Tokyo Ravens - Volume 16 - Chapter 5

Chapter 5 

Part 1 

Large columns of clouds were rising up from the distant ridges. 

The summer sun was still strong, but it had finally eased over the past few days. The sound of cicadas enveloped the mansion, echoing like a tidal wave in the Kikyou Room. 

"Mother! Look!" 

Mitsuyasu, who had been playing in the garden, waved to Kokage on the porch, looking up overhead; above Mitsuyasu's head, a paper crow floated in the air, its wings flapping as if it were alive. Hisateru in Tokyo had made it by hand. Mitsuyasu was delighted, and although he couldn't get it to move at first, he was able to fly it freely after three days. 

Kokage smiled back at Mitsuyasu, who seemed to be very good at it, and then looked down at the letter in her hand. 

In addition to the crow's bill, the shipment from Tokyo contained other items that were not available in the countryside, as well as a letter describing what was happening there. According to the letter, the reconstruction of Tokyo was still not progressing as expected. The city was suffering from an overwhelming shortage of food, clothing and other supplies, and there were black markets all over the city. Everyone was struggling to survive. 

On the other hand, the Onmyoudou Dormitory was finally getting its countermeasures against spiritual disasters to stabilize. 

It seemed that GHQ, afraid of the deformities that were occurring day and night, provided a variety of assistance instead of letting them take care of their own problems, which was of great importance. Now the occupation forces called the students of the Onmyoudou Dormitory, who had taken off their uniforms and were wearing new black uniforms that resembled the traditional kariginu, "dark crows" or "ravens”, and they were both avoided and feared at the same time. To them, the letter said, the black-clad onmyouji, who fought against absurd monsters using ancient techniques that could not be understood by science, seemed to be the demons of the crow who manipulated dark magic. 

In the future, Takamitsu wrote in the letter that he would also focus on training people. Perhaps he hoped for Mitsuyasu's cooperation in the future. Of course, the letter didn't suggest such a thing. 

Kokage put down the letter from Takamitsu and let out a small breath. 

Then she picked up the other letter, which she placed on the edge. 

After reading the letter from Takamitsu, Kokage pulled out something she hadn't put away in a long time. After reading it countless times, the letter had become very damaged. But from time to time, Kokage would take out the letter and slowly reread the contents that she had already memorized. 

It was by her brother’s, or perhaps the only friend she had ever had in her life. In it, along with a mountain of apologies, she described the long journey she was about to embark on. It sounded like a fairy tale, and Kokage laughed along with Toshiyuki at the fact that it was her brother’s shikigami, too. With tears in the corner of her eyes. 

This was the third summer since the summer she left the letter. But the long journey she was on has only just begun. 

Kokage watched Mitsuyasu playfully and thought of her beautiful childhood friend with fox ears and tail. 

"… So… it is finally decided?" 

"Yeah." 

To Hisateru's confirmation, Takamitsu nodded his head profusely. 

"With the expiration of the Police Reserve Corps Order and the passage of the Security Agency Law, the current Police Reserve Corps will be reorganized as the Security Forces and placed under the newly created Security Agency. In line with this, the Onmyoudou Dormitory will also be disbanded and reborn as the Onmyoudou Agency, as had been planned for some time. …Well, the entity won't be much different, though." 

With that, Takamitsu threw a glance from his desk to the window. 

The office of the Onmyoudou Dormitory. It was once the room used by Onmyoudou Head Tsuchimikado Yakō. And the desk he used was still intact from those days; the one Takamitsu was sitting at was the one he had brought in separately. 

He was only the acting chief, and after Yakō's death, the Onmyoudou Head was left vacant. That was the new system of the Onmyoudou Dormitory that Takamitsu had put in place. In this form, Takamitsu had fought through the post-war chaos and the many spiritual disasters, making the most of his scarce human resources. 

But that would end for now. 

"As you are already aware, with the creation of the Onmyoudou Agency, I am resigning my position as acting director. I will also keep those of Kurahashi away from key positions in the Onmyoudou Agency for once, Hisateru, and that includes you." 

"Yes. I know." 

The son, at his father's words, fought back his emotions. 

Seven years have passed since the war ended. 

Today, the Onmyoudou Dormitory was facing strong criticism from the public. Although the dormitory was a military servant, it has remained in existence without being dismantled after the war, which was why the eyes of the public were looking at it so severely. In addition, the fact that the failure of the rituals held by the Onmyoudou Dormitory was the cause of the outbreak of the spiritual disaster became widely known, and this led to a concentration of resentment among the people of Tokyo. 

Nevertheless, as a practical matter, only the Onmyoudou Dormitory was capable of dealing with the frequent spiritual disasters. Ironically, the reason why it has been able to prolong its life so far was because of the spiritual disasters that caused it to be resented. 

However, it cannot be indulged in public criticism forever. Therefore, the dormitory was to be reborn as the Onmyoudou Agency. Although it was a little late, it was a form of reformation of the system that had been in place since the war. In a sense, it could be said that this reorganization was a "curse" that was unleashed on society in order to warn the Onmyoudou Dormitory against the yin sentiment that had befallen it. 

And in order to increase its effectiveness, the Kurahashi family, who had been in charge of the dormitory, decided to take this opportunity to relinquish their power once and for all. 

"However, the shortage of onmyouji is still very serious, and Kurahashi can't just step aside completely, can we?" 

"Don't worry. The disciples are also talking about that. I will remain at the site of the disasters. And I was contacted the other day. Akiharu and Akisuke will come back and help when the Onmyoudou Dormitory is reborn as the Onmyodo Agency." 

"What, is Sōma going to infiltrate the next organization as soon as possible?" 

Takamitsu said jokingly, "No way.", Hisateru said, his chemistry faltering. 

"It's just those two guys, they're drunk. Besides, when I say go back, it seems like it's just until the bottom grows up. Apparently, Sōma is very divided inside. It's only a matter of time before the clan splits apart. …Although… that's why the faction that is adamant about Masakado's second coming may become even more radicalized." 

"I see." 

Takamitsu looked at Hisateru as he expressed his views in a nonchalant manner. 

After Satsuki's death, the link between Kurahashi and Sōma was rather stronger for Hisateru than for Takamitsu. He had witnessed the vicissitudes of the magic world at a young age, and he was able to face the current difficulties with dignity. The nerve, the drive, and the popularity he possessed from an early age have only grown stronger as he has grown up, and the childish side of Yakō, spurred on by his death, was more than appreciated in the eyes of his parents. At least for Takamitsu personally, the "under" has already grown up. 

"… From now on, as the head of the Kurahashi family, I will continue to support the Onmyoudou Agency from the outside, just as before. But that won't be for a long time anymore. Also, Kurahashi's retirement from the public eye is only a temporary measure. Eventually, Hisateru, you will take over the headship and protect the Onmyoudou Agency and the new age of spellcraft." 

It may be that Takamitsu loosened up a bit before the milestone of the dissolution of the Onmyoudou Dormitory, and he let something slip out that he would not normally say. 

However, Hisateru's reaction to that line suddenly slowed down, as if it had been striking. 

Hisateru avoided an immediate answer and was silent before finally opening his mouth to say, "Father". Takamitsu finally gave his son a suspicious look as he called him father rather than acting director. 

"About that… actually, I don't think I should be the next head of Kurahashi." 

"What? But you're a trueborn son." 

"I learned the folly of being concerned with the true lineage by watching Sōma. Although the late Colonel Sōma eventually behaved admirably as the head of the family, I know that he was still not a good example of what he was like when I first met him. Of course, in Sōma's case, he may have had the qualities of a dependency." 

"Wait, wait; the Kurahashi clan adores you. No one can complain about you standing above them." 

"Father. Things are not confined to the Kurahashi family. Rather, at least at the moment, “Kurahashi” is almost synonymous with the entire magic world. That is why I don't think it would be the best thing for an heir of Kurahashi to be in the position of representing the magic world, as he is partly responsible for the war." 

Takamitsu snorted somewhat at his son's unexpected rebuttal. 

Cautiously checking Hisateru's condition, he said: 

"… I can understand the logic, but unfortunately, there is no group or force that can replace Kurahashi in the current spellcasting world. It may not be the best way to put it, but even if it goes quiet for a while, eventually it will have to be supported by us to make it work." 

"Yes. As you say, Kurahashi's one-party dictatorship, so to speak, will be hard to move for the time being for the survival of the spellcasting world. However, again, that's why I am foolishly wondering if applying the direct lineage of Kurahashi to the head of the family would be a bad idea for the people around me." 

"So you think the head of Kurahashi family should be led by someone other than Kurahashi, someone “outside” Kurahashi? I get what you're trying to do but it's a myth. And that's exactly what the group would never do. Rather, you don't understand the level of expectation those around you have for you. I don't like to talk about this kind of thing, even as an example, but as long as you don't die unexpectedly, the people of Kurahashi won't recognize anyone but you as the head of the family." 

Above all, Hisateru's peril was too great. It may indeed not be in the best interest of Kurahashi's heir to become the head of the family now. But that didn't mean it was not a special problem. 

"Hisateru, do you have any idea who the next head of Kurahashi's family will be?" 

"This is Miyo." 

"What?" 

Takamitsu was struck by the emptiness. 

Miyo was originally under Takamitsu's care, but after the war, she was officially adopted by Kurahashi, and was now officially known as "Kurahashi Miyo". Now she officially calls herself "Kurahashi Miyo". 

Honestly, he never thought that Hisateru would use her name. However, when the time came for her to be nominated, he had a feeling that all the gears were going to come together perfectly. 

However, there were certain conditions that had to be met. 

Perhaps getting a response from his father, Hisateru leaned in for a good opportunity. 

“Father, you once said, in the world of magic, “Kurahashi” should be the “yin” of onmyoudou. It is unfortunate that the current family of the Tsuchimikado is depleted of talent. However, Miyo is an excellent "star reader" as recognized by Yakō-sama and she was trained by him. She is the poster child of the magic world, as it were, nurtured by Tsuchimikado and Kurahashi. Above all, she is a young woman. She's not bound by the old ways, she's a free woman. I cannot think of a more fitting person to represent the face of the new age of magic than this. 

Hisateru appealed enthusiastically. In contrast, Takamitsu dared to give him a bitter look. 

"… Externally, it might be effective. But what about against the clan? How many of Yakō's treasured children would the old-timers of Kurahashi follow that “young woman”? Not to mention, the majority of onmyouji are men older than her." 

He pawned off with a shouting tone, but instead of being frightened, Hisateru smiled at him. 

"… You already know the relationship. I just need her. That's it. I will suppress the dissatisfaction inside the family." 

Hisateru replied calmly. That was the absolute requirement for turning gears. Takamitsu actually observed his son's face. 

"… Do you like that girl?" 

"I like her. Yeah. That's really true. But I am aware that “Kurahashi's” legitimate son's marriage is not that “story”." 

"…" 

With a clatter, Takamitsu leaned his back against the back of the chair, as if to end the conversation once. 

He didn't show it on his face, but frankly, he was greatly surprised. A way of thinking that he didn't have in him. He felt a kind of excellence that he couldn't replicate on his own. That was exactly how he remembered Satsuki when they first met, except that after Yakō's death, he felt that he had lost his childishness, but before he knew it, he had become a lot more "mature". 

Anyway… 

"… I've heard the story. But I'm not going to jump to any conclusions." 

That's all he told him. In fact, it was not something he could conclude right then, nor could he get it out. 

"Or are you dissatisfied? Do you want to hide quickly from your stiff father?" 

When asked with a broad smile, Hisateru brushed his neck and said, "No”. 

That's when there was a knock at the door. 

He "saw" the spirit through the door and asked Hisateru to look at him at the right time. But Hisateru sensed his father's gaze and shook his head. It was only a coincidence, it seemed. 

"Come in." 

As he gave his permission, one girl, who looked to be in her mid-teens, opened the door and peeked out. Her petite build remains the same, but her personality, which was reclusive with few words, has changed a lot in the past few years. It's enough to give the impression of being rather active. This is exactly the same Miyo who has been in the news at the moment. 

When she saw Hisateru in addition to Takamitsu, she said: 

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did you talk?" 

"I don't mind. What's wrong?" 

"Yes. Um … I met a shikigami, which I didn't see in the dormitory, so I'd like to report it." 

Takamitsu raised his eyebrows in a monstrously poetic manner as Miyo entered the room and reported upwardly. 

"A shikigami? then it must have been made by one of the dormitory students. Is there anything that's bothering you?" 

Miyo forgot by implication that she had predicted the great air raid on Tokyo, but of course Takamitsu and Hisateru remembered it. From that lesson, she told Miyo to "report” to him if there's something that's bothering her, without judging it by herself". Nevertheless, seeing a new shikigami in the Onmyoudou Dormitory was an everyday occurrence. As expected, it's not something to report every single time. 

Then, when confirmed, Miyo looked somewhat unsure. 

"Well… it was a shikigami, who looked like a very clean woman, and when she saw me, he called out to me in a friendly manner. When she saw me, she asked me if I was happy. And when I was suspicious, she laughed and apologized and disappeared." 

Takamitsu and Hisateru couldn't help but look at each other. It was indeed a strange shikigami. Was she using some kind of spirit? If so, it was strange to suddenly ask her if she was happy. 

"… So the other side knew you, right? But you don't remember.” 

"… I'm sorry. I think I met her somewhere, but I can't remember… she was a very honest person who I would never forget if I met her twice." 

"Miyo. What can you tell me about that shikigami?" 

Hisateru asked Miyo from the side. 

"Well. So, a very straight woman with… oh, yeah. The eyes. She had blue eyes. And the clothes she's wearing were kind of like an old military uniform…" 

The moment Takamitsu was told that, he stood up, clanging his chair in front of him. Miyo was startled, Hisateru was no match for him. He rushed to the window and threw it open with a mighty thrust through the glass. 

He leaned back so far that she thought he was going to jump out of the window. 

"Miyo, where's the last time you saw her?" 

"What? You know, in the courtyard, around the hallway to the cafeteria. 

