Part 2
The air in the monastery was still tense even after 'slop' ended. The restless and tense feeling that had gathered seemed to be on the edge of eruption- but it was forcefully stuck in the state right before an imminent explosion rather than truly exploding.
Akino, who had been told to look after Hokuto, had stayed with her for the rest time after that. They had prepared lunch, helped with the monastery chores, prepared 'slop', and helped with more monastery chores. During that time, the tense atmosphere of the monastery reached its peak when Onmyou Agency envoys arrived. However, Akino was unconcerned about those circumstances, making it through to the night by single-mindedly focusing on doing her own work.
The place Akino usually slept was a residential area of the monastery. It was the female quarters for 'disciples'. Though there were other rooms for women, Akino and two young seniors lived together in this six-tatami room.
But the two seniors reacted negatively to Akino for bringing back Hokuto.
"This place is too cramped for four people to live in."
"What is that Tadanori doing?"
They had no choice if it was an instruction handed down from above, but it made her regretful to suddenly restrict her seniors' living space because of the newcomer she had brought back. Though Tadanori said that he had already brought it up with them, the seniors insisted that they hadn't even heard of this.
As a result, Hokuto could only sleep in the bedding storage room tonight.
"Even so, you didn't need to accompany me, Akino."
"B-But, I couldn't convince the seniors, and I was asked to look after Hokuto."
Akino spoke in a fluster to the wryly-smiling Hokuto.
The bedding room was several times larger than the female living quarters from before. But the faded tatami was mostly occupied by piled bedding. Because it was a south-facing room that the sunlight didn't reach, there was dust everywhere and it was a bit musty. But more importantly, it was inconvenient that there was no light. Akino had brought a candle used for ceremonies from a storage room - secretly - and lit the small candle with a match.
The light that flickered in the darkness illuminated the bedding room and the two girls in it. Though it was completely dark compared to the lighting in the female quarters, in contrast her mood became happy because the low light could conceal extraneous things.
But because it was a narrow space occupied by sheets, the aroma that Hokuto's body gave off felt even closer to her. It was as if she were feeling her body heat. Her heartbeat was a bit restless.
"Sorry for troubling you."
"Ehh? No, it's not like that! It's not Hokuto's fault. Please don't be concerned. I never really hated this room. Even when I was by myself, I would come here to sleep sometimes."
"Eh? Why?"
"Um...... Well, like when certain things happened......"
To be more specific, the so-called 'certain things' were when her seniors scolded her, but it was too shameful to explain this to the newcomer Hokuto. The lenses of her glasses reflected the light of the candle, and Akino forcefully stopped the discussion as if saying 'please don't worry!'.
"Actually, I should be the one apologizing. It's your first day after entering the monastery and I made you run into this kind of thing......"
"That's not Akino's fault. Rather, it's fortunate that I was able to mix in with the monastery during the hubbub."
"Eh? Why is that?"
"Ah, uhh...... Because I don't really want attention."
Hokuto smiled awkwardly as she said that.
Come to think of it, when she had met Akino for the first time, Hokuto's attitude had been very forced.
Perhaps Hokuto was unexpectedly shy. For some reason, she was flooded by a sense of closeness.
"......Hmm? But I heard that you talked pretty actively with others when we were working."
Indeed, that had been when they were preparing 'slop'. Because the monastery had been all panicked, Akino had ended up being unable to introduce Hokuto to everyone around them. In contrast, Hokuto had been scolded fiercely for asking endless questions of the people in the monastery and others ended up avoiding her.
Hokuto had enthusiastically asked about the envoys from the Onmyou Agency - the Twelve Divine Generals.
"Sorry. Um...... It's because I had to check who came no matter what."
"Ah, you don't have to apologize for that......"
The Twelve Divine Generals of the Onmyou Agency were the stars of the magic community. It was understandable that she was interested, but she didn't really understand what she meant by 'checking'.
"Um, did you figure out who they were?"
"Yeah. Judging by what I heard, it seems like one of them is a Special Senser. The other one is a female Independent Officer named Yuge. The last one is the person who just became a National First-Class Onmyouji recently...... Anyway, I'm relieved."
