Tokyo Ravens - Volume 8 - Chapter 2.2

Part 2 
"Kyouko-dono, you're not looking too well today." 
"Yeah. Is something bothering you? Do you want to talk with us?" 
It was the morning following the day the Onmyou Academy reopened. Kyouko was greeted at the entrance of the Onmyou Academy. It was the komainu shikigami sitting on the left and right of the automatic doors, Alpha and Omega. 
The two often noted the students' appearances and conversations, and could be called quite emphatic. Actually, Kyouko was indeed looking poorly today, but she just smiled weakly with a 'thank you", walking past the shikigami without stopping. 
After entering, she sighed deeply. 
...No good. I'm still flustered. 
Unable to make herself calm down, she pushed the buttons of the elevator. But the image she had seen on the news this morning reappeared in Kyouko's mind, making her effort useless. 
...'Fire spotted early in the morning......' 
She had doubted her ears at the start and then doubted her eyes afterwards. 
News of a fire suddenly came as she got up. The Tsuchimikado family residence had been burned. That was a trove full of recollections where she had once confessed to Harutora, as well as Natsume's home. 
...Why was a fire there...... 
In any case, it was the residence of the famous Tsuchimikado family, so it couldn't possibly have had no fire countermeasures prepared. Also, there should have been a barrier set up too for protection against criminals and other purposes, along with several resident shikigami. Maybe a small fire was possible if worst came to worst, but it was obviously impossible for a fire to burn such a vast residence without even triggering any magic. What exactly had happened? 
She also didn't know whether it was fortunate or unfortunate that Natsume's father hadn't been present. Though he hadn't been caught up in the fire, he probably would have used magic to extinguish the fire if he had been home. 
...But, the news said that there had been no contact with him...... Could he have gotten caught up in something else? 
She didn't understand. Anyway, there was too little information. Kyouko's grandmother, Principal Kurahashi, had left already, probably due to today's morning news. All Kyouko could do now was patiently wait for the subsequent reports. 
No, there was something else she could do. 
...Natsume...... 
Natsume should have heard of today's morning news. After all, the fire had started in her old home, and she was undoubtedly shocked. Not only Natsume, but also Harutora should be the same. 
"......" 
The attitude she had taken towards Natsume yesterday and her talk with Harutora reappeared in Kyouko's mind. Also, there was the conversation with Suzuka yesterday after school and her verbal commitment at the end. 
That had been yesterday at this time. Honestly, she hadn't even organized her own feelings yet. 
But, 
...Get a grip, Kurahashi Kyouko! 
Right now wasn't a time to wallow in her own emotions. Natsume and Harutora must be feeling worse - they had it the hardest. For now, she should put her own troubles aside and at least help do something for them. 
Of course, she couldn't help Natsume and Harutora with much right now. But she hoped that at least she could cheer for them on the side. She hoped she could speak properly with them, face-to-face. With that, Natsume and Harutora would definitely feel happier. She should be able to bring them a lot of comfort. 
"......Alright." 
Right now wasn't the time to talk about things like gloom and anxiety. It was hard to understand, and she wouldn't be able to resolve the problem no matter how long she puzzled over it. She might as well just think of Natsume right now. He - no, she - was definitely tormented by the news, so Kyouko definitely had to support her. 
She didn't want to abandon Natsume in this kind of situation. She didn't want to pretend she didn't know her classmate, especially a good friend she had been in danger with and with whom she had experienced several crises together. She wasn't faking her emotions, nor was she trying to pretend to be a good person. Kyouko truly believed so. If she could imagine it, then there was no problem. She could definitely do it. 
Kyouko hardened her resolve, slightly hastening her strides as she walked towards the classroom. Natsume and the others had probably already arrived in the classroom. She was so nervous. But Kyouko endured those feelings of tension. 
Kyouko walked wordlessly into the corridor where students shuffled back and forth. 
But, her gaze was suddenly attracted by something along the way. 
Before she was conscious of it, her gaze inadvertently caught up to 'that'. It wasn't just Kyouko. The other students also inadvertently looked over. 
An unfamiliar scenery was mixed into the familiar corridor. 
It was a red-haired girl who gave a strong impression. 
"So? The students here should all recognize him, right? Tsuchimikado Natsume. I want to go to his classroom, could you tell me where it is?' 
