Chapter 1 - Entanglement
"Do you know what the essence of sorcery is?"
"The answer is 'lies'."
"Therefore, the 'truth' must be handled with care."
"More carefully than anyone thinks."
-Tsuchimikado Yakou.
Part 1
Her father was strict.
Even if she searched her memories, she could barely find her father's smile. In the first place, he was taciturn and wasn't one to show his emotions, only occasionally showing the very minimum. But to the young Natsume, the existence she called her 'father' had always been like that. He was her 'family'.
The pair's lives were painted with silence.
But practicing magic made up for this loneliness.
Other Onmyouji would undoubtedly widen their eyes in surprise if they saw. Her father never once paid heed to the girl's age, and Natsume encountered setbacks several times and hung her head in depression, but still immersed herself in magic. There was no way she could break away from it.
She calmly faced magic every day in silence.
The one who could break that silence with a cheerful mood was always that boy. Her childhood friend.
"Let's play! Natsume--!"
"Natsume."
It seemed that she hadn't even noticed the door to the roof being opened.
After Harutora spoke, Natsume shrank back in surprise, then exhaled and smiled gently.
"Harutora-kun."
"How rare for you to come here. ......Come to think about it, you gave the work to Touji."
Harutora smiled, approaching Natsume's side.
The roof of the Onmyou Academy male dorm. The sun had set and the lights from the street hazily illuminated the night sky.
The steamy summer night was very unpleasant compared to the air-conditioned indoors. But the refreshing breeze that occasionally blew lightly stroked the surface of their skin. Harutora stood next to Natsume, closing his eyes with a pleasant mood.
"......It's finally starting tomorrow."
"Yeah."
"Nervous?"
"Well... Yes."
"Yeah, I guess."
Harutora echoed in a relaxed tone.
He stood next to her, looking at the nighttime Shibuya over the guardrails. It just happened to be in the direction of the Onmyou Academy building. Though it hadn't actually been that long of a time, for some reason, he felt like it had already been a long time since he had gone there for classes.
Harutora and Natsume missed their nest.
"But,"
Natsume murmured hesitatingly, lowering her eyes slightly.
"I'm more worried about Kurahashi-san after all......"
His childhood friend's voice was calm and composed. But at the same time, it was as if fresh, still-dripping blood were mixed into it. Harutora said "......Yeah" with a worried look and said no more.
It had been ten days since that incident.
But Kyouko's word at the end still deeply pricked the hearts of the two of them.
Liar.
"......Well, all we can do is resolve ourselves."
"Resolve, huh?"
"Yeah. After all, there's nothing we can deny now. We should talk to her face-to-face...... and then all we can do is apologize until she's willing to forgive us."
Harutora's tone was very serious. Then, he looked at Natsume, a faint smile showing on his face. Natsume could also see that it was just a forced smile, and intentionally smiled back.
"Natsume, you've always been worried about not explaining...... about deceiving, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then, this could be an opportunity instead. You can finally stop hiding. This is a good opportunity to become true friends."
"Maybe."
As she replied, Natsume laughed naturally this time and her shoulders swayed.
"Harutora-kun, you're always so positive."
"That's the only thing good about me."
"Is that so?"
"Ah, you should deny that, even just out of politeness."
Natsume giggled quietly again upon seeing Harutora's face go bitter. Then, she faced Harutora again, slightly tilting her head.
"I feel a bit better, thanks to you. Thank you, Harutora-kun."
Her black hair drooped down smoothly, the ends lightly spreading with the night breeze.
It was embarrassing to be thanked so sincerely. Harutora quietly replied "Oh", inadvertently shifting his gaze.
Just then,
"Harutora-kun?"
Natsume, a bit astonished, seemed to suddenly realize something. "Eh?" Just as Harutora asked back:
"H-Harutora-sama, I'm very sorry......"
The air around his legs swirled into an eddy and the figure of a girl wearing a suikan and hakama appeared.
Ears sprouted from her doll-like head and she had a big tail covered with lustrous hair. This was Harutora's defensive shikigami, Kon.
Harutora looked at his suddenly-materialized shikigami in surprise. More importantly, Kon was a bit flushed and her body's aura was inflated as if she were on alert. Harutora's whole body unconsciously tensed up.
But,
"Kon? What happened?"
"A-Ah, no. Th-There isn't any urgent situation......"