Hisateru immediately glanced in that direction and stared at him. 

Meanwhile, Takamitsu was stunned, but suddenly remembered what Kokage had told him in confidence before. "…Miyo? That woman was definitely "a shikigami", wasn't she? Not a flesh and blood person?" 

"Yes. Yes. I'm sure of it. 

"…I see. …I see." 

After repeating twice, Takamitsu slowly sat back in his chair. Exhaling heavily, he called out to his son, "Hisateru.” 

Takamitsu had been specifically told by Kokage about her "later" only to Kokage and Toshiyuki, because he didn't want to keep it from him. And because of this, Takamitsu did not tell Hisateru about it. 

"Maybe Miyo was wrong!" 

"You're not too late, I hear!" 

"She wouldn't have any trouble outsmarting Miyo!" 

She replied without looking at me, and then said, "Excuse me!” and then he ran out of the office in a hurry. 

They may have gone to find her. But he was willing to bet that he did. Even though Hisateru was up to speed, and even if she was still in body, he wouldn't be able to track her down, that too was a genius, albeit behind Yakō's back. 

"Um… what's going on? Who is that woman…" 

Miyo asked, looking more stunned than anxious. 

Takamitsu chuckled and said: 

"It's okay." 

Then he turned his giggles into his normal laughter, and then into a big smile, which he rarely showed. Finally, he even shed a tear. Takamitsu didn't know the meaning of the tears that came pouring out, either. 

She had truly given up even being a person. To meet her master again. To meet the Lord again, to chase that faint possibility. To cut off all other ties. It may be the first time he's ever had such a joyful, painful, and lonely thought. 

She was still alive in the glorious age of the creation of magic, which Takamitsu brought the curtain down inside of her with Yakō's death. She gave up her life and continued to exist. 

"Utterly… in terms of loyalty to the sect, I'm completely defeated, be sure, be sure to find me?" 

Takamitsu continued to laugh, much to Miyo's dismay as she was left behind. He sent a hearty shout of encouragement to the healthy and single-minded shikigami. 

- I'm not going to die here. I have not yet fulfilled my purpose. 

Mitsuyasu held a spell in both hands and faced the dynamic spiritual disaster. Not with a determination to die, but with a determination to survive at all costs. 

"Come on, you spiritual disaster bastard!" 

Due to the delay in the evacuation advisory, the scene was screaming. A colleague was desperately guiding him by skipping a shikigami, but it would take some time before the evacuation was completed. They had to buy that time. Stalling a dynamic spiritual disaster was not something he would normally do alone. But since there was no one else, it was inevitable; the reparring unit to which Mitsuyasu belonged had been taken by surprise by the Dynamic Spiritual Disaster and had suffered a heavy blow. Instead of fighting, the only ones standing were himself and one of his colleagues. Of all things, both of them were rookies in their first year of deployment. And now that his colleague had begun to guide the evacuation, Mitsuyasu had no choice. 

"Fire, fight the evil! Burn it out. Hidden decree!" 

Two spells filled with spell power enveloped the approaching dynamic spiritual disaster in flames. The strange-looking Spiritual Disaster, which looked like an upside-down octopus, let out an angry yell at its mouthless stage. 

Seeing that it was effective, Mitsuyasu threw a spell in rapid succession. Maybe it was the benefit of his venerable bloodline, but even though he was a newcomer, he was confident in his spellcasting ability. His technique was poor, but he was ready to get through with his hands anyway. 

However. 

"What are you talking about, Mitsuyasu, you're dealing with a disaster caused by the spirit of wood.” 

It was the colleague who yelled, the shikigami's manipulative colleague, who looked like a man at first glance due to the black robe that hid her short hair and body line, but she was famous among her peers for her male dominance, but her abilities were far superior to those of her peers. It's not just the strength and quantity of spells that Mitsuyasu could win. 

Without even having the time to turn around to look at such a colleague. 

"I don't like the Golden Spirit!" 

"Don't make a cultivation plan because you don't like it!" 

"I'm not very good at it!" 

"Isn't it time you took a bite out of that? You're a professional!” 

"I didn't want to be in this business!” 

"I told you not to use it because you don't like it!" 

Even though she was sweating profusely, when the miasma approached her through her pyrotechnics, she quickly hurried to support Mitsuyasu. Of course, this was at the same time as the manipulation of the thirty-plus shikigami. It was truly a rookie's apart, an outstanding skill. 

"You're always skipping training all the time, so you're useless when it's crucial!" 

"It's useful! In fact, now!" 

"If it were true, you could do more. You're so talented!" 

"I don't know what you're talking about. You're the only one who's saying that. Like I said before, I don't want to be a part of this. That black-hearted Hisateru made me do it!" 

As he strongly asserted himself, the reason why Mitsuyasu came to Tokyo at the young age of eighteen in the first place was not to fight spiritual disasters in the Onmyoudou Agency. 

"Listen, I've said before, many times before, I've only come to Tokyo to look for a wife! I don't have time to die after being attacked by a spiritual disaster!" 

"Are you still that stupid? Aren’t you still the heir to Tsuchimikado?" 

"I'm looking for a wife because I'm the heir! You can't let the blood of a famous family die out, can you?" 

He shouted back, but he hated it, it was a construction. Probably, even if he let it go, his parents would probably bring a marriage proposal from somewhere when he was over twenty years old. Despite its downfall, Tsuchimikado was a prominent family. His name was well known and he had many contacts. However, Mitsuyasu didn't like that kind of thing. In that sense, it was a matter of "like or dislike". 

Anyway, the village was not just a countryside, it was deep in the mountains. After the war, many of the inhabitants moved to the nearby towns and the population was decreasing. For some reason, the children who remained in the village were all of the same sex, and Mitsuyasu never had a chance to talk to any girls his own age in elementary and junior high school. To top it all off, he went to a boys' high school and had no contact with girls even after moving out of the village. 

Then Kurahashi Hisateru, who had a branch family in Tokyo, asked him if he wanted to come to Tokyo after graduating from high school. He accepted without a second thought and left the countryside. 

And then he found himself thrown into the Onmyoudou Agency. 

"Anyway. I ain't going to die until I find my wife. Of course, I ain't going to die here, I ain't going to die here!" 

“If that's the case, don't say it, don't be afraid! Oh, yeah. I'll do it!" 

His colleague quickly pulled out a spell. 

"Slice and dice with your Golden aura. Golden medicine tree! Hidden urgent ritual!" 

The unleashed spell turned into a sharp blade and severed the tentacles of the dynamic spiritual disaster. The precise attack caused the opponent's anger to shift from Mitsuyasu to him. 

"The evacuation is!" 

"Ninety percent done!" 

"Good. Then let's get out of here, too!" 

"What? What are we going to do about this octopus!" 

"The Dynamic Spiritual Disaster's purification is not something two rookies should be doing, and more importantly, I don't want to die!" 

"Then why don't you run away on your own?" his colleague shouted at him. 

"What? This spiritual disaster, the miasma itself, is by no means strong. It's a small item that just happens to materialize. You can fight with me." 

"I can't! You're barely on the edge of your seat!" 

"Or, don't be so selfish! I can still make it!" 

"The shikigami over there just stopped moving because he ran out of energy! If you don't know what you're doing, you've reached your limit!" 

"What? What…" 

Seemingly caught off guard, his colleague involuntarily turned her gaze towards the shikigami. At the same time, "Idiot!" and Mitsuyasu threw his body into the air, and immediately afterwards, miasma erupted like a flash flood from the center of the dynamic spiritual disaster. 

Mitsuyasu slipped in front of her in the nick of time to deploy his spellcasting barrier, but in the nick of time the effect of the technique was sweet. They were both hit by miasma together and blown backwards. 

"Damn," said Mitsuyasu as he was thrown into the roadway and rolled around, tying his hand in a sign. He chanted a spell and ripped off the miasma that clung to him. Then he looks at his colleague. 

She was taking the same steps, but she couldn't completely rid herself of miasma. In frustration, the spell power was leaking in vain. It was not just a matter of time before he'd be able to use it. 

Then he noticed. Her leg was broken. 

"Oi, can you move?" 

"…" 

His colleague turned pale and tried to stand, but she quickly camped out and stopped moving. Even as she did so, the dynamic spiritual disaster was right in front of her, and Mitsuyasu drew his spell and shielded his colleague behind him as he once again confronted the spiritual disaster. 

"Mi, Mitsuyasu!" 

"…I've left the logistics to you." 

"I thought you didn't want to die." 

"Totally. If I die, you'll be responsible for it." 

Life was regrettable. But he couldn't leave his colleagues behind. At least he thought he said it in a cool way, but after thinking about it, it wouldn't make sense to be responsible for it after he died, Mitsuyasu reflected on his lines while facing the raging dynamic spiritual disaster. 

However. 

"… What. Are you going to turn me into your wife?" 

"Eh?" 

Mitsuyasu couldn't help but turn around and stare at her colleague's face intently. Her face turned bright red as she looked at him. 

"Behind!" 

"Ah." 

He hurriedly cast a spell. Instead of a reply, a tremendous treasury aura blew in, and Mitsuyasu desperately put up a curse wall, repeating the rant against the belly-black Hisateru in his mind as he continued to endure it with all his curse power. 

"…No. Even if it's just you already…" 

"Shut up!" 

He shouted, but it was indeed a war of attrition at this rate. And with a Dynamic Spiritual Disaster as an opponent, no matter how much Mitsuyasu was, there was no way he could be a match for them with the amount of spell power he had. 

- Mother, father, I'm sorry. Yes, Mitsuyasu apologized in his mind. 

That's when. 

"… Five Elements Transformation. Screaming law!" 

An icy, cool voice was spotted by a wooden spirit at the site of the disaster. 

The countless spellpapers that flew in the air struck the dynamic spiritual disaster like leaves on a whirlwind. 

The spells immediately surrounded the spiritual disaster. And then, all at once, they unleashed a chain of spells, one after another. 

Fire was born and turned to earth. The soil rose to become metal. Metal to water. Water sprouted into a tree. A tree burned and became fire. 

Fire-born soil. Earth-grown gold. Gold-born water. Water-born Wood. Wood blazing fire. Five elements come together. It was not just a matter of time before they'll be able to get your hands on them. 

A pillar of elaborate light stood… 

Eventually, it disappeared. 

When Mitsuyasu fearfully turned around, the spiritual disaster had been completely mastered. 

A mere blow. It was truly a blink of an eye. 

"… What happened?" 

Mitsuyasu murmured to no one, but even his colleague who was underneath him didn't answer, deadpan. But. 

"I see, by fixing the five aura of the spellpaper, you're saving the art form. Indeed, it's easy to handle." 

He heard the voice from earlier. When he thought that, the spiritual energy suddenly flickered and a woman appeared in front of Mitsuyasu and the others. 

Mitsuyasu gasped. Even his colleague's eyes widened. 

The woman was so beautiful that it was hard to believe she was from this world. 

She was dressed in clothes that resembled the uniforms of the old army, but despite that, she had a seductive scent. And yet. 

In the casual manner in which she stood, there was a swashbuckling fearlessness like a swordsman's and a holiness like a seated woman. The blue eyes turned to him, gentle and strong, shining. 

Mitsuyasu and his colleague threw themselves to the ground and looked up at the woman as if they were frozen in place. Then the woman smiled lustily and dipped her head towards Mitsuyasu. 

Her long hair spilled out in a smooth stream. 

To Mitsuyasu, who could see it that way. 

"Your body is very important to us. Please don't do anything rash." 

As she told him that, she suddenly disappeared from in front of their eyes, just like when she appeared. 

It felt as if he was having a daydream, but the spirit disaster that had been rampaging a moment ago was indeed being cultivated. Besides, there was a lingering scent of ashes in the air, perhaps because of his imagination. Plus, the somewhat mysterious spiritual aura leftover that she was wearing. 

"… What? What is it? Oh, is she your acquaintance? Or rather, a human?" 

His colleague asked, still in shock, but instead of replying, Mitsuyasu staggered to his feet. 

And then. 

"… found it." 

"What?" 

"I've found it! Oh, I'm going to take her as my wife!" 

"What?" 

His colleague couldn't have been more stunned, but Mitsuyasu didn't notice. He looked refreshed and admired the beauty of the woman he had just seen. How beautiful she was. What's more, how refined she was. She was like a goddess. He’s never seen a woman like that before. Even though his colleague's mood gradually worsened, he continued to praise her as if he was carried away by the heat. 

"I've never felt like this before! So this is love. I've finally met the person of my dreams!" 

"… You know what? Could you call for help, if you can afford it? My foot hurts really bad, you know?" 

"Good thing I came to Tokyo! The city is great after all! I'm burning up. I'm burning up!" 

"… I hope it doesn't burn up." 

After saying this with a blank look on her face, his co-worker pouted and muttered, "…oh no”. Of course, Mitsuyasu was oblivious to his colleague's misguided gesture. 

Ten minutes later, Mitsuyasu's excitement didn't diminish until help arrived on the scene. 

It wasn't until that night that she began to grow her hair long anyway, after much deliberation. 

Miyo looked at the brand new study house that had been erected in a corner of Shibuya, looking at it with satisfaction. 

"… It's finally tomorrow. My dream of many years will come true." 

Hisateru framed his wife's lines in agreement, who was proud of it. 

"The name is still Onmyoudou Academy, right?" 

"Yes. It's easy to understand, isn't it?" 

"Indeed. Well, as for me, I was just about to push Yakō Academy." 

Then Hisateru's eyes turned distant and he smiled serenely. 

It was the time of year when many passersby were passing through Shibuya at nightfall. There were no people on the premises, but the bustle of the city could be felt. Old buildings were disappearing and new ones were being built almost every day in Tokyo at the height of what was later called the "rapid growth period”. The streetscape, which was changing day and night, was like a giant creature undergoing a cycle of renewal. 

The building in front of her now was probably one of the new cells that have been created in the giant organism called Tokyo. However, there was no doubt that it was an extremely unique cell. 

Knowing her husband's thoughts, Miyo shook her head loosely at his line. 

