Part 2
The Exorcist Bureau main branch was a bit far from the location of the Onmyou Agency.
Though The Exorcist Bureau was a department inside the Onmyou Agency, it was a large-scale organization that comprised over half of the entire Onmyou Agency. Moreover, because its duties were highly mobile due to equipment like transporters and portable altars, it was utterly different from other departments. Hence, in addition to the Shinjuku and Meguro branches, the headquarters building was constructed to rival the Onmyou Agency headquarters.
A sedan drove to the Exorcist Bureau headquarters.
The driver prepared to make a U-turn, but a small, kimono-wearing old lady impatiently got off from the backseat. The Onmyou Academy principal Kurahashi Miyo.
The principal hurried to the headquarters without closing the car door either. As if they had already been contacted, the waiting bureau members greeted her and quickly led the way in.
They went - surprisingly - to a lounge. It was a room for relaxation used during breaks. According to what the bureau members leading the way said, the 'interrogation' had already ended and they were on standby here. As expected, when the principal entered the lounge, she noticed the figure of her granddaughter sitting on a chair with her head bowed in a corner of the vast space.
"Grandma......!"
Kyouko noticed her grandmother and stood up. Painful sadness still lingered on her expression that was swollen from crying. Just seeing this made her feel heartbreaking pain. The boy who sat in the seat next to her also stood up along with Kyouko. It was Kyouko's classmate, Tenma. His expression was also tinted with despair.
Only a single female bureau member was in the vast lounge, perhaps because it was already late or maybe because they had left after learning about the situation. She seemed to be keeping them company. It was probably out of simple concern for the two underaged children. After the principal approached, she rose politely and left to let the principal take her place.
"......Kyouko-kun, Tenma-kun."
She had already heard of the situation. Shame, regret, anger, and sadness poured forth. But right now she softly greeted them and refrained from expressing her emotions.
Kyouko burst into tears, lowering her head towards her grandmother's chest.
"Natsume-chan...... N-Natsume-chan, she......"
Her voice was cacophonic as she cried in gasps. Right, it was 'Natsume-chan'. Recalling it now, it had been after she learned of Natsume's true identity from the Meguro incident that her granddaughter had become unhappy recently. She had heard that she had finally regained her happy appearance today. In other words, it was proof that their relationship had overcome the difficulty. The unfamiliar name of 'Natsume-chan' was proof of that fact.
However, things had become like this after that.
Kyouko continued sobbing. The principal softly stroked her granddaughter's shoulder, turning her face to the other student.
"Sorry, Tenma-kun. I came late."
"......No. ......That sort of thing......"
"I already heard some of the situation before coming here. But what about Touji-kun and Suzuka-kun - and Harutora-kun? Were they not with you?"
"Yes...... The three of them are still being interrogated......"
Tenma probably didn't have a clear idea of the situation either. After all, he had also been in interrogation until recently.
In any case, it had been an urgent, abrupt, and deadly incident. It was hard to believe, even though she saw that things had changed this much. It seemed like her 'divination' ability had completely atrophied. If she had been aware earlier, then this outcome might not have come to pass.
No, right now wasn't the time to criticize herself. She had to extend a helping hand to the students left before blaming herself.
Right afterwards--
"...So you've finished here too."
A twenty-five-or-so year old man said this, appearing in the lounge.
He had a wild style, wearing a Hawaiian shirt and battered jeans. But his expression was uncharacteristically solemn and a penetrating sharpness lay under his unusually fierce expression. The valor of the strong aura carried by his whole body was even more noticeable in this tragic scene.
National First-Class Onmyouji Kogure Zenjirou. He was an Independent Exorcist belonging to the Exorcist Bureau and had met Kyouko and the others.
Then, he entered the lounge leading Touji and Suzuka.
Tenma heaved a sigh of relief after looking at the two of them. Kyouko finally stopped crying and raised her head.