The girl accosted two female students in the corridor and questioned them. The girls being interrogated traded glances in confusion. 
Kyouko unconsciously stopped upon hearing Natsume's name. The girl noticed that there was someone standing behind her and turned around - meeting Kyouko's gaze. 
That girl she had never met wore a white Onmyou Academy female uniform; however, she wasn't a student. It would be impossible for Kyouko to not remember a student who gave off such a strong impression. 
Her flowing red hair was studded with small ornaments, like serpents of flame twined around precious stones. Her stern eyes exuded and elegant and mysterious air. She might have been mistaken for a boy if she wore the jet-black uniform. The girl had androgynous facial features, but the atmosphere she gave off still held the purity and vigor of a teenager. 
"Huh? Perhaps you know it? Tsuchimikado Natsume's classroom." 
The girl bluntly asked the stunned Kyouko. 
Her words were direct, but the girl's movements, voice, and even actions had the grace of a nation's prince, steeped with an inexplicable temperament. As if Kyouko had been engulfed by the girl's personality, she said: 
"...E-Eh......" 
She replied vaguely and nodded. 
The girl's face suddenly brightened. 
"Great! Can you guide me? I want to learn the layout of the building, but I still don't know which classroom is Natsume and Harutora's class." 
Natsume, Harutora. Upon hearing the girl refer to them with such familiarity, Kyouko felt a sharp reaction in her body. Before she was conscious of it, her body had already shifted into a stance. 
"Well...... Who are you?" 
She asked in a somewhat defensive voice. 
Then, the girl showed a naive, innocent smile, like a blooming sunflower. 
"Right, nice to meet you. I'm Souma Takiko. I came to observe the Onmyou Academy classes today." 

 

Kurahashi Genji entered the Onmyou Agency building after ten in the morning. 
Yesterday night, he had stayed in the agency working until two. After he returned home, he rested only for a few hours before returning to his workplace. But not a trace of exhaustion could be seen. To him, who was both the Onmyou Agency Chief and the Exorcist Bureau Chief, working this intensely was a common occurrence. After entering the agency building, he listened to reports from his waiting secretary while making a beeline to the executive office. 
Kurahashi showed a bit of unease after he passed the secretary sitting before him, opened the inner door, and walked in. 
A guest was already here. 
The executive office was very roomy. The high-rise scenery surrounding the JR Akihabara station could be seen through the windows. In front, there was a desk used for his work and next to it was a sofa and tea table used to receive guests. The guest who had come sprawled on the sofa, reading a newspaper. 
He saw Kurahashi enter and raised his head. 
"Hey." 
An indifferent greeting. 
Kurahashi silently stared for a moment, sighing with still no change to his expression. Someone close to him would probably realize that this was his expression for surprise. 
"......What are you here for?" 
"Why are you asking that, I just came to greet you. It's been a while. Please look after me." 
"You took the effort to break through the executive office barrier for this?" 
"Don't speak so unpleasantly. No worries, I won't sit in the chief's chair whenever I want." 
After saying that, the guest smiled with a bleary-eyed look and sank into the sofa again, looking at the newspaper he had been reading before. Kurahashi sighed loudly this time. Then, he slowly walked towards the sofa. 
The person sitting on the sofa looked like a sixteen or seventeen-year-old teenager. 
The teenager was slender, his black hair carefully combed and his soft white skin was incompatible with outdoor work. His features were proper, and he wore a vest over a high-class white shirt instead of a jacket. Below, he wore gray pants and leather shoes decorated with clasps. He had white gloves on his hands and a cloth resembling a tie around his neck. That outfit was classy enough already, but for some reason he also wore a monocle on his right eye, like an aristocrat from the previous century. 
But judging from the teenager's attitude and actions, he indeed seemed aristocratic, although unconventional. He gave off a lax aura from his entire body and wasn't nervous at all as he relaxed on the sofa. His mouth even often curved into a faint cold smile. 
But the most surprising thing about him was that an obviously underage youth was relaxing on the sofa in the executive office, and moreover his tone towards the Onmyou Agency Chief Kurahashi was familiar like an old friend's. However, Kurahashi didn't mind. 
To the two of them, their attitudes towards one another weren't anything special. They were 'former' Onmyou Agency coworkers. 
