Volume 1 Chapter 3 (1/2)
[]
The On quickly made the news
There had been an increasing trend this year of ical crimes nationwide, but the majority of the about them On one hand, this situation showed the excellence of the Onency, but on the other hand it was proof that the scope of On spiritual disasters - was basically outside the framework of ordinary society
Current Onmyoudou was based on techniques invented for battles, and because of this their use had heavy restrictions Other than some with exceptional convenience and versatility, most had extremely limited useful contributions to society
Like spiritual disasters, current Onardless of how limited and controlled it was, Onmyoudou - as well as On fierce and unruly The event that happened this time could be said to be a typical such situation
Two hours after it happened, the Onency and the local police collectively held a press conference In the press conference it was reported that there were many who had suffered minor wounds and none had received serious wounds or died, and a stateator Second Team was currently on the hunt for the criminal, and also that aid had been dispatched to their destination
The ht, but the representatives at the press conference stated that they werethe situation with full force Afterwards, these representatives took the reporters' questions without expressing a bit of hesitation, beginning with a firm statement that they would definitely capture the criminal
There was only one question that was an exception
When the reporter asked what suspect had led to this case, the Oniving a short answer
”A researcher”
The firework festival had been the day before, and the sky was gray and hazy, co the beautiful weather from yesterday
A typhoon see, and its effects were expected to be the greatest fro until daybreak Thick clouds filled with ht around the corner, and the as picking up,around the hair of pedestrians
At eleven in the , before lunchtime, in an empty fast food store
Harutora and Touji sat by the second-floor
Summer remedial classes were still held as usual on this kind of day, but today they had been released fro at each other across the table with a heavy atmosphere that didn't lose to the weather
”So--”
Touji fingered his bandanna, staring at Harutora
”You haven't reached Hokuto after that?”
”Right, I sent her a text et a response, and she didn't pick up the phone”
”But you confirmed that she was completely okay”
”At the least, she was like that when I saw her last”
Harutora replied, his gaze beginning to move away from Touji
Touji raised his head, looking as if everything had been wrapped up
”Then that's alright”
He said that, and then reached his hand out to the iced coffee on the table
”That was really a storht, and the typhoon hadn't even arrived yet”
Harutora lowered his head with nothing to say
Indeed, last night had been an appalling night Even if Harutora believed that his luck was definitely worse than others, last night could be called the worst night of his life
First he had fought with Hokuto, and then been mistaken for someone else, threatened by a Divine General, and even involved in a htmarish - and his life's first - kiss, and had been happened upon by Hokuto, who confessed to hi?'
Hokuto
Hokuto's sobs still resounded in Harutora's ears
He didn't know ht, he still didn't kno to look at Hokuto's confession
Harutora obviously liked Hokuto, but those feelings were different fro was like a boy's and Harutora had naturally come to think of her as a male friend
No, it seems like it's a bit different
Thinking back on it now, he hadn't seriously thought about whether the 'like' he had towards Hokuto was love or not Whether intentionally or not, he hadn't tried unraveling the truth because he had been satisfied with his situation
At the least, things had been that way until yesterday
What about now?
He asked hi the answer Unfortunately, his brain wasn't very good, and the ht about hi radually became hazy
All he kneas that he didn't want to lose Hokuto
Because of the scene froht, the relationshi+p between the two of thee happened, he wanted Hokuto to still be with him
That enuine
Yeah
Harutora raised his head, shi+fting his thoughts to so else
He hadn't spoken about the kiss or Hokuto's confession to Touji, just brushi+ng over it, and telling Touji that Hokuto arrived, which led to his identity being exposed, and Suzuka released hiht, and the two of them had split unhappily
The whole thing had souely aware of sorateful at the fact that his friend hadn't asked any detailed questions
”Never mind Hokuto for now You haven't reached that childhood friend of yours either?”