"Relieved?"
"Ah, no. Um...... I should say it's fortunate that it's no one I recognize......"
Hokuto lowered her head with a relieved expression as she spoke. Akino was stunned. Since they were from the Twelve Divine Generals, then she should be happy if someone she knew came, but that didn't seem to be the case for Hokuto.
"Well, um, although Hokuto wasn't very lucky today, I think those people will go back very soon. In that case, I think Priest Tadanori will go back to managing the monastery and the chores and allocation and things. Of course, there's also the practice."
"......Yeah."
Though Hokuto nodded after hearing Akino's words, Akino couldn't see her expression clearly since it was too dark. But that was enough. It wasn't always right to see everything clearly.
After that, the two of them chose places that looked decent among the piled blankets and then laid down in the narrow space.
Akino would normally be unable to settle down because of a sense of distance, but she had shared a room with Hokuto in the Front Hall yesterday. Even compared to that time, the sense of distance had greatly receded. Actually, sleeping pillow to pillow like this made her happy. Though they had been kicked out of the female quarters, she was thankful to her two seniors tonight.
"Ah, right. We have to get up at four tomorrow. Though it's a bit early, will you be alright?"
"Hmm? Wasn't it Akino who overslept today?"
"T-That was!? I accidentally, um...... i-it was because I wasn't used to the place."
"Usually you wouldn't be able to sleep if you weren't used to the place."
"Th-That's not true! It was just a coincidence this morning...... I was just unlucky!?"
Akino replied with a blush to Hokuto's teasing tone. But inexplicably, she didn't feel uncomfortable even though she was clearly being teased. Though she felt a bit embarrassed, she didn't hate it.
"H-Hokuto too. At the start, weren't you completely silent while wearing that unhappy expression?"
"Did that happen?"
"Ah, how shameless. You can't remember things about yourself."
"I was so surprised by the fact that Akino ate four bowls of cup ramen that I wasn't able to talk with you."
"I-I didn't even eat four bowls. It was only three!"
"I didn't see you as a glutton."
"I-I was just hungry. Hokuto, you just don't know that you can't eat things like cup ramen whenever you want here."
Akino desperately protested. But Akino herself knew that there was a smile on her face as she protested. Hokuto was the same. In the faint light, she said bullying words while showing a mischievous smile. Her gaze was so familiar and so gentle that she gradually became embarrassed. Her heart itched and she became happy. This was her first experience.
As they changed into their sleeping clothes while sitting on the spread sheets, at some point the two of them started chattering in lowered voices while constantly laughing.
She was extremely delighted. And it made her happy. Hateful things and difficult things all instantly became needless to worry about. What was up with this? It was truly strange - it felt curious.
"Really. We have to get up early tomorrow, but isn't it Hokuto's fault that we won't be able to sleep?"
"It's my fault?"
"It's because you said weird things, Hokuto. I didn't think you would be this kind of person yesterday."
"Hmph. I thought so too."
"Eh?"
"I never thought that I would be able to laugh like this after coming to the dark temple. I haven't laughed like this in a long time in the first place. Honestly, how long has it been?"
"......"
Akino didn't respond to Hokuto’s words as she seemed to be talking to herself. She held her knees and curled into a ball while watching Hokuto.
Like that, she suddenly saw Hokuto stop smiling and look calmly at Akino.
"It was great that Akino was the first person I met when I came here. Thanks."
She said that straightforwardly and without being overly polite.
For a moment, Akino couldn't respond. Her cheeks just gradually heated up. Though she opened her mouth as if to say something, she couldn't say anything other than strange sounds like 'um' and 'aah', so she hastily closed her mouth.
Then, she lowered her head again.
But the one thing she was certain of was that she felt the same way.
It was great that Hokuto had been the newcomer who came to the monastery. Akino raised her head with a blush, wanting to at least convey that fact. She looked through her glasses that had slipped slightly because she had lowered her head towards Hokuto's face.
