Volume 11 Chapter 2 (1/2)
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”Natsuht? And that Harutora-kun was fine?”
”Yes Though she added the phrase 'for now'”
Tenma nodded and replied to Kurahashi+ Miyo's confirmation
The phone call from Saotome Suzu that had reached Tenma's phone froue He was in a state of knowing almost no details at all
He would use the Taizan fukun Ritual to resurrect Natsume Tenma and the others had sent Harutora off with that kind of detero Hence, they weren't sure about what had happened to him afterwards They weren't sure whether Natsume had 'truly' resurrected either They weren't even sure 'what kind of state' Harutora was currently in
The ti
Currently, Tenma and the others were in a Kurahashi+ family villa in Mejiro - a small, seaside residence Other than Principal Kurahashi+ and Tenma, the people present were Ato Touji, Kurahashi+ Kyouko, Dairenji Suzuka, and the figure of A with his back on the sofa
The night that had jarred the Oniven way to the dawn However, things weren't over Or rather, this was only the beginning The people gathered here right now vaguely anticipated this
The tuht had ended
But ht now
”I understand In any case, there won't be any results even if we think about Harutora-kun and Natsume-kun's situations like this Rather, we should consider our own ht now Think about the future”
The atmosphere in the room sharply tensed up due to the principal's words
Tenma had told the principal about what the students had done last night and what they had witnessed Also, it seemed that she had heard all the details fro After all, the people present had opposed the leadershi+p of the Onency
They had opposed the Onency Chief, Kurahashi+ Genji
”Excuse me Principal? Is Chief Kurahashi+ truly, um”
Tenma stammered a question to the principal
Kurahashi+ Genji was an iic coency Chief, the Mystical Investigator Chief, and the Exorcist Bureau Chief, he was also a National First-Class On 'First-Class Onmyou' certifications He was the leader of the Twelve Divine Generals and had been named the 'current most influential' Onmyouji
But that wasn't all He was the current head of the famous Kurahashi+ Onmyoudou family Also known as the principal's son as well as Kyouko's father He was the relative of two of the people here right now
But the principal silently acquiesced to Tenh she had prepared her heart, Kyouko's face distorted slightly at her grandrim expression
”Amami-kun”
The principal aze to Amami on the sofa
Aators But he had mysteriously disappeared after the Twin-Horned Syndicate sweeping operation - or so it was said But in truth, he had been locked underground in the Onht It seemed that his treath the principal had urgently treated hith, nor could he speak since his throat was burned His y was in a perfectly cut-off state especially to block hiic
Even so, his sharp, thorough gaze was still vigorous
A on the sofa as he endured the principal's gaze, lightly reement
At the same time, a spider quietly crawled up his shoulder A pale blue spider about the size of a thuami
This shi+kigami was a test product of Tenths One was that it was able toaura The other was that it could be controlled without using s were completed beforehand
It was originally a shi+kigami that had been formulated to be used by ordinary people who couldn't ical energy was coht, Aami and led the captured Harutora and Tenh one of the two Trick Spiders had been destroyed, the other one that had followed Tenma had safely escaped with him
Then, from the Trick Spider on Amami's shoulder--
”Unfortunately, the Chief's guilty”
Came Amami's voice
Tenh the Trick Spider could share vision and hearing with the practitioner, it didn't have the function ofsound In fact, it had been silent for the whole time it led Tenma around
”It's ic” Then, the principal explained in place of Amami
”Because we had to ask about the situation no ed to add to the shi+kigaic--”
”You can leave that for later, Miyo-chan”
Aain The gazes of the group focused on Amami
”As for your doubt from before, it's unfortunate, but that's how it is I heard it directly fro Kurahashi+ Genji - that guy is the culprit who manipulated the Twin-Horned Syndicate from the shadows until now and led to two spiritual disasters from behind the curtain The Souma faction have joined hands with him”
Ten assertion
”What's his goal? Is it Yakou's resurrection?”