"It will be difficult to bear that man's name for the time being. And besides… if it's that person, it's a little short, isn't it? This place is only here to train people for the Spiritual Disaster Training Core. If it's not a place where we can solve the reasoning of the world, or talk to God and Buddha, or something on that scale, I'm sure he won't be satisfied with it." 

"It must be." 

Hisateru chuckled in agreement with his wife's joke. 

Currently, the Onmyoudou Agency officially adopted not the “Imperial Style Onmyoudou” created by Yakō, but an improved version of it, called the “General Onmyoudou Technique”, which was a new spell system. The "general” was based on the "Imperial Style", but was a simplified system of magic for everyone. Of course, it did not cover the vast number of spells in the Imperial Style. In a sense, it has been developed by focusing on the greatest “business” for modern onmyouji, the Spiritual Calamity purification. It was a spellcasting technique that did not depend on "talent". 

The Onmyoudou Agency was now promoting the qualification system for onmyouji. The Onmyoudou Academy, which would open the next day, would be a vocational training school for students to obtain this qualification. It was quite a different institution than Yakō Academy, which was passionate about exploring the art of witchcraft itself. 

"Well, if you think of it as a measure to get society to accept magic, it should be an institution that Yakō-aniue has longed for. I have high hopes for you, Miyo." 

"I'd love to respond. It's something that you have to start doing with the help of a lot of people." 

Miyo would become the first principal of the Onmyoudou Academy the next day. From now on, she would train a number of onmyouji and send them out into the world. What kind of future awaited her? She was both looking forward to it and was a little bit worried. 

"But in the end, this is going to make Genji feel lonely again, isn't it?" 

Miyo mumbled to herself, thinking of her young son's face. 

Kurahashi was an old family. Many people are critical of her as she enters the world as a woman, giving up her time to care for her own child and embarking on a new venture. She herself was a strong woman in front of her peers, but apparently she couldn't shake the feeling of guilt. 

As a skilled "star reader", Miyo received various consultations from the political and business world. This was the strength of the Kurahashi family as it was, and there were not a few people who criticized her for neglecting it. 

Her husband, Hisateru, however, had always been on her side. 

"Eventually Genji will join the Onmyoudou Academy, and the experience of being outside of Kurahashi's home with his peers of his own age in a cut-throat environment will be an irreplaceable experience for that guy. From now on, you have to prepare for it. It's the only way you can raise your child." 

"Hisateru…" 

Her husband's words, filled with compassion, made Miyo's heart flutter. "Thank you," she thanked honestly, Hisateru blurted out in embarrassment, "Not a bad spell, right?” 

"But then again, Mitsuyasu got away with it. If that guy had been in Tokyo, I would have shoved him in there without question." 

"Oh? He’s an adult now, Mitsuyasu-san, isn't he?" 

"I don't care. Anyway, that guy doesn't have a good foundation. He should have had talent but he didn't have a good teacher, and Toshiyuki was somehow lax about it. Preventing bad examples like him is one of the great purposes of establishing the Onmyoudou Academy." 

Despite the dialogue, Hisateru seems unhappy with the next head of the Tsuchimikado, who still has a lot to live up to. In fact, whenever the subject of Mitsuyasu came up, Hisateru always regretted that he would have trained him if his hands were free. 

However, two years after moving to Tokyo, Mitsuyasu returned to his hometown of Tsuchimikado with the woman who became his wife. He had said publicly that he was only there to look for a wife, so he did a great job. 

Hisateru has a sour look on his face, and Miyo chuckled. 

And… 

"… Well, I didn't make it to Mitsuyasu-san… but I'll be fine next time. Genji and I don't match up with each other in terms of grades, but I'll take responsibility and train Tsuchimikado." 

Hisateru often stared at his wife in a blur at the funny-looking Miyo's lines. 

Then he realized what she meant and his cheeks flushed with excitement. 

"That's right.” 

"Yes. Actually, just yesterday I could read the stars. But you can't tell anyone yet, okay? It seemed like your pregnancy was a little further away." 

"But if you mean ahead, then of course it will be sooner or later. Is that really a prediction of a star reader?" 

"Oh. I didn't mean to guess. I've seen your face." 

When she told him that it was a boy, Hisateru, who had been confused, snorted again, "I see.” 

"Then it's still safe for Tsuchimikado, too." 

"Oh my goodness, you look so happy. Really, you always put Tsuchimikado's needs before your own." 

"Of course; it's Kurahashi because of Tsuchimikado. Besides, we must definitely avoid cutting off Tsuchimikado's blood anyway. After all, Yakō-aniue will be reincarnated one day…" 

Suddenly. 

Hisateru turned serious and looked around sharply, poised. He was surprised. Hisateru asked, silencing Miyo and giving the people a sharp look of caution. 

Bewildered, Miyo also checked her surroundings, but she didn't sense anything unusual. 

"What's going on all of a sudden?" 

"…Miyo? Didn't you feel the spiritual energy moving just now?" 

"Is it magic?" 

"…It's a shikigami." 

"Shikigami? I didn't notice anything, but…" 

Hisateru had the look of an onmyouji for a while, concentrating his attention on it. However, he didn't seem to grasp anything, and then he released his stance as if he had given up. 

And then. 

"… Speaking of which, the story of Mitsuyasu reminded me of that. Do you remember? That guy said he saw Hishamaru." 

"Yes. Of course I remember. I heard that you were saved from a dangerous situation at the scene of a Spiritual Disaster cultivation… you don't mean that's what you're talking about, spiritual aura? Did you see it too?" 

Miyo hurriedly looked around. Hisateru weakened and chuckled at the misaligned behavior. 

"I don't know. Maybe it's just my imagination; whatever Mitsuyasu's story is, I can't guarantee the authenticity of that guy…" 

He took a bite out of it, as if to deceive himself, but he suddenly looked up at the cram school building in front of him. 

"… Surprisingly, I guess I came here to see this place. A new spellcasting schoolhouse that is connected to the lineage of the Onmyoudou Dormitory." 

"Oh," said Miyo, agreeing with Hisateru as she told herself. She couldn't read a shikigami's star. 

Still. 

"Yeah. I'm sure it must be." 

Those who are born into a branch family serve the head family as shikigami. 

This was the "custom", but it was not something that he could understand. It was not easy to keep up with what made him feel good. And the biggest problem was that the people they were supposed to serve did not get along with them. So, no matter how much his parents had been browbeaten by him, he rarely went near the main family compound. 

Even that day, he was heading home at dusk after enjoying the after-school hours with his like-minded friends. On his back was his school bag. A baseball glove in his left hand. With his right hand, he threw the ball against the block wall and dexterously caught it as it bounced off it. 

He was quite athletic. He couldn't tell his parents wrong, but he honestly wanted to be a baseball player in the future, not an onmyouji. All the adults around would tell him that he was more talented than them, but unfortunately, he couldn't really see it for himself. If they were talking about talent as a onmyoudou diviner, he would think that "that guy" was even more talented than he was. That's another reason why he didn't feel comfortable with him becoming a shikigami. 

A shikigami's job was to protect the Lord. And yet, if the Lord was stronger than the shikigami, it would be meaningless. Of course, it was somewhat frustrating, so he never complained about that to anyone. 

"Well, okay." 

It was no fun to think about trivial things. When he regained his composure, he stopped throwing his pole and hurried home, thinking about dinner. 

Then it was when he came to a narrow river that ran through the city. Just before the bridge across the river, he stopped dead in his tracks. 

He was surprised to see a woman standing on the bridge. 

She was standing on the bridge, a model of an honest woman. But what was more surprising was that she called his name. 

"Nice to meet you, Tsuchimikado Takahiro-dono. I've come to ask a favor of you." 

He, Takahiro, stood there in amazement for a while. 

Then he panicked. 

"Hey, how do you know my name?" 

"Because I'm related to Tsuchimikado, too." 

"You're a relative?" 

"Yes. Like you, I'm from a branch of the family." 

With that, she crossed the bridge, stepped up to him, and crouched quietly in front of him. While keeping their eyes level. 

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" 

It was almost time for dinner. If he was late, he would be scolded again. 

However, Takahiro found himself in territory. His curiosity overwhelmingly won out over his appetite and his parents' reprimands. Somehow, there was a mysterious sense of anticipation, as if something fun was going to happen. 

As soon as he heard what she said, half of his anticipation fizzled out. 

"Don't you feel comfortable serving Yasuzumi-sama?" 

After all, she was just like all the other adults. Rather, if she were to make a bow with a relative, she might have been asked by her parents to persuade Takahiro to come. 

But she soon realized the boy's disappointment. 

"I'm a shikigami, too. So I was curious about you, too." 

Apparently, she also worked for someone in the main family. Hearing that, he simply felt sympathy for her. 

After that, they sat side by side on the bridge parapet and began to talk to each other in the background. At first, they began with their thoughts on tradition. They were frank about how outdated they felt these days, and that they didn't want to be forced to do something they didn't want to do. Then there was the complaining about his parents and his dissatisfaction with Yasuzumi. He didn't think he was the only one to blame for anything. Even Yasuzumi was not interested in himself. 

However. 

"No. It seems that Yasuzumi-sama has always been very concerned about Takahiro-dono, right?" 

"That's a lie. Because we haven't even talked about it much." 

"So maybe that's why I'm even more concerned about him. Even Takahiro-dono would be concerned about him, even if he's not happy, right?" 

Takahiro made a nod to his mouth. 

Besides, it was also difficult for adults to call you "dono". Although she was an honest woman, she was quite a strange person, Takahiro thought secretly. 

Then he said what he had been vaguely thinking a moment ago. A shikigami, who was weaker than the master, was awkward. 

Yes, it was awkward. 

To tell the truth, that might be the worst thing about him. 

However, when she heard Takahiro, the first thing she seemed to do was to be surprised that he had the perception that Yasuzumi was better than him. 

"What makes you think that?" 

"Because… he's the main family, so he's a stronger onmyouji than I am, right? Besides, you'll know it when you meet him. He's, he's not a normal guy." 

She gazed at Takahiro, and said in a dark voice. 

"… Speaking of strength, your spiritual power is stronger." 

The unexpected words, and the naturally assertive tone of voice, made Takahiro look up in surprise. 

"But, as you think, his "talent" seems to be somewhere else. I know some onmyouji like him, for example, for the rehabilitation of spiritual disasters. It may not be, but it seems that you will be deeply immersed in magic … " 

She spoke to herself with a look on her face as if she was trying to get something out of him. Then, when Takahiro frowned, not quite understanding, she laughed and apologized, saying she was sorry. 

"I mean, he's a lord." 

"… Well, maybe it was like that in the old days." 

"It's still the same now. In terms of position, and also in terms of character. And Takahiro-dono. You have the qualities that make you a very fine samurai. Your talents are definitely genuine, just different in kind from Yasuzumi-sama's talents." 

"That's what the adults say.” 

"Then I'll beat the drum. You'll be strong." 

Being told to his face, Takahiro couldn't help but blush. 

He didn't even know who she was. And yet, the way she spoke with confidence, or rather "conviction”, made her feel more convincing than anyone else. 

"And when it comes to a shikigami, who is weaker than the Lord, I am exactly that." 

"Really?" 

"Yeah. But…" 

Suddenly, she flashed a wry smile. 

"I'm not going to take a back seat to the Onmyoudou world now, are you?" 

He was horrified. 

Even though she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, maybe even more so in this case because she was beautiful, the moment she laughed, he knew intuitively that she was "ridiculously strong". Not to mention her parents, the main family members and their wives, who were active in Tokyo, were also out of the question. The dimensions were different. Takahiro lost his bloodlust. 

Then. 

"See? Just by letting you "see" a little bit now, you're able to accurately detect the threat of the opponent. You do have a talent, after all. It's not just a talent for magic, but the outstanding qualities of an “onmyouji”." 

Takahiro couldn't say anything. It was hard to believe that she was so strong and yet weaker than her master. But it was even harder to believe that she was lying. If that was the case, what kind of monster was her master? Anyway, the world was so different that Takahiro didn't care about his own worries. 

There was only one thing. 

Saying she was weaker than the Lord, the shikigami, was not a bad-looking woman. That much was for sure. 

"… I'd rather be a ninja than a samurai anyway. The chopper hair and all that, it's not cool." 

It was at the very least a strong response to being overwhelmed. But she broke into a smile, seemingly amused by what Takahiro had to say. 

"Do you know what a Goniagan, you know?" 

"What's that? The guy who makes bonsai and stuff?" 

"Look it up when you get home. It's very cool." 

When she said that, she sat up softly from the parapet. She seemed to be going. He wanted to talk more, but Takahiro couldn't think of any way to stop her. 

"Please make friends with Yasuzumi-sama, unlike Mitsuyasu-sama, that boy needs someone to support him. …Oh, and if possible, keep me in private. It would be helpful if you could keep what we met today a secret between the two of us." 

After saying that for the last time, she suddenly disappeared. Literally, she disappeared. Takahiro rolled his eyes and jumped down from the parapet. 

Was this some kind of concealed art that he had been shown before? Even so, it was a brilliant technique. 

"… It's really ninja-like…" 

For a while, Takahiro was in a state of exuberance and wandered around the bridge. Then, realizing that it was now getting dark, he ran home in a panic. As expected, his parents scolded him a lot, but when he told them he was going to the main house the next day, they allowed him to change his attitude quickly. 

Of course, he didn't tell anyone about the girl he met earlier. And because he didn't tell anyone, he himself had forgotten about her before long. By that time, he had become much more open with Yasuzumi, who had a strong sense of dislike for him. 

Later on, Takahiro became Yasuzumi's shikigami, a skilled guardian of the young and unreliable Lord. 

Incidentally, his future companion was the second most "powerful" woman he has ever met. 

By the time she realized it, it was too late. The disease had irreparably eroded her body. 

Refusing to be treated in the hospital, Kokage spent the last days of her life in the mansion of Tsuchimikado. 