Kurahashi stood behind the sofa that the teenager sat on, staring at him with a look devoid of all emotion. 
With an unaffected tone, he said: 
"......You've become quite young." 
"It's not my desire, it's just to match the princess." 
"Where did the Souma family princess go?" 
"She said that she wanted to meet the next heir of the Tsuchimikado family earlier no matter what. She was quite excited early this morning." 
Kurahashi made a bitter face as he heard the teenager's reply. The teenager raised his head again. 
"Hmm? Is there a problem? Wasn't it your plan for her to go to the Onmyou Academy and participate in the studies?" 

"......The schedule hasn't been determined yet. It should have been later on." 
"Really? We didn't know." 
"Please be careful when acting on your own. I think I've sternly warned her before." 
"The princess? Sorry. After all, the princess was incredibly happy when she heard yesterday that the 'Raven's Wing' was in our hands." 
The teenager snickered and continued reading the newspaper, drawing back his neck in humor. 
"But, the 'Raven's Wing' is intact although the residence was destroyed. Did Miyachi go a bit too far?' 
"It wasn't Miyachi." 
"Eh? Really?" 
"Yeah. The opponents wouldn't make the mistake of clashing head-on with Miyachi. I heard that they set fire to the residence near the end of the magic battle and took the opportunity to flee. They used the Raven's Wing as bait, so it looks like they had prepared beforehand." 
"Wow, they've really got guts......Isn't that right, Yasuzumi? Well, we should praise his 'divining' ability." 
The teenager laughed happily. Kurahashi snorted coldly, leaving the back of the sofa and walking to his desk. 
The teenager was still laughing. 
"Could it be that you're worried about the princess going to the Onmyou Academy? The possibility that the Tsuchimikados might contact their sons......" 
"I've already placed my subordinates by Tsuchimikado Natsume and the others. If Yasuzumi and the others come in contact with him, I'll know immediately." 
"Wow. Then there's no problem. Well, the princess's actions are often uncertain. Mutobe-kun's also with her right now, so it's fine~ it's fine~" 
The teenager returned the newspaper, relaxedly making a guarantee. Kurahashi, sitting in the chair next to his desk, didn't say anything about this. 
He just coldly looked at the teenager. 
"......So? It looks like the contract with the princess succeeded." 
"Me? Well, it's probably okay. Of course, it feels completely different from before, but I'm very happy myself." 
"It doesn't seem like I need to ask about your personality...... Are your memories the same as before?" 
"Yeah, up until I died. That's why I'm trying to make up for the gap between then and now like this." 
The teenager raised the newspaper he was reading above his head as he said this. Upon closer inspection, the headline was news from last year. He was reading an old newspaper. 
"Well. I got to realize part of the research results from many years first-hand...... I didn't feel anything particular when I reincarnated, probably because I'm no longer human. I really want to hear from Yakou about how it feels to reincarnate completely." 
The teenager leisurely expressed his feelings. Kurahashi watched the teenager without a word. 
Not long afterwards, 
"......It seems that your 'strength' has also increased." 
"Ah--" 
The teenager turned around. 
His proper, aristocratic face revealed a deep smile. In that moment, the impression that the tongue-wagging youth gave off suddenly changed. A cold, strange light flashed from deep behind the monocle from the wrong era, like the savage breath of a ferocious, ancient dragon buried deep beneath the ice-- 
"......I was surprised too. That's what's scary about the Souma family secrets, or does it just show how incredible that great man is...... Well, maybe it's both. But as for the latter, if even someone like me is like this, it'll be even more amazing when the princess brings back our lord. History will change because of this, no joke." 
The teenager laughed secretly with a cold gaze. 
Kurahashi calmly watched the teenager's attitude. 
"......It won't change." 
He murmured to himself. 
"Not bad, the best we could have hoped for was for there to be no problems. But there's something I want to confirm - Dairenji. What should I call you from now on?" 
Kurahashi asked candidly. 
The teenager's - Dairenji Shidou's - strange manner from before dissipated and he sank contentedly into the sofa again. 
With an indifferent tone, he said to his former coworker: 
"It's fine if you call me 'Dairenji' like just now. For now, my name as a Yase Doji is 'Yashamaru'. Though it overlaps a bit with the 'Model G2' [7] , well, there's no helping it...... Incidentally, Mutobe-kun's 'Kumomaru'." 