”I sent her a text e She's the same, she didn't reply or pick up the phone”
”That arrogant devil won't let you go easily, and she doesn't seem like she'll be arrested”
”Yeah, I thought so too”
Natsuht up Suzuka's existence at all, but he had already told her via textSuzuka had left behind, but he still wanted to meet with her and explain clearly in person
Harutora had reunited with Natsuued, and because of this, she es even though he had sent many of them
”She shouldn't have returned yet, so I'll go to the main family's place to check later”
Unfortunately, Harutora's parents were away for business, and they were currently in Tokyo, so he couldn't communicate with the main family because of this - no one had answered the main family's phone - and there wasn't anyone else he could ask for help from With that, he felt even ilant as soon as possible
”It's better if you went, since, after all, that little devil feels like an unscrupulous individual”
”Unscrupulous, huh”
HarutoraTouji's words Touji looked curiously at Harutora, like he had noticed the sliver of doubt hidden in his voice
”What is it?”
”Uh well”
With Touji's questioning gaze and the chaotic state of Harutora's thinking, it would be best for hiht
”That person - Dairenji Suzuka - when she was dealing with the Mystical Investigators, she had a big advantage, but she suddenly ran away, right? That was actually to keep a pair of kids who hadn't escaped in ti involved in the chaos”
-- 'I want to revive my brother'
The words Suzuka had spoken last night flashed through Harutora's mind Maybe she had seen her past self back then in the pair of young siblings who alot involved
”She told me she wanted to revive her brother I didn't believe it was possible, but she wanted to use Natsume to try”
”Judging by the current situation, that's accurate”
”But”
”What? Say it, if you have so to say”
Harutora honestly brought up the doubts in his heart
Of course, he believed that he had to do whatever he could to stop Natsuardless of whether he owed Natsume or not, and he would obviously er - even if it was no use at all - to stop Dairenji's attempt
It was just that Harutora's eyes had seen the Suzuka that everyone else had, and had also seen her escape froue unease as she expressed that she wanted to revive her brother He didn't knohat criators to hunt for her, but he believed that the goal she wanted to achieve - reviving her brother - shouldn't be condemned
Touji listened, and didn't immediately reply to Harutora's question
”Honestly, I also did soation afterwards”
He leaned back in his chair, speaking leisurely:
”First, just like 'General', the 'Iht up is often teric systeht That person also said, though it's ancient, it was used mainly for thit that are designated as forbidden ics, but some still survived to today”
”Is soul ic included in that?”
”No, that's another matter”
A cold smile flashed across Touji's face, and Harutora tilted his head in incomprehension
”Is soul hosts verythat an Onmyouji would do?”
”That's a situation froic there are noto souls A basic pillar of 'General' is that we 'don't knohether souls exist”
Touji's explanation surprised Harutora
”Is that so? But aren't there things like aura and spiritual disasters?”
”Right, and that portion is the so-called gray area The 'spirits' that 'General' concerns itself with doesn't mean 'spirits' like souls, but the 'flow' that co contains The 'aura' and 'miasma' ays talk about are that kind of 'flow' The so-called 'spiritual disasters' are actually disasters brought about by a chaotic 'flow'”
The foundation of Onmyoudou was the 'Onmyoudou five elements', and this doctrine prewar and postwar - the past and current One disparities, but it still formed the foundation of Onmyoudou
”The world is co, and they are further divided into the five flows of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water - I think it would be clearer if you asked your childhood friend about these matters”
Saying that, Touji shrugged his shoulders
”As for souls, of course hus fornizes that hu bodies What's mixed is that there are also people who call these souls, and a them there are people who talk about residual spirits - it's already been confirmed that for so in the hu is actually very host”
Touji drank his iced coffee, explaining in a torrent He had originally particularly understood Onic community because of what had happened to his own self, and it see this time
”Though 'General' proposes definitions for spirits and residual spirits, it's a different matter once it touches upon 'human souls' In the end, they don't resolve the question 'what are souls', so it's i souls e 'don't knohat souls are'”
”But, Dairenji Suzuka spoke of soul ic--”
”So I' to 'Ihly, but unfortunately I didn't get a conclusive result even from the inside”
”W, Why?”
”Maybe ic exists within 'Imperial', but there are no records left behind to prove it Not only that, but current Onical research related to souls”
”Bans?”
”Right, and it's not ethics-based, there are more practical considerations”
Saying this, a sharp grin eed on Touji's face
That kind of happy, cold s excited Harutora had a bad premonition
”What do you mean by 'practical'?”
”Harutora, you know about the final cereht?”
