Volume 1 Chapter 1 (1/2)
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”Do you knohat the essence of sorcery is?”
”The answer is 'lies'”
-Tsuchimikado Yakou
It was an incident that happened o
When the adult relatives gathered for an occasion, Harutora and Natsume would often play with each other
The playful Harutora would often get hurt, but Natsume, the princess of the main fa strangers and had few friends Thus, whenever Harutora came by, her face would flush with excitement She would listen to whatever Harutora would say and would follow him wherever he went
The place they played at was the courtyard inside the main family mansion
There was a baarden, a lake, some stone lanterns, some fake hills, moss, little insects, shrines and so on It was filled with delight and adventure
But during one tihtened as she hid behind Harutora She would give a crying look when they were playing tag or hide and seek, and she would hug Harutora tightly as she said,
”I think there's so,
Looking right at me”
Harutora could not see anything
At first, he thought that Natsu too scared, called her a scaredy-cat, a crybaby, and even told her off
Just go back to the adults if you're so scared I can play on my own
Because of Harutora, Natsu However, she did not do so, buta smile as she continued to play with Harutora
But when Harutora heard from his parents that Natsu
Natsu Harutora did not see
”Sorry”
Natsume's eyes widened when she saw Harutora lower his head in apology Harutora continued to insist that he was to bla that it was his fault
I can't see anything that scares me, and whatever I can't see can't scare me
Thus, when you're scared, I'll definitely protect you, Natsume
And so, Natsuave Harutora an expectant look
Can you becoami?
At that ti behind her words What's a shi+kiga, I don't know Granny said that a shi+kigaami as part of our family's 'tradition', Harutora, and you will stay by me and protect me
But Harutora still did not understand
What is this 'tradition'?
It's decided between my family and your family, Harutora
Is that so? Why didn't I hear of it?
But it was determined as such
Natsu like her most valuable incantations had been treated with disdain, and Harutora felt embarrassed by it Natsume then showed an insecure look the moment she saw Harutora's expression
Will you not…becoami?
Her voice was treain
However, Natsu She was restless, scared, and her eyes looked like they were about to cry, but Harutora saw that those eyes were not wavering Those eyes looked like they were a lake surface on aonly the reflection of the skies and space There was a strong-willed determination of a kind Harutora did not know of
He seemed attracted by Natsume's eyes It's fine, he answered
Okay, I'll becoami, Natsume I'll always stay by you and protect you
Natsuer Harutora too reached his right hand out and used his own little finger to hook onto Natsuer
Natsume started to chant, and looked so serious it was scary Harutora too followed, and their voices formed a promise
Once she released her hand, Natsuest lottery in life as she showed a radiant sht that they finally made up
But as I not s that this was good, but there was a part in his heart where he just could not calm down It felt like he sed a piece of candy that was as large as a fist
It felt heavy, painful, but he could not spit it out—
It felt very shen he licked it
After that, both of thearden like usual Whenever Natsume looked scared, Harutora would look at the place where there was nothing, swing his fists, yell bravely and pursue the thing only Natsume could see
No et hurt
—That had been o
Back then, Harutora still did not understand what the 'future' meant
Miass when the personnel carrier arrived
Most of the people in the shopping district had gone to shelters, leaving behind an e that protected thee that had pulled an eency stop
The source of the spiritual disaster was an ancient tree growing in the ave off an abnor its trunk as if it were an animal
Aura - so that filled every creature
That aura would often oscillate and waver, hout the whole body
But, occasionally the oscillation would go out of control, and the clearly i the imbalance
An accident where the aura was unable to recover, where it far exceeded the acceptable range for self-purification - those were the spiritual disasters recognized by those versed in On out the spirit - 'Exorcisency
Like a group of ravens dancing in the Tokyo night, they encircled the ancient tree, drawing out sers from their pockets one by one
They chanted the incantation, thrusting their daggers doards the asphalt road The daggers filled with ht flashed off of the blades, spreading along the ground, encircling the ancient tree, for off the source of the spiritual disaster fro a barrier
The ancient tree didn't stopout led to resist the force, as if it wanted to break the barrier
The spiritual disaster had already reached the second phase, and the situation didn't allow for the Onhtly If this went on, it would soon enter phase three, and the'demons'
Just then
”Sorry, I've made you all wait!”