But in contrast, the expressions of the two hadn't cleared up yet. Touji looked malevolent and distraught, he glared ahead. Suzuka's face was so pale that it seemed like she would faint soon. The two seemed like flimsy straws, giving off a kind of dangerously weak impression.
The principal looked at the two and nodded as if confirming that they were safe and sound for now.
"Zenjirou-san......"
"Principal Kurahashi, it's an honor."
Kogure respectfully bowed to the speaking principal. He was also a graduate of the Onmyou Academy. Even after graduating and becoming an independent exorcist, he still held the principal in deep regard.
"Could you tell me about the details?"
"Yes. ......Although, I actually just got here from the Shinjuku branch just now......"
After Kogure replied this, he looked over his shoulder at Touji and Suzuka who had followed behind him.
"Though they were still in interrogation when I arrived, it was after the two of them had already finished talking about the general situation. They were silent no matter what was asked afterwards, and so I'm responsible for them for now."
"I see, it must be troublesome for you......"
"It's nothing. After all, this situation is......"
Kogure also inadvertently spoke vaguely. He had been Natsume's bodyguard once during the 'Hinamatsuri Repurification' three months ago. He was quite pained since he had met her himself.
Moreover, it seemed like he had other worries.
"Come to think of it...... Principal, where's Jin? Does he already know about this......"
"......I'm not sure. I haven't been able to contact him since we parted in the evening."
Natsume's homeroom teacher Ohtomo Jin had entered the Onmyou Academy with Kogure and had been his coworker in the Onmyou Agency.
Moreover, the principal was also worried about Ohtomo. What would he think after he learned about the business with Natsume? Just imagining made her scared.
On the other hand, "I see......" After Kogure murmured, he immediately recomposed himself.
Even if there were no outsiders in the lounge, he lowered his voice out of care for the surroundings and said:
"......Principal, you already know about the Raven's Wing, right?"
Kyouko's body shuddered. "Ah." The principal quietly replied to match Kogure.
"I heard that the Raven's Wing possessed Harutora-kun and went out of control."
"That's roughly what I heard. Then, what about the person who brought the Raven's Wing?"
"Well......"
He hadn't exactly gotten ahold of such detailed information. Kogure turned his gaze to Tenma in response to the principal's request for an answer.
The information Kogure had obtained was all testimony from the students who had been there. Hence, he judged that it would be better for them to explain it themselves. Though Tenma was momentarily tense, he spoke up with a solemn face when the principal said "Tenma-kun" to him.
"......A girl called Souma Takiko. Yesterday she came to the Onmyou Academy to observe our studies."
She couldn't help but bite her lip when she heard that name. It was the name Ohtomo had mentioned today, just hours ago.
But the Raven's Wing had earlier been moved to the Tsuchimikado home, to Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi. The fire at the residence had been during the dead of night yesterday. Since then, information about Yasuzumi had cut off and the Raven's Wing's whereabouts had become unknown.
Then why had it fallen into Takiko's hands?
Just then--
"I-It was me!"
Suddenly, Kyouko burst into a wail.
"I, I told that girl about the fireworks......!"
She confessed in a whimpering tone.
It was her first time seeing her granddaughter so immersed in grief. The principal had been away from the academy building when Takiko had come to observe the Onmyou Academy studies yesterday. She had heard that Takiko and Natsume conducted a mock battle, but something had probably happened between her and Kyouko as well.
The sound of Kyouko's sobs echoed emptily in the vast lounge.
However--
"......So what if you say that."
Touji spat brusquely. Kogure, Tenma, and Suzuka turned their heads in surprise.
"Natsume died because you told her about our meeting today? What a joke, don't be ridiculous!"
He said painfully and in abandon. Though his methods were crude, he was essentially declaring that he didn't believe that it was Kyouko's mistake. Touji asserted this not as sympathy or consolation, but rather as a pure fact.
"But...... but......"
"Kyouko. Natsume died because of the magic from the Raven's Wing possessing Harutora's body. Natsume gave up her own life to suppress Harutora's rampage."
As if she hadn't heard about this, Kyouko and Tenma all inadvertently stopped breathing.