”Huh? I, I know, it was in the textbooks, because the Tsuchimikado family was crowded out, the failure of the cere in Tokyo--”
Harutora stopped speaking, noticing the hiddenin Touji's words
Touji looked at Harutora, nodding his head with a cold grin
”Outsiders seem to believe the ceremony was like that”
Harutora was speechless
There actually wasn't any related data left behind regarding Yakou's final cereic related to souls, he could understand why research into it was banned, and could also understand why Suzuka was being hunted by the Mystical Investigators, since it would be natural for that to happen The spiritual disasters that repeatedly happened in Tokyo were a calaht about by the ceremony Yakou held
”And many Onmyouji believe that Yakou didn't fail”
”W, Why? Didn't Yakou lose his life because of that ceremony?”
”The Onmyouji who believe Yakou succeeded in his cerey Onic of his career, letting his soul reincarnate'”
”What?”
Harutora gasped
--Yakou had reincarnated?
This was the first tih branch family members, they were still Tsuchimikado - his parents hadn't even spoken of that matter with him, which he found a bit hard to believe
The true shock was still ahead of him
Touji looked at the stunned Harutora, co himself suddenly
A sharp light shone from his thin eyes
”Your power of observation is still bad - Harutora, think carefully about that brat's words”
His tone was low and solemn Harutora's heartbeat quickened
The words Suzuka had spoken
She had said
'There's only one reason I chose you, and it's because of your 'previous life''
'It seeht, you don't seem to have memories of your previous life Or perhaps, the ruive it a try, since, after all, you are the successful user of this ic - the 'Taizan fukun Ritual''
”Ah”
Harutora shuddered, his eyes widening
Touji stared at Harutora, slowly saying:
”Your dad probably didn't tell you on purpose This is quite a famous rumor in the industry It's said that Tsuchimikado Yakou's reincarnation did not happen at the ti of failure from the war, but would come when the Onmyoudou he created was prominent - he would reincarnate into the Tsuchimikado child that would succeed his bloodline Of course, that kind of thing doesn't have a speck of proof, it's just hearsay”
”Ah”
Harutora felt blinded, gritting his teeth together
Natsume was Yakou's reincarnation?
He felt that this wasn't real but couldn't feel confident in that denial
Natsu carefully, it had indeed been decided too early that she would be the next heir Right now, she obviously wasn't at Yakou's level of Onhtly inferior compared to the sixteen-year-old Yakou?
Harutora had heardNatsu specific about her talent
Most importantly, Suzuka believed in this rumor Suzuka, one of the Twelve Divine Generals, a researcher of Yakou, and the one recovering soul ed - Natsume was Yakou's reincarnation
Could her judg?
Harutora couldn't say Touji was silent and wordless, sipping iced coffee through a straw A heavy silence pervaded the space between the two
Just then, Harutora's phone rang
It was a text e He reflexively checked the sender
”Is it Hokuto?” Touji asked keenly
”No”
It was a e from Natsume He hadn't been able to coht, and when this textfrom next to them
Harutora's fingers pressed the buttons, opening the e's contents were very brief
'I have soht?'
The first drops of rain before the typhoon lightly splashed against the second-floor
The rain had started in the afternoon, and gradually grew stronger as time went on
Natsume met hi into the store, and the entrance bellsound
It was five in the afternoon A di the store's rustic-styled interior decorations Because of the effects of the weather, it was cheerless inside the store Harutora looked around the store, noticing Natsume in a booth inside
”Did you wait long?”
”No, I didn't Well I wanted to apologize to you for calling you out on the day of a typhoon”
”Don't worry, I also wanted to talk to you face to face”
After the two of thereeted each other, the store employee came by to help them order Harutora randomly picked a cup of iced coffee, but Natsume silently stared at the black tea on the table
Natsume wore a black chiffon dress, and the ant beauty Her long, jet-black hair didn't seem to have been blown around by the wind at all, and maybe she had ridden a taxi here The black tea seemed already cooled, but she didn't even drink a sip
He felt tense, as after all, he had just listened to the things Touji had talked about, and also the fight on the bridge two days ago still made him feel uneasy He had been extremely anxious when he hadn't been able to reach her, but he couldn't say anything once he met her
Was she truly Yakou's?
