父と白鳥(Father and the Swan) P77 (Patreon)

そういやさっき、福助さんと又郎が戻ってきとったな。結局あの二人、何の仕事しとったんじゃろ。誰も教えてくれん――

なんとなく今なら察しはつくけども……。

Come to think of it, Fukusuke and Mataro came back a moment ago.

I still have no idea what job they were on, because nobody will tell me.

Even so, I can more or less guess now.

それより、今はこっちじゃ。

いよいよ明日、どうなるんじゃろ。どぶろく漢祭のあと、この屋敷で白也の跡継ぎの後祭が始まる。

More importantly, this is what matters right now.

Tomorrow at last—what will happen, I wonder?

After the Doburoku Festival, the follow-up ceremony marking Hakuya’s succession will begin here.

それから三日三晩、捧げ物役の下男が男衆に奉仕する。今回そのお役目に当てられとるのは父上と好六兄さん――。

For three days and nights, the servant offered as the “sacrifice” will wait on the men.

Father and Kouroku-nii have been chosen for that duty this time.

先生から聞いた段取りはそれだけじゃが、実際は聞いとる以上に騒がしいことになるんじゃろうな。

That is all the procedure the Master explained to me, yet I am sure it will turn out far rowdier than anything I have heard.

おおくま組に街の衆、そして他所からも男たちがどっさり集まるらしい。オラはこれを宴と呼んでいいものか……。

It seems the Okuma family, the townsfolk, and even men from other places will pour in.

I wonder if I can really call this a feast at all…

フーー…この「箱」はいったい何に使うんじゃろ？

Hoo… What on earth is this “box” meant for?

気のせいか、雄の性液のような匂いがふっと漂う気がした

I thought I caught a faint whiff that smelled like male seed—perhaps it was just my imagination.

「祭り編」へ続く…

—To be continued in the “Festival Arc”…