The winter would not be over. The doctors had told her so, but the calendar had already welcomed spring, probably because Mitsuyasu and his wife had gratefully slowed down the progression of her illness with magic. Kokage thanked her son. 

It was two winters ago that her husband, Yoshiyuki, passed away. He fell ill suddenly and passed away in less than a week. He was so different from the man he'd been standing on for more than half a year. Kokage was secretly looking forward to making fun of him when she died. 

In addition to his work as the head of the Tsuchimikado family, his son and daughter-in-law have been renting a vacant house in a subdivision of the house in the town, and have been acting like onmyoudou doctors. He also enjoyed hunting in the mountains in the spring and fall. Twice a year, he would go away to accept requests for Spiritual Disaster purifications, which were brought in from outside of Tokyo. His freedom of life was much criticized by people like Hisateru of the Kurahashi family. 

Her grandson, Yasuzumi, would be moving to Tokyo that spring. Right now, he was in Tokyo to take the entrance exam for the Onmyoudou Academy. It was not a problem for him, but his companion, Takahiro. It was a good thing that he couldn't get away with it. It seemed that he had been studying more diligently than ever since last fall, and she hoped that both Yasuzumi and him would be able to pass the Onmyoudou Academy entrance exam. 

Thinking about her family, Kokage, lying on the futon, let out a breath. Outside, it was snowing. 

The camellias in the garden should be in full bloom by now, but the room was completely closed off, lest the chill respond. Instead, there was a single camellia branch in the alcove, a single vase, which had been snapped by the gatekeeper. However, perhaps it was the brazier under her pillow that was warming the room, but the camellia blooming in the warm air didn't seem to be in the right place at the moment. 

It was quiet. 

In addition to Yasuzumi in Tokyo, Mitsuyasu and his wife were also out of town that day. There were a few old pupils at the house, but they were more reticent than the poorly trained shikigami, and they didn't make a single sound. Kokage found herself listening quietly to the sound of her own breathing. 

Being in a small room, cut off from the outside world, it was like being protected by a ward. When she was a child, she used to hide behind the barriers her brother put up to keep me out of their parents' eyes. 

Before she knew it, she had lived more than twice as long as her brother. People said that she was not ready yet, but she thought it was enough time. There were many hardships, but all she could remember were happy memories. If she could pass away with so many memories in her mind, she was happy. She thought that from the bottom of her heart. 

And again, only her quiet, weak breaths could be heard. 

She found herself dozing off. 

When Kokage woke up, she found herself: 

"…Yeah." 

She smiled innocently. 

"It's so late, isn't it? I was hoping you wouldn't be here anymore?" 

"Yes. I'm late. I'm sorry." 

"I wonder if it's going to be funny to hear that you've been well Huh…" 

"No." 

"Really. It's amazing how much you haven't changed. I'm the only one who's become like this. I'm so embarrassed." 

"Kokage-sama is still a model. In fact, you are much prettier now. You can tell that by looking at the spiritual energy." 

"It's kind of complicated when people praise your spirituality." 

"I'm sorry, I’m a shikigami." 

Kokage chuckled at the incomprehensible way she said it. She wondered how long it's been since she’s laughed like that. 

"That's a cold story, though. You haven't shown your face even once since then." 

"… I've been watching from afar." 

"I'm sure you did. I've always felt your presence. And yet you didn't see me, and I was thinking that you might have changed a lot." 

"In fact, I've changed. I'm not the same person I used to be." 

"Oh, really? You're still waiting for my brother anyway, right? If so, then the root of the matter has not changed at all. If that "part" doesn't change, then no matter how much else changes, you will always be you.” 

Kokage said as a matter of course. Then she let out a breath, tired from talking for the first time in a long time. It felt as if she had broken a sweat, just like when she was young. 

"… Thank you for that Mitsuyasu. It was you, wasn't it? You know? That boy made a big deal about taking you as his wife after he met you, right?" 

"… I'm sorry." 

"As for Yasuzumi… you know how it looks." 

"Actually, that's also why I came to visit. It seems that Yasuzumi-sama has successfully passed the Onmyoudou Academy entrance exam." 

"Well, really? Where's Takahiro?" 

"He's with him." 

"Yes. Good. Yasuzumi is different from Mitsuyasu in a different way than Mitsuyasu, because there's something inexplicably dangerous about him. With the two of them together, it's a relief." 

"… I'm sure that if they join the Onmyoudou Academy, they’d meet many more alumni." 

"Yeah. …Come to think of it, I wonder if Miyo's son has already graduated, and I hope he can get along with everyone in Kurahashi." 

"…so do I.” 

After that, they stopped talking for a while. 

She thought that she had had enough, but when she started to talk, all she could think about was what would happen next. It was as if she could bring up old memories of the past. 

But that may be a sign that she was the only one who has grown old. Life was already "in the past" for her. That was why she looked back when she was alone, but if she was in front of someone who lived in the "present”, her gaze would naturally look forward. 

"… In the end, I wasn't able to see my brother again, was I?" 

If only she had followed her and made the same choice. 

If she had followed her and made the same choice back then, she could have met her brother again, couldn't she? 

Of course, even if she could go back to that time, there was no way that Kokage would make that choice. No matter how many times she has the chance to choose, she chooses them instead of her brother. That was her life. 

"Take care of my brother.” 

"Yes. I will." 

Kokage was truly satisfied with those words. She closed his eyes and exhaled. 

"Oh Hishamaru. Thank you for coming. I'm so happy to see you again." 

When she woke up, Kokage was alone. 

Maybe she was dreaming. That was okay, she thought, because now she was very content. Now she felt very content. Even when one was lying in sickness, waiting for death, one can be content. That was a part of the reasoning of the world that she was able to learn at her age. And that, too, she was sure her brother didn't know. 

Kokage lowered her eyelids again and listened to her own exhalation. 

It was three days later that she departed. 

It was nightfall. 

After putting Harutora to bed, Yasuzumi moved to the Kikyou Room by himself. 

From the open porch, he gazed at the sunken garden. The traces of fatigue were evident in Yasuzumi’s body. It was not because of the baby's company, but because of the baby's future. He was going to be able to say that he was not going to be able to do that. That was how they knew. The trials that lie ahead for his child. The cruel fate of his son. 

This was the future spun by a great destiny that would transcend the generations. No matter how well he read the stars and saw the future, there was a limit to what he could do alone. However, the only people he could rely on were his branch family members, Takahiro and Chizuru. Both of his parents had died, and his wife had also died young after giving birth to Harutora. Although the presence of Takahiro and the others was very encouraging, it would still be difficult for them to protect Harutora on their own. 

Harutora was not only the reincarnation of the legendary onmyouji, but also the son of Yasuzumi, his wife's forgotten memento. 

Yasuzumi gazed blankly into the garden, lost in wonderment. 

This was the garden that he has been looking at since he was a child. The two of them would play in this garden with Takahiro, never getting bored. The scenery that hadn't changed since then was changing its color every minute as the sun set. As he gazed at the beauty of the garden, Yasuzumi was able to forget his sorrow and hesitation for a few moments. 

And then… 

The next thing he knew, he saw a figure in the yard. 

With the slanting sun on his back, he had one knee on the ground and his head hanging down. Even though I had been looking at the garden for a long time, he failed to notice its approach. 

It was in a hidden form. It was also a hidden form that had been unlocked from materialization. A shikigami, not a person. The mansion had many wards that prevented unauthorized spiritual beings from approaching, but if she had slipped through them, she must have been related to this mansion. 

He could imagine. The surprise quickly passed, and a bitter smile lingered on his lips. 

"It's much too soon again. …No, you've been waiting for a long time, haven't you? For the Lord." 

She didn't reply. To her, that would be a natural thing to do, not to bother replying. Her Lord died in the year the war ended. From then until that day, she just waited for him. Beyond ages. 

"Which is it?" 

"… Hishamaru." 

"I see." 

His voice was clear, with a hint of sincerity. 

It was a modest appearance for that great onmyouji, a shikigami, Yasuzumi thought. The prestige of Hishamaru and Kakugyouki could be felt in the world of magic today, however, even from the way she quietly hung her head. Although the art of witchcraft had advanced significantly since then, there were many techniques of the past that had been lost. Perhaps she could definitely be considered one of the best shikigami in Japan, even in the present day and age of Divination. 

"What do you hope for?" 

"To be on my Lord's side." 

The words were a dragon's breath of strong will. She was being polite to Yasuzumi, but this was probably only because he was the head of the Tsuchimikado. It was not Yasuzumi that she has sworn allegiance to in her heart. It was Harutora, a newborn, who was still new to the world. 

Her Lord's, a reincarnation. 

"…" 

Yasuzumi squinted at her like a razor blade and stared at her brittle in the garden. 

The sun, touching the horizon, tinted the shikigami, who kept her face down, the color of fire. 

Shikigami's stars were unreadable. Whether she was really an ally or a detriment to Harutora, Yasuzumi could not tell. All he knew was that the future was tremendously difficult and that he was too powerless to stand up to it. 

"… There are conditions." 

Finally, she looked up. 

Her beauty was revealed. The beautiful and noble blue eyes looked straight at Yasuzumi. That unclouded gaze made Yasuzumi inwardly perturbed. She was beautiful. Above all, the way she was beautiful. He was not going to be able to say that he was not going to be able to do anything about it. He was sure she was more suitable to be Harutora's guardian than he was. 

Still… 

Harutora must be protected by Yasuzumi. That was what he was about to do with his late wife, and that was his parental vow. 

Part 2 

How could she describe the joy she felt at that moment? 

When Hishamaru heard the baby's cry for the first time, she felt his existence, all the spiritual energy that made up his being, was tinged with emotion and joy. 

There was no way she could be wrong. It didn't matter if it had not been magically solved. It was unmistakably the soul of her master, Tsuchimikado Yakō. The soul that had gone that night was now in his newborn body. 

For the next three days, Hishamaru watched over the baby, not even blinking. 

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and broke into the room where the mother and child were sleeping together. 

It was dawn. Outside, the sky was lightly turning white. Sitting upright beside the sleeping baby, Hishamaru stared at the baby's face as if his eyes were pierced by the blue eyes. She could not touch it with her hands. The being in front of her was small and soft and unreliable to look at, and she felt that someone like her would hurt him if she touched. Besides, it was satisfying just to look. No matter how long she watched the little life breathing as best it could, she never got tired of watching. Hishamaru, with a still-unfolding emotion in her heart, wagged her tail and loved the baby in silence, her cheeks relaxed, her ears and tail usually hidden, and the corners of her eyes drooping. 

So, of course she was caught off guard. 

"…Harutora, it's he’s name." 

It might be the first time she had made such a blunder since she abandoned her body. Completely caught off guard, Hishamaru stretched out her ears and tail with a pinch of her ears and tail and ran a fine rug over her body. 

" “Spring” with the word “tiger” written on it, Harutora… that person, “Spring” is a wooden line, so the direction is “East” and the color is “Blue”. That's why he said that the character for "dragon" should be used instead of "eastern blue dragon" to express the idea of the four gods. He said that "Tiger" would be "White Tiger of the West" and not "Spring" but "Autumn". He can only think that way about everything.” 

"…" 

"But they say a tiger goes a thousand miles and comes back a thousand miles, don't they? It's also said that a tiger goes back a thousand miles thinking of its children. So I named him Harutora, so that no matter how far he goes, he will come back, and maybe that's true for you, too.” 

She spoke to her one-sidedly, just supremely calmly, and Hishamaru lost her timing to walk away. And before she knew it, she found herself drawn into her words. 

A thousand miles away and a thousand miles back. 

It was certainly a symbolic phrase that had something of an echo in the Lord, and in Hishamaru herself, and when Hishamaru finally straightened up her stance, she took half a step back, got up on one knee, and hung her head. 

"… I'm sorry I'm late. Please forgive me for my unmembrane visit." 

"Don't bother. You're not “visiting” him, you're “waiting” for him." 

Hishamaru hurriedly tried to stop her, but she smiled and shook her head. Her spirit energy was beautiful, but it was weak. She was born with a spiritual disorder. She was prepared to give birth to a child, and her life force was a windfall. 

Her maiden name was Yuko Wakasugi. She was Yasuzumi's wife and the mother who gave birth to Harutora. 

However, there was no way she knew who she was. Even Yasuzumi didn't know much about her. 

And yet. 

"… How did you know that?" 

"I'm sorry. In fact, I read your leftover letter that was left by the previous head of the family." 

"Kokage-sama? Well, then, what about that time…" 

“Yes, I know. So it's nice to meet you, but I don't think it's the first time, I'm Harutora's mother, please take care of Harutora, Oh Hishamaru-san." 

The condition Yasuzumi presented was that Hishamaru's memories and abilities would be sealed until Harutora woke up as Yakō. 

The purpose of this was to separate Harutora from the ties of Yakō and raise him as a very ordinary boy. In order to do so, even Harutora's gift of seeing demons was to be sealed away for a long time. 

Naturally, Hishamaru found it difficult to do so. It was unacceptable to block a great Lord's talent. First of all, she didn't think it was possible. Yasuzumi was an excellent star reader, but when it came to ability, he was nowhere near as good as Yakō, and while Harutora was still a child, it would be difficult for him to block her master’s genius. 

He would eventually fail. When she countered that, Yasuzumi replied that he knew it would fail. Then, to Hishamaru, who was unconvinced, he explained plainly. 

The current state of the magic world and the path the magic world will follow from now on, which Yasuzumi learned from reading the stars. 

Although they were still in hiding at the moment, it seems that the radical Yakō followers were currently beginning to form a dangerous connection behind the scenes of the spellcraft world. Indeed, Hishamaru, who had spun Tokyo many times, had sensed the signs of this. Their ideology soon turned to murderous acts, and the public's reaction to Yakō was said to be even more intense. Since Yasuzumi resigned from the Onmyoudou Agency and took the dragon to his village, Tsuchimikado's presence in the world of magic should have diminished for the time being. However, once Yakō's followers were involved in their murderous activities, Tsuchimikado would be in the crosshairs of the world. And that the peace he has now would not last until Harutora came of age, was Yasuzumi's conclusion based on his reading of the stars. 