Kon's ears and tail started fidgeting as she looked up at her master. She fumbled for words, seeming to have something that was difficult to say. Though she was struggling to control it, the aura leaking from her already seemed to be going on the attack.
So, Natsume interrupted in place of the tongue-tied shikigami.
"Harutora-kun. Your magical energy is too strong. Also, why did you give that much magical energy to Kon?"
"Eh? Ah--"
Harutora, being questioned, finally realized that he had been constantly infusing magical energy into his shikigami. Moreover, it was definitely an abnormal amount - not long ago, it would have been almost his full magical energy.
"Uwah!"
In a panic, he controlled his magical energy and the flow of magical energy abruptly stopped. Kon heaved a sigh of relief, her tail drooping gently.
"Sorry, Kon. Was that going on the whole time since before?"
"Y-Yes......"
Kon nodded deeply and apologetically.
'Before' meant the time when he had searched for Natsume before coming to the roof. He had summoned Kon in order to have her help him, and at the time he had inadvertently flowed magical energy into her - and that hadn't stopped.
Because Kon was a defensive shikigami, even if she wasn't materialized, she would be linked with her master Harutora's spiritual power all the time. In that sense, Harutora was often sharing his magical energy with Kon. That was also the reason Natsume didn't immediately notice the abnormality.
But,
"Wh-What the master shares is the shikigami's joy...... I'm very happy, but I wasted it......"
"Well, Kon can't calm down while continuously receiving such strong magical energy. Harutora-kun, did you not notice?"
"Sorry."
Harutora apologized in embarrassment, and Natsume's expression turned awkward out of astonishment.
"It's really become unstable since that time."
"For now, it's also easier to 'see' aura than before, right? But it feels a bit strange......"
"Is it too forced?"
"Yeah, maybe. After all, I went out of control at the time."
Harutora wanted to gloss it over with a smile, but Natsume didn't go along with him, staring into Harutora's eyes with clear anxiety. Harutora's face tightened awkwardly.
"Don't look so serious, it's nothing big. The thing before was just my accidental mistake."
"But."
"It's nothing. It's going to be summer vacation soon. If my condition still hasn't recovered, I'll have my dad treat it when I go back home. ......Ah, wait."
Harutora forcefully changed the topic.
"Since it's about to be summer vacation, that means it's finally been a year since we decided to become Onmyouji."
The topic Harutora suddenly brought up made Natsume blink.
"Come to think of it, that's right."
She replied, a bit surprised.
"It's already been a year since then...... Ah, time really flies."
"Really? I feel like, 'Wow, has it only been a year'."
Harutora refuted her as if amused. Natsume's lips pressed together as she seriously reminisced upon that year, furrowing her brows.
Then,
"......You're right."
She agreed and laughed quietly together with Harutora.
It had indeed been an eventful year. Because of that, they realized that they had accumulated a shocking number of experiences, although it felt as if it had passed in the blink of an eye. The incident Suzuka brought about, Harutora and Touji coming to Tokyo, meeting Kyouko and Tenma, reuniting with Suzuka and becoming close......
Being pulled into spiritual disasters and being attacked by the legendary Onmyouji Ashiya Doman. And the incident not long ago.
"It was really hectic."
The year even stunned Harutora.
A precious year, a rare year.
Moreover,
"......Ah, yeah."
The year after that summer day. In other words, it had already been a year since he parted with Hokuto.
Harutora glanced at Natsume next to him. The pink ribbon that Natsume used to tie her long black hair. Come to think of it, it had been long ago that he suddenly started suspecting that ribbon - after the practical skills camp right after they advanced to the second year ended. In the end, he hadn't been able to ask Natsume about it. It felt a bit frightening to truly ask about.
But......
If it were now, he could probably give the question words. Naturally, without any pretending. No matter what the answer was, he felt that he could calmly accept it.
Natsume, that ribbon,
Could it be Hokuto's--
Just then,
"Harutora-kun."
Natsume called his name again. Flustered, Harutora replied while still feigning indifference.
"Thanks."
"Eh? What?"
Natsume smiled at the lost Harutora.
"It's great that you've been with me for this year."
An unconcealed, straightforward tone. "Ah." Harutora scratched his nose.
He was embarrassed. But he was truly very happy to hear her say that. Harutora collected the question he had until just then back into his heart. At least for now, he didn't need the answer.
"......Although you might not be that reliable..."
"Although?"
"I guess you're not a bad shikigami?"