It was Touji who asked this
His expression was calm, but his eyes were as cold as ice After a pause, Amami replied, ”Not necessarily”
”The fact that he stole the Raven's Coat can be explained away as for Yakou's resurrection But we can't clearly say that's the oal yet Maybe that's just the individual expectation of the Souuys abandoned the Twin-Horned Syndicate of gathered Yakou fanatics after using the stone to spread the jurisdiction of the Onency”
”But” Amami carefully continued
”The Tsuchimikado branch family boy - No, it'sby what the boy called Harutora said, that acy' That said, I know nothing about what the crucial 'legacy' includes I expect that it's taboo The Chief's true intent is unclear right now”
Then, Amami showed Touji a rebellious smile
”I told you before, right? I said that every adult in this world is an old fox But Kurahashi+ Genji is the worst of theh him”
Touji wordlessly nodded at Ah Touji had firm self-confidence, he definitely wasn't a fool He objectively recognized that the enemy was far cleverer than himself
”Is 'that man' an accomplice?”
This question came from Suzuka
Suzuka's expression was stiff It wasn't just the principal and Kyouko who had 'relatives' involved The 'man' Suzuka spoke of referred to her - once-dead - father, Dairenji shi+dou The Divine General who had been called the 'Professor' was the mastermind behind the 'Great Hinamatsuri Purification' spiritual disaster terrorist attack He was a person who had been viewed as the leader of the Twin-Horned Syndicate in the past
Touji replied to her instead of Amami
”Yeah, that's for sure Though I haven't said so yet, that guy was there when I broke into the executive office In the end, that guy awakened as Yashaami Since Souma Takiko is allied with the Chief, he's naturally on the same side”
Suzuka lowered her head and tightly bit her lip after Touji announced that
Though Suzuka was a National First-Class Onmyouji, she had obtained 'First-Class One because her father had strengthened her spiritual power throughani with her and her brother
”Come to think of it now, the Chief and Dairenji were coworkers in the agency Maybe their relationshi+p started before Dairenji was reborn Maybe much earlier”
Suddenly, the Trick Spiders' words became unsettled and suddenly cut off ”Amami-kun!?” The principal's face paled and hastily ran forith Kyouko by her side
Amami closed his eyes in extreme exhaustion on the sofa But after Kyouko supported his body, he slowly opened his eyelids
A weak, bitter sed on his mouth, and he said:
”Sorry, my consciousness left me for a moment”
”P-Please don't be so reckless You have to settle down as ht now--”
Though using the Trick Spider didn't require the use of ue accumulated on the old man's body were extraordinary Even if he had received the principal's e the fact that Amami's condition was extremely bad
But Amami smiled and spoke to the worried Kyouko:
”Don't be reckless? That's wrong, Kyouko-chan”
In contrast to his frail ie, he showed a powerful smile
”Let ive voice to such 'naive judgs an 'adult' says to shelter a 'child' All you others listen carefully too, not just Kyouko”
Aht Touji, Suzuka, and Tenaze scorched and solidified the children like flowing ma
”Listen up You all have to allowas I'ment stipulated by a 'standalone Onmyouji' Of course”
Amami's expression suddenly eased
But the children shook evenhis next words
”That's if you truly plan on opposing the Onency”
Touji, Suzuka, Tenma, and Kyouko all went speechless The blood drained out of the faces of one, and one flushed red in a flash One clenched his fists tightly, and one gritted his teeth
But none of theazes No
”They'll be getting into this villa soon too There's not much time Just like Miyo-chan said at the start, let's think about the future”
The On institutions in the nation
To people who held goals of beco professional Onmyouji, this was a trial to explore the future difficulties along the road Its curriculum was practically famous, and the difficulty of its practical curriculuhest, third year could be called practically professional with regard to first-class eable in the ic community
The building of this academy was built in shi+buya, Tokyo The current acadeo, and had been heavily ruined in June last year But it had been coes from that time had vanished without a trace
Not only was it a building furbished with the newest equipment, it also had a solee number of Onmyouji who had co that was difficult to forget
But--
If the past graduates visited the current Onness within their nostalgia Of course, the building had a new look, but it wasn't that kind of outer change, but rather a change on the inside - a change in the atmosphere
At least Tenht so
Maybe he was the only one who felt this Maybe he was only concerned by such a subtle change because of his experiences Maybe that was it Tenma harbored complicated e before him
”Ah, Mo”
”GoodIt's so cold today~”
A pair of reeted Ten Both were in the sa It is very cold” He smiled and replied, then the three of theether
The acade's main entrance had two pairs of heavy automatic doors When the first of those automatic doors opened, Tenma inadvertently looked to the side
”H, Momoe-kun?”