On the other hand, Yasuzumi was worried that Kurahashi's expectations for Tsuchimikado have become distorted and disquieting. In fact, Hishamaru hadn't kept an eye on Kurahashi for over a decade, and she had lost interest in them after Takamitsu's death, but now that she was gone, she should have kept an eye on him. 

In any case, Yasuzumi's caution about the future was serious. Also, his words were compelling. Hishamaru couldn't help but understand something vague that he was afraid of. 

Hishamaru thought so, but Yasuzumi had a different opinion. He wanted to keep "Harutora" and "Yakō" apart as long as possible. He said it was the best way to free his son from the spell of "Tsuchimikado Yakō". 

To be honest, it was a shame for Hishamaru. She felt that she was denying the Lord after all these years of waiting. But that was not the case, Yasuzumi explained persistently. 

If Yakō's soul resided in Harutora, if their souls were one and the same, then to deny it would be to deny Harutora. Rather, he wanted to protect the soul of the Lord, whom Hishamaru adored, the soul of Yasuzumi's son, still innocent, in its pure form. Yes, Yasuzumi appealed to her in a quiet voice, but with a certain amount of heat. 

"The name “Tsuchimikado Yakō” strips away all the labels, positive and negative, yin and yang, and all the speculation around it.” 

To put it simply, that was Yasuzumi's aim, and the reason for sealing Hishamaru off was the same. With her by his side, Harutora would be piling himself up to Yakō. 

Of course, Yakō's merits and demerits were the result of the way his soul was. It was conceivable that the same soul could follow the same result. 

But even if the goal were to be the same point, it would have to start in a free state, not on a pre-laid rail. The accumulation of their own choices would have to become the path to that goal. 

Yasuzumi's persuasion was not an appeal to emotion, nor was it an attempt to reason with him to block the way out. His words were filled with hesitation and conflict, and he only spoke of the decisions he had made after long and serious deliberation. In fact, there was no indication that he was sure of anything. Rather, the opposite. In the darkness, he seemed to be groping his way forward, hitting an invisible wall many times. 

"Star reading" was not a divine ability to see all the events that would occur in the future. What a star reader reads is only a warm and indeterminate view that can be seen in any way depending on how it is received.” 

How to "read" the future landscape clearly? Then, how do you "interpret" the view you read by comparing it to the present situation and how it has changed since the past? 

Only by combining such skills and techniques can "star reading" be realized. 

What Yasuzumi was trying to decipher now was the future of the entire world of magic, including the causality from the past. It was clearly beyond his control, but even so, he didn't give up and was determined to do the best he could in good faith. He knew that his son would eventually jump into the center of the chart. 

In the end, Hishamaru was not completely convinced. But one thing was certainly convincing. 

Harutora was definitely the reincarnation of Yakō, but Harutora's "parent" was Yasuzumi. Another "parent". 

For more than half a century, she's been watching the veins of the Tsuchimikado family. It had been a history of parents and children: next to Hishamaru's passing through time, the people of Tsuchimikado had walked step by step to this time. 

She was not completely convinced. Whether or not Hishamaru, and perhaps Yasuzumi, were right in their decision, she didn't know. 

More than anything else, it was more painful than cutting herself off that she couldn't even talk to him, even though she had finally met him. 

Still, in the end, Hishamaru agreed to seal herself away in exchange for being by Harutora's side. 

Until one day Harutora wakes up as Yakō and speaks her name. 

This was an act that Hishamaru would never know. 

Yasuzumi had been preparing a formula to seal Hishamaru. After receiving a call from Wakasugi's mother-in-law, Yasuzumi went to her and received a baby that had been placed in front of the house. 

She was probably still a newborn, a girl with strong spiritual powers. 

And… 

Then he was struck by an "idea" and was stunned. Whether it was a revelation guided by inspiration, or an unintentional reading of the stars, he did not know. Perhaps it was a whisper of a demon inviting him to destruction. 

But Yasuzumi had certainly deciphered a part of the fate of the two babies at that moment. It was late at night that day when he visited Takahiro and Chizuru with that baby in his arms. 

Hishamaru, after receiving the explanation of the technique, took charge of it. 

The seal imposed on her consisted of five seals. 

One of them was the seal to seal her "personality". 

One is the seal that seals her "form". 

One is a seal to seal her "spiritual power". 

One to seal her memory. 

And then, on top of the four seals, it will be used to hide the four seals themselves. The last seal works to hide the fact that she was sealed, not only to other people but also to Hishamaru herself. It gave a false memory and hid the true self from Hishamaru. 

Hishamaru showed it to Yasuzumi. 

The "Kikyou Room" in the Tsuchimikado's mansion. Looking back, there were many unforgettable moments in this room. Now, a new scene was about to be added to it. 

There were five concentric circles on the wooden floor. Spells were written along the circumference of the circles. So one circle was one seal. It was quite easy to understand. 

In the room were Yasuzumi standing in front of the altar, Hishamaru standing in the center of the concentric circles, and Takahiro waiting in the corner of the room. It had been a long time since they had seen each other. Of course, Hishamaru knew that Takahiro had forgotten about her. But even though he had forgotten, something was catching his attention, and he looked strangely uncomfortable when Yasuzumi introduced her as "Hishamaru, shikigami of Yakō" for the first time. 

Like Hishamaru, Takahiro was a servant of the head of the family. It was no wonder that he was present there. 

However, right now Yasuzumi should have another collaborator. 

"Chizuru-dono won't be joining us?" 

"… She has other matters to attend to and can't keep her hands off." 

That's when Yasuzumi replied. It was the first time she heard a baby's cry from somewhere in the mansion. As soon as she heard the voice, Hishamaru felt a lurching, strong elbow gagging for some reason. 

- What? 

Hishamaru had never seen anything like it before. Her body shook and she almost fell over. “What's the matter?" said Yasuzumi, his face changing color. "That idiot”, said Takahiro, looking towards the corridor. 

The baby's cries had stopped on the butt end when she thought she heard them. It had stopped crying, as if in sync with Hishamaru's learning of her groggy eye winks. But the strong gagging left a long lingering effect, finally baffling Hishamaru. 

- What? What was that…? 

She didn't understand what was happening to her body. 

Besides, the cry just now wasn't Harutora's voice. "Yasuzumi-dono”. 

"I'm taking care of the baby for one reason or another. Chizuru is taking care of it." 

"Circumstances." 

"What happened to that? You're terribly disturbed? Is there anything wrong with this technique?" 

"No, no…" 

Yasuzumi was seriously worried. However, Hishamaru didn't know why. If she had to say it, the moment she heard the baby's voice a moment ago, she felt as if her "roots" were shaken… but it was too abstract to try to convey in words. And now she was completely back to normal. She had no problem getting sealed. 

"It's okay. Please begin." 

Yasuzumi looked like he was stepping on hooves for a moment, but when he saw Hishamaru's demeanor become resolute, he shook off his hesitation and took possession. 

From his pocket, he took out a single ceremonial note. 

"What's that?" 

"It's a form of spiritual connection. I think this is your symbol." 

In other words, it's a dummy. It's a careful thing to do. But I don't care how careful you are, as long as you're careful about things. 

"… Are you ready?" 

"Whenever you're ready." 

"So let's get started." 

Hishamaru adjusts her spirits and closes her eyes. 

What comes to mind behind her eyelids was the innocent face of Harutora, who had given her last greeting just before. The words she called out were not a goodbye greeting. Even if it is sealed, Hishamaru could still be by Harutora's side. And she had made an agreement with Yasuzumi. If Harutora began to walk the path of magic to become an onmyouji, then he would awaken her from her slumber and take her place by her side. He would seal her personhood, form, spirit and memories, so that she could live with him, even in false memory form. 

It would be a new journey for Harutora, who was not Yakō with Yakō's soul, and a shikigami, who was not Hishamaru with Hishamaru's soul, but only a shikigami. She couldn't imagine it, but her heart danced like it did when she was a child. 

Yasuzumi quietly began to chant the incantation. 

Hishamaru slowly let go of herself… 

Just … 

A pearly tear spilled from the girl's blue eyes. Harutora returned to her and was in a hurry. 

"Hey!? Oh, why are you crying!? Who are you!? … Oh no, anyone can cry anyway!" 

Harutora stretched out his arms, but couldn't even touch them and scratched the air. 

Without looking away from Harutora, the girl shed tears silently with her eyes wide open. Eventually the girl bit her lips and wiped her tears with her sleeves. 

And when she lied down again, 

"Oh, I'll see you for the first time." 

Raised his voice. 

However, even if it was raised, it was a voice that seemed to have squeezed a small ground voice as hard as possible. In addition, the voice was just as it looked, and it was a very unspeakable voice. Harutora was already white. 

"… Eh? What? What?" 

“I… I… I'm a fox, and I'm a fox spirit, Kon, and I'm talking about Tsuchimikado Harutora-sama's protection. What’s good… " 

That was the beginning of a new journey. 

However, the man suddenly stopped in his tracks as he moved away. 

"… By the way, who is that kid?" 

"Hm? Which kid?" 

"Tora." 

"Oh. It seems to be the son of a branch family. It's a good thing. That's why the dragons and tigers lined up. Well, the tigers are much poorer… What's wrong with him?" 

The old man asked curiously. But a truly astute eye might have noticed the serpentine curiosity lurking in his voice. 

"…No, not really." 

The man blurted out a reply and then shrugged at the old man. 

"You're in moderation, Doman." 

"Kora Kora. From the one who said it, don't interfere with other people's interests." 

The old man retorted as if to chastise the child. The man chuckled, and this time he moved away from the limo's side. 

He walked with his back to the old man and the schoolhouse building. 

"…You're still the same. Unlike me, you're a loyalist. You." 

The murmur that spilled out with a smile didn't reach anyone's ears but his. 

The man walked away slowly. 

His right hand in the pocket of his slacks. 

The sleeves of his remaining left hand swayed softly and gracefully in the breeze. 

"Got it!" 

With a snap, Harutora's shiyakujiyou (bishop’s staff) was thrust into the air. Kyoko, who had been operating the shikigami away, shucked, and frowned in frustration. 

"Hahaha, how's that? That was completely, I won, didn't I?" 

"Oh, well done, Harutora-sama! Bruise, I thought it was a brilliant move…!" 

"You, too, had perfect timing, Kon. Looks like we're getting along just fine, don't we?” 

"Soooooooooo, that's such a waste of time, or is it too much, or is it too late!" 

Harutora laughed in a good mood, and Kon was embarrassed when the Lord praised her, turning bright red. Despite the embarrassment, the tail was flapping around and shaking like a dog. Defeated, Kyoko grumbled a grim "Hmph”, and then released the materialization of Black Maple. 

"…I'm telling you, Black Maple was originally designed to be moved as a set of two bodies with White Sakura. Alone, it isn't able to show its true power. That's the kind of thing, don't get me wrong." 

Yes, Kyoko nailed Harutora with a strong tone. 

Harutora chuckled at Kyoko's reluctant face. 

"Yeah. I know. I'm not that uptight." 

"…I wish it were." 

"It’s, it's good, Harutora-sama. Just listen to the barking of the losers, and let it go." 

"Kon-chan? I can hear you.” 

Kyoko raises the corners of her eyes. But Kon turned her ears away with a cool face and pretended not to hear; she was loyal to Harutora, but she was a strangely stubborn shikigami to everyone but Harutora. 

"How's that, Natsume, I guess that's good enough for the advancement exam and the practical skills, right?" 

Harutora looked up at the bleachers from the arena and called out to Natsume, who was watching the match. Then Natsume sniffed deliberately and said: 

"Bakatora! There's no way in hell that a test for a magician to fight a shikigami directly is on a promotional test.” 

"Of course you are… but I think you're getting used to dealing with spell power, don't you?" 

"Isn't the conversion of spiritual power into spell power left up to that shiyakujiyou, after all? You can't bring a spell tool like that to the test!" 

Harutora asked proudly, and Natsume sounded stern with a cool face. 

"In fact, you still can't even use a simple formula properly. I don't think there's any point in this mock battle, but really, this is not the time to do this." 

"Nah. Even if you didn't oppose the mock battle today, you didn't oppose it." 

"That's right, we don't even know what this year's practical test will be, and the only countermeasure we can take now is to improve the circulation of our spiritual power at best. In other words, it's a warm-up for tomorrow's practical test." 

It can't be helped, Natsume showed her shoulders with a brick. It was just a gesture like a tutor taking on a handful of students. 

"But even if you're warming up, relying on a shiyakujiyou to warm up won't be half as effective. Why don't you ask them to deal with you with their bare hands this time?" 

"… You'll die. Usually." 

"Oh my, if you say so, Natsume-kun, I don't mind at all?" 

"What! Kyoko. You're happily re-summoning Black Maple, aren't you!" 

Looking down at the seriously flustered Harutora, Natsume shook her head in relief. 

On the other hand, before she knew it, Kon was watching the exchange between the two men with both ears twitching and fidgeting in the distance. She looked like she wanted to return to her master's side, but she couldn't find the right moment. 

Then. 

"…Kon." 

Natsume, sitting on the bike, beckoned Kon with a small voice. 

It was unusual for Natsume to call out to Kon. Kon stepped closer to Natsume's side, surprised. 

"You can't. You can't interrupt them." 

Natsume nailed it to Kon, saying so in a girl's voice. It was not a bad idea to have a little bit of fun with this one. Kon reluctantly replied, "I understand”. 

Natsume let out a small breath. 

She looked at Harutora and Touji's backside along with Kon. 

She was curious about her father's behavior, as if he knew everything, but at the same time, she couldn't help but be concerned. Natsume couldn't possibly know her father's true intentions. 

Now she and Harutora and Touji were on the same path. There would be many more challenges along the way. But as long as they remembered that they were all in this together, they would get over it. Just like this day. 

"But…" 

Kon blurted out. Kon's gaze was still on her master and his friend. Before long, the two of them were laughing and joking with each other again. 