Natsued o
No, that wasn't right
She wasn't coed either, and Harutora noticed that there was a discrepancy in Natsume's appearance
Natsume was usually mature and cal uneasily For some reason her face was red and she refused to look directly at Harutora Speaking of which, she had clearly been abnorreeted him just now
What was it? Harutora couldn't help but wonder
”I looked at the e, I'm sorry”
Natsu deeply Harutora's eyes widened
”Huh? W, What?”
”It was all er in yesterday's festival”
”W, Wait, why is it your fault?”
”You were found because the other person ht?”
Harutora finally understood why Natsuize when he heard her say this It was because Harutora had been involved in danger in her place
”It's alright, you don't need to apologize to s clearly in the e It was actually my mistake that that person stayed mistaken, since when that person made her initial mistake, I ith the flow and pretended to be you In any case, that girl is the most to blame, it's not your fault”
Harutora hurriedly explained, and Natsu that
”Pretended to be me? Why did you do that?”
”Uh, because that person said she wanted you to cooperate with her experi”
Harutora spoke hesitantly
”That's really” Natsume showed a reproachful look for a moment ”You also knew that person was one of the Twelve Divine Generals - A National First-Class Onht? You're really too reckless to dare trick her”
”That's why I was so concerned, I felt it was very dangerous”
”Since you noticed the danger, that's even more reason not to have done that! You're an outsider, and if you get involved in a dispute between On happens - Actually, you really did end up in danger, and it's lucky that nothing happened Your actions are way too reckless!”
Natsu the nonsense of her classized to her, downcast
Harutora had originally planned on stopping the danger before it reached his childhood friend But, he couldn't retort with anything if one were to repri off more than he could chew If it were Natsume rapped up in the same crisis, she would definitely be able to deal with it more cleverly
Seeing Harutora so depressed, Natsume hurriedly shut her mouth
She lowered her eyes, embarrassed
”S, Sorry, you only got involved with this business because of me”
”Didn't I just say, it's not your fault at all”
Harutora brought that up again, but Natsu the red and her
She had been this stubborn since long ago Harutora clearly realized that she believed that she had to bear the entire burden for this happening
An impulsive person
Harutora muttered secretly Just then, the iced coffee was sent over, but he didn't have any intention of reaching out for it
”You should care about your own safety Maybe it's not very convincing if I say it, but this Dairenji Suzuka is truly very powerful”
Once Suzuka's name left his mouth, Natsume's head and shoulders suddenly trembled
”Yes, I know”
The tone of the reply was far different from her usual
Harutora was a bit surprised Her voice sounded like it was even angrier than Harutora hiht up in that crisis
”Do you know each other?”
”Of course I don't know her!”
”Th, Then why are you”
”Th, That's because I, I heard evaluations of her fronize that she indeed has the power of a National First-Class Onmyouji, but as for her personality - she's an extreirl”
Natsu over
Harutora was truly frightened in thisNatsume belittle someone like this, so this showed how bad of an opinion others had of Suzuka
But
”But, she's the youngest one to attain the rank of 'National First-Class Ony' Onmyouji If she found me, I would be helpless I want to take countermeasures as soon as possible”
”Helpless It's the same even if you face her?”
”Of course, the opponent is an On the top of the nation”
”Ah, yeah, that's true”
But you're Yakou's - Harutora sed those words that he had alaze drifted towards hi things over
”What will you do specifically? Have you told your family members?”
”No, I haven't My father is in Tokyo right now”
”Your dad too? How unfortunate, my family's the same”
”My father went to Tokyo together with Aunt and Uncle”
”Huh, is, is that so?”
The Aunt and Uncle Natsume spoke of meant Harutora's parents Harutora didn't know that htly
”So that's why I returned”
She spoke honestly Harutora was tongue-tied for a
Natsume's mother had already died, and her father was the only parent left Before she had gone to Tokyo to study, it had always been the father and daughter together
Natsu that ith her father Actually, Harutora wasn't too clear on the situation, but he occasionally would hear one or two things from his parents He had heard that they alether
Even so, the current situation was more critical than usual
”Since our family is all in Tokyo, it would be safer for you to return there as soon as possible”
”I can't”
”Hey hey, think about your current situation However bad your relationshi+p with your dad is, doing that is too dangerous”
”No, it's not because of that”
Once Harutora said this, Natsu like she didn't knohat to say
”She The 'Child Prodigy' said that she was going to hold the 'Taizan fukun Ritual', right?”