”Nothing I felt like I've unconsciously gotten used to this scene”
”Eh? Ahh You're talking about Alpha and Oa?”
The two classazes to the same direction The space between the pairs of autoaht with the fora who had once been the door guards of the Onami of Principal Kurahashi+
But now, there were no komainu there As replaceaency, the teachers wouldIn that sense, it was 'rational' given their function, but Alpha and Ouards They had kind personalities contrasting with their haughty language, and had been well-liked by the students as the face of the Onmyou Academy
Most of the students had been sad when the two of them had been taken away Of course, Tenma was the same
But before he noticed it, the scene without the komainu had become ordinary for Tenma
”Come to think of it it feels lonesome from time to time”
”The current first-years don't even know Alpha and O”
”That's true”
Other students ca behind his back as he replied briefly He couldn't just stand there without h the second set of auto the first floor
Unlike usual, the vast floor had been adorned with ornate decorations They were red and white-toned, japanese-styled cere fro read 'Onmyou Academy New Year's Ceremony' in black letters
His classmates looked up above their head and said:
”Come to think of it, it's tomorrow”
”That's not it, there's a dress rehearsal this afternoon”
”Really? I can't feel any motivation”
”There's no helping it, there's gonna be a lot ofin this year”
The girl shrugged her shoulders at the frowning boy Tenma also silently looked above
The New Year's ceremony was an activity where the Onmyou Academy celebrated the new year, just like its na held last January Its e in the media than to cereanda that the Onmyou Academy aimed outside
The New Year's Ceremony was an activity that had been started last year by the thinking of the previous Onmyou Academy Principal
Last autumn, Kurahashi+ Miyo who had been the principal since the acadened fro health reasons Her shi+kiga that time
The new principal after that was a forency official who had retired The Oned' bit by bit since then This New Year's Ceremony - or rather, the fact that this kind of activity was being held in the first place could be called proof of that change
”But”
Tenma muttered
”Actually, there were even more students who entered last year The nu decreased a lot too”
”Hmm? Well, there were indeed a lot of new students last year But of course the nu decreased After all, ere second-years, there were so many unprecedented incidents--”
As the boy spoke with a bitter sirl next to him quietly said ”idiot” as if to reproach him ”Ah” After the boy noticed, his face became aard
There were particular students at the center of the 'unprecedented incidents' during the second year of Tenma and the others
Tsuchimikado Natsume
Also, Tsuchimikado Harutora
Tenma's relationshi+p with the two of theood Other than that, he had also always been with Ato Touji and Kurahashi+ Kyouko before
The biggest reason the new principal was holding this New Year's Cere in the Onmyou Academy The New Year's Ceremony could be called a cleanup after Tenma and the others
”Let's go”
Tenh the floor towards the elevator His classlanced at each other and then chased after Tenma
The boy spoke in a tone e the topic:
”Come to think of it, it seems like there arethat”
”Ah, I heard that too It seeency people too”
”After the principal changed, the nuency teachers increased Well, there were a lot in the first place”
”Even forain?”
”Eh? Who knows”
Tened floors to head to their classrooirl asked Tenma
”Moency in the end?”
”Ah, I don't know”
”You still haven't decided? You're as leisurely as always”
”Mo to continue it after you graduate?”
”No, my family's not”
Tenot thethe third years were each other's future plans But because Tenma still hadn't decided, he couldn't join in the topic
Tenma's parents had died in an accident when he was still a child Since then Tenma had been taken in by the Morandparents
Though the Momoe faenerations His grandfather and his mother had been professional Onae achieve those related to the professional ic community
But his bold and daring ht discord to his relationshi+p with his conservative grandparents After she essentially ran away fro up even until her death The feelings of Tenrandparents who had been left behind and Tenma himself who lived with them after he was also left behind were incredibly complicated
His grandparents didn't speak of Tenma's future path too much Or, maybe they still held recollections - or perhaps bitter memories - about their disputes with his mother in the past
But to the left-alone Tenrandparents undoubtedly expected him to become a professional Onmyouji able to succeed the Morandparents and had entered the acade a professional
To become a professional, standalone Onoal
It was just that what exactly was a so-called 'standalone Onmyouji'?