"… I envy the lord at this moment." 

Natsume laughed at Kon's pouting lips and agreed wholeheartedly, "I suppose so". 

Trying to dress up as a man would only change things on the outside. Friendship between men could only be viewed from the outside. 

"That kind of boy's relationship is a little sloppy, isn't it?" 

With that, Natsume brushed her shoulders as she buried herself in the collar of her uniform. 

"…Eh, don’t be afraid!" 

Suddenly, a fist-sized fireball appeared above Harutora and the others' heads as they thought they heard the shouting of a still young girl. 

The fireball spun and sent sparks flying with a bang as Kyoko, Tenma and their classmates hurriedly left Harutora's side. Suddenly appearing in the space that had been created was the shikigami Kon, used by Harutora. 

"You cashless bastards! How far will you rise if you stay quiet because Harutora-sama is lifeless! Stay back! Get back!" 

With a timeless tone that contradicted her appearance, Kon shook her head. Kyoko, Tenma and the others, who knew Kon's temperament, hurriedly distanced themselves from her. 

"Wow, Kon! You should calm down too!" 

"What… What do you mean by that, Kon is always calm and collected, and no one who would dare to harm Harutora-sama will come near him…" 

With ears and tail pinned up and a young face, Kon threatened his classmates as much as she could. Moreover, Kon's excessive loyalty was already familiar to the faces who had spent half a year in the same class. 

Kyoko made a deliberate smile, as if to quiet the kid. 

"Oh, Kon? We're not blaming Harutora, we're just admiring him." 

"Tell a lie! You were angry!" 

"Yes, because I care about the Lord, and what about you, Kon? It's the Lord's business, and you don't care?" 

"And of course I do! Kon's role is to protect Harutora-sama…!" 

"Then it shouldn't bother you, even more so. Because they are the Twelve Divine Generals, and if you don't know what kind of relationship you're dealing with, won't your bodyguard feel uneasy about it either?" 

"Oh, that's…? 

"Besides, she said she kissed Harutora. Do you know what a kiss is? A kiss, a kiss, a kiss, chiyu!?"…!" 

"Mouth… chiyu!?” 

“Right? Even though you're a shikigami… No. That's exactly what a shikigami does. Doesn't it make you curious? I know it does! Because, it's the Lord's business! Isn't that right, Kon-chan?” 

“That’s… that’s not…” 

Kon's tail trembled and her ears fidgeted and turned around. Every time Kyoko spoke a single word, she became restless and squirmy as she watched. As a matter of fact, she didn't need Kyoko to point out that Kon was Kon, and she guessed she couldn't help but be curious about it. 

With “Kachiwari” on her backhand, Kon still hasn't released her stance. 

"…" 

A glimpse. 

When she turned to look over her shoulder at the Lord sheltering behind her, her profile was bright red and her blue eyes were now moist as if she was about to cry, Harutora sighed. 

"I'll be fine. Wow, I'm tired too." 

She said in an earthly voice and changed her tone in a hurry. It was no wonder she was tired. 

Apparently, it was a tough time for Natsume. The discussion was supposed to be more difficult for Natsume than anyone else, as she turned her body towards Harutora and covered her mouth with the blanket. 

"Uh, Harutora-kun?" 

"What, what is it?" 

"Well… they're all men, and I'm worried about my anxiety. You have to be right next to me, okay?" 

"Oh, oh…" 

It was too dimly lit to read even Natsume's expression. However, Harutora replied, feeling his own cheeks flush for some reason. 

"…! Don't worry about it." 

There was a sudden voice between the two of them, and Harutora and Natsume jiggled and stiffened in their futon. 

"Tonight, Kon will be responsible for protecting you, Natsume-dono. "No matter how many people”, I will never let them touch one finger." 

It was Kon's voice. She didn't show herself, but she did declare in a very blunt manner and with a strong emphasis on the word "whoever". 

And then, as if to remind them. 

"Of course, even if "Natsume" is disturbed, Kon will "deal appropriately". Please be assured." 

He could see Kon glaring at Natsume, even though she didn't materialize, and Natsume retorted in an upturned voice, "I’m not a bad sleeper.” 

Harutora told the shikigami, "Sorry about that”. 

"Good night, Natsume.” 

"Uh, yeah. Good night, Harutora." 

"…" 

"…" 

"… No, but it's still close. This…" 

"… you know…" 

Restlessly, he laughed hollowly, ahaha. Maybe Natsume must have a similar smile, as Kon gave a small dry cough, irritated. 

"…close…" 

With a gasp, Natsume seemed to notice something and suddenly showed signs of panic. 

Turning her back to Harutora, she wriggled around, something that seemed to call out the smell of the collar of her jersey in a gesture. 

"… Hmm? What did you do?" 

"Oh, no…" 

Natsume became muddy and stopped moving. 

Then, once again, Kon said: 

"… Isn't it good? Will you be patient for about a day?" 

She said in a teasing tone. Harutora tilted his head with "?", But Natsume seemed to have teeth with "kuu!?". 

Even so, for a while, her back was circling around here … 

"… Hey, I'm going to the bathroom! Harutora, go to sleep first!" 

She suddenly got out of the futon and walked across the room and out into the hallway. 

"What?" 

Harutora muttered and heard Kon sniffle. 

"Go away." 

She spit it out with no expression and resumed the work of tying the boots. Shouldn't have been enthusiastic about wanting to get along with each other, but it was frustrating and annoying to be dismissed so far. 

Harutora looked down at his senpai as she bristled at her teeth, but… 

"…Kon." 

The senior's fingertips shook. 

Kon, as she was called, released her hidden form and materialized. A young girl with triangular ears and a leaf-shaped tail landed in front of Harutora, looking like a checkered doll. 

Harutora put his hands on Kon's shoulders and, with a quick push, she took a step forward to show his seniors that she was there, while Kon flinched and stood quietly in front of them. 

The senior crouched down and looked down at the boots, and stopped moving for a while. However, before long, she began to tie the string again without raising her face stubbornly. Harutora squints his eyes. 

While stroking Shikigami's head, 

"Hey Kon. Let's do our best together in the afternoon game." 

"Ha, Ha, Harutora-sama?" 

"…" 

"Good. It's been a while since I've stroked your tail, too. Well, as usual, Kon's tail is full of touch…" 

"Ha, Harutora-sama. That can't be… Kiyu, suddenly…?" 

"…" 

The senior's fingertips were becoming less and less calm. She made a lot of mistakes, untying and retying them. 

Finally, she finished tying the laces of her boots with more force than necessary, with a yelp. 

"… I'm motivated. It's been a while, Tsuchimikado Harutora-kun." 

Expressionless as ever, said with a bare body, Harutora released Kon and snickered with a hankering, disgustedly snickering. 

"Yes, it's been a while, senpai. …Well, then, as you requested, let's disappear…" 

"Wait." 

"Oh? What's the matter, senpai? You don't like to be cozy, do you?" 

"No, I don't…” 

"Heh. So you think my senpai wants to talk to me?" 

"…well…" 

"You want to talk to me?” 

"Yes, I want to talk to you. 

Harutora lowered his gulp and looked satisfied. Kon, who was watching the exchange between the two of them, had her cheeks twitching, perhaps because of her imagination. 

The senior looked regretful. 

"… dirty. You're using a little girl as an ally…" 

"No, I don't know if you're the one who's stuck with it." 

"Now that it's come to this, at the very least, I'm going to take home…" 

"I won't let you! I don't know how much you like little girls!" 

"Okay, okay. Then I'll put up with your tail…" 

"Oh? What are you talking about? I didn't say anything about letting her touch my cheek…" 

"…" 

"… Oh, I see. I see. I see. Don't look at me like that. Just a little. Oh, Kon?" 

"Huh…" 

It was the first time she's seen a face that looked like a demon, even though it was an expression. When Harutora gave her permission, Kon seemed to have no choice but to wag her tail at the senior, and the senior reached for Kon's tail. She shuddered with emotion and reached for Kon's tail. 

She carefully stroked it and said: 

"It's perfect. 

"…that's right." 

"…I want it." 

"I won't give it to you." 

Kon's foxfire kept them in check, and Harutora's shiyakujiyou and Touji's attacks played off any enemies that stood in their way. The rest of them all ran through the corridor while White Sakura and Black Maple on either side kept shikigami at bay. 

Still, there were moments of danger, but when they did, Natsume, Kyoko, Tenma, and Suzuka got out of trouble by unleashing a spell, and the formation Natsume put together worked. Before they knew it, they were all working together. 

The principal aimed for the end of the corridor. At first glance, it looked like a dead end. But… 

"…Open the gate!" 

Harutora rolled his eyes, "Oh!" as the cat shouted, an iron door appeared on the wall. 

As soon as the door opened, the cat slipped inside and began to climb the stairs. 

She stepped out onto the roof. Immediately, a damp outside air with a hint of rain enveloped Harutora's body. The rooftop was made up of two spaces. One was the maze-like ducted space where Harutora and his friends were now. The other was one step higher, about three meters above the ground. The cat ran through the narrow passage and climbed a simple staircase that looked like a ladder to get to the space above. Soon, Harutora caught up to the bottom of the stairs as well. Regulating his ragged breathing, he grabbed the railing and ran up to the top in one go. 

His vision opened up. 

A large, flat space stretched out in front of him. There was no fall-proof fence around the edge, just a low wall that was, at best, only knee-high. 

The black shikigami of Doman flitted around the area against the cloudy sky like a muddy stream. 

But Harutora's attention wasn't drawn to the black shikigami scattered around, but to the far end of the wide open space at the top of the hill, opposite to where Harutora had come up, in front of the school building. 

There was an altar. 

A stone stage surrounded on all sides by torii. Harutora's movements came to a halt. 

A sense of déjà vu, which he had not expected, hit him. 

An altar behind the Tsuchimikado main residence. It was the altar of "Taizan Fukun Sai”. It was the same altar where Harutora and Natsume fought against Suzuka last summer. 

"… Oh no!" 

Harutora was confused. Not caring about Harutora's reaction, the cat that was leading her runs straight to the altar. 

Kon, who had been concentrating on her enemy shikigami, noticed the Lord's appearance." Ha, Harutora-sama?" She looked back at Harutora. However, Harutora couldn't look away from the altar. 

"…Who is it?" 

A sharp, who-knows-what voice was thrown from the altar parked in the dimness. Unexpectedly, it was a female voice. 

Following Harutora, who was standing there for a moment, Natsume quickly climbed up to the high ground, and when Harutora turned around silently, Natsume had no choice. 

"Wait. We're students too." 

Harutora raised his hand and spoke up clearly. 

"I'll turn on the lights now. Okay? It's just a light, okay?" 

"Kon, fire”, he ordered the cloaked Shikigami, making sure it wouldn't be mistaken for an attack. Immediately, pale fox fires lit up on either side, linking Harutora and her friends to the altar. 

A girl appeared at the altar, where the darkness had been dispelled. 

Because of the distance, it was hard to see clearly. However, if it wasn't for the white uniform for girls, they might have thought it was a boy instead of a girl. It was an imposing and icy sight to see her standing swooping at the altar. But what caught their eye most strongly was her hair. 

Red. 

The habitual hair, which was arranged around the shoulders, was still intensely red even under the pale fox fire. The way it fluttered in the wind, looking like a flickering snake of fire adorning the girl's head, made Harutora giddy, but he was also glued to the bewitching vision, and the girl's side responded. 

There was a reaction on the girl's side as well. She looked at Harutora and the others, whose figures were revealed by the foxfire, and with a huff, she shook her hair and cowered. 

"Tsuchimikado's…" 

And a muttering voice. It's also a breathtaking gesture. 

The girl was restless and patrolling on the altar for a while. However, when she tightened her attitude as if she was angry, she quickly turned around and immediately got off the altar stage. 

As it was, she shook her red hair and walked straight up to them. Harutora and the others were ready. 

The girl approached with a crisp and refreshing movement and stopped at a position where they could see each other's faces clearly. 

She was a beautiful girl. And graceful. While it was vivacious to see, her eyes were intelligent. For some reason, she seemed a little agitated. 

"…Tsuchimikado Natsume. And you, Tsuchimikado Harutora." 

The girl stared at the two confused people as if she couldn't contain her emotions. It was as if she had been reunited with her family and her best friend who had never been with her. 

Suddenly, she smiled at them. 

Then it was like a sunflower blooming… 

"Nice to meet you. My name is Sōma Takiko. I'm just like you, walking the path of Onmyoudou." 

"…Kon, come on!" 

Harutora looked up grimly at Phase 3, which was about to swallow him, and spread his arms out. The summoned Kon dived into the Lord's chest like a released arrow. 

In the next moment, Harutora's body was engulfed by the spiritual disaster. 

And furthermore, in the next moment, the field mallet that had swallowed Harutora was engulfed in blue flames. 

The flames instantly set the spiritual disaster ablaze. The raging fire gained momentum at an accelerated rate, becoming a huge pillar of flame. The stewarded air swirled and ran through the entire courtyard. The drifting Miasma was blown away, and instead the flames, the spiritual air released by the pillar of fire, filled it. 

Fire aura. 

"Ooooooo!" 

Harutora's cry rang out from within the pillar of fire. 

In the midst of the huge flames, the figure of Harutora, holding up his tin cane with his right hand, floated up; Kon clinging to her master to his left arm. Held in his arms, she opens her eyes and continues to release foxfire. It was a spiritual disaster consisting of wood aura. 

It was the phase birth of that wood energy and turned into fire energy. Phase 3, the five elements phase birth. The blue pillar of fire that was born then became an unimaginably powerful curse power and raised a huge expulsion. 

One or two. 

But what was a miscalculation was that the fire was too strong. He had intended to use his cudgel to troll the flames, but Harutora's power alone was unlikely to be a match for it. The only spell that Harutora knew of to control the fire was the magic of using a pyromaniac. If this was the case, it would simply dissipate the huge fire that Harutora had created. On the contrary, it could cause it to go out of control. 

- What are we going to do? 