Hokuto suddenly froze.
"Um". Akino stared at Hokuto. Hokuto also stared at Akino...... But their gazes didn't meet. Hokuto stared at Akino's 'head', dumbstruck.
She wailed.
"Ah! Eek! D-Don't look!"
Though she frantically raised her hands, she was already a step late. Her fingertips touched and felt that sensation. Ears. Hateful rabbit ears that had jumped out. It looked like they had unexpectedly popped out because her emotions had been too intense. Though it would be fine if she dematerialized them immediately, she couldn't do it since she was too fretful.
Akino kept her hands raised with an almost-crying expression and was more or less able to block her ears that way.
On the other hand, Hokuto still stared at Akino and her ears in disbelief.
Her ears twitched. Though she hadn't intended it, unfortunately it seemed that they were conscious that they had been seen. Her ears moved by themselves. As if to express Akino's feelings, the rabbit ears on her head twitched around and changed their direction bit by bit.
Then, Hokuto's eyes widen.
"......So..."
"......!?"
"So cute......"
"......Eh?"
Akino's ears reacted sharply.
Hokuto kept staring intently at Akino's ears with a serious gaze, and then blinked.
"What? Rabbit living spirits grow cute ears like that?"
"W-Who knows, um, well..."
"Though Kon's ears were also very cute...... But to think rabbit ears are this cute. They're quite expressive...... Ah, they moved again."
"......Kon?"
One ear jumped in surprise. Though Akino quietly asked back, Hokuto didn't notice it. In contrast, she unconsciously drew closer with an extremely moved appearance.
"Uhm, can they hear sound?"
"Eh? Th-They can't really...... Rather than sound, they make it easier to sense presences."
"I see. Since they're spiritual, I guess it's closer to 'sight' [32] . Then can you move them yourself?"
"Um, t-to a certain extent......"
Akino helplessly lowered her hands upon facing that look that were instantly filled with anticipation.
She held her knees and curled into a ball again. She adjusted her glasses and looked up as if trying to see her own forehead.
The ears that were currently bent into a '?' character jumped and flopped to the right. Then, they jumped again and moved in the opposite direction.
With an 'ooh', Hokuto's eyes became red-tinged.
"That's really...... so cute."
"......"
"Can I touch them?"
"Ueeh!?"
"Ah, it's fine if you don't want that--"
"No no, it's not that I don't want it...... you can t-touch them...... uuuu...... J-Just for a bit......"
Akino hesitated, deeply blushing, and ended up lowering her head, sticking her ears forward.
Hokuto softly extended her hand.
Her fingertips touched. Akino couldn't help but shut her eyes with an "ah". An unimaginable feeling of her ears being touched. Though she couldn't keep her ears from moving as if to twist themselves, Hokuto kept stroking her rabbit ears with her slender fingers. It was as if she were addicted to the gentle feeling of that fur.
"So cute...... How should I put it? They are a reflection of Akino's personality, right?"
"Wh-What does that mean?"
"Doesn’t Akino-san behave like a rabbit in some ways?"
"Ehh?"
"You're timid in front of people but you're also a glutton, and you're a bit panicked but unexpectedly leisurely."
"Ah, that's what you meant." She couldn't deny it. In the end, her crooked ears dropped down listlessly. Thinking that she was unhappy, Hokuto said "Ah, sorry" while hastily pulling her hand away.
"That was rude of me. But it's truly very cute and suits you very well. Also, they're extremely pretty now that I've looked at them closely. Rather than being white, their fur is more of a whitish silver."
Hokuto wasn't just being polite. Though she realized this, Akino still had complex feelings. After all, these were at the roots of her inferiority complex.
"Why do you usually hide them?"
"Because...... it's terrible to have these things on my head. Because everyone takes me for an idiot......"
"Terrible, huh?"
Though Hokuto responded with a surprised face, she didn't express opposition or agreement like before when she saw Akino's stubborn expression.
But,
"I like Akino's ears very much."
"......"