”H the Onanization? Or working alone?”
”I~diot, no one can do it alone Ah, coic tool coh there was a condition that he obtained qualifications”
”Eh, what kind? Where? Witchcraft Corporation?”
”It's not a famous place like that A place that was established just last year Allegedly, it seems like it was opened by a household of Onmyouji So it's more like a workshop than a company”
”Hey, that's a bit surprising For soency would be certain”
”He said that it was good because he would be able to work feely there He even bragged that 'I'll grow the business'”
Though Tenma didn't interrupt his classmates' conversation, he turned an ear out of immense interest
If it had been established last year, then it was probably a business foral reform from last year
Thesecluded froency was continuously pushi+ng for Onmyouji to participate in new areas of society in order to ial reforreatly alleviated the li with the liic
New ic-related careers would definitely further increase in the future The deside that trend It wasn't just the One in the wake of the Onency
”In any case, future plans are very i professional qualifications for now I' every day until then”
After Tenma said this, it was the turn of the other two to show discontent
They just happened to arrive at the classroom when Ten to the restroo the entrance to the classroom
Then--
The le for the rest of the students, he started to stealth hi
Of course, a 'vanishi+ng aura' for a sudden, perfect stealth ic would attract the attention of a keen spirit seer even more easily He did it bit by bit, in no hurry Hethe stealthhis body in with the air
He understood in his heart that this was 99 useless worry
Even so, he had no reason to ignore the re 1
Tenic had already completely activated before he entered thethe deepest stall and closing the door
He still didn't release his stealth He closed his eyes, quickly and thoroughly inspecting the surrounding aura
There was nothing suspicious Ten out the letter froiven to hiirl
He wordlessly turned the pink-colored envelope over several tiical traces He opened it and took out the contents
There was just one sheet of paper
He first swept over it with a sharp gaze, then slowly read it again
The nae Nor could he find any clues to trace back to the sender It wasn't coincidence, she had deliberately concealed herself Though it had been handwritten, Tenh with this penmanshi+p to know the answer
More importantly, the contents seeiven to a third party's hands, they wouldn't be able to grasp any concrete information Soht realize so, but he wouldn't necessarily be able to obtain any e written after such consideration
There was just one thing
The feelings of the person rote the letter were deeply conveyed
And those feelings most clearly pointed to the sender of the letter
Ten the eain, this ti attention to intent rather than words
He checked whether there were any hidden words written sorasped that there weren't such things Gratitude and apology were clearly written in the letter, especially the feeling of not wanting to bring Tenma or others trouble This letter was completely one-sided news sent from the other party
Even so, Tenain several times
He checked the time with his watch It would be bad if he didn't return to the classroom soon Tenma ripped the envelope into fine bits and flushed theht hesitation, he folded the e as small as possible He took out a shrine protective talis to put the e inside
Then, Ten to the classroom
The place that had becoic practice field underneath the acade
It had originally been a place used for practical first-class ic skills, but it was the only place that could accommodate the entire student body, and hence it had been used for the entrance ceres It was constructed like an athletic stadiuic barriers was also encircled by spectator seating on all four sides The day of the New Year's Cereround The second and first-years along with the media that had been invited to cover it watched fro The third-years also carried the ceremony forward
Hence, the final coursework of the day had been canceled for Ten a dress rehearsal to prepare for tomorrow instead
”Why do cere”
”I knohat you mean, but isn't it a problem for an Onmyouji to say that?”
'Rituals' like this had been important work of Onmyouji since ancient times Tenma smiled and advised his classmate about his statement
The New Year's Ceremony was overall split into two portions The first half that was held after the principal's greeting was the saency carried out at the end of the year
But this was just an imitation The Onoal of 'purifying the evil of the old year and praying for the beauty of the new year' They ceremoniously carried out the de those lines But the process itself had ic ritual In that sense, it wasn't that far apart froinal work of On rites and rituals were important duties of Onmyouji
But the highlight of the New Year's Ceremony was the latter half, not the former After the demonic aura purification ritual, the students suami to put on a dance performance
Unlike the deanificance But the ami had unique appearances and beautiful ic watched, he would easily understand that it was 'aanda for the On on the present situation, the eye-catching shi+kiga was also well-received on television