Maintaining the warding that surrounded him, Harutora desperately searched for a way to fuel the flames through Kon. 

- Fire control… fire magic… 

He dredged up his memories, moving in and out of them at random. What spells he's seen, what spells he's heard. The spells he's heard. He wanted to scream out loud, but he tried so hard, so desperately, to remember. 

There it was. 

What an irony. No, or was it a natural consequence? 

A fire spell. 

Exactly the kind of thing that that shikigami principal, that man, had been so good at. 

"Noumaku saraba tatagyateibyaku saraba bokkeibiyaku sarabata tarata senda makaroshada, ken gyakigyaki saraba bigin'nan untaratanman!" 

"…Hey." 

Suddenly, the man opened his mouth, and Natsume tensed up so much that she almost swooned at that. 

"What do you mean by that seal?" 

"…Eh?" 

Natsume couldn't understand the man's words in a hurry. She didn't even know who the man was talking to in the first place. Was it the unconscious Harutora, Kon who was bracing herself, or herself who had rushed in? 

"That's what happens when you're halfway through unraveling." 

"…" 

The man said further, frankly. But Natsume was too preoccupied to reply, Kon being Kon, with her fighting spirit moated all over her body with a look of distraction on her face. She was ready to defend her master without regard for herself. 

A sizzling silence passed, and it was hard to breathe. 

Eventually. 

"Raven's wing" is on the move. 

"…What?" 

"Don't wear it now. It's life-threatening." 

"Wh…" 

Natsume was confused. Finally, Natsume began to realize that the man didn't mean to be hostile; Kon didn't let down her guard, but Natsume didn't think he was the “enemy”. 

"…What do you mean?" 

She asked cautiously. 

But the man didn't answer Natsume's pawn. As if to say that there was no longer any use for him, he softly turned himself around and showed his back to them without a care in the world. 

And now she realized that the man's jacket. The man's jacket, the sleeves on his left arm were not thick enough. Only the fabric was gently tossed and turned to match the man's movements. 

One-armed. In other words, a one-armed demon. 

No way, Natsume stripped her eyes and took a breath. 

And then the man stopped abruptly. 

"… When time comes, rely on Suzu Saotome. I don't actively recommend it." 

He said this over his shoulder and this time the man walked away from the scene. 

"…one moment, please." 

A young but frozen voice interrupted Harutora's decision. "Kon!" 

Suddenly, a girl appeared in front of him. 

She dropped to one knee on the floor and hung her head towards Harutora. "Oh, you, without permission …!?" 

Of course, Kurahashi and the others would be looking into Harutora's protection shikigami and other matters. Also, hiding its existence would not be the trump card to break the current situation. It was no longer a problem that could be solved by "military force". 

That's why Kon was daring to show herself in disregard of her life, knowing that she would alert the enemy to her presence, but still appearing to give Harutora her opinion. 

Still with her face down. 

"Ha, Harutora-sama. I dare to say that I'm sorry to be rude. These people cannot be trusted. Such a thing is clearer than a fire. Please reconsider, please. No. You should reconsider." 

Harutora snickered at the shikigami's unexpected advances, and Kon only hung her head to the master. "… Kon." 

And Harutora's mouth twisted in bitterness. 

And then, half in desperation. 

"Yeah, right. These guys can't be trusted. You know I don't trust them, of course you know that. I know. But right now I don't have a choice. We're just going to have to put our emotions aside and use each other." 

For the first time in his life, he felt a strong sense of frustration at the healthy and loyal shikigami. 

She had been following Harutora's intentions to wait and see what happened. 

But… 

"No." 

Kon did not relent. Her voice was filled with an ever firmer conviction. 

"I will tell you. You don't have to understand, Harutora-sama. The Harutora-sama of everyday life would know without thinking, but the Harutora-sama of today does not understand. It is not a good thing to compromise with "untrustworthy" just because it is unavoidable. You should not approach it easily with an elbow to its advantage.” 

"Kon. That's enough. Shut up…" 

"Yea, yea. Oh, listen to me, Harutora-sama. Isn't it obvious when you look around these men? What have these men done so far to those who are close to them, to those who follow them, to those who fight with them? Do you see a single “comrade” of these men who has a smile of happiness on his face?" 

And then… 

Kon raised her face. 

Kon's blue eyes. As beautiful as lapis lazuli and as profound as azure piercing, twin eyes shot straight through Harutora. 

"Harutora-sama. There is no Harutora-sama's smile at the destination that Harutora-sama is heading towards now. And even if she were to come back to life, Natsume-dono's smile would also never be there. Harutora-sama, Natsume-dono passed away with a smile on her face, do you intend to stain that smile?" 

"You…?!" 

Harutora was furious. Her anger boiled over in an instant. He didn't know why she was so furious, even she didn't know why she was so angry. In contrast, Kon's eyes went straight to Harutora, clear and unclouded. 

Suddenly he remembered. When he was a child, he had seen eyes similar to this one. Eyes like a lake surface that reflected only the sky and the universe, springing up at the top of a faraway steep peak. A kind of eye that Harutora hadn't yet known, a pupil that held a steep intensity. 

"Then what do you want me to do!" 

Harutora shouted angrily. 

"You're telling me that she died smiling and that's okay! Screw you! I'll bring Natsume back to life no matter what!" 

He shouted desperately. He was almost on the verge of upsetting himself. That was probably because in a way Harutora has admitted his mistake, knowing that Kon's advice was correct, so he had no choice but to raise his voice and shout at her. 

In response, Kon told him once and for all. 

"Then, Harutora-sama. It should not be left to anyone else, Harutora-sama, it should be done by your own hands." 

Harutora's anger froze. 

Kon continued without a hint of agitation. 

"This authority on soul magic claims that you are the reincarnation of Tsuchimikado Yakō. If Harutora-sama is Tsuchimikado Yakō, there is no reason why he cannot control the Taizan Fukun Sai.” 

"Oh, come on, you can't do that! I don't have any memory of my previous life. None of my knowledge and talents are the same. I don't know how to use the "Taizan Fukun Sai". 

"Harutora-sama. What a shameful thing to say. You spoke so boldly a moment ago that you would bring her back to life no matter what." 

"…Huh." 

Harutora could not speak back. 

And against the weak and bitter master, the protector had no mercy. 

"Harutora-sama, if you wish to make amends to Natsume-dono from the bottom of your heart, I know that Harutora-sama should bear the blame for this. What will you do if you put it on someone else? And more importantly, it is outrageous to try to make amends with the help of a villain. So when she returns to this world, would you think that she has been atoned for, Natsume-dono?" 

“But”, continues Kon. A calm voice, biting and inclusive, but as fierce as a storm, stirring in Harutora's chest. 

Strong, rough, and bold. 

"But… Harutora-sama, if Harutora-sama calls Natsume-dono back by his own hand and on his own account… Natsume-dono will be pleased, no matter the outcome. I am sure she will show you her smile once again." 

"…" 

Harutora couldn't do anything else. 

At this moment, outside the office, Doman and Miyachi were fighting, Otomo and Kagami were fighting, and the unleashed shikigami was performing a miracle. 

However, as if detached from such worldly affairs, silence fell in the spacious director's office. 

A solemn silence where the branch of fate descended. 

It was Yashamaru who broke it. 

"… Time's up, I guess." 

He snickered as he said that, and this time he didn't wait for Kurahashi's reaction, but stepped forward with his hands in the pockets of his slacks. 

"The Spiritual Disaster Unit will be arriving soon. Me too, and Harutora-kun. You'll be hard to move, too. I'm sure we've already played our cards. Come on. Choose." 

Harutora closed his eyes. 

In the closed light, Natsume's face floated in the darkness. It was not the bloodied face of death that had been burned into his mind. It was Natsume's face when she was alive and at Harutora's side. 

Natsume in civilian clothes, Natsume in men's clothes, Natsume who was angry at Harutora, Natsume who was red-faced and embarrassed, Natsume who was strong with fear, Natsume who was tearful with sorrow, and Natsume who was smiling. 

When Natsume smiled, she smiled really innocently. 

Like a sunflower. …That was right. 

Harutora opened his eyes. Seeing the expression on his face, Kon wagged her tail proudly. 

"… It's a curtain that can't be closed" 

Kagami, carrying Shaver, said as if sparingly. Before she could do so, Kon staggered to her feet, causing several lags. 

Her small back spread her arms out to protect Harutora. 

"I am… " Kon said. She declared once and for all, putting her willpower on the line, her own existence on the line. 

"I did not wait for this little boy like you to take my master away from me!" 

With a thud, her heart jumped up. 

Harutora opened his remaining right eye, and with his bloody left eye… 

"Hishamaru?" 

Harutora murmured. 

At that moment, the five seals of the Tsuchimikado, which had been binding her, began to break the spell in accordance with the old pact. 

Part 4 

The price of breaking the seal was high. 

Strange to say, the very existence of "Hishamaru" was severely confused. The lightning-like lag has subsided somewhat, but even after controlling it with all her might, her spiritual power was still bouncing around at a rate on the verge of going out of control. Her memory was also very muddled. Perhaps there was quite a bit of missing pieces as well. But now. 

For this moment, she wanted to be proud of the price she had paid for her work. 

She ran to Harutora and did her best to cast a healing spell on him. "Cloth!" she yelled, without turning around. She yelled at him. 

Kakugyouki shrugged and tore off the left sleeve of his jacket. She grabbed it, as if to snatch it up and placed it against Harutora's injured left eye. His partner mumbled something behind her, but that didn't fall on deaf ears. 

And then… 

Hishamaru put her hands on Harutora in a worthy manner and helped him up. 

Harutora, supported by Hishamaru, sat down on the street and let out another camp cry. Then he opened the remaining right eye and looked intently at the fox and demon in front of him. 

Clear tears poured out of Hishamaru's blue eyes. 

"…Hishamaru." 

Harutora said, and Hishamaru's cheeks stained with admiration. She resisted the urge to jump up and down, retreating slightly and hanging her head in a brittle manner. 

And then she noticed that there was no movement in the air next to her. 

"Oi!" 

He shouted, really angry. 

Kakugyouki shrugged deliberately at Harutora, as if to frighten him. However, he quickly grinned and stepped back next to Hishamaru, kneeling down on one knee and attempting to assume the same position. 

The roadway was deserted, blocked off from traffic. 

In front of the Lord, who was sitting on the asphalt, the two former protectors of the Lord offered a deep bow of worship. It was a long time. 

But… they were together again… Yakō, herself and Kakugyouki. The scarlet that had been lost in the last year of the war was now reunited, and Hishamaru's whole body was filled with deep rapture. 

Then there was a flap of wings, and "Raven's wing" landed on Harutora's shoulder. Hishamaru looked at the disloyal person who had just appeared, and turned her swift eyes to him. 

But… 

"Okay, Hishamaru, this guy is like that." 

At that line, Hishamaru's whole body shook with wariness. 

"How about… how would you like to be called?" 

Part of it was lost, but now Hishamaru had memories of the Tsuchimikado Kon (?), memories of Hishamaru as a protector, and memories of her spiritual existence after she had become a spiritual being. Of course, she had memories of his time as Kon (??), Harutora and Yakō, and no matter which one the Lord chose, her loyalty was not clouded… but still, she was nervous. 

Harutora, on the other hand, was unassuming. 

"You can do whatever you want." 

At the way he said it, Hishamaru's ear tips twitched. 

Once again, she observed the Lord's condition. And she guessed. Perhaps, having awakened as Yakō, Harutora was also experiencing a confusion of memories, perhaps even in terms of memory and personality. 

But it was not too late for that soul to be the soul of the Lord. Moreover, "Lord" to her meant both Yakō and Harutora, until she wanted to spend a few years as Kon. Accepting Yasuzumi's terms was not wrong. 

Hishamaru remained elated and shook her head. 

Suddenly, Harutora tried to stand up. Breathing naturally, Kakugyouki lifted Harutora's body to stand firmly before Hishamaru hurriedly tried to lend a hand. She couldn't help but glare in frustration at being ahead of her, but Kakugyouki, who should have noticed, didn't take it in stride. 

"…So?" 

His partner asked as he himself stood up and looked down at Harutora. 

"And after this?" 

Harutora glanced up at Kakugyouki, then shifted his gaze to Hishamaru. Just like that, her heart beat faster. 

Harutora's voice was calming. 

"We will conduct the "Taizan Fukun Sai" to bring Natsume back to the world. 

Hishamaru's condition was apparently more serious than she herself was aware of. 

For a while, Hishamaru had thought that her recklessness in unsealing the seal had been avenged. But apparently that wasn't the only thing she could guess from watching Harutora and Kakugyouki's condition. 

Of course, there was no doubt that the self-destructive act that she had enforced back then was one of the reasons for her current spiritual instability. 

However… now that she thought about it again, the damage that she sustained at that time, the spiritual "wounds", were beyond Hishamaru's control, but the awakened Harutora should have a way to deal with them. It may be difficult to regain lost memories, but Harutora must have plenty of them if he was to spiritually stabilize the shikigami. 

Nevertheless, Harutora has not been able to heal Hishamaru's "wounds". They have tried various ways, but they did not work. To be more precise, even if she was able to heal her temporarily, the "wound" soon returned. They just couldn't stabilize it. 

Harutora attempted to heal Hishamaru with every conceivable spell he could think of. He even went to the Dark Temple at his own peril, and received the non-timely fruit from Sen, but with no success. It seemed like a hopeless task, like piling up sand to make a pillar, even to Hishamaru, who was watching from the side. 

What in the world was happening to her? 

The key seems to lie in the "Taizan Fukun Sai". 

After Harutora's awakening and Hishamaru's release of the seal, Harutora retrieved Natsume's body and conducted the "Taizan Fukun Sai" at the Temple of Heaven on the rooftop of the Onmyoudou Academy in order to bring her out of trouble. 

However, Harutora failed to perform the ritual, and although he succeeded in bringing back Natsume's soul, he was unable to connect the soul to Natsume's body. The reason Harutora continued to leave Natsume and evade the Onmyoudou Agency's arrangements even now was to find out the reason for the failure and make Natsume completely alive. 