Stunned, Akino buried her face into her knees. She desperately tried to conceal her expression like that. In contrast, the rabbit ears on her head jumped up happily after pausing for a moment. How embarrassing! She ended up not being able to raise her head back up.
But Akino's jumping ears suddenly stopped.
Her ears changed direction in the blink of an eye. In the direction of the sliding door separating the bedding room and the corridor. Then, Hokuto seemed to notice as well, her body tensed up in an instant.
"Who is it--"
"Ah, i-it's alright. It's probably Tengu-san."
At a loss, Hokuto asked, "Tengu-san?" Then, the door to the bedding room was pulled open with a clatter.
The light in the corridor had already vanished. A giant figure quietly entered from the deep darkness that the light of the candle didn't illuminate.
It was a huge man.
His chest was very thick and his arms were thick and long like tree trunks. Though he was quite tall, he was so broad-shouldered and solidly built that it seemed to make his back hunch. Hence, his profile looked more like a gorilla than a human.
Though he had that abnormal body, his clothes were more eye-catching. The man wore a formal monk's robe, but there was a headpiece tied around his head, a majestic tengu mask.
He was such a huge man, but his footsteps didn't make any sound at all. No, that was also obvious.
"...A shikigami?"
"Yes."
Akino replied to Hokuto's suspicion.
Upon careful inspection, the shikigami wearing a Tengu mask carried a load of sheets over his shoulder. He didn't even glance at Akino and Hokuto who were preparing to sleep in this kind of place, moving into the depths of the room. Then, he placed the sheets over his shoulder on the piled sheets.
"......A high-level manmade shikigami? Whose is it? Is it a shikigami of a monk here?'
"Ah, no, he's wild."
When a nighttime monastery was mentioned, one would think of a silent environment with no sound at all. But it seemed like Seishuku Temple wasn't like this.
The sound of insects could be heard everywhere along with the cries of wild beasts that came from the dark mountains. These sounds of nature could only be heard because the activities of humans had ceased. Moreover, though he had long since prepared himself to face complete blackness, there were actually lit stone lanterns dotting the area, and hence there was basically no problem moving around the monastery.
Perhaps he should say as expected of the dark temple. The lit fires were magical fires.
Yamashiro walked out of the room allocated to him and left the building to go deep into the monastery. Needless to say, he was obviously stealthed. He cautiously paid attention to the surroundings while pushing aside the tree branches and quickly striding into the cedar forest.
The training practitioners called 'disciples' in Seishuku Temple probably lived in the general quarters. But the people who had become 'ajari' seemed to be given large rooms or huts, also called 'monk's quarters'.
But that wasn't to say that every person had their own room. Rather, several people used one monk's quarter, using a single room as a den.
What a simple life. It would be reasonable for someone who felt confident in his power to be dissatisfied with the treatment in the monastery.
The person he was going to meet was someone who held such dissatisfaction.
Seeing the light of his destination deep in the forest, Yamashiro stopped.
The light that flickered through the shade of the mountain forest came from the monk's quarters. Yamashiro snorted.
"......Why don't you show yourself? Or are you saying that it's fine if I break in like this?"
It was unclear who he was talking to, but immediately afterwards the space before him wavered slightly. A barrier was hastily being released.
Could it be that they wanted to confirm his power? Though it was laughable, there was no meaning in reading into the other side's thoughts for every little thing - or rather, the other side wasn't important enough for him to do so. Yamashiro strode forward with an indifferent attitude.
This monk's quarter looked on the outside like a hermitage. He stood in front of the entrance. The door opened as if it had been waiting and a woman's face peeked out. She was the glasses-wearing middle-aged woman that he had seen in the gathering hall during the day.
"Sorry for earlier."
"......"
He knew from just seeing the aura. This woman had put up that barrier from before. The woman invited Yamashiro in with an awkward expression, then closed the door of the monk's quarter.
Though it was an ancient building like he thought, there was still electricity. He took off his shoes and passed through the hall following the woman's lead.
He arrived at an inner room.
"I've made you wait, Priest Rian."
"Ah, I've been waiting for you, Yamashiro-kun."
The one in the room was the scholarly man who had fought with Jougen in the fathering hall, Rian.
Though it was a traditional room about eight tatami large, there was a table and bookshelves were placed by the walls, so it looked like it was used as a library. Rian rose from his seat, signaling with his gaze to the woman who had led him here. The woman quickly withdrew from the room, shutting the sliding door.
This room looked like Rian's den. Refusing the chair that the ajari offered, Yamashiro put his hand in his suit pocket. He took out a sealed letter. Rian's face lit up when he saw it.
"That's from Chief Kurahashi......"
"Yes. I was instructed to secretly bring it to you, which is why I am here."
Rian jumped to accept the letter that Yamashiro offered. He opened the seal, reading the letter inside as if wolfing it down. Yamashiro glanced to confirm his appearance and then observed the room while smiling.
A laptop was opened on the desk facing the window. There was also a calculator and a tablet. There was a small LCD television by the side. It felt like the table of someone in this backwards mountain world who was incredibly jealous of the outside world.
Moving his gaze to the bookshelves, he was able to see religious and magic texts mixed together along with new-looking books on business. There were wine bottles arranged inside the glass doors. There were many kinds, but they were all high-priced goods. This man was totally easy to see through. Conscious of this fact, Yamashiro's smile became cold.
"......Not a bad collection."
"Eh? ......Ah, yeah. Want a glass?"
A flattered expression emerged on Rian and he opened the glass door and took out a brandy.
"Is this the so-called 'hannyatou' [33] ?"
"Hmph. There are practically no religious restrictions in this place. More importantly, it's nothing important anyway."
"Indeed. Though it's very impolite, I was quite surprised when I came here. I never thought you would be living such an outdated life."
"It's not like I enjoy it. You might not know that things like 'conventionalism' are a kind of powerful 'magic' of their own. They bind people's hearts with no regard for magical resistance."
"......What if there were a 'spell' that could destroy it?"
"Hmm. Well, about that. For example, there's this."
Saying that, Rian waved the letter in his hands.
Then, he took out a glass cup and opened the bottle of brandy. The scent of brandy floated through the room with a cheerful popping sound.
"Come to think of it, I did all this for the express purpose of activating that 'spell'. The Onmyou Agency is actually able to break Seishuku Temple's seal - the curse of conventionalism. Or in other words, it's its leader, His Excellency Kurahashi Genji."
"......In that case, I'm just a means that the Chief is using, right?"
"That's correct."
Rian smiled while offering him a glass cup filled with brandy. Yamashiro respectfully - on the surface - accepted it.
"To Seishuku Temple's future and the prosperity of the Onmyou Agency."
Rian spoke while raising his glass. It was probably for his own future and prosperity, Yamashiro mocked in his heart while silently raising his glass.
Yamashiro had met this man called Rian in the gathering hall not long ago for the first time. But he had already communicated with him through mail several times.
Originally, before Yamashiro and the others had been sent as envoys of the Onmyou Agency, Seishuku Temple had already split into two factions, the conservative faction and the reformist faction, and begun opposing each other. This conflict had become especially intense since the final stage of the Onmyou law legal reform last year.
The Onmyou law of the past had strict rules regarding the scope of authority and duties of Onmyouji - or practitioners. To take it to the extreme, Onmyouji duties were limited to just purifying the many spiritual disasters within Tokyo and dealing with magical crimes related to practitioners, and for this they had permission to use magic. Though so-called spiritual treatment was an exception, in the first place this was just in order to treat spiritual encumbrance that was caused by spiritual disasters.
But that Onmyou law was being reformed on a large scale. A large portion of the regulations towards Onmyouji and magic were being lifted. Though it hadn't actually come into effect now, it was anticipated that future Onmyouji activity would spread into various areas.
Among the Seishuku Temple inhabitants, the reformist faction became greatly excited upon learning of this legal reform. It was currently a great opportunity to utilize the great opportunity of the legal reform and use it as a trigger to abandon their illegal background and move to the outside world. Advocates of that became increasingly louder and louder.
