I Came Back from the Dead, Quit Being a Holy Hero, and Just Wanna Shake My Hips in a Harem - Chapter 39; Side Kokono

Side Kokono: Let’s Clap and Cheer

Kokono Jukai also carried memories of her past life.

But unlike Lily or Filio, hers were faint—blurred—because during the Demon King subjugation, she had buried her true self.

As shrine maiden twins, Kokono and Kikino had always been expected to shine together.

But Kokono believed she would only ever play a supporting role—standing in the shadow of her sister, Kikino, hailed as the “second coming of the First.”

Kikino wasn’t just a dancer; she excelled at everything. She was Kokono’s pride… her idol.

When that sister died young from illness, Kokono was left with a wound that never healed.

Losing her twin left her hollow, and suddenly the eyes that once sought Kikino’s light turned on her instead.

“Why her? Why? Why?”

People didn’t say it aloud, but she could feel it—in their looks, in their silence.

And she herself thought the same.

(Why wasn’t it me who died…?)

But there was no sister left to confide in.

So Kokono threw herself into dance, chasing after her genius sibling’s shadow.

If she danced, everyone would smile.

If she danced, people would look at her.

She knew she had no affinity for hosting a god.
Even so, Kokono danced the Divine Ritual.
To become the light that would save the world.

She called herself Kikino out of love for her sister—the one who should have become the shrine maiden.
Because she was only ever “shadow,” she tried to become “light.”
She vaguely believed that if she bore Kikino’s name, people would finally look at her.

Or maybe… she just didn’t want to be hurt anymore.

So Kokono joined the Hero’s journey under the name of Kikino.

But every time she performed the Divine Descent, the backlash left her in a half-awake haze. It was like she wandered endlessly in a dream.

Even when Amhaya, the goddess, and the priestess tried to stop her, she forced her way forward.

Because this way, she could be light for the world.

She could exist as a proper shrine maiden, supporting the Hero of Pure White Porcelain.

For everyone, everyone, everyone.

(I don’t matter.)

And yet—it wasn’t all bad.

Living like she was in a dream, she felt no fear, not even when surrounded by hordes of monsters.

She could dance forever, endlessly, for her companions’ sake.

And that was enough.

Only… Kokono wished she could have chatted and laughed with her friends a little more.

“—Clap & cheer, let the dance begin! Bush clover, maple leaves, peonies—boar, deer, and butterflies!”

Kokono snapped open her iron fan and spun, slicing through the mist with quick, sharp steps.

Her whole body shimmered faintly, and then the guardian spirits of boar, deer, and butterfly burst forth, circling to shield her, Lily, and Filio.

Several wraiths—skulls wrapped in bluish flames—came charging at them.

The guardians blocked their way, burning them to vapor, while Lily raised her holy staff in the opening.

“Kokono, thank you! Let’s go, Filio!”

“Yeah! Chiave Cinque—Spider Thread (Ragnatela)!”

Succubus-formed Filio flicked her fingers, weaving out a vast net of magical threads. When Lily whispered a prayer and pointed her staff, the threads writhed as if alive, lashing out to sweep and purify dozens of wraiths at once.

“Drain works wonders, huh!”

“As expected of you, Filio.”

“Teamwork, teamwork! Right, Kokono?”

Filio flashed a bright grin.

Kokono felt her heart lift—so happy to know she was being counted as part of the team, even in the middle of battle.

“Leave it to meee! Kokono will dance even more than usual today~!”

She danced to protect everyone.

And somehow, fighting for others didn’t weigh her down—it sharpened her steps, made her dance feel lighter than ever.

“Clap & cheer, clap & cheer—let the dance begin!”

The iron fan, once so heavy it had crushed blisters into her palms, now felt as light as a feather.

She never knew… that just being truly seen could make her heart this free.

(Guess I really am easy… but I couldn’t help it—I was just so happy.)

Beneath all those rough words, Kokono had felt the warmth in his heart, and it gave her energy to spare.

Come to think of it, he really was a mystery.

She still didn’t know why he’d called her “Kikino” the first time they met.

That little slip bugged her so much, she ended up chasing after him.

And now—there he was, fighting Amhaya… or rather, the false spirit Jangajanga, with a sword of light.

“You scurry like a fly… bothersome insect! Disappear, human!”

“Too slow~.”

Jangajanga swung his massive tail, scales hard as armor—yet Haruya spun gracefully aside, dodging with ease.

And in the same motion, his blade cut into the tail.

“Guuuhhh!?”

“Fwahahaha! I’ll dice you up like sashimi and pickle you like dragon jerky!”

“You insolent cur! Your corpse isn’t worth keeping—I’ll pulverize you until nothing remains!”

The tail lashed again, but Haruya slipped past it, nose grazing the scales, and sliced it clean through.

His swordplay was so sharp and fluid, Kokono couldn’t look away—it was just like when he’d shown off before, in that little performance.