A motorcycle approached fro the barrier
A sharp-eyed man sprinted swiftly from the motorcycle
He wasn't wearing theof the Onmyouji, but instead wore a colorful shi+rt and a pair of jeans with holes in the knees, looking completely unlike an Onmyouji
But, he was the coroup, the top of the country's Onmyouji - one of the National First-Class Onmyouji
”I've finally caught up I'll get rid of this deuys stay sharp and maintain the barrier!”
The man wore a katana on his waist He dis the katana
He slashed the blade through the air, drawing a coical force, and the blade shone with a blinding light as if it were engulfed in flame
The commander of the ravens chanted:
”By the five elements, keen spirit of metal, cut down the spirit of wood! Metal overcomes wood! Disperse, demonic miasma!”
The raised sword cleaved towards the ancient tree--
☆
”Woesome!”
Tsuchimikado Harutora slurped noodles with disposable chopsticks, staring intently at the television screen
He was sitting in a small udon shop with an atmosphere reminiscent of the old Showa era The s of the shop were open wide, and the old electric fan circulated the cool air, blowing away the summer heat
The television screen was currently live-broadcasting the On the spiritual disaster Since almost all spiritual disasters happened inside Tokyo, it was an aln scene to Harutora who lived in this kind of countryside place
Harutora pointed his chopsticks at the television in the shop
”Look, Touji That tree's at least two meters in diaa”
He was full of excitement as he spoke to Ato Touji who sat across from him
Touji had finished eating long ago, slumped lazily in his seat He listened to Harutora's words, turning his head to look at the television behind hiaze from under the bandanna around his forehead
”After all, elites like Ona in the first place”
”Elites?”
”The ones who qualify through the 'First-Class Onmyou Exam', also known as the National First-Class Onazine I let you read earlier?”
”Huh? So that katana guy is one of the 'Twelve Divine Generals'? A!”
Harutora ain The live-strea a statement on the scene, and Harutora still stared happily at the television, only re after a while, and then continuing to eat his noodles
Generally speaking, being an Onmyouji was quite a peculiar profession
But once one became a National First-Class Onmyouji, it was a completely different position
The so-called 'Twelve Divine Generals' was just a title bestowed upon them by the media, since there were only a dozen National First-Class Onmyouji who had passed the First-Class Onmyou Exam It could be said that these were even more extraordinary elite Onmyouji
”These kinds of broadcasts are beco more common recently” Harutora slurped udon as he spoke
”See trend But, that's all Tokyo's business” Touji looked out the
”This place is very peaceful”
Harutora set down his chopsticks in theat Touji
”What is it, are you thinking of your fa time?”
”That's not it, I don't hate the peace”
”Haha, don't lie When you were in Tokyo you were a violent juvenile delinquent”
”Shut up, go eat your noodles”
Touji narrowed his eyes and creased his brow, and Harutora laughed while reaching his hand towards the small bottle of hot sauce
☆
Once they walked out of the store, Harutora couldn't help but narrow his eyes at the dazzling sunlight and the vast expanse of whiteness in front of them
The August sun was high in the sky, strong heat reflected off the asphalt road, and cicadas chirped in bursts like the crashi+ng of waves
On the other side of the street was a park full of greenery Raising his gaze, the blue sky was before hi across the sky
It was summer
Harutora and Touji walked out of the noodle shop and stood in front of the store for a while
”It's so hot”
”Summer, you know”
Their ears could al fried as they stood underneath the hot sunlight When they crossed the road and moved underneath the shade of the trees, they resuain
It was currently su su, and not until just now on the road home had they dealt with their late lunch
The two of theray pants for the remedial class just now, but Touji had a bandanna wrapped around his forehead, keeping back his long hair
Maybe the atave off were different, as even if they were both wearing uniforms, Touji appearedhis tongue out frorown to be quite handsome in the first place, and of course that could be one of the reasons creating the disparity between the two
”My mouth is still really spicy”
”You put in too much hot sauce”
”I didn't do it on purpose, it's cause the lid of the bottle fell off”
”Your luck is still as bad as ever”
Touji snickered
Actually, Harutora's luck was strangely poor, and the lid of the bottle falling off when he was pouring hot sauce even counted as a small matter For example, he had been in car accidents twelve ti run over by cars twelve tiood or bad
”This is definitely a curse inherited by my ancestors”
”Well, with your lineage, the probability's pretty high”
As usual, Harutora's complaints didn't stop, and Touji alked beside him replied sarcastically
The sunlight passed through the leaves and shone on the asphalt road, as if luminescence had been scattered everywhere Clearly outlined dark shadows contrasted with the patchy light, and looking at that scene made the heat seem like it had lowered somewhat
”Alright What should we do next?”