The reformists were composed of young practitioners dissatisfied with life in the monastery. It was the Rian before him who had become their core person.
Rian had secretly kept contact with the Onmyou Agency, asking the Onmyou Agency for support for the purpose of reforming Seishuku Temple. It was practically an action of betrayal for the 'dark temple' that lived on illegal activity. But it had been worthwhile, as Rian had succeeded in laying down a secret agreement with the Onmyou Agency higher-ups. Even Miyoshi and Yuge who were also envoys didn't know of that matter. This was a fact that only the Mystical Investigator Yamashiro knew.
Rian sat back on his chair, looking over the letter again.
"......Thank you so much. Everyone's moral will rise this time."
"......"
Yamashiro still stood motionlessly, silently bringing the glass to his lips.
Rian and the others desired the outside world.
But they didn't leave the monastery of their own initiative because they didn't know how to live outside the monastery. Moreover, they weren't resolved to give up their positions as ajari to live on as a mere practitioner - or even a practitioner without qualifications. This actually was no simple matter. People who grew up in the monastery would have great difficulty living outside the monastery. Hence, they specifically wished for the monastery to open itself up.
In the letter that Yamashiro had handed over, it had been written that the treatment of all of the people Rian counted as reformists would be guaranteed in the Onmyou Agency Chief's name. This was the secret agreement that Rian and Kurahashi had made. The item of Rian's personal treatment had been explained in a specifically-prepared letter.
That secret letter had been prepared 'just for him'.
"Anyway, you've worked hard, Yamashiro-kun. I hope that you could say hello to the Chief for me after you return. The opening of the monastery isn't so far away anymore."
Yamashiro couldn't help but want to click his tongue again upon seeing Rian smiling and pretending to be tough.
"Not so far away anymore? What are you saying so casually here, Priest?"
His tone changed slightly, becoming sharp and critical. "W-What?" Rian flinched as if he had been hit.
"It's already been half a year since you contacted the Onmyou Agency. We've come to Seishuku Temple to visit you, but I haven't seen any developments at all. What did you say again? The internal monastery adjustments would be carried out easily as long as you had the backing of the Onmyou Agency. Let me see the reforms you're bringing about, or......"
"Th-That's...... There are various situations on this side. Even so, we're still getting ready to advance."
"And the result was the dispute during the day? No, that doesn't even count as a dispute. Priest Jougen's faction doesn't even treat you like an opponent, right? Also, actually, the results of your 'getting ready' haven't changed the situation at all."
"I-I'd be very troubled if you made a judgment based on that event. People who weren't born in the monastery don't understand most of the problems left in the monastery. There's no helping it that we have to spend some time."
Rian frowned and rebutted the rude accusations of the young envoy. Come to think of it, it was more like an empty excuse than a rebuttal. He thought that it was tragic that a person of this level had been able to captain the reformists thanks to his high standing among them. Or perhaps the so-called reformists were just of the same level. Though he hoped that it was the former.
"In any case, I'll have to report the circumstances of the meeting during the day to the Chief. Our contact in the future might go to Priest Jougen instead of you depending on the circumstances."
"Wha!? That kind of ridiculous idea is impossible. You can see at a glance, right? That person won't agree to something like opening the monastery no matter what!"
"Even so, there's no other way as long as he's the person who actually controls this monastery. I don't know how time feels to the people at Seishuku Temple, but the Onmyou Agency no longer has the time to tolerate this kind of pace."
Rian bit his lip at Yamashiro's acrid tone. Though he stared fiercely at the Mystical Investigator, Rian seemed to understand that his words weren't just for show.
"But...... In that case, what do you propose I do?"
"It's very simple. Before we leave the mountain, please let me see some 'results'. Even the Onmyou Agency obviously hopes to negotiate with someone who can make good on what they say. Naturally, it would be the best if Priest Rian were able to show some 'results'."
"......"
Rian lowered his head and sank into silence.
What an indecisive man. But Yamashiro didn't take any further actions to urge Rian. Rather, he smiled leisurely while waiting and sipping brandy.
