Kekkaishi 282

T/N:
Shikigami:Animated beings
Futon:Quilted Japanese-styled mattress

Kekkaishi 282
By fierywind

01
Side text: Even Shikigami were mobilized to help with Hiura’s rehabilitation. Another kind of family reunion!

Chapter 282: Log Keeper

02
The Yagyou Headquarters

Text: After reading Hiura Souji’s thoughts in the “questioning” session, what does Sazanami conclude?

You didn't get anything at all?
Well, actually…
He did give me some information about the Sousui…

I tried to look deep inside the head of that Hiura kid but…
I can’t seem to get anything that concerns the Sousui.

You mean to say that the information regarding the Sousui is “locked”?
Well, you can put it that way.
But…

03
It feels like there's a gatekeeper there to keep you away, and then a key to unlock it..
Gatekeeper…

As you said, if the Sousui has psychic abilities, then that explains it.
The power of the Sousui resides in his head.

Resides…
You make it sound like it’s alive..

Yes, You could say that it’s an image of the Sousui.
Image?

There’s no limit to the power of a psychic but,
For most practitioners, they will channel their power into a specific form in order to control it.

So far I’ve only seen a system that’s almost the same as my own but,
It varies by the individual.

Like Sen, it's still developing and the form is not yet decided,
Does that make it clear to you?
Water, is it…?
Exactly.

04
You understand…
The image that Yumeji used, right?

Yes…
A starfish…

From what you said,
A combination of spider and starfish.
It looks like a starfish
But with a hideous form.
Hideous…

There are many psychics who choose to use the image of a living being.
It is easier to handle when attacking
And also when controlling.

Yoshimori once met a girl called Yashiro in Dantoushima and her power was in the form of a bird…
So, the Sousui’s image is---
A serpent.

05
I can’t really explain in detail but
The presence that I felt in the “water” was not a land serpent……
A sea serpent…

Does that sea serpent live
In that kid’s head?

This kind of talk gives me the creeps.
How is that even possible?

I am not an attacker, and there aren’t any psychics who are more powerful than the Sousui.
Unless the Sousui is weakened or dies…

Actually,
The kid that Shuu found during the attack on Karasumori…
He was controlled by Yumeji but
He was unaware of when the control was lifted.

06
The memories of the time when he was controlled were very vague.
This is a bit better compared to the fragmentary information from Hiura but…

Isn't there any useful information?
There wasn’t much to work with…
HW: Hmm

Like you said, that boy only has memories of the recent 4 to 5 years.
Before that, it was just a piece of blank paper.
Not like he had forgotten, but like there was nothing left.

Not a thing?
Yes, it was a bit different from memories…
The ability to speak and other things are still there...

But there were no
Memories…

Pitiful…
And because of that---

07
For that boy,
The time he spent at your house makes up most of his memories.

And there was a girl…

A girl?
Although just a short period,
The girl took care of him.

As I thought,
This is the only thing relating to the Sousui.

08
He called the girl “Suigetsu”…
Judging from her eyes, she’s probably a log keeper…

A Log keeper, she’s like a living dictionary, isn’t she?
Yes, and it’s a secretive task…
Every important department in the Urakai has at least one log keeper.

The eyes and the head are restructured to fit in the information,
Just like a human-shaped data bank.

Seems like the girls is with the Sousui now. If we know which department she was from,
Then we can determine the Sousui’s location…

Is that
So.

09
What is this?

Recovery celebration!

Idiot, we can only have a Recovery celebration when someone is completely healed.
This guy can’t even leave his futon yet.
No matter, just help carry this---!!

Hiura, can you get up for a while?

Sehno!

10
It’s the “festivel” cake!!

11
Why do we have to say “festival”?
Hiura seems to like this word.

Huh?! What was this?
Um,
He just likes the kanji of that word?

Yoshi-nii made this just for Sou-chan.
Please try it!

12
Hey,
All these are yours!
Eat!

Mine…

It’s huge…
Yes
We’ll finish it if you can’t.

There, we even prepared a fork for you!
Eat whichever part you like!

13
How was it Hiura?
Good?

Delicious
I think.

Great!

Well then, we’ll eat some as well.
Is it ok, Hiura?
HW: Yes!

14
Speaking of which,
It’ll taste better if we all eat it together!

I’ll get the plates.
Yes, let’s eat!!

Good?
Try this as well. It tastes different.
Yoshimori, don’t force him.

15
This one and that one, which do you think is good?
Just stop it! Hiura will only say delicious to all of it!

That’s because he can’t tell which one he likes and which one he doesn’t.
It would be good if he could clearly say what he likes.

Ah, you prefer the usual shortcake?

The one that we had before…
Black colored…
Chocolate cake!

You!
You do know how to choose!
What do you like about chocolate cake?
Hm?

Color…
Color…
Just the color?!

16
Aha…
Ahahahahaha!!
I think that’s what it means by adhering to the taste.
Don’t laugh!!

Ahahahahaha!!
I said don’t laugh!!

Background: Hahahahahahahahahaha

Nevermind.
I’ll make the black one next time.
Background: haha hihi ahahaha

17
I understand.

It’s a real pain to gather all of them.
Many of the departments are reluctant to cooperate.
We have to put pressure on them.

We have to say that we need the log keepers in order to reconstruct the Urakai.
After saying that, you have to take the responsibility,
To protect those people from the Sousui.

18
However---

I'm entrusting them to you.
Don’t even think of using them for evil deeds.
When I need you to do something, I'll give the orders.

It’s good then.

Yes.
Of course I understand that.

Side text: Never-ending protection--what is Masamori’s plan?