”Huh? Oh, I didn't hear very clearly Could it be that you knohat that is?”
”I know”
”Really!? She said it was soul ic, isn't that forbidden? Is it very famous?”
Harutora asked in surprise, and Natsu that
”The 'Taizan fukun Ritual' was originally a ritual held by the Tsuchimikado family”
”What?”
Those unexpected words stunned Harutora
Natsume said:
”The Taizan fukun Ritual originated as a ritual held by Abe no Seimei, the ancestor of the Tsuchimikado family, and afterwards became a national secret held by the Tsuchi on holding the 'Ione drastic changes, but the two are fundamentally similar”
”S, Similar?”
”Right, in the courtyard behind ood distance away - there is a hill known by us as the 'Iuarded by generations of the Tsuchimikado family, is there She will probably hold the ritual there In that case, as a uard the altar, and so I cannot leave this place”
”What”
”Holding the Ireat risks, and I definitely cannot give her that opportunity”
Great risks Harutora couldn't help but cringe when he heard that The 'Ie spiritual disasters in the past, and Natsume obviously knew that as well
Though that were so
”Even so, you can't guard the altar as a one-ht? Didn't you also say that you couldn't face a Divine General just now?”
”It has nothing to do hether I can do it or not, it's a probleht now, so only I can bear the responsibility of guarding the altar”
”Wait, this doesn't solve the probleuard it, isn't it the same whether you're there or not?”
”That just means that I did not complete my responsibility as a descendant of the Tsuchimikado family”
Natsunantly Harutora was distressed but could do nothing
Maybe this was the uard the altar in the end, it couldn't count as coht
On the other hand, because of this, there was even less of a reason to act irresponsibly It wasn't like he couldn't understand Natsume's stance
Since she was ser than other peoples', and she was the kind of person to seriously proclaiht battles with no chance of victory' If he heard her say that kind of thing, Touji would probably laugh coldly in disdain, but Harutora would nod his head to express agreement
In particular, if Natsume was truly Yakou's reincarnation, the Taizan fukun Ritual was a rite connected to her fate If Natsume herself knew that ru of the Taizan fukun Ritual however she could
”Nn”
Harutora crossed his ar
Then
”I know But, I still need to persuade you to return to Tokyo”
”Harutora-kun, how many times do I have to say it for you to realize, that--”
”Dairenji Suzuka's target is you Also, the ritual needs you to be carried out, right? Just guarding the altar is uarded just like the altar”
Harutora spoke carefully, and Natsume inadvertently went silent Her lack of an immediate retort proved that she believed Harutora's words were reasonable
”But If we overlook the altar like that”
”I'll guard the altar”
Natsume's eyes widened as she heard Harutora speak
How long had it been since such an expression had appeared on Natsume's face? Normally, she would alear an ice-cold face like she was slightly angry, but once she was caught off guard, she would show a childish look
Harutora continued speaking, a bit embarrassed:
”After all, it's dangerous, and since a descendant of the Tsuchiuard it for you”
”You, what are you talking about? You don't know ic”
”The opponent is a Divine General, and even you don't have a chance of winning, right? In that case, it's the sauards the altar Unless you have some way to hold the altar from a Divine General?”
Harutora spoke calmly, and Natsume's lips trembled, speechless
Natsuuidelines, but she was unexpectedly poor at coping with other unexpected attacks, and she was particularly at a loss when she understood the reasoning behind it That childhood weakness hadn't changed at all when she grew older, and Harutora couldn't help but smile
”You go evacuate, I'll stay behind to deal with her With that, not only can we stop Dairenji Suzuka fro the cere the altar We'll see how things turn out Maybe there's not a high chance of s up with you getting captured if you stay behind to guard the altar”
”But”
”Co More iht now, Dairenji Suzuka is heading towards the altar, and she'll probably try to find you first, so you're in danger too”
After saying this, Harutora took out a leather case fastened to his waist
It was a coer than a cell phone case, a box that Harutora had picked up fro here
He opened the strap on the top of the box, took out the charms inside, and placed them on the table
”These are healing charms I took from my dad's clinic, and there are also some talismans inside These are all expensive charency, and I' them should be very convenient for you”