He had actually considered forgetting Rian and contacting Jougen. But judging from the current situation, that was even more difficult, and more importantly, it was clear at a glance that the negotiations would stall. It would be best if Rian were able to move to seize the real authority of Seishuku Temple. Even if he couldn't do that much, as long as he were able to throw the internals of Seishuku Temple into chaos, the Onmyou Agency would be able to take advantage of the opening and absorb it. The work of Mystical Investigators also included that kind of shady business.
Rian continued thinking silently for a long time.
Finally,
"......There's still a problem."
"What is it?"
"Our comrades...... are basically all young people. Though some are recognized as ajari, it's very unfortunate that at this time, our fighting power is comparatively......"
"......You can't oppose Priest Jougen and the others?"
Yamashiro confirmed quietly and Rian nodded resignedly. How pretentious, to think that their side didn't even know that much.
There were many high-level practitioners in Seishuku Temple. Moreover, most of them were magical criminals who had been tainted by illegal activities. Because of that, they were highly guarded against the Onmyou Agency and they basically supported Priest Jougen as conservatives. That had been the most important reason the Onmyou Agency had chosen Rian rather than Jougen as their middleman - or perhaps, they had no choice but to choose him.
"If, hypothetically, a head-on confrontation occurred, our chance of victory would be slim...... No, though I think it depends on the methods, even so we would be making a dangerous gamble......" How naive. Yamashiro smiled. What did he mean, their chance of victory would be slim. If the two sides truly separated to fight a magical battle, Rian and the others had no chance of victory at all.
But,
"......Priest. That's why we've been dispatched."
Yamashiro spoke gently. Rian abruptly looked up at the young Mystical Investigators.
"Don't look at me like that, we're just doing our jobs as National First-Class Onmyouji. However, why do you think we were specifically taken from our original posts and chosen to come to Seishuku Temple as envoys?"
"B-But......!? Then, the other two as well?"
"Ah, sorry. Of course, they don't know. But if something happens, they can't possibly refuse. More importantly - how should I put it, this is a den of magical criminals. With that reason, we can come up with any number of excuses."
Rian's eyes widened at this casually smiling Yamashiro and he gulped. He was silent like that for a while, but in the end he shook his head in a trembling voice.
"Y-You don't know how fearsome Jougen is. Though I don't mean to belittle the Twelve Divine Generals, that man is a monster. I can understand his power because I'm also an ajari."
Yamashiro snorted softly upon hearing Rian's ominous words.
But come to think of it, his words were true. He didn't need to recall Miyoshi's fighting power analysis. He could understand just from 'seeing' Rian that his talent as a practitioner was first-rate, though his actual battle experience was unclear.
Even this Rian was so terrified. That told him that Jougen was on a different level from him.
However, in the end, that was just the strength of a single person.
"In that case, let me ask you something, Priest Rian. Priest Jougen and the others, or in other words the forces of the conservatives, are they 'sincerely' resolved to oppose the Onmyou Agency?"
Rian's eyes opened wide.
"N-No. That kind of thing......"
"No, right? That's right, they couldn't possibly have such determination. At least most people would hesitate. It's fine to be unfamiliar, but someone familiar with society can truly recognize the power of the Onmyou Agency, right? Then would someone who recognizes the power of the Onmyou Agency be able to cross blades with a Divine General, the representative of the Onmyou Agency? Don't you think that they would waver if we made the offer of forgiving their past crimes as long as they gave up on resisting?"
"......"
"Of course, there are some stubborn, self-serving, ignorant seniors among them. Maybe Priest Jougen is like that, for example. But the conservatives should have minds of their own. What do you think they believe about the current simmering Seishuku Temple?"
Rian fell silent again at Yamashiro's sweet words. But this silence felt different from before. His eyes were saturated in an abnormal madness and his lips were tight.
Yamashiro smiled in satisfaction, nodding lightly.
"Priest. Though this is off the record, I obtained sufficient 'decision-making power' from Chief Kurahashi. Please rely on me if you're troubled by anything."
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