Could people really move so beautifully? Kokono was honestly impressed.

A glowing sword. Filio turning succubus. These people were something else.

As Kokono thought that, she noticed Lily muttering under her breath while side-eyeing Haruya: “Charity work, charity work, charity work…”

(So she didn’t know about the glowing sword either, huh~…?)

Kokono couldn’t help but think… this was one strange, but delightful, group.

“Tch! Don’t think you can run forever, human!”

“Don’t act like some lofty higher-being forever, you evil spirit!”

Haruya struck at the tail again, but a flicker of pain crossed his face.

The dragon’s wound had almost fully regenerated.

“Lily—hey, quick question—”

“Yes? What is it, wielder of the holy sword?”

“My lewd sword isn’t working right. It won’t purify him like it did with the succubus stuff.”

“Well, the body belongs to Lord Amhaya—holy blades don’t have much effect. A holy sword is… well, just a holy sword.”

Lily emphasized holy sword like it was obvious, and Haruya grimaced while dodging another tail sweep.

“You fake god—how dare you.”

“Heh! Got your hopes dashed, did you? This body belongs to the spirit Amhaya—the enormous mystery that served the original shrine maiden. Godly power won’t touch it!”

“It’s the Lewd Sword, don’t forget.”

“We’ll see how long your jokes last.”

“Forever.”

“Try me, then! Wraiths—possess him and kill him!”

From the thick fog, nearly a hundred wraiths poured out.

Filio intercepted some, but a wave slipped past and rushed Haruya at full speed.

“Whoa—!”

Haruya’s shout was swallowed as dozens of wraiths piled onto him like a living mountain, trying to curse and crush him.

Jangajanga laughed like victory was already in hand.

“Gwahahahaha! Let your friends watch as your flesh rots and melts away!”

“Haruya!?”

Kokono panicked and tried to run to him, but Filio quickly stopped her.

Lily, on the other hand, stared intently at the mass of wraiths—like she was about to say something big.

She must have sensed it—the holy presence.

“—Let all things be bathed in light. I renew the contract now. Absolute, untouchable light that banishes evil—manifest.”

A serene, echoing voice filled the air.

“Yeah, I knew you were in there! Come on out! Holy Armor!!”

At that instant, beams of light burst from within the swarm of wraiths—blazing like the sun itself.

The wraiths scattered like flower seeds in a storm, evaporating into smoke as they were purified.

And there he stood—calm, radiant, wrapped in sacred armor, the air around him crystal-clear.

(Bloodless… white porcelain…?)

Words bubbled up strangely in Kokono’s head, but before she could dwell on them, Lily spoke in a voice colder than ice:

“Lord Haruya… and what armor might this one be?”

Her eyes promised eternal grudge if he gave the wrong answer.

“Uh, i-it’s the Lewd Armor…”

“The… Lewd Armor?”

“Really, really—it’s totally the Lewd Armor… gyaaaah!? Quit getting heavy, you pain-in-the-ass armor!! And don’t strip off all the other armor I had on, either! That’s the most annoying part—gaaahhh!!”

Haruya staggered, clearly weighed down, as if the armor itself had turned against him.

“Ughhhhhh… never wearing this thing again!! Haa… haa… o-okay, okay, just behave already…”

“Lord Haruya?”

“It’s… a little bit of a temperamental armor… just a bit…”

“This matter—”

“…We will have a proper talk about it later.”

Haruya steadied himself and turned back toward Jangajanga.

“Fuhahahahaha! Kept you waiting, huh!”

“Your sword… your armor… you—”

“What’s wrong? Getting cold feet now? Figures—you’re the type who can only survive by latching onto other people, right? If you’re regretting it, cry and off yourself already!”

“I don’t care what you are. Soon you’ll be just another silent corpse.”

“Perfect. Nice and simple. Let’s kill each other till one’s left standing!!”

Wrapped in holy armor, sword blazing with light, Haruya charged straight at Jangajanga and his horde of wraiths.

(That form… is that what Haruya’s hard work looks like…?)

Judging from Lily’s expression, he probably hadn’t wanted his teammates to see this side of him.

Then why? For who?

Maybe he really is just himself no matter how far he goes—Kokono found herself thinking that, her hazy memories of a past life flickering.

(What can I do right now… what do I want to do…)

The part of her she’d always turned away from—the piece she’d avoided—felt like it was ready to move.

She felt like she could finally dance on her own will.

But… what if she failed?
As the usual anxiety rose up, a voice whispered right by her ear.

“Do as you like. If it’s something Kokono truly wants… even if you fail, those people will just laugh and forgive you.”

There was no one around. No wraiths, no voices but her own.

It might have been a voice of convenience—yet it felt different from that fake one earlier.

This voice belonged to her kind, caring sister, who truly thought of her.

And Kokono didn’t want to believe this feeling was just her imagination.

So then—

“Lily, Filio, please give me some time—”

“Of course!” “Leave it to us!”

Their smiles pushed her forward.