Harutora was stillHis phone promptly sounded as if it had taken that opportunity,
”Oh” Harutora fished his phone out of his pocket
He flipped open the folding phone, and after seeing the name displayed on the screen, i the phone without saying a word Then, he put the phone back into his pocket as if nothing had happened
”Hokuto?” Touji slanted his gaze towards hi
”It was Hokuto”
Harutora didn't explain further, nor did Touji pursue the question
The two of the leisurely
”What e do later? I don't have anyout?” Harutora proposed this, his spirits restored
”No, unfortunately, you're wasting your effort”
”What? What do you mean?”
”You've already been caught, as expected of your bad luck”
Touji pointed slightly behind Harutora's back
”You Bakatora!”
A voice that seeht, brisk tone
Then, Harutora heard the sound of footsteps sta warm and soft jumped onto his back
”I found you! Why didn't you pick up your phone? Hurry up and say it! Bakatora!”
”D, Don't be like that, Hokuto! I can't breathe--! I'onna die--!”
Two hands reached out froht-colored hair floated lightly in the summer breeze
Harutora's neck was being throttled vigorously, and he desperately tried to loosen Hokuto's arive up the opportunity to deliver the finishi+ng blow, and she raised her ar them on Harutora's head
”Bakatora! Bakatora!”
”Hey, stop it Don't lean on me, it's too hot, you tomboy!”
”What did you say! Harutora's the one who smells like sweat”
”Don't smell me!”
”Ah, there's the sain?”
”Didn't I tell you not to s!”
Red-faced, Harutora took a big step back Hokuto finally released hi with a youthful tone:
”The weather's so hot, I never expected you to be able to eat udon, your brain really otten fried”
”Be a little less nosy! Also, don't you look down on udon, udon is japan's profound-”
”Touji, what did you eat?”
”Soba”
”Are you forgetting aboutme?”
Harutora roared with intensity, but Hokuto who had him in the palm of her hand seemed at leisure
He and Hokuto had been like this since junior high up through today Her eyes ide, her lips would naturally curve upwards, and her manner of speech was like a boy's, but she had a well-formed, cute face, which see polo shi+rt and a htly brown by the sun
She swung her pretty toned legs back and forth,Harutora and Touji who didn't bother with her
”You guys went to re and the Skipping School Master”
”You're noisy, what did you come here to do, anyway?”
”H, I just came here for a walk”
”A walk on this kind of super hot day? Are you the one whose brain got fried?”
”At least it's ful than remedial classes Did you know, Harutora? In this world, only clever people prosper”
”Uh, this guy's power of persuasion is truly annoying”
”I'irl, Bakatora”
”Shut up, you tomboy”
Frustrated, Harutora stared at the dra Hokuto
Incidentally, 'Bakatora' was Hokuto's original creation, who had described Harutora as 'An old tiger, passing a spring day by sleeping lazily while showing its belly' to belittle hiy was very apt, she hadn't been able to resist praising her own creativity when she had thought of this nicknains
Touji sighed wordlessly as he watched the two of the as usual
”Speaking of which, you still have that uncanny intuition like always Did you also see the broadcast just now?”
”Yeah, and Touji too, you're looking sharp as usual”
”So then, I should go over it again”[1]
How unbearable Touji turned to the side, shi+fting his gaze away Harutora just looked displeased as if he were a tiger whose head had been shaved
Hokuto didn't concern herself with the reactions of the two
”In short! Regardless of why I called out to you guys, Harutora has to pay for ignoring my phone call first Hurry up, come on!”