"You could actually say that idiot Harutora was the one who killed Natsume. Do you think so?"
"............"
Kyouko silently shook her head. "Same as me." Touji said.
"Therefore, Natsume's death wasn't Harutora's mistake or your mistake either. Rather, all of us who were there should feel guilty. No single one of us should bear it all."
Touji communicated the true thoughts he wanted to say through a series of blunt words. Those words only supported the nearly-breaking-down Kyouko because of their undisguised sincerity.
Kyouko's breathing was still rough and she still sniffled, but she stopped crying. The principal thanked Touji in her heart. While she was proud of her student, she also felt regret at allowing that outcome that made Touji say this.
"......As for this incident--"
Adopting a businesslike tone, Kogure calmly changed the topic.
"The Exorcist Bureau's official opinion says that Natsume-kun was killed after encountering a spiritual disaster. More accurately, though the Raven's Wing was designated as a prohibited magic tool, its actual form was closer to a shikigami - a materialized spiritual entity - than a magical tool. As a result of it losing control, it was viewed as a type of spiritual disaster. Harutora-kun was also 'possessed' by this spiritual disaster and lost control - Touji-kun and Dairenji tried to stop him. That's the gist of it."
The students' expressions seemed to stiffen by the way he indifferently made the 'post-incident report'. But it was because it wasn't mixed with unnecessary emotions and because of its emotionless tone that his felt rational rather than emotional and made the listeners regain their calm.
As an exorcist, Kogure might have faced such scenes in person several times before. His words felt stern, like those of a veteran with much experience. He was different than the person the principal knew from his Onmyou Academy time.
She straightened herself and organized her feelings.
"......Zenjirou-san. Is Harutora-kun's interrogation still going on?'
"Yes. But it's not at headquarters."
"What happened?"
"Albeit what Touji just said...... circumstances are circumstances. His interrogation is currently being conducted at the Mystical Investigator Department instead of the Exorcist Bureau because of the Agency - the Onmyou Agency's instructions."
The first to react to Kogure's explanation were Touji and Suzuka. The two instantly glanced at each other, their demeanors changing as their expressions became solemn. Touji clicked his tongue as well.
"What's wrong?" Kogure turned his head, but the two didn't meet his gaze.
"Anyway." A surprised expression suddenly emerged on Kogure's face, but he continued speaking.
"When I arrived it was already after he had been handed over. And in this situation, who knows how long the interrogation will continue for......"
"I see, he's at the Mystical Investigator Department......"
Unlike the younger two, the principal carefully masked her inner feelings.
Because of her talk with Ohtomo during the day, she happened to hold suspicions about the Onmyou Agency. She didn't plan on suspecting Kogure himself, but he might not know everything about the organization. She couldn't carelessly give Harutora - especially the Harutora who had been chosen by the Raven's Wing - to the current Onmyou Agency.
The principal calmly moved her gaze to Touji.
"Touji-kun, what you felt from being nearby is enough. How was 'Harutora-kun'?"
Kogure slightly furrowed his brows. It wasn't just Kogure, as the questioned Touji also seemed to comprehend the intent of the principal's question.
"Of course, he was 'Harutora'. Though he became emotional...... and said some nonsense."
"What?"
"......It's nothing."
For some reason, Touji spoke vaguely. But for now, it seemed that Harutora hadn't yet 'awakened'.
Even so, things might not be good. In any case, no one currently knew what exactly was going on with 'Yakou's reincarnation'.
"...Kogure-san, I'm going to the Onmyou Agency building after this. Could you let me meet with Harutora?"
In any case, Harutora was still underage. Moreover, his parents were unreachable just like Tsuchimikado Yasuzumi. Then her Onmyou Academy Principal self might be able to get Harutora back as a proxy guardian of her student.
It went without saying that the most reliable method was to request this of her Onmyou Agency VIP son, Kurahashi Genji.
However, the principal was currently holding certain suspicions of her own son. The information that Souma Takiko had obtained the Raven's Wing strengthened those suspicions even more.