Kokono folded her iron fan and raised it before her.

With spirits and wraiths gathered all around, this was the perfect place.

She slowed her steps into a circle, calming her heart, and began a chant. Not the usual rite, but a new verse—slightly different, slightly her own.

“Morning with camellia, night with peony. Thus, I—Kokono Jukai, a shrine maiden who walks the path. The rule of yin and yang may be broken, yet let me be a princess thrice over. Let me hear the voices of grass and trees. Let me hear the voices of the sealed rocks.”

She would listen—to the voices of the spirits, to the voices of the dead.

She would dance—for the people she cherished, and for herself.

It felt like her awareness was being lifted up a tier, as if all the murk inside her was being washed away.

“Everyone—listen and dance with me.”

This was Kokono proving to the world who she truly was.
This time, she would follow her will—only her will.

“The shrine maiden is no more—an Yin Princess stands here.”

A deep shadow settled over her, tilting her very nature toward yin.

Kokono slowly raised her iron fan, spreading it wide as if to show it off to the entire world.

“Yin Princess Kokono Jukai, shall now dance.”

She heard the voices of the wraiths haunting Old Kamunkotan.

They cried that because of a single foul spirit, they could not rest peacefully.

So, with her dance, Kokono soothed their pain—while at the same time, binding the false spirit Jangajanga.

“Dance of Wraith Subjugation—”

With a light hop and spin—toton—the monster froze.

It was as if invisible threads had wrapped around him, locking his body in place.

Realizing far too late what Kokono had become, Jangajanga shrieked in shock.

“W-What!? You… you’ve awakened as a shrine maiden!?”

“I’m no shrine maiden anymore—just Kokono, the Yin Princess. Now behave yourself, okay?”

“Don’t think you can control me with a newborn power!”

“Fufufu, too sweet, too sweet… gyaaah, heavy—!”

The moment she tried to control him, the backlash nearly knocked her off her feet.

She was still inexperienced. Still clumsy.

But that was fine—because she wasn’t alone anymore.

“Haruyaaaa! The mask—the wraith’s power is pooling at the forehead!”

Kokono gave her usual soft, droopy smile.
Haruya, holy sword in hand, grinned back, thrilled at her transformation.

“I see. So the weak spot’s in a pretty obvious place, huh. Hey—evil spirit!”

“W-Wait, wait, wait!! If you attack the mask, something terrible will happen!!”

The false spirit Jangajanga dropped all dignity and squeaked like a frightened idiot.

“Oh yeah? Like what—say it.”

“If you kill me, Amhaya will die too! Then a shrine maiden who can host a god will never appear in this world again!!”

“Hah—don’t try to wriggle out of this.”

“W-What???”

“It’s weird, right? A sneaky coward who’s been hiding behind others suddenly acts like he’ll only reveal his plan when cornered. Sure, he might take some damage, but he won’t die, will he, Lord Amhaya?”

“Ugh…”

“And besides, we don’t have to depend on shrine maidens to handle humans. People manage with what they’ve got. That’s what humans do.”

His voice softened just a little—Kokono realized he was talking to her.

Haruya twisted the corner of his mouth into a pleased grin.

“Honestly… if a god-hosting shrine maiden never gets born again… that’s—perfectly—convenient for us!”

“W-What?! A g-god-hosting shrine maiden!? What are you saying—”

“She’s no shield for me anyway! See ya!!”

Haruya hurled his glowing sword.

It struck right into the center of Jangajanga’s mask.

A hideous scream—“Ugyyaaaaaaahhhhhh!”—echoed, and at the same time the deathly aura spilling from Amhaya vanished.

The dragon’s massive body thudded to the ground, and all the restless spirits filling old Kamunkotan finally quieted. Kokono could hear it—their voices relieved, ready to rest in peace.

Looked like things were wrapped up.

Haruya turned with the fakest, most overdone smile plastered across his face.

“Wow, tough fight, huh! But thanks to everyone, we pulled through! Thanks, team! Great job, team! Man, being comrades is just the best!”

…Lily and Filio quietly closed in on him.

“W-Wha? Lily…? Why are you pointing your staff at me?? Filio, what’s with that scary face? Eh? Our party name? I-it’s a pretty good name, don’t you think—Ugyyaaaaaahhh?! Damn it, why’re you suddenly getting heavier, you stupid cursed armor! My back can’t take this!!”

Yep. Supposed to be all settled, but apparently a fresh mess was about to start.

(Fufu… things are always so noisy with them.)

As Kokono smiled softly, the dragon lying on the ground suddenly let out a loud shhhhhh of smoke.

As Haruya and the others tensed up, the smoke cleared, and the dragon’s body collapsed into nothing but floppy skin.

And then—sproing!—something popped right out.

It landed daintily on Kokono’s iron fan.

“Fueee? C-Could this be… Lord Amhaya?”

A tiny hand-sized dragon let out a cute little kyuruuu~.