After Hokuto straightened her back and delivered this announce him into a run
Her arreat ”Hey, what are you doing!” As Hokuto towed Harutora away, he was forced to follow along
Touji raised an eyebrow, looking quite helpless
Then, he stuck both hands in his pants pockets, slowly following in the pair's footsteps
”I really can't understand, why do I have to treat Hokuto to shaved ice? Why, I don't get it at all”
Ten minutes later
Harutora sat on a park bench, staring at the shaved ice in a plastic cup, co with a displeased tone and look
In contrast, Hokuto who had received her compensation looked overjoyed
”You're stupid, Harutora, no wonder you always fail your exams”
”Don't talk nonsense! It's ht to pick up my phone or not, and as for shaved ice--”
”Yum”
”Hey, don't silently eat someone else's shaved ice! Also, you ate the layer on top, what the hell!”
Harutora roared,the cup away from Hokuto Because Hokuto had eaten too rapidly, she screwed up her face and rubbed her temple, which could be called a self-inflicted pain[2]
”Hokuto, are you here to advise Harutora to be an Onain?” Touji opened his mouth to ask this as he drank a soda off to the side
As he said this, Hokuto straightened her back as if responding
”Harutora”
Hokuto slipped her face in close, staring straight into his eyes Harutora unconsciously shrank backwards froe eyes
”W, What?”
”You saw the broadcast on TV right now, right?”
”Y, Yes”
”Didn't you iht? It definitely ht?”
Hokuto's tone was extremely excited
Harutora had a premonition that the words that had been saidto be repeated, and couldn't help fro
”I don't want to at all”
”Why? Harutora, you're the descendant of Abe no Seienuine Onmyouji!”
Annoyed, Harutora ressive attitude
Every word Hokuto said was true
Abe no Seiuished Onmyouji of the tienuine On time dominated the world of Onmyoudou, until the Meiji era It was needless to say, Harutora - Tsuchimikado Harutora was a descendant of this famous family
But
”I told you, Hokuto I've said this so h I'm a Tsuchimikado, my family is a 'branch family', completely different from the incredible 'main family'”
”Even so, you're still a Tsuchiitio to a h school, laze around all day, fail your tests and not care, take remedial classes everyday after school, and complain endlessly Don't you think you're pathetic like that?”
”You don't need to be that nosy”
Harutora listened to Hokuto speak clearly and logically, but couldn't help fro
Before this, Hokuto had tried to persuade Harutora several ti him to 'Become an Onmyouji' And every time she sas about Ons about hi could be said to be enthusiastic, but was closer to stubborn
”Since you were born in a faation?”
”Not at all, what era are you from?”
”Harutora, you're too irresponsible!”
”What do you mean responsible or irresponsible, I just happened to be born in the Tsuchih school student Even if my dad was a specialized Onmyouji, he was just a countryside Onmyou doctor”
”Right?” Harutora tried to solicit Touji's approval Touji as quietly watching their interaction fro his head
”I know that After all, he's my savior”
When Touji had been in Tokyo once before, he had been e on the brink between life and death, and had happened by an Onmyou doctor - a specialized doctor who used Onmyoudou techniques for treated to save him and his life
That Onmyou doctor who had treated Touji was Harutora's father
Even now, Touji still had re in his body, and he often had to receive treatment froone to remedial classes this time wasn't because his scores were bad, but because his treat too few hours in class He had dabbled a bit in Onmyoudou, and had suffered first-hand effects, so he was quite knowledgeable about Onmyoudou techniques
”Harutora's father is an excellent Onmyou doctor who doesn't shame the Tsuchiood-for-nothing son”
”Whatever, in any case I don't have any talent for Onmyouji techniques I can't even see aura, but it's not bad, nothing's inconvenient about that”
Harutora dropped those re chunk of ice
An Onmyouji was a kind of extremely peculiar profession, and obviously a basic condition was so able to sense aura - a clairvoyant ability known as 'spirit-seeing' Strength was also an essential endowment to be an Onmyouji
But, Harutora didn't have the ability to see spirits, or in other words, Harutora wasn't suitable to become an Onmyouji That was the most powerful evidence
Hokuto was the only one who didn't accept that way of seeing things
”Isn't it enough if you ask your dad to let you be able to 'see'? Such spells are included in Onht, Touji?”
”I think so I've heard that with treatment from an Onmyouji with exceptional ability, the effects could last for many years”
Touji added his words Hokuto showed a 'you see' look, staring at Harutora Harutora just turned his head, rebutting: