, if the family has money, they can also buy a plot in a public cemetery as a resting place for the spirits of family members.

"My grandmother’s ashes are enshrined in the temple," Magong Tong answered.

"I see." So it made sense that Granny Magong could sustain for so many years.

Since meeting Nishijou Kurenai, Beichuan Si had vaguely understood the existence of good spirits.

The pale golden energy surrounding good spirits can be called good will or belief. To replenish this, aside from converting malice into goodwill, there must be the power of worship as well.

Prayers and blessings from family and monks might also replenish goodwill.

This was probably one of the important reasons why Magong Tong could hold on for so long.

"Magong, I hope you can take me to the temple where your grandmother is enshrined tomorrow," Beichuan Si decided without hesitation.

"Um, there should be no problem with that," Magong Tong hesitated but then nodded in agreement.

Beichuan is a good person; taking him to see Granny should be fine.

"Then I’ll be in your care tomorrow, Magong."

Beichuan Si left these words behind and turned to look at the blackboard.

The Japanese literature teacher finally arrived—

...

The morning classes blinked past.

Beichuan Si proceeded with his regular routine of eating and taking a walk before entering the afternoon classes.

When the afternoon classes finished, Beichuan Si headed straight for the grove behind the school.

He had messaged Seki Naoya and the others before class ended, asking them to wait for him in the grove.

After all, it was also a decent place for a conversation.

"Brother Beichuan!" Seki Naoya and the others caught sight of Beichuan Si carrying his bag from a distance, waving excitedly at him.

This time, they didn’t rush over. Having been beaten up by Beichuan Si several times for approaching too eagerly, they had naturally learned their lesson and didn’t want to take another beating.

Beichuan Si didn’t really care, and after he walked over, he asked, "Did you arrange a meeting with those from Jinji High School?"

"It’s arranged! Yoshida and his crew said they want to meet with you, Brother Beichuan, on the undeveloped land over at Jinji."

Beichuan Si responded indifferently, then noticed the way Seki Naoya and his group were staring at him with eager eyes and couldn’t help but lift his head to ask,

"What are you looking at me for?"

"Uh..." Seki Naoya and the others were suddenly at a loss for words.

They had indeed been looking past Beichuan Si.

There was nothing but empty space behind Beichuan Si, not a person or even a shadow in sight.

Could it be that the people Brother Beichuan knew were still off-campus and hadn’t arrived?

The three exchanged glances.

Surely, if Beichuan Si had invited a lot of people, it wouldn’t be so easy to get them visitor passes to enter the school.

"It’s nothing, Brother Beichuan. We’ll go out now and meet up with the friends you’ve called over,"

"I called over which friends?" Beichuan Si looked at Seki Naoya strangely.

But after a moment of thought, he seemed to understand what Seki Naoya and the others were thinking, shook his head calmly and said, "I don’t have friends outside of school, and I didn’t call anyone. It’s just the four of us going."

Ah?!

You’re only taking us three?

Changgu, Seki, and Ikegami stood in the cold wind, looking especially dejected.

"Do you have a problem?" Beichuan Si turned to look at them.

Even from several meters away, he could feel the thick sense of grievance coming from the three delinquents.

How could they not have a problem!

This was like bringing them to get beaten up!

Changgu Makoto and the others pursed their lips, standing there in dejection, looking just like three little wives being faced by an expressionless Beichuan Si.

"Let’s go."

Beichuan Si spoke again, his voice carrying an undeniable firmness.

This made Changgu Makoto and the others’ faces turn bitter.

But the crux was that they could not simply disregard Beichuan Si’s words.

Listening to Beichuan Si, they might still find a chance, but if they didn’t listen, they might get beaten up right then and there.

And if Beichuan Si got unhappy, he might just beat them up every time he saw them in the future.

After all, as students from the same school, the intimidation he carried was naturally much greater than that of students from other schools.

Bearing a ’martyrdom’ spirit, Changgu Makoto and the others finally moved their feet.

Actually, they were suffering inside.

But they dared not speak.