"I see. Yashamaru. And Kumomaru. Understood." 
"Ah, also, because the two of us joined as replacements, our predecessors have resigned." 
"What did you say?" 
"There's no helping that either. After all, they already worked for more than a thousand years since the Johei Tengyo Rebellion, so they can't possibly keep going on. Souma's secrets aren't immortal. Rather, they're incredible for lasting so long." 
The teenager seemed to be talking about things that didn't concern him. 
But he immediately smiled evilly, looking at Kurahashi out of the corner of his eye. 
"Well, Kurahashi. Let me ask, wouldn't it have been better if you didn't revive us? If you wanted to keep hold of the princess, wouldn't it have been more convenient not to have me around?" 
That was quite a straightforward question. After all, the two of them stood on the same side right now. He shot provocative words - more than just pointed - at his companion. 
But something of that level wouldn't faze Kurahashi at all. 
"There aren't enough pieces." 
His direct words were cut apart. "Ahaha, how tactless." The teenager laughed. 
"But, in that case, it really was too rash to eliminate Amami-san. Never mind his position and his thoughts for now, it's hard to replace someone that capable. Actually, the current Mystical Investigators are extremely disorganized. What a peculiar matter, the 'mysterious disappearance' of the Mystical Investigator Chief after that newsworthy arrest operation. We managed to calm it down, but that Masumi guy had it tough." 
"In my opinion, that was the fault of the Souma princess." 
"Eh? Ah, yeah. She was asking for trouble." 
"That's why I'm worried." 
"Well, it's because she's a true 'princess-sama'. Though she's not a bad kid...... I can't deny that she's a bit lacking in worldly wisdom or common sense. Well, all 'shamans' from ancient times are like that." 
The teenager felt no worry, laughing irresponsibly as he flipped through the newspaper. Kurahashi stared at the teenager with an ironlike gaze. He would be shaking in his boots if he were any agency member, but the teenager was as unconcerned as if Kurahashi's gaze was a gentle breeze. 
"In any case, the useless me is going to be moving actively to alleviate our problem of having insufficient manpower. Please look after me 'again' in the future, Kurahashi." 
The teenager frivolously announced while casually reading the newspaper. Kurahashi silently nodded. Actually, his resourcefulness and ability would be exceedingly useful in the future. 
As a piece, he was an extremely dangerous one. 
But he was also a strong, indispensable piece. 
Then, the teenager seemed to suddenly think of something. "Right." He looked up from the newspaper. 
"I thought of it just as you said we didn't have enough pieces, Kurahashi. How did that business go after you entrusted the Mystical Investigators to 'find that person'?" 
"Find that person?" 
Kurahashi let out a rare voice of surprise. 
"Who?" 
"My subordinate when I was still in the Lingering Spirit Division. Though she's treated as 'missing', she was my right-hand-woman on Yakou research." 
Kurahashi expressed interest in the teenager's explanation. "A Yakou believer?" He asked this, but the teenager denied it. 
"I wanted to keep her talent around if possible. Her personality was a bit defective, but she was very capable in her areas of expertise. Incidentally, she 'knew' many things that she 'shouldn't have’." 
"......Her name?" 
"Saotome Suzu." 
He seemed to recall something upon hearing that name. Kurahashi twitched. 
"The woman who wrote the thesis on the Raven's Wing. But, she vanished before the 'Great Hinamatsuri Purification'. I don't believe there were any follow-up reports. Did the investigation also stop?" 
"Ah, really? Well, if there are no obvious movements from her, then there's no problem with giving up on her either." 
The teenager shrugged his shoulders after speaking carelessly, his interest returning to the newspaper again. On the other hand, Kurahashi seemed to feel interested in the teenager's words and thought for a moment. 
Just then came the sound of a doorknock. "Enter," Kurahashi instructed. The secretary showed his face. 
"Chief. It's about time for the meeting." 
"Got it. I'll go soon." 
He looked in the direction of the sofa as he responded. 
The teenager had already vanished, and all that was left on the tea table was a leisurely folded newspaper. An inhuman stealth - the stealth of a 'shikigami'. 
Kurahashi watched the sofa for a while. But with the urging of his secretary, he silently left the office, walking out of the room.