The Pacific War in the past. The Kurahashi family, the most powerful clan of the branch families, and the Souma family that had considerable influence in the Imperial Army were the two forces that had assisted the young genius Tsuchimikado Yakou.
And currently, she couldn't ignore the possibility that these two forces were joining together again in the darkness to encircle Yakou's reincarnation. In these circumstances, it was very unlikely that her son was unrelated as the current Kurahashi family head and the Onmyou Agency chief. Rather, it was almost zero. As long as this doubt didn't vanish, she had to move carefully around her son.
Of course, though she had relinquished her position of overseeing the family, she had been the Kurahashi family head before. Moreover, she had been the 'Kurahashi family diviner' widely reputed in the influential community not limited to just the Onmyou Agency. She would use the connections she had established from before. No matter how things turned out, she had to first get Harutora back.
"Understood."
Kogure nodded to the principal's request.
"Harutora-kun probably felt quite a great shock. It would be good for him to have Principal Kurahashi with him. I agree."
Though she didn't know if he was aware of the suspicions that the principal held, at least the words he had just said were his true feelings. Although it wasn’t within his jurisdiction, she would be able to move freely even inside the Onmyou Agency if she had a National First-Class Onmyouji like Kogure backing her.
But the principal's considerations were simplified.
"...Ah, you're here."
A man walked into the lounge, greeting them like that.
A small middle-aged man. A beard grew around his mouth and chin and gave him an overall sophisticated atmosphere. He had an indescribable appearance made up of a combination of somberness and affability.
"......I understand. No, I just arrived...... Yes. Yes, no problem. I'll report again afterwards."
Fujiwara sighed heavily, hanging up on the call from Principal Kurahashi.
A painful job. Though he had experienced the deaths of subordinates when he had been an exorcist, he hadn't thought that he would be entrusted with the same mission after becoming more professional and becoming a teacher.
Fujiwara had heard about Tsuchimikado Natsume's business - the rumors tying her to Tsuchimikado Yakou - so he helped Harutora and the others with their individual training whenever he had time. Because of this, he had been quite shaken when the principal contacted him. To be honest, he still felt it hard to believe even when he was going to check Natsume's remains. He felt as if he had experienced a nightmare.
The familiar Exorcist Bureau headquarters. He seemed to have been introduced already, as Fujiwara was quickly escorted in after stating his identity.
Spiritual disasters happened from day to night - but more accurately, most were from sunset to sunrise. Hence, there weren't many bureau members in the headquarters, unlike during the day. It was a nostalgic atmosphere to Fujiwara, but it only felt empty to him right now.
Anyway, he hadn't forgotten how to respond during this kind of time. Clear his emotions and eliminate unnecessary thoughts. Fujiwara advanced indifferently, finding his way on his own.
His destination was in the depths of the headquarters. At the dark end of the corridor was a room with a metal sign hung coldly stating 'Spirit Calming Room'. Fujiwara stood in front of it and opened the door after preparing himself.
A small corridor extended on the other side of the door, with doors that had been sealed magically at the end. The Spirit Calming Room in the depths was surrounded by a barrier that stabilized spiritual aspects. Moreover, there was a small reception area to the front and side after the corridor. Here was where he obtained permission to release the seal on the doors and enter the inner structure.
However, there was no one here.
Fujiwara furrowed his brows. "...Is someone here?" He asked while looking around the reception area. Then, he noticed that an overweight bureau member was fainted on the floor inside the reception area.
Fujiwara's expression changed and he 'looked' at the seal again. It had already been released. Someone had entered inside without permission.
He checked his charms at hand. Though he had considered first contacting bureau members, the one placed in the Spirit Calming Room right now was none other than an Onmyou Academy student.
"............"
Fujiwara refined his aura, letting magical energy circulate through his body. His expression tensed and he sneakily pushed open the doors whose seal had been released.