However, Hishamaru did not see the sequence of events that caused Harutora to fail the ritual. During the ritual, the "wound" spread and she fell into a coma. 

Harutora did not give Hishamaru a detailed explanation. 

But in retrospect, Hishamaru's spiritual instability came after she fell into a coma during the "Taizan Fukun Sai". 

She had no regrets about the fact that she had to inflict this wound on herself to break the seal. It was natural. Hishamaru waited for Harutora, even abandoning her body, in order to protect the Lord. 

However, the result of that was not only to be of no use to Harutora, but to be of no use to him at all, it was painful. 

And then there was the anxiety. 

Hishamaru had gotten over her fear of death when she abandoned her body. However, the fear of being separated from the Lord, whom she had finally met after his disappearance, was unmistakable, and the fear of being separated again, this time forever. Also, the possibility that Hishamaru could drive the Lord into even more trouble was a source of frustration. 

Wouldn't it be better for Harutora if she disappeared sooner rather than later? 

While she was waiting for the Lord, she never thought the day would come when she would feel that way. But these days, she found herself thinking those thoughts flickering in the corner of her mind. 

And this thought has been encouraged by the presence of a fellow Harutora, not of the Tsuchimikado Yakō, but of the Tsuchimikado Harutora, and Ato Touji, Kurahashi Kyouko, Dairenji Suzuka, Momoe Tenma and Tsuchimikado Natsume. 

The days she spent with them as Kon were still important to her now that she had awakened as Hishamaru. She still thought of them as her dearest friends. 

But… could the relationship between Harutora and Hishamaru coexist with that of Harutora and his friends? 

And… if it was difficult for them to coexist, which relationship would be happier for the Lord? 

The Lord now called himself Tsuchimikado Harutora, aware that he was the reincarnation of Tsuchimikado Yakō, and was about to take a new path as Tsuchimikado Harutora. 

However, Hishamaru could not change as Hishamaru; Kon was only a part of Hishamaru and was different from the new Hishamaru. 

And although the Lord was working for the healing of Hishamaru, his primary goal was the complete revival of Natsume. 

Then, when Natsume was in complete revival, what should she do? 

She thought it was no good, but she couldn't hold back the thought of Tsuchimikado in her heart, which she's kept hidden for a long time. The conversation they had had in the Lord's previous life, the night before the ceremony, the time that had so sweetly enveloped her, was now an icy blade that stabbed into Hishamaru's heart. 

Wouldn't it be better for Harutora if she disappeared sooner rather than later? 

With this irritating hesitation, the situation between the master and the servant kept getting tenser and tenser. 

Harutora's plan was "loaded". 

Harutora succeeds in driving a sliding door into the "Tenchiyuu Chifu Sai" and the god descend planned by Sōma and Kurahashi. Harutora's target was Sōma Takiko. If they could get rid of her, an even better Yorishiro than the former Satsuki, they could frustrate the ambitions of Sōma and Kurahashi. 

Looking back, it was a situation that could only be described as fate. The Lord and Sōma were once again at odds with each other over the "Tenchiyuu Chifu Sai" that once separated the fates of Yakō and Hishamaru, and now even Kurahashi has turned against them. Amidst the stark contrast between the burnt-out ruins and the big city, they may be dancing a roundabout dance of doom reminiscent of the last century. 

After stopping the enemy's deployment of the Temple of Heaven, Harutora, accompanied by Hishamaru and Kakugyouki, attacked the stone stage where the possession occured. 

They were intercepted by Miyachi, aka "Flame Demon" Miyachi, the most powerful man of his time. Indeed, his overwhelming spiritual power was unmatched. He surpassed even Yakō, and was on a par with Dairenji Kenmyou, who had let the god possess him. 

Kurahashi Genji also participated in their spellcasting battle. 

He was the only son of Hisateru and Miyo. Moreover, Kurahashi manipulated the white and black swords that have been passed down from generation to generation to the Kurahashi family head. He was a perfect match to his grandfather, Takamitsu, as seen on the night of the air raid on Tokyo. Who could have predicted then that he and the Lord would fight with his grandson? A poignant prank of fate. But they couldn't allow themselves to be sentimentalized. 

The battle against Miyachi and Kurahashi was, as expected, a fierce one. 

Still, there were only a few who are on the Lord's right side in this "spellcasting war". 

Harutora sealed off Miyachi with the "Eight-Measure Dragon Calming Curse" that reversed the enemy's Temple of Heaven. Kurahashi Genji was an excellent onmyouji. Or perhaps he could have surpassed his grandfather, Takamitsu, in terms of his ability as an onmyouji. But no matter how unstable he was, he was no match for Hishamaru, who was willing to abandon her body to become a shikigami. 

He was one step away from being the enemy of Hishamaru. 

But… 

"Kagami!" 

Harutora removed. 

The one who had intervened just before the resolution was reached was the fated opponent who had slit Harutora's left eye and caused Hishamaru to inflict the "wound" on herself. Moreover, Kagami had broken the seal that had been imposed on him by himself, and had regained his original spiritual power, though it was terrifyingly unstable. It was as if Hishamaru's current state was being recreated in the flesh. 

Kagami burst in, choosing Harutora and his friends to fight instead of Kurahashi and the others; Harutora was unable to move, blocking Miyachi, and Kagami's shikigami Shaver was locked in a one-on-one battle with Kakugyouki, while Kagami himself was locked in a one-on-one battle with Hishamaru. 

Quite frankly, it was enough to make the man in front of her resentful, and she could assure that he deserved all the death he could get for taking Harutora's left eye. 

But she had to admit that his obsession with victory, his thirst for power that would not allow him to harm himself. 

But her obsession with victory, her thirst for power, was not for her own sake, but for the sake of protecting others. Hishamaru had no intention of falling behind Kagami. 

For the sake of her master. 

Hishamaru gazed into the mirror, her whole body was filled with spiritual energy, and at the same time, her eyes were quietly stretched like the strings of a jade fiddle. Her expression slipped from her bewitching beauty, and her two eyes formed a perfect circle. Kagami sneered and slammed his fist into her palm. 

Harutora shouted something, but Hishamaru consciously drove the Lord's voice from her mind. 

"… Come here." 

The blue foxfire colored Hishamaru's entire body suspiciously. 

However, Hishamaru, who should have been concentrating on the perfect wall, twitched and moved her ears. The battlefield was engulfed in the flames of magic, and the roar of fierce battles could be heard. 

And yet, there was a sound that slipped through the roar and jumped into her ears. It was the sound of engines and exhausts, approaching from afar. 

And then. 

"Harutora-kun!" 

The moment she heard that voice, for some reason Hishamaru felt a lazy and strong eye wink. 

- Eh? 

This was not the first time for her to do this. Suddenly. That's when she received the seal from Yasuzumi. The house of Tsuchimikado, burned down years ago. Hishamaru had experienced this same thing in the concentric circles drawn in the "Kikyou Room". 

However, unlike that time, her winking was not settled. Kagami turned into a monstrous face, but he still couldn't move very well. 

There was something hectic behind him. And it was getting closer. She felt the dragon aura. A new demon aura as well. Besides, was this a protection ceremony? Two shikigami materialized. 

A high-pitched brake sound rang out. 

Multiple signs rushed onto the battlefield. 

Kagami in front of her looked behind Hishamaru and smiled, "Touji?!" He laughed, "You're Touji!” He shouted gruffly. Kurahashi, who was standing behind Kagami, also looked in the same direction and snarled, "Kyouko?” 

They were not the only ones. Then, of course, Tenma and Suzuka would be there. 

Besides… 

Hishamaru slowly turned around, feeling as if someone else was controlling her, and Harutora was shouting something, but Hishamaru couldn't stop herself from turning around. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she, too, had her back to her and was twisting her body around to look straight back at her. 

Hishamaru and Natsume's gazes slowly meet. 

Let's see, "she" was strangely there. 

Her soul began to resonate. 

Touji said wickedly and told him once more to go. 

"It's not for you, it's for Natsume." 

Harutora looked around at his friends at a loss. 

They were all smiling proudly. 

Finally, Harutora looked over at Kakugyouki. 

The one-armed demon, who had once run with him through the turbulent times, caused a violent lag and said, "The talent to bring people is blood." 

He smiled ludicrously at his own master. 

"In short, it's your fate. Give it up, Tsuchimikado, go… and go wake up Hishamaru. I still want to watch you guys." 

She thought she was finally going to die? 

Hishamaru surrendered to the strange sensation that she was drifting away from herself, fluffy and drifting. It was as if her soul was being detached from her body. She should have discarded her physical body long ago. But… 

If she died like this, she'd never see the Lord again. 

The moment she thought this, Hishamaru remained on her knees and fought desperately against it. 

At least. 

At least one more time. At least one more glance. 

Hishamaru reached out to find the body she should have discarded. Between life and death, she clinged desperately to this world. 

And then… 

Hishamaru returned. 

"…Ugh." 

Hishamaru opened her eyes as she stared into the cape, her body already on the edge of a violent lag. 

She didn't know where she was. Hishamaru's blue eyes sluggishly moved. She sought the Lord in her hazy vision and caught sight of his back. 

"… Harutora-sama…" 

As soon as she murmured, she felt as if her "self" was being pulled out of the room. Finally, she realized where she was. It was the Onmyoudou Academy. She was lying on the rooftop of the Temple of Heaven. And for some reason, a strong spiritual connection had developed between herself and Natsume. 

- What is this… 

"Akino, come here!" 

Harutora said in a stern voice and took off his “Raven's wing”. It immediately takes on the form of a golden bird. 

"Wait for me, Hishamaru!” 

Calling to herself, she grabbed Natsume by the shoulders, somehow she felt like she was being held by her own shoulders, to make sure it was time to start. 

Natsume was: 

"Yes," 

At the exact same moment, Hishamaru also mumbled, "Yes”, to which she replied with the same timing. Her consciousness was soaring and she was unable to control her actions. She was not grounded. She was in a dream. 

Then, in dream-like reality, Harutora called out to the shikigami and the others, "Moon ring! 

" "Moon ring"! "Raven's wing!" “ 

Raven’s wing and Akino, the one whom the "Moon ring" possessed, have moved diagonally behind Natsume, and together with Harutora, they surround Natsume from three sides. 

"… the gods are omnipresent… equally, in all times and spaces…" 

Staring at the night sky overhead, Harutora murmured softly, as if reaffirming something. Then, finally. 

"Hokuto. When I give you the signal… Natsume, let go." 

And commanded the other shikigami, who was possessing Natsume's body. 

Still with the visceral arm, Hishamaru huffs. Hokuto was currently holding Natsume's soul together. To that Hokuto, Harutora ordered her release. That meant… 

"Now, we shall conduct “Taizan Fukun Sai” 

After all, Harutora was going to try again to revive Natsume here and now. But wasn't the reason for the failure of the previous ritual still unknown? No, what happened to the fight with Sōma in the first place? 

Suddenly. 

Hishamaru realized that she had seen this scene before. She couldn't remember when it happened, but she knew the scene in front of her. 

"I'm fine, Natsume! God is with me!" 

Akino encouraged with a blissfully serious face. It was, after all. God. The word was familiar, too; Hishamaru's heart began to beat rapidly. 

Finally, Harutora began to chant the incantation, and a light surrounded Natsume. The light is connected to the sky, far away. 

At the same time, Hishamaru also felt the light arise from within her. With that, her knee-high consciousness began to fade away at once. Before she could resist, her disorientation faded away. 

"Natsume!" 

Harutora shouted. 

I also remembered the lines he would say after this. 

"No matter how many times it takes, no matter how long, we’ll definitely meet again. Because, I am your shikigami!” 

When she heard that line, she felt the same "understanding" as she did then. 

She was sent from here. 

And then she came back. 

Natsume's strength slipped away from her body. Harutora jumped to support her as she was about to fall. 

After a delay, a tremendous rug sparked throughout Hishamaru's body, and Harutora, holding Natsume up, looked back at Hishamaru sharply. But Hishamaru couldn't resist any longer… 

Consciousness turned dark again. 

The world flipped into emptiness. 

Hishamaru's body disappeared with a final lag. The spiritual elements that made up her dissolved into the world's omnipresent spirit energy, blended and became one. 

At that moment… 

"Hishamaru! Over here!" 

Harutora's voice called out to her. Calling her soul. Hishamaru's consciousness, which had been on the verge of spreading, gathered to the voice of the Lord. 

Hishamaru was enveloped by an elaborate light in the darkness. 

"…uh…" 

When she opened her eyes, she wasn't even sure who she was. It was as if she had awakened from a snooze and decades had passed. Countless sights, countless touches, countless faces, countless voices, countless anger, sadness, joy and love flashed through the momentary background. 

It was a terrifyingly distant and tremendously dense experience, as if she was born, died and was born again in the space of a single blink of an eye. An enormous amount of confusion accompanied it. 

The chaos, like the spiritual energy that made up the world, dominated her mind. 

And yet… 

She only "got" the face in front of her. To the reliable touch that gently held her body in place. She remembered the sincere look in her eyes, as if she were praying. 

"… Harutora-kun…" 

Dimly, she called his name with a smile. 

Harutora's left eye was covered by a brocade eye patch. 

The remaining right eye broke down and tears spilled out of it in rags. 

Behind Harutora, a golden bird flapped its wings. Akino tied her hands together and let out an unvoiced cheer. 

Harutora laughed as he cried and asked as if it was some kind of play. 

"… How may I call you?" 

It was a play, after all. That pawnshop knows. When was the last time she had asked him the same question. When was the last time, huh? 

But then she remembered Harutora's answer. 

"… do what you want, Harutora-kun, do what you want…" and someone else's line built up in her mind again. 

Going a thousand miles and returning a thousand miles. 

Perhaps it was for her too? "I'm home" 

Somehow, Natsume whispered to Harutora. 

Harutora didn't even try to stop the tears from welling up and framed it with a universal feeling. “Ah. Welcome home, Natsume."