"......Yeah."
Natsume happily admitted.
Harutora harrumphed a bit smugly upon seeing his childhood friend's smile.
The two of them returned to their own rooms from the dorm building roof.
Just as Harutora closed the door, Kon, who had been continually materialized since the rooftop, spoke.
"H-Harutora-sama."
She called out.
Judging by her concerned look, Harutora felt that she wanted to say something.
He unconsciously showed a wry smile.
"Kon, don't make that face. It's alright."
"B-B-But......!"
Kon looked up at Harutora, still hesitant. But not long afterwards, she opened her mouth as if she had made a decision.
"I-If I may be so rude, I shamed Harutora-sama just now. Harutora-sama's magical energy has looked extremely unstable to Kon. It is wonderful that its strength had increased. Also, regarding your use of magical energy and grasp of aura, although you are not yet mature, it's as if you are a different person from before. However......"
The girl said in a serious voice.
"H-Harutora-sama's magical energy currently lacks stability. You can control it beautifully when you are aware, but if you're just slightly distracted, the strength will go out of control. Moreover, the level of intensity was as if you were still battling with that 'Higekiri'. That is definitely abnormal."
Kon spoke in an uncharacteristic torrent. Harutora didn't refute her, listening wordlessly.
Actually, it was just as Kon said.
He had fooled Natsume, but he couldn't fool his own shikigami, especially since Kon was a defensive shikigami. Since the battle with Higekiri - with Shaver - Harutora's aura had become extremely unstable. No, that wasn't it. Just like Kon said, it could be described as being in the dangerous state of 'frequently going out of control'.
The battle with Shaver. Harutora had gambled everything and broken his shell. So, his previously undeveloped spirit sight had improved by leaps and bounds. As a result, he could use his own magical energy and the surrounding aura more accurately, as if he could directly touch the aura. Harutora had had an unusual feeling during that battle, as if he had 'expanded'.
As expected, he had forced himself too much.
The current Harutora felt that he was 'at most only a bit different'. He ignored it and let his strength leak out. But even if it wasn't too much compared to what he had used during the battle, the amount of leaking magical energy was considerable. So Harutora was currently intentionally controlling the leaking magical energy.
Just as Kon said, this was definitely abnormal. Without a doubt, 'something' had broken inside Harutora during that fight.
But,
"......Well, nothing I can do."
Harutora didn't know exactly what had broken inside his body. But it was Harutora himself who had broken it and no other.
Harutora had made his decision when Shaver had backed them into a corner. Even if he destroyed himself, he wanted to fight, so this was alright. He couldn't complain about his current condition to anyone else. That was the end Harutora had chosen.
"So, I can't do anything about my disturbed aura right now."
"B-B-But."
"Well, it'll be fine if I just 'get used to' this condition."
He had become stronger, that was no lie.
People who obtained powerful strength had to learn ways to use that strength, they couldn't let the strength control them. For example, hadn't Touji faced the oni hidden inside his body and controlled its strength?
"After becoming Natsume's shikigami, it's important for me to obtain strength. I hope to be able to do what I can like Touji when it comes to a crucial situation, even if my dad has to put a seal on me. Kon, you too, right? I'm very happy that you're worried, but bear with me for now."
Harutora requested this, but Kon still pursed her lips, unconvinced, looking anxiously at her master. Harutora smiled to console her, putting his hand lightly on his little shikigami's head.
"Eh? Kon, have you grown a bit taller?"
"H-Harutora-sama, now isn't the time to talk about that......"
"Ah, well, you don't have to dodge the question, right? It seems like you've grown a bit......"
Harutora observed Kon's body after speaking again. On the other hand, the anxiety in Kon's heart still hadn't vanished. She pouted, which was rare for her, and glared intently at Harutora.
"Well, maybe I'm wrong."
"H-Harutora-sama!"
"Haha. Anyway, I'll sleep for today. After all, the Onmyou Academy's finally reopening tomorrow."
Harutora began preparing to sleep after he spoke, no longer paying any attention to his worried shikigami. Though Kon was still unconvinced, she hastily came over to help when she saw her master preparing the futon himself.
Not long afterward, Harutora's room went dark as they said goodnight to each other. The stubborn Kon seemed to have given up as well. She dematerialized and returned to a standby state. Not long afterwards arose the sound of Harutora's healthy breathing.
How dangerous was his current self?
Harutora's self-awareness was still too naive.
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