The interior was very vast. It was an inorganic, cold, drab room. A bed was placed by the innermost wall, and only it was illuminated with light. In front of the bed stood a figure bathed in white light.
Once he saw the figure standing with his back to him, relief and consternation assaulted Fujiwara simultaneously.
"......Ohtomo-kun?"
The figure's right leg was a prosthetic, and one of his hands rested on a cane. His fellow teacher, Ohtomo Jin. He was Tsuchimikado Natsume's homeroom teacher. He wouldn't mistake his characteristic figure for anyone else.
Even so, Fujiwara felt like it was a different person from the Ohtomo he knew when he saw his back.
"......Fujiwara-sensei, my apologies, did I scare you?"
It really was Ohtomo.
Overall, his expression was composed without any grief. However, Fujiwara's heart rate quickened.
Ohtomo had white hair. It wasn't because of the light, it was an after-effect of his magical battle during the Onmyou Academy attack incident. Fujiwara had already seen it once when he went to visit him in the hospital. The incongruity he felt didn't stem from this fine change. But he would have trouble responding if he were asked what it was. In any case, just looking made him unable to calm down.
Suddenly, he recalled an impression similar to what he felt now.
It was then, when he had blocked the way of Ashiya Doman who had attacked the Onmyou Academy alone. His feeling inexplicably reminded him of that experience.
"......O-Ohtomo-kun, how did you get in here......"
"Ahh, the seal? Sorry, I couldn't stop myself no matter what...... I took a few liberties. Don't worry, the barrier won't be damaged, and the worker outside will wake up soon too."
"Wait, I meant......"
"It's really embarrassing that everything had already ended by the time I got ahold of the information...... What happened, for there to be a death."
"O-Ohtomo-kun!"
A faint, bitter smile emerged on Ohtomo's face in front of the speechless Fujiwara.
Then, he turned towards the bed again.
On the bed lay a student - the remains of a student. A girl with black hair. A 'she', not a 'he'. Fujiwara had only learned of that fact just recently too. Her eyes were closed, and she looked to be sleeping at first glance. A tranquil corpse.
Ohtomo leaned his body slightly, facing Natsume. "......Sorry." He spoke softly.
"Sorry, Natsume-kun. I'm really...... sorry."
Fujiwara couldn't see Ohtomo's current expression from behind. But the unease he felt at the start increased. It was almost no different from 'terror'.
"Ohtomo-kun. In any case, come with me for now, we'll call the principal over and talk."
"......Thank you very much, Fujiwara-sensei."
Ohtomo returned to his former posture and replied to the desperately appealing Fujiwara.
"But, it's alright. I just sent my resignation in to the principal."
He spoke, still with his back to him.
This couldn't go on. Fujiwara instinctively reacted and loudly said "Wait!" while stepping forward to try to forcefully grab him. At the same time, Ohtomo knocked the ground with his cane, still with his back to him.
Then--
"...Eh?"
In just a moment, his consciousness went blank. No, perhaps it wasn't a moment. A blankness of several seconds, or maybe several minutes.
Ohtomo's figure vanished like smoke.
Ohtomo walked alone through the corridors on his fake leg and cane. None of the surrounding bureau members noticed him. They passed in front of him without noticing him, changed their direction, or stopped, all making room for him to pass. Among them was a group of exorcists who wore miasma protection clothing, but when they were about to block Ohtomo's path, they unconsciously rapidly moved to the sides of the corridor, avoiding Ohtomo as he passed. As a result, Ohtomo didn't stop a single time, and he didn't even change his pace as he quietly left the Exorcist Bureau headquarters alone.
After leaving the headquarters, the warm summer night air covered his skin.
Ohtomo reached his hand into the pocket of his suit, taking out his phone. He walked while recalling a certain number and dialing it in.
That was the number that had been given personally to him by its owner yesterday at dawn.
The phone call made it through on the third ring.
"Priest?"
Ohtomo calmly opened his mouth with the same tone as always.
"The situation's changed a bit. Though I'm ashamed that it's only been a day, could you repay that favor immediately?"
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