Detention (監置 Kanchi) is the eighth chapter of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Oni.
Summary[]
Seiji collapses after Okai hits him in the head. Ritsuka says it wasn't his fault and she was the one who angered him, and Okai says they're taking Seiji to the Sonozaki house. There, Seiji is put to bed and Ritsuka says he just got drunk after their going-away party at Souhei's house. Okai doesn't believe so and thinks Seiji looks odd, and knows what's really happening with him. Ritsuka explains Seiji's rant from earlier, and that he believes there's something in the ritual storehouse. Okai decides to have Seiji stay at the Sonozaki house for a while and put out word that he deployed earlier than expected. She tells Ritsuka to keep it secret from Oryou, and that they'll keep Seiji in the underground storehouse until he calms down.
Long ago, when the Three Families feared the villagers losing faith in Oyashiro-sama, the Sonozakis created an underground ritual storehouse that was free of defilement, somewhere hidden away that nobody could find. Thus it was built in the Sonozaki dungeon, which they originally used for hiding things that shouldn't exist: the cursed who doubted Oyashiro-sama and were sent back to join him. Okai says Ritsuka should've noticed the scratches on Seiji's neck; they're light and he's be fine now, but it will be troublesome if the maggots start crawling out. Okai promises to take good care of Seiji, and Ritsuka says she'll visit again later.
Okai wants the Kimiyoshis to give word about Seiji's deployment to the army and tells Heishichirou Kimiyoshi about Seiji's cursing. Heishichirou can't believe he's also been cursed after Chiyoko. He remembers that long ago the Sonozakis were reluctant to use the underground storehouse, and that the curse was caused because the Furude storehouse was snuck into. Okai reminds him that Oyashiro-sama was angered because the Sonozakis didn't do their duty, and the Kimiyoshis were just caught in it. Heishichirou goes on about how the Kimiyoshis take care of everything and that the Sonozakis haven't been doing their part: 15 years ago, Heishichirou was the one who got the incident with Chiyoko and Yuuki to be regarded as a case of demoning away, and that the Kimiyoshis were responsible for dispelling the rumors about the Meiji Era Watanagashi rituals. Okai yells at him for making it sound like the Kimiyoshis' messes were the Sonozakis' fault. Heishichirou claims there's not supposed to be a power imbalance like there is now, but Okai takes issue with the Kimiyoshis living in fear with their doors locked. Heishichirou says thay really are grateful to the Sonozakis and apologizes for losing his head, as there shouldn't be any more curses happening.
Okai says that despite removing the demon from Onigafuchi Village's name, there's still demons inside everyone, and that the curse is growing. Anybody who gets drafted and sent away from the village needs to be kept under Sonozaki supervision when they come back, since this war might be worse than the Russo-Japanese War. She also needs the Kimiyoshis to help dig the underground storehouse further out and create an air hole to get the smell out. The head Furude priest knows about the plan, but Ritsuka doesn't know yet; they only have 2 more generations until the eighth generation and Oyashiro-sama's reincarnation appears. Okai says they need to put an end to the curse in their generation, for the sake of the future, before Oyashiro-sama reappears. Heishichirou says he's in her debt, and Okai says it's all because she decided to protect the village.
Souhei goes to Seiji's house and knocks on the door, but gets no reply. He meets up with Ritsuka and Oryou and says he wanted to meet Seiji before work, but Ritsuka says he deployed earlier that morning. Oryou and Souhei can't believe it, especially since Oryou had something she still wanted to talk to him about. Souhei goes off to work. Meanwhile, Oryou asks Ritsuka what they should do, as Seiji said Souhei caused the curse and the Three Families are to blame, and wonders if he hates her. Ritsuka says he's still making an effort to trust them and was surely just nervous before going off to war. Ritsuka is confident he'll come back just fine and wants ORyou to smile for him when he does.
Characters[]
- Ritsuka Furude
- Seiji Kimiyoshi
- Okai Sonozaki
- Heishichirou Kimiyoshi
- Rika Furude (imagination)
- Hanyuu (imagination)
- Akane Sonozaki (imagination)
- Mion Sonozaki (imagination)
- Shion Sonozaki (imagination)
- Souhei Origuchi
- Ryou Sonozaki
Gallery[]
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